Innovation and the economy: promoting innovation, development and market access The digital economy continues to expand rapidly, and is a prime driver of value creation, innovation, competitiveness and growth. Cyberspace is fostering growth and employment by providing a foundation for investment and innovation, securing access to larger markets and reducing the importance of geographical location. Even small businesses can now reach customers all over the world at no significant additional cost. To ensure that cyberspace continues to benefit the Norwegian economy and encourage innovation, the Government will: • Promote global openness on the internet. Norway will work with other countries to ensure that the internet remains an open and non-discriminatory communication platform that fosters consumer confidence in digital markets. • Facilitate digital innovation in the private and public sectors in the EEA. Norway will also give priority to improving digital expertise and digital skills to meet future employment market needs. • Protect intellectual property. In cooperation with other states, Norway will help to protect copyrighted works and sensitive information against theft and reproduction, and encourage actors in the Norwegian information security sector to join the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO). • Promote Norwegian research globally to ensure that Norwegian researchers are at the forefront of information and communications security developments. To ensure high-quality Norwegian research in the field of ICT security, the Government will facilitate close collaboration with leading international researchers and knowledge centres. • Support growth of the digital economy in cooperation with other OECD member states. Norway’s priorities will include improving access to digital services globally, reducing barriers to investment in and use of digital technologies, promoting commonly agreed global standards for an open, stable and accessible internet, supporting the development of national and international strategies for privacy and data protection, developing and applying technology-neutral regulations that foster infrastructure competition, reducing obstacles to global ecommerce development – with an emphasis on increased consumer confidence – and improving education and training systems to meet demand for ICT expertise. Norway will also participate in coordinated research and innovation efforts in the ICT security field in the context of EU/EEA cooperation. Crime prevention: international cooperation to combat organised cybercrime and other serious crimes committed through cyberspace The digitisation of society has created new arenas for criminal activity, including financial crimes, sabotage, sexual assaults and encouragement of violent extremism. Norwegian businesses and interests are under increasing pressure. Digital networks can be both a channel for criminal activity in cyberspace and a target in themselves. Norway will participate actively in international efforts to combat cybercrime, by: • Contributing to the development of standards, conventions and measures to combat cybercrime. Norway has a long-term strategic interest in influencing the development of international conventions, international standards and other measures constituting the framework for global anti-cybercrime efforts. In this context, it is important to ensure effective international criminal prosecution, and Norway will therefore seek to encourage wider adoption of the principles in the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (the Budapest Convention). Norway’s priority is international harmonisation of cybercrime legislation, as well as effective cross-border assistance and crisis management mechanisms. 8