[P2P-F] Fwd: [opennetcoalition] Will Member States Defend Net Neutrality, in Line with the European Parliament?

Sat Jun 7 22:41:43 CEST 2014

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: La Quadrature du Net <contact at laquadrature.net>
Date: Thu, Jun 5, 2014 at 10:12 AM
Subject: [opennetcoalition] Will Member States Defend Net Neutrality, in
Line with the European Parliament?
To: opennetcoalition at laquadrature.net

Themes: NET NEUTRALITY, COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, ARNAUD MONTEBOURG,
AXELLE LEMAIRE

La Quadrature du Net – For immediate release

Permanent link: https://www.laquadrature.net/en/node/8356

Will Member States Defend Net Neutrality, in Line with the European
Parliament?

*** Paris, 3 June 2014 — On June 6, during the next Council meeting,
ministers will be invited to share their position regarding the proposal
for a Regulation on Net Neutrality. After the rise of eurosceptical forces
in the recent European elections, will the European governments be ready to
support the European Parliament's vote and defend our freedoms? ***

Net neutrality made the headlines again these last weeks with the FCC's
(Federal Communications Commission) decision to open the way to commercial
discrimination [1] – “fast-lanes” – on the Internet. This is a major loss
for the Net Neutrality principle in the US, when, in Europe, the European
Parliament voted in April in favor of a strongly defined and protected Net
Neutrality [2].

But the European Parliament's vote on the issue, which should lead to
important progress, is far from being consolidated. On June 6, the Council
of the European Union, which brings together the governments of every
Member State, was due to present a “general approach”. This report was to
provide the Member States' first position on the proposal of the
Commission, which has been vividly criticized for its weak framing of
specialised services and its ambiguous and contradictory definition of the
principle it set out to defend. This report would have helped understand
where Member States stand regarding the Parliament's more demanding
position.

But the agenda published at end of May shows on the contrary that the
process is slowing down, if not stopped, as now a mere “progress report” is
announced [3].

This leads to believe that governments have not yet taken clear positions
on this dossier or that a number of them do not want this Regulation to
move forward. One should fear that this delay is intended to avoid adopting
a strong definition of Net Neutrality and taking position on the Members of
Parliament's recent decision.

** What is the French position in this process? **

Each Member State has an important role to play in the final decision.
While Italy, the next Member State to hold the Presidency of the Council,
has clearly expressed a strong support of the Net Neutrality principle [4],
France's position remains extremely unclear.

For the April vote, the French government called to reject [5] the
amendments defending a neutral Internet that certain socialist MEPs – such
as Catherine Trautmann [6] – had struggled to promote and which have been
adopted. This inconsistant attitude has – de facto – aligned France on the
position defended by large telecom operators [7].

But the newly appointed French Secretary of State on Digital Affairs Axelle
Lemaire – who was still a deputy at the time – had called to support [8]
the amendments tabled by the socialist MEPs, going against the French
government's position and bringing potential internal dissent.
Consistantly, her first public statement [9] after her nomination clearly
indicates that she remains attached to Net Neutrality.

In the light of these obviously contradictory positions, one can
legitimately wonder what final position France will be taking in the
upcoming meeting. Will it be that of the telecom lobbies that Arnaud
Montebourg has been zealously defending or that of a real Net Neutrality
for which citizens have strongly campaigned and that Axelle Lemaire seems
to still stand for?

French citizens are entitled to know what position their country will take
in these negotiations, as they are crucial for the future of Internet. The
Manuel Valls government must openly state how it stands on this sensitive
issue and allow a public debate to take place. Has France's position
changed since April 3, or will we witness a duel between two ministers
disagreeing on the substance of the subject they are dealing with?

** Turning Net Neutrality into a political, economic and social matter **

A few hours ahead of the Council meeting, La Quadrature du Net has written
an open letter [10] to the French government asking for a clear and public
position to be taken on Net Neutrality, in line with that taken by MEPs and
civil society.

The government must understand that Net Neutrality is a real political
issue:
    - Net Neutrality is a founding principle of the Internet and as such
belongs to our informational commons;
    - Net Neutrality guarantees freedom of communication and equality for
citizens;
    - Net Neutrality breeds innovation in the digital economy thereby
providing a determining advantage to European companies;
    - In the elections aftermath, the French government must hear the
demands of the citizens and of the MEPs of its group [11] in order not to
let the euroscepticals lead the battle for fundamental freedoms.

“After the May 25 elections, as the European Parliament becomes more
strongly occupied with euroscepticals, it is crucial that the position of
the Council and that of France as part of this Council, be one of the
defence of European democracy and its citizens. Will the French government
help those wanting to bury the European Parliament's position?” declared
Miriam Artino, in charge of legal and political analysis for La Quadrature
du Net.

“La Quadrature du Net will be carefully watching and asks the French
government, its Minister of Economy Arnaud Montebourg and its Minister of
Digital Affairs Axelle Lemaire to take a clear position on Net Neutrality
and to defend it within the Council.” concluded Adrienne Charmet-Alix,
Campaign Coordinator for La Quadrature du Net.

* References *

1. https://www.fcc.gov/document/protecting-and-promoting-open-internet-nprm

2.
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/net-neutrality-a-great-step-forward-for-the-free-internet

3.
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/trans/143114.pdf

4.
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/will-the-italian-presidency-of-the-eu-council-support-net-neutrality

5.
https://www.laquadrature.net/fr/pcinpact-neutralite-du-net-la-france-plaide-pour-les-services-specialises
[fr]

6. https://memopol.lqdn.fr/europe/parliament/deputy/CatherineTrautmann/

7.
http://static.pcinpact.com/medias/31-03-2014-note-de-pleniere---paquet-communications-electroniques.pdf
[fr]

8. https://twitter.com/axellelemaire/status/451605754982989824 [fr]

9.
https://www.laquadrature.net/fr/lepoint-axelle-lemaire-veut-retablir-un-internet-qui-garantit-les-libertes-fondamentales
[fr]

10.
https://www.laquadrature.net/fr/lettre-ouverte-a-arnaud-montebourg-et-axelle-lemaire-defendez-la-neutralite-du-net
[fr]

11.
http://www.numerama.com/magazine/29492-les-11-eurodeputes-francais-qui-devront-tenir-leurs-promesses-sur-le-numerique.html
[fr]

** About La Quadrature du Net **

La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that defends the rights and
freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for
the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding
principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge.

In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better
understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific and
pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to encourage
citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and freedoms in the
digital age.

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:
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-la-quadrature-du-net

** Press contact and press room **

contact at laquadrature.net, +33 (0) 972 294 426

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

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