An event on 26th February positions AT&T and Google lobbyists taking the lead in a Brussels seminar on net neutrality.

The event is timed to coincide with the Second Reading of the Telecoms Package, where amendments promoted by AT&T, opposed to net neutrality, are under consideration in the Universal Services directive (Harbour report). Google is also reported to be touting amendments around the European Parliament. The Google amendments are understood to be purveyed under the title of 'net neutrality' but they may or may not be good for citizens' interests.

The event is organised by the European Newspaper Publishers Association (ENPA) and the European Federation of Magazine Publishers (FAEP), two voices so far unheard in the whole Telecoms Package debate . The two groups represent national, regional and local newspaper and magazine publishers around Europe. It is curious why they want to get involved now.

ENPA opposed the copyright amendments in the Telecoms Package. On its website, it says: "we would resist

and reject any attempt to regulate content by national or pan-European regulatory authorities, and by certain parts of the package relating to copyright - our fear being that certain measures intended to protect copyright could unintentionally conflict with the universal rights of freedom of expression and access to information. "

Please attribute: Monica Horten, AT&T and Google step up net neutrality lobbying, http://www.iptegrity.com. 12 February 2009.

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