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Treaty Type:
Multilateral
Common Name:
Cybercrime Ad Hoc Committee
Responsible Department:
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Administering Department:
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Treaty Summary:
The UN Convention on Cybercrime (Strengthening International Cooperation for Combating Certain Crimes Committed by Means of Information and Communications Technology Systems and for the Sharing of Evidence in Electronic Form of Serious Crimes ) is the first comprehensive UN treaty on cybercrime. The Convention provides States with a range of measures to be undertaken to prevent and combat cybercrime. The Convention also aims to strengthen international cooperation in sharing electronic evidence for serious crimes.
NZ Adherence Status:
In Progress
Negotiation Status:
Negotiations on the text took place between 2022 – 2024 by the Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes. The text of the Convention was approved by the Ad Hoc Committee in August 2024 and adopted by the UN General Assembly in October 2024. Further information including the text can be found here: United Nations Convention against Cybercrime
Organisation:
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Is Signed By NZ:
No
Signature Date:
Ratified or Signed:
No
Requires Ratification:
No
NZ Territorial Applications:
None
Information about required Legislation:
Impacts on Maori:
Potential impacts of the treaty on Māori interests have been identified through a separate, ongoing process to accede to another international cybercrime treaty, the Council of Europe’s Budapest Convention. Issues raised by Māori stakeholders include adverse effects on Māori data sovereignty, data capture and distribution, impacts on cultural IP protection, and the discrimination of minority groups in domestic and international judicial processes. These issues are being closely monitored during the UN cybercrime treaty process and Māori stakeholder groups and individual subject matter experts are specifically targeted during regular, iterative consultations on New Zealand’s negotiating position.
Impacts on Stakeholders:
The negotiating mandate outlines a commitment to ongoing consultation with interested domestic stakeholders throughout the negotiating process. Targeted groups include a range of private sector, civil society, academics and Māori stakeholder groups. Concerns exist around the potential for government overreach and unnecessary regulation of private sector firms, as well as the potential for some aspects of the treaty to cause adverse effects on human rights, particularly the freedom of expression and the right to privacy.
Link To Legislation:
Treaty Text Link:
Contact Information:
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