The Irish High Court has handed down a verdict in the case of internet service provider UPC against major record labels. According to the court's decision, the provider is not obliged to disconnect its users from the Internet for downloading pirated content, writes The Irish Times .

Previously, Warner Music, Universal Music, Sony BMG and EMI Records tried to oblige the provider to enter into an agreement with them, according to which it was supposed to disconnect Internet users from access to the Network for downloading music and sharing music using file-sharing applications.

It was planned that users would be disconnected from the Internet after three warnings were issued. The High Court ruled that Irish law does not provide for such a restriction. At the same time, Judge Peter Charlton said that this omission in the country's laws indicates that local legislation does not comply with the norms of common European law.

Charlton also noted in his verdict that record companies do suffer losses due to the actions of Internet pirates. The head of the Irish Recording Association, Dick Doyle, in turn, said that his organization will insist on changes to the legislation.

It should be noted that in April 2010, the High Court of Ireland made the exact opposite decision in the case of the country's largest provider, Eircom, against the record companies. Then the Commissioner for Human Rights in Ireland tried to protest the agreement between Eircom and four companies (EMI, Sony, Universal and Warner), according to which pirate users were supposed to be disconnected from the Internet. However, the court found that the agreement between Eircom and the record companies did not violate the laws of the country.

Irish provider defended the interests of Internet pirates