News-Service.com in appeal against BREIN

Update: The appeal hearing took place on March 18th 2014. See blog.patschreurs.nl for a short report (Dutch).

News-Service.com was an European Usenet provider based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The people behind the company started offering Usenet access back in 1996. News-Service.com was a successful wholesale Usenet provider, delivering her services to Usenet Resellers and Internet providers around the world.

In 2009 the company was summoned by the Dutch anti-piracy outfit BREIN. BREIN claimed News-Service.com stored and shared copyrighted content without consent. As a provider of a communication network News-Service.com has no involvement in the messages that end-users post on Usenet. Because News-Service.com fully complies with Dutch and European legislation the company cannot be held responsible for the material that can be found on Usenet.

After defending our case for 2½ years the District Court of Amsterdam ruled on 28 September 2011 that News-Service.com had to cease recording and offering material protected by copyright. As News-Service.com is unable to comply with this verdict the company was forced to cease all operations on 4 November 2011.

News-Service.com has lodged an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam which is still in progress.