ICC/BASIS comments on Draft Agenda and Schedule for IGF in Rio
REVISED DRAFT NOT FOR CIRCULATION
ICC/BASIS comments on Draft Agenda and Schedule for IGF in Rio
The International Chamber of Commerce and members of its initiative, Business Action to Support the Information Society (BASIS) submit these comments on the draft Agenda and Schedule for the IGF in Rio, which have been posted for public comment by the IGF Secretariat. These comments supplement the Preliminary ICC BASIS input on the IGF Rio topics, which was submitted and distributed on 27 April 2007.
Rio meeting structure
The Openness and Security main meeting sessions should be on one day because these are two sides of the same coin. The more openness, the more compromises there may be with respect to security. The more security, the more compromises there may be with respect to openness.
Diversity and Access main meeting sessions should be on one day because diversity is a cherished characteristic in the world, and stakeholders should help to provide access to the diverse people in the world, many of which live in developing countries.
The session on emerging issues should come at the end, rather than the beginning, after we have had the substantive discussions. It is also important to remember that while the Tunis Agenda paragraph 72(g) refers to “recommendations” in the context of the IGF identifying emerging issues, the IGF is not equipped to do this other than on an individual or group basis, which may lead to many contradictions.
It is vital that the best practice forums are integrated into the four main themes of the IGF, not treated separately, because greater priority on this approach was a clear outcome of Athens. Such an approach is also critical to fostering meaningful exchanges.
The idea of having “speed dialogue sessions” requires more information in order to reach a decision. Based on the current explanation in the paper, it is not clear how such a process could lead to meaningful discussions.
We support the integration of the lessons learned from Athens regarding duration, relationship between main sessions and workshops and having smaller panels for the main sessions.
Reporting
It should be clarified that all the Dynamic Coalitions will present brief summaries, for a total of 90 minutes.
It should also be clarified that the organizations involved in Internet issues that are presenting what they have done in the past year are doing so in one session.
Workshops
Clarify how stakeholders can contribute to the organization of the 3 workshops identified as being organized by the secretariat.
Setting a limit of 3 is useful. We suggest that if more than 3 proposals are received, then the Secretariat should ask all those who submit proposals to get together and produce 3 final proposals.
It is unclear what Open Workshops are as compared to the other workshops.
Meeting Point and Exhibition
It is unclear what the difference is between Meeting Point showcases and an Exhibition on a commercial basis? It is important to the business community that its members be able to select either option.
Main Themes/Content
Access
It is important to discuss the roles of all stakeholders, and to highlight the key actions that governments can take to create the necessary conditions to improve access through an enabling environment for investment in ICTs, the promotion of competition and entrepreneurship. We suggest phrasing the first bullet point to focus the discussion in this manner.
The access oriented discussion should also encompass access for the blind, disabled, elderly, non-literate and other groups that face challenges.
We encourage a real discussion based on the sub-themes suggested in ICC/BASIS’ previous input on the IGF Rio topics [see bullets below], with an emphasis on the governance related obstacles that people face in accessing the Internet and the necessary infrastructure
The legal, policy and regulatory conditions that enable investment and innovation, promote competition and foster entrepreneurship which are essential to establishing the right enabling environment to promote access to infrastructure and the Internet.
Information and case studies regarding economies that have created successful enabling environments.
Concrete examples of local build out and case studies that promote the exchange of best practices and experiences regarding improving access for even more people.
Openness
ICC/BASIS encourages the integration of the sub-themes identified in our previous
input on the IGF Rio Topics, which capture the key issues in a balanced manner.
The roles the Internet and ICTs play in promoting access to information and how governments, business, civil society, and other organizations can work together to maximize openness and the free flow of information on the Internet.
Build capacity and raise awareness about how existing intellectual property rights (IPR) regimes foster the free flow of information on the Internet, as well as consumer confidence and security.
The unique contribution of the IGF is an opportunity to explore key issues that may be controversial, from all perspectives. Thus to allow all angles to explored, the sub-themes should be described in a balanced manner.
The discussion should explore the demarcation line--- between differing approaches to freedoms in the world, what should guide it and where does that put the line.
Security
ICC/BASIS refers to the proposed sub-theme formulations in our previous input on
the IGF Rio Topics:
The work ongoing in private and public sector bodies with substantial expertise in network security to improve practices in the area of security, with a special focus on work that is relevant to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and emerging economies.
Practical approaches to raising awareness of existing best practices for network security issues that exist, across all stakeholder groups.
The roles of governments, business and other stakeholders in adopting authentication technologies to promote trust online.
Private and public sector organizations that are actively working on privacy issues and improving the state of play and aspects of their work that may be made relevant to emerging economies and SMEs.
The discussion about open and proprietary standards should be formulated in a
way that is less about advantages or disadvantages, and more about informed choices in shaping security solutions.
Diversity
ICC/BASIS recommends formulating the discussion sub-themes in a more specific
manner, and re-iterates the sub-themes proposed in our preliminary input on the IGF Rio topics.
The ability of the Internet and ICTs to enhance diversity with limitless capacity to transmit content.
The role that user-generated content (UGC) plays in advancing cultural diversity, and the exchange of best practices and experiences that promote UGC and its platforms, including profiling related work in other forums and organizations.
The promotion of cultural diversity through intellectual property protection.
The standards that facilitate the creation of new software applications and tools such as translation technologies.
Government and business initiatives to stimulate development of local content production and providers of online services for their local market including, for example, establishing seed funding, training, incubator services and the exchange of best practices and experiences.
Efforts underway to introduce internationalized domain names (IDNs).
Existing technologies that increase access to disabled communities, and thus increase the diversity of participants in the Internet and Internet governance issues.
The sub-themes outlined above capture the key issues outlined in the preliminary
draft programme on page 7, while highlighting more specifically what the discussion will focus on.
What is Business Action to Support the Information Society (BASIS)?
ICC created BASIS to serve as the voice of business in the global dialogue on the Information Society, following the two World Summits on the Information Society (WSIS) held in Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005). BASIS participates in UN-linked forums set up to continue the dialogue, such as the Global Alliance for ICT and Development the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and the WSIS follow-up and implementation processes.
BASIS builds on the activities and network of the Coordinating Committee of Business Interlocutors (CCBI), which ICC formed to coordinate participation by world business in the processes leading up to and at the Summits in Geneva and Tunis.
To promote the environment in which global business will continue to thrive as an innovator of these technologies, BASIS will mobilize business to help shape the agenda and participate in these global discussions. The initiative aims to unite the business community, to raise awareness among the public, governments, civil society, intergovernmental organizations and technical authorities of what business requires to continue contributing to the development of the Information Society. BASIS will rely on policies developed in ICC’s Commission on E-business, IT and Telecoms (EBITT) as the foundation for its efforts.
For further information regarding BASIS, the founding partners, members and activities, please consult the BASIS website at: http://www.iccwbo.org/id7655/index.html
About ICC
The International Chamber of Commerce is the largest, most representative business organization in the world. Its thousands of member companies in over 130 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise.
A world network of national committees keeps the ICC International Secretariat in Paris informed about national and regional business priorities. More than 2000 experts drawn from ICC’s member companies feed their knowledge and experience into crafting the ICC stance on specific business issues.
The United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and many other intergovernmental bodies, both international and regional, are kept in touch with the views of international business through ICC.
For more information please visit: www.iccwbo.org | 
