European Commission To Develop Global Internet Policy Platform

By Kelly Burke for Intellectual Property Watch

The European Commission today announced plans for a Global Internet Policy Observatory (GIPO), an online platform to improve knowledge and participation on issues related to global internet policymaking.

The GIPO would “act as a clearinghouse for monitoring Internet policy, regulatory and technological developments across the world,” according to a Commission press release. The platform would monitor internet-related policy development, identify policy trends, and provide easy-to-use reports to increase understanding among all players in internet debates, the release said.

“The GIPO will not replace existing mechanisms and fora where global Internet governance is discussed, such as the Internet Governance Forum,” the release says. “Its objective is to be a tool-box for stakeholders and an instrument to strengthen existing Internet policy-making processes, making full use of modern technology.”

A number of countries and non-governmental organisations dealing with internet governance are expected to be involved in the project’s development. These include: the African Union, the Association for Progressive Communication, Brazil, the Diplo Foundation, the Internet Society, and the government of Switzerland.

Pending the results of a feasibility study to be carried out in the coming months, GIPO’s development could begin in 2014.