Content portability

Content portability refers to the right of European Union (EU) citizens to access paid-for online content services in other EU Member States, in the same way as they would in their home country, as part of the EU digital single market. Subscribers can download and watch the same films and TV series anywhere in the EU. In addition to video on demand, online TV, music streaming and online game marketplaces, this also includes e-books, e-magazines and sporting events.

Regulation (EU) 2017/1128 on cross-border portability of online content services in the internal market guarantees that the content available in other Member States should be:

the same content;
on the same range and number of devices;
for the same number of users;
with the same functionality; and
with no extra charges.

There is no obligation to provide similar quality unless this is agreed on with the subscriber, but the quality must not be deliberately reduced, and the subscriber must be informed about the quality of delivery before the service is provided.

Ongoing contracts with providers that limit access to these subscriptions in other Member States, or apply extra charges to access content abroad, no longer apply.

EU rules also cover free subscriptions to online content, but this is optional for the service provider.

To access these services, subscribers need to submit no more than two separate documents, or attestations, confirming EU residence.

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Content portability