(October 4, 2011) – Football fans should be allowed to legally buy and use set-top smartcards from foreign broadcasters, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled, paving the way for individuals to watch Premier League football matches at a much cheaper rate than domestic pay TV operators charge.
The ruling is a victory for UK pub landlady Karen Murphy, who was fined £8,000 (€9,343) for providing her customers with Premier League football coverage using decoders from Greek broadcaster Nova. She took her case to Europe’s highest court, which this morning ruled that the freedom to provide services within the EU supersedes any national laws prohibiting the sale or use of foreign smartcards.
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