Brussels, 19/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 19 April, during the adoption of the Commission report on network neutrality, Neelie Kroes declared: “I am determined to ensure that citizens and businesses in the EU can enjoy the benefits of an open and neutral internet, without hidden restrictions and at the speeds promised by their service providers”. The vice-president of the European Commission for the Digital Agenda also warned: “Over the next few months, in close cooperation with member states' regulatory authorities, I will be closely monitoring respect for new EU rules to make sure that they ensure an open internet. At the end of 2011, I will publish the results... If I am not satisfied, I will not hesitate to come up with more stringent measures, which may take the form of guidance or even general legislative measures to achieve the competition... If this proves to be insufficient, I am ready to prohibit the blocking of lawful services or applications”.
The need to ensure that citizens and businesses are easily able to access an open and neutral internet is underlined in the European Commission report. The Commission affirms that it will be vigilant on new EU telecoms rules on transparency, quality of service and the ability to switch operator (due to enter into force on 25 May 2011). It also asserts that these rules will be applied in a way that ensures that these open and neutral internet principles are respected in practice. The Commission will therefore pay close attention to the existence of generalised restrictions of lawful services and applications and to EU citizens' and businesses' broadband connections being as fast as indicated by internet service providers' advertising. The Commission has asked the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) to undertake a rigorous fact-finding exercise on issues crucial to ensuring an open and neutral internet, including barriers to changing operators, blocking or throttling internet traffic (e.g. voice over internet services), transparency and quality of service. The Commission will publish, by the end of the year, evidence from BEREC's investigation, including any instances of blocking or throttling certain types of traffic. If BEREC's findings and other feedback indicate outstanding problems, the Commission will assess the need for more stringent measures. (O.L./transl.fl)