Brussels, 10/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - The failure to adopt the “Telecoms package” compromise at the European Parliament on 6 May has changed things and the competent ministers meeting on 11 June in Luxembourg for the “Telecoms Council”, will not be tackling this subject, although it should have been at the centre of discussions. If Parliament had adopted the compromise negotiated with the Council of minsters, the latter would have given the go-ahead to sector reform this Thursday. In theory, this still remains possible. In practice, ministers will certainly refuse to approve a text proposed by Parliament and which they say reintroduces Amendment 138 into the Trautmann report and subsequently opposes any restriction on internet accession without a preliminary decision by the legal authorities (EUROPE 9896). An extraordinary meeting was held behind closed door last week to take the temperature of the Council on this very difficult dossier and ministers will not be prepared to accept Parliament's vote. According to one source close to the dossier, “there is no question of it”. Although the showdown between Parliament and the Council originated with the France Hadopi law, the French delegation is no longer isolated in its refusal to endorse Amendment 138. Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the Czech Republic are also opposed to it for various reasons. One meeting participant stated, “accepting the amendment of the original? Impossible! There is no question of it”.
The only point on the agenda will therefore be the exchange of views on European policy in network and information security matters. Discussions will be based on the future of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). The agency's mandate has been extended to March 2012 and it will now involve redefining its tasks and priority action. Ministers will also discuss efforts in the European Union to make networks secure and which are increasingly threatened by cyber attacks. A European approach which completes and brings added value to national initiatives is of great importance in network and information security policy, underlined Coreper in its working note. (I.L./trans/rh)