Yahoo Finance 'Digital Single Market' Plan Unveiled By EU
A new "digital single market" across Europe could mean on-demand TV services like Netflix (Xetra: 552484 - news) , BBC iPlayer and Sky Go are available to everyone across the continent.
The blueprint for an online equivalent to the existing EU single market has been unveiled by the European Commission.
It contains 16 initiatives ranging from an overhaul of Europe's telecommunications rules to harmonising copyright and tax regimes.
It covers cybersecurity and even improved online shopping parcel delivery, with internet users potentially able to browse foreign online stores without paying significantly more to have goods shipped.
Expensive data roaming charges incurred abroad could also be abolished.
The plans also call for a series of major inquiries into possible abuses by US-based internet companies, in particular how search engines and price-comparison sites use their market power.
Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said the plans will "lay the groundwork for Europe's digital future".
He added: "I want to see pan-continental telecoms networks, digital services that cross borders and a wave of innovative European startups."
The European Commission estimates that the plans could create up to €340bn (£250bn) in additional growth.
The plan must be turned into a series of legislative proposals to be voted on by the European Parliament.
Eileen Burbidge, a partner at technology investment firm Passion Capital, told Sky News: "This definitely makes a tangible difference to consumers' lives, because it's going to make things much more efficient for the member states, which will transfer into better services and better products - because companies are investing in products, not in overseeing regulation.
"It will absolutely make consumers' lives better."
