Quote Originally Posted by JumpersforGoalposts View Post
It's not illegal to watch under EU law but as you suggest it would be illegal to record a stream. It is illegal to receive a stream for "commercial gain" though, hence the occasional prosecution of pubs.
Do you have a source regarding that particular stance on downloading illegal content? With my Intellectual Property hat on I would have said that merely downloading illegal streams represents illegal reproduction. And in 2014 The Court of Justice of the European Union stated that their Directive does not permit reproduction made for private use from an unlawful source.
I am not familiar with the concept of illegal reproduction being permitted where use is not for commercial gain but internet streaming is not an area of Intellectual Property that I am involved in - so I am happy to be put right on any score.