EU: Regulator accepts Hollywood studios, Sky UK concessions

The European Commission has accepted commitments offered by top Hollywood film studios and Sky UK on their pay TV services that will allow European Union consumers to access films via satellite or online when they are outside Britain and Ireland, reported the Financial Times.

Thursday’s agreement smashes the country-by-country licensing regime that has dominated the sales of exclusive pay-TV content such as sports matches and new films. Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros have promised not to enforce or reintroduce restrictions that prevent any European broadcaster selling its services beyond its home market to customers who make unsolicited requests for their services, so called passive sales.

Sky UK has promised to not seek to have the studios enforce the territorial restrictions on rivals. The promises apply to satellite and online services as well as video on demand.