The government is to press ahead with legislation to introduce a ban on the downloading of music and films via illegal websites despite widespread opposition in parliament.

The legislation would give people whose copyright has been infringed the right to go to court to claim compensation. This is already the case for games and software but the government wants to extend that to music and film.
The ban would replace the current home copy surcharge which consumers pay on blank CDs and DVDs.
EU
‘I cannot stand still and do nothing because there is pressure from the European Commission,’ Teeven told MPs during Wednesday morning’s parliamentary debate on the plan.
‘But I can count heads and I see that I have a problem,’ the minister said, referring to the lack of support among MPs for the proposal.
‘It is not always obvious what is actually illegal,’ Labour MP Pauline Smeets is quoted as saying in the Volkskrant. ‘Labour supports a free and open internet… consumers should not have all sorts of legal cases hanging over them.’
The Liberal democrats (D66) want an expansion in the supply of legal copying services to head off demand from illegal sites.
Despite the opposition, Teeven said he hopes that amendments to the draft legislation will persuade some MPs to change their minds. The debate is due to resume in May next year.