Gallo report adopted

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La Quadrature du Net - For immediate release

Permanent link: http://www.laquadrature.net/en/gallo-report-adopted-a-stab-in-the-back-of-citizen-freedoms


Gallo report adopted: A stab in the back of citizens' freedoms



*** Strasbourg, Sept. 22nd 2010 - The European Parliament has just adopted the Gallo report on copyright enforcement by 328 to 245 votes. This very repressive text is one more step in the entertainment industries' crusade against their own public. The Members of the Parliament have failed to recognize that the measures called for in this non-legislative text profoundly undermine fundamental freedoms [1]. For the next steps, citizens must remain on their guard and should continue to inform their elected representatives about the lies of the industry, and the importance of the Internet for the future of our societies. ***

In the end, the lobbying from the entertainment industries proved extremely powerful, as demonstrated by the nefarious influence of a few members of the ALDE group who helped rejecting alternative approaches and thereby paved the way for a call to ruthless enforcement [2]. Baseless studies [3] and letters signed by dead or unknown movie producers, fake signatures [4], or 7 years old singers were used among other deceptive techniques to get this vote, against the general interest of EU citizens.

"The Gallo report is an illustration of the will of the entertainment industry to try to impose private copyright police and justice of the Net [5]. Repressive schemes such as the "three strikes" policies and other Internet access restrictions --typified by the French HADOPI or the UK Digital Economy laws-- negate fundamental rights, such as the right to a fair trial, the freedom of communication or the right to privacy. So far, they have turned out to be a political and technical failure. Even if it is encouraged by the European Commission and the draft ACTA agreement, giving investigation, evidence collection and sanction powers to private actors is not tolerable in democracies abiding by the rule of Law." analyses Jérémie Zimmermann, spokesperson of the citizen advocacy group La Quadrature du Net.

"EU citizens must remain watchful and continue their essential work of informing their elected representatives about the crucial role that a free Internet plays for the future of our societies and an expanded creative economy. Only through civic engagement and democracy can the lies of the entertainment industries be rejected as such. Soon, elected representatives across Europe will realize that the crusade of these industries against their own public undermines the founding values of our democracies, and that it should be stopped by all means." concludes Zimmermann.

La Quadrature du Net warmly thanks all the committed citizens who participated in this great effort.