31/10/2019 (Agence Europe) – The Committee for the Protection of Journalists expressed concern on Wednesday 30 October about the lack of sufficient safeguards for journalists in the regulation introducing European orders for the production and storage of electronic evidence that can be directly addressed to a service provider in another Member State (see EUROPE 12003/18). “Internet companies host sensitive information about journalists and their sources, and this proposal would leave those companies to adjudicate whether or not to hand it to a foreign authority”, said Tom Gibson, CPJ’s representative to the EU, in a statement. In his view, the proposal must explicitly protect journalists’ electronic data and require appropriate judicial oversight of any attempt to gain access. The EU Council adopted its position on the text in December 2018 (see EUROPE 12155/6), while the European Parliament has yet to give its opinion. (MF)