Information Communications and Technology Archives

Ambassador David Gross to Spearhead Global Business Groups Internet Policy Work

Published on February 15, 2011
David Gross
David Gross

New York, N.Y., February 15, 2011 – Ambassador David Gross, the former top State Department official on international communications policy, has been tapped to lead the development and delivery of business views on information technology and Internet policy developments worldwide, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), a top pro-trade group.  Mr. Gross, a partner at the law firm Wiley Rein, has been named the new chair of USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee.  He succeeds Arthur Reilly, who has retired from Cisco Systems, Inc.

 “We are delighted to have someone of David’s stature leading our work in this area,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson.  “He brings broad worldwide credibility and a deep understanding of the challenges facing the global Internet to our efforts, and he will bolster our representation in the United Nations, the OECD and other forums.  We welcome him and also thank Art Reilly for his energetic, highly professional and effective service as chair these past several years.”

Mr. Gross coordinated international communications and information policy at the Department of State from 2001 to 2009.  He headed U.S. delegations to a number of high-level International Telecommunications Union (ITU) gatherings, led U.S. delegations to three APEC ministerial meetings and was the lead U.S. negotiator in the lead-up to the two-part UN World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005).  Throughout his State Department tenure, Mr. Gross worked closely with industry, including USCIB, in his efforts to provide commercial and policy advocacy on behalf of U.S. companies in markets around the world.

USCIB’s ICT Committee advocates sound international policy to ensure the continued growth of ICTs, emphasizing free and fair competition, minimal government intervention, free information flows and a user orientation.  It works through USCIB’s overseas network of business groups, including the International Chamber of Commerce and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, to secure strong industry representation and input to major multilateral discussions of ICT issues.

“I am eager to step into this new role,” said Mr. Gross.  “I have long respected USCIB as the voice of U.S. business in international policy forums and its active contributions to ICT policy debates.  Industry guidance and leadership will be critical if we are to secure the continued growth and vitality of the Internet and ICTs as a whole.”

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation.  Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world.  With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.  More at www.uscib.org.

Contact:

Jonathan Huneke, VP Communications, USCIB

+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

Mr. Gross’s bio

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee

USCIB Contributes to ICANN Leadership Selections

Published on September 9, 2010
ICANN manages the Internet’s domain name system
ICANN manages the Internet’s domain name system

Since its creation, the multi-stakeholder Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which oversees the Internet domain name system, or DNS, has forged close links with private sector groups including USCIB.  This partnership has most recently included our participation in the nominating committee for new ICANN board members and other leadership positions.

The NomCom, as it is known, has announced its selection of seven new appointees.  These include three new ICANN board members: Cherine Chalaby of Egypt, currently chairman of Rasmala Investment Bank and former managing partner with Accenture; Bertrand de la Chapelle of France, currently special envoy for the information society in the French Foreign Ministry; and Erika Mann of Germany, executive vice president with the Computer and Communications Industry Association and a former European parliamentarian.

“These new leaders bring strong board governance, and international business and political experience, to ICANN’s leadership at an important time in ICANN’s evolution,” according to Chris Martin, USCIB’s manager for DNS policy, who served on the 2010 NomCom.

ICANN faces a number of challenges, according to Mr. Martin.  “It must wisely develop and implement important current initiatives, such as the potential rollout of new top-level domains like .eco or .music,” he observed.  “More broadly, the private sector-led and multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance embodied by organizations like ICANN is facing renewed pressure from some stakeholders, who seek to increase government involvement.”

Mr. Martin expressed confidence that the new leaders appreciate the important role that ICANN plays, and can help it successfully navigate these challenges not only as strategic decision-makers within the organization, but also as advocates for ICANN’s private-sector model and its central role in coordinating the Internet’s DNS.

The NomCom is charged with ensuring that ICANN’s leadership is diverse in geography, culture, skills, experience and perspective.  It evaluated over 80 candidates in the last round.  View the full announcement and list of selections by clicking here.

Staff contact: Barbara Wanner

ICANN website

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee

Business and Technical Communities Support Renewal of Internet Governance Forum Mandate

Published on July 13, 2010

New York, N.Y., July 13, 2010 –  As its mandate comes up for review, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), a multi-stakeholder body created by the United Nations for discussion of Internet policy issues, received a strong vote of confidence from the business and technical communities today.  At a joint event for UN delegates, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Internet Society (ISOC) urged UN member states to continue the mandate of the IGF with its founding principles intact as a unique space for exchange on important Internet governance policy matters.

“Global business strongly supports continuation of the IGF, viewing it as an extremely valuable forum where everyone with an interest in the Internet can come together to discuss its future development,” stated Art Reilly, senior director of strategic technology policy with Cisco Systems, speaking on behalf of ICC and its BASIS (Business Action to Support the Information Society) initiative.  “We further support the continuity of the IGF’s multi-stakeholder structures, its Geneva-based secretariat and its voluntary funding.”

The Internet Society echoed these sentiments: “ISOC and its membership believe that the IGF is one of the most effective and successful outcomes from the UN’s World Summit on Information Society (WSIS),” commented Lynn St. Amour, ISOC’s president and CEO. “The IGF inspires people to work effectively in support of multi-stakeholder and people-centered development of the Internet – a key goal of the WSIS. It promotes and supports work in communities, in countries, in all regions and at the global level. The IGF provides an opportunity for governments, business, civil society and the Internet community to share experiences and best practices that can inform decision making in their home communities to address the issues of economic and social growth and development that are essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.”

The IGF can directly impact how companies do business around the world, according to Peter M. Robinson, president and CEO of ICC’s American affiliate, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB).  “In order for business to prosper and contribute to the achievement of major societal goals, we need the cooperative, multi-stakeholder approach that has been the IGF’s hallmark,” he said.

Since the conclusion of the Tunis UN World Summit on Information Society in 2005, ICC and ISOC have been actively involved in support of implementing the targets, recommendations and commitments of the WSIS as they pertain to the Internet, and to Internet governance, as well as in capacity building and support of Internet standards organizations. The diverse and global communities of these two organizations continue to deploy efforts in a wide range of areas, working to enhance their cooperation and their contribution to the development of Internet-related public policy solutions around the world.

UN member state representatives today attended a briefing session in New York, hosted by the ICC and the Internet Society, where the benefits of the IGF were presented from the perspectives of businesses and Internet technologists. The session underlined the importance of “enhanced cooperation” in matters of Internet governance.

About the Internet Governance Forum

The UN World Summit on Information Society (Tunis 2005 preceded by Geneva 2003) created the Internet Governance Forum, a multi-stakeholder forum for the discussion of “public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet.”

At Tunis, UN member states also recognized “the need for enhanced cooperation in the future, to enable governments, on an equal footing, to carry out their roles and responsibilities, in international public policy issues pertaining to the Internet, but not in the day-to-day technical and operational matters, that do not impact on international public policy issues.”

The IGF encourages open dialogue among all relevant stakeholders at the national, regional, and international levels.  This open debate is essential to the process of developing people-centric public policy related to the Internet and to the ongoing effective management of Internet resources. For more information about the workshop organized by ISOC and ICC, see http://www.isoc.org/isoc/conferences/wsis/IGF.shtml

About the Internet Society

The Internet Society (ISOC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1992 to provide leadership in Internet related standards, education, and policy. ISOC is the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force, the Internet’s premier technical standards body. With offices in Washington, D.C., and Geneva, Switzerland, it is dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of people throughout the world. For more information see http://InternetSociety.org.

About the International Chamber of Commerce

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is the voice of world business, championing the global economy as a force for economic growth, job creation and prosperity. ICC activities cover a broad spectrum, from arbitration and dispute resolution to making the case for open trade and the market economy system, business self-regulation, fighting corruption and combating commercial crime.  More at www.iccwbo.org.  The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), based in New York, serves as ICC’s American affiliate.  More at www.uscib.org.

Media Contacts

Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

Alba Rooney, ICC
+ 33 1 49.53.28.22 or alba.rooney@iccwbo.org

Anya Chambers, Internet Society
+1 224.321.0378 or chambers@isoc.org

 

Government Action Urged to Sustain US Leadership in Science and Engineering

Published on February 23, 2010
Source: National Science Board
Source: National Science Board

The U.S. government needs to take careful note of developments in science and engineering around the world in order to maintain America’s technological edge, according to a new report from the National Science Board (NSB).  The board is a congressionally chartered body that regularly assesses the state of science and technology at home and abroad.

The report, “Globalization of Science and Engineering Research,” was released February 19 at the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual meeting in San Diego.

“U.S. economic and social growth depend upon having a skilled workforce and being competitive in the global marketplace,” according to Art Reilly, senior director for science and technology policy with Cisco Systems, Inc., and chair of USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee, a member of the NSB.  “Education and innovation are critical to maintaining strengths in both of these.”

Last month, in releasing its biennial science and engineering indicators, the NSB said that “the state of the science and engineering enterprise in America is strong, yet its lead is slipping.”

The new NSB report notes that science and engineering research is becoming an increasingly internationalized, largely because governments are championing R&D as a spur to economic growth, employment, and overall social well-being.

“While increased global science and engineering research capacity holds great promise for the advancement of scientific knowledge and collaboration in S&E across international borders, the U.S. government must be attentive to developments in S&E capacity around the world and take proactive steps to maintain our nation’s competitive strength,” NSB Chairman Steven Beering, professor emeritus at Purdue University, writes in the report.

The NSB report is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsb1003/?org=NSF.

Staff contact: Heather Shaw

National Science Board website

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee

 

Internet Governance Forum Takes Stock and Looks Ahead

Published on February 9, 2010
At the IGF open consultations (L-R): Zahid Jamil (Pakistan), Ayesha Hassan (ICC), Andrius Iskauskas (Lithuania) and Heather Shaw (USCIB).
At the IGF open consultations (L-R): Zahid Jamil (Pakistan), Ayesha Hassan (ICC), Andrius Iskauskas (Lithuania) and Heather Shaw (USCIB).

Geneva and New York, N.Y., February 9, 2010 – Preparations for one of the most important Internet-related policy events of the year kicked off today in Geneva. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and its BASIS (Business Action to Support the Information Society) initiative voiced the business perspective at the first round of Internet Governance Forum (IGF) open consultations, aimed at laying the groundwork for the next forum due to take place in Vilnius, Lithuania later this year.

Consultations not only focused on the agenda and format of the upcoming forum, which will be held September 14-17, but also took stock of the previous gathering in Egypt last November. ICC BASIS recommendations for the 2010 IGF included improving remote access in the interests of increased and more diverse participation, as well as identifying emerging issues that merit inclusion for discussion.

ICC is the largest, most representative business organization in the world.  Its thousands of member companies in over 120 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise.  The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), based in New York, serves as ICC’s American national committee.

At the consultations today, ICC BASIS called for continued efforts for the forum to highlight regional, IGF-related activities. “Internet governance requires the attention of all stakeholders,” said Ayesha Hassan, ICC’s senior policy manager for information and communication technologies policy. “Sessions on regional initiatives give insight into how initiatives are being organized. Not only do they highlight emerging regional priorities and experiences but they are also a way of enabling the views and experiences of stakeholders around the world to penetrate through to the global level.”

In 2010, as the world’s cyber-population reaches some 1.7 billion, getting internet governance right is more important than ever. Convened under the aegis of the UN secretary general, the IGF is a one-of-a-kind international platform that welcomes frank and open discussion on governance issues from all interest groups including governments, business leaders, the technical community and civil society. Last year the forum took place in Sharm-el- Sheikh, Egypt and attracted over 1,500 participants.

The IGF in Egypt underscored the importance of the Internet as a vast resource with enormous potential to raise living standards around the globe. Discussions focused on how tapping into this network of networks can help us find solutions to many of the challenges we face in today’s fast-paced global economy.

Shaping enabling policies, and establishing the right legal and regulatory environment are pivotal to Internet and infrastructure access. While these issues featured on the agenda of the IGF in 2009, ICC BASIS recommended that they be addressed in a main session on development at the next forum. Participating at the Geneva consultation today, Heather Shaw, USCIB’s vice president of ICT policy stated, “We would like to see the session focus on policy implications, informed policy choices, best practices and how challenges in these areas have been overcome.”

ICC, with input from USCIB members, formally submitted reflections on behalf of ICC BASIS members around the world. The contribution also called for cloud computing to be included in the emerging issues session of the next forum. It was suggested that discussions could help define what the cloud is and is not, outline the novel solutions it offers and raise other security solutions and policy issues.

For the first time the IGF in Egypt featured a formal consultation on the continuation of the forum, whose original five-year mandate terminates at the end of this year. At the open consultation today, ICC BASIS strongly reiterated business sentiment that the demise of the IGF could impede the ability of the Internet to drive economic growth and improve societal benefits.

“In less developed countries, connectivity has a direct correlation with positive social and economic changes,” said Subramanian Ramadorai, vice chairman, Tata Consultancy Services and chair of BASIS. “The haves and the have-nots of the world have differing needs, but the IGF has catalyzed communication between all stakeholders. It contributes to more informed policymaking that is a prerequisite for progress.”

Herbert Heitmann, SAP’s chief global communications officer and chair of the ICC Commission on E-Business, IT and Telecoms said, “Discontinuation of the IGF or changes to its founding principles could be seriously detrimental to the future of Internet development and expansion. We were encouraged that the overwhelming majority of 2009 IGF participants officially expressed support for its continuation. Those who suggested radical changes were clearly in the minority.”

USCIB promotes international engagement and prudent regulation in support of open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility.  Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of the economy, and with operations in every region of the world.  With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.  More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contacts:

Jonathan Huneke, VP Communications, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

Dawn Chardonnal, Communications Mgr., ICC
+33 1 49.53.29.07 or dcl@iccwbo.org

Internet Governance Forum website

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee

ICC website

Closing Remarks by USCIB Peter Robinson to OECD Ministerial on the Future of the Internet

Published on June 18, 2008

Peter Robinson

President and CEO, United States Council for International Business

Closing Remarks for OECD Ministerial on the Future of the Internet

Seoul, June 18, 2008

 

Congratulations to Korea and the OECD on organizing such an impressive ministerial meeting!

The discussions over the last 3 days have been interesting and insightful in looking to the future and the role of all stakeholders along this path.

On behalf of the business community, let me applaud Ministers for signing a Declaration that lays out a clear path to the future Internet economy. We are especially pleased to see that our vision shares many of the same hopes and expectations as those that are outlined in the Declaration.

This Ministerial has successfully built on the previous Ministerial, which focused on e-commerce. The last 10 years have shown us that the Internet is much more than a new platform on which to conduct business.  It has become intertwined with every aspect of our lives and economies. The next 10 years will allow us to further realize the potential of the Internet to better our societies, both developed and developing, and to bring more of the world’s people online to create, communicate and collaborate as part of their business and personal lives.

Our vision of the future Internet is characterized by a virtuous circle of investment and innovation, fueled by creativity and empowering users. The future Internet will also be characterized by increased user participation and choice of applications, products and services provided through a wide variety of high capacity platforms that are more available, affordable and user-friendly. The Internet will facilitate greater productivity and expanded access, to, and quality of, education, skills development and healthcare. Innovative ICT solutions will help us address challenges such as the environment.

 

Role of business

The Ottawa ministerial established a precedent for a regulatory framework that recognized the need for private sector leadership and flexibility to enable innovation. Since, the convergence of voice, data, video and audio on the Internet, driven by the extensive deployment of competing IP-based networks, has enabled innovation to thrive , empowering consumers and enhancing opportunities for further growth and innovation.

Going forward, we need to understand how the next level of convergence will impact business. Further investment will be needed to provide adequate capacity, security and capabilities for future Internet-supported development and connectivity.  Business will also work with other stakeholders to develop market-driven technical standards that will enable the Internet’s ongoing expansion.

 

Creativity

The Internet is also facilitating an unprecedented level of collaboration and interaction in commercial as well as social settings. The application of ICTs to learning, health, the environment and professional and social networking enables the robust exchange of information and knowledge. A confluence of factors—has created a fertile environment for users to become creators and publishers in their own right.  Pervasive, speedy, intelligent and affordable broadband access, provided through capable high capacity networks is vital to the future growth of these and other innovative offerings. Preserving and fostering the incentive to create is also vital to the continued migration of content to the online world. The protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, which supports and encourages users to make legitimate use of content, play an important role in this regard.

 

Confidence

Security and privacy will be increasingly important- not just because of increased threats, but also because emerging technologies may provide more seamless ways of collecting and using information. User trust and confidence in these new technologies will enable faster adoption and greater access to the benefits they can provide.

Today, businesses deploy a variety of technologies to meet customer needs and to build confidence in the online environment, and also actively leads educational initiatives in Internet privacy and safety.  While there is no silver bullet to stop cyber-crime, business is committed to working with governments and other stakeholders to effectively address this problem.

But in the end, improved education, innovative technology widespread dissemination and adoption of industry best practices; and effective law enforcement will be most effective in addressing these threats to Internet users’ privacy and safety and ensuring the continued integrity of the Internet.

 

Role of governments

We commend Ministers for their commitment to establish and maintain policy frameworks that will promote a trusted Internet-based environment, continued investment and increasing competition that will lead to expanded Internet access worldwide, increased innovation and user choice.  Indeed, such frameworks are essential for the future Internet economy.

Ministers have taken the important step to reaffirm the principles that enabled a new platform for commerce to evolve into a new platform for all aspects of life and declaring to contribute towards further development of the global Internet economy. While a framework that promotes continued technology innovation is crucial, we must keep in mind that ICTs are a means to achieve growth and societal benefit rather than an end in themselves.

 

The role of governments is fundamental for four key objectives:

  1. Ensuring that any new measures or incentives have a positive impact on infrastructure investment, innovation and the growth of the Internet
  2. Enforcing existing laws, particularly criminal laws, which address harmful and/or illegal online activities and coordination across relevant agencies and jurisdictions
  3. Recognizing the continued importance of market-driven, consensus-based global standards and the leadership of the private sector in their development
  4. Developing policies that stimulate the availability of and demand for network development, deployment, and interconnectivity, and the availability of different devices and modes of connectivity to increase Internet penetration

 

Role of OECD:

Finally, after Seoul,  as governments work towards further implementation of the commitments made here, careful attention should be paid to the important, unique and beneficial role that the OECD plays. The OECD will continue to be instrumental in working with all stakeholders to further the achievements of the Ottawa and Seoul Ministerial Conferences, in particular by producing neutral, fact-based economic reports that examine current market conditions and the impact of new developments, emerging technologies and any potential policy questions. The OECD also facilitates co-ordination and consistency of broad policy frameworks across Member economies by providing a forum for dialogue, involving all stakeholders.

In closing, I’d like to emphasize that all stakeholders must continue to work together, each according to their role, to address the challenges faced by the global economy, to promote the continued growth of the Internet and bring its benefits to more of the world’s people. Today, the private sector continues to lead the way in the innovation and development of ever-more efficient and focused services, applications, content, devices and networks that allow more users to share in the benefits of the Internet. We look forward to working with governments, civil society, the technical community and the OECD to nurture the powerful potential of the Internet economy.

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee

OECD website

From E-Commerce to the “Internet Economy”

Published on October 1, 2007

From the President’s Desk:

By Peter M. Robinson

Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson

If you’re like me, in the last ten years you’ve probably gone through at least five or six laptops or personal computers, and a similar number of cell phones and mobile devices.  For a few people, trading up to the latest model can be a hassle.  For others, an opportunity.  For still others, an obsession (think iPhone).  But we all have to do it, to keep pace with the new features and services technology brings us.

Back in 1998, ministers from OECD member governments met in Ottawa with the heads of other international organizations, industry leaders and representatives of consumer, labor and social interests to discuss the emerging area of electronic commerce.  In what has come to be seen as a watershed event, participants sought to clarify their respective roles, discuss priorities, and develop plans to promote the development of global e-commerce.

At the time of the Ottawa ministerial, the Internet was still quite new for most of us, and e-commerce was viewed of as a distinct form of economic activity.  Ottawa’s success and lasting legacy were anchored in the forward-looking, high-level policy principles adopted there.  Indeed, it is those policy principles that have had an important role in the continued evolution of the Internet and its economic and social importance.

Since 1998, we have seen the development of a true “Internet economy” – a vast increase in access and participation on the web for social, creative and commercial purposes.  New applications have sprung up: the Internet is a platform for voice and data communications, computing, dissemination of video, social networking and an incubator for emerging business models.  It has become a key driver of innovation and a means for conducting all commerce – rather than a unique type of strictly “e-commerce.”

In 1998, we were moving from client server-based systems to Internet-based systems and witnessing the emergence of the Web as a commercial medium.  Now we are seeing the emergence of Web 2.0, which forms not just a significant business evolution but, perhaps more profoundly, a social revolution based on social networking.  This in turn is providing openings for entirely new business models.  IBM, for example, now holds business meetings in the popular Second Life platform.

How can we keep the innovative process moving forward, and broaden it to encompass more of the world?  These are questions the OECD will again take up, at next June’s ministerial in Seoul on “The Future of the Internet Economy.”  OECD members and other key actors – including high-level participants from the business community – will assess the state of the Internet economy and look forward to tomorrow’s challenges.

The Seoul ministerial will focus on three key themes: convergence, of networks, of technological platforms, and of business models; creativity, including support for innovation, cultural diversity and freedom of expression; and confidence, including measures to build trust and security on the Internet, while ensuring its continued accessibility for the data flows that fuel commerce and so many other activities.

Business will have a number of opportunities to interact ministers and other top officials, including at a BIAC-sponsored stakeholder meeting, ministerial roundtables and various social events.  Ministers from several non-OECD member states (including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa as well as Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Chile, Israel, Singapore, Thailand and Senegal) will also be invited.

USCIB, through close cooperation with the U.S. government and BIAC, has sought to encourage the OECD to build upon the success of Ottawa.  Strong company representation in Seoul is essential to ensure continued adherence to the fundamental policy and regulatory principles that have fostered the Internet’s remarkable growth in the past decade.

Carefully crafted policy and regulatory frameworks will ensure that the Internet – and the applications, businesses and services that operate over it – can continue to flourish in the coming decade as well, so that people everywhere can participate more fully in our increasingly integrated global society.

Mr. Robinson’s bio and contact information

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications & Technology Committee

 

Previous postings from Mr. Robinson:

Business and Human Rights, Revisited (Spring 2007)

The Internet’s Continued Growth Requires Careful Choices (Autumn 2006)

Securing the Promise of Nanotechnology (Summer 2006)

Making Progress in the Fight Against Fakes (Spring 2006)

What makes all this innovation possible?  A lot of things have contributed to the rapid development of information technologies and the Internet these past ten years.  One key factor has been good policy choices on the part of governments, many of which have opted wisely not to inhibit the growth of Internet-enabled innovation.  And a crucial forum for discussing Internet policy options has been the OECD.

Business Input to AsiaPacific Coordination on ECommerce

Published on October 9, 2006

APECLast month, Heather Shaw, USCIB’s director of information policy and telecommunications, led an International Chamber of Commerce
delegation to Danang, Vietnam for the 14th meeting of the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) steering group on electronic commerce. Vietnam Is serving as this year’s president of the APEC forum and will host the annual summit of Asia-Pacific leaders next month in Hanoi.

The session was one of several that took place during a meeting of senior officials from member economies, which also featured a session on trans-border privacy issues. Two years ago, APEC leaders adopted a privacy framework, and participants explored ways to move discussions from theory to operation. Business is especially interested in promoting the development of company privacy rules and the mutual recognition of these by governments in the APEC countries.

Ms. Shaw presented a preliminary ICC framework on cross-border privacy rules that illustrates how industry best practices in cross-border transfers of personal information are consistent with relevant APEC principles. This document will be further discussed and considered as the first component of a possible APEC implementation mechanism. Other presentations reviewed the role of “trustmarks” and privacy seals in assuring accountability, dispute resolution mechanisms and other elements of implementation.

Next year, when Australia takes over as APEC president, the privacy subgroup plans to hold three workshops, provide updates on domestic privacy approaches and technical guidance to economies developing privacy systems, and move toward a pilot project on implementation of cross-border rules.

APEC website

OECD Forecasts ICT Industry Growth in 2006 – The information and communication technology industry is expected to grow by 6 percent in 2006, according to the latest edition of the OECD’s Information Technology Outlook 2006. The highest growth will be driven by Internet-related investments, Linux servers, digital storage, personal digital assistants and new portable consumer products. But a return to the heady days of 20-30 percent growth in many products and market segments, as happened in the 1990s, is unlikely, the report states.