Croatia and the United States have signed a memorandum which will ensure better cooperation and exchange of information in transnational cybercrime prevention, the Croatian Justice Ministry said on Monday.

The memorandum of understanding on cybercrime prevention was signed at an international conference in Sibenik by Croatia’s Justice Minister Ivan Malenica, State Attorney General Zlata Hrvoj-Sipek, and Amy Davison, acting deputy charge d’affaires at the US Embassy in Zagreb.

Malenica said the memorandum was a significant step forward in enhancing the system of monitoring and prosecuting cybercime as well as a confirmation of the partnership with the US.

“Transnational cybercrime is among the biggest challenges of today. Technology is rapidly changing and thereby the structure of crime. States need to keep up with those changes and trace crime. An effective fight against cybercrime is based on knowing the structure of the perpetrators, following trends in the IT sector, and taking fast and effective measures,” Malenica said.

The memorandum, he added, “is a new instrument for a more effective fight against cybercrime and for strengthening cyber security within the homeland security system.”

This memorandum represents the strong US commitment to the cooperation with its allies at global level aimed at enhancing cyber security and effectively combating cybercrime, said Davison.

The US partnership with Croatia’s police, State Attorney’s Office and the Justice Ministry is excellent, she said, adding that the US recognises Croatia’s key role in combating cybercrime in Southeast Europe.

The two-day international conference on combating cybercrime taking place in Sibenik brought together leading experts from prosecutor’s offices, the police, cyber security centres and judicial institutions from the US and Southeast European countries.