Nerve! You've briefly crossed the border, taken a short vacation or something similar and can no longer access your paid streaming services.
The reason: geoblocking! This service is not available abroad. But that will end on April 1, 2018. Finally watch your favorite series on vacation!
From April 1st, paid streaming services and other online content can also be used for short-term stays in other EU countries - at no additional cost. “Consumers can finally use their paid online content across Europe. The next step must be to also give consumers access to offers that are only available in another Member State. At the moment, in many cases EU citizens are still limited to those of their own country,” explains Karolina Wojtal, lawyer at the European Consumer Center Germany.
No more #geoblocking : From April 1st you can continue to search for your series in other EU countries - the EU is lifting the country ban on paid streaming services. All information https://t.co/Qj5jQ7GtpZ pic.twitter.com/jFQx9JIu0s
— BMJV (@BMJV_Bund) March 29, 2018
What changes when streaming in other EU countries?
From April, consumers will be able to use their paid, internet-based streaming subscriptions while on vacation or as part of a business trip in another EU country. This usually applies to series, films, music, sporting events and e-books.
The regulation only applies to paid streaming subscriptions: There are a few rules to follow here: Only paid, internet-based streaming and pay-TV services such as Spotify, SkyGo, Netflix or Amazon Prime can be used with this new regulation. Public broadcasters and other free services, however, decide for themselves whether they make their content available in other EU countries.
Stream unlimited – only for temporary stays
If you are only temporarily staying in another EU country, the streaming service must be available to you under the same conditions as in your home country: the same content, the same product selection, the same number of devices and the same functions. If a consumer resides permanently in another EU country, for example because they have moved there, the provider can refuse them access to the content and is entitled to check where the consumer's main residence is. “We very much welcome this innovation as it takes into account the ever-increasing mobility of EU citizens. However, we are critical of the fact that it is not precisely defined when it is only a 'temporary stay'. This can cause difficulties between providers and their customers. We are also of the opinion that free services and the media libraries of public broadcasters should also be available in other EU countries in the future,” says Wojtal.
via press release European Consumer Center Germany
If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:
📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.
Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!
* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )

