In the run-up to the European elections, the election candidates have made promises to the European citizens on WePromise.eu, a campaign that offered them the chance to explicitly speak out in favor of the protection of digital rights. Twenty-nine Dutch election candidates for the European Parliament from D66 (Democrats 66), Groenlinks (Green Party), SP (Socialist Party), PvdA (Labour Party), PvdD (Party for the Animals) and the Pirate Party have signed the Charter of Digital Rights.

The elected MEPs Sophie in ‘t Veld (D66), Bas Eickhout (GroenLinks), Marietje Schaake (D66), Dennis de Jong (SP), Anja Hazekamp (PvdD), Kati Piri (PvdA), Gerben Jan Gerbrandy (D66) and Judith Sargentini (GroenLinks) are among those who have signed the charter and will therefore promote the following ten points:

• I will promote transparency, access to documents and citizen participation.
• I will support data protection and privacy legislation.
• I will defend unrestricted access to the Internet and online Services.
• I will promote an update of copyright legislation.
• I will not support blanket, unchecked surveillance measures.
• I will promote online anonymity and encryption.
• I will not support privatized enforcement outside the rule of law.
• I will support export controls of surveillance and censorship technology.
• I will defend the principle of multistakeholderism.
• I will promote Free software (Open source software).

The coming five years will be hugely important to our online civil rights as Brussels is expected to deliver new legislation on copyright, cybercrime, privacy, data protection and surveillance. The many international civil rights organizations and activists behind the campaign have great expectations from the Dutch MEPs and will certainly call them to account in case they do not live up to their promises.

Follow the Dutch MEPs on Twitter:

• Anja Hazekamp (PvdD)
• Bas Eickhout (GroenLinks)
• Dennis de Jong (SP)
• Gerben Jan Gerbrandy (D66)
• Judith Sargentini (GroenLinks)
• Kati Piri (PvdA)
• Marietje Schaake (D66)
• Sophie in ‘t Veld (D66)