Council of Europe Marks Cybercrime Milestone Amid Romanian Attack Surge
The Council of Europe marked 12 years of cybercrime work in Bucharest as Romania faces a wave of attacks.
Why it matters: Legal and compliance teams must adapt as cybercrime escalates and digital evidence grows central to European law. The summit’s focus signals increasing demand for cross-border legal strategies and resilience planning.
- C-PROC celebrated its 12th anniversary on April 21, 2026, in Bucharest.
- 110+ experts addressed digital evidence, disinformation, and online violence.
- Romanian government systems are under daily DDoS attacks, impacting public trust.
- C-PROC has led 2,700+ training and legislative support initiatives in 140+ countries since 2014.
The Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC) convened over 110 cybercrime and legal experts at its 12th anniversary event in Bucharest, hosted at the National Institute of Magistracy on April 21, 2026.
Discussions focused on growing challenges for legal teams, including handling electronic evidence, countering online disinformation, and responding to technology-driven violence. The summit comes as cyberthreats intensify: according to Dan Cîmpean of Romania’s National Cybersecurity Directorate, recent months have seen a spike in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on Romanian ministries and critical state institutions.
Cîmpean attributed the increased attacks in part to ongoing international tensions, with motives ranging from geopolitics to financial crime. Notably, a March 2026 incident briefly disrupted foreign ministry systems and heightened concerns about the resilience of public digital infrastructure.
For legal, compliance, and risk officers, the summit underscored rising demand for coordinated cross-border investigation and evidence sharing. C-PROC reported that since its founding in 2014, it has supported over 2,700 actions—including trainings, legislative assistance, and operational exercises—in more than 140 countries, aiming to bolster technical and legal skills for investigating cybercrime and managing digital evidence.
While the event’s specific policy outcomes were not disclosed, the emphasis on collaboration, legislative readiness, and international best practices signals continued pressure for legal teams to stay ahead of evolving threats and regulatory expectations in Europe and beyond.
By the numbers:
- 2,700+ — Number of trainings and legislative activities by C-PROC since 2014
- 140+ — Countries reached by C-PROC programs
- 110+ — International experts attending the Bucharest event
Yes, but: Specific new policies or commitments emerging from the summit have yet to be detailed.