This is a complaint on the subject of Tor-users being unable to access Europa.eu.
Asking the EU Commission to stop blocking Tor
Posted on 2013-02-27
On the 24th of December 2012, the following complaint about the EU Commission web site not being reachable by Tor users was submitted. A month later a message was received that the enquiry had been forwarded to ”the competent Commission service”. Since then it’s been quiet.
The full correspondence can be found below.
Initial complaint
http://europa.eu/ is not available to users of Tor (https://torproject.org/)
There are several other sites, supposedly run by you, that are inaccessible
to Tor users as well.
The information I've been able to get regarding this says that this blocking
was implemented as a reaction to a DoS (Denial of service) attack some time ago.
Is there a way we can help you unblock Tor users from using your services?
If this is a technical issue, we would be more than happy to work with you
to try to solve it. If there are other reasons for you blocking Tor, I'd like to
understand them in order to try to influence this in a positive direction.
Some people need the protection Tor gives you as a user. Some of these people
need access to your sites. Please help me help them.
Thanks,
Linus Nordberg
President DFRI
https://dfri.se/index.en
The response received a month later
From: "Europe Direct" <citizen_reply@>
Subject: [Case_ID: 0697579 / 3796149] Blocking of Tor users
To: linus@
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:09:45 +0100
Dear Mr Nordberg,
Thank you for your message.
Your enquiry has been forwarded to the competent Commission service,
which can be contacted for follow-up via the following e-mail address:
DIGIT-LISO-SECURITY-OPERATION-CENTRE@
Asking for follow-up
From: Linus Nordberg <linus@>
Subject: [Europe Direct] [Case_ID: 0697579 / 3796149] Blocking of Tor users
To: DIGIT-LISO-SECURITY-OPERATION-CENTRE@
cc: dfri@
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:53:27 +0100
Dear Commission service,
I was asked by EUROPE DIRECT Contact Centre to get in contact with you
for follow-up on my case 0697579 / 3796149.
My message about blocking of Tor users sent about a month ago (Dec 24)
has hopefully reached you by now. Do you have any feedback?
Thank you in advance.
Linus Nordberg
President DFRI
https://dfri.se/index.en
Related links
This is a complaint on the subject of Tor-users being unable to access Europa.eu.
It seems the European Commission listened – Europa.eu is now reachable over Tor!
Asking the EU Commission to stop blocking Tor
Posted on 2013-02-27
On the 24th of December 2012, the following complaint about the EU Commission web site not being reachable by Tor users was submitted. A month later a message was received that the enquiry had been forwarded to ”the competent Commission service”. Since then it’s been quiet.
The full correspondence can be found below.
Initial complaint
http://europa.eu/ is not available to users of Tor (https://torproject.org/)
There are several other sites, supposedly run by you, that are inaccessible
to Tor users as well.
The information I've been able to get regarding this says that this blocking
was implemented as a reaction to a DoS (Denial of service) attack some time ago.
Is there a way we can help you unblock Tor users from using your services?
If this is a technical issue, we would be more than happy to work with you
to try to solve it. If there are other reasons for you blocking Tor, I'd like to
understand them in order to try to influence this in a positive direction.
Some people need the protection Tor gives you as a user. Some of these people
need access to your sites. Please help me help them.
Thanks,
Linus Nordberg
President DFRI
https://dfri.se/index.en
The response received a month later
From: "Europe Direct" <citizen_reply@>
Subject: [Case_ID: 0697579 / 3796149] Blocking of Tor users
To: linus@
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:09:45 +0100
Dear Mr Nordberg,
Thank you for your message.
Your enquiry has been forwarded to the competent Commission service,
which can be contacted for follow-up via the following e-mail address:
DIGIT-LISO-SECURITY-OPERATION-CENTRE@
Asking for follow-up
From: Linus Nordberg <linus@>
Subject: [Europe Direct] [Case_ID: 0697579 / 3796149] Blocking of Tor users
To: DIGIT-LISO-SECURITY-OPERATION-CENTRE@
cc: dfri@
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:53:27 +0100
Dear Commission service,
I was asked by EUROPE DIRECT Contact Centre to get in contact with you
for follow-up on my case 0697579 / 3796149.
My message about blocking of Tor users sent about a month ago (Dec 24)
has hopefully reached you by now. Do you have any feedback?
Thank you in advance.
Linus Nordberg
President DFRI
https://dfri.se/index.en
It seems the European Commission listened – Europa.eu is now reachable over Tor! (The date for this change is currently unknown.)