In what was seen as a fundamental attack on democracy the French president and some cronies have managed to remove an EU clause protecting filesharers in France from censorship and oppression.
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/9867/New+Euro+Telecom+Package+Paves+the+Way+for+France%27s+%273-Strikes%27+LawDespite European Parliament voting to include amendment that users cannot be disconnected from the Internet "without a prior ruling by the judicial authorities," French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who conveniently holds the European Council Presidency, manages to have the amendment stripped from a final version.
France continues to be in an odd position these days as entertainment industry champion and opponent of requiring that only judges can sanction accused file-sharers rather than copyright holders themselves.
It was just a little over 4 months ago that a European-wide Telecom Package for ISPs was first discussed and noted to include mandatory notice-and-takedown systems run by ISPs and paid for by respective governments.
When the Telecom Package came before the European Parliament the body thankfully voted to include Amendment 138 which mandated that "...no restriction may be imposed on the rights and freedoms of end-users, notably in accordance with Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union on freedom of expression and information, without a prior ruling by the judicial authorities, except where dictated by force majeure or by the requirements of preserving network integrity and security, and subject to national provisions of criminal law imposed for reasons of public policy, public security or public morality."
It's a shame that a council of ministers can undo the democratic process of the European Parliament.
Corruption and nepotism is rife in France it seems as in most other places but when its influence its stretched to include the EU this matter introduces a serious taint to the democratic process and the loss of respect for those involved in this corruption, there are luckily further hurdles for this legislative proposal to jump before becoming EU law but its only ever going to be destructive when corrupt politicians are allowed to brush aside the collective democratic will of the EU member states.
