What changed

B100358/2025

P10_TA(2025)0190

European Parliament resolution on the governanceGovernance of the internet – renewal of the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum

(2025/2801(RSP))

PE776.183

European Parliament resolution of 10 September 2025 on governance of the internet – renewal of the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum (2025/2801(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its resolution of 11 February 2015 on the renewal of the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum,

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 5 June 2025 entitled ‘An International Digital Strategy for the European Union’ (JOIN (2025)0140),

– having regard to the joint declaration by the EU delegation to the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) held from 23 to 27 June in Lillestrøm, Norway,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 5 June 2025 entitled ‘An International Digital Strategy for the European Union’ (JOIN(2025)0140),

A. whereas the main role and function of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is to discuss a wide range of issues related to internet governance and, where appropriate, to make recommendations to the international community;

– having regard to Rule 136(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

B. whereas the purpose of the IGF is to carry out its mandate from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) with regard to convening forums for democratic, transparent and multistakeholder policy dialogue;

A. whereas the main role and function of the IGF is to discuss a wide range of issues related to internet governance and, where appropriate, to make recommendations to the international community;

C. whereas it considers that while the IGF does not adopt formal conclusions, the insights and exchanges that take place at it meaningfully contribute to the development of digital legislation across the globe;

B. whereas the purpose of the IGF is to carry out its mandate, issued by the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), of convening forums for democratic, transparent and multistakeholder policy dialogue;

D. whereas Parliament sent an ad hoc delegation to the 2005 WSIS and has done so for every annual meeting of the IGF that has taken place since; whereas this has been pivotal in promoting European values and fostering interaction with stakeholders;

C. whereas it considers that, while the IGF does not adopt formal conclusions, the insights and exchanges that take place there are meaningful in the development of digital legislation across the globe;

E. whereas, on 26 June 2025, Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Members of the European Parliament signed a joint declaration during the 20th IGF meeting in Lillestrøm, Norway;

D. whereas the European Parliament sent an ad hoc delegation to the 2005 WSIS and has done so for every annual meeting of the IGF since, thus playing a pivotal role in promoting European values and fostering interaction with stakeholders;

F. whereas the 80th UN General Assembly, scheduled to take place in autumn 2025, will review the IGF’s mandate, which is set to expire on 31 December 2025;

E. whereas, on 26 June 2025, Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Members of the European Parliament signed a joint declaration at the 20th IGF meeting in Lillestrøm, Norway;

F. whereas the 80th UN General Assembly, scheduled for autumn 2025, will review the IGF’s mandate, which is due to expire on 31 December 2025;

G. whereas the EU and its Member States, as well as the United States and other countries, signed the Declaration for the Future of the Internet on 28 April 2022;

1. States that the internet must be and must remain open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, secure and governed for all, by all;

H. whereas the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy entitled ‘An International Digital Strategy for the European Union’ underlines that the EU will continue to proactively defend the general availability and integrity of the internet as a global, interoperable network of networks, reflecting the importance of the multistakeholder model of internet governance;

2. Calls on the UN General Assembly to permanently renew the mandate of the IGF and to increase its resources and strengthen the multistakeholder model of internet governance;

1. States that the internet must be and must remain open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, secure and governed for all by all;

3.2. Calls on the Member States and the EUUN institutionsGeneral concernedAssembly to continue topermanently supportrenew the IGFmandate andof itsthe secretariatIGF, and to contribute to its development as an efficient and independent organisation capable of exercisingstrengthen its mandateresources and playing a part in the evolvingmultistakeholder model of internet governance;

4.3. Calls on the Member States and the CommissionEU toinstitutions increaseconcerned theirto effortscontinue to support athe positiveIGF outcomeand atits thesecretariat, UNand Generalto Assemblycontribute byto theits enddevelopment as an efficient and independent organisation capable of 2025,exercising asits regardsmandate and contributing to the futureevolving model of theinternet IGF;governance;

5. Considers that, although the IGF does not adopt formal conclusions, the EU has a responsibility to support this process and to raise the impact of these exchanges in policy discussions, as it offers a positive and concrete context for the shaping of the internet’s future on the basis of a multistakeholder approach;

4. Calls on the Member States and the Commission to increase their efforts to secure a positive outcome for the future of the IGF through a UN General Assembly resolution by the end of this year;

6. Stresses that Parliament intends to continue to participate in future IGF meetings with a substantial delegation, in order to contribute effectively to formulating an EU approach to the governance of the internet, together with the Member States and the Commission;

5. Considers that, although the IGF does not adopt formal conclusions, the EU’s responsibility is to support this process and to raise the issue of the impact of these exchanges in policy discussions, as the IGF offers a positive and specific context for shaping the internet’s future on the basis of a multistakeholder approach;

7. Stresses that fundamental freedoms and human rights are not negotiable and must be protected both online and offline; strongly rejects the idea of a state-controlled internet and mass surveillance of the internet;

6. Stresses that Parliament intends to continue to participate in future IGF meetings with a substantial delegation in order to contribute effectively to formulating an EU approach to the governance of the internet together with the Member States and the Commission;

8. Stresses the importance of addressing the digital divide and structural inequalities in access to the internet; considers affordable high-speed connectivity to be essential for an inclusive digital environment that leaves no one behind;

7. Stresses that fundamental freedoms and human rights are non-negotiable and must be protected both online and offline; strongly rejects the idea of a state- or corporate-controlled internet and mass surveillance on the internet;

9. Underlines the importance of preserving a single, open and interoperable internet as a global public resource and warns about any risk of fragmenting the internet;

8. Stresses the importance of addressing the digital divide and structural inequalities in accessing the internet; considers affordable high-speed connectivity to be essential for an inclusive digital environment that leaves no one behind;

9. Underlines the importance of preserving a single, open and interoperable internet as a global public resource and warns against and condemns any effort to fragment the internet or to replace multistakeholder governance with intergovernmental control;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.