Cutajar says internet access for all must become digital right for EU citizens

Labour MEP Josianne Cutajar has called for digital rights for citizens and internet access for all, to be recognised as a right.

At the Conference on the Future of Europe (CFOE), the Maltese representative from the European Socialists said internet access was no longer a luxury but a necessity, and that digital skills were essential in keeping the European Union close to its citizens, especially those who cannot easily voice their opinions.

“The Union is not only for those living in Brussels, Strasbourg or the main European cities, but also for those living on islands, remote areas and the smallest villages of the Union,” the MEP said.

“More work remains to be done in this context, and while I am satisfied with my commitment and my colleagues’ commitment during this Conference in such area, I will continue to work even harder for greater inclusiveness in the digital sector; in the digital transformation we need to make, we must truly ensure that we do not leave anyone behind.”

The CFOE was a process of consultation with European citizens over a number of months, with the goal of examining the future of the EU, by means of input from  European citizens.

Last February, MEP Josianne Cutajar was one of the MEPs on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats who signed a letter calling for a European Charter of Digital Rights to enshrine clearer and better rights in this regard.

The letter referred to internet access as a human right, following Cutajar’s efforts to bring this to the forefront of the conversation in part via a formal question to the European Commission with a view to further pushing for this right.

Cutajar also played an active role in various activities organized in the different institutions during the last days of the CFOE, aimed at informal dialogue with citizens on the work she and her colleagues are involved with. While at the parliament Cutajar further stressed the importance that citizens from different backgrounds and areas remain at the centre of the European Union’s work and consultation.