Dinard Declaration on the Cyber Norm Initiative

Saint Malo, France, April 6, 2019
[pdf]

As our societies become increasingly digitalized, reinforcing trust, security and stability in cyberspace is critical in order to ensure that all actors can fully enjoy its benefits. We remain committed to promoting an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful cyberspace for all, where the application of international law and fundamental freedoms are promoted and human rights are protected online.

In this context, we recall with appreciation that the General Assembly has affirmed that international law, and in particular the Charter of the United Nations, is applicable and is essential to maintaining peace and stability and promoting an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful Information and Communications Technology (ICT) environment. We also recall the conclusions of the 2010, 2013 and 2015 reports of the Groups of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security, transmitted by the UN Secretary General and consensually endorsed by the UN General Assembly, which called on all states to be guided in their use of ICTs by these reports.

These reports notably stressed that rules, principles and voluntary and non-binding norms of responsible behavior of States in the use of ICTs can reduce risks to international peace, security and stability and that confidence-building measures strengthen international peace and security and can increase inter-state cooperation, transparency, predictability and stability.

We affirm our willingness to establish a Cyber Norm Initiative (CNI) dedicated to sharing best practices and lessons learned on the implementation of previously recognized voluntary, non-binding norms of responsible State behavior. We encourage, where possible, other interested partners to join us in this endeavor or to complete a similar exercise. This would contribute to the work by the UN Open-ended Working Group and Group of Governmental Experts, and by regional organizations, and would aim to demonstrate strong examples of adherence to these norms.

As participants in the Cyber Norm Initiative we commit to:

Encourage better and increased voluntary exchange of information, among ourselves and with others, on the steps taken by our respective states to understand and effectively implement the voluntary, non-binding norms of responsible state behavior in cyberspace and the recommendations contained in the abovementioned reports
Share the best practices and lessons learned that will be identified as a result of this process with a wide range of states and other stakeholders;
Engage with other states to include them in our peer-learning, cooperative, transparency and confidence-building efforts;
Cooperate to help build our partners' capability to implement the above-mentioned voluntary, non-binding norms and recommendations.

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Source: France Diplomatie de la République française

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