{"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/91","url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/gdpr/articles/91","title":"Article 91 — Existing data protection rules of churches and religious associations","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 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data protection rules of churches and religious associations","text":"","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/91/para/1","kind":"paragraph","status":"in_force","label":"1.","heading":null,"text":"Where in a Member State, churches and religious associations or communities apply, at the time of entry into force of this Regulation, comprehensive rules relating to the protection of natural persons with regard to processing, such rules may continue to apply, provided that they are brought into line with this Regulation.","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"7eab42b08b18c1a9fd045fb9d748d98938dfc847bf771ee49061708bdf42dfee","reason":null},{"locator":"gdpr/art/91/para/2","kind":"paragraph","status":"in_force","label":"2.","heading":null,"text":"Churches and religious associations which apply comprehensive rules in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article shall be subject to the supervision of an independent supervisory authority, which may be specific, provided that it fulfils the conditions laid down in Chapter VI of this Regulation.","marks":[],"revision":1,"text_hash":"847ed225a95c2641080e6e3f1fe36eaa7c1eb9b6276074ad808eec56d791f4a1","reason":null}],"markdown":"---\ntitle: \"Article 91 — Existing data protection rules of churches and religious associations\"\ntype: regulation\nlegal_status: in_force\nsource: \"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504\"\nsource_retrieved: 2026-09-28\nshortTitle: \"Article 91 — Existing data protection rules of churches and religious associations\"\ninstrument_type: level1_regulation\nauthority: Commission\nbinding: true\nbinding_character: binding\nmica_level2: false\nlegal_basis: \"Regulation (EU) 2016/679\"\ninstrument: gdpr\ncelex: \"32016R0679\"\nregulation: GDPR\nregulation-full: \"Regulation (EU) 2016/679\"\narticle: 91\nstatus: in_force\nobject_id: eu.gdpr.legal_text.article.91\ntext_version: \"Consolidated version of 4 May 2016\"\nsource_url: \"https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02016R0679-20160504\"\ncheck_status: matched\nverified: true\nlast_checked: 2026-10-26\n---\n\n*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)*\n\n1. <a id=\"p-1\"></a>Where in a Member State, churches and religious associations or communities apply, at the time of entry into force of this Regulation, comprehensive rules relating to the protection of natural persons with regard to [processing](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/processing), such rules may continue to apply, provided that they are brought into line with this Regulation.\n2. <a id=\"p-2\"></a>Churches and religious associations which apply comprehensive rules in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article shall be subject to the supervision of an independent [supervisory authority](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/gdpr/supervisory-authority), which may be specific, provided that it fulfils the conditions laid down in Chapter VI of this Regulation.\n\n***\n\n[Chapter IX — Provisions relating to specific processing situations](../chapters/ix.md) · [← Article 90](90.md) · [Article 92 →](92.md)\n"}