Members of ITRE Committee voting on Connected Continent report (© European Union 2014)

The European Parliament Industry Committee (ITRE) tentatively cleared a first hurdle towards new EU rules on electronic communications following a sensitive vote on its 'Connected Continent' report. The report will shape future EU rules on net neutrality and mobile data roaming charges, as well as national procedures pertaining to radio spectrum.

EBU Head of European Affairs Nicola Frank said: “The EBU welcome the efforts of the ITRE Committee to strengthen net neutrality in Europe. However today’s vote falls short of safeguarding the Open Internet, ahead of a crucial vote in the April Plenary. While it should be possible to offer specialised services, people’s freedom to access online content of their choice should clearly come first.”

She added: “More safeguards are needed to ensure non-discrimination between competing offers of content in the future. In this light, the role of vertically-integrated network operators also needs to be carefully examined.”

Regarding the ITRE report’s provisions on spectrum, she said:  “The EBU welcomes the ITRE Committee’s call for a balanced and transparent approach to radio spectrum in Europe. Though the package does not directly address the future allocation of broadcast spectrum, today’s vote crucially recognises the important role of spectrum for broadcasting and its contribution for freedom of expression. Any decision at Member State level will have to recognise the cultural and social value of spectrum and take the impact of interference and costs into account for any change in spectrum policy.”

Provisions on net neutrality were a major sticking point for the MEPs. A significant number of abstentions and votes against the final ITRE report indicate that several MEPs are likely to seek improvement to the ITRE report’s take on net neutrality, ahead of the European Parliament’s final vote on the “Connected Continent” package in early April.