A planned New Zealand telecom law could end up violating important trade agreements and force the country to face stern measures from the World Trade Organization.
According to Internet NZ, some portions of the law breach two trade agreements signed by the country: AANZFTA (Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement) and GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services).
The legislation pertains to the UFB (ultrafast broadband) and RBI (rural broadband initiative) to boost Internet speeds in the island nation. While the WTO norms must be adhered to by all 153 members, the AANZFTA guidelines bind 12 nations.
Internet NZ CEO Vikram Kumar said that in case the legislation is passed, the WTO could compel the government to modify it. The controversial legislation primarily related to the regulatory power granted to Crown Fiber Holdings, which would monitor the Internet infrastructure, as opposed to an independent body.
No comments:
Post a Comment