European Union: pay online content available for temporary stays abroad

"New rules allowing EU citizens with subscriptions for online music, games, films and TV shows to access this content while staying temporarily in another EU country, were informally agreed by Parliament and Council negotiators on Tuesday (07/02/2017)," stated the European Parliament. The removal of access restrictions, effective for all new subscriptions, but also for those purchased before the entry into force of the agreement, is scheduled for January 2018.

"Today, consumers visiting another EU country often cannot access and use online content services, such as music, games, films, entertainment programmes or sporting events, that they have subscribed to in their home country, because their cross-border portability is restricted by territorial and exclusive licensing practices. The new rules will remove these restrictions for all new subscriptions and also for those purchased before the rules enter into force, thus enabling EU citizens to access this online content while temporarily abroad in another EU country on holiday, for studies or for business.

"However, they will apply…