IGF 2021 Networking #57 European Stakeholder Dialogue

Time
Thursday, 9th December, 2021 (11:30 UTC) - Thursday, 9th December, 2021 (12:30 UTC)
Room
Conference Room 4

Seretariat of the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) in cooperation with
EuroDIG Members, Partners and Focal Points which contributed to the 2021 EuroDIG Programme in June 2021.

Speakers

Yrjö Länsipuro and Tatiana Tropina as authors of the publications "A Decade of ..."
Marina Kaljurand, Member of the European Parliament
Nicola Frank, European Broadcasting Union (EBU)

Onsite Moderator
Sandra Hoferichter, Thomas Schneider
Online Moderator

Sandra Hoferichter and Rainer Rodewald

Rapporteur

Elisabeth Schauermann

Format

Networking with Input speeches on 2-3 selected topics, drawn from the EuroDIG 2021 Messages

Duration (minutes)
60
Language

English

Description

We would like to present the EuroDIG 2021 Messages and discuss the findings of two virtual meetings which we organised in 2020 and 2021. They have been summarised in a Virtual meeting report. We would like to invite European Stakeholder to draw conclusions for the future of hybrid meetings.

EuroDIG started a series of publications in which an expert is assessing how the discussion on a specific topical cluster emerged over a decade. We will present the first two editions:

We will connect onsite and online participants with dedicated and mindful moderation. Speaker can be both an online and an onsite participant. Regarding the tools we will rely in the first place on the IGF facilities (Zoom etc.)

Key Takeaways (* deadline 2 hours after session)

In the past decade, since the first installment of the pan-European Dialogue on Internet Governance in 2008, the narratives around key topics such as media, cybersecurity, and digital cooperation have constantly evolved and changed. EuroDIG established a series of publications under the title "A Decade of ..." to reflect this evolution in an accessible way.

The involvement of parliamentarians and regulators has been a focus at the IGF for three years now, and has also been a goal in the European community pertaining to capacity building for decision-makers, active participation in multistakeholder fora, and support for sustainable decision-making on national and European level.

Call to Action (* deadline 2 hours after session)

Which issues should be discussed in Europe in 2022? We ask for issues (not for session proposals) of high interest to many stakeholders across Europe. Submit until 31 Dec 2021 at www.eurodig.org

Participation at the annual EuroDIG event and all our activities is free of charge, thanks to the donations we receive from international organisations and companies. Each year we are reaching out to donors, inviting them to contribute whilst, underlining their commitment to the European dialogue in general. However, this finance model is unpredictable and challenging. Our funds are not guaranteed and you would help us to gain more sustainabilit

Session Report (* deadline 26 October) - click on the ? symbol for instructions

The European Stakeholder Networking Session was organized by the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) to present the current state of activities, to mobilize interested stakeholder so actively participate, and to get input for the upcoming EuroDIG2022, taking place June 20-22,2022 in Trieste and online.

The main exchange was on the publication series “A Decade of Change”, which has been introduced in 2021 as a reflection on the changing narratives around key Internet governance topics. 

First, Yrjö Länsipuro, EuroDIG Subject Matter Expert on Media and Content, presented the publication “Media and Content: A Decade of Change. Coping with the digital shake-up” (https://www.eurodig.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/EuroDIG_Media-and-Content_A-Decade-of-Change.pdf), highlighting how the change in gatekeepers,  the rise of user content and media platforms and the phenomenon of information disorder have reflected in the EuroDIG messages.

Nikola Frank, European Broadcasting Union (EBU), speaking on behalf of Noel Curran, Director General of EBU, who contributed the foreword, contributed the notion of trust and the importance of a trusted media sphere that people can access in their native languages, with solutions firmly rooted in multi-stakeholder dialogue.

Thereafter, Tatiana Tropina, EuroDIG Subject Matter Expert on Security and Crime, presented the publication “Security and Crime: A Decade of Change. Sharing responsibilities and getting the balance right through inclusive dialogue” (https://www.eurodig.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/EuroDIG_Security-and-Crime_A-Decade-of-Change.pdf)

In the publication she authored, the discourse around cybersecurity in the European context is analyzed around three phases, with the common interest in the topic starting around 2015 and now the global reach being recognized much more.

Marina Kaljurand, MEP and former minister of foreign affairs of Estonia, authored the foreword and contributed a statement. She pointed out that states need to recognize that in order to effectively counter cyberattacks and other security issues, non-state actors have to be included. For a like EuroDIG are paving the way for this change, and should enable decision makers, especially parliamentarians, to participate in such policy exchanges.

The effort to include parliamentarians was echoed by participants and EuroDIG Secretary General, Sandra Hoferichter.

Following the discussion on cybersecurity, Mark Carvell, the author of the upcoming publication on the Development of the Internet Governance Ecosystems gave an insight into the ongoing process of drafting the report and highlighted that multi-stakeholder discussions on digital issues have gained more traction in recent years, as more policy areas are having digital aspects. The report will be published in early 2022 and will be accompanied by a EuroDIG Extra event.

It was echoed from the participants that forums for exchanges among all relevant sectors need more support and policy makers need to be empowered through the exchange, to take more balanced decisions. Further cooperation with the European Internet Forum is envisaged in that matter.

To conclude the session, the participants were informed that the Call for Issues for EuroDIG 2022 is currently open until December 31 at https://www.eurodig.org/. All interested individuals and organisations are called to contribute up to three ideas, which will shape the programme of the upcoming yearly event.The point was raised during the discussion that female policy makers are sometimes discouraged or hindered from fully participating in public debate online, as they are disproportionally targeted by online harassment. Therefore, these policy makers need to be especially supported to participate in multi-stakeholder exchange and be informed on how the Internet works.