Octopus Conference 2026
14-16 October 2026 | Strasbourg, France | Palais de l'Europe
Organised in co-operation with the Presidency of Monaco to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
(May – November 2026)
Focus:
25th Anniversary of the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
Participation in the conference is in person only. Selected sessions will be livestreamed and are listed in the agenda.
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Looking ahead, the next Octopus Conference – held every 12 to 18 months by the Council of Europe – will constitute one of the largest and most prominent global platforms for exchange on cybercrime, bringing together experts from more than 100 countries, international organisations, the private sector, academia and civil society.
The 2026 edition will be of particular significance as it marks the 25th anniversary of the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) and will provide a strategic forum to address emerging challenges such as the impact of artificial intelligence on cybercrime, the phenomenon of disinformation, the prosecution of cyber-enabled international crimes, and the continued importance of conditions and safeguards to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The Conference will offer high-level interventions and an opportunity for structured dialogue between public and private stakeholders worldwide, while also providing dedicated space for projects, partners and initiatives to showcase their work and foster future co-operation.
Consult the Save the date for this year's edition of the Octopus Conference
Consult the detailed agenda (Coming soon)
Registration is open from 1 May till 31 August 2026
Meet our speakers (coming soon)
Practical details
- Working languages: the working languages of the conference are English, French and Spanish.
- Visa: kindly note that visa arrangements are the traveler’s responsibility.
- Venue: the conference will take place in person and online. Participation is free of charge but subject to registration.
- Venue for in person attendance: Council of Europe / Palais de l'Europe.
- Livestreaming will be ensured and available on this webpage.
- Registration: registration will be open from 1 May till 31 August 2026 at www.coe.int/cybercrime.
- Getting around Strasbourg: local transport & useful contacts
- Access to the Council of Europe premises and registration: badges will be distributed at the entrance of the building on the first day of the Conference upon presentation of a valid ID or passport
- Meals: More details will be shared shortly.
- COVID-19 protocols: The Council of Europe Covid self-declaration form is no longer required. However, please contact the organisers promptly should you find yourself in any of the following situations: you tested positive for COVID-19; you present symptoms (such as sore throat, cough, cold symptoms) even if mild; you have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 7 days.
Futher details and updates on the administrative arrangements will be provided to registered participants closer to the conference date.
12 – 13 October 2026
35th Plenary of the Cybercrime Convention Committee (T-CY)
Participation in the T-CY plenary is restricted.
14 – 16 October 2026
Octopus Conference 2026
Participation in the conference is free of charge and subject to registration.
Registration will be open from 1 May till 31 August 2026
Main sessions:
- 25 years of the Budapest Convention: lessons from implementation and the road ahead
- Cybercrime-as-a-service: impact of AI
- Trafficking and scam compounds: threat to national security?
- Interplay between Second Additional Protocol and EU e-evidence package: co-operation with online service providers
Workshops and other sessions:
- Disinformation and foreign manipulation: responding to cyber interference
- Transnational repression and international co-operation: safeguarding cybercrime frameworks
- Prosecuting cyber-enabled international crimes
- Denudification, AI-generated CSAM and NCDII: accountability across the digital ecosystem
- Illegal use of virtual assets: co-operation with VASPs
- Regional workshops for Africa, Americas, Asia, Pacific and Caribbean
- Lightning talks
Side events:
- Meeting of the 24/7 Network established under the Budapest Convention
(restricted meeting on 15 October 2026, upon invitation) - Treaty ceremony on 14 October 2026 (Deposit of instruments of accession to the Budapest Convention and its Additional Protocols, signature of the Second Additional Protocol). Budapest Convention Treaty Ceremony will be preceded by Opening for signature of the Additional Protocol on asset recovery to the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism (CETS No. 198, the Warsaw Convention)
Opening Plenary: 25 years of the Budapest Convention: lessons from implementation and the road ahead
9h00-12h00 Strasbourg time, CET | Hemicycle | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed
Main session 1: Interplay between the 2nd Additional Protocol and EU e-evidence package: co-operation with online service providers
14h00-17h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Hemicycle | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed
Workshop 1: Disinformation and foreign manipulation: responding to cyber interference
14h00-15h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Room 1 | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed
Workshops 2, 3 4, 5: Regional workshops
16h00-17h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Room 2, 1, 3, 6 | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed
Evening reception
17h45 – 20h00 Strasbourg time, CET | Foyer of the hemicycle
Day 2 - 15 October 2026
Main session 2: Trafficking and scam compounds: threat to national security?
9h00-12h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Hemicycle | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed (TBC)
Workshop 6: Transnational repression: safeguarding cybercrime and e-evidence frameworks
9h00-10h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Room 6 | EN/FR/ES
Workshops 7: Denudification, AI-generated CSAM and NCDII: accountability across the digital ecosystem
11h00-12h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Room 6 | EN/FR/ES
Main session 3: Cybercrime-as-a-service: impact of AI
14h00-17h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Hemicycle | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed
Workshop 8: Prosecuting cyber-enabled international crimes
14h00 – 15h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Room 6 | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed
Workshop 9: Illegal use of virtual assets: co-operation with VASPs
16h00 – 17h30 Strasbourg time, CET | Room 1 | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed
Day 3 - 16 October 2026
Closing Plenary – Outlook for 2027-2028
09h00 – 13h00 Strasbourg time, CET | Hemicycle | EN/FR/ES | Livestreamed
Meet and greet the participants
(Coming soon)
14 October 2026
Treaty ceremony
- Deposit of instruments of accession to the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) and its Additional Protocols
- Signature of the Second Additional Protocol.
Budapest Convention Treaty ceremony will be preceded by Opening for signature of the Additional Protocol on asset recovery to the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism (CETS No. 198, the Warsaw Convention)
15 October 2026
Meeting of the 24/7 Network established under the Budapest Convention
(Restricted meeting, upon invitation)
Temporary press accreditation
Temporary accreditation, for a maximum period of five days, may be issued for interested journalists.
Applications need to be made one working day in advance.
Journalists’ badges are available from the Council of Europe’s main entrance (Accueil badge) and are to be worn visibly in order to facilitate the work of security staff.
Use the official hashtags to amplify your messages on social media
#OctopusConf2026 #OctopusConference #BC25cybercrime
If you have any questions, the Octopus Conference Secretariat is one e-mail away.
(How the Council of Europe, through its Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC), processes personal data of participants to the Octopus Conference 2026)