EU Representative for US Companies

Does GDPR Apply to US Companies?

Yes. Under Article 3(2) of the GDPR, any company outside the EU that offers goods or services to EU residents, or monitors their behavior, falls under GDPR jurisdiction — regardless of where the company is incorporated.

This means: if you’re a US-based SaaS company with EU users, an American e-commerce store shipping to Europe, or a US consultancy with EU clients — you need an EU Representative.

EU Shield services: GDPR Article 27 EU Representative · GPSR Responsible Person for product sellers — each €490/year flat, all 27 EU states.

Does US Privacy Law Cover This?

No. CCPA, CPRA, and other US state privacy laws cover different jurisdictions and have different requirements. They do not satisfy EU GDPR requirements. You need separate compliance for each jurisdiction where your data subjects reside.

The Risk for US Companies

EU regulators are increasingly active against US companies. Notable examples include Meta’s €1.2 billion fine (2023), Google’s multiple fines totaling hundreds of millions, and Clearview AI’s €20M+ in cumulative EU fines. Regulators are increasingly focusing on mid-market and small US businesses in 2024-2026.

Having an EU Representative demonstrates good faith compliance and significantly reduces your regulatory risk profile.

3-Step Compliance for US Companies

1. Appoint EU Shield as your Representative — €490/year, done in 15 minutes
2. Update your Privacy Policy — add EU Representative section; we provide the template
3. Share your processing records — we hold them at our EU office as required

← Read the Complete Guide · See Pricing →

Why US Companies Specifically Need EU Shield

US businesses face a unique GDPR enforcement landscape. The largest GDPR fine in history — €1.2 billion — was levied against Meta, a US company. American Airlines was fined €1.2 million by Spanish DPA. Marriott, Clearview AI, all US companies, all penalized for GDPR violations. The pattern is clear: EU regulators are actively targeting US firms.

Unlike CCPA or CPRA (which only cover California residents), GDPR covers all 450 million EU citizens. There is no revenue threshold, no employee count exemption. A solo US founder with 10 EU customers needs an EU Representative. When a regulator contacts your representative, they forward the inquiry within 24 hours with compliance context — you don’t miss deadlines because mail sat in a PO box.

EU Shield was built for US companies. Our onboarding takes 15 minutes, costs €490/year flat, and satisfies Article 27(3) designation requirements with a legally compliant written mandate.