[A2k] Victory for EU Citizens! Amendment 138 was voted again.

Wed Apr 22 14:08:15 2009

Victory for EU Citizens! Amendment 138 was voted again.

*** 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. ***

Amendement 138/46-135 states that restrictions to the fundamental rights
and freedoms of Internet users can only be put in place after a decision
by judicial authorities (save when public security is threatened in
which case the ruling may be subsequent). It was adopted last September
by an overwhelming majority of the European Parliament, and approved by
the European Commission despite explicit requests from the French
Presidency to reject it. The European Council has rejected it further to
pressure of the French government and some disinformation by in-house
Council lawyers on its claimed contradiction with existing National law.

Despite strong pressure to reach a compromise on the framework directive
of the Telecoms Package, the ITRE committee of the European Parliament
has today adopted again amendment 138/46, by a strong majority of 40
against 4. One will have to monitor closely further proceedings to be
sure that this vote is confirmed in plenary, but it is a strong and
clear signal.

According to Jérémie Zimmermann, co-founder of La Quadrature du Net:
"The European citizens will remember this courageous stand. Members of
the European parliament honoured their mandates by standing courageously
for citizens' rights and freedoms. This is one more blow to Nicolas
Sarkozy's 'three strikes' or 'HADOPI' law in France, and a strong sign
that nobody in Europe will want to pass such a stupid legislation going
against progress, citizens' rights and common sense.".

Philippe Aigrain, also co-founder of La Quadrature du Net concludes: "We
will also follow with great attention the negociations in a future
conciliation committee to make impossible for the Council to endanger
other aspects of the telecom packet such as equitable networking. It is
time for Member States to realize that the economy and society can
benefit together from an open infrastructure and a strong affirmation of
rights.".

** About la Quadrature du Net **

La Quadrature du Net (Squaring the Net) is citizen group informing about
legislative projects menacing civil liberties as well as economic and
social development in the digital age.

La Quadrature du Net informs citizens, public authorities,
organizations, corporations.

It works with everyone to elaborate balanced alternative solutions.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, european and international
NGOs including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society
Institute and Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations :
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-squaring-net-la-quadrature-du-n=
et

** Press contact and press room **

Jérémie Zimmermann, jz@laquadrature.net, +33 (0)615 940 675

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room

- --
- ---  La Quadrature du Net --- http://www.laquadrature.net

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