The European Parliament today voted for a Regulation on a Single Market for Electronic Communications. The EU institutions will claim that this will protect net neutrality. This is sadly not true.

“The European Parliament has avoided making decisions on all crucial points,” said Joe McNamee, Executive Director of European Digital Rights. “Now, national regulators will have to decide – on abuses imposed through ‘zero rating’, on rules on congestion management, on specialised services and so on”, he added. “We will engage with BEREC and the Commission to provide clarity in the interpretation of the rules. Hopefully, the vagueness of the regulation can be fixed by BEREC’s guidelines and through diligent enforcement by national telecoms regulators”, Mr. McNamee concluded.

Background:

In September 2013, the European Commission produced a “not” neutrality proposal.

In April 2014, the European Parliament voted for a strong, clear text which defended the neutrality of the Internet, for the good of free speech, competition and innovation.

In June 2015, after months of total intransigence from the EU Council, that opposed net neutrality, a “compromise” was found through the adoption of unclear language.

Read more:

The final countdown for net neutrality in the EU

https://edri.org/the-final-countdown-for-net-neutrality-in-the-eu/

Blurry, ambiguous “net neutrality” deal is an abdication of responsibility

https://edri.org/blurry-ambiguous-net-neutrality-deal-is-an-abdication-of-responsibility/

Net Neutrality: document pool II

https://edri.org/net-neutrality-document-pool-2/

Net Neutrality: primary document pool

https://edri.org/net-neutrality-primary-document-source

Infographics:

Press release buzzword translator

https://edri.org/files/NN_infographics_buzzword_translator.pdf

Net neutrality and encryption

https://edri.org/files/NN_infographics_encryption.pdf

Net neutrality and zero rating

https://edri.org/files/NN_infographics_zerorating.pdf

Net neutrality and specialised services

https://edri.org/files/NN_infographics_specialisedservices.pdf