La Quadrature du Net publishes its non-answer to the EU body of telecoms regulators’ (BEREC) consultation on Net Neutrality. It is not time for yet-another consultation on the EU Commission’s failed “wait-and-see” policy aimed at letting telecom operators take control of the Internet by discriminating communications. The only way to protect a free Internet as well as freedoms and innovation online is to clearly enact and protect Net Neutrality in EU law.
All elements are on the table now:
- The findings of Respect My Net are confirmed by BEREC’s own study: Telecoms operators all around the EU restrict their users’ communication, breaking the fundamental principles of the free and open internet while restricting freedoms online and innovation.
- There is clear evidence that national regulators do not have the power to investigate and sanction such restrictions. The so-called “transparency” provisions of the Telecoms Package won’t change anything.
There is only one way to protect a free Internet against the telecom operators’ predatory behaviours: enact and protect Net neutrality in the EU law, just like Chile, the Netherlands and Peru have done.
Through this non-answer to BEREC’s consultation, La Quadrature du Net is sending a clear message to the EU Commission and Mrs. Neelie Kroes in particular: only a strong protection of Net neutrality through ad hoc legislation will be able to safeguard Net neutrality.
La Quadrature du Net calls on all citizens and organizations caring about the free Internet to send similar comments to BEREC in guise of answer to its consultation. We must not let this technocratic process distract us from the real stakes. EU policy-makers will be held accountable for their actions, or lack of thereof, on Net neutrality.
How to respond?
Until the 31 July 2012, you can submit your contribution via email, in the language in which you’re most comfortable (any language spoken in the European Union is accepted) to the BEREC Program Management mailbox at pm@berec.europa.eu. There is no requirement regarding the length or the form of the answer.
Useful resources
- An explanatory paper on the consultation
- Net Neutrality dossier
- Portal about Net Neutrality
- EU Telecom Regulators’ Wake Up Call on Net Neutrality
- BEREC’s study on traffic management and Internet access restrictions
- EU Council Supports Net Neutrality. Let’s Make it the Law!
- EU Parliament Massively Commits to Net Neutrality and Open Internet
- La Quadrature’s answer to the questionnaire on Net neutrality (Commission-BEREC’s consultation – January, 2012)
- La Quadrature’s answer to the BEREC’s consultation (November, 2011)
- La Quadrature’s answer to the EU Commission’s consultation (September, 2010)