Octopus Project Activities

Retour Cooperation on Cybercrime: exchange of views with the diplomatic community in Romania

The Embassy of Italy and the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) held an exchange of views with the diplomatic community in Romania on current threats and challenges of cybercrime and new opportunities for cooperation. The event was held in Bucharest on 17 March within the framework of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.

His Excellency Alfredo Durante Mangoni, Ambassador of Italy to Romania, underlined the need for enhanced cooperation on cybercrime – particularly given the current international context – and that Italy welcomed the opening for signature of the new Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime on 12 May in Strasbourg.

Alexander Seger, Head of the Council of Europe Cybercrime Division, pointed out that the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine is being accompanied by massive cyberattacks. He also noted that the Russian Federation had been excluded from the Council of Europe on the previous day.

Cristina Schulman, Chair of the Cybercrime Convention Committee, explained the benefits of the new Protocol to the Budapest Convention and encouraged governments to sign it in May.

Speakers from Italy, Romania and the Council of Europe presented updated information and examples on threats and trends, and agreed that the tools offered by the Second Additional Protocol, backed up by capacity building, are very much needed to address the challenges of cybercrime and electronic evidence.

Council of Europe Treaty Office: Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime