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On 3 May 2018, Advocate General (AG) Henrik Saugmandsgaard Øe delivered a notable opinion on the scope of data protection in criminal law enforcement situations. According to the AG, Union law does not preclude investigative measures by which national authorities seek identification data from certain mobile phones held by electronic communication service providers, even if the criminal offense is not of a serious nature.

On 11 April 2018, the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party (WP29) adopted its opinion on the Commission proposals to establish a framework of interoperability between the EU information systems in the field of borders and visas and police and judicial cooperation, asylum and migration. The opinion must be seen in the context of other, nearly parallel statements issued by the EDPS and the EU’s Agency for Fundamental Rights.

On 16 April 2018, the EDPS presented his concerns on the recent Commission’s legislative proposals on establishing a framework to ensure interoperability between existing and future EU information systems. The EDPS’ contribution (Opinion 4/2018) follows up the reflection paper issued in November 2017, in which the EDPS already eyed the plans of the EU institutions on interoperability.

On 2 May 2018, the Commission tabled its proposals for a new long-term EU budget, also referred to as Multiannual Financial Framework (“MFF”). The new framework would follow the current budget period that ends in 2020. The MFF would therefore cover the period from 2021 to 2027, and it especially takes into account the EU-27 after the withdrawal of the UK.

On 3 May 2018, the General Court (GC) delivered an important judgment in which it clarified the relationship between Union law and national law when checks against economic operators are carried out by OLAF. The GC confirmed that checks are a matter of EU law, and national law is only relevant in cases of assistance by national authorities.

On 28 May 2018, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) published a report on the cost of non-Europe in the fight against terrorism. It continues the series of several cost- of- non-Europe reports increasingly covering the European criminal law field, such as the cost of non-Europe reports on organised crime and corruption, on procedural rights and detention conditions and on equality and the fight against racism and xenophobia.

The European Commission Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU has already published documents on how the future framework of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters could be shaped. These documents are available …

On 23 March 2018, the European Council adopted guidelines that set out the overall framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK after Brexit. The European Council welcomes the draft Withdrawal Agreement presented by the Commission on 28 February 2018 and takes note of the European Parliament resolution of 14 March 2018 on the framework of the future EU-UK relationship.

On 17 April 2018, the European Commission tabled legislative proposals that frame EU law allowing European law enforcement authorities to quickly and more efficiently secure and obtain electronic evidence (“e-evidence”). There was much debate in the run-up to the proposal, with calls for legislative action being uttered by the Council, on the one hand, and doubts by private companies and civil society organizations being voiced about the need for such action, on the other.

On 23 April 2018, the Commission presented a long-awaited legislative proposal on the protection of whistleblowers. The proposal for a “Directive on the protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law” (COM(2018) 218 final) is accompanied by a Communication entitled “Strengthening whistleblower protection at EU level” (COM(2018) 214 final).