Report of research on privacy for electronic government. Report for Japan's Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs Post and Telecommunications, March 2003. On pages 351-402 there are 4 interesting European country reports (Denmark, Finland, France and the UK), coordinated by EDRI-member Privacy International. The authors are quite pessimistic about the adequacy of privacy enhancing technology.
"European data protection laws in general, arguably the most advanced in
terms of recognizing the importance of adequate data protection, have done
little to prevent the spread of DNA testing, the use of identity cards,
workplace surveillance, police powers, intrusion by tax authorities,
Internet snooping and national security surveillance of civilian
communications in the countries that comprise the European Union."
http://joi.ito.com/privacyreport/Contents_Distilled/EnglishSection/Eur...