MEP calls on Bangemann to halt caching law

A UK Liberal Democrat MEP has launched an appeal to the European Industry Commissioner Martin Bangemann asking him to stop the proposed Web caching ban voted in by the European Parliament last week.

But Graham Watson's plea could fall on deaf ears as Joachim Kubosch, Bangemann's spokesman, told Silicon.com this morning that the appeal has gone to the wrong commissioner.

The Bill endorsed by MEPs last week was created to protect intellectual property rights on the Internet, but contained a clause ruling that all copying including Web caching be outlawed.

It is widely perceived as an unenforceable ban that could have huge negative implications for the development of the Internet in Europe. In a statement Watson said the Parliament has effectively made most Internet activity illegal.

Watson is asking Bangemann to help eliminate the ban, which he described as a "copyright cock-up".

But Kubosch said: "Everyone always thinks Bangemann is the commissioner for everything to do with the Internet but that is not the case." All Bangemann will do is redirect the appeal to commissioner Monti who is responsible for copyright issues, he said.

"It makes sense that the person responsible for copyright offline should handle online copyright issues," added Kubosch.