The European Commission has unveiled plans to create a ‘Digital Single Market’ – a move that could have significant repercussions for the sports media-rights industry.
The aim of the Digital Single Market is to break down regulatory walls and move from 28 national markets to a single one. The EC stresses that a fully functional Digital Single Market could contribute €415bn ($446.5bn) per year to the European economy and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
The Digital Single Market Strategy includes a set of targeted actions to be delivered by the end of next year. It is built on the three pillars of better access for consumers and businesses to digital goods and services across Europe; creating the right conditions and a level playing field for digital networks and innovative services to flourish; and maximising the growth potential of the digital economy.
Sixteen key actions outlined under these three pillars include the end of unjustified geo-blocking, which is commonly used by sports properties that sell digital rights on a market-by-market basis.
A modern, more European copyright law has also been outlined. Legislative proposals will follow before the end of 2015 to reduce the differences between national copyright regimes and allow for wider online access to works across the EU, including through further harmonisation measures. The Commission will also look at the role of online intermediaries in relation to copyright-protected work. It will step up enforcement against commercial-scale infringements of intellectual property rights.
A review of the audiovisual media framework to make it fit for the 21st century has also been proposed, focusing on the roles of the different market players in the promotion of European works. It will also look at how to adapt existing rules, the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, to new business models for content distribution.
Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said: “Today, we lay the groundwork for Europe’s digital future. I want to see pan-continental telecoms networks, digital services that cross borders and a wave of innovative European start-ups. I want to see every consumer getting the best deals and every business accessing the widest market – wherever they are in Europe.
“Exactly a year ago, I promised to make a fully Digital Single Market one of my top priorities. Today, we are making good on that promise. The 16 steps of our Digital Single Market Strategy will help make the Single Market fit for a digital age.”
The Digital Single Market will be on the agenda of the European Council meeting on June 25-26.