Digital sovereignty and standards

In this episode of PING, APNIC’s Chief Scientist Geoff Huston discusses the European Union's consideration of taking a role in the IETF, as itself. Network engineers, policy makers and scientists from all around the world have participated in IETF but this is the first time an entity like the EU has considered participation as itself in the process of standards development. What's lead to this outcome? What is driving the concern that the EU as a law setting and treaty body, an inter-governmental trade bloc needs to participate in the IETF process? Is this a mis-understanding of the nature of Internet Standards development or does it reflect a concern that standards are diverging from society's needs? Geoff wrote this up in a recent opinion piece on the APNIC Blog and the podcast is a conversation around the topic.