European data protection authorities fined Yango operator MLU B.V. €100 million after an investigation found the company transferred personal data of taxi users to Russia without safeguards required under EU law. Regulators also ordered the company to stop all transfers of European user data to Russia with immediate effect. The case marks the first coordinated European ruling focused on data transfers to Russia.

The decision followed a joint investigation led by the Dutch Data Protection Authority with participation from regulators in Finland and Norway. Authorities opened the inquiry in 2023 after concerns emerged over how Yango handled personal information from passengers and drivers using the taxi platform in Finland and Norway.

MLU B.V., based in the Netherlands, manages Yango’s European data operations. The company forms part of the Yandex group, which runs technology and transport services across several markets.

Investigators said the company failed to prove that Russian state authorities could not gain access to user information transferred outside the European Union. Regulators concluded that protections used by the company did not meet standards required under the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

Authorities pointed to Russian surveillance laws and the powers granted to intelligence agencies as central concerns in the ruling. European regulators stated that the legal environment in Russia does not provide a level of protection equal to that required inside the EU.

Finnish Data Protection Ombudsman Anu Talus said companies operating inside the EU must guarantee strong protection for personal information when handling user data across borders.

“Personal data cannot be transferred outside the EU if its security cannot be ensured,” Talus said in a statement released with the decision.

The ruling orders MLU B.V. to halt transfers of data linked to European Yango users to Russia. Regulators said only the lead supervisory authority or the European Data Protection Board holds powers to impose a permanent ban on such processing activities across borders.

MLU B.V. stated that Yango ceased operations in Finland and Norway in October 2025. Authorities noted that Yango applications remain available in app stores in both countries despite the shutdown of local operations.

The company still has the right to challenge the financial penalty.

HT