The idea companies can be held “strictly liable” for violations of the European Union’s privacy rules was shot down, following a judgment from Europe’s top court.

On Dec. 5, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) held that a data controller can only have an administrative fine imposed on it for an infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) if the infringement was committed intentionally or negligently.

Neil Hodge is a freelance business journalist and photographer based in Nottingham, United Kingdom. He writes on insurance and risk management, corporate governance, internal audit, compliance, and legal...