site.btaEuropean Commission Refers Bulgaria to Court of Justice for Failing to Comply with Terrorist Content Online Regulation

The European Commission Wednesday announced that it had decided to refer Bulgaria, Ireland and Portugal to the Court of Justice of the European Union for not complying with the Terrorist Content Online (TCO) Regulation. 

The TCO Regulation, which became applicable on June 7, 2022, requires that terrorist content in the European Union is taken down by online platforms within one hour upon receipt of a removal order issued by Member States' authorities. This helps to counter the spread of extremist ideologies online – which is key for preventing attacks and addressing radicalization, the Commission’s press release said. 

The Commission considers that the three countries have failed to comply with one or more obligations under the TCO Regulation. This includes the requirement to designate the authority or authorities responsible for enforcing the Regulation; to establish a public contact point to handle requests for clarification and feedback in relation to removal orders; and to lay down the rules and measures on penalties in case of non-compliance of hosting service providers with their legal obligations. The Commission sent letters of formal notice to Bulgaria, Ireland and Portugal in January 2023.