European Union: Data Protection

The EU e-Evidence Regulation has entered into force, establishing a new framework for cross-border requests for electronic evidence in criminal proceedings. Service providers operating in the EU now face strict compliance deadlines and significant penalties for non-compliance, while navigating complex rules about data production, preservation orders, and limited grounds for refusal. How will companies balance law enforcement cooperation with fundamental rights protections under this challenging new regime?

European governments are rapidly shifting from asking how platforms should protect children online to whether children should be allowed on certain platforms at all. France has legislated to keep under-15s off social media, the UK has set out plans for age-based restrictions and overnight curfews for teenagers, and the European Commission is preparing to legislate itself. For any business offering digital services in Europe, the direction of travel is unmistakable, but the destinations are not yet aligned,

Michael Egan and Michael Scorer explore how organisations are transitioning from AI experimentation to practical implementation in legal workflows. They examine why generative AI adoption has doubled while confidence remains low, and discuss the critical role of defensibility, governance, and human oversight in successful AI deployment.