Disclaimer: Please note that these tables summarise the most recent guidelines from EU national authorities. They may evolve over time, depending on future legislative texts, case-law, or guidelines published on the subject.
NOTES:
| Questions | UK 🇬🇧 | Italy 🇮🇹 | Germany 🇩🇪 | France 🇫🇷 | Spain 🇪🇸 | Denmark 🇩🇰 | Greece 🇬🇷 | Belgium 🇧🇪 | Ireland 🇮🇪 | Sweden 🇸🇪 | Netherlands 🇳🇱 | Luxemburg 🇱🇺 | Austria 🇦🇹 | Switzerland 🇨🇭 | EDPB 🇪🇺 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is consent by scrolling valid? | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | YES | NO |
| Is consent by continuing navigation valid? | NO | Likely no, but not specified | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | YES | NO |
| Are explicit “accept” AND “reject” buttons required to be on the cookie notice? | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | Not specified | YES | NO | YES | Not specified | YES |
| Must accept and reject options be equally conspicuous (equal prominence requirement)? | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | Not specified | YES | Not specified | Not specified | YES | YES | Not specified | YES |
| Is the prior blocking of cookies necessary where consent is required? | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | NO | YES |
| Are full cookie walls admitted? | Unlikely | NO | NO | Possibly | NO | Possibly | NO | NO | Likely no | NO | NO | NO | YES | Not specified | NO |
| Must cookies be listed one by one? | NO | Not specified | NO | NO | NO | NO | Not clear | Not clear | Likely no | YES | YES | Likely no | Likely no | Not specified | – |
| Must purposes be listed in the first layer of the cookie notice? | Not mentioned, but unlikely. | Best practice | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | Not specified | Not specified | YES | YES | YES | Not specified | – |
| Must consent be granular on a per-purpose basis? | Per-service but not necessarily per-purpose | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | Not specified (but implied) | Not specified (but implied) | YES | Not specified | YES |
| Is proof of consent required? | YES | YES | YES | YES | Not specified (but implied) | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | NO | Likely yes | |
| Should withdrawing consent be as simple as giving it? | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | Not specified | YES |
| Is the use of a consent banner recommended? | YES | YES | YES | Not specifically | YES | Not specifically | YES | Not specified | Not specifically | Not specifically | YES | Best practice | Best practice | NO | YES |
| Are strictly necessary cookies exempt from the consent requirement? | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Can GDPR legal bases other than consent (e.g. legitimate interest) apply? | NO | NO | YES | NO | NO | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | YES | YES |
| Do third parties have to be listed and identified? | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | Not specified | Not completely clear | YES | YES | YES | Not specified | YES | YES |
| Is it specified how long the consent to a cookie should last? | NO | YES | YES | YES | Specified good practice | NO | YES | NO | YES | YES | NO | YES | Not specified | Not specified | No duration explicitly stated |
| Are pre-ticked boxes allowed? | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | NO | YES | NO |
Sources and further reading
*Unless otherwise stated, all sources linked are in their respective languages.
Belgium
2020:
Denmark*
2023:
2020:
2019:
- Executive Order (“EO”) regarding cookies (still applies unless the above 2020 document states differently)
*guidelines apply to any consent-based processing of personal data, not only to cookies or trackers, strictly speaking.
European Data Protection Board – EDPB
2020:
France
2020:
Finland
2020:
- Summarizing article (English)
- Decision by the Ombudsman
- Information on the Finnish Traffic and Communication Authority’s website
Germany
2020:
Greece
2020:
Italy
2021:
Ireland
Spain
2023:
Austria
2023:
UK
2019:
Netherlands
2024:
