The European Commission has launched a Call for Evidence to assess the effects of its 2023 Recommendation on combating online piracy of sports and other live events.
The Recommendation, adopted on 4 May 2023, encourages Member States, rightsholders, online service providers and other players to take action against the unauthorised retransmission of live content — a pressing issue for broadcasters and content owners.
The News Media Coalition supports robust and proportionate anti-piracy measures. NMC members are copyright owners who invest significantly in producing and distributing live content, particularly news footage, from breaking developments to major sports and cultural moments. Combatting piracy is essential to protecting that investment and the integrity of the news media economy.
At the same time, NMC emphasises that journalists must retain the ability to report freely and fairly on matters of public interest. We call on the Commission to ensure that any current or future policy continues to uphold the exemption for journalistic purposes — allowing the limited and responsible use of non-licensed content where necessary to inform the public.
As the EU reviews the effectiveness of the Recommendation, NMC will engage with the process to help strike the right balance: defending intellectual property rights, while safeguarding press freedom and the public’s right to know. Feedback on the Call for Evidence is open until 28 May 2025.