Online piracy of copyrighted content causes €54.2 million in annual economic losses in Latvia, while the state budget loses €11.4 million in value added tax revenue each year. Nine business, media and creative industry organisations are calling for combating piracy of copyrighted content to be included in the government declaration and the list of priority actions under the coalition cooperation agreement, with a designated official responsible for the issue and a cross-sectoral action plan to be developed within six months.
A 2025 study commissioned by the Ministry of Culture shows that 67% of adults in Latvia use pirated digital content in at least one content category. Meanwhile, data from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) ranks Latvia first in the European Union for the prevalence of piracy of copyrighted content. The illegal distribution of television content online is a particularly significant problem: approximately 8% of internet users in Latvia visit websites offering subscriptions to illegal services each month, compared with an EU average of 2.14%.
The distribution of illegal content causes not only direct economic losses but also broader risks. Piracy reduces the funds that companies can invest in creating local content and developing new products.
Particular attention should be paid to the viewing of TV channels banned in Latvia: 9% of residents watch these channels, and 87% of those viewers know that doing so is unlawful—in this case, the problem is not a lack of awareness. Illegal television services maintain access to channels banned in Latvia for security reasons and undermine the effectiveness of sanctions, while also serving as a channel for distributing malware.
“70% of residents believe that downloading music from the free version of YouTube is legal. 56% believe that sharing a film, music or a book without the author’s permission is legal. 20% believe it is legal even to make money by distributing other people’s content. This means that most piracy in Latvia stems from a lack of awareness rather than a deliberate decision—and prohibitions alone cannot remedy that lack of awareness. Fifteen years ago, sorting waste seemed like a burden; today, even a first-grader knows how to do it. Similarly, recognising whether content is legally available must become part of media literacy. At the same time, enforcement must be swift and free of unnecessary bureaucracy—in clear-cut cases, it should take days rather than months, because authors are suffering losses now, not six months from now,” stresses Sandra Kraujiņa, a Board Member of the association “Par legālu saturu!”.
“Digital content piracy affects fair competition, the investment climate and the state’s ability to uphold the rule of law in business. Companies that invest in content creation, technology and infrastructure must not be placed at a disadvantage compared with those that use illegal distribution channels and do not pay taxes. An effective solution requires coordinated government action, clear political accountability and measurable results,” stresses Tatjana Guzņajeva, Executive Director of the Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL).
Coordinated government action is needed
The organisations point out that existing enforcement mechanisms cannot always keep pace with infringements. Although the legal framework allows access to websites distributing illegal content to be restricted, in practice the process can take three to six months. Meanwhile, offenders often resume operations using new domains.
The organisations therefore call for improvements to the procedures set out in the Copyright Law so that access to illegal content can be restricted more quickly in clear-cut cases, while maintaining proportionality, transparency and effective procedural safeguards. Latvia also needs to participate actively in the review of the European Union’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive and strengthen cooperation with other Member States.
Alongside improvements to enforcement mechanisms, the factors driving the use of illegal content must also be addressed. The Ministry of Culture’s study shows that the availability of e-books and audiobooks is a particularly significant problem: in this category, 64% of users obtain content unlawfully. The organisations call for the development of a public e-library, a wider range of legally available content in Latvian and greater awareness of the lawful use of digital content, including through existing media literacy education in schools.
Call for an action plan within six months
To ensure targeted and coordinated action, the organisations call on the government to:
- Include combating piracy of copyrighted content in the government declaration and the coalition’s priority actions;
- Designate a political official within the Ministry of Culture to coordinate the issue;
- Develop a cross-sectoral action plan within six months, setting out specific measures, responsible institutions, implementation deadlines and measurable indicators;
- Improve enforcement mechanisms and promote the availability of legal digital content;
- Publish an annual report on the prevalence of piracy, enforcement measures and the availability of legal content in Latvia.
The proposal was submitted to the political parties represented in the Saeima and the responsible state institutions by nine organisations: the association “Par legālu saturu!”, the Latvian Broadcasters Association, TV3 Group Latvia, the Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association (LIKTA), the Copyright and Communication Consulting Agency / Latvian Authors Association (AKKA/LAA), the Latvian Performers’ and Producers’ Association (LaIPA), the Latvian Publishers Association, the Foreign Investors Council in Latvia (FICIL) and the Latvian Advertising Association.
The letter with proposals is available here.
Image – Pixabay, TheDigitalArtist