[sherlock_h]

Even if it falls short on the ideal implementation via a regulation rather than a directive (the former mandating all states to adhere to a single implementation and the latter defining a framework that can be implemented by member states) this is still a huge accomplishment and a step in the right direction.

And all done as a grass roots effort from a few dedicated and motivated folks like Andreas Klinger.

[the_biot]

Exactly. Even if all it ends up amounting to is the stuff in the last paragraph of the summary, that would be huge.

The EU has a long history of doing things like this -- forcing the hand of national governments to do what they all knew needed to be done, but lacked the political willpower or mandate. Freeing monopolist-dominated or coddled industries like telecoms, delivery, airlines, railways would never have happened without the EU.