Overview of the Act
The Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Act grants law enforcement agencies and prosecuting authorities the power to apply for and obtain electronic data directly from service providers (those who create, process, communicate or store electronic data) for the purposes of criminal investigations and prosecutions. Such orders may only be used when permitted under an international co-operation arrangement between the UK and the country where the subject of the order is located. Each request will be subject to robust scrutiny in UK courts, mirroring the existing safeguards and tests already in place for domestic powers to obtain investigatory and evidential material.