In 2008, the European Union (EU) ratified the (Directive 98/84/ECC) that defines a legal protection for Electronic Pay-Services. The objective was to enable a consistent anti-piracy protection in the EU to allow Pay TV, electronic distribution, and VOD services.

The Council of Europe has proposed a new version so called Conditional Access Convention that should extend to all its members. The Council of Europe has 47 members covering the quasi-entire European continent, plus Russia and Turkey. The EU has proposed to all its members to sign it to bootstrap the ratification process.

Such a wide convention would be useful to fight content piracy, at least in Europe.