On Monday, September 28th, the Conciliation committee on the Telecoms Package – a major reform of the Telecommunications sector in the European Union (EU) – started discussing contentious provisions that remain in the text. Early May, Rapporteurs for the EP and diplomats from the Council of the EU reached a consensus on the whole package, but one amendment that was finally passed by the Parliament : the notorious amendment 138. This fundamental provision is now at the heart of the negotiation.

Brussels, September 28th - The first conciliation meeting on the Telecoms Package will take place tonight at 7:30PM. In this meeting, 27 Members of the European Parliament will decide on the future of Internet in Europe. They will choose whether to fix or maintain the dreadful anti-Net neutrality dispositions voted in second reading by the Parliament, under the influence of AT&T. Rapporteurs and representatives of the Swedish Presidency opposed this idea so far. European citizens only have a few hours to urge MEPs to preserve Europe's innovation, competition, and citizen's fundamental rights.

As the United States moves forward to guarantee Net Neutrality, the European Union is on the verge of passing a major reform of the telecommunications sector that contains provisions threatening the open, non-discriminatory nature of the Internet. If Europe were to adopt the telecom package as it stands now, it would risk further undermining its position as one of the top leaders of the information age.

Behind closed doors, positions are being negotiated on the Telecoms Package among the rapporteur, the European Commission, and the Council of the EU. If those "trialogues" get to a compromise, it will simply be put to votes as a whole in committees instead of the amendments tabled in the Parliament. This opaque process is disturbing in itself, but the content of the compromise is even worse. Once again some powerful parties are fighting against equal access.

Here are the letters (PDF attached below) La Quadrature du Net sent to members of IMCO and ITRE committees about the crucial votes on Telecoms Package second reading, on March 31st.

Letter to IMCO members

Civil liberties groups La Quadrature du Net, European Digital Rights (EDRi) and AK Vorrat are urging the European Parliament to heed advice given by the European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx and scrap plans dubbed "voluntary data retention".

Press release by La Quadrature du Net, European Digital Rights (EDRi), netzpolitik.org and Working Group on Data Retention (AK Vorrat), 28 January 2009

The joint-venture of the NGOs "La Quadrature du Net" with help of "FFII" (=Foundation for a free informational Infrastructure; Europe) and "AK Vorrat" (=Arbeitskreis Vorratsdatenspeicherung; Germany) and netzpolitik.org has updated their voting recommendations for the plenary vote on the "Telecoms Package" on September 24th 2008 at 11:30AM at the European Parliament in Brussels. A visual art installation about digital surveillance and a press meeting will be held in front of the European Parliament before the vote (see details below).