Referendum websites blocked by Spain: Brussels won’t intervene but says restrictions must be proportionate

The European Commission will not take measures against Spain for closing more than a hundred websites related to the independence referendum, something the Catalan government denounced as "digital repression."  

In response to a letter from the Catalan executive, the Commission's Director-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, Roberto Viola, cites European rules preventing internet service providers from blocking websites except when national legislation that complies with EU law allows it. This also includes court orders.

"Any such measure liable to restrict those fundamental rights or freedoms may only be imposed if they are appropriate, proportionate and necessary within a democratic society, and their implementation shall be subject to adequate procedural safeguards," reads Viola’s letter.  

The Commission notes that "a significant number of web pages" (32, according to their estimates) that were initially blocked are no longer closed.