Commission makes an important step towards a Digital Single Market

The European Commission wants to boost e-commerce by tackling geoblocking and making cross-border parcel delivery more affordable. It also wants to create a fairer environment through updated EU audiovisual rules and tables a new approach to online platforms.

Delivering on its Digital Single Marketand Single Market strategies, the European Commission this week presented a three-pronged plan to boost e-commerce by tackling geoblocking, making cross-border parcel delivery more affordable and efficient and promoting customer trust through better protection and enforcement.

New e-commerce rules: Preventing geoblocking and other forms of discrimination based on nationality or place of residence

When a consumer enters a shop in another EU country, the owner does not ask for the consumer’s ID card in order to accept a purchase or to adjust the price or conditions. But in the online world, all too often consumers are blocked from accessing offers in other countries. Such discrimination has no place in the Single Market.

That's why today the European Commission tabled a set of measures to allow consumers and companies to buy and sell products and services online more easily and confidently across the EU. The e-commerce package is composed of:

1. A legislative proposal to address unjustified geoblocking and other forms of discrimination on the grounds of nationality, residence or establishment;
2. A legislative proposal on cross-border parcel delivery services to increase the transparency of prices and improve regulatory oversight;
3. A legislative proposal to strengthen enforcement of consumers' rights and guidance to clarify, among others, what qualifies as an unfair commercial practice in the digital world.

Updated EU audiovisual rules

The European Commission today proposed an update of EU audiovisual rules to create a fairer environment for all players, promote European films, protect children and tackle hate speech better.

Nowadays viewers do not only watch video content via their TV channels but also increasingly via video-on-demand services and video-sharing platforms. This is why the Commission wants to achieve a better balance of the rules which today apply to traditional broadcasters, video-on-demand providers and video-sharing platforms, especially when it comes to protecting children.

Today's proposal for a revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive also strengthens the promotion of European cultural diversity, ensures the independence of audiovisual regulators and gives more flexibility to broadcasters over advertising.

Targeted new approach to online platforms

Online platforms play a key role in innovation and growth in the Digital Single Market. Today, the Commission presented a new approach towards online platforms - like online marketplaces, search engines, payment systems, social media, video and content-sharing sites.

This approach includes actions in the following areas:

1. Comparable rules for comparable digital services;
2. An obligation for online platforms to behave responsibly by addressing specific problems such as audiovisual or copyright rules and combatting hate speech online;
3. Enhance trust through cross-border enforcement cooperation of consumer rights;
4. Open markets for a data-driven economy;
5. A fair and innovation-friendly business environment.