According to a European Commission survey the majority of
websites do not let consumers buy from another EU
country1.
Traders use various practices restricting online
cross-border sales based on nationality, residence or
place of establishment.
These discriminatory practices can occur both online and
off-line and include: denying delivery to customers from other
Member States, declining foreign payment cards, automatically
re-routing foreign customers to the version of the website tailored
to their home country.
A new EU Regulation aims to put an end to unjustified
geo-blocking, creating new opportunities for customers and
businesses across the EU. The Regulation (EU) 2018/3022
("the Regulation") took effect on 22 March 2018 in all EU
Member States and applies from 3 December
2018.
