In order to contribute to the consistent application of this Regulation throughout the Union, the supervisory authorities shall cooperate with each other and, where relevant, with the Commission, through the consistency mechanism as set out in this Section.
Article 63
Consistency mechanism
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the consistency mechanism in Article 63 of the GDPR?
It is the way the supervisory authorities work together to keep the application of the Regulation consistent throughout the Union. Article 63 requires them to cooperate with each other and, where relevant, with the Commission. The article itself is short: it establishes the duty to cooperate and points to the rest of the Section for how the mechanism actually works.
Who has to cooperate under the consistency mechanism?
The supervisory authorities. They must cooperate with each other through the consistency mechanism, and where relevant they also cooperate with the Commission. The phrase "where relevant" signals that the Commission is not involved in every case, only when the situation calls for it.
Does Article 63 create obligations for companies?
Not directly. The article is addressed to the supervisory authorities, not to controllers or processors, and it obliges those authorities to cooperate. For companies the effect is indirect but real: the mechanism exists so that the Regulation is applied consistently throughout the Union, rather than differently from one authority to the next.