Policy Observatory

Ministers and Internet leaders including @NeelieKroesEU will discuss the theme "Connecting Continents for Enhanced Multi-stakeholder Internet Governance". The 9th IGF will also address topics raised at the NETmundial conference in Brazil earlier this year, including net neutrality, the role and responsibilities of different stakeholders, jurisdiction issues and the application of Internet governance principles. IGF participants will also respond to the NETmundial statement.

Access to internet is critical for fundamental freedoms and economic development. Continued access to a free and open internet depends on effective governance. In the wake of large-scale internet surveillance and reduced trust in the internet, governance of the internet must become more transparent, accountable and inclusive. 2014 is a critical year for global internet governance.

The UN Internet Governance Forum was the most important product of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). It was supposed to serve as a bridge between the private sector-based Internet governance institutions (such as ICANN, IETF, ISOC, and the RIRs) and the world of national governments and the United Nations, a meeting ground where stakeholder silos would dissolve and fruitful dialogue would take place.

The multistakeholder basis of the IGF, however, may be breaking down. The UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) seems to be claiming authority over the IGF as its own project.

In opening the 10th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) of the United Nations in Joao Pessoa, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff called for solutions to internet access, but also to address challenges in online human rights, especially privacy.

On July 28th 2015 the final version of the “Declaration of Rights on the Internet" was published in the media. The Declaration was drafted by a Committee established in July 2014 by the Italian President of the Chamber of Deputies and chaired by professor Rodotà. The text is composed by a preamble and 14 articles. A first draft of the Declaration was published in October 2014 and presented at the meeting of the members of the European Parliament in October 2014.

During the public consultation period the text was accessed more than 14.000 times and 590 opinions were received on the content of the Declaration. At the same time the audition of 46 relevant stakeholders took place during the consultation period. The final version of the Declaration will be presented at the next IGF meeting in Brazil.

The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Ms Boldrini, hopes that the content of the Declaration might be content of a unitary motion of the Parliament to the Government. The text of the Declaration (in Italian, English, French, German and Spanish) and other related documents are available here.

With several big trade negotiation projects in disarray after the election of Donald Trump in the United States, trade critics gathered at the 11th Internet Governance Forum – the longstanding UN-affiliated gathering – in Guadalajara, Mexico. They sensed an opportunity for some frank talk on the attempts to include the internet in e-commerce and telecom chapters.