The CyberSEE and CyberSPEX joint projects of the European Union and the Council of Europe teamed up and organised the International workshop on the implementation of the Second Additional Protocol (2AP) to the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) on 10-11 December 2025, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
By gathering legislators, advisors, and practitioners from the judiciary and law enforcement from EU member states, South-East Europe and Türkiye, the workshop provided a technical platform to examine the requirements and challenges posed by the implementation of the Protocol.
At the same time, the workshop addressed potential solutions for domestic challenges in implementing the instrument and its interaction with the EU e-Evidence package and other legal treaties. Participants enhanced their knowledge of the Second Protocol implementation processes, identified legislative requirements, exchanged good practices, and identified counterparts for further support, while reaffirming the need for strengthened interagency cooperation, enhanced peer exchange and sustained technical assistance.
The national progress made in the implementation of the Second Protocol by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia generated active discussions on the use of definitions, the appointment of authorities, data protection requirements and the interaction with other EU instruments like EU e-Evidence package, NIS2 directive and EU GDPR.
Experience in cooperation with service providers and in emergency situations were shared by Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Latvia, Serbia and Türkiye by presenting concrete cases. The discussions highlighted the current procedures and supported the view on the benefits provided by the Second Protocol on getting access to data from across jurisdictions.
The Cybercrime Programme Office, through its projects, plays a major role in strengthening the response to cybercrime and electronic evidence by providing policy support, specialised technical assistance and sustained institutional capacity development, in line with international standards.
Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC)
