Brussels, 24/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 24 November, the European Parliament voted by a wide majority (510 votes to 40, with 24 abstentions) to approve the agreement negotiated by the conciliation committee, thereby removing the final obstacle to the coming into effect of the new rules, following the Council agreement last Friday (see EUROPE 10025). “I sincerely believe that the conciliation agreement reached was the best we could have hoped for. This is the first time that a legal text refers to the use of the internet as an exercise of fundamental rights,” said Catherine Trautmann (S&D, France), the rapporteur on the framework directive. The reform, proposed two years ago by the European Commission, has, over the last few months, developed into a trial of strength over amendment 138 between the European Parliament, mindful of consumers' rights and freedoms, and member states, keen to be able to impose whatever sanctions they thought fit on internet surfers who broke the law. After intense negotiations, the two sides finally reached agreement on 4 November on a text in which the weight of every single word had been carefully considered. This text sets the conditions under which a member state can cut off internet access, through a fair and impartial procedure (see EUROPE 10013). The stakes were high because, had there been no agreement on third and final reading, the entire reform would have been shelved. Without going over the detail of the progress made in this reform, it may be said that the telecoms package will bring general improvement to users' rights on changing operators and contractual obligations, and will offer greater protection of personal data and privacy. It will harmonise radio spectrum management with a view to the switchover from analogue to digital TV, will improve cooperation among member states' telecoms regulators and will allow national authorities to increase competition through the use of “functional separation”. The new legislation will also bring a wider spread of broadband and will encourage investment in new generation networks by providing greater legal security. The package as a whole will come into effect with publication in the Official Journal of 18 December 2009. Thereafter, member states will have until 30 June 2011 to incorporate the provisions into national law. (I.L./transl.rt)