The Hellenic Copyright Organization (HCO), in collaboration with the Audiovisual Works Protection Society (EPOE), organized a seminar on the topic “Addressing Digital Piracy: Challenges, Evidence, and Legal Solutions in the Digital World”, on Thursday May 22, 2025.
The event was coordinated by Mr. Isidoros Printzezis, a sports journalist.
The seminar was opened by Mr. Fotis Douitsis, Director of the Organized Crime Combat Division, and Mr. Panagiotis Tsiris, President of HCO, who introduced the challenges of digital piracy, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between public and private entities to protect creativity and legality in the digital space.
Speakers in the first panel focused on modern forms of intellectual property violations, the implementation of the NIS 2 Directive, and legislative developments in intellectual property protection. Additionally, they analyzed the economic and technological models fueling the piracy ecosystem, highlighting the role of platforms and AI technologies in detecting and combating it.
The second panel, centered on technical countermeasures, explored tools and methods for documenting violations, such as digital forensics, data analysis, and preventive strategies. The discussion also extended to the psychology of offenders, examining their motives and tactics for illegal content distribution. Experts from security, law, and digital technology fields presented practical approaches to strengthening protection and ensuring compliance.
In the third and final panel, speakers explored the legal and procedural challenges arising from online piracy, with special references to the film and audiovisual industries. Emphasis was placed on collaborations between law enforcement, private organizations, and international partnerships, as well as the importance of public awareness.
At the conclusion of the event, officers Mr. Georgios Bantzis and Mr. Konstantinos Delimaris from the Patras Crime Investigation and Prosecution Sub-Directorate were awarded by the Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA) for their contributions to combating online piracy.
View the event program here.
The following photos are from the event.