The AAPA expresses its disappointment following the adoption of the Commission’s work programme for 2023

Yesterday the European Commission announced in its Work Programme for next year its intention to publish a Recommendation on the piracy of live content by Q2 2023.

The Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA) deeply regrets the Commission’s decision to come up with a non-legislative and non-binding proposal to address the increasing damaging issue that live content piracy currently represents. The Commission has ignored 107 Members of the European Parliament and more than one hundred organisations from across the EU’s cultural, creative, audiovisual and sports sectors – including AAPA – who have called on the Commission to issue a legislative proposal.

From AAPA’s perspective, this non-legislative proposal represents another missed opportunity which will fail to effectively address piracy of live audiovisual content, since the legal framework offered by the Digital Services Act (DSA) will not guarantee that notified content is taken down immediately and blocked before a live event terminates. This is crucial considering that live broadcasts have an economic value which is limited to the duration of the event.

This situation is extremely harmful for the entire audiovisual value chain and a recommendation will not prevent audiovisual piracy to spread even more in the European Union, therefore contributing to funding criminal networks while endangering European consumers. It is, in essence, a green light for pirates.

AAPA and its members are grateful to the policymakers across the political spectrum and member states for their continued support. Our fight against audiovisual piracy in all its forms continues.