The Telecoms Package Conciliation Agreement should stop the worst of the Hadopi and 3-strikes measures, and it ring-fences what can be done by governments who wish to restrict the Internet. That is what the European Parliament intended. But there are some differences in the interpretation, as a trawl of experts, lobbyists and websites reveals.

European governments will find it harder to legislate for 3-strikes measures under the new Telecoms Package, although it may well go to the European Court before we can be 100% clear what is possible and what is not.

The European Parliament's rapporteur, Catherine Trautmann, speaking at the press conference on 5 November, was clear that the text was intended to block 3-strikes. "Now we have legal

Catherine Trautmann, rapporteur for the Telecoms Package framework directive, has asked the European Commission to take a full review of net neutrality, and stated that it should be enshrined as a principle under EU law.

As the spotlight focussed on the replacement of Amendment 138, another element of the Telecoms Package agreement last week fell into the shadows. Regular iptegrity readers will know that a Declaration on Net Neutrality from the European Commission was also on the cards, and that I was somewhat critical of the way it had been written.

A re-worked version of the Declaration on Net Neutrality was also

What is a 'prior, fair and impartial procedure' and how far will it prevent British or French -style 3-strikes?

The Telecoms Package was sealed tonight, following what appears to have been a lengthy negotiation between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. A text was agreed last night at around 11pm Brussels time (see below). The European Parliament appears to have gained a

Will  Internet users be cut off in Europe? Now the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, will the European Parliament flex its muscle to defend citizens fundamental rights? 

And will Stavros Lambrinidis deliver a defence of the European Parliament's position?  He's  the Greek MEP and lawyer who said he wanted to protect the fundamental right to Internet access without interference, and to whom Internet users now turn.  

D-Day  refers to the Dinner Date which regular iptegrity readers will know about.

***FIRST NEWS OF CONCILIATION COMMITTEE MEETING IS OUT -  see Christian Engstrom's blog ***

Today the European Parliament meets with the Council as the full Telecoms Package Conciliation Committee.  On the table is one topic - whether  or not 3-strikes  measures to enforce copyright on the Internet (French or British style) is acceptable in Europe.

These measures are primarily intended to hit peer-topeer filesharers, but the EU legislation could affect all

As the two sides in the Telecoms Package tug-of-war meet again on Wednesday evening, the ‘Hadopi'  test could be the deciding factor.  The Council wants this to be the final meeting. Will it also be the final showdown for Internet rights in Europe?

The Telecoms Package Conciliation committee meets in full for the first time tomorrow. This is the so-called Conciliation Dinner which I previously wrote about and it is the date chosen by the Council to seal up the Package forever.  

It is now emerging that the Council is using the