Paris, May 9th 2012 – The Netherlands became the first EU country to adopt a law protecting Net neutrality. This initiative must set the example for the rest of Europe and France.



After the the vote in the lower chamber last year, the Dutch Senate definitively adopted the Net neutrality law , which bans operators from discriminating their users’ communications, for instance by slowing or blocking specific content or services. It also contains anti-wiretapping law, limiting the use of privacy-intrusive technologies, such as Deep Packet Inspection, by telecom operators.

“The Dutch civil society must be praised for this important achievement protecting the free and open Internet. Net Neutrality is the catalyst not only for growth and innovation in the online environment, but also for the freedom of communication of billions of Internet users across the world. Europe must follow suit by breaking away from the EU Commission’s wait-and-see approach and move to protect Net neutrality through adequate legislation. Enough time has been lost, and the situation has significantly deteriorated. It is time to act!” concludes Jérémie Zimmermann, co-founder and spokesperson for citizen group La Quadrature du Net.

La Quadrature du Net would especially like congratulate their friends of Bits of Freedom as well as all the citizens who took part in this victory!