The São Paulo Declaration was issued by representatives from 30 countries at the 5th Global Policy Action and Trade Summit. The declaration recognizes the significant progress made in developing digital agendas but notes ongoing challenges to internet access. It expresses concerns that unilateral actions aimed at information protection and security could fragment the internet globally and isolate countries. The declaration calls on all governments and organizations to work constructively to ensure information and communication technologies are available worldwide, and to avoid measures that limit access or trade. It declares a commitment to removing trade barriers and avoiding any actions that may limit global access to the internet.

1. The São Paulo Declaration
Declaration of the 5th WITSA Global
Policy Action and Trade Summit

2. Preamble
• Representatives from 30 countries
• Objective:
– to consider effective public policies to deliver
the promises of the Digital Age
• Observed:
– significant progress made by governments in
developing and implementing digital agendas
– continuing economic, social and cultural
transformations through ICT

3. Preamble (2)
• Observed:
– Internet access must be developed through
open and transparent governance;
– investment in infrastructure and connectivity
must continue, encouraged by a competitive
and supportive business environment

4. Concerns
• Significant challenges to access.
– Disclosures about information protection are
encouraging governments to seek greater
control, both of governance arrangements,
and of information flowing across their
jurisdictions.
– Consequences:
• Risks of global fragmentation, and isolation
• Unilateral actions intended to “protect citizens”
may cause harm, impose costs, and reduce
technology access and choice

5. Concerns (2)
• A growing trend towards closed
preferential trade agreements, which are a
departure from multilateral trade
liberalization arrangements
• A tendency towards less transparency in
trade negotiations, with reduced
meaningful stakeholder engagement

6. Calls to Action
• All governments, stakeholder organizations
and business leaders must work
constructively to ensure ICTs, and the
benefits of their application, are available to
all, and to avoid unilateral protective
measures
• all nations to recommit to the WTO’s “most
favoured nation” and “national treatment”
principles, and to the rapid removal of trade
barriers

7. Declaration
• We declare to remove barriers to
trade and avoid any actions that may
limit access by all the world’s people
to the Internet, so that – respecting
privacy and security principles –
everyone can participate and receive
its benefits, and thus deliver the
promises of the Digital Age

9. See you at WCIT 2014

10. See you at WCIT 2014