As part of the ministerial meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which took place in Seoul, Korea on 17 and 18 June 2008, a joint declaration was signed by the participating countries on the Future of the Internet Economy.
In the document, entitled the Seoul Declaration, the signatories made a commitment to facilitating convergence between digital networks, devices, applications and services through the regulatory environment and the upholding of the open, decentralised and dynamic nature of the Internet, and they declared that they would foster creativity in the development, use and application of the Internet. A further commitment was made to the strengthening of confidence and security of networks through the protection of critical information infrastructures at national and international levels, the reduction of malicious activity online (such as spam) and the guarantee that personal data and digital identities are protected.
The Seoul Declaration further proclaimed the globalisation of the Internet Economy, particularly through the expansion of access to the Internet and information and communication technologies (ICT), especially for people in developing countries.
The secretary-general of the OECD, Angel Gurría, called for a review, within three years, of the progress made by this Declaration. In this respect he considered ''an eternity in Internet time'' the ten years that elapsed since the previous meeting in which the importance of the Internet was discussed (ministerial meeting on electronic commerce, in Ottawa), a situation that should not be repeated.
Further information:
- Declaração de Seul http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/49/28/40839436.pdf
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- OECD Ministerial meeting on ''Future of the Internet Economy'' https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1021382
