The 12th Plenary Meeting of the European Judicial Cybercrime Network (EJCN), which takes place today and tomorrow, will focus on the new challenges posed by cryptocurrencies to law enforcement and judicial authorities. Hosted by Eurojust in a hybrid format (online and at the Agency’s premises), the EJCN Plenary will also pay special attention to the implications of the war in Ukraine in cyber-enabled crime.
The growing use of cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets by legitimate businesses, as well as by criminal networks, makes it necessary for judicial authorities to become familiar with their nature and connected challenges.
During the 12th EJCN Plenary, judicial experts and practitioners in the field of cybercrime will analyse the current EU framework on virtual currencies and how it can address cyber-enabled crime. Various legal and practical aspects of the seizure of virtual currencies and blockchain-based assets will be presented at the meeting.
Based on the experience of the takedown of the Hydra Marketplace, the world's largest marketplace on the dark web, participants will explore the advantages of cooperating with the private sector when it comes to seizing assets and compensating victims of cybercrime.
The EJCN Plenary will also dedicate a session to the war in Ukraine from a cybercrime perspective. In this context, the changes brought by the recent amendment to Eurojust’s Regulation, which allow the Agency to receive, store and analyse digital evidence on core international crimes, will be presented.
The EJCN was established in 2016 to foster contacts between practitioners specialised in countering the challenges posed by cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime and investigations in cyberspace, and to increase the efficiency of investigations and prosecutions. The network is hosted by Eurojust and functions as a forum for judicial authorities to exchange knowledge and best practice.
Eurojust is an agency of the European Union