Germany: new European GDPR is a 'milestone' German delegate Andrea Vosshoff believes the new EU Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which will begin on 24 May, is a 'milestone' for data protection in Europe. However in Germany, small and medium-sized companies fear that they will face major bureaucratic difficulties in setting up the GDPR and will therefore have to pay possible fines. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES.