Brussels, 04/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - Millions of European internet users currently face restrictions or blockages on really innovative services, such as Skype and WhatsApp. The solution to guaranteeing unrestricted internet use is to provide appropriate net neutrality protection. Currently, the only countries in the European Union that provide open internet guarantees are the Netherlands and Slovenia.
In a speech to the European Parliament on Tuesday 4 June, the commissioner for the digital strategy, Neelie Kroes, revealed one of the most important measures in the legislative package that she will be proposing in October for the single digital market, namely internet openness and neutrality. She referred to the too frequent line blockages that occurred, the lack of quality connections and speed and underlined the urgent need for legislation: “If we don't address net neutrality, wider problems will arise and tomorrow's innovative services might have to stop at the border. I don't want to see that happen. And I will soon be putting forward proposals to ensure it doesn't”.
The commissioner's proposals will be based on four points: 1) innovation: high-quality connections to make use of the potential contained in new services and systems; 2) transparency: compelling sellers to include greater transparency in their contracts (particularly with regard to connection speeds); 3) choice: consumers must be able to choose between providers and have the right to change them easily; 4) competition: providers must be prevented from intentionally impairing the provision of certain services or impeding application operations in an effort to exclude competitors.
These proposals benefit consumers and also competition and investment, stated Ryan Heath, Kroes' spokesman. He said that these proposals will help prevent anti-competitive blockages or a worsening in services but it will not ban companies from offering different internet packages. He added that this policy would allow providers to offer faster connection speeds and different data volumes at different prices but they will not be allowed to block Skype, for example, because this would mean impeding competition. (IL/transl.fl)