The
European Parliament has voted in favor of a telecommunications bill that drops
roaming charges across the EU. However, the bill also threatens net neutrality
in the 28-nation bloc.
Deutsche Welle, 27 Oct 2015
The
European Parliament Tuesday voted in favor of the Telecommunications Single
Market (TSM) bill after amendments proposed by several Members of the European
Parliament (MEPs) were rejected.
This is excellent news for consumers & business! EP approves legislation on #netneutrality & end of #roaming
— Günther H. Oettinger (@GOettingerEU) October 27, 2015
"Today's
vote puts an end to the legislative vote on the TSM. The parliament has shown
leadership throughout the…process," said MEP Pilar del Castillo Vera after
the EU Parliament passed the bill.
"There
can be no doubt that the Internet is a valuable asset. It is full of
opportunities for all. We need to handle this asset very carefully. This
regulation establishes the guarantees required to ensure the Internet gives
equal access to all without discrimination," Castillo Vera noted.
The TSM
effectively ensures that telecommunications companies cannot charge mobile
users while roaming within the 28-nation union.
Net
neutrality in danger?
However,
the bill also made telecommunications regulators and courts the final arbiters
of net neutrality, leaving the Internet's future under their mandate.
"We are disappointed that the European Parliament has decided not to legislate on this critical issue," Estelle Masse, policy analyst at digital rights organization Access Now, said in a statement.
"We are disappointed that the European Parliament has decided not to legislate on this critical issue," Estelle Masse, policy analyst at digital rights organization Access Now, said in a statement.
"By
not supporting the necessary amendments to give clarity to the text, the
Parliament has left it up to courts and national regulators to determine its
meaning," Masse noted.
The bill's language remains vague with regards to the establishment of so-called
"fast lanes" and zero-rating schemes.
'Determined'
World Wide
Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee said earlier this week that if the text remained
unchanged, it could "threaten innovation" within the 28-nation bloc.
However,
critics of the bill in its current form remain committed to ensuring net
neutrality, or the concept of an open Internet that is treated equally, and
"without discrimination, restriction or interference regardless of its
sender, recipient, type or content."
.@Europarl_EN just adopted #TSM without amendments - Amendments for strong #netneutrality have all been rejected
— Access (@accessnow) October 27, 2015
"We
are determined to work closely with regulatory authorities in order to bring
the necessary clarity to the text during the nine-month consultation
period," Massed said.
"The
fight for net neutrality is not over. The EU telecoms regulators are now tasked
to finish the work started by the EU legislators to ensure that free expression
online is protected."
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