A/75/123 enjoyment of human rights on the Internet, as well as General Assembly resolutions 68/167 and 69/166 on the right to privacy in the digital age, to guarantee full respect for human rights, including the right to freedom of expression. France attaches the utmost importance to the principles that human rights must be respected and promoted on the Internet and that individuals must enjoy the same rights online as offline. Since 1978, the National Commission on Information Technology and Freedoms has been the authority responsible for ensuring respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, in particular the rights to privacy and freedom of expression, in the country. France has also been involved in the adoption of European regulations that take into account requirements related to competitiveness and the potential of digital technology, while continuing to protect Member States’ citizens and businesses (including the right to privacy and personal data protection, the protection of critical infrastructure and the fight against online terrorist content). That desire was clear in 2016 during the adoption of Regulation (EU) No. 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and Directive (EU) No. 2016/1148 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning measures for a high common level of security of network and information systems across the Union, and in the support of France for the enhancement of the competences of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity. Lastly, France is working to ensure that the European Union, through its industrial policy, supports advanced research and development capacities in order to foster the deployment of digital security technologies and services that are reliable and independently assessed. France also actively participated in the drafting of the European U nion human rights guidelines on freedom of expression online and offline, adopted by the Council on 12 May 2014. In the Council of Europe, France supports action to protect human rights on the Internet. For example, it supported the adoption, in April 201 4, of the “Guide to human rights for Internet users”, which was drafted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council and in which particular emphasis is placed on freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of association, the right to privacy, t he protection of personal data and protection against cybercrimes; those rights and freedoms apply equally online and offline. At the United Nations, France has supported the adoption of all Human Rights Council resolutions on the promotion of the protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet, and General Assembly resolution 68/167, on the right to privacy in the digital age. At the second Paris Peace Forum, held in November 2018, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and 11 other Heads of State and Government also announced the launch of an intergovernmental initiative on information and democracy, building on the work already done on the subject by the non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders. That initiative is now under the auspices of the Alliance for Multilateralism, launched by France and Germany. Norm (f): A State should not conduct or knowingly support ICT activity contrary to its obligations under international law that intentionally damages critical infrastructure or otherwise impairs the use and operation of critical infrastructure to provide services to the public. 20-08285 35/84