According to the good folk at EDRI the telecoms package recently passed by the EU parliament retains worrying provisions potentially facilitating the introduction of a 3-strikes law on a European scale. German MEP, Ruth Hieronymi, who was instrumental in blocking amendment 132 which clearly oppposed a 3 strikes regime, has stated publicly that she believes the telecoms package directive, as passed, now contains the legal framework for setting up an EU 3 strikes law or as the lobbyists like to call it the “graduated response” approach. “In an attempt to influence the German government’s position, a seminar, “on the development of Creative content online” was organized by the French embassy in Berlin with the title “Can the Olivennes agreement set the course for the digital future?”. During the seminar, German MEP Ruth Hieronymi clearly stated that co-operation amendment 112 of the Harbour report in the Telecoms Package provided the basis for the graduated response in EU law. “I am absolutely convinced, that the legal framework is there, to fashion a model like Olivennes that is compatible with European law” she stated in relation to the Telecoms Package.

Source: Ray Corrigan