France has started the process of ratification of the Council of Europe cybercrime convention. On 11 June, Dominique de Villepin, the French minister of foreign affairs presented to the council of ministers a draft law for the ratification of the convention. France would be the first EU country to ratify the convention, which has only been ratified till now by 3 Council of Europe countries: Albania, Croatia and Estonia. The convention needs at least 5 ratifications (among them 3 from CoE countries) to enter into force.

Press release announcing ratification plans (in French - 11.06.2003)
http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.fr/fr/p.cfm?ref=39831

IRIS dossier on the cybercrime convention
http://www.iris.sgdg.org/actions/cybercrime/

(Contribution by Meryem Marzouki, IRIS)