OECD Faces Concerns Over Its Internet Policy Principles

By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch

A high-level meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is expected to pass a set of “principles on internet policymaking” tomorrow. But over 80 non-governmental groups have announced they will not sign on to the communiqué.

Information on the OECD high-level meeting on “The Internet Economy: Generating Innovation and Growth“ is available here.

The move by NGOs represented in the OECD Civil Society Information Society Advisory Council (CSISAC) comes despite what the group called the good spirit of the multi-stakeolder dialogue at the OECD so far.

CSISAC does “agree with a substantial portion of the communiqué,” and even applauds sections on the open and interoperable internet, CSISAC members “felt strongly that elements of the draft Communiqué might be understood in a way which would reduce respect and protection for fundamental rights,” according to a press release.

CSISAC’s main concerns are “the text’s over-emphasis on protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights and an elevation of “cybersecurity and intellectual property rights to a level of importance that is comparable with internationally recognized individual human rights such as freedom of expression.”

CSISAC also warned against a shift in liability toward internet intermediaries.

The OECD, less than three dozen of the world’s most developed nations, is yet another intergovernmental institution to embark on developing internet policymaking principles, with parallel work being done at the Council of Europe.

CSISAC further said it was concerned that some changes to the draft communiqué came late in the process with an expectation that civil society would quickly sign up. According to the press office of the OECD, there could be still room for changes proposed by the participants of the High Level Meeting, including civil society, as there was a drafting session planned for the communiqué tomorrow morning, a spokesperson said.