Here is Access’s report on the importance of (real) net neutrality for investment in high-speed broadband deployment in Europe.…

Last September 2013, the European Commission tabled a Regulation aimed at completing a European single market for electronic communications and to achieve a Connected Continent (also known as the Telecoms proposal), in which she proposed to include provisions on “network neutrality.” While we welcome any proposal that would enshrine the guiding principles of the open internet into European law, we regret that the proposed text contains several loopholes that, if not properly addressed, could constitute a serious threat to fundamental rights and innovation in Europe. The following analysis, divided by themes, will focus on the provisions contained in the proposed Regulation that relate to net neutrality (Articles 2, 19, 23, 24, 25 & 26).…

Access broadly welcomes the Commission proposal for a Regulation on a single market for electronic communications achieving a Connected Continent (2013/0309), particularly the aspects which have the potential to enshrine the guiding principles of the internet – network neutrality -­?-­? into law. However, we regret that the proposed text contains several loopholes that, if not properly addressed, could constitute a serious threat to fundamental rights and innovation in Europe. This document contains Access’ proposed amendments to the Commission’s text which aim to address these loopholes and to ensure that the internet remains an open and dynamic platform for innovation, competition and the flourishing of human rights in Europe.…

The internet’s continuing success rests on its three foundational principles: 1) that all points in
the network should be able to connect to all other points in the network (the end to end principle);
2) that all providers of the internet should make their best effort to deliver traf?c from point to
point as expeditiously as possible (the best effort principle); and 3) that everyone should be able to
innovate without permission from anyone or any entity (the innovation without permission principle).
Collectively, these principles are the foundation of the openness and neutrality of the internet.…