What The New Geo-blocking Laws Mean For Website Operators

Deirdre Kilroy and Clodagh Crumlish explain the new 'Geo-blocking regulation' and what impact it will have for website operators across the EU.

What is geo-blocking?

Geo-blocking is the practice of using territorial licensing restrictions in online and offline transactions of physical goods and the provision of electronic services. In practice, geo–blocking stops customers in one country from accessing websites in other countries through the use of geofactors such as location of IP addresses. From the traders' perspective, geo-blocking facilitates treating markets differently online. However, consumers within the EU, where there is an expectation of a common market, were frustrated by this approach.