Between January and March 2026, in 35 countries across the globe, the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) implemented the Cyber-Skills Sharing Programme through the CyberSEE, CyberSouth+, GLACY-e and Octopus projects.
The first edition of the Programme brought together around 70 practitioners including police investigators, prosecutors, digital forensics experts, financial investigation analysts, 24/7 contact points, and trainers from law enforcement and judicial training institutions for focused bilateral exchanges, shared good practices, skills and expertise, aimed at strengthening their responses to cybercrime and electronic evidence challenges.
The participants were engaged in six-day exchanges, each spending three days as a guest at a partner institution and three days hosting their counterpart. The exchanges facilitated the sharing of expertise on topics such as investigation techniques, cybercrime legislation, interagency cooperation, and best practices in the use of tools provided by the Second Additional Protocol (2AP) to the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention), including spontaneous information, expedited preservation of computer data, and the effective use of the 24/7 Network for international cooperation.
The Cyber-Skills Sharing Programme contributes to the global efforts to fight against cybercrime through enhanced cooperation, fact also recognised and expressed by the participants:
Denisa Asko, Prosecutor, Albania: “The knowledge exchanged, and the connections made are exactly the kind of cooperation that is needed in an interconnected world.”
Taulant Sejdiu, Ministry of Justice, Kosovo*: “A valuable opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience in the field of cybercrime and international legal cooperation. “
Lazar Tasev, Ministry of Justice, North Macedonia: ”It was truly a great experience that I will remember forever.”
Soufiane Zergot, Chief Judge, Cheraga Court, Algeria: “The activities provided insightful perspectives and practical knowledge on cybercrime-related topics.”
Ibrahim Saleh Abdelfattah, Chief Judge, Cairo Economic Court, Egypt: “The visit offered practical insights while also highlighting the importance of international cooperation in addressing cross-border challenges. The exchange enabled an understanding of different legal approaches.
W. P. Jayanethsiri, Assistance Superintendent of Police, 24/7 Point of Contact (PoC), Sri Lanka: “The combination of strategic discussions on the Budapest Convention’s 24/7 Network, operational visits to INTERPOL NCB-Ankara, and hands-on technical exchanges in the digital forensic lab provided a holistic view of effective cybercrime management. It was a powerful exchange of ideas, strategies, and technical expertise. Having the opportunity to engage in two-way knowledge sharing with some of the leading minds in cybercrime investigation was incredibly rewarding.”
Juan Jose Zelaya Cabrera, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Costa Rica: “This exchange represented a vital learning process that enabled our countries to exchange experiences and new tools to implement in our investigations, whilst maintaining this multilateral relationship between counterparts from different countries in the fight against cybercrime, thereby fostering bonds of friendship and cooperation.”
Mónica Rocio Vargas Carpio, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Peru: “This opportunity, which has enabled me not only to deepen my understanding of legislation, investigative techniques and the handling of digital evidence in relation to cybercrime in countries such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and the Dominican Republic, but also to strengthen personal and professional ties. Interaction with colleagues and experts has led to a valuable exchange of experiences and knowledge that enriches our institutional work.”
Nasiru Mohammed, Commissioner of Police, Nigeria: “This exchange was immensely valuable in terms of the knowledge gained. We deepened our understanding of the operations of the 24/7 Network, strengthened collaboration with institutions such as the Cyber Security Authority, the Cybercrime and Digital Forensic Department, and the Child Online Protection Unit, and learnt practical approaches to handling preservation requests and other forms of international cooperation. These insights will greatly enhance our capacity to contribute to the Network and improve our national frameworks.”
Enhanced cybercrime skills, strengthened international professional networks, and the exchange of actionable good practices among the participants, all documented in post-exchange activity reports, are key outcomes of the programme.
The Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) remains committed to supporting countries worldwide through continuous capacity building, and technical assistance for the sustainable implementation of legislation and policies, fully aligned with the Second Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention).
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
*the news item was translated by DeepL
Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
The 24/7 Network established under the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)