The 65th meeting of the Committee on Information, Communications and Computer Policy (ICCP) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was held last 10-12 April in Paris.
The Portuguese delegation to the gathering comprised the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and ANACOM.
Noteworthy are the following:
1. The holding of a joint session of the ICCP and the OECD working party on Information Security and Privacy (WPISP) concerning Russia's membership in the OECD. It reviewed developments affecting that membership process and successive requests by the ICCP and WPISP for additional information;
2. After lengthy debate and the creation of a group of volunteers to write the proposed privacy guidelines revision and accompanying explanatory memorandum, the Committee agreed with the proposal;
3. Regarding topics to be potentially developed in the scope of the next ministerial meeting, the delegates expressed support for two topics put forward by the secretariat: ‘Internet Policy Making' and ‘Leveraging Innovation in the Information Economy for New (and Better) Jobs'. The secretariat reported that the deadline for submitting applications to host that meeting was 3 September 2013 and indicated a willingness to include other topics/subtopics that may be pertinent;
4. The ICCP also agreed with a proposal from the United States to create a voluntary group, with representatives from various stakeholders, in the study of the topic concerning the principles for drawing up internet policies;
5. The ICCP also approved publishing a single biennial publication to replace the two current ones (Communications Outlook and Internet Economy Outlook) and to meanwhile publish selected indicators online;
6. As for renewal and revision of the ICCP mandates, which expire on 31 December 2013, the committee agreed with the secretariat's proposal to temporarily extend the current mandate to 31 March 2014. This would give the Executive Committee and Council enough time to consider the ICCP's future mandate, which is still under study;
7. Regarding progress in the horizontal project concerning ‘New Forms of Growth: intellectual capital', the Committee noted the project's phase 1 results and the overall plan of proposed work for 2013-2014. The project's second phase involves a group of OECD committees responsible for developing nine modules;
8. Also announced was the publication this June of the 2013 edition of Communications Outlook;
9. The Internet Technical Advisory Committee (ITAC) presented a proposed economic approach to the topic of internet intermediaries. As the Committee's limited resources mean it cannot finance this new project, the ITAC will look into the possibility of finding the financial resources needed to go ahead with same;
10. Lastly, a number of documents were declassified in session and by written procedure.
The ICCP will next meet on 9-13 December 2013 in Paris. Plans call for joint sessions with WP CISP and WP ISP on the subject of Russia's membership.
