Kroes outlines Internet police plan

The nominee to be European commissioner in charge of policing the Internet is set to outline plans for breaking down cross-border barriers to online commerce when she addresses the European Parliament on Thursday. Neelie Kroes, the Dutch economist who as EU competition chief broke up some of the region's biggest banks, won a fierce reputation for notching up a series of cartel fines, including one of almost E1 billion. In written answers to members of the European Parliament -- who will quiz her on her suitability to rejoin the European Union's 27-strong executive -- Kroes has outlined her plans for the Internet, a core part of what she hopes to be her new brief. "The e-economy has huge economic potential, but too often, consumers and businesses do not engage in online transactions across member states because of legal and regulatory barriers," Kroes, 68, wrote. "There is much more to be done, on issues ranging from provision of digital content to reassuring consumers about electronic payments and their contractual rights," she said. Kroes' predecessor, Viviane Reding, won praise for imposing curbs on the amount mobile phone companies could charge for calls abroad, and Kroes has cast herself as a consumer champion in some decisions taken during her tenure at competition. But Paul Ruebig, an Austrian lawmaker and member of the parliamentary committee that will quiz Kroes, said he doubted she would take a similarly tough stance on such issues as phone costs. "The problem with Kroes is that she has been in an executive function until now which is completely different to forming business policy and legislation," Ruebig said. "For this reason, I wonder if she will be as prepared to take such initiatives as curbing roaming charges. We will be asking some tough questions of her." (C ) Reuters