Mounting opposition to internet fundamental rights climbdown at EU

While ORG supporters have been writing to MEPs in obvious dismay at the Parliamentary negotiators climbdown, European ISPs, consumer groups and others today piled into the debate. So did the Greens and Pirate party. Several are warning the European Parliament that its’ credibility is at risk.

Amendment 138, which the EU Council and Parliamentary negotiators are seeking to water down, seeks to guarantee Internet access and protect fundamental civil liberties such as freedom of expression and the right to due process before freedoms are curtailed.

Philippe Aigrain, from leading digital campaigners, la Quadrature du Net led the charge on Wednesday when the news broke, saying:

“This turn-around is worryingly undermining the Parliament’s powers. It reveals a profound and lack of transparency and democratic credibility of the European institutions. The negotiators led by Catherine Trautmann decided to ignore the mandate they received from the Parliament.”

Today, EU Consumer group BEUC said:

“Furthermore, the fundamental right to information and freedom of expression will be curtailed. Today, access to the Internet has become a fundamental need – if not a fundamental right. Cutting someone’s Internet connection, in the digital era, deprives them from access to essential services such as employment opportunities, social, health and government services.”

EuroISPA said:

“We believe that unrestricted access to the Internet is an integral part of Fundamental Freedoms, providing a secure business environment and protecting citizens’ civil liberties.

“Any restriction of an individual to those rights should only be taken following a prior judicial ruling. Only a court can guarantee a proportionate, balanced decision, respectful of the Fundamental Rights of Information, Privacy and Communication.

“EuroISPA urges the European Parliament to fully respect the democratic mandate received from European citizens’ and defend the principles laid down in the Charter of Fundamental Rights on Freedom of Expression and Information and the European Convention for Human Rights.

Belgian Green Philippe Lamberts, a member of the European Parliament Delegation to the Conciliation Committee, said:

“The current discussion on Amendment 138 is an acid test of the European parliament’s will to uphold citizens fundamental rights. The basic principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ must be guaranteed.

“Bowing to narrow national interests defended by the EU Council would be a betrayal of Parliament’s role as a pan European institution.”

Christian Engström from the Pirate Party, Sweden, said:

“Amendment 138 is the same today as it was before the elections in June. It would be the worst possible betrayal to abandon our position on Amendment 138 after the elections, having supported it so strongly before them. We have now taken European Parliament’s Legal Services advice on board and made our text even stronger by referring to the European Convention of Human Rights instead of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which has not yet been ratified with the Lisbon Treaty.”

We are still waiting to hear what ALDE (the European Liberal Democrats), PSE (EU Socialists), EFD (UK and Polish Conservatives), EPP (Conservatives) and others have to say.

In the meantime, please write to your MEP, and ask your elected representatives to defend Amendment 138.