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Give ALL the EU access to Netflix, says Vince Cable

Ministry denies Cable knows how Netflix works

Seemingly frustrated at not being able to stream films in his Belgian hotel room, Business Secretary Vince Cable is calling for an "online single market" to address the weighty issue of making UK Netflix content accessible across the EU.

Without unfair discrimination all online streaming services such as Netflix should be portable within the EU, Cable will argue.

The European digital economy remains 28 different markets, each with its own regulations. According to Cable an online single market could boost EU GDP by €340bn (£260bn).

Currently businesses and consumers across Europe are being let down by a “patchwork” approach to the digital economy in Europe, he will tell delegates at the Lisbon Council’s Robert Schumann lecture in Brussels today.

"In today’s world of smartphones and Wi-Fi, consumers who have paid for a service rightly expect to be able to use it across borders in the EU," he will say.

An online single market should also give consumers confidence that they can buy digital products online with adequate protection, and that their data is not being misused, he will argue.

El Reg has contacted the department for Business, Innovation & Skills to find out if there is any truth to the rumour that Cable was unable to stream Netflix in his hotel prior to today's speech. A spokesman indicated he would be surprised if that was the case. ®

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