On 14 December 2020 The European Commission published its Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List, exposing online service providers established outside of the European Union that engage in or facilitate intellectual property rights infringement affecting European rightsholders (see item below). The list is intended to raise awareness across law enforcement and policymakers outside the EU of the role and impact of these services.

Commenting on the Watch List, IFPI Chief Executive Frances Moore said “In addition to the many ways that music benefits our lives culturally and emotionally, it contributes €81.9 billion annually to the EU economy and supports two million jobs. This contribution is jeopardized by the digital platforms identified by the Commission.”

Ms Moore said that in addition to identifying several music stream ripping sites, IFPI is “encouraged to see that the report recognises social media platforms as a new category, and that it highlights that companies in this category, such as Telegram, simply must do more to put in place effective measures to prevent large scale copyright infringements on their services”. To read IFPI’s statement in full, click here.