A new EUIPO study reveals that while piracy rates have stabilized in the EU, significant variations exist across countries and content types. The research also links higher piracy rates and socioeconomic factors such as youth unemployment and income inequality. Higher average incomes and increased awareness of legal alternatives reduce piracy.
This week, EUIPO released another in-depth piracy report titled “Online Copyright Infringement in the European Union.” The research is part of a recurring series which has tracked European piracy rates since 2017.
Last year’s study, for example, revealed after years of declining piracy volumes, there was a small uptick of 3.3% in 2022. This rise was primarily driven by a surge in illegal TV streaming, which accounted for nearly half of all online piracy.
The latest report finds that in 2023 the piracy numbers have somewhat stabilized in the EU. However, it’s hard to make generalized statements as piracy habits differ greatly from country to country.