For almost 60 years, the Council of Europe has been finding solutions and responding to issues that affect now 800 million people and organisations in Europe, by working with and influencing member states’ policies and legal frameworks. These responses are set out in our conventions and other standard-setting documents. Even if many of these texts were developed before the Internet came into existence, many of the provisions of those conventions and documents apply equally to online environments. By drafting treaties and setting standards about the Internet, the Council of Europe seeks to secure peoples’ enjoyment of a maximum of rights and services, subject to a minimum of restrictions, while at the same time seeking to ensure the level of security that users are entitled to expect. The concrete and practical Council of Europe responses to Internet governance issues mentioned later significantly contribute to the development, sustainability, value, robustness and security of the Internet.
