EuroISPA signs joint industry letter on Free Flow of Data

Brussels – 15.11.16: EuroISPA has signed a joint industry letter on the Free Flow of Data initiative which has been sent to both Vice-President Ansip and Commissioner Oettinger today.

The letter can be found here: 1611_Joint_Industry_Letter_Free_Flow_of_Data

The letter calls for an EU-wide ban on national data localisation requirements which hinder the completion of the Digital Single Market (DSM) and are detrimental to businesses, SMEs and digital consumers.

The letter is sent ahead of the European Commission’s presentation of the Free Flow of Data Initiative, which is expected to be launched in January 2017.

Restoring legal certainty to transatlantic data transfers will boost digital innovation in the EU and US

Brussels – 12.07.2016: Today’s official adoption of the Privacy Shield data transfer framework is an important boost to digital innovation in the EU and US.

As representative of 2500 Internet Services Providers across Europe, EuroISPA has consistently advocated for a robust legal framework that ensures legal certainty and innovation while safeguarding our network users’ privacy and data protection.

On that basis, EuroISPA recognises the achievements of EU and US policymakers and national data protection authorities in securing a new agreement that can ensure trust in ever-advancing Internet-based services.

EuroISPA President Oliver Süme said: “European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises especially benefit from legal certainty around data transfers to the US. As the representative voice of the European Internet sector, EuroISPA urges all stakeholders to honour the commitments of the new Privacy Shield framework, an essential instrument to promote the innovative and empowering character of the Internet for the European economy

Adoption of new EU Data Protection rules a key milestone for the Digital Single Market

The adoption today of new EU data protection rules constitute a key milestone in the Digital Single Market strategy, according to the European Internet Service Providers Association (EuroISPA). After three years of intensive negotiations, the new rules balance innovative uses of data with the need for consumer protection and privacy.

EuroISPA engaged intensively throughout the process of developing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Internet Services Providers have a crucial interest in ensuring users have trust and confidence in online services. The new agreement achieves that, without jeopardising European ISPs’ ability to innovate and drive the European economy forward. Crucially, the regulation provides future-proof flexibility to ensure development of data-focused technologies and consumer services.

While the new regulation mainstreams data protection rules across sectors, it is essential that the legislation is implemented across the EU in a harmonised manner. The GDPR was inspired by the need to harmonise fragmented data protection rules across the EU. This ambition needs to be maintained in the crucial implementation phase. EuroISPA will continue to engage with both the European Commission and national data protection authorities, to ensure that GDPR implementation allows the European Single Market to thrive.

EuroISPA President Oliver Süme said: “With today’s adoption of the GDPR, Europe is laying down an important milestone in terms of creating trust in the digital economy. After engaging in the three year process leading up to this day, EuroISPA will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure the ambition and momentum of the Digital Single Market is maintained in important upcoming policy discussions”.

EuroISPA elects Dr Maximilian Schubert as new Vice-President

Brussels – 11.04.2015: The European Internet Services Providers Association has a new Vice President, following the election to the board of Dr Maximilian Schubert.

Dr Schubert is General Secretary of the Austrian Internet Service Providers Association and has been an active national representative in EuroISPA for several years. In his new role, Dr Schubert will support the EuroISPA President in representing over 2500 European ISPs to the highest levels of the EU Institutions.

Thanking EuroISPA members for their overwhelming support, Dr Schubert committed to ensuring that EuroISPA “continues to find common ground with all stakeholders towards achieving a balanced and innovation-friendly legislative environment for European Internet intermediaries”.

He added, “EuroISPA brings together various elements of the European Internet infrastructure, creating the perfect space for building and communicating  policies that enhance Europe’s digital economy. I look forward to representing ISPs of all sizes and nature, harnessing our sector’s technical powerful insight”.

In public Wi-Fi case, European Court of Justice takes significant step forward for the information society

Brussels – 16.03.2016: Today the European Court of Justice took a significant step forward in strengthening the legislative infrastructure that underpins the European information society.

In a preliminary Opinion on the “McFadden case”, the Court’s Advocate General (AG) has found that operators of free public Wi-Fi cannot be held liable for copyright infringements committed on their networks.

This assessment represents a crucial interpretation of the EU E-Commerce Directive, the legal basis that the European legislator has rightly identified as being key to the development of Internet technologies in Europe.

If confirmed, this ruling would provide the legal certainty necessary for a dramatic expansion of public Wi-Fi access points, potentially to the point that free Wi-Fi could become commonly available across European commercial/retail environments.

As per enforcement of copyrights, the AG Opinion’s rightly considers copyright as just one of the many fundamental rights of EU citizens, one that can only be enforced as part of a balanced approach that reflects the importance of competing rights. In particular, the Opinion strongly vindicates the right to privacy of communications, by precluding the providers of Internet services from undertaking general surveillance of user activities on their network in search of copyright-infringing content.

In that context, EuroISPA hopes the Court of Justice of the EU will adjudicate positively with respect to the Advocate-General’s Opinion in McFadden. Strong protections against misplaced liability burdens are a crucial element in efforts to widen and deepen the information society in Europe.

EuroISPA Intermediary Liability committee chair Malcolm Hutty said: “Today’s AG Opinion further strengthens the consensus that copyright enforcement measures must be balanced with fundamental rights. It says that restricting the availability of Wi-Fi access would be a disadvantage for society as whole, that cannot be justified by benefits to copyright holders. I agree: the economic future of Europe depends on the widespread availability of Internet access, wherever you go, whenever you need it.”

 

Privacy Shield: Draft Adequacy Decision an important step on road to restoring trust and certainty in data transfers

Brussels – 29.02.2016: Today’s publication of the draft Privacy Shield Adequacy Decision constitutes an important step on the road to restoring trust and legal certainty to transatlantic data transfers.

As representative of 2500 Internet Services Providers across Europe, EuroISPA has consistently advocated for a strong legal framework that encourages innovation while safeguarding our network users’ privacy and data protection.

While there is still much work to be done, EuroISPA recognises the efforts of EU and US policymakers and national data protection authorities to realise a new framework that places privacy at the core.

Indeed, we remain hopeful that the ultimate Privacy Shield framework will address the concerns of the Court of Justice of the European Union and allow ISPs and other digital actors to continue to provide European citizens with ever-advancing Internet-based services.

EuroISPA President Oliver Süme said: “European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises especially benefit from legal certainty around data transfers to the US. As the representative voice of the European Internet sector, EuroISPA will continue to support the creation of a data transfer framework that places trust at its core. A framework of that kind is essential to promote the innovative and empowering character of the Internet for the European economy.

Safer Internet Day: Encouraging progress made as ISPs continue efforts to create safer online experience

Brussels – 09.02.2016: To mark Safer Internet Day 2016, the European Internet Services Providers Association (EuroISPA) has reiterated the crucial role of Internet Hotlines in sustaining the fight against Child Sexual Abuse Material and other illegal content online.

As representative of close to 2500 service providers along the Internet value chain, EuroISPA members have been at the forefront of efforts to ensure a safe environment where the Internet’s empowering character can be fully realised. Indeed, four EuroISPA member associations actually manage the national Internet Hotlines in their respective countries – processing and acting upon thousands of reports of illegal content each year.

The strength of Europe’s network of Internet Hotlines owes a great deal to the foresight of the European Institutions, which have provided essential public funding to allow Hotlines to deploy the necessary resources to tackle illegal content online.

In recent years, this essential funding has steadily diminished and there is a real risk that the great gains made thus far could be jeopardised if EU co-financing of Hotlines maintains its downward trajectory.

EuroISPA Safer Internet committee co-chair Paul Durrant said: “As the voice of Europe’s Internet Services Providers, EuroISPA abhors the misuse of our members’ networks by those users who circulate Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and other such manifestly illegal content. We will continue to work with policymakers in the European Commission and Parliament to sustain the network of Internet Hotlines and build on the strong results to date”.

EuroISPA Safer Internet committee co-chair Carole Gay said: “Safer Internet Day is an excellent opportunity to reflect on the efforts thus far to develop a safe and empowering online ecosystem. The success of industry-led initiatives in this area – particularly with regard to CSAM – are deeply instructive as EU policymakers continue reflections around illegal content online”.

EuroISPA: Privacy Shield political agreement is a step in the right direction

Brussels – 03.02.2015: EuroISPA has been supportive of the efforts of the European Commission, US Department of Commerce, and the Article 29 Working Group to realise a data transfer mechanism that supports transatlantic trade and maintains consumer trust in the Information Society.

In that context, we commend the recent political agreement on the new Privacy Shield framework. We also note the positive move by the Article 29 Working Group to allow transatlantic data transfers to proceed via alternative mechanisms while national Data Protection Authorities reflect on the new agreement.

As negotiators finalise the nuances of the new framework, we wish to again reiterate the important role that commercial data flows play in facilitating transatlantic trade. European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises especially benefit from legal certainty around data transfers. On that basis, it is essential that the new framework ensures that companies can transfer data both legally and securely.

EuroISPA President Oliver Süme said: “For many years EuroISPA has been working to realise a legislative landscape that encourages innovation while safeguarding privacy and data protection. We are thus hopeful that the new Privacy Shield incorporates the concerns of the Court of Justice of the European Union and constitutes a framework that European users can have confidence in.”

 

EuroISPA adds Dutch ICT association to boost Internet sector’s EU-level representation

Brussels – 01.02.2016: The European Internet Services Providers Association (EuroISPA) has been further strengthened by the addition of Nederland ICT – a Dutch trade association representing more than 550 IT, telecom and Internet companies in the Netherlands. With the addition of Nederland ICT, EuroISPA now represents more than 2500 Internet Service Providers across Europe and all along the transversal Internet value chain.

2016 will be a crucial year for the development of the Internet and digital services in Europe. With the European Commission pushing ahead with its Digital Single Market strategy, the unified voice of Europe’s Internet sector will be more important than ever in order to realise an innovation-friendly legislative environment for all Internet intermediaries.

Speaking after the admission of Nederland ICT, EuroISPA President Oliver Süme said: “I am delighted to see Nederland ICT join as a new member. Nederland ICT brings a depth of knowledge and insight from an important EU Member State, and will reinforce the message of Europe’s Internet sector to key influencers in the European Institutions”.

Nederland ICT Senior Advisor for Policy and Public Affairs Alex de Joode said:  “Joining EuroISPA enhances our ability to actively participate in all aspects of the decision-making processes on IT-related issues at EU level. We look forward to working with our Internet sector colleagues in other European countries and to pushing forward a pro-innovation message in the Digital Single Market discussions. ”

 

MEPs make crucial call to protect Digital Single Market’s key legislative infrastructure

Brussels – 19.01.2016: The European Parliament’s new report on the Digital Single Market represents an important benchmark for which the Commission’s digital strategy be evaluated against, according to the European Internet Services Providers Association (EuroISPA).

Since the Strategy was first envisaged a number of years ago, EuroISPA has consistently stressed that the success of any Digital Single Market initiative will rest on the preservation of the intermediary liability principle as the key legislative infrastructure underpinning the development of the Internet in Europe. In that context, it is encouraging to hear so many MEPs on the floor of the European Parliament asserting the pro-innovation and balanced nature of the existing European intermediary liability environment.

This new report sets out the European Parliament’s policy-wish list for the Digital Single Market, at the beginning of what is set to be a crucial year for the digital development of Europe. EuroISPA looks forward to working with MEPs and the other institutional lawmakers to realise the Parliament’s ambition, particularly through the preservation of the milestone provisions of the E-Commerce Directive to which Parliament has indicated its continued support.

Speaking after the vote in Parliament, EuroISPA President Oliver Süme said: “We fully agree with the Parliament’s view that the limited liability of intermediaries is essential to the protection of the openness of the internet, fundamental rights, legal certainty and innovation. We look forward to working with MEPs to ensure their important ambitions for a digital Europe are reflected in the European Commission’s Digital Single Market policy proposals.”