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PRESSRELEASEFORIMMEDIATERELEASE

ShapingourdigitalfutureinEurope:

Diplomatic,economic,andsecurityperspectivesondigitaltransformation

Geneva,Switzerland,21March2017.Over100studentsandprofessorsfromtheCollegeofEuropeinBrugesandGeneva-baseddiplomatsgatheredattheGenevaInternetPlatformforadiscussiononthedigitalfutureofEurope.Thediscussion,whichhasbecomeanannualevent,outlinedthemainchallengesandopportunitiesthatdigitaltransformationbringstousers,organisations,andEuropeansocietiesingeneral.

Inhiswelcomingaddress,MrOlivierCoutau,DelegateforInternationalGeneva,RepublicandStateofGeneva,describedGenevaasaglobalhub,hostingaconcentrationofglobalplayers.HeanchoreddigitalgovernanceinGeneva’slongtraditionofbringingtheinternationalcommunitytogethertoexploretechnology’sbenefitsforhumanity.MrCoutauconcludedthatwhatisagreedinGenevaaffectspeopleworldwide,usingtheexampleofmobilephones,whichrelyonthepolicyworkofGeneva-basedorganisationstofunction,includingtheInternationalTelecommunicationUnion,theWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganization,andtheWorldTradeOrganization. DrawingonMalta’sexperienceindigitalaspects,AmbassadorOlaphTerribile,PermanentRepresentativeofMaltatotheUnitedNationsinGeneva,explainedhowdigitaldiplomacycanhelpusfindnewpointsofconvergenceinEurope.Maltaisaleaderindigitalandbroadband,andhasincreasedsubstantiallythedigitalfootprintofitscitizens.CapacitydevelopmentprogrammesbyDiploFoundation–aSwiss-Malteseorganisation–arerecognisedandappreciatedworldwide.Despiteitssmallsize,thecountryhasfoundinnovativewaysofthrivinginaglobalisedworld.ReferringtothedigitaltransformationoftheInternetandtechnologyon

diplomaticpractice,Amb.Terribilesaidthatsocialmediaisanimportanttoolduringconsularcrises,fromcommunicationrequirements,totakingimmediateaction.Diplomaticprotocolandetiquettehavealsoundergoneatransformation,eventhoughtheyremainnecessaryrituals.

Inakeynoteaddress,MrPhilippMetzger,DirectorGeneraloftheSwissFederalOfficeofCommunications,referredtothebenefitsofdigitalisationaswellasneedtoaddressnegativeaspects,suchasthespreadofchildsexualabusematerial.ThenationalstrategyadoptedbytheSwissgovernmentlastyearfocusesontheimpactofdigitalisationontheeconomy,employment,andeducation–amongotheraspects.Thedigitaltransformationhasalsohadanimpactondiplomaticpractice(howdiplomacyworks),ontheformationofpublicopinion(includingthespreadoffakenews),andonthedigitaldivide(howtoconnecttheunconnected).

Digitalisationgivesrisetomanypolicyquestions.Theanswersshouldbecarefullydevelopedinordertoensuredigitalgrowthwhileaddressingtherisks,suchascybersecurity.MrMetzgerinvitedstudentsandpolicymakerstojoindiscussionsondigitaltransformationduringtheupcomingInternetGovernanceForuminDecember,whichwilltakeplaceinGeneva.ApanelmoderatedbyDrJovanKurbalija,DirectorofDiploFoundationHeadoftheGIP,discussedinmoredetailthediplomatic,economic,andsecurityperspectivesofthedigitaltransformation.Inazoomed-outviewofthecurrentsituation,MsMeganRichards,PrincipalAdviser,DirectorateGeneralforCommunicationsNetworks,ContentandTechnology,EuropeanCommission,explainedthattheEuropeanCommission’s2015planforaDigitalSingleMarketfocusedonthreepillars:(1)givingusersandconsumersbetteraccesstodigitalgoodsandservicesacrosstheEU;(2)shapingtherightenvironmentforadigitalnetwork,andimprovingdataprotectionrulesforEuropeans;and(3)ensuringfastbroadbandforallusers.AmbassadorThomasHajnoczi,PermanentRepresentativeofAustriatotheUnitedNationsinGeneva,saidthatAustriawasamongthemainsponsorsofanimportantresolutiononprivacy,adoptedbytheUNHumanRightsCouncil(UNHRC)in2012,whichdeclaredthatpeopleenjoythesamerightsonlineastheydooffline.Therighttoprivacy,bothofflineandonline,isregulatedbytheUNHumanRightsDeclarationandtheInternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRights;theUNHRCalsoestablishedtheSpecialRapporteurforPrivacy.Whileprivacyrulesofflinealsoapplyonline,itnowremainstobeseenifexistingmechanismswillbesufficientfortheeffectiveprotectionofdataandprivacyonline.MrAntonioGambardella,DirectorofFONGIT,ahi-techbusinessincubatorinGeneva,saidthatdiscussionsonthedigitaltransformationoftenfocusexclusivelyontools.Companieswhicharenotonlyeconomicactorsbutalsopoliticalandsocialactorsneedtobetakenintoaccount,too.Theeconomicpowerofsomeofthesecompanies–suchasApple,Google,andMicrosoft–couldbecomparedtotheeconomicpowerofsomeadvancedeconomies.TheEUandSwitzerlandhaveamajorroletoplayinbalancingdigitalgrowthbyprovidinganaloguesupplements,suchaseducationandsocialcontext.Genevacannot,andprobablyshouldnot,trytobecomeanotheranotherSiliconValley.Itshouldfinditsuniquerolebyleveragingitsadvantages:diplomaticrepresentation,theSwisseducationalsystem,andahighlyqualifiedlabourmarket,amongothers.TheannualdiscussionforCollegeofEuropestudents,hostedbyDiploandtheGIP,allowsstudentstofamiliarisethemselveswithemergingdigitaldiplomacywhichtakesplaceinInternationalGeneva. * * * For Editors:

- Press release available at https://www.diplomacy.edu/pr/shaping-our-digital-future-europe; photo gallery available at https://diplo.smugmug.com/Events/2017/Shaping-our-digital-future-in-Europe

- Press contacts: Dr Roxana Radu, roxanar@diplomacy.edu