Some recent developments suggest we may be on the cusp of a significant shift in how Europe tackles illegal streaming. Organizations such as LALIGA are now openly signaling that the European Commission may soon move from soft recommendations to actually binding legislation that strengthens the fight against piracy in regard to streaming.
The push isn’t simply about asking for voluntary takedowns. Instead, what’s being called for is a legal framework that sets clear deadlines for the removal of pirated broadcasts and requires compliance from intermediaries—not just traditional hosting providers but also CDNs, reverse-proxy services, and alternative DNS.
See this related announcement from the Association for the Protection of Sports Programs (APPS) following the hearing of the president of Arcom, the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, before the Committee on Cultural Affairs and Education of the National Assembly.
Why organizers say voluntary measures are no longer enough
According to LALIGA’s recent announcement, the European Commission’s own assessment, which was done with support from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), determined that a key structural issue undermining anti-piracy efforts is the “non-cooperation by technology intermediaries.”
The EUIPO’s findings seem to be pretty stark: despite the adoption in 2023 of a recommendation to combat unauthorized retransmissions of live sports and other events, the pace and scale of piracy have continued to rise. The report revealed that voluntary measures just aren’t enough because the industry is facing pirate services that constantly adapt, hide behind sophisticated infrastructures, and move quickly to exploit gaps.
Because of that, a coalition of major rights holders and audiovisual stakeholders have written to the European Commission asking for binding legislative measures—with teeth. These potentially include:
Deadlines for takedown of pirated broadcasts
Part of the push is for laws to set clear, enforceable timeframes by which intermediaries must act once they are notified of unauthorized content. Under the current voluntary recommendation, delays or inaction remain common, especially during peak sports events when pirate streams draw the most viewers.
Obligations for all intermediaries
Crucially, stakeholders want the law to require compliance not only from content hosting providers but also from infrastructure players often used to conceal piracy, such as CDNs, reverse-proxy services, and alternative DNS providers. This shows the reality that modern pirate networks are built not just on hosting but on chains of digital intermediaries.
Unified legal framework across EU member states
One of the frustrations is the patchwork of enforcement across different countries. In some states, dynamic judicial blocking orders are used aggressively. However, in others there is little or no enforcement whatsoever.
A binding, EU-wide law would standardize procedures and make it at least somewhat more difficult for pirate services to exploit regulatory loopholes by shifting operations across borders.
Why the European Commission’s review matters
LALIGA’s anti-piracy efforts haven’t been just rhetorical. According to their announcements, during the 2024/25 season, they managed to reduce piracy consumption in Spain by around 60%. This was achieved not only through legal action and court rulings but also via a combination of technical enforcement, including “dynamic blocking,” and partnerships with platforms, intermediaries, and other stakeholders.
The organization described its response as a “surgical” approach that disrupts core infrastructures of pirate networks (like payment systems, distribution channels, and ad networks), rather than just chasing individual streams.
Still, despite successes, the organization says that without a harmonized European legal framework, such efforts remain fragmented and insufficient against ever-evolving piracy operations.
Under the current system, the 2023 recommendation by the Commission was always non-binding. It really stands as a “soft law” instrument encouraging member states and intermediaries to act but placing no legal obligation to do so. But the Commission had committed to evaluating the recommendation’s impact by November 2025.
According to LALIGA, the findings that were published late last month make clear that the voluntary route has failed to stop piracy’s growth. That, in turn, appears to open the door for stronger action: LALIGA “is confident that the European Commission will soon strengthen its recommendation…”, meaning a potential transition toward a binding legislative instrument.
This potential momentum could have transformative consequences, especially if it results in an EU-wide law that compels ISPs, CDNs, and others to act quickly when notified of pirated content, regardless of where they are based.
What it could mean for fans, creators and platforms
- For fans and legitimate broadcasters: A more level playing field, where legal streams are protected and piracy is much harder to get away with. As a recent related post stated, “Content piracy undermines football. It robs football associations of the funding they desperately need to survive, to develop youth structures, and to compete at the highest level. It’s therefore critical that sports fans understand the damage they do to the sport they supposedly love when they use pirate streams.”
- For rights holders and sports leagues: Greater confidence that their investment in live content will be safeguarded, and that broadcasters will value exclusivity more—supporting the business model.
- For infrastructure providers: A heavier regulatory burden, with faster takedown requirements and stricter compliance obligations across all digital intermediaries.
- For pirates: Many current loopholes may be closed, especially those that rely on shifting infrastructure across borders or using obscure intermediaries.
Of course, all this raises complex questions about enforcement, cross-border jurisdiction, and the technical feasibility of policing. But the trading of voluntary compliance for a binding framework is precisely what many stakeholders today are calling for.
Whether the Commission and EU member states will rise to the challenge remains to be seen. But for now, it appears that a new era of European streaming anti-piracy legislation may indeed be on the horizon.
