The G8 Berlin Meeting: Government/Industry Dialogue on Safety and Confidence in Cyberspace
(Summary and Assessment)

1. Summary

Government officials and industry participants from G8 countries gathered in Berlin, Germany, from October 24 to 26 for a government/industry dialogue on safety and confidence in cyberspace (the G8 Berlin Meeting) sponsored by the Lyon Group (G8 Senior Experts Group on Transnational Organized Crime). From the host nation, Germany, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Joschka Fischer, Federal Minister of Justice Herta Däubler-Gmelin, and Federal Minister of the Interior Otto Schily made their appearance, and approximately 140 government and industry representatives from G8 member countries participated in the workshop meeting. Those attending from Japan included officials from the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. Among the private sector attendees were participants from telecommunications firms, including internet service providers, and manufacturers of IT-related equipment.

2. Results

1) The workshop meeting built on the results of the G8 Paris Conference on high-tech crime, which was held in Paris between May 15 and 17, 2000. It focused on three themes: location and identification of high-tech criminals, the prevention of high-tech crime, and the building of closer cooperation with industry. There were frank and practical discussions, including on identification of specific problems and future plans for action.

2) In the joint press statement released after the conclusion of the workshop, the G8 Governments reaffirmed the importance of cooperation between government and industry in the fight against high-tech crime. They also expressed support for the second High-level Meeting in Tokyo in May 2001 to build on the achievements of this workshop meeting.

3. Assessment

1) The workshop meeting was held to follow up the discussion by G8 leaders at the G8 Kyushu-Okinawa Summit. It succeeded in developing the continuing cooperative relationship between government and industry, which started at the Paris meeting.

2) There was frank and practical dialogue between government and industry delegates at the workshop meeting. Through this process, participants were able to identify specific problems related to the abovementioned themes, and thereby deepened the common understanding between government and industry on the fight against high-tech crime.

3) It is expected that the results of the workshop will be reflected and further developed in a second High-level Meeting to be held in Japan in May 2001.