Ensure open access for internet service suppliers and ban roaming fees, say MEPs
4 Apr 2014 03:51 PM
Internet access providers would be barred from
blocking or slowing down selected services for economic or other reasons by the
latest draft EU “telecoms package” legislation voted by Parliament
on Thursday. MEPs also voted to ban "roaming” charges for using a
mobile phone in another EU country, as of from 15 December
2015.
"Today's vote is a great step towards
strengthening the telecommunications single market. Parliament wants to
abolish retail roaming charges for voice, SMS and data by 15 December 2015 and
improve radio spectrum management to develop 4G and 5G throughout Europe",
said rapporteur Pilar del Castillo Vera (EPP, ES).
“We have achieved further guarantees to maintain
the openness of the Internet by ensuring that users can run and provide
applications and services of their choice as well as reinforcing the Internet
as a key driver of competitiveness, economic growth, jobs, social development
and innovation”, she added. Ms del Castillo's report was approved by
534 votes to 25, with 58 abstentions.
Equal internet access for service
suppliers
MEPs want clear rules to prevent internet access
providers from promoting some services at the expense of others. EU telecoms
regulator BEREC reported that several internet access providers were blocking
or slowing down services like “Skype”, which is used to make phone
calls over the internet.
Internet access providers would still be able to offer
specialized services of higher quality, such as video on demand and
business-critical data-intensive “cloud” (data storage)
applications, so long as these services are not supplied to "the detriment
of the availability or quality of internet access services" offered to
other companies or service suppliers.
MEPs shortened the European Commission's list of
“exceptional” cases in which internet access providers could still
be entitled to block or slow down the internet. MEPs say these practices should
be permitted only to enforce a court order, preserve network security or
prevent temporary network congestion. If such "traffic management
measures" are used, they must be "transparent, non-discriminatory and
proportionate" and "not be maintained longer than necessary",
they add.
MEPs underline that internet access should be provided
in accordance with the principle of "net neutrality", which means
that all internet traffic is treated equally, without discrimination,
restriction or interference, independently of its sender, recipient, type,
content, device, service or application.
Ending “roaming” charges in
2015
MEPs also amended the text to ban “roaming”
charges (extra fees for using a mobile phone to call, send text messages or
access the internet in another EU country) anywhere in the EU as of 15 December
2015. If roaming services are abused, however, capped charges could
exceptionally be imposed, MEPs say.
Next steps
The
European Parliament voted on its first reading of the draft legislation, in
order to consolidate the work done so far and hand it over to the next
Parliament. This ensures that the MEPs newly elected in May can build on work
done during the current term.
Procedure:
Co-decision (Ordinary legislative procedure), first
reading