-2- MC.DEC/5/16 9 December 2016 1. Endorses the adoption of Permanent Council Decision No. 1202 of 10 March 2016 on OSCE confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies; 2. Stresses the importance of implementing existing OSCE confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies and developing additional confidence-building measures in line with the Considerations set out in Permanent Council Decision No. 1202; 3. Welcomes the participating States’ activities in the implementation of the existing OSCE confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies, and notes in this respect the importance of continuously updating national contact points to facilitate pertinent communication and dialogue; 4. Encourages all participating States to contribute to the implementation of the OSCE confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies; 5. Recognizes the importance of effective information exchange among participating States related to the OSCE confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies and, inter alia, of ensuring rapid communication at technical and policy levels of authority, and of elaborating procedures for holding consultations in order to reduce the risks of misperception and of possible emergence of political or military tensions or conflict that may stem from the use of information and communication technologies; 6. Intends to explore, within the cross-dimensional, informal working group established pursuant to Permanent Council Decision No. 1039 under the auspices of the Security Committee, ways of strengthening the work of the OSCE as a practical platform for constructive and efficient implementation, and the possible development of further confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies; 7. Invites participating States to make concrete proposals to this end by 30 June 2017; 8. Encourages relevant OSCE executive structures to assist participating States, upon their request, in the implementation of the OSCE confidence-building measures to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies, and to enhance pertinent national capabilities and processes, within available resources; 9. Welcomes the work undertaken by the 2016 OSCE German Chairmanship aimed at identifying how OSCE efforts to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies can be made more effective and can be intensified to promote an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful information and communication technologies environment in line with relevant OSCE commitments; 10. Underscores that further OSCE activities to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies, including those of relevant OSCE executive structures, should build on existing OSCE efforts, be in line with respective