Breach Notifications in Europe Rise, While Fines Hold Steady

$1.4 Billion in Known Fines Levied in 2025, Despite Criticism From Outside EU Mathew J. Schwartz (euroinfosec) • January 21, 2026

A global law firm said the volume of data breach notifications received by Europeans increased by one-fifth over the past year - although total fines being imposed by data protection authorities held steady.

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Global law firm DLA Piper said fines imposed under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation totaled 1.2 billion euros - $1.4 billion - in 2025, a near-repeat of the total amount imposed by regulators in 2024. The steady level demonstrates "a sustained high level of enforcement rather than a slowdown."

The law firm characterized the steady enforcement as evidence that data protection authorities will continue to impose substantial fines despite political pressure from outside Europe. Regulators targeted individual technologies such as artificial intelligence as well as supply ...