Transnational gathering of electronic evidences: challenges and perspectives in the European Union

Abstract

It is well-known that transnational data flows are rising simultaneously with the increasing use of social media, webmail, messaging services, and apps to communicate, work, socialize and gain information, unfortunately, including also unlawful purposes. Criminal procedural measures for gathering evidence as part of a criminal investigation are usually national in scope, but obtaining electronic evidence often has cross-border implications. Courts and legislatures have often failed to keep pace with rapid advances in digital technology and computer software capabilities. This paper analyzes the European legal framework for the transnational gathering of electronic evidence in Europe. Initially, it argues the challenges of the cross-border gathering of electronic evidence in criminal investigations.