Making the Digital Single Market work for you!
We like to make things simpler and more convenient for you! No roaming charges and access to your online subscriptions while traveling in the EU, and now more options and better prices while shopping online.
This year we celebrate 25 years of the Single Market. The Single Market is one of the EU’s biggest achievements. It guarantees the free movement of goods, services, capital and people — the four freedoms within the EU.
More connected than ever before
With the world going digital, we need to work towards removing barriers and creating a truly Digital Single Market in the EU with free movement of goods, persons, services, capital and of course data is guaranteed. This has been one of the Commission’s top 10 political priorities and we have progressed immensely in this regard, especially to the benefit of all Europeans.
Bye, bye roaming! Hello portability!
Last year, we said goodbye to roaming fees when travelling in the EU. You could finally use your mobile phone for calls, texts and data without worrying about extra charges. And from this year you have access to online content services that you are subscribed to when you travel. Whether it is Netflix, Amazon prime or another service, your digital subscriptions follow you wherever you go!
No more geo-blocking, wait, what’s that?
Since 3 December, Europeans are able to shop online without unjustified geo-blocking. This means that websites offering goods and services are not be able to discriminate based on your location. EU internet users often complain that they cannot access what they want because geo-blocking practices restrict access to websites and services offered online in another country. As a result, on average two in three cross-border online shopping attempts made in the EU fail, and online shoppers must accept different conditions and prices for the same product or service, depending where they live.
You are now able to shop online, book a hotel, or rent a car from any EU country without being blocked or paying unfair prices.
There’s more!
It is not just roaming, portability and geo-blocking, our Digital Single Market strategy encompasses a lot more. We aim to boost ecommerce in the EU, modernise the copyright rules, strengthen the EU cybersecurity agency, adapt ePrivacy rules, ensure everyone has the best possible internet access and much more.
The digital single market could contribute €415 billion to the European economy, boosting jobs, growth, competition, investment and innovation. It can create opportunities for new start-ups and allow companies to grow and innovate in a market of over 500 million people.
Our objective is to strengthen the digital market and ensuring that all Europeans and European businesses — both small and large, are part of the process. And we hope that like Jan in the movie “The Loner,” you will enjoy the benefits wherever you choose to live and travel in the EU!
