About the Global Conferences

The Global Conferences of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network are important regular milestones in addressing one of the greatest global governance challenges of the 21st century: how to manage the coexistence of national laws on the internet. They allow stakeholders to regularly take stock of the ongoing policy development activities facilitated by the Secretariat of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network, and to agree on how to structure the work conducted in the Policy Network.

The Global Conferences of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network and its outcomes receive significant international attention. They are organized in partnership with a key government (In the past with France in 2016, Canada in 2018 and Germany in 2019), and are institutionally supported by a unique coalition of international organizations comprised of the Council of Europe, European Commission, ICANN, OECD, UN ECLAC and UNESCO. They have been recognized by international documents ranging from the 2016 United Nations General Secretary Report on the Implementation of WSIS, to the 2018 G7 Cyber Group. Outcomes have been presented by the Secretariat to various international organizations and policy processes, such as the United Nations Internet Governance Forum, the Paris Peace Forum, or the G20. The Global Conferences of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network and the groundbreaking work of its participants have been covered in media outlets including The Economist, Financial Times, Washington Post, or Politico.

About the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network

The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network is a multistakeholder organisation that addresses the tension between the cross-border nature of the internet and national jurisdictions. Its Paris-based Secretariat facilitates a global policy process to enable transnational cooperation. Participants in the Policy Network work together to preserve the cross-border nature of the Internet, protect human rights, fight abuses, and enable the global digital economy.

Since 2012, the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network, founded by Executive Director Bertrand de La Chapelle and Deputy Director Paul Fehlinger, has engaged more than 200 key entities from six stakeholder groups around the world. The Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network uniquely connects relevant stakeholder groups and bridges policy silos. Its innovative methodology strives to fill an institutional gap in internet governance at the intersection of three areas: digital economy, human rights, and cybersecurity.

Through global, regional, and thematic meetings, its Secretariat facilitates a neutral and ongoing dialogue process to build trust among the different actors, foster policy coherence, and help stakeholders develop the operational solutions necessary for legal certainty and the coexistence of diverse laws on the cross-border internet.

Learn more about the unique coalition of governments, Internet companies, technical operators, foundations and international organizations that make the work of the Secretariat of the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network possible thanks to their financial contributions.

Global Conference Partners

Institutional Supporters