7-8 July Ministerial meeting on global information networks

Date: 17/07/1997

THE two-day Bonn conference on global information networks resulted in a broad agreement between ministers from 29 European countries, industry and consumers that the market should take the lead in setting the framework for the expected boom in online services. But the US - which together with Japan, Canada, and Russia attended the conference as guests - refused to sign up to the final declaration. For Washington, the conference only served to underline its disagreement with the EU on the key issue of encryption: the ability to scramble some services. The Union favours tough encryption codes and, together with other European governments, called for a free choice of encryption technology. However, the US fears their use by drugs, criminal and terrorist gangs.

THE conference resulted in separate declarations by European ministers, industry and consumers. The ministerial declaration stressed that information networks should be used to boost new jobs and should avoid developing divisions between the 'information rich' and 'information poor'. It said governments should help to stimulate a thriving content and services industry in Europe, but added that risk capital should also play its part in encouraging small and medium businesses. Non-discriminatory taxes should apply to the new services with international cooperation in this area. Public authorities could support the services by using networks to provide information to the public and allowing citizens to fill in forms electronically.

THE ministerial declaration also stated that international principles should be found to allow the free circulation of data while protecting personal privacy. Industry should contribute by developing techniques which safeguarded privacy and personal data. Ministers favoured a fair allocation of responsibility for information carried on networks, with the onus resting on the company or individual putting the data online and not the carrier or operator distributing them.

INDUSTRY's declaration focused on its responsibility for creating consumer confidence in new network services while governments created the commercial environment for investment. It said governments should give priority to expanding the use of information technology in education and should work with industry to develop a 'super school' with this objective. The declaration added that administrations should set deadlines for introducing 'public services' on networks.