Policymakers on this side of the Atlantic may be deeply divided about the virtues of requiring Internet carriers – mostly telcos and cable companies – to provide identical service to all comers. But the European Union, not generally known for a less-is-more approach to regulation, has commendably decided to see whether free markets can sort out the “net neutrality” issue without government help. As Neelie Kroes, the EU’s former competition commissioner who now serves as its commissioner for digital agenda, put it: “We should allow network operators and services and content providers to explore innovative business models.” Well said, Ms. Kroes.
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EU: Less is More |
Professor Dieter Helm (Oxford) is a very fine fly fisherman, and an even better economist. If you haven’t done so, take a look at his new book “The Carbon Crunch: How We Are Getting Climate Change Wrong — and How to Fix It” for a bit of unconventional wisdom. He argues that politicians and the general public have not shown any real interest in addressing climate change. Helm argues that places like Europe should focus on setting a price for carbon that would cover consumption (and not just production), and that fracking could be a good “bridge” technology for reducing consumption of coal. The book is readable and insightful for those interested in the inside track on climate policy. 
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