The European Union is engaging in a major overhaul of Internet law, with the launch of a public consultation on the future of the e-Commerce directive.

After 1.5 month public consultation (launched mid December 2012) the EUPL v1.2 draft and its Working Paper were updated (31 Jan 2012) to consider remarks from forum users. The public consultation continues until 15 March 2013.

"La Quadrature du Net (Squaring the Net) has seen the draft "Trust Online” Charter (FR) that the Ministry of the Interior is asking ISPs to sign by June 10th. The text confirms La Quadrature’s worst fears. Under the pretext of protecting users, the French government is attempting to put in place an all-encompassing Internet monitoring and filtering system.

The European Commission this morning launched a consultation on key questions regarding the contentious issues of net neutrality and the open Internet. Until 30 September 2010, all interested parties – meaning service and content providers, consumers, businesses and researchers – are invited to respond to the consultation.

"In Spain, the project of Nicolas Sarkozy to extend at European level flexible response (three strikes approach) makes a noise. The spanish press informs the public about the emergence of an international opposition. El Pais, 20minutos, and others published articles about La Quadrature du Net..."

Full response explaining the harms of software patents

A draft ISP Copyright Code of Practice, aimed at clarifying sanctions against illicit downloaders of copyright works, has been released for public comment — and internet industry sources are already critical of the effort.

"Paris, January 19th. The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) released his opinion on the current state of the Telecoms Package. His views on the ePrivacy directive confirms La Quadrature's analysis: If nothing is done, article 6.6(a) will allow any company to collect and process traffic data from any Internet user, for an undetermined period of time.

Amendments to the European Telecommunications directive being rushed through the European Parliament propose a "Soviet internet" where software publishers and internet service providers watch traffic and data for Hollywood. Software and services that run on the internet would have to ask for permission of the regulators.