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Reding’s two cents (or three cents) for freedom of speech

Posted on August 29, 2008 | Filed Under communication technologies 

Isn’t it nice to know that even though the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union will not become law any time soon, the Commission cares deeply for freedom of expression? At least that is the way Commissioner Reding likes to look at the Roaming regulation:

“The EU Roaming Regulation was introduced so that Europeans could exercise freedom of speech with their mobile phones without fear of excessive bills when travelling in the Single Market.”

I really had not thought of the Roaming Regulation as an instrument to safeguard fundamental rights - but, while we are at it: why not lower the postage rates, so I could exercise my freedom of written expression without fear of the excessive cost of stamps? Or, better still, why not lower the cost of train, airline or bus tickets and of petrol, so I could exercise my freedom of expression in person vis-a-vis any citizen of the Single Market without fear of excessive travel costs? And why limit all this to the Single Market - isn’t freedom of expression just as important when travelling, for instance, to Africa, Asia, the Americas?

Anyway, tomorrow the price limit for voice roaming in the community will sink another three cents for calls made (from 0.49 to 0.46 €, excluding VAT), and two cents for calls received (from € 0.24 to € 0.22); on the wholesale level, the average rate will also go down two cents, from € 0.30 to € 0.28. It is certainly nice, if you are on the consumer side of the business, but overall it might not be as important as Ms Reding thinks it is.

And here is my proposal for a rewording of Article 11, first paragraph, of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (words in bold face type indicate the proposed addition to the current text):

“Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without fear of excessive phone bills or of interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.”

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