- Germany must become a network policy opinion leader in Europe
- The digital single market and data protection regulation should be top network policy themes
- The European Union must take on more responsibility for Internet Governance
European Union decisions are influencing market conditions for Internet companies in Europe to an ever greater extent. The Internet industry is the growth engine of our time, not only in Germany, but throughout Europe, and it is developing into the most important key technology for the creation of economic value. In order to further support this development, the right political and regulatory decisions are required on the part of the European Union. For the occasion of the European Parliament election at the end of May, eco summarized the most important positions of the German Internet industry in a 10-point program that highlights the relevant fields of action for a European Internet and network policy. Right at the top of the agenda, according to the program, should be a digital single market and the adoption of the European Data Protection Regulation.
“Recent decisions, such as the latest ECJ judgment on data retention and on a “right to be forgotten” as well as the debate dealing with European data protection, show that the central Internet policy decisions are being made at the European level, rather than in national parliaments,” explains eco Director of Policy and Law, Oliver Süme. “We therefore call on the German EU delegates to advocate a future-oriented European Internet and network policy which will drive harmonization with a sense of proportion and a practicable balance between civil liberties and company interests and ensuring fair competition and equal chances. Germany can take on a leading role in Europe on this topic, providing stimulus and establishing standards. We should not miss this opportunity,” Süme continues.
Digital Single Market and Data Protection as top network policy themes
In the first place, eco welcomes the attempt to realize a European Single Market for Electronic Communication, which eco is fundamentally in favor of. However, this should not be at the expense of fair competition, and should be directed towards market diversity rather than market consolidation.
In addition, the rapid adoption of a unified, harmonized level of European data protection in the form of the General Data Protection Regulation is up near the top of the list. The regulation should be rapidly adopted, but at the same time as thoroughly worked out and as balanced as possible.
eco also calls for a balanced and sustainable definition for Net Neutrality, as well as a definite departure from data retention without probable cause or suspicion. Further demands deal with a unified legal framework for IT security, an agreement on the authority and the limits of national secret service activities as a result of the NSA surveillance scandal, the retention of the e-Commerce Directive and a comprehensive European strategy on copyright.
The European Union must take more responsibility for Internet Governance
The European Union has a particularly important position in the multi-stakeholder process on Internet Governance. As a result of the USA’s announcement of their intention to withdraw from their supervisory function of the important Internet administrator Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), new possibilities for the shaping of Internet Governance have emerged, which the European Union should make use of. In the opinion of eco, the Commission proposal, announced through a communication in February this year, offers a good basis for the future development of global Internet Governance, and should be worked on further, together with the European Parliament and Council.
This year’s European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG), hosted by eco and taking place under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economics in the German Foreign Office on the 12 – 13 June, is an opportunity for this. This is the most important Internet dialogue at the European level, where stakeholders from industry, governments, academia and the civil society exchange ideas on the future shaping of the Internet.
eco Position Paper for the European Election
eco 10 Demands for European Network Policy
Further information on EuroDIG 2014 can be found online at www.eurodig.org
