Mobilisation vote Citizen Rights Amendments on May6 Telecoms Package 2nd reading example letters

Please add your messages here.

IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that it is counter-productive to cut-paste mails. Personalized mails, even clumsy, are always more useful. Phone calls are the best.

In the United Kingdom, you can use this service to write to your MEPs: http://www.writetothem.com/

Example 1

Dear [MEP],

The European Parliament is about to vote on the Telecoms Package (6th May). Throughout the European Union, many thousands of people are now very concerned about how this will limit our freedom and how it will affect business in the EU. I am one of them.

The core principles of the internet that have brought us unparallelled freedom of expression and an incredible amount of business growth and innovation are being threatened by certain amendments that will now be voted on.

These new laws will permit my broadband provider to offer a restricted service, blocking my access to any site or service they choose. I am concerned that these amendments will kill the life of the internet as we know it and could have a serious, detrimental impact on Europe’s economy.

Please protect our rights as online citizens, support amendments which safeguard my rights to access and distribute content, services and applications. Please reject any text which talks about ‘legitimate content’ or placing limitations, restrictions or conditions on my internet access. In particular, I would like you to guarantee my rights to freely use the internet, and ensure that all websites and services are accessible to all users.

The following links offer voting recommendations for 6th May to safeguard these rights:

• http://www.laquadrature.net/files/Voting%20list%20Harbour%20Report-A6-0257-2009.pdf
• http://www.laquadrature.net/files/Voting%20list%20Trautmann%20Report-A6-0272-2009.pdf

Sincerely,

Example 2 (Spanish)

Estimado/a [MPE]: El Parlamento Europeo va a votar el “telecoms package” (6 de mayo) y, en Internet, miles de personas, entre las que me encuentro, están muy preocupadas por cómo esto limitará nuestra libertad y cómo afectará a la forma de hacer negocios en la UE.

Los principios básicos de Internet que nos han traído una libertad de expresión sin parangón y un increíble crecimiento de las relaciones comerciales y la innovación, están siendo amenazados por ciertas enmiendas que van a ser votadas.

Estas nuevas leyes permitirán que mi proveedor de banda ancha me ofrezca un servicio limitado, bloqueando el acceso a cualquier sitio o servicio que ellos decidan. Estoy preocupado por que estas enmiendas destruirán la vida en Internet tal como la conocemos y podrían causar un serio impacto en detrimento de la economía europea.

Por favor, proteja nuestros derechos como ciudadanos en la red. Apoye enmiendas que salvaguarden mis derechos al acceso y distribución de contenidos, servicios y aplicaciones. Rechace cualquier texto que hable sobre 'contenidos legítimos' o cree limitaciones, restricciones o condiciones a mi acceso a Internet. En particular, le pediría que garantizara mi derecho al uso libre de Internet, y asegurara que todos los sitios y servicios web son accesibles a todos los usuarios.

Los enlaces siguientes ofrecen recomendaciones de voto para el 6 de mayo para salvaguardar dichos derechos: http://www.laquadrature.net/files/Voting%20list%20Harbour%20Report-A6-0257-2009.pdf http://www.laquadrature.net/files/Voting%20list%20Trautmann%20Report-A6-0272-2009.pdf

Atentamente,

Example 3

Dear Chairman of a political group at the European Parliament,

I'm writing you about the forthcoming vote of Europe’s telecoms package this Wednesday 6th of May. As you know, citizens from all the EU have become very concerned regarding repeated attempts to sneak a so-called "graduated response" into Europe’s telecoms package.

I'm particularly worried that on the planned vote, a last minute change has scheduled the vote of the original amendment 138 AFTER the vote of a weaker compromise amendment. Should the compromise amendment be adopted first, the vote of the original and stronger amendment 138 will not take place, ignoring previous massive votes of the European Parliament in its favour.

I would like to ask you to modify this schedule, and have original amendment 138 examined first.

I hope that Members of the European Parliament will reinforce European democracy and support the rights of European citizens.

Your sincerely.