How do regulators cooperate internationally?

International regulatory cooperation on email and data protection occurs through formal agreements and informal coordination networks. GDPR specifically empowers supervisory authorities to cooperate with each other through the consistency mechanism (Article 63) and one-stop-shop principle (lead authority for cross-border processing). The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) coordinates between EU national authorities. Beyond Europe, bilateral and multilateral agreements enable information sharing and coordinated enforcement across jurisdictions.

For spam enforcement specifically, organizations like the London Action Plan (now renamed M3AAWG's Global Spam Operations Council) bring together regulators, ISPs, and industry representatives from multiple countries to coordinate anti-spam efforts. The FTC, CRTC, and other national authorities regularly share intelligence about spam operations, coordinate enforcement timing, and assist each other with cross-border evidence gathering. This cooperation means spammers can't simply move operations to different jurisdictions to avoid consequences.

Practical implications for marketers include: you can't assume geographic boundaries protect you from enforcement. If you send to EU recipients, GDPR applies regardless of where you're located-and EU authorities cooperate with authorities in your jurisdiction to enforce compliance. Cross-border complaints get routed to appropriate authorities. Enforcement actions in one jurisdiction can inform actions in others. The email enforcement landscape is increasingly global-compliance strategies must consider all jurisdictions where you have subscribers or operations, not just your home country.