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Hug your MEP

By EDRi · March 3, 2011

The European Parliament needs support in negotiations on web blocking

On 14 February, the Civil Liberties Committee adopted a text on Internet blocking. While not perfect, this text rejected populism and focussed squarely on child protection and a harmonised approach to respect for fundamental rights.

The Committee’s approach is now being opposed by almost all EU Member States, who want to water down their obligations and put the emphasis back on empty words and ineffective technical solutions – solutions which place the burden on Internet providers, who can only take cosmetic measures. The competing texts of the Council and Parliament can be downloaded from: http://www.edri.org/files/current_texts.pdf

A summary of the Parliament position is available in several languages via the links at the bottom of this page.

Citizens who value political courage and fundamental rights should express their support for this approach, by:

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*Writing to MEPs to simply say “thank you” for the work done so far. The “e-mail” link next to each summary below gives a draft e-mail in various languages that you may use as a basis for your e-mail.

*Sharing the summary/analysis of the Parliament text with the press.

*Calling MEPs to personally express their support. In week commencing 7 March, they are in Strasbourg.

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To find MEPs on the Civil Liberties Committee who are from your country, simply follow this link. Then, select “Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs” from the “Committee” drop-down list and your country from the “Country” drop-down list.

A summary of the text adopted by Parliament is available in:

*English: http://www.edri.org/compromise_en – e-mail

*Italian: http://www.edri.org/compromise_it – e-mail

*German: http://www.edri.org/compromise_de – e-mail

*French: http://www.edri.org/compromise_fr – e-mail

*Hungarian: http://www.edri.org/compromise_hu – e-mail

*Swedish: http://www.edri.org/compromise_se – e-mail

*Spanish: http://www.edri.org/compromise_es – e-mail

*Dutch: http://www.edri.org/compromise_nl – e-mail

*Portuguese: http://www.edri.org/compromise_pt – e-mail

*Romanian: http://www.edri.org/compromise_ro – e-mail