Dear all,

My name is Sebastian, I work as an assistant to MEP Julia Reda (Pirate
Party, Greens/EFA) in the European Parliament. I am reaching out to
you today on the topic of the Radio Equipment Directive (2014/53/EU;
RED) that you might have heard of as “Radio Lockdown” because of a
provision obliging manufacturers of radio equipment (such as WiFi
routers) to check all software installable on their devices [1-3].

We think this is a danger to Community WiFi projects throughout
Europe, as they, among others, rely on midified (Free Software)
firmware installed on routers.

The good news is that the RED has not entered into force yet because
the Commission needs to define equipment classes first. This is at the
same time our best possible course of action: We think there should be
a separate class for equipment that you rely on in your projects.

In order to push for this, I would like you to join a working group
that has already been formed in the European Commission. Stakeholders
can join this working group. However, only European-level
organisations will be allowed to join.

That is why I am reaching out to you: I would like you to form a
European representation of Community WiFis to join the working group
and push for an exception for your projects.

As we know that setting up European representation on short notice is
not an easy task, I asked Kirsten Fiedler (in Cc) if it would be
possible for you to team up with EDRi. Even though permanent members
will have to apply and be accepted by the EDRi general assembly [4], a
temporary observership would be an option.

It would be great if you could talk to your projects, and also please
forward this email to everyone else you think should be in the loop!

I’m not sure who of you already know each other, so maybe you can send
a short introduction of who you are and what your project does.

In case you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me by
email, phone (I can call you back!), and if you’re there, let us meet
up on the upcoming Chaos Communication Congress in Hamburg.

Kind regards,
Sebastian

[1] some background info if you’re not familiar with the issue yet:
why we think the provisions endanger open Wifi projects:
< https://juliareda.eu/2015/10/dear-european-governments-dont-endanger-free-and-open-wifi-networks/>
[2] Free Software Foundation Europe posted this joint statement:
< https://fsfe.org/activities/radiodirective/statement.en.html>
[3] article on an FCC decision in the US that I think similarly
applies for the European regulation:
< https://netzpolitik.org/2016/fcc-keine-entwarnung-router-lockdown/>
(quick and sloppy translation to English on my blog:
< http://nerdpolitik.org/en/2016/08/fcc-tp-link-no-reason-to-relax/>)
[4] on the bottom of https://edri.org/about/

Sebastian Raible
Parliamentary Assistant to MEP Julia Reda

European Parliament
ASP 05F162, Rue Wiertz 60, 1047, Brussels, Belgium
Tel. +32 2 28 38732
sebastian.raible@europarl.europa.eu

My name is Julia, I’m the Pirate in the European Parliament.

I’m fighting to make copyright in the EU unified, progressive and fit for the future. Will you join me?

Source : Julia Reda – Dear European governments: don’t endanger free and open WiFi networks!
https://juliareda.eu/2015/10/dear-european-governments-dont-endanger-free-and-open-wifi-networks/