NEWS

Obstacles to online purchases within the EU will have to disappear as of December 3 for certain products.

57% of EU citizens made purchases online in 2017, according to the European statistical office, Eurostat. However, in 2016 a study by the European Commission warned that only 37% of users can complete their electronic purchase in another EU country, while the rest experience some type of blockage when trying to buy a good or a service on the internet outside the national market. This practice has been referred to in the community jargon "geographical blocking" (geo-blocking).

What is the geographical block?

Geographical blocking is considered any restriction by nationality, place of residence or connection point that a user experiences when buying a product or a service on the internet.

In practice, these obstacles can be from forwarding to a national version of a web page or rejection of a credit card from another EU country, until you can register on a page from another Member State.

What is Parliament doing to end this unjustified blockade?

On December 3, the regulations aimed at putting an end to these obstacles for certain items will become effective, so that consumers can buy goods and services on the same terms from anywhere in the EU. MEPs approved this regulation on February 6, 2018.

What products will the new rules apply to?

The new regulations will cover the purchase of tangible products such as furniture and electronic devices, online services such as web hosting (web hosting, English) or content storage, and also the purchase of tickets to concerts, shows and other activities of leisure.

When will these standards be extended to other products?

Products protected by copyright, such as electronic books or audiovisual products, are not included at the moment in these standards. However, Parliament has required the European Commission to carry out an assessment of the situation within two years with a view to including them.