The European Council today adopted a decision authorising the European Commission and member states to sign a United Nations Convention against cybercrime.

The Convention is an international treaty which puts in place common rules at global level to enhance cooperation on cybercrime and the exchange of evidence in electronic form for the purpose of criminal investigations or proceedings.

A key aspect of the Convention is the harmonisation between participating countries of the criminalisation of conduct of certain cyber-related offences. This means that all countries commit to making certain conduct (e.g. IT fraud or illegal interception) a criminal offence in their national legislation.

All signatories of the Convention commit to cooperate to investigate and prosecute criminal offences under the Convention. This includes the collection and sharing of electronic evidence. The latter applies to cybercrimes but also serious crimes such as international organised crime if these are punishable by a prison sentence of at least four years.

The Convention will open for signatures on 25th October 2025 until 31st December 2026. It will enter into force ninety days after the deposit of the fortieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. Furthermore, the presidency will prioritise the finalisation of the corresponding Council decision for the EU and its member states to conclude the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime, with a view to asking for the consent of the European Parliament.

Cybercrime is a growing threat to the security of citizens and businesses in the EU. According to an Europol threat assessment from 2024, cybercrime has gone up dramatically in terms of volume, intensity and harm potential. At the same time electronic evidence has increasingly gained in importance in the context of criminal investigations.

The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 2024. According to the Convention, the EU (and other regional economic integration organisations) can sign and ratify the Convention if at least one of its member states signs and ratifies it.