'Right to internet' battle lost as parliament concedes no legal basis

Early Thursday morning the European Parliament and EU member states finally reached a deal over a long-delayed telecoms package when MEPs softened their opposition to French-style 'three-strikes' laws aimed at illegal internet downloaders, ending for now the Brussels debate on a fundamental 'right' to internet access.

In a reversal of the parliament's position for much of the last year, MEPs in behind-closed-doors negotiations with the Council of Ministers, representing the member state...