The debates on French piracy law “Creation and Internet” will resume at French Assemby on April 29, according to French deputy Jean-François Copé.
The bill, which features a three-strike scheme to prevent illegal download, was surprisingly rejected by French Assembly on April 9. This caused a great shock to the government and the music industry, which was preparing to celebrate the final adoption of the law.
The rejection was considered by the government as an accident due to a dozen deputies of opposing socialist party taking part of the vote at the very last moment, thus putting ruling party UMP in the minority and without time to gather more of their own deputies.
Ministry of Culture Christine Albanel, who introduced the draft bill, threatened to leave quit should the bill not pass; it is likely that it will be adopted, with UMP this time taking care of having enough troops present in both assemblies.
But while the debates were supposed to be closed, the draft now has to come back in front of the Assembly and then the Senate where it can be amended again. This should bring back discussions on the nature of the sanction (fines instead of internet access suspension) or on whether an infringing user would have to pay its internet access while suspended.
The rejection of the law has given new arguments to its opponents, such as consumers’ organization UFC Que Choisir or European MP Guy Bono, who both call for the government to abandon what they consider a repressive and ineffective law.
If voted, the law should be challenged by its opponents in front of the Constitutional Council, which has the power to rule out the parts it considers in violation of the French constitution.
