Sofia hosted the eighth meeting of the EuroMed Justice network, where judges and prosecutors from the European Union, North Africa and the Middle East discussed how to fight cybercrime and gather electronic evidence. Eurojust organised the event with support from the European Commission.
Vanya Stefanova, acting chief prosecutor, welcomed the participants. She said that in an age of digital technology and global communication, cybersecurity underpins the protection of personal data, business and national security.
"The challenges we face keep getting more complex, and the crimes keep getting more inventive," Stefanova said in her welcome speech.
This year's forum focuses on cybersecurity, the fight against online crime, gathering electronic evidence, and sharing best practice between the countries taking part.
The meeting comes a month after a September report by the European Court of Auditors. It found that limited information-sharing among the EU's 27 member states and the slow rollout of a joint warning system are among the EU's main weaknesses in handling cyber incidents.