Promotion of Open Standards and Net Neutrality

OECD Releases New Publication on Progress Since the Seoul 2008 Declaration

September 30, 2013

The OECD has released a new publication titled "The Internet Economy on the Rise: Progress since the Seoul Declaration." This publication reviews progress made since the 2008 OECD Seoul Declaration for the Future of the Internet Economy and identifies areas for future work. Seven themes are addressed: high-speed infrastructure; digital content and green ICTs; the development of smarter applications; cybersecurity and privacy; consumer empowerment and protection; an open Internet economy; and global participation for development.

CSISAC Urges OECD to Examine "Dominant Internet Firms"

June 23, 2014

Speaking at a high level meeting on Internet Policy Making, CSISAC Steering Committee member and EPIC President Marc Rotenberg urged the OECD to examine the impact dominant Internet firms may have on the future of innovation and freedom. Citing the Charter of the OECD Civil Society Council, Rotenberg said "dominant Internet firms are moving to consolidate their control over the Internet. It is vitally important for the OECD to develop a better understanding of the challenge industry consolidations pose to the open Internet." The OECD is well known for the International Privacy Guidelines and is currently updating the Security Guidelines, which establish a global framework for managing cyber risks. A Ministerial meeting meeting will be held in Mexico in 2016.

OECD CDEP preparing review of the Security Guidelines

January 6, 2014

In December 2013, the OECD Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP, formerly ICCP) agreed to revise the 2002 Recommendation of the Council concerning Guidelines for the Security of Information Systems and Networks: Towards a Culture of Security (Security Guidelines).

CSISAC invited to the OECD Technology Foresight Forum 2014 on the Internet of Things

December 11, 2014

CSISAC was invited to participate in the OECD's Technology Foresight Forum 2014 on the Internet of Things. Also known as the Internet of Everything or the Industrial Internet, the Internet of Things (IoT) is a term applied to the next 50 billion machines and devices that will go online in the coming two decades. The goal of the forum was to inform policy makers of the technical developments that will influence issues in the near and longer-term future. CSISAC member Claire Milne attended the forum on behalf of CSISAC.

CSISAC Welcomes OECD Recommendation on Principles for Internet Policy Making

December 18, 2011

In a press release published on 19 December 2011, the CSISAC welcomes the Recommendation on Principles for Internet Policy Making adoped by the OECD Council on 13 December 2011, which reaffirms OECD commitment to a free, open and inclusive Internet.

Most critically, this Recommendation envisions a collaborative decision-making process that is inclusive of civil society issues and concerns, such as those expressed by CSISAC when it declined to support a previous Communique resulting from the OECD High Level Meeting of June 2011.

CSISAC looks forward to working with the OECD in order to develop the Principles itemized in the December Recommendation in greater detail and in a manner that promotes openness, is grounded in respect for human rights and the rule of law, and strengthens the capacity to improve the quality of life for all citizens.


OECD Information, Computer and Communications Policy: First Round Meeting

February 23, 2010

The 28th meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held on 8-9 March, 2010. The meeting will address several important issues of interest to CSISAC members such as identity management, the protection of children online, the 30th Anniversary of the OECD privacy guidelines. The 59th meeting of the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy meeting (ICCP) will be held on March 10-11, 2010. Topics to be discussed are ICT & green growth, ICT & innovation, internet intermediaries: policy implications, among other topics.

Marc Rotenberg, Anna Fielder, CSISAC Steering Committee Members, and Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison will attend the meeting.

CSISAC Statements on Internet Policy

January 21, 2010

The CSISAC has submitted a series of recommendations to the OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (ICCP) and its working parties on a variety of Internet Policy issues.

ICT and the Environment: CSISAC stressed the importance of innovation and the adoption of ICT applications for the monitoring and management of environmental challenges, such as "smart" ICT applications. CSISAC urges the expansion of dialogue among all stakeholders regarding privacy implications of "smart" ICT. CSISAC also stressed the importance of data protection in every field of application of sensor networks, and any other tracking technology.

Internet Intermediaries: The document highlights civil society concerns on legal approaches to intermediary liability. As noted in the Seoul Declaration, OECD Member countries should "maintain a balanced framework for intellectual property protection that is least intrusive to personal privacy, least restrictive for the development of new technologies, and that promotes creativity, innovation, and learning."

Internet and the News: CSISAC believes that a strong and independent news industry can be an important contributor to robust democracy. CSISAC believes that any policy recommendations that are not based on common standards present in all OECD member countries' copyright and other related laws should be avoided. CSISAC believes that this will assist OECD member governments in thoughtful policy development which respects the important social role played by journalists and the news industry, while preserving opportunities for emerging new forms of citizen journalism and Internet innovation.

IPV6: CSISAC submitted comments on the co-existence of two incompatible Internet standards, IPv4 and IPv6. CSISAC encourages the OECD to consider undertaking more in-depth analysis on the economic and policy implications of an extended migration period in which IPv4 address scarcity is a continuing factor in the Internet supply industry. "There may or may not be cost burdens created by the transition, or negative impacts on competition, diversity and innovation on the Internet. But these problems have not been clearly documented and explained", the statement noted. CSISAC encourages a more direct consideration of policy alternatives to IPv6 in light of inadequate rates of IPv6 deployment and the realities the Internet community faces due to the lack of backwards compatibility between IPv6 and IPv4.

OECD - ICCP Committee meets in Paris

October 7, 2009

The Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will host a series of meeting from October 12-16, 2009 in Paris, France.

The 27th Meeting of the Working Party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) will be held in October 12-13. From Emerging Privacy issues to portability, competition, and innovation, the ICCP Technology Foresight Forum on Cloud Computing will be held on October 15. A briefing Paper on Cloud Computing and Public Policy prepared for the Forum has been released.

The 58th session of the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy will be held at the OECD Headquarters in October 15-16, 2009.

The Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council will be represented by Gus Hosein from Privacy International, Gwen Hinze, International Policy Director Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and member of CSISAC Steering Committee, and Katitza Rodriguez, CSISAC Liaison, and International Privacy Director Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).

On One Web Day: CSISAC reaffirmed its commitment to the Civil Society Seoul Declaration on the Future on Internet

September 22, 2009

Civil Society participants at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future on the Internet affirmed "that the policy goals for the Future of the Internet should be considered within the broader framework of protection of human rights, the promotion of democratic institutions, and the provision of affordable and non-discriminatory access to advanced communication infrastructures and services. Economic growth should be for the many and not the few. The Internet should be available to all."

OECD Recommendation on Openness Access in Public Sector Information

April 29, 2009

At its 1172nd session on April 30, 2008, the OECD Council adopted the Recommendation for enhanced access and more effective use of public sector information. The Recommendation was developed by the OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communication Policy (ICCP Committee), and particularly by its Working Party on the Information Economy.

The Recommendation set out 6 principles which provide a general framework for the wider and more effective use of public sector information and content and the generation of new uses from it. The principles are

  1. Openness;
  2. Access and transparent conditions for re-use;
  3. Asset lists;
  4. Quality;
  5. Integrity; and
  6. New technologies and long-term preservation.

The OECD Council instructs the OECD Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy to promote the implementation of this Recommendation and review it every three years to foster enhanced access and more effective use of public sector information.

The full text of the recommendation is available here.

OECD Website: Innovation Strategy

January 29, 2009

OECD logoThe new OECD website on Innovation Strategy will discuss how innovation works in a global market for science and technology. Their goal is to help policy makers improve framework conditions.

OECD Event: ICT & Innovation

January 29, 2009

OECD logoOn December 11, 2008, OECD-BIAC organized a workshop on ICT and Innovation in Paris, France. The workshop was designed as an input to the OECD Innovation Strategy. The meeting focused on the ICT sector itself and innovation ICT applications across sectors, current economic challenges and supporting policy.

OECD Event: Internet Governance Forum, Hyderabad

January 29, 2009

OECD logoIn December 2008. the OECD participated in the third Internet Governance Forum which took place in Hyderabad, India. This included organizing an Open Forum on the Outcomes of the Seoul Ministerial Chaired by Ambassador David Gross, Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, United States. Panelists for this event included Peter Voss, Head of Division, International Policy for Information & Communication Technologies, Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Germany; Tom Walker, Director Europe and International, BERR, United Kingdom; Gulshan Rai, Director at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, India; Joseph H. Alhadeff, Vice President for Global Public Policy and Chief Privacy Officer, Oracle Corporation , Chair of BIAC's Information, Computer and Communication (ICCP) Committee, Vice Chair of ICC's Commission on E-Business, IT and Telecoms; Katitza Rodríguez Pereda, Public Voice Coordinator; Bill Graham, Strategic Global Engagement, Office of the President, Internet Society (ISOC) and Marcus Courtney, Head of Department, UNI Telecom Global Union.

OECD Publication: Information Technology Outlook 2008

January 29, 2009

OECD logoOECD published the 2008 edition of the OECD Information Technology Outlook analyzes recent developments in the IT goods and services industries.

OECD Ministerial: Civil Society Seoul Declaration

January 2, 2009

CSISAC logoA diverse group of civil society organizations and individuals from the Public Voice Coalition worked on a joint Civil Society Declaration to the OECD 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy, which took place in Seoul in June 2008.

This document raises a number of issues of major importance to the civil society community and makes a number of recommendations to move towards the future of the Internet that meets the essential needs of all the world's citizens. The declaration has been signed by (so far) 86 organizations and more than 99 individuals.

OECD Ministerial: The OECD Seoul Declaration

January 1, 2009

OECD logoWith the slogan "Shaping Policies for Creativity, Confidence and Convergence in the Digital World", the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) held the 2008 Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy in Seoul, South Korea on June 17 and 18. In all, close to 2,200 participants from 68 economies attended the Meeting, which was webcast.

All the materials are placed online

OECD Ministerial: Civil Society Forum

January 1, 2009

CSISAC logoOn June 16, 2008, more than 150 participants from 15 countries gathered in Seoul, South Korea, for the Civil Society - Labor Forum "Making the Future of the Internet Economy Work for Citizens, Consumers, and Workers. The event was organized by the The Public Voicecoalition, the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC), and the OECD Civil Society Reference group, which includes the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the Canadian Internet Policy and Public interest Clinic (CIPPIC), Consumers Korea (CK), the European Digital Rights Initiative (EDRI), the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), the Internet Governance Project (IGP), and the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD).

OECD Ministerial: Speakers presentation at the Civil Society Forum

June 30, 2008

CSISAC logoThe presentations of all the speakers at the OECD Civil Society Forum are now available online. The forum consists of interactive policy round tables, covering the future of the Internet from 5 perspectives: the Human and political dimension; Towards a better future – Decent work, social justice and sustainable development in a global Internet economy; Fueling creativity and access to knowledge (A2K); Ensuring consumer and privacy protection and benefiting from convergence

OECD Ministerial: Reflections of the Outcomes of the Ministerial

June 30, 2008

CSISAC logoA report made by Cristos Velasco´s blog on the results of the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy.

OECD Ministerial: Civil Society Closing Remarks

June 30, 2008

OECD logoStatement presented by Anriette Esterhuysen of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) at the closing of OECD ministerial conference on the future Internet economy on June 18, 2008.

OECD Ministerial: Civil Society Policy Paper (CS Paper)

June 30, 2008

CSISAC logoCivil Society Participants in the Public Voice Coalition published a Civil Society Policy Paper, which was presented at the OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy held on 17-18 June 2008 in Seoul, Korea.