BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union on Wednesday unveiled a raft of proposals to make it easier to buy online across its borders, set quotas for European films with providers like Netflix and protect children from harmful content.
EU consumer affairs commissioner Vera Jourova said the package “is an important step to bring consumer protection up to speed with the online world and to give legal certainty to traders.”
The measures would ensure that Netflix and other on-demand video providers like iTunes and Amazon offer at least a 20 percent share of European-made content on their catalogs.
But the quota plan is not popular in the industry and was immediately criticized by some.
“Cultural quotas are outdated and unnecessary – video-on-demand providers are already investing heavily into European local content,” said James Waterworth, vice president of Europe operations for the CCIA computer and internet industry association.