Beginning of April the French Parliament surprisingly rejected a draft bill against Internet piracy supported by President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Conservative Party. The bill required the disconnection of Internet users who are repeat offenders of copyright violations (“three strikes”). The socialist opposition as well as consumer groups criticized the proposal, fearing damage to innocent people. Now a tightened version is up for debate, providing for users to continue paying their Internet subscription even after disconnection.

The French draft HADOPI on the distribution and protection of creative contents on the Internet and the corresponding authority have became a sort of role model in the fight against piracy in Europe. According to the press, the European Parliament, the European member states and the Council of Ministers already agreed on leaving it to each country to decide upon creating an HADOPI-like authority.

Source: derstandard.at, 30.4.2009