The primary purpose of international cooperation in cybercrime investigations and proceedings is the preservation and production of admissible and reliable evidence that can be used in pre-trial and trial proceedings in criminal cases. Electronic evidence in cases of offences against and by means of information technology is usually difficult to collect and relatively volatile; it is therefore crucial that, in investigating and prosecuting cybercrime, the states parties to the Convention on Cybercrime are prepared to employ a variety of international cooperation modalities available under the Convention in an efficient and timely manner.

In this context, the iPROCEEDS project is supporting the criminal justice authorities from South-eastern Europe and Turkey in strengthening their capacities for international cooperation in cybercrime cases and electronic evidence.

A Table-Top Exercise took place on 8-9 May 2019 in Bucharest, Romania, which brought together cybercrime investigators, 24/7 points of contact, representatives of the central authority for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and the prosecution service to address the following subjects in the format of real-time, simulated case study scenario:

• Test the application of standard templates for Articles 29/30 requests under the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime (data preservation);
• Test the application of standard templates for Article 31 requests under the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime (MLA requests for subscriber information);
• Test the coordination possibilities between police-to-police cooperation and mutual legal assistance; and
• Explore the possibilities for addressing requests to international cooperation organisations (Europol, INTERPOL, EUROJUST, etc.) and executing incoming requests through various channels.

• Outline
• Mutual Legal Assistance Request for subscriber information – Template
• Data Preservation Request - Template
• iPROCEEDS project website