During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate and vote a report to tackle illegal online streaming of sporting events to ensure the protection of organisers’ intellectual property rights. Statement by Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG), rapporteur.

Brussels

statement

debate

plenary session

DZHAMBAZKI, Angel (ECR, BG)

social life (T)

digital Europe programme 2021-2027 (T)

Challenges of sports events organisers in the digital environment: statement by Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG), rapporteur

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/2319028/I205917Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, The Commission also highlighted the need to better address online piracy and the recent media and Audiovisual Action Plan and the Action Plan on intellectual property. In particular, the commission indicated that it will work to see how existing remedies to fight against piracy can be made more efficient and easier to obtain.<br /> <br />

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, The commission will look at how to foster the cooperation amongst national enforcement authorities and amongst stakeholders. The commission will also assess how to improve Legal Office of Sport Content online. The report also covers other issues related to sport events, which are addressed in a horizontal way, in the proposal for the Digital Services Act.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, In particular, the Digital Services Act contains several general provisions on tackling all types of illegal content online, such as rules on notice and action procedures and on trusted flaggers.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Therefore, it is all the more important to conclude the negotiations of the Digital Services Act as fast as possible. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, To conclude, the commission is fully committed to better address the issue of online piracy and is already taking action

SOUNDBITE (English), Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG), Rapporteur, The aim of this report is not to, let's say, to target usual fans or people who are interested just to share some photos or something. The aim of this report is to target professional piracy websites, which are Web streaming all the time, illegal sports content. And they are well organised, they have, let's say, interest to share live broadcast because they have their advertising. Their business model is built on sharing illegally live broadcast to benefit from the advertising or fees or something like this. So this way, we we are trying not to make you lose. This is not necessary. It is not necessary to make new rules, but to improve enforcement. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG), Rapporteur, Organisers of sports events, they have their benefit only and mainly from their broadcast. So that's why piracy is a huge danger for them. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Angel DZHAMBAZKI (ECR, BG), Rapporteur, In order to protect the rights of the rights holders, we need to, let's say, to stop illegal broadcast immediately or as soon as possible, maybe somehow within 30 minutes, because after the end of the broadcast, its value is going down. 

Announcement of the result of the vote: 479 in favour, 171 against, 40 abstentions.