[kictanet] Council Of Europe Wants In On ICANN Government Body

[alice]

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7 June 2010*

http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2010/06/07/council-of-europe-wants-in-on-icann-government-body/ 



    Council Of Europe Wants In On ICANN Government Body

The 47-member Council of Europe wants to become an observer in the 
governmental advisory body of the Internet Corporation for Assigned 
Names and Numbers (ICANN) and is pondering on a possible role as 
secretariat provider for the ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee 
(GAC). ICANN is the technical oversight body for the internet domain 
name system. Following a declaration adopted by the CoE Council of 
Ministers on “enhanced participation of member states in internet 
governance matters” at the end of May, the CoE secretary general is now 
asked to “arrange that the CoE becomes an observer at ICANN’s GAC.” 
ICANN is seen by the CoE, who in recent years did address internet 
governance issues more and more, as playing “a key role in ensuring the 
operational stability, security and resilience of the internet.”

According to the Council of Ministers, the GAC could help to ensure 
“that the management of internet resources by ICANN takes full account 
of international human rights law.” In addition, the secretary general 
of the CoE has also been asked “to explore, in consultation with the 
GAC, ICANN and other relevant stakeholders ways,” how the CoE could 
contribute to arranging the GAC secretariat, according to a CoE press 
release. For years, the GAC secretariat has rotated among various GAC 
member states. According to the declaration of the CoE Council of 
Ministers 
<https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1627399&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=C3C3C3&%20BackColorIntranet=EDB021&BackColorLogged=F5D383>, 
efforts are “currently underway to establish a competent, independent 
and more stable secretariat for GAC.”

/By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch/