Germany’s Angela Merkel calls for global digital rules
German chancellor Angela Merkel has called for the introduction of global digital regulations like those for financial markets in the G20 and for trade under the World Trade Organisation.
Angela Merkel
In a speech in Mexico, Merkel stressed that common international standards were necessary to thwart the growing threat of cyber crime.
"Otherwise some provider could emerge ... that's an island, and from which things could be done, relevant to security, that could destroy an entire system,” she is quoted by Reuters as saying. “On this question of the rules-based handling of it, we're still right at the start."
Germany intends to use its G20 presidency to establish a plan for digital policy at a summit in July.
Beyond tackling the spectre of hacking, the meeting in Hamburg will also seek to establish a common global plan to enable fast internet for all and agree common technical standards.