23 April, 2014

Press release: NetMundial: “A unique opportunity to deliver on the promise of a global and inclusive Internet governance model”

Europe's leading telecom operators call for global recognition of the multi-stakeholder Internet governance model and progress towards the globalisation of such model, including ICANN and IANA functions

São Paulo, 23 April 2014 – A delegation from ETNO, Europe’s leading trade association representing the largest telecom operators, is participating in NetMundial, the Global Multistakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance. This event, organised by the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee and /1Net, officially opens today and brings together approximately 800 participants from across the globe and spanning a range of stakeholder groups.

NetMundial is a unique occasion bringing together all actors in the Internet governance space and ETNO applauds the Brazilian Government’s efforts in arranging the debate based on the multi-stakeholder approach, and inspired by the principles of openness and transparency. At a time in which the Internet has become such a vital part of society at large, it is critical that its governance is effectively opened up to all stakeholders. The Association, in this context, called for an establishment of a clear timeline for the globalisation of ICANN and the IANA functions, announced earlier this year.

Luigi Gambardella, ETNO Chairman, said: “It is now time to live up to the promise of a more open Internet governance model. Europe’s leading telecom operators are ready to contribute to this process. Building a better Internet for all also depends on our ability to innovate and invest in cutting edge networks. We believe the Internet should be economically sustainable, interconnected, safe, resilient and secure”.

As part of the preparatory process for NetMundial, ETNO provided input to the meeting, supporting the move towards a universal set of principles on Internet Governance and proposing actions for a roadmap towards globalisation of the Internet. Christoph Steck, Chair of ETNO’s Internet governance Working Group and elected business representative to the NetMundial High Level Multi-stakeholder Committee, commented: “the aim of the meeting should be to define the key principles of Internet Governance. We should aim at few rather than many principles, and they should be shared by all stakeholders and governments. We should guarantee that people have the same rights online as  they do offline”.

In its contribution to NetMundial, ETNO also proposed that Internet governance follows 4 key principles:

1. All necessary stakeholders should be involved and the role of governments, when appropriate, should be duly recognised;
2. Transparency, inclusion and accountability must be ensured;
3. The Internet should be economically sustainable, interconnected, safe, resilient and secure;
4. Human rights and fundamental principles – like privacy and security – are paramount.

ETNO, with its contribution to the 2 day conference in São Paulo, believes that any outcomes of the summit should aim at fostering the development of the Internet and recognising its dynamic nature.

To download our full contribution to #NetMundial2014, click here.

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