The European Commission has agreed that geo-blocking is now illegal across the continent on the grounds of discrimination. In the past, retailers across Europe were permitted to locate a customer and charge them differing amounts dependent on their location. However, it has now been agreed by members from different nations across Europe that online stores must now charge the same amount to all customers, regardless of what country they are buying from. Vice-President Ansip of the European Commission said that “when you enter a shop in another EU country, the owner doesn't ask for your ID” to determine the price of an item, so it should not happen online. The ruling will also assist in the creation of a single online European market, which is expected to affect the pricing of online music, films, and e-books in the future as well.
