26/08/2019
Cyber Norm Initiative
Synthesis of Lessons Learned and Best Practices
On 6 April 2019, G7 Foreign Ministers met in Dinard, France, and launched a Cyber Norm
Initiative dedicated to sharing best practices and lessons learned on the implementation of
previously recognized voluntary, non-binding norms of responsible State behaviour. The
norms that are presented in this document have notably emerged during the previous sessions
of the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) and are a subset of the
international cyber stability framework. G7 countries are committed to continuing this work
and to sharing views on the full range of important recommendations that have been
underlined in GGE reports.
Norm 1 – Consistent with the purposes of the United Nations, including to maintain
international peace and security, States should cooperate in developing and applying
measures to increase stability and security in the use of ICTs and to prevent ICT
practices that are agreed to be harmful or that may pose threats to international peace
and security.
G7 countries have taken a number of steps to increase stability and security in the use of
ICTs and prevent the most harmful ICT practices. Such steps include:
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The promotion, at the international level, of a stability framework based notably on the
application of existing international law and agreed voluntary norms of responsible
State behavior, which this very initiative aims to strengthen;
The establishment of confidence-building measures (notably at OSCE, OAS and ARF)
and of strategic bilateral, trilateral or multilateral dialogues on cyber issues with a
range of partners to build trust, capacities and cooperation mechanisms, which also
reinforce the stability framework mentioned above;
The development of cyber capacities at national and international levels, to increase
the general level of resilience, protection and security of their own information
systems and networks as well as those of partners. Importantly, G7 countries have all
published comprehensive whole-of-government cybersecurity strategies, whose
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