# Definitions 4(a) — GDPR — provision context

> Focused context for a single provision (4(a)), curated from overview.legal on 2026-08-22. Canonical: https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-4#par-16-pnt-a
> Verify against the official text (EUR-Lex / wetten.overheid.nl) before relying on it.

Part of **Definitions** (GDPR, full article: https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-4).

## Provision text

### 4(a)

as regards a controller with establishments in more than one Member State, the place of its central administration in the Union, unless the decisions on the purposes and means of the processing of personal data are taken in another establishment of the controller in the Union and the latter establishment has the power to have such decisions implemented, in which case the establishment having taken such decisions is to be considered to be the main establishment;


## Topics on this provision

- **Personal Data** — https://overview.legal/topics/persoonsgegevens
  Information relating to identified or identifiable natural persons
- **Processing** — https://overview.legal/topics/verwerking
  Any operation performed on personal data
- **Controllers** — https://overview.legal/topics/controllers
  Entities that determine purposes and means of processing

## Cited by (exact-provision citations)

- **Opinion 04/2024 on the notion of main establishment of a controller in the Union under Art. 4.16(a) GDPR** (guidance) — https://overview.legal/posts/125773

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Generated by overview.legal · https://overview.legal/laws/gdpr/art-4#par-16-pnt-a · 2026-08-22