European Commission updates Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List

The European Commission has published contributions regarding its updated Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List. The initiative aims to identify and describe online services and marketplaces deemed “most problematic” to encourage authorities and operators to reduce the availability of intellectual property infringing goods and services.

Notably, the Commission stated that the list “does not purport to make findings of legal violations,” raising questions regarding how services are classified as problematic without established legal breaches. The consultation period for the list ran from June 11 to September 21, with a window for reactions remaining open until October 28. The next iteration of the list is expected in the second quarter of 2027.

Submissions include requests to target various technologies, such as VPN companies and internet infrastructure firms. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has specifically requested the inclusion of yt-dlp, an open-source command-line program used to download audio and video from platforms like YouTube. The IFPI cited the project’s community-maintained, open nature as a factor that makes it difficult to control.