Telecoms - universal services directive: A vote for consumer protection, not internet policing
German MEP Heide Rühle welcomed yesterday's adoption of the telecom universal services report by the European Parliament Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee.
"This report brings multiple benefits to consumers: clearer, transparent, comparable and up-to-date information on prices, tariffs and contract conditions. Consumers will also be better informed on payment methods, service quality, maintenance, contacting customer support and the "112" emergency number. All users will be able to call emergency services and access caller location information free of charge. The use of telecommunications by disabled users will also be improved.
A Greens/EFA amendment also favours competition and prevents subscribers getting tied into excessively long contracts: maximum contract length is set at 24 months and a maximum 12 month option must always be provided.
We welcome the approval of this report in the face of a misleading campaign that suggested that it would allow internet service providers to monitor or block users' access to the internet by controlling the content of users' internet activities. The Telecom Universal Service Directive does not provide for "internet policing" by internet providers. While the proposal allows national regulators to take measures against service degradation and slowing of traffic over networks, it explicitly states that users must not have their online access unreasonably restricted. We believe internet access is a service of general interest and a minimum quality of service must be guaranteed to all users.
Unfortunately the internal market committee (IMCO) could not address the ill-conceived civil liberties committee (LIBE) vote in June that supported allowing any natural or legal person to process traffic data. This provision, as well as the LIBE and IMCO Reports will go to the Parliament's Plenary Session in September. In light of this the Greens remain open to any proposals to further improve the Directive."
