European lawmakers mull Net policies

Seven members of the European Parliament traveled to Washington, D.C., this week to mull over policies related to the Internet and the international digital economy. Topics of discussion ranged from intellectual property rights, spyware and spam to Internet governance and telecom industry regulations. Since Monday, the European policy-makers have visited the Federal Trade Commission and the Commerce and Justice Departments. Before departing the nation's capital on Thursday, they will hobnob with members of Congress and officials from the Federal Communications Commission and State Department.

The visiting lawmakers, who represent primarily the United Kingdom but also Germany and Hungary, belong to the European Internet Foundation, the overseas counterpart to the Congressional Internet Caucus, both of which work to shape Net-centric public policy. The two groups meet twice per year, once in the United States and once overseas, said Danielle Yates, a representative for the Congressional Internet Caucus. On this visit, Yates said, the European visitors are looking to "solidify the need for deeper discussions" about global Internet regulatory issues.