A significant development in European digital law has been marked by a recent court ruling in Spain, which requires VPN (Virtual Private Network) service providers to block access to websites accused of illegally streaming sports content.

LaLiga and Telefónica obtained a court order requiring NordVPN and Proton VPN to block access from Spain to 16 websites allegedly broadcasting Spanish league matches illegally. The rulings obligate VPN services to immediately make the relevant IP addresses inaccessible from Spanish networks.

The decision expands the scope of blocking orders beyond traditional Internet service providers, recognizing VPN providers as technological intermediaries that can be compelled to enforce intellectual property rights. These developments are part of a broader European strategy to strengthen enforcement against online piracy and raise concerns about privacy protection, the risk of excessive blocking of lawful content, and the transparency of technical filtering mechanisms.

This trend is part of a wider European strategy to enhance the enforcement of intellectual property rights in the digital environment and may further influence the regulation of encrypted routing and Internet access services.

Source: https://opi.gr/en/news/6759/