OSCE media freedom representative welcomes Dutch net neutrality law

VIENNA, 14 May 2012 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, welcomed today the Netherlands’ passing of a net neutrality law, making it the first OSCE country to do so.

Under the new law, operators are required to treat all Internet traffic equally and network operators are prohibited from slowing down or blocking third-party services that allow for Internet-based communications, such as Skype.

“The Internet was conceived as an open medium and the free flow of information is one of its fundamental characteristics. This should be guaranteed without discrimination and regardless of the content, destination, author, device used or origin,” Mijatović said.

“I welcome the efforts of Dutch parliamentarians  to keep the Internet an open forum for freedom of expression, in line with OSCE commitments. This law represents an important step toward ensuring a free and open Internet by protecting Internet traffic from undue restrictions or prioritization,” she added.

“I encourage other OSCE participating States to follow this example by applying transparent and non-discriminatory rules on how information is transmitted via the Internet,” Mijatovic said.

In late 2011, the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media published a study on Internet regulation across the OSCE region. The recommendations included net neutrality as a key component of a free Internet.

The study is available at: www.osce.org/fom/80723.