UN adopts first treaty against cybercrime

The initiative, proposed by Russia in 2017, will come into force once 40 countries have ratified it.

The treaty was green-lighted by consensus and will soon be submitted for formal approval to the 193-nation United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The document aims to tackle cybercrime more effectively and to strengthen international cooperation in this area, in particular in the areas of paedophilia and money laundering.

Since 2019, the UN General Assembly has established an intergovernmental committee to draft the regulation, despite open opposition from several European countries and the United States.

Opponents of the project warned of an overly broad scope that, according to their criteria, could lead to a global surveillance treaty.

However, the UN views cybercrime as a constantly evolving and complex form of transnational crime.

It takes place in the borderless realm of cyberspace and is exacerbated by the increasing involvement of organised criminal gangs.

Cybercrime perpetrators and their victims can be located in different regions and its impact can extend across the globe, underscoring the need for an urgent, proactive and international response.

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