E.U. Ends "Geoblocking" of Ecommerce Across Member States

[engine]

The E.U. has reached agreement whereby consumers can buy products and services from any online business in any E.U. country, prohibiting so-called "geoblocking" where the sites stop consumers from buying across borders. Copyright-protected content, such as as music streaming, e-books, or tv and movies are not included in this agreement.

If you sell products and services online in the E.U. you'll be affected by this when it finally comes into force in 2018.

Companies will no longer be able to re-direct consumers to a country-specific website without their consent. However, consumers will still have to organize how to pick up a product if the company does not offer cross-border delivery. E.U. Ends "Geoblocking" of Ecommerce Across Member States [reuters.com]

[blend27]

-- Companies will no longer be able to re-direct consumers to a country-specific website without their consent --

My question is: Is Goog Included?

Perhaps I should reword this:

Currently, if I am in Poland and searching for specific widgets produced by more than at 90% in Poland - worldwide rate, I get a listing of several sites that are not within a proximity or not in Polish(or 5 countries around) language based on my searches performed in English, but am redirected before hand to goog.com.pl. The top 30 include mostly junk sites, where in fact I know of at least of 20-30 sites that offer widgets well worth of searchers intent with in the immediate borders of Poland.

Added: The Ads above the fold fit perfectly into searchers intent btw.

[EditorialGuy]

My question is: Is Goog Included?

Not unless Google turned into an e-commerce site when we weren't looking.

[engine]

Yeah, this is for ecommerce sites, specifically.
If you want to buy that widget from Germany, and you're in France, you can buy it, and the seller cannot stop you by hiding it from you, or redirecting you to their local site in France.
As a buyer, you will have to pay extra for shipping costs.

I can see there being logistical problems occurring for smaller business.

Bigger business, such as Amazon and ebay will have to comply, but will be better geared up to handle these issues.

[blend27]

-- Not unless --

There some laws in EU that in certain countries B&M stores can not sell half elliptical shaped Bananas(true fact) at their location, even if they are not the country that grows them, e.g. Bananas have to be almost straight in shape, specifically if they are sold in the bunch. Somehow that is a fact, not that they taste any different, "ripe < ;)" or not.

[tangor]

What is more interesting is what is EXCLUDED in the agreement, product which has significant revenue potentials (but all based on IP, TM, or CP). Sell gadgets all you like, but not books, movies, music or art.

[Paddy Displays]

-- Not unless --

There some laws in EU that in certain countries B&M stores can not sell half elliptical shaped Bananas(true fact) at their location, even if they are not the country that grows them, e.g. Bananas have to be almost straight in shape, specifically if they are sold in the bunch. Somehow that is a fact, not that they taste any different, "ripe < ;)" or not.

Is that not a myth?
[europarl.europa.eu...]

Straight & bendy are not banned by the EU. Commission Regulation 2257/94 identifies certain restrictions for fruits that producers have to conform to in order to sell their produce within the EU. The regulation states that bananas must be "free from malformation or abnormal curvature."

Class 1 bananas can have "slight defects of shape" and Class 2 bananas full-on "defects of shape".

[graeme_p]

It looks as though EU law requires that bananas must not be bendy in certain ways ("abnormal curvature"), what blend27 is that some EU countries have additional laws that require bananas to be almost straight.

The EU law may not be as insane as requiring bananas to the straight, but it seems silly, wasteful and environmentally damaging, and it is quite possible some countries within the EU have laws that are even more bonkers.

[graeme_p]

@tangor, the influence of big media restricts it to widgets.

@engine, why would the logistical problems be that great?

its about time though - after all this sort of thing is what the EU is supposed to be for.