The European Union Commission Regulation (EU) April 27, 2016, n. 2016/679, published in the EU Official Journal on 4 May, is in force since 24th May.
The 28 EU countries will now have two years to harmonize standards and procedures, taking into account, however, that since this is a Regulation, the text is an act of "general application (...) binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States ", thus not requiring any national implementing measures.
Within two years public and private institutions, companies and professionals will have to plan and organize the adaptation to the new requirements, in particular on the redefinition of processes and procedures which have to do with sensitive data.