On 4 May, the European Commission, adopted a Recommendation, aligned with the Digital Service Act, on combating online piracy of sport events and other live broadcasts. It is stated that the included measures shall enable stakeholders “to take effective, balanced and appropriate measures to fight unauthorised retransmissions of such streamings”. The Recommendation consists of three central measures:
- Prompt treatment of notices related to live events: Hosting service providers are advised to take urgent action to reduce the negative impact of illegal streaming.
- Dynamic injunctions: It is recommended to grant legal standing to the use of blocking injunctions for live events.
- Commercial offers and awareness: Broadcasters are advised to provide attractive legal opportunities for streaming to end-users. Member states shall raise awareness for these legal offers among consumers, while law enforcement should be aware of the issue of piracy.
The Commission also highlights the importance of cooperation and exchange between national authorities and rights holders. The Commission is set to introduce a monitoring system to evaluate the effect of the Recommendation and to identify further measures.