Brussels, 09/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - Following the adoption of the communication on the Southern Mediterranean adopted by the European Commission on Tuesday 8 March, Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes has highlighted the crucial importance of new means of communication for the citizens of totalitarian regimes and the need to find ways to tackle the blocking of internet access, a tactic often used by authoritarian regimes which feel under threat. “Where we have concluded that an authoritarian regime's actions are illegitimate, the tool-kit of policy responses should include measures to keep communications open”, Kroes said. While acknowledging that local telecoms companies may have little choice but to obey the orders of the regime, the commissioner has called on DG Information Society to explore ways of circumventing arbitrary internet and communications shut-downs. (I.L./transl.rt)