VPN access is now a recognized right in the EU

Two landmark decisions in July 2026 mark a turning point for digital rights:

⚖️ The CJEU ruled in Anne Frank Fonds v. Anne Frank Stichting (C-788/24) that VPN providers are neutral technical intermediaries - not liable for how users route their traffic. First-ever ruling of its kind at the EU's highest court.

🚫 The EU Council sanctioned VK Company, the developer of Max, and related entities - explicitly citing VPN blocking and surveillance as grounds for sanctions. First time EU sanctions practice has named digital rights violations this directly.

These outcomes didn't happen in a vacuum - they're the result of years of sustained advocacy by VPN Guild and the wider digital rights community, who have consistently pushed to have VPN access recognized as a fundamental human right in the digital age.

Together, these decisions set a new global benchmark: blocking VPN access isn't a technical choice, it's a human rights violation with legal consequences.

vpnguild.org/statement-by-vpn-guild-on-the-eu-recognition-of-vpn-access

#VPN #DigitalRights #EU