European Intermediary Liability in Copyright: A Tort-Based Analysis

European Intermediary Liability in Copyright provides a clarification on the existing rules of the European Union on the liability of internet intermediaries for third party copyright infringement. On this basis, it formulates a plausible model for a potential future further harmonisation of this complicated area. In step with its rapid progress to the centre of modern social, political and economic life, the internet has proven a convenient vehicle for the commission of unprecedented levels of copyright infringement. Given the significant practical obstacles to the successful pursuit of actual perpetrators, it has become common for internet intermediaries – the providers of internet-related infrastructure and services – to face liability as accessories. Despite advances in policy at the European level however, the law in this area remains fragmented between Member States. This is the first book to take a law-based approach towards exploring the possible substantive harmonisation of the rules of intermediary liability at the EU level. The thesis on which the book was based won Proxime Accessit in the 2016 European Law Faculties Association Award for Outstanding Doctoral Theses in European Law.