Scientific research: How to lawfully process personal data (EDPB factsheet to Guidelines 1/2026)

What it covers

This document provides a short quick-reference summary of the EDPB Guidelines on processing of personal data for scientific research purposes; the full guidelines carry the detailed legal analysis and examples. It highlights the six indicative factors for identifying genuine scientific research, guidance on broad and dynamic consent, transparency measures, and limits on erasure and objection rights.

Why it matters

It gives researchers and DPOs a fast checklist for determining whether an activity qualifies for the GDPR's research-specific flexibilities before consulting the full guidelines for detailed analysis.

Refer to it when

• quickly checking whether a project can claim research exemptions
• deciding between broad and dynamic consent models
• handling an erasure or objection request in a research context
• briefing non-specialist staff on research data protection duties

Questions this document addresses

• What six factors indicate that processing is genuinely scientific research?
• What is the difference between broad and dynamic consent?
• When can a research organisation reject an erasure or objection request?
• Does reusing data for research require a new compatibility test?

Topics

• Scientific research
• Consent
• Data subject rights
• Lawful basis