OECD – Paris, 15 June 2011
Internet Economy: OECD high-level meeting on generating innovation and growth
Tuesday 28 – Wednesday 29 June 2011
Government ministers, business leaders and industry experts will meet on 28 and 29 June at the OECD to advance discussions on Internet regulation and how best to drive its continued growth and innovation. The two-day meeting follows the eG8 Forum, hosted in late May by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, which saw industry leaders and government officials discuss Internet policy.
Topping the agenda will be debates on maintaining the light-touch regulation that has driven the Internet’s growth while also protecting privacy, intellectual property and boosting broadband access.
OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes and US Ambassador to the OECD Karen Kornbluh will open the event at 09.00 AM on Tuesday 28 June.
This conference is open to media and will be webcast live.
Speakers include: Eric Besson; Paulo Bernardo, Brazilian telecoms minister; Franco Bernabé, CEO Telecom Italia; Stephen Conroy, Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy; Julius Genachowski, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission; Ed Richards, CEO OFCOM; Maxime Lombardini, Directeur Général, Iliad; Tim Berners-Lee, Director, World Wide Web Consortium; and Axel Dauchez, CEO Deezer.
Among the issues to be discussed will be the need to:
· clarify the legal liability of Internet intermediaries, such as ISPs, search engines and e-commerce sites;
· protect the openness of the Internet, notably in light of concerns that some relatively heavy-handed government initiatives could damage its dynamism and growth;
· increase broadband access and competition;
· continue cutting the high cost of voice and data roaming nationally and internationally;
· improve security and privacy.
More information, including the agenda and list of speakers, is available at www.oecd.org/internet/innovation
To register, journalists should contact Spencer Wilson of the OECD’s Media division (tel. + 33 1 45 24 81 18
