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<p class=MsoNormal dir=LTR><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This certainly has global
implications. I will have to read more about the “package”, but it
seems we should look into it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal dir=LTR><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Best, gp<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal dir=LTR><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
<br>
[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]<br>
<br>
Opennetcoalition calls for protection of European citizens and users rights on
Internet<br>
<br>
Amendments to the "Telecoms Package" before the European Parliament
will likely mean that Internet users and citizens will no longer have
unmonitored Internet access<br>
and free access to websites of their choice.<br>
<br>
* This proposed EU regime has many privacy and civil rights issues it is
contrary to articles 7, 8, 11 and 16 of the EU Charter of Fundamental
Rights(1).<br>
* The idea of "3 strikes and you are out" is almost Stalinist in
outlook. This is not the <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> that citizens
want, but the one that some politicians are starting to build.<br>
* An ISP(2) can decide which website you can visit, arbitrary websites could
possibly be blocked under this regime. You may have to pay more to visit
"foreign" websites.<br>
* The damage this will this cause to our international reputation is enormous.<br>
* The financial implications for citizens and companies of this filtering
system will be large, taxpayers will have to pay for these additional costs.<br>
* Many companies will send their servers out of the EU so that they can
continue to guarantee connectivity. Many others will not be able to export
their products and services<br>
* The proposed solutions are essentially futile.<br>
<br>
<br>
The Opennetcoalition are calling simply for Net Neutrality and the rights of
users to be respected and protected.<br>
The function of an ISP is to deliver your message intact and without
interference, to the destination, wherever that may be.<br>
<br>
None of this precludes proper judicial oversight or any agencies seeking a
specific remedy in the Courts, in respect of infringing sites and users.<br>
<br>
The specific issues are explained in a number of languages on our website.<br>
<br>
<br>
###<br>
ENDS<br>
<br>
Notes:<br>
1. Security and Fundamental Freedoms on the Internet<br>
<br>
2. ISP : Internet Service Provider<br>
<br>
<br>
-----------------------<br>
ABOUT the <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> wide Opennetcoalition<br>
<br>
<br>
Free Knowledge Institute - Wouter Tebbens<br>
P2P Foundation - Celia Blanco and Michel Bauwens<br>
eXgae - Simona Levi<br>
ISOC-ECC - Christopher Wilkinson<br>
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>
Offline - Eamonn Wallace<br>
Hispalinux - Jorge Fuentes<br>
Arbeitskreis Vorratsdatenspeicherung - <st1:PersonName ProductID="Ralf Bendrath"
w:st="on">Ralf Bendrath</st1:PersonName><br>
Asociacion de Internautas - Victor Domingo<br>
IT-Political Association of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Denmark</st1:place></st1:country-region>
- Niels Elgaard Larsen<br>
Istituto per le Politiche dell'Innovazione - Guido Scorza<br>
Associazione Scambio Etico - Paolo Brini<br>
EDRI - Niels Elgaard Larsen<br>
La Quadrature du Net - Jérémie Zimmermann<br>
Open Rights Group - Jim Killock<br>
FFII - Alberto Barrionuevo<br>
Center for Media and Communication Studies (CMCS).- Laura Ranca<br>
<br>
<br>
For more information on the organisation, please visit the Blackout Europe
website at <a href="http://www.blackouteurope.eu/" target="_blank">http://www.blackouteurope.eu</a><br>
or contact us at <a href="mailto:blackout.europe@gmail.com">blackout.europe@gmail.com</a>
<br>
<br>
</span></font><font color=black><span lang=EN-US style='color:windowtext'><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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