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The European Commission has announced plans to create a single digital market that will stretch across Europe, removing geo-blocks for shows across the continent. Copyright laws will also be updated to fit in better with the digital age.
The EU Commission has detailed 16 policies that will help it achieve its ambition to consolidate the 28 markets across Europe in to one for digital content. The first step is to provide better access for consumers and business to digital goods and services in Europe. This will include removing geo-blocks on content, which will make services like Netflix more accessible between countries.
To make this all work, the current copyright system will need a bit of a reform in order to ensure that those who buy content in one country can still access it anywhere else in Europe. The hope is that services like BBC Iplayer and Sky Go will also become available. The BBC has said in a statement that it will be looking in to removing restrictions for those wanting to use the Iplayer in the EU but so far, Sky and Netflix have not come out in support of the EU's new plans.
EU Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker said: “Today we lay the groundwork for Europe's digital future. I want to see pan-continental telecoms networks, digital services that cross borders and a wave of innovative European startups. I want to see every consumer getting the best deals and every business accessing the widest market – wherever they are in Europe.”
“Exactly a year ago, I promised to make a fully digital single market one of my top priorities. Today, we are making good on that promise. The 16 steps of our Digital Single Market Strategy will help make the single market fit for a digital age.”
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KitGuru Says: This is a progressive first step. Hopefully if copyright reform pays off in the EU, other countries will follow and eventually lead to just having one global market for digital content, instead of licensing content on a per region basis.
