Delegates representing NGOs-members of the EDRI (European Digital Rights) network took part in the General Assembly (GA) in Berlin September 1-2, 2007, discussing current issues of interest and the overall functioning of the association.
Delegates representing NGOs-members of the EDRI (European Digital Rights) network took part in the General Assembly (GA) in Berlin September 1-2, 2007, discussing current issues of interest and the overall functioning of the association.
The GA work had two components. The former focused on administrative issues,
such as reports on the work during the previous year and membership, while the
later explored pertinent human rights questions, esp. privacy-related, on
European level, and future EDRI actions referring to them.
By the time of this GA, EDRI had 25 members from 16 countries. A quorum of
representatives of 18 organizations from 13 countries took part in the event,
and accepted the membership applications of three new members—ANSOL
from Portugal, Pangea from Catalonia,
Spain, and EFF European office based in
Belgium—raising the number of EDRI
members to 28 from 17 countries, including three APC members (GreenNet,
Metamorphosis, and Pangea).
The 2007 GA approved the progress reports submitted by the Board, stressing the importance and continuation of
the EDRI-gram, the bi-weekly
newsletter about digital civil rights in Europe. An unanimous vote by the
delegates provided confirmation of the Board which is in the middle of two-year
term.
Board President Meryem Marzouki provided a recap of some of the most
prominent EDRI activities between the two GAs, which all focused on promotion of
human rights and increasing the involvement of civil society in decision making.
These included participation in initiatives related to international bodies,
including the COE Cybercrime Conference, workshop on Nanotechnologies and
Security, co-organized by DG Research of the European Commission (Nanotech
unit). EDRI also has planned participation in events by COE, UNICEF, OECD and
other.
EDRI also provided support of number of national or regional initiatives,
such as the legal action from Digital Rights Ireland against Data Retention
Directive, initiative against Data Retention SK by APC member Jimbonet from
South Korea, IP Justice’s "Keep the core neutral" initiative.
EDRI also took part of the joint statement to WIPO on the Broadcast Treaty,
organized a panel at the CFP 2006 with
OSCE’s Representative on Freedom of the Media
in Washington DC, received the positive
Czech Big Brother Award, and took
part in the International Conference
e-Society.Mk in Macedonia, providing reach in the South Eastern European
region.
Future issues on EDRI’s agenda include civic actions and projects for
protection of human rights based on preliminary analysis by task forces and
working groups in the areas of: Internet and telecommunications content
filtering, privacy of payment systems, data retention, and biometrics.
Besides the work agenda, the GA, hosted in the lovely
Newthinking Store, provided
opportunities for the diverse representatives to get each other better,
supplementing the existing collaboration over the internet with face-to-face
interaction.