Belatedly, but not too late, it is likely that the principle of net neutrality will be voted today in the USA.
Commenting on the likely decision, S&D MEP and coordinator on culture and education, Petra Kammerevert said:
"The introduction of clear rules on net neutrality will take place in a few hours in the USA and they are keenly awaited. This is proof that without this principle – which requires equal treatment of all network traffic – competition on the internet will stagnate sooner or later.
"The US proposal aims to treat internet services as a universal service, which comes close to classifying it as a public good. This paves the way for bringing the network infrastructure within the fair rules of US telecoms regulations, including the prohibition of any impairment of data traffic.
"For internet service providers in the USA, it is thus impossible to prefer certain data packages which favour financial interests. While EU countries still believe that they can create investment incentives for network expansion by allowing so-called fast lanes on the internet, America will finally decide in favour of rights of freedom on the internet. This should have an important influence on the discussions made on net neutrality here in Europe.
"European telecommunication companies consciously underplay the decision. More and more people in Europe are now aware that specialised services require controlled communication, which affects the fundamental freedoms of each individual. If they continue to have weak net neutrality that allows many exceptions, then where a company offers content and is simultaneously the carrier of data, it will always choose its own preferred content. It is only logical that this affects competition.
"Today, I congratulate the head of the US telecoms regulation, Tom Wheeler, for his decisive action and invite him to the European Parliament. It will be exciting for everyone to hear what convinced him to become a fairly uncompromising proponent of net neutrality and I would be delighted if the invitation could be taken up soon."
