EU rejects 'three strikes' legislation

Lawmakers in Europe have rejected plans to cut off web access for those found downloading copyrighted material illegally.

The European Parliament has rejected attempts by the governments of individual member states to introduce a three strikes rule to combat illegal downloading.

Contained within proposals to reform telecommunications legislation in Europe, the measures would have seen internet users cut off if they ignored repeated warnings about file sharing.

European lawmakers approved an amendment to the reform package which states that the rights of web users cannot be restricted without the involvement of judicial authorities.

In France, legislation championed by the country's president Nicolas Sarkozy would see illegal downloaders warned by a newly-created state agency about their activity.

If they failed to cease this activity by the third warning, they would have their internet connections severed by their internet service providers for up to one year.

The proposal received widespread backing from film and record industry officials, who have long been campaigning for tougher penalties with regards to the intellectual property issue.

However, it was defeated by 21 votes to 15 in a vote in France's lower house last month, despite winning earlier approval by the Senate. It will now be re-examined in the country's parliament.

While the European vote does not prevent France from implementing the legislation, it does send out a message to politicians that allowing internet cut-offs would be a disproportionate response to the problem, consumer groups claim.

Viviane Reding, the European Union's (EU) telecoms commissioner said the move was "an important restatement of the fundamental rights of EU citizens".

"For many, it is of very high symbolic and political value," she added.