This week, Seoul has been playing host to a meeting of ministers from the Organisation For Economic Cooperation And Development (OECD), focused on the expanding Internet economy. The meeting is serving as a chance for many groups to have their say about what they'd like to see that future look like; the Electronic Frontiers Foundation is one of the groups attending, and they've worked with the OECD's Trade Union Advisory Committee to craft a statement of principles (PDF) going by the name of the Seoul Declaration. The statement is wide-ranging, but hits many of the issues that the EFF has promoted in the past: free expression, balanced intellectual property policies, and 'Net neutrality.

The meeting agenda focuses on how the growing Internet economy can influence social and economic development. Items slated for discussion include the growth of a global online economy, how to tap into that to improve social and economic welfare, and the convergence of devices and content on the 'Net. But the conference also focuses on less well-defined issues, such as how to ensure that the new capabilities are used in ways that promote privacy, security, and consumer protection. It's also serving as a venue for exchanging ideas on how to use the Internet to foster creativity and innovation.

With a broad remit like that as the backdrop, the Seoul Declaration covers a lot of ground in its three pages. Some of the principles fit directly into the themes of the meeting, such as its support for transparent privacy protection policies. Other sections focus on the concerns traditionally associated with the trade union organization that is introducing the declaration, such as an inclusive and diverse digital society and promotion of worker training and access. There are also a few things that must have just seemed like generally good ideas, such as calling on the OECD to promote policies that lower the carbon footprint of the IT industry.

Still, roughly half of the points of the declaration, including the sections on transparent privacy policies and consumer protection, fit nicely into the major concerns of the EFF, which is attending the meeting and has helped craft the declaration. The statement takes a strong stance on freedom of expression, stating, "We urge the OECD to defend freedom of expression and to oppose mandated filtering, censorship of Internet content, and criminalization of content that is protected under international freedom of expression standards." It calls for greater democracy in the Internet governance process, and promotes 'Net neutrality.

Two sections also focus on open access to information. One calls for a balanced intellectual property policy, and calls on member states to endorse the guidance that the OECD has already crafted in this area. The declaration takes a similar approach to the dissemination of scientific and academic knowledge, supporting existing OECD guidance (PDF) on fostering the exchange of public knowledge.

The declaration was to have been presented as the meeting wrapped up at noon US Eastern time today, and the EFF was hoping to have as many signatories on board as possible.