Organised crime: contact points to combat high-tech crime

The Council invites Member States to join the G8 24-hour information network in order to handle the various types of high-tech crime as swiftly as possible and in a highly professional way; to conserve evidence in environments where information can be destroyed rapidly.

ACT

Council Recommendation of 25 June 2001 on contact points maintaining a 24-hour service for combating high-tech crime.

SUMMARY

On 19 March 1998 the Council invited the Member States to join the G8 24-hour information network for combating high-tech crime. This network will provide the countries which join it with an overview of computer network crime, given that it often occurs simultaneously at different locations in different countries.

At a meeting held in Washington on 9 and 10 December 1997, the justice and home affairs ministers of the G8 adopted the network's basic principles. An action plan was also adopted which made provision for countries from outside the G8 circle to join the network. The network was established between 1998 and 2000.

Those EU Member States which do not form part of the G8 network have joined Interpol's "National Central Reference Point System" (NCRP). However, Interpol's national central reference points do not always provide 24-readiness. The two networks will work together in a spirit of cooperation. In addition, those Member States which are not represented in the G8 network should be able to link a 24-hour function to their specialist units that form part of the Interpol network.

The Council therefore recommends that those Member States that have not yet joined the G8 network of contact points do so, and that the national units designated as contact points specialise in combating high-tech crime. The Council also recommends that those units should be able to take operational measures.

RELATED ACTS

Council Framework Decision 2005/222/JHA of 24 February 2005 on attacks against information systems

last update 27.06.2006