This Thursday, March 21, 2024, the European Commission adopted new recommendations aimed at combating counterfeiting, piracy and infringement of intellectual property. Several initiatives are detailed, starting with systematic action against petty offenders.
The fight against piracy and the strengthening of intellectual property rights are among the workhorses of the European Commission. In recent years, efforts by states and rights holders have begun to bear fruit. According to a recent study published in February 2024, Frequent blocking of streaming platforms And illegal downloads ended Benefit from Disney+, Netflix and more.
Indeed, due to the lack of sufficient pirate supply, users eventually choose to go through the legal route. Wars are then won, but The war is far from over. “Counterfeiting and piracy have become pressing concerns, undermining investment and innovation for EU businesses and posing risks to consumers and the environment. Assures the Commission.
The Commission presents its recommendations to combat piracy
With a view to continuing the fight, the Commission has adopted new recommendations this Thursday, March 21, 2024. Via “The EU Toolbox”The organization hopes to promote collaboration between rights holders, service providers and law enforcement agencies,While promoting best practices and use of modern tools and techniques.
From what we remember of the measures put forward by the organization, The main objective is to get the mattress out from under the pirate’s “keyboard”., acting specifically on the legal services they use in their activities. The Commission suggests, for example, that Attempts can be made through payment services.
Payment services are considered the first way
For good reasons, if this platform is essential in the activities of the rights holders, it can also be used by pirate platforms (for example to subscribe to an IPTV subscription). To avoid misuse of these services, the Commission has several ideas:
- Indicate clearly under normal conditions of use, viz Grounds for Suspension or Termination of Contracts with SellersAny finding by a competent authority including the use of their payment services for the purpose of infringement of intellectual property
- Establish notification mechanisms that will allow rights holders to use these servicesAny activity that infringes their intellectual property will be reported through its payment platform
- Set up an efficient information system To identify users Those who engage in activities that infringe intellectual property
- Exchange information with other payment services To avoid IP infringement trends
In the same vein, the European Commission calls on social networks to establish systems to identify users exploiting these platforms in terms of IP infringing illegal activity.
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Systematic sanctions for “petty pirates”.
Moreover, the organization also makes recommendations to member states and competent authorities Counter mirror sites with dynamic commandsTo optimize the sharing of information in legal proceedings or to guarantee appropriate compensation for damages caused by hacking.
Above all we will remember the commission’s focus on petty offenders. understand, People who pirate movies for personal use. Indeed, the European Chamber calls for systematic sanctions: “Member States are encouraged to order the disclosure of relevant information to judicial authorities competent to deal effectively with non-commercial IP infringements, in response to a reasonable and proportionate request by the applicant in the procedure.
In other words, the Commission wants Member State ISPs to disclose certain information such as Email address, telephone number or even IP address of offenders.
