[Strasbourg, 2 March 2012] Foreign Office Permanent Representative, Eleanor Fuller, announced a UK contribution to support the Council of Europe Global Project on Cybercrime during a signing ceremony in Strasbourg on 2 March 2012.

Speaking ahead of the signing, Foreign Secretary William Hague said:

"At the London Conference on Cyberspace I made clear that the rapid rise of cybercrime is a growing threat to people across the world and I made clear the need for coordinated response to improve security, enhance cooperation between states and ensure a collective undertaking to address this threat. I am therefore delighted that the UK will be supporting the Council of Europe Global Project on Cybercrime to further implementation of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. This will bring real benefits – including by working together with entrepreneurs and companies whose innovation is as crucial to the future as it has been to our past"

The UK’s contribution of £100,000 will help fund international regional workshops and other activities to strengthen legislation, train law enforcement agencies and judiciary, promote public-private cooperation and international cooperation.

This is part of the Council of Europe Global Project on Cybercrime which is now in its third phase after having already supported over 250 activities worldwide to promote global implementation of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime.

The objective of the project is to promote broad implementation of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime (CETS 185) and related standards and tools.

In November 2011, at the London Conference on Cyberspace, the Foreign Secretary committed to support the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime during the UK’s chairmanship of the Council of Europe.

• Global Project on Cybercrime Phase 3: outline