[p2p-research] Fwd: [opennetcoalition] Europe only goes half-way in protecting Internet rights.

[Michel Bauwens]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jérémie ZIMMERMANN - La Quadrature du Net <jz at laquadrature.net>
Date: Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Subject: [opennetcoalition] Europe only goes half-way in protecting Internet
rights.
To: opennetcoalition at laquadrature.net


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La Quadrature du Net - For immediate release

Permanent link:
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/Europe-only-goes-half-way-in-protecting-internet-rights


Europe only goes half-way in protecting Internet rights.



***
Brussels, November 5th, 2009 - An agreement has been reached on the
Telecoms Package. The new text1 aimed at protecting Internet access
includes positive elements such as a reference to the right to a "prior
fair and impartial procedure" as well as the presumption of innocence.
It also contains ambiguous language and potential loopholes. This rather
unambitious provision will now be up for interpretation, and it remains
to be seen whether it will invalidate Net access restrictions such as
"three strikes" policies. ***

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU came to an agreement
on the "Telecoms Package" negotiations. They laid down legal and
procedural guarantees against restrictions of Internet access. The new
provision gives2 "effective judicial protection and due process",
guarantees "the principle of presumption of innocence and the right to
privacy" and respect the European Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

However, the text only speaks of "a prior fair and impartial procedure"
instead of a prior ruling by the judicial authorities, guaranteed by the
original "amendment 138", and contains loopholes and ambiguities. The
invalidation of freedom-killer measures such as "three strikes policies"
will now depend on interpretation by the European Court of Justice and
national courts. Moreover, the text only relates to measures taken by
Member States and thereby fails to bar telecom operators and
entertainment industries from knocking down the founding principle of
Net neutrality.

"Despite its lack of clarity and ambition, this text does provide legal
ammunition to continue the fight against restrictions of Internet
access. The agreed text does not meet the challenge of clearly
preserving a fundamental right of access to the Net. Threats to Internet
Freedom still loom, with the intense lobbying of the entertainment
industries to push the ACTA treaty, which endangers Net neutrality and
seeks to impose the liability of the technical intermediaries."
concludes Jérémie Zimmemrmann, co-founder of the citizen advocacy
group La Quadrature du Net.


* Références *

1.
http://www.laquadrature.net/wiki/Telecoms_Package_Amendment138_compromise_20091105
2. See the text:
http://www.laquadrature.net/wiki/Telecoms_Package_Amendment138_compromise_20091105




** About la Quadrature du Net **

La Quadrature du Net (Squaring the Net) is citizen group informing about
legislative projects menacing civil liberties as well as economic and
social development in the digital age.

La Quadrature du Net informs citizens, public authorities,
organizations, corporations.

It works with everyone to elaborate balanced alternative solutions.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, european and international
NGOs including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society
Institute and Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations :
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-squaring-net-la-quadrature-du-net



** Press contact and press room **

Jérémie Zimmermann, jz at laquadrature.net, +33 (0)615 940 675

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room



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