The European Commission ("EC") has published updated guidance in order to help Member States and e-commerce businesses to comply with the new rules against unjustified geo-blocking (see our related report about the new regulation here).

The EC has issued an updated version of the Questions & Answers document, which supersedes the document released in March 2018. The aim of the updated document is to provide practical guidance on the main provision of the Geo-Blocking Regulation, as well as a general evolution of certain aspects of the EU e-commerce framework, that is addressed to traders, consumers and Member States.

For instance, the document states that the Geo-Blocking Regulation applies to both online and offline sales of goods and services, as well as in cases where both channels are integrated (omni-channel); details the sectors that are excluded from the scope of the regulation; and that the consent required in order for a trader to be able to redirect a customer to a specific version of their website, does not necessarily need to be provided every time the customer visits the same website, while the customer should have the opportunity to withdraw that consent at any point of time.

In addition, the EC has published a factsheet, which further explains the meaning of unjustified geo-blocking, the importance of the Geo-Blocking Regulation, and the services that are not covered under the regulation.

We would be happy to advise on any questions that may arise regarding the Geo-Blocking Regulation.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.