Amsterdam – September 29, 2010 – AEPOC, the European Association for the Protection of Encrypted Works and Services, today announced first details of a new action plan to build the ground for a broader anti-piracy stance for the Association. Part of this initiative are standing committees to specifically help AEPOC members in the fight against audio-visual piracy with emphasis on extending AEPOC's intelligence capacities and efforts in view of the European regulatory environment.

The development of the new action plan was spearheaded by AEPOC President Philippe-Olivier Rousseau and the Vice Presidents Christine Maury-Panis (Viaccess) and Michael Barley (BSkyB) during 2010 – and formerly adopted at the Ordinary General Assembly and Board of Directors meetings held on September 14 in Amsterdam. During the meetings, kindly hosted by AEPOC member Irdeto, the President, the Vice Presidents as well as the Board of Directors were confirmed in office until 2013 by the vote of the Association.

Framework of the new action plan are four work groups established as standing committees for the areas of ‘Intelligence’, ‘Regulatory & Lobbying’, ‘Membership, Marketing & PR’ and ‘Finance’, all reporting to the Board of Directors.

Commenting on this extension of the mission and scope of the Association President Rousseau said: “AEPOC's new action plan builds the ground to more actively assess and effectively coordinate initiatives to address audio-visual piracy and foster the way for increased industry cooperation among the members, which are leaders in their respective markets. With an enhanced organisational structure and more work resources clearly attributed, this initiative shall be instrumental in unlocking the potential inherent in AEPOC to take the Association to the next level in the fight against audio-visual piracy in Europe – and beyond.”

First actions as a case of unprecedented industry cooperation achieved by AEPOC members to fight the phenomenon of Card Sharing are already off to a successful start and will be revealed as soon as appropriate.

Selection of new Secretary General has started – AEPOC announces departure of Davide Rossi

During the Amsterdam meetings AEPOC also formally accepted Davide Rossi's decision to step down from his position as Secretary General in order to focus on his manifold duties and activities as lawyer. In parallel AEPOC has started the process to select a new Secretary General and will be advertising the post to have access to the best talents.

Davide Rossi has been Secretary General of AEPOC for more than ten years. In that time he was instrumental in developing the Association from a new venture to a renown and respected European industry body. AEPOC has accepted Mr. Rossi's resignation with great regret, and unanimously appreciated and valued Mr. Rossi's achievements.

During the interim period until a new Secretary General has been nominated the Association's team of Philippe-Olivier Rousseau, Christine Maury-Panis and Michael Barley are executing the day-to-day management of the Association.  

The next AEPOC Ordinary General Assembly and Board of Directors meetings have been scheduled to take place at the beginning of December 2010. 


About AEPOC:
AEPOC (www.aepoc.org) is the "Association Européenne pour la Protection des Œuvres et Services Cryptés" or the "European Association for the Protection of Encrypted Works and Services". AEPOC started its activities in 1995. Its membership consists of leading digital television and telecommunication companies including TV channels, conditional access providers, providers of transmission infrastructures and manufacturers of related hardware. AEPOC's goal is to eliminate the pirating of encrypted works and services and to encourage the development of the appropriate legal, operational and technological frameworks to increase the security and safeguarding of conditional access systems for Pay-TV, TV-based and IP services.

The AEPOC members are: ADD Europe, Atmel, Boxer TV-Access, BSkyB, comvenient, Conax, Digiturk, Eutelsat, General Satellite, Irdeto, Liberty Global, Multichoice Hellas, Nagravision, NDS, NTV-Plus, Opentech, Pace, Poverkhnost, Showtime Arabia, Sky Deutschland, Sky Italia, Viaccess - France Telecom, and ZON TVCabo.