On 4 March 2025, the European Union-Council of Europe joint project CyberSEE, in cooperation with the criminal justice authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, organised a high-level domestic workshop in Sarajevo in support of the country’s efforts towards the signature and implementation of the Second Additional Protocol (2AP) to the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention).
The workshop brought together high-level officials of the Ministry of Security, Ministry of Justice, draft legislators, Ministry of Interior, Prosecutors and Judges, 24/7 Contact Point from Bosnia and Herzegovina with experts from the Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC), the Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo, the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU Police Assistance project for Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPA4BiH).
The discussions focused on the key provisions and benefits of the 2AP, particularly the enhanced cooperation mechanisms for accessing electronic evidence across borders. The experts outlined the legal steps for Bosnia and Herzegovina to sign and implement the Protocol, also by observing the recommendations for the EU member states according to the EU Council Decision 2023/436, and addressed national challenges encountered during cybercrime investigations. The event also set the foundations for a roadmap on legal reforms and identified areas for further capacity-building support, including legislative assessments and targeted workshops.
The participants gained a clearer understanding of the mechanisms and benefits of the 2AP and actively engaged in the discussions for clarifying all the practicalities behind the tools and mechanisms offered by the Protocol. The representative of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed his gratitude for the support provided by CyberSEE Project in this endeavour and invited for identifying synergies with the EUPA4BiH Project on addressing cybercrime and e-evidence within the country.
The Council of Europe remains committed to support Bosnia and Herzegovina competent authorities in the process of signature and implementation of the 2AP, as well as for the harmonisation of the national legislation with its provisions.
Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention
The 24/7 Network established under the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)