The European Union, helpless to deal with Iran’s nuclear scheming, has lots of time to think about taking control of the Internet: EU Wants Shared Control of Internet. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union insisted Friday that governments and the private sector must share the responsibility of overseeing the Internet, setting the stage for a showdown with the United States on the future of Internet governance.

A senior U.S. official reiterated Thursday that the country wants to remain the Internet’s ultimate authority, rejecting calls in a United Nations meeting in Geneva for a U.N. body to take over.

EU spokesman Martin Selmayr said a new cooperation model was important “because the Internet is a global resource.”

“The EU … is very firm on this position,” he added.