French Council of State ruling on Canal+ and Arcom illegal streaming case

SPs can block domain names of illegal streaming sites following a court order. However, operators often find ways to get around these blocks by creating mirror sites with new domain names. Since October 25, 2021, Arcom can also block mirror sites without needing a separate court decision.

Previously, Arcom required a “certificate of no appeal” to confirm that all legal avenues had been exhausted before taking action. This process often lengthened the timeline, especially when dealing with organizations outside of France. Canal+ raised concerns about this step and brought the issue to the Council of State, which ruled in favor of Canal+.

The Council of State determined that the procedures are “expedited on the merits” and are provisionally enforceable. This means that judgments can be enforced immediately, without having to wait for the appeal period to end. So, in the battle against illegal streaming, these new rules could make a significant impact in protecting broadcasting rights.