Everybody agrees that European Union suffers from a democratic deficit which deepens the gap between European institutions and their citizens. What is more unknown is that one of main reasons for this is that Member States often use European Union to achieve what can be spelled as “political laundering”. The “Telecoms Package” gives a perfect example of such a deceptive maneuver, aimed at legalizing an european-wide "graduated response" against citizens, and stretching it even deeper as usual. How does it work?

Translation of the letter sent by La Quadrature to the French minister in charge of the Telecoms Package, Luc Chatel.

Mr Minister,

On November 27th, the Council of the European Union will examine the project reforming electronic communications, also known as “Telecoms Package”, as amended by the European Parliament in its first reading last September 24th.

A few weeks ago, the French law installing “graduated response” against Internet users was accepted by the French Senate1

• 1. Translation of the french law.

The European Commission accepts amendment 138 (Bono/Cohn-Bendit/Roithova) against the french "graduated response", one week after the French law is unanimously voted in first reading by the French Senate.

Some right reserved
(From flickr).

Paris, 31 October 2008

The European Commission opposed on Monday a flat refusal to French president Nicolas Sarkozy's request for deleting amendment 138 of the Telecoms Package. It is yet another slap in the face for the proponents of the graduated response.

A letter from Nicolas Sarkozy to the president of European Commission, Jose-Manuel Barroso, has been published today on the website ecrans.fr.[1] Sarkozy begs Barroso to reject Bono/Cohn-Bendit/Roithova amendment (amendment 138) adopted by 88% of the Members of European Parliament (MEPs) during the first reading of the Telecoms package.[2]

La Quadrature du Net (Squaring the Net) welcomes the adoption, in the first reading, of several amendments correcting major problems in the Telecoms Package, as well as the rejection of the most dangerous amendments.

Members of the European Parliament have shown today their commitment to privacy, the protection of personal data, and principles of proportionality and separation of powers.

Brussels, Sept. 19th

Brussels, September the 16th - La Quadrature du Net / Squaring the Net took notice of compromise amendements [1] to the "Telecoms Package" [2] filed jointly by the 3 main political groups (PPE-DE, PSE and ALDE) in the name of the European Parliament commission in charge of the consumer protection.

Brussels, September 3rd, 2008. MEPs, representatives of the European Commission and Council have discussed yesterday in plenary session, in Brussels, the reform of European law on electronic communications (Telecoms Package).

On Monday, July 7th, the IMCO and ITRE committees of the European Parliament passed the review of European telecommunications law known as "Telecoms Package". All of the amendments damaging to the Internet, that were condemmed by la Quadrature du Net and numerous organizations, have been voted through.

Brussels, July 1st, 2008 - updated : July 2nd, 2008

One week before a key vote in the reform of European law on electronic communications ("Telecoms Package"), La Quadrature du Net (Squaring the Net) denounces a series of amendments aimed at closing the open architecture of the Internet for more control and surveillance of users.

1984: The amendments on the Telecoms Package are killing fundamental freedoms

Brussels – Guy Bono is indignant about the freedom-killing amendments that have been submitted in the framework of the “Telecoms Package”, that is currently being discussed in the European Parliament.

Paris, April 28, 2008 The French organization "La Quadrature du Net" (Squaring the Net) is pleased to announce the support of 15 French, European and international organizations.These organizations join La Quadrature du Net in their fight to prevent a possible law, that would ban internet access for presumed copyright-infringing users.

They fear that france could use its upcoming presidency of the European Council to push europe towards such a directive and therefore back into a digital medieval age.