EU copyright overhaul risks forcing VPNs to police the internet - here's what we know

A tech industry group warns the EU's upcoming Copyright Package could force VPNs to filter user traffic, undermining the privacy they exist to protect.

The European Commission is considering EU-wide anti-piracy blocking orders as part of a Copyright Package due in 2027.

• A tech industry group warns this could force VPN providers to inspect and filter their users' traffic.
• France and Spain already make VPNs block pirate sites, and the results so far have been messy.

Europe's next big copyright shake-up could change how your VPN works behind the scenes, even if you never go near a pirate stream.

The European Commission is weighing an EU-wide system of anti-piracy injunctions that would require providers to block access to websites and servers hosting infringing content.

According to the Disruptive Competition Project (DisCo), a blog run by tech industry body CCIA, that system could sweep in VPN providers, including the services on our best VPN list. The group argues this would turn privacy tools into internet watchdogs.

The plans remain on the table for the Commission's Copyright Package, which is expected in the second quarter of 2027.

From privacy tool to traffic filter

VPNs are built to be neutral. They route and encrypt your traffic without monitoring or controlling what you access, and they don't host any content themselves.

DisCo points out that blocking orders wouldn't break a VPN's encryption. However, enforcing them would require providers to check traffic against blocklists, such as destination IP addresses or DNS requests. That shifts VPNs from passive conduits to active filters.

And since the infringing content stays online, pirates can simply move to new domains or routes.

Europe has already tested VPN blocking

Several countries are already ahead of Brussels. In 2025, a Paris court ordered five major VPNs to block more than 200 illegal sports streaming sites, while Italy moved to extend its Piracy Shield system to VPN and DNS providers.

In Spain, a Córdoba court ordered NordVPN and Proton VPN to block IP addresses tied to illegal LaLiga streams in February. The same court later refused to fine NordVPN for not complying.

LaLiga has since asked the Commission to add NordVPN, Proton VPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark to its piracy watch list.

DisCo highlights the irony: Spain's national cybersecurity institute, INCIBE, actively recommends VPNs to citizens as a way to protect their personal data.

What it means for VPN users

In July, the EU's top court ruled that VPNs are lawful technical tools and that providers aren't liable when users bypass geoblocking. That ruling dealt with liability, though, not blocking orders, so it doesn't stop an EU-wide injunction system from pulling VPNs in.

If that happens, the most obvious change is that some sites could become unreachable through your VPN. Overblocking is the bigger worry. IP blocking is a blunt tool, and LaLiga's campaign in Spain has already knocked hundreds of thousands of legitimate domains offline.

There's a privacy cost, too. Even light-touch rules to monitor, filter, or retain traffic would weaken the protections that private VPNs are built to offer.

For now, nothing is final. The Commission hasn't published its proposal, so the real test will come when the Copyright Package lands next year.

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Monica is a tech journalist with over a decade of experience. She writes about the latest developments in computing, which means anything from computer chips made out of paper to cutting-edge desktop processors. GPUs are her main area of interest, and nothing thrills her quite like that time every couple of years when new graphics cards hit the market. She built her first PC nearly 20 years ago, and dozens of builds later, she’s always planning out her next build (or helping her friends with theirs). During her career, Monica has written for many tech-centric outlets, including Digital Trends, SlashGear, WePC, and Tom’s Hardware.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting. Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.