CatherineStihler

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Political Memory: Catherine STIHLER, MEP

{{#icon:CatherineStihler.jpg|Catherine STIHLER}}

General Data

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Contact
{{#icon:Click_to_call_now.png|+32 2 28 45 462||callto://+3222845462}}


Functions in European Parliament

Curriculum Vitae

  • MA (Hons.) Geography and International Relations, St Andrews University (1996)
  • M.Litt
  • (International Security Studies), St Andrews University (1998)
  • Political advisor to Anne Begg MP (1997-1999)
  • Member of Unite trade union
  • Member of the Co-op Party
  • In the Labour Party: Youth representative on the Scottish Executive Committee (1993-1995)
  • Youth representative on the National Executive Committee (1995-1997)
  • Parliamentary Candidate, Angus constituency (1997)
  • Labour candidate, Dunfermline and West Fife by-election (2006)
  • In the European Parliamentary Labour Party: health spokesperson (1999-2004)
  • Fisheries spokesperson (1999-2004)
  • Fisheries and regional development spokesperson (2004-2009)
  • Deputy Leader (2004-2006)
  • Editor of the Parliament Magazine (2002- )

Votes


Opinions

Sources

Positions

Thanks to improve this part with opinions from Catherine STIHLER about La Quadrature du Net concerned issues (see page Help:Political_Memory to know how to do it).

10/07/2008 Reply to campaign concerning vote on IMCO & ITRE of Telecoms package

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your e-mail concerning the vote on the universal service and user rights directive, part of the "telecoms package", which took place in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee on Monday 7 July.

The Committee strongly backed proposals to enhance users´ rights and data protection in electronic communications.

Key rights include:

* a one day limit, down from up to one month, to transfer your number when you switch networks;

* guaranteed information from operators, before contracts are concluded, about any restrictions on access to services;

* information on the cost of terminating agreements early (with such costs limited to cases involving a subsidised handset);

* guaranteed equivalent access to communications for disabled users, with special terminal equipment for their needs;

* information for subscribers in the event of any breach of their personal data through electronic networks;

* guaranteed access to the European 112 emergency call number across the EU; and

* availability of mobile caller location across Europe when emergency calls are made.

The Committee also agreed on the need to keep the Internet open by empowering regulators to intervene if a carrier discriminated against a service provider by blocking or slowing traffic.

To help keep citizens informed online, regulators in each Member State are empowered to develop standardised public service messages for users, which could include security protection advice, and advice on harmful or unlawful uses of the Internet, and their potential consequences. The information would be sent to all users, not to targeted individuals and not based on the monitoring of individual's use of the internet.

Despite claims to the contrary made by some lobbying organisations, this Directive contains no provisions on the enforcement of intellectual property rights online. The report encourages regulatory authorities to promote appropriate cooperation to ensure lawful online activity. This does not seek to promote or prescribe any enforcement regime, which would be beyond the appropriate scope of the Directive. Claims therefore that it amounts to the introduction of a form of "graduated response" are totally false.

One amendment by Conservative MEP Syed Kamall does introduce potentially dangerous ambiguity in the field of privacy protection online. This amendment was opposed by the Labour Group of MEPs but adopted by a narrow majority in the Civil Liberties Committee. Under the Parliament's rules this text dealing with data protection had to be adopted without a vote in the IMCO Committee on 7 July. However all Members agreed on the need to review this text and Labour MEPs call for its withdrawal before the final report is adopted by the Parliament in plenary in September. We will continue to examine the details of this legislation in preparation for the plenary vote.

Yours sincerely,

Catherine Stihler MEP