Official gazettes are a nightmare for many people: a sanction from years ago keeps ruining their credit. There are routes to stop it appearing.
Why official gazettes are especially harmful
Official gazettes publish sanctions, fines, seizures and insolvency proceedings. Even when the debt is paid or the sanction resolved, the notice stays indexed. Credit information companies cross-reference gazette data with their files, and your name stays linked to defaults or sanctions for years, even with no outstanding debt.
Can you ask for it to disappear?
Yes, through two complementary routes. The first is delisting from search engines: when the information is no longer adequate or relevant (for example, the debt is settled), you can ask Google and Bing to remove the link under Article 17 of the GDPR. The second is requesting removal or blocking of the data directly from the body responsible for the gazette, invoking the GDPR and applicable national law.
Arguments that work
- The debt, fine or sanction is already settled or resolved (with proof).
- A significant time has passed since publication.
- The notice causes disproportionate harm (denied credit, employment).
- The data is excessive for the purpose of the gazette.
What to expect in terms of timeframes
Delisting from search engines usually resolves within weeks. Requests to public bodies can take longer and don't always succeed, because gazettes serve a legal publicity function. That's why the combined strategy — delisting first, removal afterwards — delivers the best results.