Europe Agrees To End Geoblocks On Travelers Digital Subscriptions By 2018

The European Union has taken a major step towards allowing people to use online entertainment subscriptions such as Netflix or Amazon Prime all across Europe, according to officials. Europeans spend about one billion nights in other EU countries every year but face a frustrating inability to access subscription services while outside their home country. 

The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm which proposed the change, reached a compromise late last night with negotiators from the European Parliament and the European Council of 28 member states, virtually guaranteeing that the measure will succeed. 

Once formally approved, EU consumers on the move will be able to enjoy  entertainment as if at home in early 2018, the commission said."Today's agreement will bring concrete benefits to Europeans," said Andrus Ansip, the commission's vice-president for the Digital Single Market. 

"People who have subscribed to their favourite series, music and sports events at home will be able to enjoy them when they travel in Europe."As it stands, a subscriber to the Netflix in Ireland, for example, will only have access to the service as it is available in a country they are visiting, where the movies or series often drastically differs to their home version. 

In another example, digital subscribers to Sky Sports are unable to access Premier League football matches on their iPads or laptops when travelling abroad. "This is very good news for EU consumers," said Monique Goyens, head of Brussels-based the European Consumer Organisation. 

"Artificial barriers blocking you from using your online video, music or game subscription contradict the very principle of a single market." Crucially, the measure puts a zero limit on the amount of time travelling Europeans can enjoy their home-based subscriptions. 

This is unlike the EU's free roaming promise for mobile phones that comes into effect in June, but comes with a list of restrictions. The new rules are set to come into force across the region by the beginning of 2018, though the regulation still needs to be formally confirmed by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament.

It’s the first agreement reached by negotiators of the European Parliament, the Member States and the European Commission related to the latter’s proposal to modernise EU copyright rules. 

A wider reform of the EU copyright framework, remains in train though a draft proposal published last September was criticized as regressive and a missed opportunity for proper modernization of the rules.  Another long sought for component of Commission’s DSM strategy an end to mobile roaming fees was finally agreed earlier this month, and is due to come into effect across Europe in mid June.