Gatheringandusinge-evidenceintrans-bordercriminalinvestigationstillfacesmanychallengeswhichreflectstheefficiencyofcrimecounteraction.Ithasbeenlongtimeacommonconcernofthelegalcommunity.TheEuropeanUnionhasshowndeepinteresttotheissueandhasundertakencrucialmeasures.Recently,aproposalforaRegulationoftheEuropeanParliamentandoftheCouncilonEuropeanProductionandPreservationOrders,forelectronicevidenceincriminalmatters,andaDirectiveoftheEuropeanParliamentandoftheCouncillayingdownharmonisedrulesontheappointmentoflegalrepresentativesforthepurposeofgatheringevidenceincriminalproceedingshavebeenlaunchedafterlongandthoroughpreparation.Throughthesespecifictools,theproposaltargetstheproblemcreatedbythevolatilenatureofelectronicevidenceanditsinternationaldimension.Itseekstoadaptcooperationmechanismstothedigitalage,givingthejudiciaryandlawenforcementtoolstoaddressthewaycriminalscommunicatetodayandtocountermodernformsofcriminality.Theproposalalsoaimstoimprovelegalcertaintyforauthorities,serviceproviders,andpersonsaffectedandtomaintainahighstandardforlawenforcementrequests,thusensuringprotectionoffundamentalrights,transparency,andaccountability.Italsospeedsuptheprocesstosecureandobtainelectronicevidencethatisstoredand/orheldbyserviceprovidersestablishedinanotherjurisdiction.Thisstudyoutlinesthebasicachievementsofthenewlyproposedregulation.
