Irish Cabinet approval has been secured for priority drafting of the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation Office) Bill 2025, which will establish the Criminal Justice International Cooperation Office and set out its powers in line with the EU e-Evidence Regulation and Directive.
The EU e-Evidence Package allows authorities in one EU Member State to issue an order to produce electronic evidence needed for a criminal investigation to an online service provider, based in another EU Member State.
In 2018, the European Commission estimated that electronic evidence was relevant in 85% of criminal investigations and that 55% of all criminal investigations required a request by the investigating authorities to service providers across borders (i.e. based in another jurisdiction).
The e-Evidence Package will regulate this practice and apply the same rules to all online service providers across the EU, providing legal certainty and clarity for businesses and law enforcement.
The establishment of the Criminal Justice International Cooperation Office will provide a cohesive approach to digital regulation in the criminal justice space by centralising the necessary skills and expertise, and ensuring a streamlined regulatory framework based around a single regulator.
This approach is further strengthened by government approval to incorporate other international co-operation instruments, such as the European Investigation Order Directive, into the implementation of the EU e-Evidence Package.
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