EU GDPR requirements for data controller and data processor

Answer:

Under the provisions of the EU GDPR there are no requirements for companies acting either as a data controller or a data processor to obtain and maintain any specific certifications.

Under art. 42 of the EU GDPR is stated that Member States, Supervisory Authorities and the European Data Protection Board are encouraged to establish data protection certification mechanisms to be used by both controllers and processors.

These certifications will voluntary and will not reduce the responsibility of the controllers and processors to comply with the EU GDPR provisions. However these mechanisms are yet to be established and most likely will become available after the 25th of May 2018. The same stands for individual certifications as well.

There are various courses and trainings on the market, some accompanie d by exams and certification, but these are not in any way mandatory, so you are free to choose based on your needs and budget.