AW: [governance] The German Federal Internet Commission Report (Der Spiegel)

parminder parminder at itforchange.net
Wed Apr 24 04:55:48 EDT 2013 

On Wednesday 24 April 2013 01:38 PM, Peter H. Hellmonds wrote:
> Parminder, please check your facts before making such claims:
>
> "For instance, no industry representative here."
>
> I know personally at least two business representatives plus one 
> parliamentarian who also runs his own business.


Dear Peter

I went by what a member of the commission, Jeanette, told us. To quote " 
50% of its membership consists of members of the parliament and 50% of 
experts appointed by the parliamentary factions, depending on their 
relative size" . So I really got my facts right here.

It is strange that you consider a parliamentarian who may also run his 
own business as an industry representative.  I am sure the concerned 
parliamentarian will better like to describe himself as a people's 
representative, which is what he is.  I thought stakeholder group  
representatives were those whom stakeholder groups expressly put forward 
as their representative. But it seems more you venture into the 
multistakeholderism world, the less you are clear about it.

You say at least two business representatives other than the 
parliamentarian  - who I understand were 'experts' nominated by 
political parties. Now that makes them experts nominated by political 
parties and not industry representatives, never mind what profession 
that may  pursue.

But let me not argue with you. But I can at least hope that you will 
apply definitions consistently. I simply ask, would you take a global 
commission on the Internet with half the members who are 'experts' 
nominated by various political factions in the UN - say, the regional 
groups or OECD country, G 77 etc groups  - as a multistakeholder body?

>
> As to your question:
>
> "Are you now ready to consider inclusion of 'experts' selected by 
> politicians as enough to make things multi-stakeholder?"
>
> Probably as much as a selection of stakeholder reps for the IGF MAG by 
> the UN 'black box' which has been accepted by participants in the IGF.

So, now IGF MAG is less multi-stakeholder than the German parliamentary 
commission. Interesting perspective :).


> I'm sure Wolfgang and Jeanette can say more about the selection 
> process in the German national Internet Enquete  Commission.

Jeanette has described the process quite specifically, and it follows 
the pattern of parliamentary committees in many democracies. But happy 
to hear more details.

parminder

>
> Regards,
>
> Peter
>
> On 24.04.2013, at 03:54, "parminder" <parminder at itforchange.net 
> <mailto:parminder at itforchange.net>> wrote:
>
>
> On Tuesday 23 April 2013 10:04 PM, Peter H. Hellmonds wrote:
>>
>> First of all, the link provided is not the link to the 1200 pages 
>> report, but to the 48 pages “executive summary”.
>>
>> As to the questions about the multistakeholder nature:
>>
>> ·The composition of the Internet Enquete Commission was 17 
>> parliamentarians and 17 members from different stakeholder groups, so 
>> this was a multistakeholder commission.
>>
>
> Peter,
>
>  (Parminder) 17 members not from other stakeholder groups, but 
> 'experts' nominated by political parties in proportion of their 
> strength in the parliament, right! For instance, no industry 
> representative here. Are you now ready to consider inclusion of 
> 'experts' selected by politicians as enough to make things 
> multi-stakeholder? If so, I can tell you that UN has endless number of 
> committee consisting of such experts, doing very important work.
>
>
>> ·The Internet Enquete Commission has employed a number of innovative 
>> online participation options giving citizens the chance to directly 
>> contribute and comment on the proceedings.
>>
>> Regarding Internet Governance:
>>
>> The most relevant detailed report about International Issues and 
>> Internet Governance is here: 
>> http://dipbt.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/17/124/1712480.pdf
>>
>> The recommendation of this report is to keep the established 
>> governance framework and to protect the freedom and open character of 
>> the Internet. To assure the government is kept abreast of changes, 
>> there shall be a regular monitoring and reports. Multistakeholder 
>> participation in national and international governance issues shall 
>> be further strengthened. There shall be no new governmental or 
>> intergovernmental Internet Governance institutions as long as the 
>> existing institutions maintain the current way of an open and free 
>> Internet. The Commission is of the opinion that the current US 
>> oversight should yield to a broader supervisory structure for ICANN 
>> and IANA
>>
>
> (Parminder) Exactly the demand of most developing countries, not a 
> penny more... Only, countries like India have gone further beyond 
> generic statements and suggested what such a broad supervisory 
> structure could look like. We, as in IT for Change, have tried to 
> present some structural possibilities and trigger a debate here in the 
> IGC. But coming from the Southern side, all that looks like so 
> explosive, betrayal and so on.....  Now since a German nationally 
> constituted 'multi-stakeholder' commission also calls for a new 
> 'supervisory structure' can we at least now debate the possible 
> contours of one...
>
> parminder
>
>> and suggests more engagement by the German government and the EU. To 
>> enable that, German ministries should get expanded funding to enhance 
>> their support for multistakeholder participation. The IGF should get 
>> German funding through the trust fund managed by  UN DESA.
>>
>> There is a lot more, but this summarizes some of the main points. 
>> Jeanette has already provided some background into the general 
>> working of the commission. I’m sure Wolfgang and Jeanette can shed 
>> some more light on the content of the Internet Governance debate. 
>> Throwing the text through an automatic translation engine might also 
>> help to access its contents for those who don’t understand sufficient 
>> German.
>>
>> -- Peter
>>
>> *Von:*governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org 
>> [mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] *Im Auftrag von *parminder
>> *Gesendet:* 22 April 2013 07:18
>> *An:* governance at lists.igcaucus.org
>> *Betreff:* Re: [governance] The German Federal Internet Commission 
>> Report (Der Spiegel)
>>
>> On Monday 22 April 2013 02:52 AM, Lee W McKnight wrote:
>>
>>     Very interesting material.
>>
>>     Link to final report:
>>     http://dipbt.bundestag.de/dip21/btd/17/125/1712550.pdf
>>
>>     Perhaps IGC's own Jeanette Hoffman who participated, might
>>     summarize the 1200 pp full report, and suggest implications for
>>     global internet governance? : )
>>
>> http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/special-commission-calls-for-internet-commissioner-in-germany-a-895412.html
>>
>>
>>
>> While one awaits further information, one thing is clear from the 
>> referred news item that the Commission strongly underscored the 
>> importance of cross cutting Internet-related public policy issues in 
>> asking the "German government to get more serious about 
>> Internet-related issues" and in seeking the setting up */a new 
>> committee of the parliament for Internet-related public policy 
>> issues/* . To me, it closely parallels the Indian demand for the UN 
>> Committee on Internet-related Policies. The overall logic and 
>> justifications are very similar, especially with what we all 
>> recognise as an inherently global nature of the Internet.
>>
>> Will be interesting to know if the prosed German Parliamentary 
>> Committee will have similar levels of multistakeholder engagement as 
>> the India' proposed UN CIRP.  And I quote from the CIRP proposal so 
>> that people/ we can make a comparison.
>>
>> (quote from UN CIRP proposal begins)
>>
>> It will ensure the participation of all relevant stakeholders by 
>> establishing four Advisory Groups, one each for civil society, the 
>> private sector, inter­governmental and international organizations, 
>> and the technical and academic community. The Advisory Groups will 
>> provide their inputs and recommendations to the CIRP . The meetings 
>> of CIRP and the advisory groups will be serviced by the UNCTAD 
>> Secretariat that also services the meetings of the Commission on 
>> Science and Technology for Development. The Internet Governance Forum 
>> will provide inputs to CIRP in the spirit of complementarity between 
>> the two.
>>
>> (ends)
>>
>> With further elaboration in the Annexure to the CIRP proposal
>>
>>
>> (quote begins)
>>
>>     */Multi­stakeholder participation/*: Recognizing the need to
>>     involve all stakeholders in Global Internet Governance in their
>>     respective roles, the CIRP shall ensure the participation of all
>>     stakeholders recognized in the Tunis Agenda. Four Advisory Groups
>>     ­ one each for Civil Society, the Private Sector,
>>     Inter­Governmental and International Organisations, and the
>>     Technical and Academic Community ­ will be established, to assist
>>     and advise the CIRP . These Groups would be self­ organized, as
>>     per agreed principles, to ensure transparency, representativity
>>     and inclusiveness. The Advisory Groups will meet annually in
>>     Geneva and in conjunction with any additional meetings of the
>>     CIRP , Their meetings will be held back ­to­ back with the
>>     meetings of the CIRP , so that they are able to provide their
>>     inputs and recommendations in a timely manner, to the CIRP .
>>
>>     */Links with the IGF/*: Recognizing the value of the Internet
>>     Governance Forum as an open, unique forum for multi-stakeholder
>>     policy dialogue on Internet issues, the deliberations in the lGF
>>     along with any inputs, background information and analysis it may
>>     provide, will be taken as inputs for consideration of the CIRP .
>>     An improved and strengthened lGF that can serve as a purposeful
>>     body for policy consultations and provide meaningful policy
>>     inputs to the CIRP , will ensure a stronger and more effective
>>     complementarity between the CIRP and the IGF.
>>
>> (ends)
>>
>> Parminder
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Lee
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *From:*governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org 
>> <mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org> 
>> [governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org 
>> <mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org>] on behalf of michael 
>> gurstein [gurstein at gmail.com <mailto:gurstein at gmail.com>]
>> *Sent:* Sunday, April 21, 2013 4:07 PM
>> *To:* governance at lists.igcaucus.org 
>> <mailto:governance at lists.igcaucus.org>
>> *Subject:* [governance] The German Federal Internet Commission Report 
>> (Der Spiegel)
>>
>> In Germany.
>>
>> http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/special-commission-calls-for-internet-commissioner-in-germany-a-895412.html
>>
>
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