International Cooperation against Cybercrime

Cybercrime is very much transnational crime. Urgent measures that are needed to preserve data at the national level are also necessary within the framework of international co-operation.

Chapter III of the Convention on Cybercrime provides a legal framework for international cooperation with general and specific measures, including the obligation of countries to cooperate to the widest extent possible, urgent measures to preserve data and efficient mutual legal assistance.

Overview of the international cooperation provisions of the Convention
List of competent authorities for judicial cooperation and 24/7 points of contact
About 24/7 points of contact

The Convention on Cybercrime is complemented by a wide range of other treaties of the Council of Europe on international cooperation in criminal matters (see Transnational Criminal Justice).

Important channels of cooperation include the I-24/7 global communication system of Interpol as well as the National Central Reference Points established by Interpol, that is, a network of designated investigators working in national computer crime units in more than 120 countries.

Other useful documents:

Jan Spoenle, Cloud computing and cybercrime investigations: territoriality vs the power of disposal? August 2010
Joseph Schwerha, Law enforcement challenges in transborder acquisition of electronic evidence from "Cloud Computing Providers", January 2010
Council of Europe/Economic Crime Division, The functioning of 24/7 points of contact for cybercrime (discussion paper prepared by the Project on Cybercrime), April 2009
Henrik Kaspersen, Cybercrime and Internet jurisdiction (discussion paper prepared by the Project on Cybercrime), March 2009
Pedro Verdelho, The effectiveness of international cooperation against cybercrime: examples of good practice (study prepared for the Project on Cybercrime), March 2008