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A Data Retention Policy sets clear rules for how long your organization keeps different types of information and when to delete it. In Belgium, these policies help companies comply with GDPR and local privacy laws while managing their data responsibly.

The policy specifies retention periods for everything from employee records and financial documents to customer data and email archives. It helps protect sensitive information, reduces storage costs, and ensures you meet Belgian legal requirements like the 7-year minimum for accounting records and 5-year retention period for employee social documents. Having a solid policy also shows regulators you take data protection seriously.

Use a Data Retention Policy when your organization handles personal data, business records, or regulatory documents in Belgium. It's especially important when scaling up operations, preparing for data protection audits, or managing increasing volumes of digital information across departments.

The policy becomes essential before GDPR compliance reviews, when merging with other companies, or when facing storage capacity issues. Belgian companies need it to manage mandatory retention periods - like 7 years for accounting records and 5 years for employee files. It's particularly valuable when coordinating data handling across multiple teams or when responding to privacy-related requests from customers or authorities.

• Audit Log Retention Policy: Focuses specifically on system logs, security records, and IT monitoring data, typically keeping them 1-3 years for security compliance and incident investigation.
• Email Records Retention Policy: Specialized policy for managing email communications, attachments, and digital correspondence, often with different retention periods for general business emails (2 years) versus critical communications (7+ years).
• Department-Specific Policies: Tailored retention schedules for HR, Finance, or Legal departments, each aligned with their unique Belgian regulatory requirements.
• Industry-Specific Policies: Customized versions for sectors like healthcare or financial services, incorporating sector-specific retention mandates.

• Data Protection Officers (DPOs): Draft and oversee the Data Retention Policy, ensuring it aligns with GDPR and Belgian privacy laws.
• IT Managers: Implement technical controls, manage storage systems, and execute deletion schedules.
• Department Heads: Ensure their teams follow retention rules and flag any specific needs for their business units.
• Legal Teams: Review policy compliance with Belgian law and update requirements as regulations change.
• Employees: Follow the policy's guidelines when handling company data and documents.
• External Auditors: Verify compliance with retention schedules during regular assessments.

• Data Inventory: Map out all data types your organization handles, from customer records to employee files.
• Legal Requirements: List Belgian retention periods, like 7 years for accounting and 5 years for employee records.
• Storage Systems: Document where different data types are stored and how they can be securely deleted.
• Department Input: Gather feedback from each team about their data handling needs and challenges.
• Risk Assessment: Identify sensitive data categories requiring special handling under GDPR.
• Technical Capabilities: Confirm your systems can enforce automatic deletion and retention periods.
• Template Selection: Use our platform's legally-validated templates to ensure all mandatory elements are included.

• Purpose Statement: Clear explanation of policy objectives and scope of data covered.
• Retention Schedule: Specific timeframes for each data category, aligned with Belgian minimums.
• GDPR Compliance: References to data minimization and storage limitation principles.
• Deletion Procedures: Methods and timing for secure data destruction.
• Legal Basis: Citations of relevant Belgian privacy laws and sector regulations.
• Roles and Responsibilities: DPO and staff obligations for policy enforcement.
• Exception Procedures: Rules for legal holds and special circumstances.
• Review Process: Schedule for policy updates and compliance checks.
• Documentation Requirements: Records proving compliance with retention schedules.

A Data Retention Policy is often confused with a Data Protection Policy, but they serve distinct purposes in Belgian organizations. While both support GDPR compliance, their focus and application differ significantly.

• Scope and Purpose: Data Retention Policies specifically outline how long different types of data should be kept and when to delete them. Data Protection Policies cover broader privacy practices, including data collection, processing, and security measures.
• Legal Requirements: Retention policies must align with specific Belgian retention periods (7 years for accounting, 5 years for employment). Protection policies focus on overall GDPR principles and security standards.
• Implementation Focus: Retention policies emphasize storage duration and deletion procedures. Protection policies address access controls, encryption, and general data handling practices.
• Operational Impact: Retention policies directly influence storage systems and archiving processes. Protection policies guide day-to-day data handling across all business operations.