The UNGA resolution 73/27 (December 2018) requested the UN Secretary-General to establish a group of governmental experts (GGE) in 2019 “to study possible cooperative measures to address existing and potential threats in the sphere of information security” and to examine “how international law applies to the use of information and communications technologies by States.” A final report will be submitted to the General Assembly in 2021. The Group of Governmental Expert comprises experts from 25 States working in their personal capacity, and is chaired by Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota of Brazil.

Four sessions are scheduled as follows: in December 2019 (in New York), in March and August 2020 (in Geneva), and in May 2021 (in New York). Additionally, two informal consultation meetings are planned to take place in December 2019 and May 2021, as well as six regional meetings in cooperation with the European Union (in June 2019); the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (in June 2019); the Organization of American States (in August, 2019); Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (in October 2019); the African Union (in 2020); and the League of Arab States (in 2020).