Brussels, 12/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 12 February, the European Commission adopted a communication to introduce a key reform in the way the internet is managed and used at a global level. The proposal advocates more transparent internet governance that promotes responsibility and integration. It provides the foundations for a common European vision the Commission will defend in future international negotiations. Commissioner for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes said: “The next two years will be critical in redrawing the global map of Internet governance. Europe must contribute to a credible way forward for global internet governance. Europe must play a strong role in defining what the net of the future looks like”. Kroes argued that the Commission is committed to an internet that continues to serve fundamental freedoms and human rights, which are not negotiable.
In its communication, the Commission proposes: 1) concrete measures such as a) establishing a clear timeline for the globalisation of ICANN (the US internet management body) and IANA functions, whose role is to protect central coordination internet functions in the interest of the community; b) strengthening the global Internet Governance Forum; c) launching the online platform for creating transparency on internet policies, the Global Internet Policy Observatory; d) proceeding to a review of conflicts between national laws or jurisdictions that will suggest possible remedies; 2 ) making an ongoing commitment to improve the transparency, accountability and inclusiveness of the multi-stakeholder processes and those who participate in these processes; 3) making a commitment to creating a set of principles of internet governance to safeguard the open and unfragmented nature of the internet; 4) committing to the globalising of key decision-making (for example the coordination of domain names and IP addresses) to safeguard the stability, security and resilience of the internet.
Kroes does not want the International Telecommunications Union (UN agency specialising in developing information and communication technologies) to take over key internet functions but is in favour of modernising the current multi-partner system into one based on full participation of all the different actors and organisations involved. She stated: “I agree that governments have a crucial role to play, but top-down approaches are not the right answer. We must strengthen the multi-stakeholder model to preserve the internet as a fast engine for innovation”. (IL/transl.fl)