Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of geo-blocking on (a) UK businesses and (b) digital subscribers and consumers in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

The EU Geo-Blocking Regulation will take effect in EU and UK law in December 2018. In the event of a “no deal” exit from the EU, and without specific action on the part of the Government, the Geo-Blocking Regulation would continue to exist on the UK statute book as “retained EU law”. The Government will release its plans for the Geo-Blocking Regulation in the event of a “no deal” exit from the EU in due course.

Digital subscribers to ebooks, movies, video games and music sold electronically on sites elsewhere in the EU will not be affected by the Geo-Blocking Regulation, as it does not apply to wholly online services which are copyright protected.