Several UN members had expressed concern over the continuing supervision of the internet by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the US Commerce Department.

However, in an agreement made public on Tuesday, the UN stated that:

"We recognize that the existing arrangements for Internet governance have worked effectively to make the Internet the highly robust, dynamic and geographically diverse medium that it is today, with the private sector taking the lead in day-to-day operations, and with innovation and value creation at the edges."

The agreement provided for the creation of an Internet Governance Forum under the auspices of the UN, which will discuss public policy issues and attempt to coordinate private and public sector involvement in the continuing development of the internet, but will not have any power to oversee ICANN's activities.

Despite the EU's stated concerns with regard to US control of the internet, EU Commissioner for the Information Society and Media, Viviane Reding announced this week that:

“I welcome the texts now agreed in Tunis. They pave the way for a progressive internationalisation of Internet governance."

She continued:

“This agreement was possible because of the strong belief of all democratic nations that enhanced international cooperation is the best way to make progress towards guaranteeing the freedom of the Internet around the globe and also to enhance transparency and accountability in decisions affecting the architecture of the Web. The fact that the EU spoke with one voice in Tunis, and had stood by its case for more cooperation on Internet governance in the run-up to the summit, certainly strongly influenced this positive agreement."