POLICIES :: Internet Governance
Internet Governance
What is Internet Governance?
"Internet governance is the development and application by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet."
This working definition was taken up in the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society (PDF 243 Kb), one of the two outcome documents of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in 2005.
What is the Commission's role?
The European Commission has always played a leading role in international discussions on the development of the Internet and its governance. The stability and security of the Internet is a key public policy issue for the Commission.
The Commission participates in a range of Internet governance related activities in international fora.
ICANN Informal Background Papers
The European Commission very much
welcomes a constructive and informed debate about the most appropriate way to
ensure that the governance of the Internet, which includes the governance of
numbering and naming (assigned by the US government to ICANN through the
so-called IANA contract) and of the Domain Name space, is multilateral,
transparent, democratic and accountable, with the full involvement of
governments, the private sector, civil society, international organisations and
other stakeholders.
The forthcoming renewal of the IANA contract in early 2012 provides an
opportunity to review the framework within which ICANN (or its successor)
operates and to ensure the efficiency and the sustainability of this
multi-stakeholder model.
This is the subject of ongoing discussions with stakeholders and between a
number of international partners in which the US Government - given it assigns
the IANA contract - has played a very active role.
In this context, the European Commission's services have developed "discussion
papers", which are input to these exchanges; reflecting on which elements of the
ICANN -model need to be improved.
The papers are available for download below:
- Applying the highest standards of corporate governance
(PDF 134 Kb) - Financial and staff situation of ICANN
(PDF 97 Kb)
- The respect for applicable law
(PDF 111 Kb)
- New gTLD process
(PDF 134 Kb)
- Country-code Top Level Domains
(PDF 119 Kb)
- A more efficient and more effective GAC
(PDF 91 Kb)
Internet Governance Forum
As foreseen in WSIS a forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue was established - called the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). In line with the Tunis Agenda (PDF 243 Kb) provisions the IGF did not replace existing arrangements or institutions. Instead it stands as a a neutral, non-duplicative and nonbinding platform where a broad range of stakeholders can discuss public policy issues related to key elements of Internet Governance. Annual IGF meetings have been taken place since 2006. This year's meeting will take place from 14 to 17 September in Vilnius.
Organisations dealing with Internet Governance
There is a range of organisations dealing with various aspects of Internet Governance related issues.
European industry bodies responsible for EU country-code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs), for example, coordinate their activities through CENTR (Council for European National Top Level Domain Registries). The management of the allocation of IP Addressing in Europe is carried out by RIPE NCC. Other organisations of interest include the IETF, ISOC and the ITU.
An important organisation in this context is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a Californian based public private corporation. ICANN operates under a zero purchase order with the US Government which tasks it to fulfill the so-called IANA functions. Those functions include:
- Coordination of the assignment of technical protocol parameters
- Performance of administrative functions associated with root management (This function, however, does not include authorizing modifications, additions, or deletions to the root zone file or associated information that constitute delegation or re-delegation of top level domains.)
- Allocation of Internet Numbering Resources
In addition, the relationship between ICANN and the US Government is also shaped by a Joint Project Agreement due to expire in September 2009.
The Commission participates in the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). EU Member States also participate in the GAC, whose main purpose is to advise ICANN (a private sector body) on public policy aspects of its coordination activities.
The Commission has adopted a Communication on Internet governance: the next steps IP/09/951
This Communication analyses progress on Internet governance and the changing role of governments in the process. It also reviews progress by ICANN in achieving the goals set for it in 1998. The Communication identifies a number of public policy principles that should be observed by other stakeholders and proposes an approach for moving international discussions on these matters forward.
For the full text of the Communication please see:
Hearing in Brussels on 6 May 2009 on future Internet Governance arrangements
The agenda (PDF 68 Kb) included issues such as "World Summit on the Information Society", "Security and Stability", "The role of public authorities", "Accountability and legitimacy", "Internationalisation of Internet Governance" and "Digital Divide".
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Audio recording of the hearing on future Internet Governance arrangements. In the following the recording can be listened to divided according to the agenda (in some cases a clear division was not possible in view of the overlapping nature of the issues): MORNING
AFTERNOON |
For viewing written statements on the subject of the hearing please click here.
Last updated: 13.9.2011