- CEPOL and the Council of Europe's CyberSouth+ project held a joint cybercrime simulation 24–28 August 2026 in Budapest.
- Law enforcement, prosecutors and financial intelligence units from the MENA region worked in mixed teams on a complex case.
- The Budapest Convention's cooperation mechanisms were tested with and without the Convention to highlight cross-border challenges.
- The activity is part of the EUROMED Police project's effort to strengthen capacity against organised cybercrime in the MENA region.
Joint simulation brings together MENA authorities on cybercrime and cross-border investigation
CEPOL and the Council of Europe's CyberSouth+ project held a joint cybercrime simulation from 24 to 28 August 2026 at CEPOL's headquarters in Budapest, Hungary. The aim was to strengthen the practical capabilities of law enforcement authorities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to secure digital evidence and cooperate effectively across borders.
Mixed teams in an interactive exercise
The simulation was designed as a highly interactive exercise, bringing together representatives of law enforcement authorities, prosecutors, judicial authorities and financial intelligence units. Participants worked in mixed teams on an evolving cybercrime case combining technical and financial investigation.
Focus on the Budapest Convention
A central part of the exercise was international cooperation and the role of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime in supporting lawful and effective cross-border investigations. Participants worked through case scenarios with and without the Convention's cooperation mechanisms to explore the practical challenges of obtaining evidence across jurisdictions and the value of common procedures for facilitating timely cooperation.
"Bringing together participants from across the MENA region added real value by enabling an exchange of approaches and operational experience, particularly in the areas of financial intelligence and cross-border cooperation. I left with a stronger understanding of the technical and procedural aspects of cybercrime response, as well as useful regional contacts for future collaboration," said Robert Kanaan, Financial Intelligence Unit, Special Investigation Commission, Lebanon.
Part of the EUROMED Police strategy
The simulation contributes to the EUROMED Police project's broader efforts to strengthen practical cybercrime capabilities and cooperation in the MENA region. By supporting closer coordination between partner-country authorities and their international counterparts, the activity helped reinforce more effective responses to increasingly complex cross-border cybercrime cases.
Background on EUROMED Police
The EUROMED Police project aims at enhancing the capacity of the Southern Partner Countries to fight serious and organised crime and to strengthen strategic cooperation between national law enforcement authorities in Southern Partner countries, EU Member States and EU Agencies.