It's not just a European thing: http://lirneasia.net/2012/09/harm-caused-by-ill-thought-out-wcit-proposals-t... And don't forget that while the TCF's IP Interconnection documentation at http://www.tcf.org.nz/content/cb0daa80-0e55-42b6-b1c5-1898ec1697b0.html is specifically targetted at VOIP it has these clauses in its Objectives: 2.2.1 To define a generic, service agnostic, interconnection framework capable of supporting multiple service classes; and 2.2.2 To define minimum national standards for IP voice interconnection (VoIP). 2.2.3 The Technical Standards: “could be used to provide guidance on technical discussions and facilitate a more standard interconnection deployment between two carriers wishing to interconnect in native IP if they so choose, The document doesn't include or preclude settlement free peering but I'd guess that "a more standard interconnection deployment" could well look like any VOIP settlement model that preceded it.