Members of European Parliament (MEPs) today improved rules in a committee vote, to ensure that buyers of goods and services from other EU countries are treated like "local customers", ending unjustified geo-blocking across the EU, according to a press release.

The draft law defines specific situations in which geo-blocking will not be allowed. "This means that online sellers will not be able to discriminate against consumers elsewhere in the EU with regard to general terms and conditions, including prices, on the basis of their nationality, place of residence or even their temporary location," MEPs said.

According to the press release, EU buyers abroad will be "treated like locals." Without paying more, buyers from another EU country than the trader would be able to buy goods even when the trader does not deliver them in the consumer's member state of residence, if there is an option to collect the goods at an agreed location in another EU country (the proposal does not introduce an obligation to deliver across the EU). receive online from the trader services not protected by copyright, such as cloud services, firewalls, data warehousing, website hosting,

They will also be able to receive online from the trader services not protected by copyright, such as cloud services, firewalls, data warehousing, website hosting as well as make a booking outside the consumer's place of residence (e.g. hotel stays, sports events, car rental, music festival or leisure tickets).

The MEPs added the receiving of e-books, e-music, games or software.

Automatic re-routing to another website without the consumer's prior consent would also be banned, expect if an EU or national provision, e.g. related with minors, would make it necessary.

Sectors such as audiovisual services (including broadcasts of sports events provided on the basis of exclusive territorial licenses), or financial, transport, electronic communication or healthcare services are excluded from the scope of the draft regulation for the time being. However, the EU Commission must assess within three years of its entry into force whether they should be covered in the future, added the committee.

The committee's vote gives its negotiating team, led by Ms Thun, a mandate to start three-way talks (trilogues) with the Council and the Commission, with a view to reaching an agreement on the final law. The mandate was approved by 31 votes to 2, with 1 abstention.