EU directive poses anti-caching threat

The European Internet Service Providers Association (EuroISPA) today called for an amendment to the proposed European Union copyright directive amid fears that a ban on temporary caching could bring the Net to its knees.

The proposed law is intended to give stronger protection to musicians and other artists publishing on the Internet but it could also have strong ramifications on ISPs and the speed of Internet traffic.

Temporary copies of files are made by ISPs to speed up the flow of information over the Internet. "Our concern is the law won't allow for temporary caching," said Nicholas Lansman, spokesman for Euro ISPA and head of ISPA in the UK. "No-one condones piracy but there needs to be clarification between direct copying and inadvertent copying."

Euro MPs voted yesterday to toughen up copyright law following intense lobbying from the music industry. The legislation is still in draft and is not expected to become law in the near future. Euro ISPA has been in touch with various European MPs and have received "a lot of support" for an amendment, according to Lansman.