Source: European Parliament
Under the Geo-blocking Regulation[1], deciding whether to offer delivery services in specific locations within Member States remains the business choice of the trader.
Charging higher prices for delivery depending on the area served may also be justified in light of increased costs . However, customers from other Member States are entitled to delivery in areas served by the trader according to its general conditions of access on the same terms as local customers without discrimination.
The Commission cooperates with national authorities and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network[2] to enforce the regulation and tackle unjustified geo-blocking.
The Commission has established, on the basis of Regulation (EU) 2018/644[3] on cross-border parcel delivery services, a public database with information on more than 44 000 domestic and cross border tariffs[4].
E-commerce providers may thus rely on a diverse and substantial offer to ensure delivery throughout the EU. However, only universal service providers are under the obligation imposed by Directive 97/67/EC[5] to provide affordable, cost-oriented, and non-discriminatory tariffs.
The Commission has just launched an evaluation of the Geo-blocking Regulation[6] to assess if any further measures are needed to address remaining barriers and strengthen cross-border trade in the EU.
The Commission remains committed to supporting a stronger integration of the outermost regions in the single market, in line with the 2022 EU Outermost Regions Strategy[7].
- [1] Regulation (EU) 2018/302 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2018 on addressing unjustified geo-blocking and other forms of discrimination based on customers’ nationality, place of residence or place of establishment within the internal market and amending Regulations (EC) No 2006/2004 and (EU) 2017/2394 and Directive 2009/22/EC, OJ L 60I, 2.3.2018, p. 1-15.
- [2] https://commission.europa.eu/live-work-travel-eu/consumer-rights-and-complaints/enforcement-consumer-protection/consumer-protection-cooperation-network_en
- [3] Regulation (EU) 2018/644 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 April 2018 on cross-border parcel delivery services, OJ L 112, 2.5.2018, p. 19-28.
- [4] https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/postal-services/parcel-delivery-eu/find-best-price-your-eu-parcel-delivery_en
- [5] Directive 97/67/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 1997 on common rules for the development of the internal market of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service, OJ L 15, 21.1.1998, p. 14-25, amended by Directive 2002/39/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 June 2002 amending Directive 97/67/EC with regard to the further opening to competition of Community postal services, OJ L 176, 5.7.2002, p. 21-25, and amended by Directive 2008/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 February 2008 amending Directive 97/67/EC with regard to the full accomplishment of the internal market of Community postal services, OJ L 52, 27.2.2008, p. 3-20.
- [6] See the call for evidence published on the Have Your Say portal: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/14416-Geo-blocking-Regulation-evaluation_en
- [7] Communication ‘Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions’ (COM/2022/198 final).