RD238 - ETNO Reflection Document on « Net neutrality » in the US - framing the debate

The purpose of this document is to clarify the “net neutrality” debate that has recently taken place in the US.

The purpose of this document is to clarify the “net neutrality” debate that has recently taken place in the US.


The purpose of this document is to clarify the “net neutrality” debate that has recently taken place in the US. There is an intense political, regulatory and technical polemic going on regarding the relationships between Internet access providers and Internet application providers (or content providers). Seen from the other side of the Atlantic, the debate may appear confused as it centers on an exotic and ill-defined notion. The term means radically different things to different people therefore should be handled with care.

Does the US debate yield consistent or convincing views that appear of paramount importance for the EU regulatory debate? Considering the features of the US market and especially the fact that broadband markets are deregulated, any simple comparison between the US and the intensely regulated EU broadband markets looks pointless. From an EU perspective, therefore, net neutrality looks rather like a non-exportable good.