Belgium: 147 piracy sites blocked in a year
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New Anti‑Piracy Team Launch
In June 2024, the Belgian Finance Ministry’s FPS Economy launched a dedicated “Anti‑Piracy” task force to combat unlawful online distribution of copyrighted content—including films, TV shows, and sports events .
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147 Sites Blocked
Over the first year (to June 6, 2025), the team successfully disabled 147 piracy websites via rapid legal orders and cooperation with registrars, ISPs, and hosting services .
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Focus & Coordination
The initiative targets major offenders distributing a wide range of video content. Belgium points to evolving enforcement—swift site takedowns backed by coordinated efforts among intermediaries .
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Technological Blocking Methods
Blocked sites are typically taken down using DNS hijacking, redirecting users to a standard “StopPage”—though this method can be bypassed using tools like DNS-over-HTTPS .
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Significance & Strategy
This marks a significant step in national anti-piracy enforcement, reflecting Belgium’s expanding role in proactive copyright protection and alignment with EU digital piracy directives
