European Union: Disclosure & Electronic Discovery & Privilege

The Unified Patent Court's Local Division in Düsseldorf addresses procedural matters concerning inspection and preservation of evidence in a patent dispute between Danish company Topsoe A/S and German respondents SYPOX GmbH and Josef Kerner Energiewirtschafts-GmbH. The case involves questions regarding the release of detailed descriptions and protection of confidential information under Articles 58 and 60 of the UPCA.

The Irish High Court has ruled that shareholders no longer have an automatic right to access a company's privileged legal advice, abolishing the shareholder rule that previously allowed such disclosure. This landmark decision aligns Irish law with recent developments in England, Wales, and Bermuda, fundamentally reshaping the relationship between corporate privilege and shareholder information rights.

The Irish High Court has expanded the scope of Norwich Pharmacal Orders beyond traditional litigation contexts, ruling that RTÉ must disclose unedited undercover footage from nursing homes to support a regulatory investigation. This landmark decision addresses critical questions about when courts can compel third parties to provide information, the boundaries of journalistic material disclosure, and how privacy rights balance against urgent public interest in regulatory enforcement.

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Germany, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

By 18 August 2026, certain providers must be ready to comply with a new law enforcement data request regime with demanding deadlines and serious sanctions for non-compliance.

International Arbitration Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Cyprus, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

In de media is momenteel veel aandacht voor het verschoningsrecht van advocaten.

A recent Court of Appeal Judgment, delivered by Mr Justice Brian O'Moore has clarified the law surrounding the defence of qualified privilege as provided for in S.18 of the Defamation Act 2009...

In February 2020, the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) initiated an investigation regarding the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) seizing over 250,000...