Today marks a victory for Dutch internet users as UPC Netherlands, the country’s second-largest ISP, lifts its blockade on The Pirate Bay. This move comes following an agreement with anti-piracy group BREIN, pending the outcome of an appeal in a separate case involving two other Dutch ISPs.
Just last month, The Court of The Hague made a landmark decision, overturning a previous ruling that had compelled Ziggo and XS4ALL to block access to The Pirate Bay. In a blow to BREIN, the court deemed the blockade ineffective and an encroachment on ISPs’ freedom to operate.
In response to the court’s decision, Ziggo and XS4ALL promptly restored access to The Pirate Bay. However, with similar cases still in progress, users of other Dutch ISPs remained unable to access the site.
In a surprising turn of events, UPC Netherlands has now joined Ziggo and XS4ALL in lifting its blockade on The Pirate Bay, granting subscribers access to the popular torrent site once again.
This move by UPC is significant, especially considering that the court’s decision on the appeal in their case is still pending, not expected until April of this year.
In a surprising twist, UPC announced on their website that they’ve engaged in discussions with anti-piracy
group BREIN and come to an agreement to lift the blockade on The Pirate Bay, at least for the time being.
“BREIN and UPC therefore agreed to lift The Pirate Bay blockade,” their statement reads.
However, BREIN’s decision on whether to appeal the case against Ziggo and XS4ALL remains uncertain. If they do appeal successfully, the blockade could be reinstated, but this process might drag on for years.
Meanwhile, KPN, Tele2, T-Mobile, and Telfort continue to uphold the ban on The Pirate Bay in the Netherlands. Whether they’ll follow suit in lifting the ban remains unknown.
Update: Following suit, KPN has also decided to unblock The Pirate Bay after reaching an agreement with BREIN.