There is a possibility that MEPs from the European Parliament's internal market and consumer protection committee (IMCO) might revise the scope of application for the draft regulation on geo-blocking in e-commerce. During an initial discussion on 29 September, many MEPs called for other goods and services to be included.
The draft regulation seeks to prevent direct and indirect discrimination in trade deals on the basis of nationality, place of residency or where the client is officially based. It introduces the "same place, same service, same conditions" principle and obliges traders to sell as they do in their home countries, without discrimination over access to prices, sales or payment conditions.
During the initial discussion, MEPs from the IMCO committee welcomed the Commission's initiative. Nonetheless, with the exception of some socialist MEPs, almost all criticised the scope of application decided on by the Commission, namely, that of the Services Directive (Directive 2006/123/EC). Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (EPP, Sweden) and Dita Charanzova (ALDE, Czech Republic) both regretted the fact that health and social services had been excluded from the regulation. Kaja Kallas (ALDE, Estonia) highlighted the exclusion of transport services, while Julia Reda (Greens/EFA, Germany) focused on content protected by copyright. The proposal provides, initially, for non-audiovisual services covered by copyright to be visible for EU consumers, without these services being necessarily available for sale.
At the same time, following a number of concerns expressed by MEPs, the Commission confirmed that consumers did indeed have a "right of return or withdrawal on the basis of legislation in the dealer's country".
The report by Roza Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein (EPP, Poland) is expected to be presented in December. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)