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Story URL: http://management.silicon.com/government/0,39024677,39131071,00.htm

Time for Icann to let the world look after the net?
More democracy needed, says Europe

By Jo Best

Published: Wednesday 08 June 2005

With the EU gearing up for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), it seems top of the agenda is who runs the internet - and whether current internet guardian, US-based Icann, should get the chop in favour of a more international grouping.

According to a communication from the European Union setting out its priorities for discussion for the WSIS meeting in Tunis in November, internet governance is one issue primed for resolution.

"The question of internationalising the management of the internet's core resources... appears to be one of the main issues currently being discussed," the EU said.

Most of those resources currently fall within the remit of Icann, which lists its main responsibilities as IP address space allocation, protocol identifier assignment, generic and country code top-level domain name system management and root server system management functions.

The communication says the system of internet governance now in place - with Icann at the helm of the whole domain name system - needs a rethink and a more global flavour. Europe is now plumping for a system based on involvement from "governments, the private sector, civil society and international organisations".

"Existing internet governance mechanisms should be founded on a more solid democratic, transparent and multilateral basis, with a stronger emphasis on the public policy interest of all governments," the communication added.

Calls for the UN to be involved have failed to impress Icann CEO and president Paul Twomey, who told silicon.com last year: "The countries that most have the internet integrated into their economy don't want the governments involved. Some of the people calling for the UN to run the internet are the ones who have the least exposure to it."

The EU, however, isn't suggesting Icann gets the wholesale rip-and-replace treatment. "[The new system] should not replace existing mechanisms or institutions but should build on the existing structures of internet governance," the communication said.

The EU concluded that other groups should have a say in regulatory policy but should not be allowed to be involved in the day-to-day running of the internet.