At the occasion of the Octopus conference (14-16 October) Mr. Cornel–Virgiliu Călinescu, former Chairman of Committee of Experts on Criminal Asset Recovery (PC-RAC), introduced the new Additional Protocol to the Warsaw Convention. The Protocol was adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 15 May and opened for signature on 14 October 2026.
In his speech, Mr Călinescu highlighted the synergies among the Council of Europe’s Budapest and the Warsaw Conventions, emphasising the necessity for a rapid response to a newly emerging threats which evolved drastically over the last twenty years. He underlined that the Additional Protocol puts victims at the centre, equips authorities to address the challenges of the digital age and strengthens internation cooperation, while extending the scope of confiscation.
Eight countries and the European Union signed this new treaty yesterday in Strasbourg that strengthens authorities’ capacity to confiscate assets obtained through criminal conduct.
