European Commission: Difference between revisions

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===Reactions to Internet Governance and Policy Issues===

Generally speaking, it can be said that the EC has had a tense but changing relationship with ICANN. Earlier, it had supported moves to make ICANN more accountable to its stakeholders outside of the US Government; later, it wrote to the US Government asking it to intervene in decisions by the [[ICANN Board]] that it did not agree with. It still largely claims to support the multi-stakeholder model, though it seems to want a privileged control over final decisions. Its statements in the recent past have shown a deep passion for potential changes to the Internet and [[Root Zone|root zone]], but a general disregard for previous debates and ICANN's traditional functions. Recently, they seem to be pushing for greater oversight over ICANN.

In 2005, during the [[World Summit on the Information Society]], the EC sought to replace ICANN with an inter-governmental organization. The desire for this level of Internet oversight by governments worried many of its member states and others in the International community. The Swedish Prime Minister famously objected, saying that the EC's plan would engender “enthusiastic applause from Tehran, Beijing and Havana.”<ref>[http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/09/03/history-teaches-us-nothing History Teaches Us Nothing, dot-nxt.com]</ref>

In 2009, with [[ICANN]]’s original U.S. led contract ending in September, the EC appealed for international involvement in carrying out [[ICANN]]'s responsibilities. At that time, ICANN was more of a private firm that ultimately answered to the US Government's [[DOC|Department of Commerice]]. The EC explained that the management of the Internet, which had become a vital part of the global economy and tool for worldwide communications, should not be assigned to a single country.<ref name="link4">[http://ec.europa.eu/news/science/090825_en.htm ec.europa.eu]</ref>

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 ===Reactions to Internet Governance and Policy Issues===
 Generally speaking, it can be said that the EC has had a tense but changing relationship with ICANN. Earlier, it had supported moves to make ICANN more accountable to its stakeholders outside of the US Government; later, it wrote to the US Government asking it to intervene in decisions by the [[ICANN Board]] that it did not agree with. It still largely claims to support the multi-stakeholder model, though it seems to want a privileged control over final decisions. Its statements in the recent past have shown a deep passion for potential changes to the Internet and [[Root Zone|root zone]], but a general disregard for previous debates and ICANN's traditional functions. Recently, they seem to be pushing for greater oversight over ICANN.
+In 2005, during the [[World Summit on the Information Society]], the EC sought to replace ICANN with an inter-governmental organization. The desire for this level of Internet oversight by governments worried many of its member states and others in the International community. The Swedish Prime Minister famously objected, saying that the EC's plan would engender “enthusiastic applause from Tehran, Beijing and Havana.”<ref>[http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/09/03/history-teaches-us-nothing History Teaches Us Nothing, dot-nxt.com]</ref>
 In 2009, with [[ICANN]]’s original U.S. led contract ending in September, the EC appealed for international involvement in carrying out [[ICANN]]'s responsibilities. At that time, ICANN was more of a private firm that ultimately answered to the US Government's [[DOC|Department of Commerice]]. The EC explained that the management of the Internet, which had become a vital part of the global economy and tool for worldwide communications, should not be assigned to a single country.<ref name="link4">[http://ec.europa.eu/news/science/090825_en.htm ec.europa.eu]</ref>