The European Commission has launched the European Partnership for Virtual Worlds, a new multi-stakeholder initiative designed to position the European Union as a global leader in virtual worlds technologies. Signed on 10 December, the partnership brings together industry, academia, research organisations and end-users, backed by €200 million in Horizon Europe funding.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order preventing individual states from enforcing their own artificial intelligence regulations, arguing that oversight should be set at the federal level. The move has reopened debate over the balance between national coordination, state authority, and consumer protection in the governance of emerging technologies.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has extended the deadline for proposals to supply expert evaluator panels for string similarity and variant string assessments in the 2026 round of the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) programme. Responses are now due by 18 February 2026.
At the 2025 Forum of Cities and Regions for International Partnerships, the European Commission announced three new Global Gateway partnerships in Mexico and Ecuador and a pilot initiative on decentralised cooperation, underscoring the growing role of local and regional authorities in shaping EU development investments.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced the students selected for the NextGen@ICANN programme at the ICANN85 Community Forum, which will take place in March 2026 in Mumbai, India. The initiative supports university students from the Asia-Pacific region in engaging with internet governance discussions.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has opened a Public Comment proceeding on proposed updates to Specification 14 of the 2026 Base Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Registry Agreement, seeking feedback on new provisions related to variant TLDs and fee structures following recent Board resolutions.
Vietnam has approved its first comprehensive law on artificial intelligence, setting out a national framework that combines risk-based safeguards with incentives for innovation. The legislation establishes centralised oversight, sandbox testing, and new funding mechanisms, and will take effect in March 2026.
At the EU–Nigeria Digital Open Day in Brussels, the European Union announced an additional €45 million to support Nigeria’s expanding digital economy, including preparatory work for a 90,000-km fibre-optic backbone and nationwide digital-skills development.
The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has published a policy explaining how cyber-enabled conduct can fall within existing international crimes under the Rome Statute. The document does not expand the Court’s jurisdiction, but sets out how digital activities may be relevant to investigations, prosecutions, and evidence.
Governments participating in an international AI cooperation network have agreed to strengthen their joint work on measuring and evaluating advanced artificial intelligence systems. The group has also confirmed a change in mandate and name, reflecting the growing importance of robust, science-based approaches to AI assessment.
Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment (CADE) is a project co-funded by the European Union.
