[WSIS CS-Plenary] PRESS RELEASE: APC/Council of Europe: New code for public participation in internet governance

[karen banks]

Dear all

an outcome of our preparations for and 
discussions during the workshop organised by the 
APC, COE and UNECE yesterday on public participation in internet governance..

karen
====

NO EMBARGO

The Council of Europe and APC propose a code for 
public participation in internet governance

RIO de JANEIRO, BRAZIL, November 13 2007 -- 
Intergovernmental and civil society organisations 
propose a self-regulatory mechanism to foster 
participation, access to information and 
transparency in Internet governance at the 
Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Rio de Janeiro on 12 November 2007.

The mechanism should ensure that all the 
institutions which play a role in some aspect of 
governing the internet commit to transparency, 
public participation, including participation of 
all stakeholders, and access to information in 
their activities. The proposal was announced at a 
best practice forum on public participation in 
Internet governance and access to information, 
co-organised by the United Nations Economic 
Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Council of Europe and the Association for
Progressive Communications (APC).

The new proposal reflects the Council of Europe's 
commitment to the concept of public service value 
of the Internet. For Internet governance to 
satisfy democratic needs the part to be played by 
users should be recognised and strengthened, said 
the Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General 
Maud de Boer-Buquicchio at the IGF best practice 
forum on “Public participation in Internet 
Governance: Emerging issues, good practices and 
proposed solutions”. The forum explored how 
adherence to the World Summit on the Information 
Society principles can become common practice in 
institutions involved in Internet governance.

The United Nations Economic Commission for 
Europe’s Aarhus Convention on Access to 
Information, Public Participation in 
Decision-making and Access to Justice in 
Environmental Matters (the “Aarhus Convention”) 
was presented at the Forum as a possible 
prototype of such a mechanism.  The Convention is 
designed to admit as signatories, both 
governments and inter-governmental institutions, 
as well as other types of institutions, said Hans 
Hansell, leader of the group for ICT and 
development at UNECE. “The Aarhus Convention 
firmly establishes access to information, 
transparency and participation in governance 
processes as a shared value, and supports 
institutions in implementing the convention,” Mr Hansell explained.

With its simple mechanism for dealing with 
complaints, as well as an information clearing 
house, the Aarhus Convention sets a particularly 
valuable model for the Internet governance 
community because transparency, participation and 
access to information, and accountability are the 
cornerstones of good governance, commented 
Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director of APC. 
“This is a framework that can underpin other 
processes and even support them, without 
replacing any existing institutional 
configuration, policies or regulations,” Ms Esterhuysen added.

“Like the IGF, the new agreement we are proposing 
can constitute a non-threatening platform for 
progress and positive change and can be 
established as a self-regulatory mechanism. 
Institutions which want to demonstrate their 
commitment to being transparent, inclusive and 
accountable, can become signatories,” Ms Esterhuysen concluded.

APC contact
Frédéric Dubois, Information coordinator
Mobile +1 514 660 0664, frederic at apc.org

Council of Europe contacts
Estelle Steiner, Press Officer, Mobile +33 (0)6 08 46 01 57,
estelle.steiner at coe.int
Sophie Lobey, Communications Officer, Mobile +33 (0)6 64 09 93 40,
sophie.lobey at coe.int

-30-

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