No, pirating movies in Poland violates copyright law under the Act of 4 February 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights, exposing individuals to civil and criminal penalties. The Polish Patent Office (Urząd Patentowy Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) and the Prosecutor General’s Office actively monitor illegal distribution, with 2026 amendments tightening penalties for large-scale piracy. Fines can reach up to 5 million PLN, and imprisonment up to 5 years for commercial-scale offenses.
Key Regulations for Pirating Movies in Poland
- Copyright Infringement Liability: Under Article 78 of the Copyright Act, unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or public communication of films constitutes infringement, regardless of intent or profit motive. Even streaming from illegal sources violates provisions on “making available to the public.”
- Criminal Sanctions: Article 115 criminalizes piracy for commercial purposes, with penalties escalating under the 2026 amendments to include mandatory asset seizures and expanded investigative powers for the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime.
- ISP Enforcement: The Act on Combating Internet Piracy (2020) empowers courts to order ISPs to block access to infringing sites, with the Digital Poland program accelerating such measures in 2026. Non-compliance risks ISP liability for secondary infringement.
Enforcement prioritizes peer-to-peer networks and torrent sites, but even individual downloads trigger civil claims from rights holders like Stowarzyszenie Autorów ZAiKS. Poland’s alignment with the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (2019/790) further solidifies legal risks.