Bridging the Gap in the Exchange of Digital Evidence in Europe

Based upon the assumption that the very nature of data and information held in electronic form makes it easier to manipulate than traditional forms of data, that all legal proceedings rely on the production of evidence in order to take place and that electronic evidence is no different from traditional evidence in that is necessary for the party introducing it into legal proceedings, to be able to demonstrate that it is no more and no less than it was, when it came into their possession the EVIDENCE Project aims at providing a road map (guidelines, recommendations, technical standards) for realising the missing Common European Framework for the systematic and uniform application of new technologies in the collection, use and exchange of evidence. This road map incorporating standardized solutions aims at enabling all involved stakeholders to rely on an efficient regulation, treatment and exchange of digital evidence, having at their disposal as legal/technological background a Common European Framework allowing them to gather, use and exchange digital evidences according to common standards and rules. EVIDENCE activities will enable the implementation of a stable network of experts in digital forensics communicating and exchanging their opinions and contributing as well to the building up of a stable communication channel between the public and the private sectors dealing with electronic evidence.