The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe) is urging the European Commission to address rising concerns over inconsistent and disproportionate anti-piracy measures that are starting to appear across the European Union.
The latest case emerged in Spain earlier this month, where internet service disruptions occurred due to overblocking from anti-piracy measures, highlighting the urgent need for EU action.
On 21 January, CCIA Europe already wrote to the Commission about Italy’s problematic Piracy Shield, which forces internet service providers (ISPs) to block websites, including virtual private networks (VPNs) and public DNS resolvers, within 30 minutes of rightsholder reports.
However, the Piracy Shield’s lack of robust verification and redress mechanisms has led to instances of overblocking that affect legitimate online services and users, such as a recent nationwide Google Drive outage in Italy.
Additionally, the letter also points out that recent amendments to Italian copyright law introduce excessive reporting obligations for digital intermediaries, going far beyond the requirements set by the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).
CCIA Europe highlights that Italy failed to notify the European Commission of these measures under the TRIS procedure, undermining critical EU oversight and raising concerns about adherence to EU laws and the impact on free expression and the Single Market.
