I&J Article on Fragmentation published on Internet Policy Review

I&J

Published on
February 12, 2014

European Commission calls for Cooperation in Internet Governance

On February 12, 2014, the Internet Policy Review published an article written by Bertrand de La Chapelle, Co-founder of Internet & Jurisdiction, entitled "Cooperation Needed to Avoid Fragmentation of the Net, Says European Commission." In the article, Mr. La Chapelle analyzes the European Commission's position statement, and suggests what this will mean for the future of internet governance in 2014 and beyond. The Commission will continue to call for a multistakeholder approach, as well as the creation of global Internet governance principles. Mr. La Chapelle applauds the Commission for noting that issue-based multistakeholder dialogue and cross-boundary decision-making are the optimal way to address the risks of fragmentation on the Internet. 

The Communication reaffirms more strongly than ever the European Commission’s support for the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) and a multistakeholder approach to internet governance issues.

The most original part of the contribution is its emphasis on the risks of fragmentation of the Internet due to the proliferation of conflicts of laws in these shared online spaces.