The effectiveness of blocking injunctions against ISPs in respect of online copyright infringement in Europe: a comparative analysis from the UK, Greece and the Nordic countries

Abstract

Blocking injunctions against Internet Service Providers (ISP) are a common and valuable remedy in cases of online copyright infringement. This paper focuses on the effectiveness of blocking injunctions against ISPs in Europe. An understanding of the key legal concepts and procedures is provided. Emphasis is given to the interpretation of the “act of communi- cation to the public”. Doctrinal and comparative research methods have been deployed to examine how the selected jurisdictions respond to blocking injunctions. The paper provides recommendations to increase the effectiveness of blocking injunctions through EU harmonisation, while it also provides alternative measures to tackle online copyright infringement.