The European Parliament opposes the transfer of control over the Internet to the International Telecommunication Union

The European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning attempts to transfer control over the Internet to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which, presumably, will be made at an ITU meeting in Dubai on December 3. The overwhelming majority of members of parliament from various parties voted for the resolution. The initiator and one of the main sponsors of the resolution was the Pirate Party.

The resolution states that neither the ITU nor any other centralized organization can claim the authority to regulate the Internet. Representatives of the European Union member states were recommended at the upcoming conference to oppose changes in the agreement on the regulation of international communications that could jeopardize freedom of speech on the Internet.

The amendment of the treaty is supported by countries such as Brazil, Russia, Iran and China. New rules can give governments the authority that is now owned by ICANN, IANA and W3C. This causes concern to many in connection with the possible flourishing of censorship and even the actual destruction of the Internet as an independent global information environment. If such changes are accepted, it will be much easier for the authorities of any country to isolate themselves from the whole world with an information “iron curtain”. A massive collection of signatures against possible changes to the contract now holds Google .