# Position of the data protection officer 38(3) — GDPR — provision context

> Focused context for a single provision (38(3)), curated from overview.legal on 2026-08-22. Canonical: https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-38#par-3
> Verify against the official text (EUR-Lex / wetten.overheid.nl) before relying on it.

Part of **Position of the data protection officer** (GDPR, full article: https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-38).

## Provision text

### 38(3)

The controller and processor shall ensure that the data protection officer does not receive any instructions regarding the exercise of those tasks. He or she shall not be dismissed or penalised by the controller or the processor for performing his tasks. The data protection officer shall directly report to the highest management level of the controller or the processor.


## Topics on this provision

- **Processors** — https://overview.legal/topics/processors
  Entities that process data on behalf of controllers
- **Supervisory Authorities** — https://overview.legal/topics/supervisory-authorities
  National data protection authorities and their powers
- **Controllers** — https://overview.legal/topics/controllers
  Entities that determine purposes and means of processing

## Cited by (exact-provision citations)

- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 22 June 2022.#Leistritz AG v LH.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Second sentence of Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition of the dismissal, by a controller or processor, of a data protection officer or of the imposition, by a controller or processor, of a penalty on h** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/132310
- **Judgment of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 9 February 2023.#X-FAB Dresden GmbH & Co. KG v FC.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition on dismissing data protection officer for performing his or her tasks – Requirement for functional independence – National legislation prohibiting** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/132296
- **Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber), 8 April 2014.#European Commission v Hungary.#Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Directive 95/46/EC — Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data — Article 28(1) — National supervisory authorities — Independence — National legislation prematurely bringing to an end the term served by the supervisory authority — Creation of a new supervisory authority and appointment of another per** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/132371
- **Bulgarian SAC upholds DPA finding on neighbour's CCTV covering adjacent property** (case-law) — https://overview.legal/posts/184723
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 22 June 2022.#Leistritz AG v LH.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Second sentence of Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition of the dismissal, by a controller or processor, of a data protection officer or of the imposition, by a controller or processor, of a penalty on h** ¶31 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132310
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 22 June 2022.#Leistritz AG v LH.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Second sentence of Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition of the dismissal, by a controller or processor, of a data protection officer or of the imposition, by a controller or processor, of a penalty on h** ¶28 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132310
- **Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber), 8 April 2014.#European Commission v Hungary.#Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Directive 95/46/EC — Protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data — Article 28(1) — National supervisory authorities — Independence — National legislation prematurely bringing to an end the term served by the supervisory authority — Creation of a new supervisory authority and appointment of another per** ¶13 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132371
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 22 June 2022.#Leistritz AG v LH.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Second sentence of Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition of the dismissal, by a controller or processor, of a data protection officer or of the imposition, by a controller or processor, of a penalty on h** ¶24 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132310
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 22 June 2022.#Leistritz AG v LH.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Second sentence of Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition of the dismissal, by a controller or processor, of a data protection officer or of the imposition, by a controller or processor, of a penalty on h** ¶34 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132310
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 22 June 2022.#Leistritz AG v LH.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Second sentence of Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition of the dismissal, by a controller or processor, of a data protection officer or of the imposition, by a controller or processor, of a penalty on h** ¶23 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132310
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 22 June 2022.#Leistritz AG v LH.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Second sentence of Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition of the dismissal, by a controller or processor, of a data protection officer or of the imposition, by a controller or processor, of a penalty on h** ¶20 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132310
- **Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 22 June 2022.#Leistritz AG v LH.#Request for a preliminary ruling from the Bundesarbeitsgericht.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data – Regulation (EU) 2016/679 – Second sentence of Article 38(3) – Data protection officer – Prohibition of the dismissal, by a controller or processor, of a data protection officer or of the imposition, by a controller or processor, of a penalty on h** ¶26 (case-law, Court of Justice of the European Union) — https://overview.legal/posts/132310

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Generated by overview.legal · https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-38#par-3 · 2026-08-22