web-rights activist Jeremie Zimmermann of "La Quadrature du Net" recently accused european union legislators of copying certain illiberal elements from a french bill that would allow the french government to block the internet access of persons who illegaly copy files over the net -- originally without a judicial ruling but simply based on an official order.
in a very interesting interview with Euractiv, Zimmerman claims the EU's proposed telecoms package infringes fundamental civil rights, in that it allows the prosecution of alleged internet pirates without them receiving a fair trial. not least due to the whistleblowing of Zimmermann and his colleagues, the discredited "telecoms package" will be sent to the third reading, where the european parliament might give it a blow. but the final word has not yet been spoken. other problems with the package concern the issues of network neutrality and a modern copyright.