According to a new European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) report, music piracy appears to be stabilizing across the EU, with streaming services playing a significant role in this trend.

Key findings from the 2023 report:

• Overall piracy in the EU stabilized at 10.2 accesses per internet user per month
• Music piracy specifically averaged 0.6 accesses per internet user monthly
• Current music piracy rates are approximately 25% of 2017 levels
• Stream-ripping remains the dominant music piracy method, accounting for nearly half of illegal consumption

Country-specific highlights:

• Stream-ripping prevalence:
  • Denmark: 63%
  • Hungary: 67%
  • Greece and Slovenia: 68%
• Ireland shows different patterns:
  • Streaming: 25%
  • Downloads: 42%
  • Combined: 67% of total music piracy

Notable trends:

• Mobile devices dominate music piracy access compared to desktop
• Downloading is the second most common piracy method, followed by streaming
• Torrenting shows minimal usage
• TV and music piracy showed slight increases between 2022-2023

The decline in music piracy can be attributed to:

• Growing accessibility of legal streaming services
• Continued efforts to shut down stream-ripping sites
• Affordable streaming options (under €10.99 monthly in many EU countries)
• Convenience of legal platforms versus illegal alternatives

The report suggests that while piracy remains a concern, the combination of accessible legal options and anti-piracy measures continues to impact illegal consumption patterns across the EU.

Related Articles

Previous Articles