Russian PM says intl organizations should regulate Internet work

WUZHEN, China, Dec 16 (PRIME) -- The Internet should be open, but regulated under the aegis of international organizations, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday at a conference devoted to the Internet.

“It’s evident that none of countries can pretend for the role of a universal regulator of the global network. There are no historical merits here or any well-settled status quo,” Medvedev said.

“That is why we back up strengthening of a role of the world community in the management of the Internet and elaboration of a global policy in this industry. We believe that it should be done under the umbrella of leading international institutions, including the United Nations Organization, including the industry-focused entity International Telecommunication Union.”

Russia welcomes equal access of states to the management of the Internet and their sovereign right to regulate its national segments. Such an approach is stipulated by a number of international documents, including a BRICS declaration signed earlier in 2015. BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

“From the legal point of view, the Internet is a new, but rather difficult comprehensive subject of regulation,” Medvedev said.

Russia’s total volume of the Internet economy accounts for 2.2% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), and its IT companies have hugely advanced over the recent years, the prime minister also said.

The industry will continue developing thanks to electronic commerce and provision of services in the Internet. The country’s Internet audience counts 80 million people, he said.

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