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I see the Wells Fargo Wagon it's a-comin down...
EU official proposes global Internet charter
Copyright � 1997 Nando.net
Copyright � 1997 Reuter Information Service
BRUSSELS, Belgium (September 8, 1997 11:21 a.m. EDT) - The top
telecommunications official of the European Union called Monday for an
international charter to regulate the Internet and other electronic
networks.
EU Commissioner Martin Bangemann, in a speech prepared for a
telecommunications conference in Geneva, said the charter should deal
with questions such as technical standards, illegal content, licenses,
encryption and data privacy.
"The current situation may lead to the adoption of isolated global
rules with different countries signing up to different rules agreed
under the auspices of different international organizations," the
German commissioner said.
"An international charter would provide a suitable answer."
The text of the speech was distributed in Brussels.
Bangemann said industry should lead the effort to draw up a charter,
which would be based mostly on self-regulation and mutual recognition
of national licenses.
"Its role would not be to impose detailed rules, except in particular
circumstances (child pornography, terrorist networks)," he said.
The charter would recognize existing pacts negotiated within the World
Trade Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization and
draw on principles agreed by other bodies such as the Group of Seven
top industrial countries, he said.