CoE Press Release: Towards a code of good practice on public participation, access to information and transparency in Internet governance

Strasbourg, 22.05.2008 – The Council of Europe, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Association for Progressive Communications will present a report on the concept and possible scope of a code of good practice on participation, access to information and transparency in Internet Governance, to be discussed at an open stakeholder consultation on Friday 23 May in Geneva.

The Code would ensure that all bodies which play a role in governing the Internet commit to transparency, public participation and access to information in their activities. The discussions will lay the groundwork for concrete recommendations at the 3rd United Nations Internet Governance Forum (3-6 December 2008, Hyderabad, India) to which the Council of Europe will make a significant contribution.

The report draws on the principles of the World Summit on the Information Society and the experience of the UNECE Aarhus Convention (which has established enforceable mechanisms for information and participation on environmental issues within Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia). It is divided into three parts: part 1 describes the WSIS principles and the Aarhus Convention, and considers similarities and differences between the environmental and internet governance domains; part 2 explores some of the challenges involved in developing what might become an agreed information and participation approach in Internet governance; and part 3 suggests a process for developing these ideas ahead of the Hyderabad meeting.

The consultation will take place from 2 to 5 pm on Friday 23 May at the International Telecommunications Union Headquarters (Room C2).

The report is available at www.unece.org/env/pp/related.htm