European telecom regulators issue guidelines about net neutrality
Today, European telecommunication regulators issued joint guidelines in which they explain how they will apply the European net neutrality rules. The European rules for open internet came into force on April 30, 2016.
“No half-measures when it comes to internet access”
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is the telecommunication regulator in the Netherlands. Henk Don, Member of the Board of ACM, explains: “There can be no half-measures when it comes to internet access: consumers and businesses are entitled to full access to all available information and services. This is only possible if telecom companies treat all internet traffic equally. This allows consumers to choose new services as well. In short, open internet thus benefits everyone in Europe.
ACM will make sure that internet providers do not distinguish between the different types of data they pass on, such as content or apps over the Internet. ACM will take enforcement action the moment it is granted power to do so. The bill that will grant ACM this power has been submitted to the Dutch Senate.
Half a million comments
The guidelines have attracted a lot of attention. In June 2016, BEREC, the European network of telecom regulators, presented a draft version of the guidelines to interested parties. This consultation generated as much as half a million comments. BEREC received comments from citizens, interest groups, independent experts, providers of internet access services, and providers of services or applications on the Internet.
BEREC has assessed all comments by now. And, as a result, about a quarter of the text of the guidelines has been revised. For example, BEREC clarified several points that seemed to have caused some misunderstandings. In addition, BEREC brought the text of the guidelines, in several areas, more in line with the European regulation on open internet.
About the consultation
Today, BEREC releases both the guidelines and the consultation report, which contains a summary of the comments made by the interested parties, as well as an explanation of BEREC as to how these comments have been processed. Because of the large number of comments on the consultation, not all comments have been included in het consultation report, but only the most important subjects and comments. BEREC will publish all non-confidential comments by late-September 2016.
The guidelines and consultation report are available in English at: www.berec.europa.eu.