European Union urged to end live piracy to protect sport and culture
A call to action, involving 108 signatories, has been made to the EU to address the issue of piracy and particularly that associated with live content.
Over one hundred companies, leagues, federations and other organisations have signed a call to action aimed on encouraging the European Union to take steps to deal adequately with the issue of live piracy in order to protect creativity, sports and culture.
The following statement was sent to the EU.
‘We, the undersigned, call on the European Union to address the issue of piracy and particularly live content piracy. Piracy has and continues to drain Europe’s creative and cultural ecosystems, sports and live performance sectors depriving workers and industries from billions in annual revenues and undermining the sustainability of an essential part of our social and economic fabric.
‘We call on the European Commission to deliver a legislative instrument to tackle live content piracy as a firm commitment from the European Executive branch to address this issue with adequate measures. Notably, guaranteeing that notified illegal content is taken down immediately and blocked before the live event terminates.
‘In so doing, we recall that such measures build on the existing corpus of European and national laws to deliver effective tools to fight and disable piracy networks. Networks incorporating a number of criminal operators that use piracy as a means to launder gains from illegal activities.
‘It is Europe’s duty to protect and promote its world leading creative and cultural workforce and industrial base as well as preserving consumers from the risks tied to piracy.
‘Any non-legislative instruments would be inadequate and insufficient to address the magnitude of the problem. Only a European wide regulation could provide an appropriate answer.
‘We encourage the European Commission to act firmly and rapidly towards proposing such an instrument.’
The full list of 108 signatories:
1. A+E Networks EMEA
2. AEPO-ARTIS
3. AMC Networks International
4. Asociación clubes baloncesto
5. Asociaţia Română de Comunicaţii Audiovizuale
6. Association of Bulgarian Broadcasters
7. Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe
8. Association of Danish ensembles, orchestras and opera institutions
9. Association of music festivals
10. Association of the Professional theatres in the Czech Republic
11. Association professionnelle des régies publicitaires TV et radio
12. Association Sygnał
13. ATP Media
14. Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance
15. Australian Football League
16. beIN Sports
17. British Horseracing Authority
18. BT Sport
19. Bulgarian Association of employers in Culture
20. Canal+ Group
21. Central European Media Enterprises
22. Confindustria Radio Televisioni
23. Cricket Australia
24. Deutsche Fussball Liga
25. Deutscher Fussbal-Bund
26. Discovery+
27. Ekstraklasa
28. England and Wales Cricket Board
29. England Rugby
30. English Football League
31. Euroleague Basketball
32. European Arenas Association
33. European Professional Club Rugby
34. European Tour
35. Eurosport
36. Federation Equestre
37. Fédération Française de Rugby
38. Fédération Française de Tennis
39. Federazione per la Tutela delle Industrie dei Contenuti Audiovisivi e Multimediali
40. FIFA
41. Football DataCo
42. Global Cycling Network
43. Guinness Six Nations
44. Indian Premier League
45. International Cricket Council
46. International Netball Federation
47. International Paralympic Committee
48. International Tennis Federation
49. KIGEiT – Krajowa Izba Gospodarcza Elektroniki i Telekomunikacji
50. Ladies European Tour
51. LaLiga
52. Ligue de Football Professionnel
53. London Marathon
54. Mediapro
55. Mediaset España
56. Mediaset S.p.A.
57. Motion Picture Association EMEA
58. Moto GP
59. News Media Europe
60. Nova Broadcasting Group
61. Nova Greece (Wind)
62. Nova TV Croatia
63. NRL
64. Paramount
65. Pearle* Live Performance Europe
66. PGA Tour
67. Premier League
68. Premiership Rugby
69. Roland Garros Paris
70. Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
71. Rugby AU
72. Rugby Football League
73. Rugby World Cup
74. Ryder Cup
75. Scottish Professional Football League
76. Scottish Rugby
77. Serie A
78. Sky plc
79. Speedway Great Britain
80. Sport Integrity Global Alliance
81. Sports Rights Owners Coalition
82. State Federation of Associations of Theatre and Dance production enterprises
83. Swedish Performing Arts
84. Syndicat national du spectacle musical et de variété
85. Tennis Australia
86. TF1
87. The British Golf Championship
88. The Championships Wimbledon
89. The European VOD Coalition
90. The Football Association
91. The Lawn Tennis Association
92. The Walt Disney Company
93. tvi
94. UEFA
95. UNI Global Union Europa - Media, Entertainment & Arts
96. Union Internationale des Cinémas
97. United Media
98. UTECA - Televisión Comercial en Abierto
99. VAUNET - Verband Privater Medien
100. Verband Österreichischer Privatsender
101. Viaplay Group
102. Vivacom
103. Warner Brothers Discovery Sports
104. Women’s Tennis Association
105. World Athletics
106. World Federation of Advertisers
107. World Snooker
108. ZPPM Lewiatan – Związek Pracodawców Prywatnych Mediów Lewiatan. Internationale