The ITU Council working group on Public Policies for the Internet (CWG Internet) met last 6-7 February in Geneva, where the theme of the next public consultation was debated at length. While the United States and other western countries defend holding a consultation on non-discrimination of women in use and access to information and communication technologies, another bloc led by Russia and the Arab countries proposed holding a consultation covering issues such as over-the-top and the internet of things. As there was a certain consensus about the first proposed theme, the second one was unable to garner the necessary consensus. It was therefore not possible to agree on any theme for the next meeting of CWG Internet, as some countries made approval of the first theme depend on approval of the second. The matter was thus passed on to the next session of the ITU Council this coming May.
The next meeting of CWG Internet should take place in September 2017, though still subject to confirmation by the 2017 Council session.
