The European Commission is seeking different contributions from representatives of governments, the private sector, the technical and academic communities, civil society organizations and all users on the way forward for Internet Governance and related digital policies. The public consultation is available until December 31, 2024.
The contributions will serve as the basis for a Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on building a free, globally connected Internet aligned with European values of data protection, human rights and the rule of law in the digital space.
In the context of preparing the main critical steps for 2025, which includes the World Summit on the Information Society + 20 years (WSIS+20), this consultation also responds to the request from the Council of the European Union to define a "European strategy for multistakeholder Internet governance with a common position to be defended in international fora, with a view to guaranteeing an open, free, accessible, neutral, global, interoperable, reliable and secure Internet".
The multistakeholder model of Internet Governance and associated digital policies
The European Union believes that the multistakeholder model of Internet governance is vital to keeping the Internet free, secure, efficient, equitable and respectful of human rights, especially in the face of rapid technological advances. However, this model has come under increasing pressure in global forums, with some governments advocating more centralized, state-controlled types of governance, citing concerns about national security, data privacy and digital sovereignty.
The call for participation in this public consultation is extended to all national Stakeholders, be they governmental, private sector, technical and academic communities, civil society or users, in order to contribute to the definition of a European Union position within the framework of the negotiations on the future of Internet Governance at a global level.
All contributions must be submitted on the European Commission's website.
