A regional workshop organized by the OSCE's Transnational Threats Department brought together 14 policymakers from Central Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Mongolia from 11 to 13 March in Vienna, Austria. The workshop strengthened national capacities on the applicability of international law to State use of information and communication technologies and promoted responsible State behaviour in cyberspace.
The participants, representing ministries of foreign affairs and national cybersecurity agencies, gained practical insights into the key rules and principles of international law and explored how these rules apply to cyberspace. This issue remains under discussion among States, with key negotiations taking place at the United Nations. The workshop focused on supporting OSCE participating States in actively engaging in these discussions, thereby strengthening the legitimacy and impact of adopted agreements.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of developing national positions on the applicability of international law in cyberspace to increase transparency and support stable relations between States.
"We recognize, of course, that States may take different approaches to interpreting and applying international law. But the growing convergence between States on core principles reinforces a fundamental point: cyber operations are not legally ungoverned and that international law continues to play a key role in establishing legal certainty, predictability and accountability in cyberspace" said Ambassador Neil Holland, Head of the UK Delegation to the OSCE.
Held alongside the meetings of the Informal Working Group established by OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. 1039 and the OSCE Security Committee, the workshop offered participants the opportunity to observe multilateral cyber deliberations and how regional efforts contribute to international commitments.
The event was organized under the OSCE extrabudgetary project "Activities and Customized Support for the Implementation of OSCE Cyber/ICT Security Confidence-Building Measures", with support from the United Kingdom.
