The AWARE project (with project number 101193182) - entitled "Raising GDPR AWAREness for micro-enterprises, with specific attention paid to the beauty industry and private healthcare sector" - runs from 1 February 2025 to 31 January 2027 and is part of the CERV-2024-DATA programme of the European Commission. It has a total budget of EUR 277.779. In addition to NAIH, the Irish branch of the research and development company Trilateral Research Ltd. is participating in the project as a consortium partner.

The overall aim of the project - which also builds on the results of previous SME-focused data protection calls, especially the STAR II project^[1] - is to raise awareness of personal data protection and to help SMEs, in particular micro-enterprises, to better understand their rights and obligations under the GDPR. In addition to the general objectives, the project specifically focuses on SMEs in the beauty and private healthcare sector, in cooperation with SME associations and chambers of commerce in Hungary and the EU.

Its aim is to broaden the knowledge of micro-enterprises at national and EU level on the General Data Protection Regulation by considering key factors and areas relevant from a data protection perspective and providing relevant knowledge and information to the target groups. It will pay specific attention to employment issues and to the mapping of information society services. It also stresses the importance of data subject rights, in particular the right of access, and facilitates compliance with the obligations arising from data subjects' requests through innovative tools for SMEs. Finally, it gives priority to the protection of women and children in the context of data processing.

To achieve these objectives, AWARE offers innovative and micro-SME focused online tools and direct support to enable the target groups to comply with GDPR requirements. The consortium partners will conduct interviews with SMEs in the beauty and healthcare sector, as well as with SME associations and chambers of commerce in all EU Member States. The results of the interviews will be summarised in reports and brochures. An information website will be created in English and Hungarian, including useful links to the results of previous data protection projects and a series of slides for the target groups. The project partners will also organise webinars and conclude the project with training days.

The results will support the work of the national data protection authorities in the Member States and make it easier for SMEs to comply with their obligations under the GDPR. Thus, AWARE will facilitate cross-border cooperation between Member States, disseminate good practices and create practical tools and solutions to address EU-wide challenges.

To transfer knowledge and experience, the partners will prepare information materials in Hungarian and English and present the main results of the project at international conferences and meetings of the European Data Protection Board and its subgroups as well.

Budapest, 25.06.2025.

^[1] The Data Protection Handbook for SMEs is available at https://naih.hu/star-ii/starii-eredmenyek/kkv-kezikonyv-es-dpa-guidance.