Net Neutrality
Why do we need rules for net neutrality?
Net neutrality is crucial for users and businesses. It ensures that Europeans have access to the online content and services they wish without any discrimination or interference (like blocking or slowing down) by Internet access providers. This is also very important for start-up businesses that commercialise their products and services via the Internet and need to be able to compete on an equal footing with larger players.
Until now, there have been no clear rules on net neutrality at EU level, leaving most Europeans without legal protection for their right to access the open Internet. Some EU countries have adopted national laws on net neutrality. However, in a Digital Single Market, we cannot afford that 28 Member States adopt 28 different approaches on that issue. The freedom of European citizens to access or distribute Internet content must not depend on the country in which they are. Having an EU law on net neutrality will avoid further fragmentation of telecoms regulation in Europe.
What has been agreed?
The rules enshrine the principle of net neutrality into EU law: no blocking or throttling of online content, applications and services. It means that there will be truly common EU-wide Internet rules, contributing to a single market and reversing current fragmentation.
- Every European must be able to have access to the open Internet and all content and service providers must be able to provide their services via a high-quality open Internet.
- All traffic will be treated equally. This means, for example, that there can be no paid prioritisation of traffic in the Internet access service. At the same time, equal treatment allows reasonable day-to-day traffic management according to justified technical requirements, and which must be independent of the origin or destination of the traffic.
How does this agreement balance out the interests of industry and consumers?
The agreed rules establish a right of all Internet end-users (consumers and businesses) to access and distribute legal content, services and applications of their choice. The agreement allows efficient network management by Internet service providers, subject to clear and strict rules. This means that consumers will have no obstacles to access any online services and applications over their Internet access, now and in the future, when faster Internet access and new applications will be available.
The rules also enable continued network and service innovation by defining the principles underpinning the relationship between Internet access services and innovative services with specific quality requirements. The rules will ensure that the quality of the open Internet access service will not be hampered by the provision of services such as IPTV or telemedicine which share the same infrastructure. These innovative services may only be offered where and if sufficient capacity for Internet access remains available.
Will there be paid prioritisation services in the open Internet?
Under today's agreement, paid prioritisation in the open Internet will be banned. Based on this new legislation, all content and application providers will have guaranteed access to end-users in the open Internet. This access should not be dependent on the will or particular commercial interest of Internet service providers. These providers will not be able to block or throttle traffic in their networks or give priority to some particular content or services in exchange of payment. At the same time, end-users and providers of Internet access will continue being able to agree on different access speeds and data volumes as they do today.
via europa.eu
e adesso vi invito a leggere il contributo che con un gruppo chiamato nnsquad italia avevamo sottomesso alla consultazione pubblica della Commissione del 2012 con particolare riferimento alla risposta 5.
Il link al PDF redirige su http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/ e non fa vedere il PDF
Scritto da: Stefano Bagnara | 16/07/2015 a 12:51
grazie, sistemato
Scritto da: Stefano Quintarelli | 16/07/2015 a 13:26