Strasbourg, April 21 2009 - Once again, the European Parliament has demonstrated it can resist pressure and stand for the rights and freedoms of citizens. Amendment 138 (now renumbered amendment 46) was adopted today in ITRE committe, in Strasbourg.

Paris, April 20th 2009 − The Council of the EU is strongly pushing Catherine Trautmann – rapporteur of the main directives of the "Telecoms Package" – to accept a useless, neutralized version1 of amendment 138. This amendment, opposing to “graduated response” – or “three strikes” – schemes, has been overwhelmingly adopted by the European Parliament in its first reading on September 2008, and is crucial for safeguarding EU citizens' rights and freedoms. La Quadrature du Net calls European citizens to urge their MEPs seating in ITRE committee to support the rapporteur by refusing any compromise neutralizing amendment 138 (now renumbered 46) on April 21st vote.

• 1. The Council wants to make it a merely indicative recital instead of an article that Member States must transpose into their law

Paris, November 20th 2008 − Essential rights and freedoms for Internet users are at stake. On November 27th, The Council of EU may open the door to an pan-european "graduated response" by removing Amendment 138, voted by 88% of the European Parliament from the “Telecoms Package”. Academic studies confirm that the fundamental principles of proportionality and privacy may also be threatened by the ministers of the Member States, along with this blatant denial of everyone's right to a due trial.

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]