EU to sign UN Cybercrime Convention
The Council of the European Union has authorised the European Commission and Member States to sign the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, a global treaty adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024. The Convention sets common standards for criminalising a broad range of cyber-related offences and establishes cooperation mechanisms to support cross-border investigations and the exchange and preservation of electronic evidence. It aims to address rising cyber threats, including IT fraud, hacking, and online child sexual abuse material.
Substantive provisions require signatories to ensure that unauthorised access, data interference, illegal interception, and IT fraud are criminal offences under national law. The Convention also covers online child sexual abuse and exploitation, including grooming and non-consensual dissemination of intimate images, aligning with existing EU rules while promoting global harmonisation where such conduct is not yet uniformly criminalised.
International cooperation tools under the Convention facilitate assistance in investigating and prosecuting covered offences, and may extend to serious crimes such as organised crime punishable by at least four years’ imprisonment. These mechanisms include streamlined channels for requests, preservation of electronic evidence, and safeguards against misuse or politically motivated actions.
Human rights and data protection protections are embedded throughout. The Convention prevents interpretations that would restrict fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, opinion, religion, peaceful assembly, or association. States may refuse cooperation where requests risk violating human rights, contravene national law or anti-discrimination principles, or are politically motivated. The Convention opens for signature from 25 October 2025 to 31 December 2026 and will enter into force 90 days after the fortieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval, or accession. The EU presidency will prioritise the Council decision enabling the Union and its Member States to conclude the Convention, subject to the European Parliament’s consent.
