On 7-8 November 2016, the Cybercrime@EAP III project will be organizing the session on public-private cooperation on cybercrime and electronic evidence in Yerevan, with the support and participation of the project country team comprising law enforcement, policy makers and the private sector (internet industry) representatives.

Assistance to Armenian authorities is provided by the Council of Europe Cybercrime Programme Office (Bucharest, Romania) within the framework of in-country activities Cybercrime@EAP III project , which aims to support the states of the Eastern Partnership to build wider and more efficient solutions for public-private cooperation in cybercrime and electronic evidence. Such cooperation should be based on solid legal framework that sets precise and balanced limits on the powers of the law enforcement to access data held by private sector entities on the basis of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, as well as applicable standards of human rights and the rule of law.

The experts involved for the mission to Armenia have background in both public and private sector when it comes to cooperation between the law enforcement and the Internet service providers. The key factor to make this cooperation work, in addition to proper legal framework, is the dialogue between the government and the industry that keeps balanced approach between the need to investigate cybercrime efficiently and the protection of private life of individuals. The recent Memorandum for cooperation between the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia and the major Internet service providers in the country is an important step forward in this regard and represents the basis for further development of this partnership.

The project will continue its support to Armenia and to other states of the Eastern Partnership under its Cybercrime@EAP III project in order to achieve its objectives on making public-private cooperation on cybercrime and electronic evidence more effective.