November 2007 President Sarkozy proposes a « three strikes » law for France, meaning that people illegally copying music or films over the internet will be cut off after a third offence. […]
May 2009 France’s National Assembly passes the three-strikes law, but the measure, once seen as a potential solution worldwide, is not taken up by other countries. A month later the law is struck down by the country’s constitutional court, and the measure has to be reworked so that cut-offs can only be implemented by court order. […]
August 7 2009 Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, dines in Corfu with David Geffen, Hollywood billionaire who founded Asylum and Geffen Records and part-owned DreamWorks studio with Steven Spielberg. Speculation follows that after lobbying by Geffen, Lord Mandelson demanded that cut-off be reintroduced as a possible penalty for illegal downloading, although his department deny any link between the events.
August 25 2009 Lord Mandelson’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announces plans to consider cutting off internet pirates connections as « very much a last resort ». Department says the decision-making process « had been going on for weeks » after looking at « the consultation reponses and feedback ».
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6809342.ece