EU: geo-blocking for "audio-visual services of sports events" remains authorised

"Audio-visual services, including services the main feature of which is the provision of access to broadcasts of sports events and which are provided on the basis of exclusive territorial licenses, are excluded from the scope of this Regulation," stated the Council of the European Union, on 28/11/2016.

The European body validated a proposal "on addressing unjustified geo-blocking and other forms of discrimination based on customers' nationality, place of residence or place of establishment within the internal market and amending Regulation." This text was originally proposed on 25/05/2016 and was revised on 21/11/2016. The proposal, once approved by the European Parliament, should make it illegal to block the geolocated sale of goods and other services between EU Member States.

However, the point of having excluded sports broadcasting implies that sports broadcasting rights at the European level can still be acquired with the notion of territoriality.

"The new rules to stop unjustified geo-blocking will improve considerably the e-commerce economy" (P. Žiga, on 28/11/2016)

…