EC: ‘Yes net neutrality, No geoblocking’
March 25, 2015
The European Commission has reiterated its call for strong net neutrality and an open market for digital media with an end to geo blocking.
EC VP and digital single market commissioner Andrus Ansip told a European Voice event on Creating Europe’s Digital Highways: “On net neutrality, there are three elements we should address: firstly, we need to make sure that the internet is not splintered apart by different rules. This is why we need common rules for net neutrality … we need an open internet for consumers. No blocking or throttling. And we want an Internet that allows European industry to innovate and provide better services for consumers.”
Ansip said that a public consultation on copyright a year ago had shown that 95 per cent of people objected to geo-blocking. The survey showed that one in five Europeans wanted to access content from other EU countries, while over a quarter wanted to access content from their own country when they are abroad.
Ansip said an end to blocking “will lead to more traffic – and Europe’s telecommunications systems, networks and industry need to be ready to cope.”
Ansip also condemned the lack of action of spectrum coordination by EU member states, despite its importance to single market proposals.