Conducting a cross-border investigation or performing global due diligence each has its own set of unique challenges, which only become more formidable when coupled with a government inquiry. In the E.U. in particular, issues range from confusing and often conflicting privacy laws, to language and cultural barriers, to custodian access and local coordination. According to more than half of those who responded to a recent BDO survey, disparate data privacy laws are the biggest challenge to managing cross-border e-discovery. In a guest article, Deena Coffman and Nina Gross, managing directors at BDO, provide insight on the data privacy landscape in the E.U. and how to comply with competing demands during a cross-border investigation. See also “Foreign Attorneys Share Insight on Data Privacy and Privilege in Multinational Investigations” (May 25, 2016).