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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style>[ Apologies if you receive this message multiple times ]</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style>Dear all,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>Concerning the
forthcoming Multistakeholder Meeting on the Future of Internet Governance
(NETmundial) which will take place in Sao Paulo (Brazil) on 23-24 April 2014,
you might be interested to read the latest blog post of Neelie Kroes,
Vice-President of the European Commission and member of the High-Level
Multistakeholder Committee of NETmundial, available at <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/kroes/en/content/netmundial-lets-get-work"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">https://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/kroes/en/content/netmundial-lets-get-work</span></span></a>
and reproduced below.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>+++</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<h1><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">NETmundial: let's get to
work </span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>Published by <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/kroes/en/users/neelie-kroes" title="View user profile."><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">Neelie KROES</span></span></a> on
Wednesday, 16/04/2014 </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I will soon be travelling
to Sao Paulo to attend <a href="http://netmundial.br/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">NETmundial, the Multi-stakeholder Meeting
on the Future of Internet Governance</span></span></a>. The purpose of
NETmundial is to develop principles of Internet governance and a roadmap for
the future development of this ecosystem.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I have already <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/kroes/en/content/my-thoughts-netmundial-and-future-internet-governance"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">shared</span></span></a>
with all of you my thoughts on the draft "outcome document" that I
and other members of the <a href="http://netmundial.br/hlmc/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">High-Level
Multi-stakeholder Committee of NETmundial</span></span></a> received on 3 April
2014. In the meantime, the organisers of the conference have published a new
version of the <a href="http://document.netmundial.br/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">outcome <span style="color:black">document</span></span></span></a>
and are inviting everyone to <a href="http://document.netmundial.br/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">send
their views and comments</span></span></a> – I warmly invite all of you to do
so.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I did so, too; I have sent
an email to the <a href="http://netmundial.br/hlmc/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">members</span></span></a> of the High
Level Multi-stakeholder Committee, to the <a href="http://netmundial.br/chair-of-the-meeting/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">Chair of the Meeting</span></span></a>
(Prof. Virgilio Almeida) and to the two co-chairs of the <a href="http://netmundial.br/emc/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">Executive Meeting Committee</span></span></a>,
Raul Echeberria and Demi Getschko.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Again, in a spirit of
transparency, I would like to share the contents of this message with the
broader Internet community.... so please read my letter below.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">From: KROES Neelie
(CAB-KROES)</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><br>
<strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Sent: Wednesday, April
09, 2014 7:26 PM</span></strong><br>
<strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">To: '<a href="mailto:hlmc@netmundial.br"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">hlmc@netmundial.br</span></span></a>'</span></strong><br>
<strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Subject: Proposals for
the NETmundial outcome document</span></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Dear colleagues,</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I am pleased to see that
the draft outcome document for NETmundial has been published and that the
broader public has now the possibility to intervene in the discussion, before
we all meet in Sao Paulo next week. Again, I would like to thank all the members
of the Executive Multistakeholder Committee, as well as the Chair and the
Co-Chairs of the meeting, for their tireless work.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As a follow-up to the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/kroes/en/content/my-thoughts-netmundial-and-future-internet-governance"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">comments</span></span></a>
which I have already shared with you, I would like to make some further
observations. In the same spirit of transparency as my previous communication,
I am also posting a copy of this e-mail on my <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/kroes/en/blog"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">blog</span></span></a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I continue to strongly
believe that the outcomes of NETmundial must be concrete and actionable, with
clear milestones and with a realistic but ambitious timeline. Several reactions
to my comments show that I am not alone in thinking that concreteness is
paramount to the success of this important gathering; and even though positions
on substance may well differ, I believe that my assessment on the necessity of
a "change of pace" in these discussions is shared by a broad range of
stakeholders.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Read in this light, it is
clear me that more work is needed on the latest draft; especially if we
consider that a number of public contributions submitted to NETmundial did
include concrete and actionable suggestions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Luckily, several passages
of the draft outcome document do lend themselves quite well to being turned
into more concrete actions – and we should make full use of this opportunity. I
will focus on six specific examples:</span></p>
<ol start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>Improvements to the multi-stakeholder model</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>Strengthening the Internet Governance Forum</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style>
<span style>Tools and mechanisms for better information sharing and capacity
building</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>Globalisation of IANA</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>Globalisation of ICANN</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>Jurisdictional issues on the Internet</span></li>
</ol>
<p><strong><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">(1) Improvements
to the multi-stakeholder model</span></u></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The draft outcome document
refers several times to the need to <strong><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">further
improve and strengthen the multi-stakeholder model</span></u></strong>, to
enable the full and balanced participation of all stakeholders from around the
globe, to have clear and transparent processes and procedures (including
mechanisms for checks and balances and for review). I completely agree – in
fact, I have said so for a long time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The keywords here are
inclusiveness and openness, which must both be real and meaningful, not just
theoretical.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">NETmundial should be the
moment to properly connect the debates on Internet governance with the
discussions and concrete activities on citizens' engagement and participatory
democracy. Europe has been quite active in this field, ranging from EU-funded
projects in the ICT field, such as <a href="http://participedia.net/en/organizations/demo-net"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">DEMO-NET</span></span></a>,
<a href="http://crossover-project.eu/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">Cross Over</span></span></a> and <a href="http://dcentproject.eu/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">D-CENT</span></span></a>; to legal
innovations such as the European Citizens Initiative; to national initiatives
such as the use of Liquid Democracy in the Germany and the <a href="https://www.rahvakogu.ee/pages/what-is-rahvakogu"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">People's Assembly Rahvakogu</span></span></a>
in Estonia, to name just a few. Brazil, with the inclusive and participatory
conception and discussions on the "Marco Civil", is also an
inspiration for all of us. And it is purely for reasons of space that I cannot
mention all the efforts by many organisations and individuals across the world.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">In its <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52014DC0072"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">Communication
on Internet Policy and Governance</span></span></a> of 12 February 2014, the
European Commission suggested that the <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">further
development of multistakeholder guidelines and the sharing of best practices</span></strong>
would be a good manner to move forward. Accordingly, <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I suggest that the outcomes of
NETmundial should include</span></strong>:</span></p>
<ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>a clear commitment to the <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">bottom-up
and cooperative</span></strong> development of a "concept paper"
to be discussed at the 9<sup>th</sup> Internet Governance Forum (Istanbul,
Turkey, <u>2-5 September 2014</u>);</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>this concept paper should identify initial recommendations on how
the above mentioned engagement and participatory tools and initiatives
could be used in Internet governance debates; it should also propose an
initial outline of principles-based guidelines to safeguard
accountability, transparency, inclusiveness and independence for
multi-stakeholder processes;</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>the discussions in Istanbul and all other appropriate fora should
lead, by the <u>beginning of 2015</u>, to a proposal for two "case
studies", to examine how we could turn the high-level principles into
concrete, operational practices of existing Internet governance
organisations and processes;</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>further discussions and practical experimentation on these cases
studies could then result in a <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">concrete
reference paper</span></strong> to be presented and discussed at the 10<sup>th</sup>
Internet Governance Forum, towards the <u>end of 2015</u> – and of course,
to be further refined as need be.</span></li></ul>
<p><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">(2) <u>Strengthening
the Internet Governance Forum</u></span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I referred multiple times
to the <strong><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Internet
Governance Forum</span></u></strong> or IGF. The draft outcome document of
NETmundial clearly mentions the need for strengthening and improving this most
important and unique example of global and multi-stakeholder engagement and
dialogue.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I agree that such
improvements should include an extension of the IGF mandate beyond its usual
5-years cycle, without prejudice to any possible adaptation of such mandate as
the global community will see fit; I also agree that ensuring stable and
predictable funding for the IGF is absolutely essential.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I reiterate my invitation
for everyone, but especially those organisations which have greatly benefited
from the Internet, to become a donor to the IGF – like the EU, some of its
Member States and others from the public and private sector. I believe that
NETmundial should also make a clear reference, and if possible provide some
practical examples, on how innovative forms of crowd-funding could contribute
to this joint effort.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The other improvements
mentioned in the draft outcome document, namely the need to implement creative
ways of providing outcomes / recommendations and the analysis of policy
options, and to promote inter-sessional dialogues between the yearly gatherings
of the IGF, are also essential and, in my view, closely linked to the need to
better connect to existing experiences, expertise and practical tools for
inclusive engagement, that I highlighted above.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">On this basis, <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I propose that the NETmundial
outcome document should ask the Multistakeholder Advisory Group to present to
the global community a clear and realistic assessment of how and when, in their
view, these recommendations could be concretely implemented</span></strong>, at
the 9<sup>th</sup> Internet Governance Forum in <u>September 2014</u>. Members
of the MAG serve in their personal capacity, but are expected to have extensive
linkages with their respective stakeholder groups; I am therefore certain that
such assessment would be well informed and inclusive of all opinions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">But to be even more
concrete: let us not forget that, as the draft outcome document mentions, we
already have a very clear set of recommendations to refer to, i.e. the <a href="http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G12/504/04/PDF/G1250404.pdf?OpenElement"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><span style="color:black">Repor<span style="color:black">t of the Working Group on Improvements to the Internet Governance Forum</span></span></span></strong></a>
(WGIGF) of 2012. Some of these recommendations have been acted upon; some are
still lingering; but more in general, I sense that we are missing a sense of
the "global picture". Therefore, I would strongly <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">recommend that one of the concrete
outputs of NETmundial should be an assessment – even if an initial one – of
where we stand in terms of implementation for each recommendation of the WGIGF</span></strong>,
or at the very least a clear commitment that such assessment will be presented
at the latest at 9<sup>th</sup> Internet Governance Forum in <u>September 2014</u>;
and that this "state of play" will be duly updated and be open to
public input, possibly using participatory tools as I highlighted above.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> <strong><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">(3) Tools and mechanisms for better
information sharing and capacity building</span></u></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As you can certainly see, I
strongly believe in the <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">use
of appropriate ICT tools</span></strong> for better and more inclusive
dialogues.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NETmundial draft
outcome document clearly mentions the need for communication and coordination
within the Internet governance ecosystem, including via tools to perform
on-going monitoring, analysis, and information-sharing function. I have already
highlighted in my previous comments how the European Commission is investing in
the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/news/commission-plans-guide-through-global-internet-policy-labyrinth"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><span style="color:black">Global
Internet Policy Observatory initiative</span></span></strong></a> (GIPO) as a
way to experiment with the automated collection, analysis, organisation and
visualisation of information on Internet governance discussions and decisions.
The European Commission is currently finalising a feasibility assessment of the
technological and organisational options for the GIPO, and we will share our
conclusions by <u>mid-2014</u>, with a view to launch the technological
development of GIPO by the <u>end of 2014</u>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">In the meantime many other
organisations, public and private, are either already working or are planning
to invest in Internet policy observatories and similar initiatives. We should
strive to avoid duplication of efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Let me be crystal clear: I
do not see any need for a winner-takes-all beauty contest between
observatories. Quite the contrary. But we should strive to learn from each
other's understanding of the problems and proposed solutions. Ideally, we
should also move towards a federation of Internet policy observatories.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I therefore suggest that
the draft outcome document of NETmundial should <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">include a clear commitment to have a broad, inclusive
and operational roundtable among all "observatory initiatives"</span></strong>
during the 9<sup>th</sup> Internet Governance Forum in <u>September 2014</u>;
ideally, this roundtable should lead to the development of an initial "<strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">collaboration roadmap</span></strong>"
by <u>mid-2015</u> and identify mechanisms, including via existing meetings and
dialogues, to foster cooperation and communication among these various
initiatives.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> <strong><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">(4) Globalisation of IANA</span></u></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">You already know how
important I believe it is to keep the momentum towards a real and effective
globalisation of core Internet functions and decisions, including IANA.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">ICANN has recently shared a
draft "scoping paper" and a roadmap that will certainly be helpful in
the discussions on the globalisation of IANA. <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I believe that the NETmundial outcome document should
explicitly recognise this draft proposal by ICANN as an important contribution
and explicitly call all stakeholders to express their views on it</span></strong>.</span></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I also believe that
in order for this discussion to be truly meaningful, the NETmundial outcome
document should clearly flag that</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">:</span></p>
<ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>the engagement of the broader public should make full use of <strong><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">all</span></u></strong><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> existing meetings and fora</span></strong>,
including the global Internet Governance Forum and the regional ones, as
appropriate; ICANN should also reach out to organisations across the world
which are willing and capable to foster dialogue among citizens, besides
and beyond those who are able to attend the meetings of ICANN or other
Internet technical organisations;<br style>
<br style>
</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>with due consideration to the criteria which the US Government
has presented in its <a href="http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press-release/2014/ntia-announces-intent-transition-key-internet-domain-name-functions"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">announcement
of 14 March 2014</span></span></a>, <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">there
should be no artificial limitation in the scope of the discussion</span></strong>.
For example, a consideration of <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">various
organisational options</span></strong>, as well as of the <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">opportunity</span></strong> and
the <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">most
appropriate ways to separate policy, operational and oversight activities</span></strong>
should not be "off-limits", if we want the debate on the future
of IANA to be seen as truly legitimate at the global level.</span></li></ul>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> <strong><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">(5) Globalisation of ICANN</span></u></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The CEO of ICANN has
recently <a href="https://blog.icann.org/2014/04/training-wheels-off/"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">declared</span></span></a>
that a public dialogue on how to strengthen ICANN’s accountability will soon be
launched. In my view, this dialogue cannot be separated from the broader issue
of how to make ICANN a truly global organization serving the public interest,
as the draft outcome document mentions. I understand that this dialogue will
look at strengthening existing accountability mechanisms like the Affirmation
of Commitments, and ICANN’s redress mechanisms, as well as exploring new
accountability mechanisms where necessary.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I am looking forward to
further information and details and I expect that ICANN will also provide a
clear timeline on the concrete implementation of its globalisation efforts.
Accordingly, I <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">recommend
that the NETmundial outcome document clearly invites ICANN to share its
concrete proposals</span></strong> at the 50<sup>th</sup> ICANN meeting
(London, UK, <u>22-26 June 2014</u>).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> <strong><u><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">(6) Jurisdictional issues on the
Internet</span></u></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It is natural, when talking
about globalisation, to reflect not only on the amazing opportunities brought
about by the Internet, but also on the challenges which this inherently
cross-border medium raises with respect to the application of laws. The
European Commission <a href="http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52014DC0072&from=EN"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">committed</span></span></a>
to launching an in-depth review of the risks, at international level, of
conflicts of laws and jurisdictions arising on the Internet and to assess all
mechanisms, processes and tools available and necessary to solve such
conflicts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The NETmundial draft outcome
document clearly identifies jurisdictional issues and how they relate to
Internet governance as "material for further discussion". While I
understand and agree that a full debate on this broad topic during NETmundial
would be neither desirable nor productive, <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">we should have a stronger commitment to a
phase-by-phase examination of this issue</span></strong>, with a view to
produce "good practice" guidelines as appropriate.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Accordingly, <strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">I suggest that the outcomes of
NETmundial should include </span></strong>an invitation to interested parties
to:</span></p>
<ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>develop a "scoping paper" by <u>July 2014</u>;</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>facilitate on-line and off-line engagement opportunities, as
appropriate, in the run-up to the 9<sup>th</sup> Internet Governance Forum
(Istanbul, Turkey, <u>2-5 September 2014</u>);</span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style><span style>following these discussions, aim to produce a first draft of
"problem statements" and possible recommendations by the <u>first
half of 2015</u>.</span></li></ul>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Dear colleagues, I thank
you for your patience in reading my observations and proposals, which I trust
will be useful in further refining the outcome document of NETmundial.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Kind regards,</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Neelie Kroes</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>+++</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>Best,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style>--<br>
Andrea Glorioso (Mr)<br>
European Commission - DG Communication Networks, Content and Technology<br>
Unit D1 (International relations) + Task Force on Internet Policy Development<br>
Avenue de Beaulieu 25 (4/64) / B-1049 / Brussels / Belgium<br>
T: +32-2-29-97682 M: +32-460-797-682 E: <a href="mailto:Andrea.Glorioso@ec.europa.eu">Andrea.Glorioso@ec.europa.eu</a><br>
Twitter: @andreaglorioso<br>
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andrea.glorioso"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">https://www.facebook.com/andrea.glorioso</span></span></a><br>
LinkedIn: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=1749288&trk=tab_pro"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?<span style="color:black">id=1749288&trk=tab_pro</span></span></span></a><br>
<br>
The views expressed above are purely those of the writer and may not in any
circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the European
Commission.<br>
</span><span style lang="FR">Les opinions exprimées
ci-dessus n'engagent que leur auteur et ne sauraient en aucun cas être
assimilées à une position officielle de la Commission européenne.<br>
<br>
</span><span style>Be transparent - Sign up to the European Commission's
Register of Interest Representatives <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regrin"><span style="color:black"><span style="color:black">http://ec.europa.e<span style="color:black">u/transparency/regrin</span></span></span></a></span></p>
</div>