High Level Group on Internet Governance (HLIG) meeting 2019

21 June 2019 | 9:00-15:30 | New Babylon Meeting Center
Multistakeholder open session, 9:30-12:00 | HLIG members closed session, 13:00-15:30
Consolidated programme 2019 overview

Session description

The High Level Group on Internet Governance (HLIG) is the platform through which the European Commission, EU Member States and the multistakeholder community exchange information and views in an informal way on a wide range of issues related to Internet governance. The goal is to guide the European Commission in developing European priorities for Internet governance.

Format and Agenda

The HLIG meeting is chaired by the European Commission and divided in two sessions;

• an open session in the morning, open to all stakeholders and HLIG members who are registered;
• a closed session in the afternoon for HLIG members only, being Member States representatives and the European Commission .

Agenda

Welcome coffee, 9:00 – 9:30

Multistakeholder open session, 9:30 – 12:00

1. Opening remarks – Adoption of the agenda
2. Updates from the European Commission
   Updates from the European Commission on a.o. the adoption of the .eu Regulation.
3. EuroDIG 2019
   The EuroDIG organisation and the Dutch delegation are invited to give a debriefing of EuroDIG 2019 that took place in the three preceding days (19-20 June 2019).
4. IGF 2019 Berlin
   The Internet Governance Forum 2019 (IGF2019) will take place in Berlin on 25-29 November. The German delegation is invited to give an overview of the program and its expected outcome.
5. UN High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation
   Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director and Co-Lead of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation is invited to provide a debriefing of the outcome of the UN panel.
6. Global Conference of the Internet & Jurisdiction
   The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network is invited to provide a debriefing of the third Global Conference of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network (June 3–5, 2019, Berlin) and the Global Status Report.
7. ICANN
   • ICANN65
     • Participants are invited to exchange views on the discussions and expected outcome of ICANN65, 24-27 June 2019, Marrakech, Morocco.
   • WHOIS reform
     • The WHOIS reform remains a major points on the agenda of ICANN. After an update from the European Commission, participants are invited to exchange views on the process to date and its expected outcome.
8. AOB

Networking lunch break 12:00 – 13:00

Open session participants and HLIG members are invited.

HLIG members closed session, 13:00 – 15:30

1. Opening remarks – Adoption of the agenda
2. Implementation of the .eu Regulation
   The European Commission will present the planning for the implementation of the .eu Regulation and give a presentation about the delegated act on the eligibility and selection criteria and the procedure for the designation of the Registry.
3. Internet Governance developments
   Continued discussion on the outcome of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation and other Internet Governance developments and the position of the EU.
4. Preparation of IGF Berlin
   Continued discussion on the preparation of IGF Berlin. Discussion on the UN Multistakeholder Advisory Group composition and leadership.
5. Protection of country names and geographical names of national significance in DNS (WIPO process)
   EEAS and European Commission will debrief about the 40th session of WIPO 's Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (8-11 April, Geneva), in particular concerning the issue of protecting country names and geographical names of national significance in the DNS.
6. Preparation for ICANN65
   • WHOIS reform; update and way forward
     Continued discussion on the WHOIS reform, an important point on the agenda of ICANN65, 24-27 June 2019, Marrakech. After an update from the European Commission, participants are invited to exchange views on the process to date and its expected outcome.
   • Other ICANN work items; update and way forward
     Members of the HLIG and GAC representatives are invited to exchange views on recent developments within ICANN and on the preparation of ICANN65.
7. AOB

Location

The HLIG is held in the New Babylon Meeting Center (Anna van Buerenplein 29, 2595 DA, The Hague, Netherlands).

Registration

The open session in the morning is open to registered participants. Please register before 30 April 2019 by sending an email to: the HLIG Secretariat.

Background HLIG

The HLIG has proven useful for getting input in an early stage about policy development, facilitating Member States to speak with "one voice" on Internet governance developments, and guiding the European Commission in developing European priorities for Internet governance. Over time issues covered are; ICANN, post-WSIS follow-up, IGF, EuroDIG, .EU, Internet Jurisdiction Project, and the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace.

The HLIG was initiated by the European Commission in 2003 to prepare for the UN Summit WSIS (World Summit on Information Society) held in 2005. Hereafter the HLIG continued to serve as a useful platform to shape in an early phase the European input concerning the transition of ICANN into an organisation independent from the US administration.

In 2012 the HLIG mandate was reconfirmed as a non-decision-making body for sharing information and good practices, soft coordination and preliminary discussions facilitating identification of common positions in international fora related to Internet governance. The HLIG was expanded in 2016 with a section in the agenda open to the multistakeholder community and Internet governance organisations in order to have a more structured dialogue between the community, the European Commission and Member States on Internet governance issues.

Further reading

• Public Register of Commission expert groups