• EN - English
  • NL - Nederlands
Parliamentary question - E-007989/2012Parliamentary question
E-007989/2012

Net neutrality and the EU's proposed position at the World Conference on International Telecommunications

Question for written answer E-007989/2012
to the Commission
Rule 117
Judith Sargentini (Verts/ALE)

The answers given by Commissioner Kroes to my questions E‑005879/2012 and E‑007464/2012 concerning the plan submitted to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) by the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association (ETNO) under which online service providers would be required to help cover the cost of Internet traffic still leave certain points unanswered. Hence the need for this third set of follow-up questions.

1. What exactly does the Commission mean, in its answer, by ‘managed services’? Apart, for example, from IP TV, could Internet search engines such as that of Google, video sites such as YouTube and social networks such as Twitter also fall under this heading, either now or in future?

2. Does this mean that these providers of online services can conclude contracts with telecoms and Internet providers for quicker and better relaying of their bits and bytes, in exchange for payment of termination rates?[1]

3. Does the Commission perceive there to be a danger that, by purchasing priority on the Internet, large and rich providers of online services may reduce opportunities for smaller and new providers? Would this not damage the Internet’s capacity for innovation?

4. Can the Commission this time comment on the Netherlands Government’s objections to ETNO’s plan: ‘Termination tariffs may constitute an obstacle to the suppliers of services and applications continuing to offer their services and developing new services. At the same time an automatic deduction system whereby costs are passed on by means of termination tariffs is likely to result in economically less efficient outcomes than tariffs charged directly to end users’?[2]

5. Why does the Commission, in its proposal for the EU’s position at the forthcoming World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai, say nothing about net neutrality?[3] Will the Commission put forward a supplementary proposal guaranteeing net neutrality?

OJ C 308 E, 23/10/2013