TELECOMS COUNCIL : COMMISSION URGED TO CONTINUE NET NEUTRALITY MONITORING.

The member states' telecoms ministers called on the European Commission to follow up on the issue of managing internet traffic to ensure a good diffusion of best practices which respect the principle of net neutrality, in conclusions(1) adopted in Council, on 13 December 2011. Furthermore, the Commission is urged to pursue the examination of all aspects of net neutrality that are problematic. Recalling the need to "preserve the open and neutral aspect of the internet," the 27 ministers more broadly supported the Commission's intention to evaluate the necessity of submitting stricter measures and supplementary orientations on net neutrality based on upcoming conclusions by the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). The idea was to put an end to any risk of anti-competitive and discriminatory behaviour in internet traffic management.

The principles of open internet and net neutrality preclude any discrimination with regard to the source, destination or content of the information transmitted over the internet. It is guaranteed in EU law by measures ensuring transparency, technological neutrality and anti-discrimination (2009 telecoms package). Faced with the exponential increase of internet traffic, operators and access providers want smart management of traffic to ensure a minimum standard of quality for services. What is at stake, therefore, is to be able to manage this and still respect said principle.

STRINGENT MEASURES CALLED FOR

"Stringent measures have...