A much-anticipated Assessment was released by the European Commission, measuring the progress made against live event piracy by the EU as a consequence of the EC’s 2023 Recommendation on combatting piracy. Rather than producing a updated and improved set of recommendations, the Assessment mostly recapped the effectiveness of the 2023 Recommendation, its surrounding regulatory frameworks, and activities by member states.
As a status report on piracy, the Assessment provided a snapshot of how long it takes to respond to a reported piracy incident, based on early observations by the EUIPO Observatory, complemented by external analysis by Grant Thornton, and by data from the Digital Services Act’s DSA Transparency Database.
The EC assessment was direct: “Despite the progress made, the Recommendation has not resulted in considerable curbing of the overall level of piracy of live events. The assessment highlights in particular the lack of an effective treatment of notices by some categories of hosting service providers as well as the reluctance of certain intermediaries to cooperate with rightholders.
It continued: “The assessment also notes that users continue to ask for greater availability and affordability of legal offers. In view of the remaining challenges, the Commission will consider areas for potential further action, to better address online piracy of sports and other live events at the EU level.”
The assessment observed that “the Recommendation has prompted a number of positive developments. Certain EU Member States have taken measures to enable a more effective use of dynamic injunctions, tailored to live events. Positive developments have also emerged in the cooperation between national authorities, thanks to the establishment of a dedicated network coordinated by the EUIPO Observatory, as mandated by the Recommendation.”
Why it matters
We’re sure to see strong reactions from stakeholders who were expecting more from this Assessment; especially in light of a letter submitted by 36 industry stakeholders about two weeks prior to this release.
The 2023 Commission Recommendation encouraged Member States and market players to increase their efforts to combat the unauthorised streaming of live events, taking into consideration the specific nature of these events. It includes a number of measures, related, for example, to the prompt treatment of notices by hosting service providers, to the wider use of dynamic injunctions by Member States and to encouraging an effective cooperation among the various market players and national authorities.
Further reading
Assessment of the effects of Commission Recommendation (EU) 2023/1018 of 4 May 2023 on combating online piracy of sports and other live events. Commission Staff Working Document. November 20, 2025. European Commission
Commission takes stock of the progress made in the take up of the measures of its 2023 Recommendation on combatting online piracy of sports and other live events. Press release. November 20, 2025. European Commission
36 industry stakeholders issue reminder as EC ramps anti-piracy assessment. Article. October 30, 2025. by Steven Hawley. Piracy Monitor.
Research: Online piracy trends worsen despite European Commission recommendation. Article. September 10, 2025. by Steven Hawley. Piracy Monitor
