French move a step nearer a 3 strikes regime

The French Senate has voted in favour of a 3 strikes law.

"The legislation is the transposition into law of an extra-parliamentary initiative of President Nicholas Sarkozy from last November, the so-called Olivennes accord, in which some 40 stakeholders from the music, cinema and internet service provision sectors agreed that repeat illegal downloaders would have their internet cut off by ISPs. However, the accord was essentially a gentleman's agreement between the parties and without legislative weight."

Note that the linked report correctly points out that the EU parliament voted against 3 strikes but an amendment to that effect in the telecoms directive has been quietly removed contrary to what the EUObserver report says.