The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network has been referenced in the G7 Ministerial Declaration of the G7 Digital and Technology Ministers’ meeting. The Policy Network is referenced as a key fora to help build evidence to inform future multilateral and plurilateral discussions on data free flow with trust and data localization measures, along with the OECD and the G20 Digital Economy Task Force.
On 28 April, the G7 Digital and Technology Ministers met under the chairmanship of the Rt. Hon Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport,of the Government of the United Kingdom, to discuss the digital and technology agenda under the theme of ‘building back better’.
The Declaration includes a Roadmap for Cooperation on Data Free Flow with Trust (Annex 2), which sets out the G7 plan to deliver progress, build confidence for businesses and individuals to use technology, as well as driving economic and social value.
“The Secretariat is delighted about the trust the G7 process is bestowing on the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network and its multistkakeholder methodology to bridge silos, be a connective tissue, and catalyse evidence-based policy innovation. It is a great recognition of the knowledge mutualization power of the Policy Network and the collaborative work of its engaged stakeholders.” said Paul Fehlinger, Deputy Executive Director and Co-Founder.
Since 2012, the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network has been addressing the tension between the cross-border nature of the internet and national jurisdictions. The global, multistakeholder policy process engages over 400 entities from 70 countries and encourages transnational digital cooperation and policy coherence.
Recent outcomes from the Policy Network include landmark Toolkits for policymakers and practitioners seeking to develop better policies for the digital era and regional mappings of internet and jurisdictions trends and policy best practices. Based on the recently released report “We Need to Talk About Data: Framing the Debate Around the Free Flow of Data and Data Sovereignty” which presentes the concerns and perspectives around the current use of the concepts “Free Flow of Data” and “Data Sovereignty”, the Secretariat will soon be announcing a new initiative to develop key recommendations on how to move forward to foster a collaborative discussion on how to organize our common Datasphere.
The work of the organization has been presented to and recognized by key international processes, including the UN Internet Governance Forum, the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, G7, G20 or the Paris Peace Forum, and covered in top media outlets such as The Economist, New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, Politico or Fortune. On April 24, 2018, the G7 Ise-Shima Cyber Group endorsed the work of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network in it's Chair's Report, which was welcomed in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ communiqué.
