European Commissioner Neelie Kroes announced the open internet, or net neutrality, pillar to be included in the telecom single market package. For the first time, the EU will be asked to ensure EU-wide legally protected net neutrality for consumers. Only the Netherlands and Slovenia currently have net neutrality guarantees. The commissioner told the European Parliament that she will put forward proposals to ensure innovation, transparency, choice and competition.
The proposals will allow operators to offer services with guaranteed end-to-end quality at a premium for innovative services but will ensure that others continue to benefit from “best efforts internet”. They will push for transparency in internet contracts, including what is included and what is not, and especially the speed that customers will actually get.
Customers should be able to switch providers without barriers such as excessive charges, modem hire or e-mail addresses. Kroes cites the automatic renewal of contracts as a practice to be removed. The commission will also seek to prevent ISPs from degrading or blocking VoIP and messaging services such as Skype and WhatsApp to eliminate the competition.
The commission will seek “a safeguard for every European, on every device, on every network: a guarantee of access to the full and open internet, without any blocking or throttling of competing services”.
