The Alliance Against Audiovisual Piracy (AAPA) emphasizes that online piracy has become a fundamental threat to Europe’s cultural independence, economic competitiveness, and consumer safety. The organization highlights that the European Commission’s recent report acknowledges that current voluntary and non-binding measures have failed to curb piracy effectively.

Piracy continues to grow in both scale and sophistication, taking advantage of new technologies and digital distribution methods. This illegal activity undermines Europe’s audiovisual industry and hampers the European Union’s ability to invest, innovate, and compete on a global level. AAPA states that online piracy offers no benefit to Europe’s cultural or economic landscape and instead causes significant harm by:

• Diverting revenue from legitimate creators, broadcasters, and distributors, while also reducing tax income for member states.
• Exposing consumers, including millions of EU citizens, to substantial risks.
• Facilitating fraud, cybercrime, and other illegal activities, which are well documented.

To protect European citizens and maintain the integrity of the Single Market, decisive and coordinated action at the EU level is necessary. AAPA welcomes the European Commission’s renewed focus on the role of online intermediaries. For measures to be effective, Digital Services Coordinators—supported by the Commission—must foster meaningful engagement and structural change among the various intermediaries that illegal operators exploit. This includes not only hosting providers but also:

• Digital infrastructure such as CDNs, data centers, IP and domain registries, and hardware providers
• Platforms and services like social media, streaming platforms, and e-commerce sites
• Monetization and reach enablers, including payment services and online advertising networks

Establishing clear expectations, transparency obligations, and proactive measures is crucial. Experience shows that when intermediaries cooperate constructively, significant progress can be achieved. Since many of these actors operate within the EU, leadership from the European Commission—supported by Parliament and the Council—is essential.

AAPA also supports the Commission’s recognition of the increasing use of dynamic blocking injunctions across Member States. National authorities have taken important steps to protect cultural and creative sectors through judicially supervised cooperation with ISPs, resulting in:

• Effective protection of live content
• Reduced visibility and accessibility of illegal streams

However, fragmentation limits the overall impact. Only a unified, EU-wide approach—based on full-chain engagement—can ensure consistency, predictability, and a genuine deterrent effect. This is an area where EU leadership is crucial, building on work already underway in Member States. The European Commission should take a leading role in promoting a comprehensive framework for piracy blocking and coordinated action across the entire value chain.

AAPA is prepared to collaborate with the European Commission, Parliament, and Council. The organization offers support in developing effective legislative solutions that strengthen Europe’s audiovisual sector and help secure a resilient, competitive, and culturally vibrant digital future for all Europeans.

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