Thu. Dec 12th, 2024
icon, networks, internet
Internet and data governance: new measures implemented. Photo by Geralt on Pixabay.

This targeted consultation is part of the Commission’s preparation for the 2025 UN summit (WSIS+20), which will review the architecture for internet governance.

This move comes in response to a Council request for a EU strategy on multistakeholder internet governance, aimed at securing a common EU position in international fora. The objective is to ensure an internet that remains open, free, affordable, neutral, secure, and globally interconnected.

The consultation seeks input from a wide range of stakeholders, including governments, businesses, technical experts, and civil society organisations. The gathered insights will help shape the EU’s vision for a future-proof internet governance model that upholds core EU values like data protection, human rights, and the rule of law in the digital space.

The EU aims to reaffirm its commitment to the multistakeholder approach, which balances the interests of various parties in managing internet standards and policies. This model, currently under pressure due to geopolitical tensions and calls for more state-controlled internet governance, remains essential to safeguarding the global and open nature of the internet.

Theconsultationis open from13 Novemberuntil31 December 2024.


Targeted consultation on Internet Governance

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Background

The European Commission is launching a targeted consultation on its stance on Internet governance in preparation for the critical milestones foreseen in 2025 (WSIS+20) and in response to the request from the Council to develop “an EU strategy on the multistakeholder governance of the Internet to set out a common position to uphold in international fora with a view to ensuring an open, free, affordable, neutral, global, interoperable, reliable and secure Internet”.

The aim is to gather input from stakeholders across governments, business, technical experts, and civil society organisations—to inform and strengthen the EU’s position. This consultation aims to refine the EU’s vision for a free, secure, and open internet while safeguarding its core values of data protection, human rights, and the rule of law in the digital space. Your insights and participation are essential to help direct the future of internet governance.

Internet governance is a system of processes, policies, and standards that shape how the internet functions and evolves. The internet is inherently decentralised, involving governments, international organisations, technical experts, businesses, and civil society organisations. The EU believes that supporting this multistakeholder approach is vital to keeping the internet free, secure, efficient, equitable, and respectful of human rights, especially in the face of rapid technological advancements.

However, the multistakeholder model of internet governance has been and is under increasing pressure in global forums, such as the recently adopted Global Digital Compact (GDC) and the upcoming World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20). Some governments are pushing for more centralised, state-controlled approaches, citing national security, data privacy, and digital sovereignty concerns. While these concerns are valid, that shift risks breaking the internet into isolated national networks, undermining global connectivity, innovation, and the principles of a free, open, and accessible internet. The growing politicisation of internet standards and infrastructure—driven by market competition and geopolitical tensions between superpowers —adds to the complexity. The upcoming discussions on the future of the internet governance is an opportunity to examine the challenges and opportunities and seek solutions to ensure that it is future proof.

Against this background, the EU must clearly articulate its expectations for the outcome of WSIS+20 and make a compelling case for why a multistakeholder governance model is essential for supporting the internet’s open and global nature. The EU’s leadership in sustaining this model is crucial for protecting its digital interests and ensuring the global internet stays stable and open. Together with its core values—data protection, human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law—the EU can secure international recognition of its digital policies and regulatory frameworks.

Consultation: Take the questions

 

 

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