Cybercrime

The 2026 session of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG), supported by the European Commission and hosted by EURid on 26 and 27 May 2026 brought together 800 + participants, both online and onsite, from governments, international organisations, the private sector, civil society, and academia to address emerging internet governance challenges, ways to shape a resilient and inclusive European online space under the overarching theme of European Voices for the Future of the Internet – Celebrating 20 Years of .eu and the Beginning of a New Internet Governance Era.

Around 44 stakeholders supported by CyberSEE and CyberEast+  joint projects of the Council of Europe and of the European Union contributed by exchanging views on public policy issues related to deepfakes, generative AI, digital information ecosystems, the use of AI in public services and ways to tackle online violence and AI-driven discrimination.

The opening plenary on Democracy: Stifled or Revived by Digital Disruption of the Public Sphere?  offered the opportunity for reflecting on tools designed to sustain democracy in the digital sphere, including ensuring media and social media pluralism, which is instrumental for guaranteeing fair elections and other democratic processes. One key topic that was highlighted was the current environment in which some countries are attempting to restrict online freedom, and use power to bypass democratic rights. The only democratic answer is not to resist but to make digital transformation responsible, in line with democracy and the rule of law.

The CyberSEE project contributed to a workshop focused on legislation designed to ensure youth online safety. Participants and experts together examined the introduction of social media age bans, harmonised at the EU level, which could potentially mitigate the harmful effects of the online environment on young people. Discussions also focused on empowering children and youth online and preserving their privacy when using age verification tools, while highlighting the importance of increasing digital literacy instead of excluding youngsters from accessing the platforms and ensuring regulations evolve in the same pace as the digital space.

One strong message was passed by the representative of the Directorate-General for Communication Networks, Content and Technology (DG Connect) outlining the need to approach age restrictions within the broader, multi-layered European regulatory framework, underscoring the importance of child participation, cross-sector expertise, and international co-operation, while advocating for children’s rights to remain central to all policy measures and ongoing evaluation in the online safety domain.

During EuroDIG 2026, participants gained deeper insight into regulatory, strategic, and technical measures that underpin Europe’s vision for a secure, inclusive, and resilient digital environment. The discussions reaffirmed the need for continued co-operation, innovation, and capacity building to address complex challenges related to cybercrime, human rights, and democratic values in the digital age.

On 26 May, the CyberSEE project organised a side-meeting to foster multi-stakeholder dialogue, highlighting the need for closer co-operation between civil society, academia, NGOs, and criminal justice authorities in tackling cybercrime. The meeting underscored the importance of synergies and ongoing consultations with civil society and NGOs, particularly in shaping legislative reforms related to the Second Additional Protocol. These multi-stakeholder activities highlighted the critical role of civil society in shaping cybercrime policies and ethical AI use and supporting democratic digital information ecosystems.

Furthermore, on 28 May, the 5^th Steering Committee Meeting of the CyberSEE project brought together around 37 representatives from the European Commission, DG ENEST, EU Delegations, EU4LEA, Council of Europe, and project teams from South-East Europe and Türkiye, joining online and onsite, to review achievements from January to June 2026, including progress on legal frameworks, capacity building for criminal justice authorities, and enhanced co-operation with cybersecurity institutions. The meeting also addressed regional trends, legislative updates, and co-operation initiatives such as the Western Balkans Digital Asset Investigations Working Group and EMPACT. The Steering Committee endorsed the future workplan, confirmed the ongoing stakeholder engagement, and identified priorities for further project support.

The Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe project remains committed to supporting inclusive, multi-stakeholder policy dialogue involving civil society, and to providing further assistance in capacity building related to the ethical use of technology, the protection of youth online, and the advancement of legislation aligned with the Second Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention). 

European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG)

CyberEast+ Project

CyberSEE Project

Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe

Commission holds first meeting of Special Panel on child safety online

Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence

Digital Services Act Regulation - 2022/2065

EU AI Act

EU Age Verification Solution

Audiovisual Media Services Directive - AVMSD