Council Of Europe Holds Consultations On Draft Internet Freedom Text

A committee of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe is drafting recommendations on internet freedom and is requesting public comments until the end of the month.

“The Council of Europe is working on a draft recommendation by the Committee of Ministers to its member states on Internet freedom,” a Council of Europe (CoE) official announced. “The draft is currently being elaborated by a committee of experts operating under the authority of the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Media and Information Society.”

“As part of its multi-stakeholder outreach and dialogue, the Council of Europe would like your feedback, comments and suggestions on the draft recommendation to be sent to us, at the latest by 30 April 2015,” she said in a circulated announcement.

The “Draft Recommendation CM/Rec(2015)__ of the Committee of Ministers to member states on Internet freedom,” is being prepared by the CoE Committee of experts on cross-border flow of Internet traffic and Internet freedom.

The document, MSI-INT (2014) 13 rev 2 [pdf], is dated 1 April. Comments should be emailed to: Marta.WIELOCH@coe.int

Protecting Human Rights Online

The draft document reinforces the primacy of the European Convention on Human Rights online as well as offline, and details how internet freedom must rise above national and cultural interests and differences, and be protected by nations.

The draft makes recommendations to evaluate implementation of human rights and fundamental freedom standards, ensure participation, voluntarily share national reports, and be guided by indicators that it provides. It also encourages an annual report from the CoE Secretary General.

The draft indicators range across an enabling environment for internet freedom, the right to freedom of expression (including freedom to connect, freedom of opinion, freedom of the media, legitimacy and proportionality of restrictions, and right to freedom of assembly and association), and right to a private life (including personal data protection, and freedom from surveillance).

It also includes a section on internet intermediaries which ensures they do not restrict the human rights and fundamental freedoms of their users, and, among other things, holds the intermediaries accountable for illegal content uploaded if they don’t take it down promptly upon notification. But it does not require intermediaries to monitor the content they carry.

Finally, the draft provides the right to effective remedies, ensuring individuals have access to an impartial judicial or administrative process.

The 47-member Council of Europe includes the 27 members of the European Union, and is strongly focussed on human rights issues.

Separately, earlier this month, the CoE and partners announced the launch of an internet platform to protect journalism and promote the safety of journalists.

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