Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

EU Consumer Law and regionlocking between UK & Ireland?

  • 17-08-2011 4:54pm
    #1
    oceanclub
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭


    A short summary is that a company is attempting to sell media (a videogame) which can be bought in the UK but not played in Ireland. They've implemented region-locking (online authentication) so that the UK is treated as a seperate region from Ireland + rest of EU. Amazon.co.uk, for example, are having to refund customers who bought from there.

    Full discussion here:

    http://forums.eidosgames.com/showthread.php?p=1650481

    I would have thought this was against EU consumer law; that an item bought in one part of the EU should be usable in another. Does anyone know what the case is? I've also sent details into various consumer affairs bodies but I expect they will take a few days to digest it.

    Thanks,

    P.


Comments

  • #2
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,624 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    In principle you are correct, the region-encoding of DVDs was originally going to designate UK & Ireland as a single zone but the EU were having none of it because of the Single Market.

    What you've described is the same as someone selling a sewing machine or power washer which can only be used in certain countries and unless there is a copyright issue involved it would be considered anti-competitive because it smacks of price fixing or manipulation.


  • #3
    thefishone
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 303 ✭✭thefishone


    If I could stretch this a bit further,
    Could this be used in relation to the Amazon Kindle,given that Irish customers have to buy from the States (Amazon.com) whereas the books I read are frequently cheaper on Amazon.co.uk. Could this be construed as a form of encoding/locking out of a EU market?
    Probably clutching at straws,but if I can get cheaper books!


  • #4
    oceanclub
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭oceanclub


    thefishone wrote: »
    If I could stretch this a bit further,
    Could this be used in relation to the Amazon Kindle,given that Irish customers have to buy from the States (Amazon.com) whereas the books I read are frequently cheaper on Amazon.co.uk. Could this be construed as a form of encoding?
    Probably clutching at straws,but if I can get cheaper books!

    I presume region locking between EU and non-EU is fine so I don't think this particular issue would have any relation.

    P.


Advertisement