WEDNESDAY • 17 MARCH 2021
MEPS have highlighted numerous problems and re-
strictions that persist due to a shopper's geographic
location, even though EU rules to stop unjustified
geo-blocking have applied for over two years.
In the plenary debate last week, MEPs recognised
the positive effects of the Geo-Blocking Regulation
on the sale of goods and services within the EU but
underlined that the first evaluation shows clearly
that the rules do not go far enough.
They said that enforcement of the rules is lagging
and shopper's residence or payment location re-
quirements still occur too often at the registration
and payment stages.
Several MEPs also raised the limitations of
cross-border delivery, which remains a business
choice of the seller and thus blocks more than half
of the online shopping attempts.
MEPs see it as an artificial barrier and market
segmentation, which is damaging the EU's Single
Market.
MEPs also underlined that the demand for
cross-border access to audiovisual services is grow-
ing rapidly, yet this is one of the main areas where
geo-blocking continues.
While MEPs recognised the copyright and terri-
toriality concerns, they find the current situation
unfair with unequal dissemination and access to
MEPs say remaining
Geo-blocking
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