<!-- headlesslaw {"release":{"id":"a4f2a0495fe55b47323883f82977a9b34ab66171ec9623e39925d3a7045b6c81","published":"2026-11-01T16:41:30Z","pinned":false},"limits":{"coverage":{"history":"full","held_since":"2016-05-04","gaps":[],"covered":["GDPR L1"],"not_covered":["national guidance","court decisions"]},"freshness":{"release_id":"a4f2a0495fe55b47323883f82977a9b34ab66171ec9623e39925d3a7045b6c81","release_published":"2026-11-01T16:41:30Z","checked_at":"2026-10-26","checked_against":"EUR-Lex"},"truncation":null,"failures":[],"incomplete":[]},"page":{"path":"/gdpr/articles/44","url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/44","title":"Article 44 — General principle for transfers","family":"l1_generated","work_id":"gdpr","status":"in_force","force_status":"in_force","date_state":"current","requested_date":null,"as_of":"2026-11-02","applies_from":"2018-05-25","application":{"state":"applicable","next":null,"dates":[{"at":"2018-05-25","note":"Article 99(2)"}]},"version_label":"Consolidated version of 4 May 2016","check":{"against":"EUR-Lex","on":"2026-10-26"},"check_result":"matched","official_url":"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504","valid_from":"2016-05-04","valid_until":"2018-05-25","revision":1,"content_id":"a2bc7afb438c0429","change_date":null,"nearest_versions":["2016-05-04"],"first_text_date":"2016-04-27","correction_applies":false,"versions":["2016-05-04"],"version_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/44/versions/2016-05-04","revision_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/44/versions/2016-05-04/rev/a2bc7afb438c0429","versions_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/44/versions","relations_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/44/relations","source_line":null,"attribution":null}} -->
---
title: "Article 44 — General principle for transfers"
type: regulation
legal_status: in_force
source: "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504"
source_retrieved: 2026-09-28
shortTitle: "Article 44 — General principle for transfers"
instrument_type: level1_regulation
authority: Commission
binding: true
binding_character: binding
mica_level2: false
legal_basis: "Regulation (EU) 2016/679"
instrument: gdpr
celex: "32016R0679"
regulation: GDPR
regulation-full: "Regulation (EU) 2016/679"
article: 44
status: in_force
object_id: eu.gdpr.legal_text.article.44
text_version: "Consolidated version of 4 May 2016"
source_url: "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504"
check_status: matched
verified: true
last_checked: 2026-10-26
---

*In force · Consolidated version of 4 May 2016 · Checked against EUR-Lex on 26 Oct 2026 · [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504)*

Any transfer of [personal data](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/personal-data) which are undergoing [processing](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/processing) or are intended for processing after transfer to a third country or to an [international organisation](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/international-organisation) shall take place only if, subject to the other provisions of this Regulation, the conditions laid down in this Chapter are complied with by the [controller](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/controller) and [processor](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/processor), including for onward transfers of personal data from the third country or an international organisation to another third country or to another international organisation. All provisions in this Chapter shall be applied in order to ensure that the level of protection of natural persons guaranteed by this Regulation is not undermined.

***

[Chapter V — Transfers of personal data to third countries or international organisations](../chapters/v.md) · [← Article 43](43.md) · [Article 45 →](45.md)