• Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention, 2001)
  The first international treaty establishing common definitions of cybercrimes and rules for obtaining electronic evidence.
  • Specific offences
  • Procedural powers
  • International cooperation
• 1st Protocol, on Xenophobia and Racism via Computer Systems (2003)
  Criminalises racist and xenophobic acts committed through digital technologies.
• 2nd Protocol, on enhanced co-operation and disclosure of electronic evidence (2022)
  Introduces streamlined cross-border data disclosure mechanisms and direct cooperation with service providers.
• T-CY guidance notes
  Explain how to apply the Convention to emerging technologies and evolving cybercrime issues.
• Rome statue of the International Criminal Court
  Establishes the ICC’s jurisdiction and allows digital evidence to be used in prosecuting international crimes.

Parties to the Convention on Cybercrime

 Any State may accede to the Convention under the procedure set out in Article 37.

Once a (draft) law is available that indicates that a State already has implemented or is likely to implement the provisions of the Budapest Convention in domestic law, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (or another authorised representative) would send a letter to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe stating the interest of his or her State to accede to the Budapest Convention. Once there is agreement among the current Parties to the Convention, the State would be invited to accede.

 Find out who are the current Parties, signatories and countries that have been invited to accede.