EU Telecom package pushed to 3rd reading!
In a tense session of the European Parliament, the EU telecoms package was rather unexpectedly pushed to a third reading, due to the Greens Alde and Liberals doing enough to force a full rejection of the graduate response clause, also known as the Carla Bruni clause (a musician with copyright) so named as it is loosely related to the desire to cut off those abusing copywright without recourse to a full judicial hearing.
The amendments a great number of people were particularly concerned with are the so called AT&T and wiki amendments, accepted into the Harbour report and found in the Universal Service and User Rights directive. These were adopted in somewhat controversial circumstances. These clauses attempt to provide ISPs the means to limit our access to the Digital Commons (the public Internet), and treat internet access like a Cable TV service. It's a bit like your taxi driver saying you can only visit part of your municipal park, the bit he wishes to take you too.
Given the third reading is all about ensuring there is no ...restrictions on access.., then this provides ample room to go and challenge these limitation clauses, given there are inconsistent with the objectives of the overall package. Given the Internet access was also being declared a human right, then the limitations clauses look even more peculiar.
The Norwegian principles agreed by their Regulator, Consumer council and ISPs still look the most sensible document I have read on this matter.
Although the AT&T and wiki amendments arose from priviledged access to lobbying our MEPs, internet users managed to ensure the EU Parliament was aware of the unhappy herd at the gate. We, the common herd, now need to create the pressure to get more change and support the MEPs who understand the internet and the benefits of this amazing piece of human endeavour to businesses and consumers alike.
A meeting on June 12th is scheduled with the European Council.
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1. At 21 Aug 2009 06:39, Net Neutrality Is Digital Free Speech « The Wired Polis linked here:
...Just as the Congress is about to debate the Internet Freedom Preservation Act, and before theTelecom Packagediscussion resumes later this fall, one could regret that the concept of openness of our communications infrastructure is not more salient in the public debate....