Belgium has taken a further step in the fight against illegal streaming. At the request of major American studios, the courts have ordered the blocking of some sixty websites that stream films and series without authorization and are accessible from within Belgium. The decision, handed down by the Brussels Commercial Court, targets platforms that are among the most frequented by internet users who consume pirated content.
The Motion Picture Association, which represents companies such as Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros., Sony, and Universal, initiated this legal action. The court, hearing the case in summary proceedings, ruled that these sites were clearly infringing copyright and authorized a so-called dynamic blocking mechanism, allowing for the inclusion of any copies or changes to their addresses.
A targeted and scalable system
The implementation of the order has been entrusted to the anti-piracy unit of the Federal Public Service Economy, tasked with compelling five internet service providers to restrict access to the platforms in question. The targeted operators will have to comply with the measures or face financial penalties, while other digital players, such as search engines or certain satellite providers, are not affected at this stage.
This mechanism is part of a strengthened legal framework since 2024, which allows rights holders to act more quickly against online infringements. The choice of intermediaries to target is now part of a deliberate legal strategy, suggesting further similar actions in the coming months, as pressure intensifies on the digital piracy ecosystem.
