Cyprus signs Council of Europe legal conventions

Cyprus has formally signed the Third Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and the Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law. The signing was facilitated by Ambassador George Yiangou and acknowledged by Bjorn Berge, the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The Third Additional Protocol updates the original 1959 Convention to address modern technological and social challenges. Key provisions of this protocol include the streamlining of mutual assistance procedures and the increased use of videoconferencing and electronic communication channels. It also introduces specific time limits for legal processes and authorizes the use of technical surveillance tools such as GPS and telecommunications monitoring. The Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law aims to enhance legal frameworks for environmental security. These actions demonstrate Cyprus's ongoing commitment to international cooperation in legal and criminal matters within the Council of Europe framework.