The European Internet Foundation (EIF) is an independent, non-profit body supporting Members of the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adop ...

(MEPs) in their efforts to shape policy and regulation relating to the internet. The organization exists to promote understanding among MEPs of developments in

information and communication technologies Information and communications technology (ICT) is an extensional term for information technology (IT) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications ( telephone lines and wireless signals) and comput ...

. It hosts a continuous programme of live debates, special projects and

interactive communication Interactive communication is an exchange of ideas where both participants, whether human, machine or art form, are active and can have an effect on one another. It is a dynamic, two-way flow of information. Many forms of communication previously t ...

activities, featuring speakers from around the world, largely from the European Parliament's location in

Brussels Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

History and membership

The EIF was founded in March 2000 by MEPs

James Elles James Edmund Moncrieff Elles (born 3 September 1949 in London) is a former Conservative Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South East England. Elles is the son of Diana Newcombe Elles, Baroness Elles and her husband, Neil Pa ...

Erika Mann Erika Julia Hedwig Mann (9 November 1905 – 27 August 1969) was a German actress and writer, daughter of the novelist Thomas Mann. Erika lived a bohemian lifestyle in Berlin and became a critic of National Socialism. After Hitler came to power ...

and Elly Plooij-van Gorsel. The current Chair is

Pilar del Castillo Pilar del Castillo Vera (Nador, Morocco, 31 July 1952) is a Spanish politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament since 2004. She previously served as Minister for Education, Culture and Sport in the government of Prime ...

. It is led and governed by its Political Members, all of whom are elected

Members of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...

(MEPs). Membership in the European Internet Foundation is open to all current

MEPs A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, it ...

. The Foundation is financed primarily through membership fees charged to Business and Associate Members, including a core of prominent European e-companies. Membership is open on a progressive, non-discriminatory fee basis to any duly constituted commercial entity or interest group pledging support for the foundation's founding principles.

External links

Official website
European Parliament Foundations based in Belgium