The European Commission published the conclusions of its first short-term review of the 2018 Geo-blocking Regulation (The Geo-blocking Regulation (EU) 2018/302), which prohibits unjustified geographical restrictions in the sale of goods and services within the EU based on customers’ nationality, place of residence or place of establishment.

The Commission’s report found that consumer awareness of what geo-blocking entails is good and there is a sizable increase in retailer compliance especially when it comes to the online shopping process, coupled with an increase in cross-border shopping and delivery in the e-commerce sector.

Read the European Commission Geo-Blocking Report 2020 here:

The European Commission’s report is based on findings of the 2019 Mystery Shopping Survey on geographical restrictions and geoblocking in the European Digital Single Market here:

The Commission will also continue to raise awareness on geo-blocking and geo-discrimination via the European Consumer Centres. The enforcement body for the implementation of the Geoblocking Regulation in Ireland is The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission with information and assistance being provided by the European Consumer Centre Ireland.

Read the Commission’s geo-blocking Q&A here:

Learn more about the issue in the ECC-Net’s geoblocking report here: