Internet freedom becomes part of EU foreign policy

The European Parliament has decided that internet freedom is a component of EU foreign policy, according to the Dutch news site, Nu.nl.

On account of this step, it shall be EU policy to condemn countries outside the EU as soon as they censor the internet or other means of communication.

According to Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake, this step is also necessary to regulate other freedoms.

She states: “In Tunisia for example the first steps are being taken to censor the internet. This is of course disastrous for the promise of the revolution.” Schaake regards internet freedom as an essential component of democracy.

She also believes hard work must be done within the EU to defend an open internet. “We could seem barely credible as a world player that guarantees internet freedom if we don’t have our own house in order. We also still have plenty of work to do in Europe,” she states.

Read the original article (in Dutch).