New Spanish Internet law will stymie e-commerce
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| 400 Spanish web site owners have taken their pages offline in protest. |
Paris, 22 November 2002 - A coalition of the world's leading technology companies have thrown their support behind an ICC statement expressing concern that a new Spanish law will restrict commerce on the Internet.
Microsoft, Vodafone, Oracle, AT&T, Nokia, Verizon and IBM are among companies who have contributed to a new ICC statement on the negative impact that Internet content regulation has on the free flow of e-commerce.
The statement was delivered today by ICC Spain to the Spanish Minister for Science and Technology, Josep Pique.
ICC - International Chamber of Commerce - is the world business organization. With over 8000 member companies in more than 140 countries, it is the world's largest, most representative private sector organization.
The ICC statement follows a recent Spanish government decision to compel all Spanish-based web sites that engage in commerce to register with the government. The new law also allows Spanish authorities to order local ISPs to block access to any foreign sites deemed threatening to Spain's national defense, public order, consumer rights or other values.
The new law has already prompted over 400 Spanish web site owners to take their pages offline in protest, according to Kriptopolis, a digital rights and Internet security site.
The Spanish government says the law, which stems from European Union directives, a
ims to encourage online commerce by making the Internet a safer place to do business. It wants companies operating on the Internet to be subject to the same tax and commerce laws as traditional firms.
But companies working with the ICC's Commission on E-Business, IT and Telecoms, are concerned that excessive domestic regulation of Internet content acts as an unnecessary brake on a thriving e-commerce environment.
The ICC statement says: "The Internet continues to be a vibrant and important medium for conducting business. Indeed, the Internet and e-commerce facilitate international trade. Given the benefits of increased trade for society, governments should refrain from imposing unnecessary restrictions on Internet content."
"Excessive domestic regulation of Internet content creates significant uncertainties for business operating in this global medium, and has a chilling effect on commercial communication.
"Unrestricted access to information on the Internet plays an important role in business growth in many developing economies, especially the IT and software industries."
The ICC's Commission on E-business, IT and Telecoms is comprised of some 340 members, representing a cross-section of leading technology companies.
It's members hail from a range of leading technology companies - large and small - including online service and content providers, IT equipment manufacturers and telecommunications companies. The commission's work provides governments and regulatory authorities with a business perspective on e-commerce related issues.
For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact Jonas Astrup, ICC International Secretariat (Paris), tel : +33 1 49 53 2826, email :Click here to send a mail
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