Rome hosted the 2026 Global Meeting of the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the international coalition dedicated to combating audiovisual piracy, which wrapped up on October 8th. Supported by the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the alliance brings together major film studios, streaming platforms, broadcasters and other rights holders to protect creative content worldwide.
The meeting provided an opportunity for industry representatives and institutional partners to discuss strategies against illegal streaming and digital piracy, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and intelligence sharing.
As ACE approaches its tenth anniversary in 2027, the organization reaffirmed its commitment to detecting, deterring and dismantling piracy operations through coordinated action involving industry stakeholders, governments and law enforcement agencies.
Italy’s Role in the International Anti-Piracy Strategy
The choice of Rome also highlighted Italy’s role in the fight against audiovisual piracy. FAPAV – Federazione per la Tutela delle Industrie dei Contenuti Audiovisivi e Multimediali, the Italian federation dedicated to protecting audiovisual and multimedia content, is an important national stakeholder in efforts to safeguard intellectual property and combat illegal distribution.
Italy has strengthened its anti-piracy framework in recent years, notably through Piracy Shield, the system introduced in 2024 to accelerate the blocking of websites and online services distributing copyrighted content illegally.
The Rome meetings also included discussions on international site-blocking strategies, an increasingly important tool for disrupting piracy networks operating across multiple jurisdictions.
Ten Years of Cooperation Against Piracy
Founded in 2017, ACE has developed into a major international coalition against digital piracy, combining the expertise of its members with investigative resources and partnerships with enforcement authorities.
Under the leadership of Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, ACE continues to promote cross-border cooperation to address increasingly sophisticated piracy operations.
The Rome gathering reinforced a central message: protecting the global audiovisual industry requires collective action. As piracy networks become more technologically advanced and internationally interconnected, collaboration between organizations such as ACE, national stakeholders including FAPAV, and public authorities remains essential to protecting creative investment, jobs and intellectual property.
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