Globalisation Of Criminal Evidence And Changes On The Horizon

The rise of internet-based communications has complicated the ability of law enforcement to gather evidence in criminal investigations. Compounding the problem is the fact that technology companies often store users' data at a great distance from the physical location of their customers. As a result, when law enforcement is investigating crimes with a cross-border element, their powers are often curtailed by outdated or prolonged cooperation mechanisms.

With many technology companies' EU or EMEA headquarters located in Ireland, these Irish companies control the majority of the EU's electronic communications on their servers. The upcoming legislative changes in the area of cross-border access to evidence, and Irish support for these changes, are being closely watched by many, including our fellow Member States.