Viviane Reding, the European commissioner for Internet-related issues, called Monday for a new multilateral approach to Internet governance once the current system expires at the end of September, reports IDG.
“I trust that President Obama will have the courage, the wisdom and the respect for the global nature of the internet to pave the way in September for a new, more accountable, more transparent, more democratic and more multilateral form of Internet Governance,” said EU Commissioner Viviane Reding in her weekly internet video message. “The time to act is now. And Europe will be ready to support President Obama in his efforts.”
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Reding stressed that “a moment of truth will come on 30 September this year, when the current agreement between ICANN and the US Government expires. This opens the door for the full privatisation of ICANN; and it also raises the question of to whom ICANN should be accountable, as from 1 October.”
“Accountability of ICANN is a must,” said Reding. “The Clinton administration’s decision to progressively privatise the internet’s domain name and addressing system is the right one. In the long run, it is not defendable that the government department of only one country has oversight of an internet function which is used by hundreds of millions of people in countries all over the world.”
EU Commissioner Reding also outlined how a new model of Internet Governance could be shaped after 30 September. It could include in particular the following:
- a fully privatised and independent ICANN complying with the best standards of corporate governance, in particular with those on financial transparency and internal accountability, and subject to effective judicial review.
- a multilateral forum where governments can discuss general internet governance policy issues, such as a “G12 for Internet Governance” – an informal group of government representatives that meets at least twice a year and can make, by majority, recommendations to ICANN where appropriate. This group would provide swift reaction in case of threats to the stability, security and openness of the internet. To be geographically balanced, this “G-12 for Internet Governance” would include two representatives from each North America, South America, Europe and Africa, three representatives from Asia and Australia, as well as the Chairman of ICANN as a non-voting member. International Organisations with competences in this field could be given observer status.
The news release, EU Commissioner Reding calls for full privatisation and full accountability of ICANN as of 1 October, is available from:
europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/696