EU Public Affairs Monitor - 28/11/08

Hadopi : Bruxelles critique la France et réclame des explications
"La Commission européenne vient d’adresser une longue liste d’observations à la France sur le projet de loi antipiratage, révèle ce matin la Tribune. Le texte Création et Internet avait été notifié à l'Europe le 22 juillet, et jusqu'au 23 octobre dernier, chaque État membre a pu émettre des commentaires conformément au droit européen qui impose pareille procédure quand un texte touche à la société de l’information. Dans cette synthèse, manque de chance pour la France, les doutes et questionnements sont nombreux." [PCInPact]

La Commission européenne critique le projet de loi création et Internet
"La Commission européenne apprécie modérément le projet de loi Création et Internet qui doit être voté début 2009 à l'Assemblée nationale. Dans une lettre rédigée il y a plus d'un mois, mais rendue publique seulement jeudi 27 novembre sur le site de La Tribune, la Commission européenne demande plusieurs modifications et explications au gouvernement français, pour rendre le texte conforme à la législation européenne. Certaines modifications réclamées par la Commission ont entre-temps été intégrées dans le projet de loi lors des débats au Sénat. Mais des points essentiels n'ont toujours pas été pris en compte." [LeMonde]

Loi antipiratage sur Internet: les observations de Bruxelles
La Commission européenne vient d'envoyer à Paris ses "observations" concernant le projet de loi de lutte contre le piratage sur Internet. La lettre critique de nombreux aspects du texte (notamment la coupure de l'accès Internet des pirates) et suggère plusieurs modifications. Bruxelles n'est guère enthousiaste concernant la loi française de lutte contre le piratge sur Internet. Voici en exclusivité les "observations" que la Commission européenne vient d'envoyer à Paris concernant le projet de loi. La lettre critique de nombreux aspects du texte (notamment la coupure de l'accès Internet des pirates) et suggère plusieurs modifications. [LaTribune]

Outlines of telecoms regulatory regime becomes clearer
“UK and Sweden accept compromise deal but flag up their “considerable concerns” relating to investment and the power of operators. EU telecoms ministers today agreed a fragile compromise on overhauling the EU's regulatory regime for the telecommunications sector, opening the way for negotiations to reach a final agreement with the European Parliament and the European Commission early next year.

The EU's current presidency, France, went into the meeting with a new compromise text, but encountered opposition from seven national delegations (the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy) on issues ranging from the right of the European Commission to veto remedies proposed by national regulators, stronger powers for a new body – the Group of European Regulators (GERT) – and rules on allocating radio spectrum.” [EuropeanVoice]

Commission slams France over internet law
“New French rules designed to protect intellectual property online are likely to fall foul of the European commission, Le Monde reports.
Media commissioner Viviane Reding has already warned Paris that moves to block internet access of those found guilty of breaching copyright would breach EU law – but French lawmakers have persisted in following this line, the paper notes.

In a letter to the French government, Reding said that blocking access was disproportionate because the internet was about so much more than downloads – and that essential services such as banking or tax declarations online would also suffer as a result.” [TheParliament]

National differences could scupper telecoms legislation
Note: this article was released last Friday, right after I sent the previous monitoring. I include it as I think it gives a good overview of what could have happened should an agreement not have been found yesterday.
“Parliament warns of cost of failure to agree; plans for independent national regulators resisted. Telecoms ministers are at loggerheads over future reform of industry regulation ahead of a crucial meeting next week.
If the ministers fail to reach agreement on 27 November the entire package of proposals could be held back until the end of next year.

With less than a week to go, there are still divisions among EU member states and between the Council of Ministers, the European Commission and the European Parliament. Leading MEPs who worked on agreeing the Parliament's position on the package have written to Luc Chatel, the French telecoms minister who will chair the ministers' meeting, warning that failure to reach agreement next week risks great uncertainty for the telecoms sector at a time of economic crisis.” [EuropeanVoice]

Telecommunications package: unanimous agreement of the 27 on the text
“Luc Chatel, the French Minister of State for Industry and Consumer Affairs, who presided over the Telecommunications Council in Brussels on Thursday 27 November, welcomed the political agreement reached on the Telecommunications Package. Eric Besson, the French Minister of State for Forward Planning, Assessment of Public Policies and Development of the Digital Economy, then presided over the next part of the Council on promoting the information society and the internet of the future.” [UE2008]