--- title: "Article 56 — Competence of the lead supervisory authority" 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 56 — Competence of the lead supervisory authority" 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: 56 status: in_force object_id: eu.gdpr.legal_text.article.56 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)* 1. Without prejudice to [Article 55](55.md), the [supervisory authority](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/supervisory-authority) of the [main establishment](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/main-establishment) or of the single establishment of the [controller](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/controller) or [processor](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/processor) shall be competent to act as lead supervisory authority for the [cross-border processing](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/cross-border-processing) carried out by that controller or processor in accordance with the procedure provided in [Article 60](60.md). 2. By derogation from paragraph 1, each supervisory authority shall be competent to handle a complaint lodged with it or a possible infringement of this Regulation, if the subject matter relates only to an establishment in its Member State or substantially affects data subjects only in its Member State. 3. In the cases referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, the supervisory authority shall inform the lead supervisory authority without delay on that matter. Within a period of three weeks after being informed the lead supervisory authority shall decide whether or not it will handle the case in accordance with the procedure provided in [Article 60](60.md), taking into account whether or not there is an establishment of the controller or processor in the Member State of which the supervisory authority informed it. 4. Where the lead supervisory authority decides to handle the case, the procedure provided in [Article 60](60.md) shall apply. The supervisory authority which informed the lead supervisory authority may submit to the lead supervisory authority a draft for a decision. The lead supervisory authority shall take utmost account of that draft when preparing the draft decision referred to in [Article 60(3)](60.md). 5. Where the lead supervisory authority decides not to handle the case, the supervisory authority which informed the lead supervisory authority shall handle it according to [Articles 61](61.md) and [62](62.md). 6. The lead supervisory authority shall be the sole interlocutor of the controller or processor for the cross-border processing carried out by that controller or processor. *** [Chapter VI — Independent supervisory authorities](../chapters/vi.md) · [← Article 55](55.md) · [Article 57 →](57.md)