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'''Gerard de Graaf''' is Head of Unit for the coordination of the Europe 2020 Strategy in the [[European Commission]]’s Secretariat-General. Besides Europe 2020 Strategy, his unit also manages Digital Agenda, Innovation Union, an Industrial Policy for the globalisation age and a program called “New Skills for New Jobs”. He was appointed to this job in 2005.<ref>[http://cms.dynaweb3.nl/users/platform_summit2010_en//docs/Publications/biography-gerard-de-graaf.pdf dynaweb3 cms]</ref> He is also Director in charge of Audiovisual, Media and Internet Directorate General of Information Society and Media.<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/information_society/directory/index_en.htm Europa EC]</ref> Mr. de Graaf is the new representative of European Commission on the [[GAC]].<ref>[http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/6/19/4841838.html InternetGovernance Blog]</ref>

'''Gerard de Graaf''' is Head of Unit for the coordination of the Europe 2020 Strategy in the [[European Commission]]’s Secretariat-General. Besides Europe 2020 Strategy, his unit also manages Digital Agenda, Innovation Union, an Industrial Policy for the globalisation age and a program called “New Skills for New Jobs”. He was appointed to this job in 2005.<ref>[http://cms.dynaweb3.nl/users/platform_summit2010_en//docs/Publications/biography-gerard-de-graaf.pdf dynaweb3 cms]</ref> He is also Director in charge of Audiovisual, Media and Internet Directorate General of Information Society and Media.<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/information_society/directory/index_en.htm Europa EC]</ref>  

Mr. Graaf does not approve of [[ICANN]]'s new [[gTLD]] policy. He is of the view that there is a risk for violating European competition laws.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/kroes-slams-icann-new-gtld-approval/ DomainInCite]</ref> At [[ICANN 41]], he and a UK GAC representative were constantly trying to convince [[ICANN]] to immediately implement EU policies in the new [[TLD]] program.<ref>[http://www.kenyanpatriot.com/2011/09/02/ec-policy-papers-on-icann/ KenyanPatriot]</ref>

Mr. de Graaf is the new representative of European Commission on the [[GAC]].<ref>[http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/6/19/4841838.html InternetGovernance Blog]</ref>Mr. Graaf does not approve of [[ICANN]]'s new [[gTLD]] policy. He is of the view that there is a risk of violating European competition laws.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/kroes-slams-icann-new-gtld-approval/ DomainInCite]</ref> At [[ICANN 41]], he and a UK GAC representative were constantly trying to convince [[ICANN]] to immediately implement EU policies in the new [[TLD]] program.<ref>[http://www.kenyanpatriot.com/2011/09/02/ec-policy-papers-on-icann/ KenyanPatriot]</ref> Many ICANN regulars were taken aback by his behavior, especially given his now infamous remarks of questioning whether he was "talking to the deaf or stupid" in reference to the [[ICANN Board]].<ref>[http://www.internetnews.me/2011/06/19/eu-rep-refers-to-icann-as-deaf-or-stupid/ EU Rep Refers to ICANN as Deaf or Stupid]</ref>

 

He also warned ICANN that it was not ready to remove its vertical separation of [[registrar]] and [[registry]] functions, which it took steps to do in 2011.<ref>[http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/06/19/ec-letter-icann-vertical-integration EC Letter ICANN Vertical Integration, news.dot-nxt.com]</ref>

He lives in the Netherlands with his wife and two children.

It seems Gerard de Graaf was influential in issuing the European Commission's [[EC#European Commission and ICANN|6 policy papers of 2011]], which many have interpreted as a new effort by governments to control the functioning and architecture of the Internet, or at least exercise significantly more power over ICANN. This stance, which has been associated with prior Internet Governance efforts, has been interpreted by commentators, such as [[Kieren McCarthy]], as symptomatic of Gerard de Graaf's lack of ICANN related expertise.<ref>[http://news.dot-nxt.com/2011/08/31/ec-papers-analysis EC Papers Analysis, news.dot-nxt.]</ref> Commentator [[Milton Mueller]] argued that the 6 papers were a revenge of sorts for the way in which Mr. de Graaf's proposals and position were snubbed at his first ICANN appearance as the EC GAC representative at [[ICANN 41]].<ref>[http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/9/2/4891821.html Archives, blog.internetgovernance.org]</ref>

==Career History==

==Career History==

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[[Category:People|Gerard_de_Graaf]]

 

[[Category:GAC]]