Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The European Internet Exchange Association (Euro-IX) warned the European Commission against telecom operator’s push.
Operators have been pushing for rules that would force big tech companies to pay them because they drive much of the internet traffic, according to a Reuters report on Tuesday.
According to proposed rules, US tech giants including Google, Facebook, and Netflix would have to cover some costs of European telecom operators.
Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, announced in September last year that he would launch consultations on the proposal in the first half of 2023 before proposing new rules.
However, the Euro-IX warned Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition, and Breton in a letter on Tuesday that the proposal could “accidentally create new systemic weaknesses.”
The group stressed that proposed rules could lower the quality of service in Europe, with Euro-IX head Bijal Sanghani stressing “the internet is a complex ecosystem, and it is policy-makers who are ultimately responsible for systemic effects resulting from policy choices.”
She called on the EC not to prioritize “administrative rules” over the quality of internet services in Europe.
Criticism of the proposed model
In December last year, a group of six EU member states called on the EC to clarify the proposal, stressing the importance of “an open and transparent debate.”
In June last year, a coalition of rights groups warned against the proposed Sending Party Network Pays (SPNP) model, stressing that it would “undermine and conflict with core net neutrality protections” in the EU.
In the letter sent in June, the group of 34 NGOs pointed out that telecom operators already receive compensation from their customers and stressed: “they simply want to be paid twice for the same service.”
Critics of the proposed model noted that it could push social media platforms toward internet service providers (ISPs) outside Europe to avoid proposed fees, which could compromise security and quality.
They added that, alternatively, companies could pay proposed fees and pass the costs onto their users.
Opponents of the proposed SPNP model also warned that it undermines the EU’s net neutrality rules according to which ISPs are not allowed to prioritize some services or throttle or block traffic.
