How to Identify Regions Requiring Opt-In Consent Models
Identifying which countries and regions require an opt-in consent model is an important step when configuring regional consent behavior.
This determination is not always straightforward. Consent requirements vary based on local law, regulatory guidance, enforcement posture, and evolving case law.
As a result, Captain Compliance cannot authoritatively declare which countries require opt-in consent.
Each organization should conduct its own legal and compliance review to determine the appropriate model for the regions in which it operates.
That said, Captain Compliance will provide informative references. The table in this article reflects a commonly used reference list of countries that are frequently treated as requiring opt-in consent for non-essential technologies. This table is provided for planning and configuration purposes only and should be validated by your legal team before use.
How to Research Opt-In Requirements
When evaluating whether a country requires opt-in consent, organizations typically consider:
Whether the country is subject to GDPR or GDPR-like frameworks
Local ePrivacy or electronic communications laws
Guidance from data protection authorities
Enforcement history and regulator expectations
How “consent” is defined for non-essential technologies
Regions Commonly Treated as Requiring Opt-In Consent
Europe
Region | Country Code |
Austria | AT |
Belgium | BE |
Bulgaria | BG |
Croatia | HR |
Cyprus | CY |
Czech Republic | CZ |
Denmark | DK |
Estonia | EE |
Finland | FI |
France | FR |
Germany | DE |
Greece | GR |
Hungary | HU |
Iceland | IS |
Ireland | IE |
Italy | IT |
Latvia | LV |
Liechtenstein | LI |
Lithuania | LT |
Luxembourg | LU |
Malta | MT |
Netherlands | NL |
Norway | NO |
Poland | PL |
Portugal | PT |
Romania | RO |
Slovakia | SK |
Slovenia | SI |
Spain | ES |
Sweden | SE |
United Kingdom | GB / UK |
North America
Region | Country Code |
Quebec | CA-QC |
South America
Region | Country Code |
Brazil | BR |
Asia-Pacific
Region | Country Code |
South Korea | KR |
Thailand | TH |
China | CN |
Middle East & Africa
Region | Country Code |
Israel | IL |
South Africa | ZA |
