EU copyright policy endorsing Internet censorship?

A new EU Intellectual Property Rights Strategy will be released tomorrow (24 May 2011). The draft is severely criticised by Internet circles.

Many opponents fear that the Strategy will endorse a growing trend to hold Internet service providers (ISPs)liable for piracy, forcing them to punish the users without the involvement of a judge or jury.

Digital rights campaigners argue that the EU is about to weaken citizens' fundamental rights and give way to an already growing trend of censorship across the EU.

At regional level, Spain, Ireland and the UK have recently decided to tackle piracy with access restrictions, but the laws have been widely contested in the countries' courts.

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