Brussels, 10/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 10 February, the General Affairs Council adopted conclusions in point A (no debate) on cyber diplomacy. The text highlights the need to develop and implement a common and comprehensive approach at an EU level towards global cyber diplomacy, which encourages the development of a digital economy conducive to growth, whilst preserving European values and the rights of citizens.
The conclusions were elaborated on the basis of a work document prepared by the Greek Presidency last year, which was itself based on a European External Action Service (EEAS) reflection document. The Council indicated that given “The complexity of the matter led to difficult and lengthy debates…in search for a balance between the various aspects and the respective roles and competences of the various players”. The text adopted underlines the need to introduce a coherent cyberspace policy that defends the EU's economic and strategic policies and pursues dialogue with the main partners and international bodies, as well as with civil society and the private sector. The values that the EU defends in the “off-line” world must also apply to cyberspace, points out the Council, adding that it is necessary to be able to count on accessible online communications that are safe and reliable.
The conclusions highlight six points: 1) promotion and protection of human rights in cyberspace: the EU and member states are called on to defend the freedom of expression on and off-line, to fight against online organised crime and promote the exchange of best practices in this regard by cooperating with third countries; 2) application of international law in force in the domain of international security: by drawing on the work of experts that has been carried out within the United Nations on cyber security issues, the EU and member states are called on to proactively support the measures elaborated in this respect and defend the EU's position in international bodies; 3) Internet governance: the Internet is an integral part of the EU's common approach to cyber diplomacy and the Council refers to the conclusions adopted at the end of November 2014 in this area, which highlight the need for developing an inclusive and multi-stakeholder model of governance; 4) improved EU competitiveness and prosperity: pointing out that the EU must help develop the single digital market, new technologies are underlined as an important driving force for growth and the Council highlights the preliminary conditions to developing this market: better protection of online data and infrastructure, global interoperable standards, confidence building in the digital arena and a high level of information technology security; 5) enhancing and developing cyber capacity: these are essential to the efforts made by the EU in the field of cyber diplomacy, emphasises the Council. It encourages the EU and member states to develop a coherent and comprehensive approach to this issue; 6) strategic relations with main international partners and bodies: the majority of strategic decisions on cyberspace related questions have international implications and require international action, points out the Council. This is why the EU member states must prepare “cyber dialogue” with third countries and work towards developing, at an international level, a coherent EU policy on cyberspace. (Isabelle Lamberty)