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EuroMetrics CMS

Tag: GDPR

  • Why European Businesses Are Ditching Google Analytics

    Why European Businesses Are Ditching Google Analytics

    The landscape of web analytics in Europe has undergone a dramatic transformation. Since the landmark Schrems II ruling and subsequent enforcement actions by data protection authorities across the EU, European businesses have been reconsidering their reliance on Google Analytics.

    The GDPR Problem with Google Analytics

    Google Analytics, by design, transfers user data to servers located in the United States. Under GDPR, this creates a significant compliance risk. Several European data protection authorities — including those in Austria, France, Italy, and Denmark — have explicitly ruled that using Google Analytics violates GDPR.

    The core issues are clear: personal data (including IP addresses and cookie identifiers) is transferred to the US, where surveillance laws like FISA 702 allow government agencies to access this data without the knowledge or consent of EU citizens.

    The Real Cost of Non-Compliance

    GDPR fines are not theoretical. In 2025 alone, over €2.1 billion in fines were issued across the EU for data protection violations. Companies using non-compliant analytics tools face potential fines of up to 4% of their annual global revenue.

    Beyond fines, there’s reputational damage. Consumers increasingly care about how their data is handled, and a public enforcement action can erode trust that took years to build.

    What European Businesses Need

    The ideal analytics solution for European businesses must meet several criteria: data must stay within the EU, no personal data should be transferred to third countries, cookie consent should be simplified or eliminated entirely, and the tool must provide actionable insights without compromising privacy.

    This is exactly why solutions like EuroMetrics exist — built from the ground up for European businesses, with EU data residency, cookie-free tracking, and full GDPR compliance baked into the architecture.

  • GDPR Compliance Checklist for Web Analytics in 2026

    GDPR Compliance Checklist for Web Analytics in 2026

    Ensuring your web analytics setup is GDPR-compliant in 2026 requires more than just adding a cookie banner. Data protection authorities have raised the bar, and businesses need a systematic approach to compliance.

    1. Data Residency

    Verify that all analytics data is processed and stored within the European Economic Area (EEA). This includes not just the primary database but also backups, CDN caches, and any processing pipelines. After the invalidation of the EU-US Privacy Shield and ongoing uncertainty around the Data Privacy Framework, EU-only data residency is the safest approach.

    2. Lawful Basis for Processing

    Determine your lawful basis for collecting analytics data. If you rely on consent, ensure your consent mechanism meets the requirements: it must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. If you use legitimate interest, document your balancing test carefully.

    3. Cookie Audit

    Conduct a thorough audit of all cookies set by your analytics tool. First-party analytics cookies typically require consent under the ePrivacy Directive. Cookie-free analytics solutions can bypass this requirement entirely, significantly simplifying your compliance posture.

    4. Data Minimization

    Review what data your analytics tool collects. Under GDPR’s data minimization principle, you should only collect data that is strictly necessary for your stated purpose. Full IP addresses, precise geolocation, and detailed device fingerprints are rarely necessary for analytics.

    5. Data Processing Agreement

    Ensure you have a valid Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with your analytics provider. The DPA should clearly specify the categories of data processed, the purposes, security measures, sub-processors, and data subject rights procedures.

    6. Privacy Policy Updates

    Your privacy policy must accurately describe your analytics practices, including what data is collected, why, how long it’s retained, and who has access to it. Update it whenever you change analytics tools or practices.

    Following this checklist will put you in a strong position for GDPR compliance. Tools like EuroMetrics are designed to satisfy most of these requirements out of the box, with EU data residency, cookie-free tracking, and built-in DPA support.