The Federal Senate approves the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime

The Ministry of Foreign of Affairs welcomed the news of the approval by the Federal Senate of the Draft Legislative Decree No.255/2021 relating to Brazil’s adhesion to the Convention on Cybercrime signed in Budapest, Hungary, in 2001.

The decision is an important step towards the strengthening of the available means to prevent and fight cybercrimes, a phenomenon whose frequency and complexity have increased worldwide.

The geographical range of cybercrimes and the operational speed of those who commit them pose challenges for traditional mechanisms of law enforcement and legal cooperation across the world.

An effective fight against cybercrime requires fast and direct international cooperation through which the competent national bodies are able to request and share, in a timely manner, the necessary evidence. As part of this effort, Brazil has paved the way for becoming member of the Convention and will continue to join the efforts to make the instrument effective.

Until now, 66 countries have ratified the Budapest Convention. With Brazil’s adhesion, the Convention adds to the important legal framework already adopted in the country regarding governance and protection of rights in digital media, among which are the Civil Rights Framework for the Internet and the General Personal Data Protection Act.