The EBU urges European telecom regulators to ensure that the new EU rules on net neutrality are applied firmly and consistently across the Union.

The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) has published draft guidelines on the implementation by regulators of the new net neutrality rules and opened the floor for input by stakeholders and citizens until 18 July. The final guidelines, which should be adopted in late August, will shape the way EU citizens access and use the Internet in the future.

EBU Deputy Head of European affairs Wouter Gekiere said: “The EU Regulation sets principles to ensure that Internet service providers offer non-discriminatory access to content and services for users, irrespective of their origin, type or location on the Internet.”

“The BEREC guidelines must now make these principles operational. What may appear as a fine-tuning regulatory exercise is in fact an important chapter towards ensuring effective net neutrality, media pluralism and cultural diversity in the European digital landscape.”

The EBU stresses that the principles of the EU rules need to be effectively translated into guidelines which ensure non-discriminatory access to the open Internet and sustain the quality of Internet access services.

EU net neutrality rules are part of the Telecoms Single Market Regulation, which was adopted in November 2015 and came into force on 30 April 2016. The law included a requirement for BEREC to provide guidance on the implementation of the obligations of national regulatory authorities (NRAs).

The BEREC’s draft guidelines, which were approved on 3 June, and further information about the consultation can be found here. The EBU will provide its comments in due time and vividly encourages all organizations and citizens to underline their support for clear and strong net neutrality rules.