Transport, Telecommunications and Energy

Internet Governance issues during the Swedish Precidency

The European Union has taken an active interest in issues related to the development and management of the Internet since an early stage. Developments in Internet governance have closely been followed by the Swedish Presidency and the EU this autumn.

Two main events have marked the discussions during the Swedish Presidency; the new 'Affirmation of Commitment' between the US Department of Commerce and ICANN, which came into force on 1st October, and the 4th meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Egypt in November. Another Internet Governance related event during autumn is the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) that took place in Geneva in September.

The 1 October the “Affirmation of Commitment” between ICANN and the US Department of Commerce was launched. The Swedish Presidency, on behalf of the EU,. welcomed this new arrangement, which includes a new model of working for ICANN with increased openness and transparency, as well as possibilities for increased and broader global engagement.

The forth Internet Governance Forum (IGF) took place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on 15-18 November 2009. At the opening session, the Presidency made an statement on behalf of the EU. The Presidency thus underlined the value of this global multistakeholder platform. The EU support was also confirmed for the IGF to continue beyond its first five-year period, which expires at the end of the next year. Moreover, the Presidency thus underlined the importance of the IGF as a non-decision making forum with no negotiated binding outcomes. The IGF is the only global forum for stakeholders around the world to discuss and exchange of views concerning Internet Governance and Internet development and is therefore an indispensable and a flexible tool for policymakers around the globe. Finally, the statement also noted that the EU wants the Internet to be a global network that is open, resilient, and accessible to all, respecting human rights and the rule of law.

To highlight the positive outcome of the forth IGF the EU sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to contribute to the upcoming discussions which hopefully will lead to a UN decision in favour of a continuation of the IGF.

Summary Internet governance
Presidency Paper: Achieving Effective Internet Governance and an Internet for all
• More countries get a say in how the Internet is run - The EU welcomes a new U.S. approach to ICANN
• Press release: The EU welcomes increased openness in the new ICANN approach
• Press release: Presidency message at international conference on Internet Governance in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
• Press release – EU supports the continuation of the Internet Governance Forum in a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
• The European Dialogue on Internet Governance - EuroDIG
• European Commission: Internet governance - the next steps