Minister to Consider AMS-IX Advice on Separate National Networks

By Netvora Tech News

Dutch Justice and Security Minister Van Weel has expressed interest in advice from the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) on creating separate national networks. This move comes as the minister prepares to respond to the advice in the next "cyberbrief" for the Dutch parliament. The AMS-IX, one of the world's largest internet exchange points, has recommended creating separate national networks, separate from the regular internet and preferably organized on a European scale, without reliance on foreign companies. This proposal was discussed during a parliamentary debate on national security and resilience. GroenLinks-PvdA-Kamerlid Mutluer, a member of the Dutch parliament, has also suggested that the minister consider the AMS-IX advice. "I would like to know if the minister is willing to take action on this advice," Mutluer said. The AMS-IX has previously presented its position paper on "Digital Sovereignty at the Rijksoverheid" at a roundtable discussion in February. The organization defines digital sovereignty as having control over one's digital infrastructure, without necessarily owning everything or excluding foreign companies. "We believe that digital sovereignty means having the power to make the most important decisions when it matters," the AMS-IX said in its position paper. "This does not mean that we have to own everything or exclude foreign companies. It means that the Netherlands can make the most important decisions when it counts." Minister Van Weel responded to Mutluer's questions, stating that he will address the advice in a forthcoming "cyberbrief". "I think that the internet was designed as a system with ultimate redundancy, because it was no longer dependent on point-to-point connections between a sender and receiver," Van Weel said. "I have not yet seen that the internet is broken. It seems impossible to me to get it out of there. I need to dive into what AMS-IX exactly means by this." The minister plans to provide further details on the AMS-IX advice in the upcoming "cyberbrief", although the exact date of its publication is unknown.

What is Digital Sovereignty?

According to the AMS-IX, digital sovereignty means having control over one's digital infrastructure.
This does not mean owning everything or excluding foreign companies.
It means that a country can make important decisions when it matters.

Separate National Networks: A Solution?

Separate national networks could provide a solution to the problem of relying on foreign companies for critical infrastructure. However, the feasibility and practicality of such a solution are still unclear.