Digital Partnership

The fast pace of technological advancement and the cross-border nature of digital services present great opportunities but also challenges for individuals, societies and institutional frameworks. It is the task of governments to protect human rights and the rule of law in the digital environment.

However, companies play a critical role in addressing technology-related challenges because they provide and control the digital infrastructure. A constructive, open and inclusive multi-stakeholder approach is therefore required to find effective and sustainable solutions. The Council of Europe has been cooperating closely with civil society for decades. Its partnership with businesses enables company representatives to sit side-by-side with governments and civil society when shaping policies related to digital technologies, in the perspective of the respect of human rights and supporting democracy and the rule of law.

Image © Shutterstock

SUMMARY OF PARTNERSHIP

The Council of Europe Partnership with Digital Companies

Thematic leaflet

Brief overview of the Council of Europe co-operation framework with internet companies and representative associations

Enhancing cooperation

This partnership enables companies to participate in an array of intergovernmental activities and related work of the Council of Europe and to sit side-by-side with governments when shaping internet policy. Concrete areas of cooperation may include (but not limited to) the following spheres:

bioethics;
children’s protection in the online environment;
combating cybercrime and the use of the internet for terrorist purposes;
data protection, including Big Data issues;
digital literacy promotion;
digitalisation of cultural heritage and cultural services;
addressing abusive forms of expression online (i.e., incitement to violence) and disinformation ("fake news" phenomenon);
democratic elections and e-voting;
combating money laundering and corruption.

Exploring new opportunities

Cooperation within the general farmework of the Council of Europe’s partnership with internet companies and their representative associations may assume a variety of forms, including:

participating in the work of committees and other intergovernmental or expert organs, bodies and structures of the Council of Europe to contribute to the drafting of legally and politically binding standards;
co-organising conferences and other awareness-raising events;
providing expertise for Council of Europe studies and thematic reports (i.e., hearings with experts, brainstorming sessions);
receiving Council of Europe expertise (i.e., training sessions, seminars);
joint projects, targeted partnerships.

Considering benefits

The value of partnerships for internet companies and their representative associations consists in the unique opportunity to:

Boost public confidence and users' trust in their services by publicly acknowledging their corporate social responsibility and commitment to respect and support human rights and rule of law online.
Gain a better understanding of the Council of Europe legal frameworks and international policy considerations, including prevention of cybercrime, data protection, hate speech, etc.
Access to the network of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states and 6 observer states and civil society organisations to discuss and create a forum for dialogue to confront challenges, serving as an early warning system for the fast - moving and increasingly complex area of legal and human rights challenges surrounding the information society.
Better understand government and societal expectations, particularly in new entry countries, where offices may not yet be on the ground.
Influence the development of Council of Europe policies for the internet. Active participation in discussions ensures that recommendations and legal instruments are well-written, providing realistic regulation and implementable recommendations to confront existing policy challenges with flexibility to handle future issues.
Devise and implement corporate social responsibility initiatives more effectively. The benefits of the Council of Europe expertise and of coordination and engagement with other stakeholders help to better meet international human rights standards and optimise investment in such initiatives.