News

Ahead of the vote on Tuesday, 18 of March, in the Industry, Research and Energy Committee of the European Parliament, LYMEC calls on ALDE Group members to reject the proposal of the European Commission to introduce loopholes that would de facto destroy the principle of net neutrality, and with it, any possibility of having a properly functioning market in internet services.

Net neutrality is a sine qua non condition for a free market, based upon open competition.

Free markets do not result from pre-arranged deals in the supply side, but from the free interplay between supply and demand.

If ISPs and ‘specialised services’ are allowed to tamper with internet traffic, we are not only harming forever the proper work of market mechanisms, but going through a dangerous path of creating a closed internet.

Open societies need an open internet, where the success or failure of a given service depends on the free choices of individuals, and not on oligopolistic measures and cartel actions.

LYMEC believes the media market must be open to competition. The information society we are living must be inclusive of all citizens. The access to information must be made easily available to everyone (LYMEC Manifesto, p.9).

LYMEC therefore recognizes the importance of neutral treatment of Internet traffic by ISP’s and governments (LYMEC’s Policy book, Resolution 3.22 European Net Neutrality, p.129).

We urge all members of ALDE Group to stand for open societies, open internet and free markets.

We urge you to stand up for liberal and democrat values and vote down the EC’s proposal of opening loopholes in the principle of net neutrality.