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Paris, 12 May 2009 - French "HADOPI" law implementing "three strikes" policy was adopted by a short majority in National Assembly, after a previous rejection on April 9th1. Members of the majority right-wing party of N. Sarkozy, under high pressure, voted this obsolete text, massively rejected by public opinion and directly opposed by Europe. This legislative process' debacle, along with an "hadopigate" case2, opens the way to credible solutions for funding creation in the digital age that have to be compatible with civil liberties3. HADOPI is stillborn, the debate shall begin!

1. 1. French constitution allows for the government to present again a law that was rejected...
2. 2. An executive from TF1, the first TV channel owned by N Sarkozy's personal friend, M. Bouygues, was fired for having sent a private email to his elected representative expressing his personal opinion about the law: http://ecrans.fr/Vire-de-TF1-pour-s-etre-oppose-a,7132.html(fr)
3. 3. Look at Philippe Aigrain's proposals (co-founder of La Quadrature du Net): http://www.laquadrature.net/fr/livre-internet-creation-de-philippe-aigrain, and other similar proposals in the world : http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/05/11/the-world-is-going-flat-rate/

Strasbourg, May 6 2009 − The debates on the Telecoms Package, thanks to a remarkable citizen mobilization, led to an extremely strong recognition of the access to internet as a fundamental right with the re-adoption of amendment 138/46 in second reading by a qualified majority. It is the final blow against three-strike laws such as Nicolas Sarkozy's HADOPI bill, which are explicitely banned. The European Parliament nevertheless adopted a soft compromise on issues of network equity: no strong protection against “net discrimination” was adopted.

Paris, May 4 2009 - Threats to citizens' basic rights and freedoms and to the neutrality of Internet could be voted without any safeguard in the EU legislation regarding electronic communication networks (Telecoms Package). EU citizens have two days to call all Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to ask them to vote for the “Citizens' Rights Amendments”, in the second reading of the Telecoms Package. These amendments include all the safeguards that were removed in the “compromise amendments”, as well as provisions protecting against “net discrimination” practices and filtering of content.

On both parts of the Telecoms Package, rapported by Malcolm Harbour (IMCO report) and Catherine Trautmann (ITRE report), agreements have been found with the Council of the EU to destroy or neutralize major protections of the citizens against graduated response, "net discrimination" and filtering of content on the Internet. There is little time left, but the Parliament has a last chance with the plenary vote on May 6th to reaffirm its commitment to protecting EU citizens.

Paris, 29 avril 2008 - A new version of amendment 138/46 was agreed today between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Instead of blocking immediately the HADOPI-style fake justice for the entertainment industries, one will be able to stop it only after a long procedure in front of the European courts. In face of an unjustified pressure from the Council asking to suppress the reference to the role of the judiciary, the Parliament gave priority to a quick agreement on the Telecoms Package rather than voicing strongly its support to citizen rights.

Paris, 28 April 2008 - Negotiations are still going on in secret among the European Parliament, the EU Council, and the Commission on the directives of the Telecoms Package. The crucial question of “net discrimination” is being intensely and alarmingly reworked right now in the Universal Service directive, whose rapporteur is Malcolm Harbour (EPP/ED - UK). The Council is currently neutralizing every provision protecting citizens' rights. The Parliament must react.

Strasbourg, April 21 2009 - Once again, the European Parliament has demonstrated it can resist pressure and stand for the rights and freedoms of citizens. Amendment 138 (now renumbered amendment 46) was adopted today in ITRE committe, in Strasbourg.

Paris, April 20th 2009 − The Council of the EU is strongly pushing Catherine Trautmann – rapporteur of the main directives of the "Telecoms Package" – to accept a useless, neutralized version1 of amendment 138. This amendment, opposing to “graduated response” – or “three strikes” – schemes, has been overwhelmingly adopted by the European Parliament in its first reading on September 2008, and is crucial for safeguarding EU citizens' rights and freedoms. La Quadrature du Net calls European citizens to urge their MEPs seating in ITRE committee to support the rapporteur by refusing any compromise neutralizing amendment 138 (now renumbered 46) on April 21st vote.

1. 1. The Council wants to make it a merely indicative recital instead of an article that Member States must transpose into their law

Paris, March 26th - The European Parliament may be about to surrender absolute power over the Internet to the telecom operators. Under the false pretext that the existing rules governing market and competition would solve any problem, members of IMCO committee are about to allow "Net discrimination" in amendments pushed by AT&T and the UK government. If these amendments are approved, European innovation, Internet growth model and citizens' fundamental rights and freedoms may be in great danger.

Paris, Mar. 23rd 2009 - Harmful amendments to Telecoms Package 2nd reading may be voted on March 31st in IMCO and ITRE committees. They all have in common to give extra powers to established industries (telecoms, entertainment, IT security) starving for control over the Internet. “Net discrimination” amendments could allow operators to discriminate against types of content or services, or to give preferential access to certain services whilst blocking others. Such limitations to the websites subscribers can visit, and to services and applications they can use would mean the end of an open Internet as we know it. These amendemnents would have dreadful consequences for innovation on the network as well for citizen's Freedoms. European citizens must urge MEPs from IMCO and ITRE to protect their freedoms by voting for safeguarding amendments and rejecting all amendments allowing net discrimination, “three strikes” schemes and privacy breaches.

Paris, March 2nd − Rapporteurs for the European Parliament on the directives of the Telecoms Package, have just released their draft reports for the second reading. Some improvements were made, like the reintroduction of amendments 138 & 166. About “Net discrimination”, the worst was avoided, but there is still a blatant lack for clarification and concrete guarantees that Telecom operators won't be allowed full control over the Internet. La Quadrature du Net calls IMCO and ITRE members to vigilance in order to “patch” the last loopholes left open in this text.

Paris, January 19th. The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) released his opinion on the current state of the Telecoms Package. His views on the ePrivacy directive confirms La Quadrature's analysis: If nothing is done, article 6.6(a) will allow any company to collect and process traffic data from any Internet user, for an undetermined period of time. This disposition is harmful and unacceptable.