Brussels - Members of the European Parliament voted 314 to 297 this week to approve a measure that asks member nations not to enact laws whose penalties would interrupt users' Internet access, such as France's recent policy that compels ISPs to disconnect the accounts of repeat file-swappers. The wording calls for the European Commission and member states to "avoid adopting measures conflicting with civil liberties and human rights and with the principles of proportionality, effectiveness and dissuasiveness, such as the interruption of Internet access."

In addition to France, the U.K. is currently considering legislation -- lobbied for by entertainment industry interests -- that would compel ISPs to disconnect repeat file-swappers.

"The vote shows that [members of European Parliament] want to strike a balance between the interests of rights holders and those of consumers, and that big measures like cutting off Internet access shouldn't be used," said European Parliament spokesperson Malene Folke Chaucheprat.

However, the European Parliament's vote is not binding, and thus does not trump the actions taken by France or the U.K.

The international record industry criticized the measure.

"If the aim of the Report is to protect creative content, including in the online environment, we should be looking at all options available in the fight against copyright theft," said Frances Moore, EVP of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

"Instead, this amendment suggested discarding certain options before there is even a proper debate."

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Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/245mx (Word document)

http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/20080410.html

http://snipurl.com/245lm (TorrentFreak)

http://snipurl.com/245lj (Ars Technica)