Paris - The lower house of the French Parliament, the National Assembly, approved a bill Tuesday that would cut off internet access to web surfers who repeatedly download copyrighted music, films or video games without paying. The bill was passed by a vote of 296 to 233, largely along party lines, with most Socialist Party deputies voting against it.
It was strongly supported by President Nicolas Sarkozy and a broad array of French artists and could set a tough precedent for global attempts to crack down on internet piracy.
The bill was rejected in a first vote in the National Assembly in April because of a parliamentary ploy by the Socialists. But Culture Minister Christine Albanel quickly reintroduced the measure.
The French Senate must approve the bill again before it becomes law. The Senate already approved it by a large majority in October.
The Socialists are now expected to go before the Constitutional Council in an attempt to derail the law. If they fail, it should go into effect as early as autumn. However, internet cut-offs are not likely to be feasible until the beginning of 2010.
Under the "three strikes" legislation, illegal downloaders are first sent an e-mail warning them of their infraction. They would be given the chance to contest the charge.
A second infraction will provoke a second e-mail as well as a registered letter. Internet cut-off follows a third illicit download within a year.
But the law may create a conflict between Paris and the European Union, since the European Parliament last year approved an amendment to a telecoms bill that outlawed internet cut-offs.
And on May 6 the EU assembly overwhelmingly rejected a compromise reached with EU governments that would have allowed France and other countries to cut off internet access.
