From the Commission:
A Warm Hello from Brussels
The EU decided to propose a law that would terminate internet access to any EU citizen that is accused of downloading software that violates intellectual property rights, without prior legal process. In other words you’re guilty before proven innocent. Paradoxically, last May, the EU parliament decided that every EU citizen has the fundamental right to have access to the internet (universal access) sort of like every Canadian has the fundamental right to have access to universal Medicare. The amendment caused swift reaction from French deputies who reminded the EU parliament (whose deputies seem to have succumbed to the will of the EU
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commission which probably succumbed to some other lobby groups’ will) that similar legislation in France was deemed unconstitutional by the French High Court, and now required a legal process before any citizen is disconnected from internet access (ie. proven guilty before any action taken). The proposed law will apply (if it receives a majority vote in the EU parliament) beginning 2010 which means that the member countries will have about 18 months to embody the law in their national legal framework.
The EU also proposed a new “Telecommunication Package” that includes the following highlights:
• A subscriber can change to a different operator within a day with number portability
• A service contract can have a maximum of two years duration • Service operators must inform NRAs about subscriber information confidentiality violations
• A minimum quality of service must be guaranteed at the signing of any subscriber-service operator service contract.
• NRA position is strengthened with greater independence and a new body called BEREC is created to ensure healthy competition.
• Measured to ensure regional internet broadband access growth
