The conflict between YouSee and the rights holders has not been resolved, the temporary agreement in December only ensured that there was an agreement on usage and a certain payment while the case was processed by the appropriate bodies. However, on 31 March 2025, YouSee announced that it will no longer contribute to the Copyright Licensing Board in the case about what YouSee should pay the many rights holders behind the Danish films and broadcasts that YouSee uses in its TV packages. YouSee's boycott comes after a year of proceedings before the Copyright Licence Board, the exchange of numerous pleadings and documents, and it comes at a time when the Copyright Licence Board was ready to set a timeframe for handling the case. The case was expected to be finalised in the first half of 2026, i.e. within a year.

This is not only contrary to good business practice and propriety, but also challenges the Copyright Licence Board, which the Danish Parliament has established for these cases, and drags the case out unnecessarily.

Prospect of a decade without final payment to rights holders
YouSee's decision means that there is now the prospect of a protracted conflict in which YouSee will only deal with the case it has brought before the courts, demanding a reduction in the price of Danish TV content of more than 70 %. A decision that could take up to 10 years with appeals and the involvement of the European Court of Justice, as YouSee has announced it will.

While the conflict is ongoing, temporary agreements have been made. But you will not receive your full payment for YouSee's use of your content until the case is finalised. Something that could take up to 10 years with this development in the case.

          READ ALSO: Temporary agreement with YouSee secures rights payment

YouSee challenges the Danish model and the rights system

The Copyright Licensing Board is an impartial and specialised board headed by a Supreme Court judge, set up by the Danish Parliament to quickly and efficiently resolve conflicts like this one between rights holders and TV distributors like YouSee.

When YouSee at the 11th hour chooses to boycott the board, YouSee runs away from the general rules of the game that the Danish Parliament has created to ensure quick and objective decisions in the field of culture. Instead of behaving properly and following the designated ways to resolve a conflict, YouSee, like the tech giants, chooses to undermine the established systems and social structures.

If companies with bottomless pockets for litigation can simply choose to ignore the Danish system with the Copyright Licence Board, which is supposed to ensure fast and qualified decisions on disputes, it could set a precedent for other tech giants. This will put pressure not only on Danish rights holders, but on the entire Danish model.

The rights holders are therefore doing everything we can to get YouSee to respect the democratic rules of the game and re-enter the case at the Copyright Licence Board so that we can get an expert and fast processing of the conflict. We will continuously confront both YouSee and the owners behind YouSee - PFA, PKA and ATP - with the untenable and deeply problematic nature of their behaviour. In addition, the rights holders themselves will continue the case at the Copyright Licence Board and ensure that the Board has an adequate basis on which to make a decision.

Facts about the YouSee conflict

  • In March 2024, YouSee cancelled all agreements on payment to the rights holders.
  • YouSee also demanded a more than 70 per cent reduction in payment - even if YouSee continues to use the same content as before.
  • In autumn 2024, rights holders and YouSee signed a temporary agreementuntil a relevant body had assessed the case.
  • On 31 March 2025, YouSee announced that YouSee will no longer participate in the Copyright Licensing Board's processing of the case and sees the trial in the Maritime and Commercial Court as the only relevant authority. This means that a quick and impartial decision will now be replaced by a lengthy court case.


Facts about the Copyright Licence Board

The Copyright Licence Board is an objective and specialised body set up by the Danish Parliament to resolve precisely this type of conflict. The Copyright Licence Board is headed by a Supreme Court judge, who is currently also the head of the Competition Appeal Board, and the board also consists of two experts in the field.

The rights holders and YouSee have previously had cases before the Copyright Licence Board, and over the years the parties have respected the decisions in the cases. The parties have also referred to these decisions in the numerous pleadings exchanged before YouSee announced its boycott of the Copyright Licence Board.