Beschwerdeverfahren Geoblocking Einleitung

If you want to complain about a provider for violating the provisions of the Geoblocking Regulation, you can file a complaint with the Federal Network Agency.

When European customers are not allowed to purchase goods or services across borders by suppliers operating within the European Union (EU) single market, this is known as geo-blocking. The same is true if the goods or services are not offered on the same terms as to nationals.

For example, suppliers may offer their goods and services to different groups of customers or in different countries in different languages and at different prices and conditions, but if a customer from another EU country wants to order from the supplier's domestic website, he must be able to do so at the same prices and conditions as nationals.

According to the Geoblocking Regulation, discrimination against customers on the grounds of

• place of residence,
• place of establishment or
• nationality

is not permitted.
Customers include consumers who

• have the nationality of an EU country, or
• have their residence in an EU country and

end-user companies that

• are established in an EU country and
• use services exclusively for end-use or
• purchase goods for end-use.

The Geoblocking Regulation does not protect businesses that resell, transform, process, rent or subcontract goods or services.

There are also numerous exceptions. These relate both to certain types of services and to certain types of unequal treatment, for example under other statutory provisions.

In the event of a breach of the provisions of the Geoblocking Regulation, the Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway (BNetzA) can issue orders or impose fines on German providers.

Against providers in other EU countries, the BNetzA can request the competent national authority of the EU country concerned to issue measures within the framework of the European CPC network.

CPC stands for "Consumer Protection Cooperation" and refers to a European network of authorities whose task is to enforce consumer rights.

You can submit a complaint about a violation of the Geoblocking Regulation online via the "Geoblocking complaint form" on the BNetzA website.

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Your complaint is submitted online via the "Geoblocking complaint form" on the website of the Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway (BNetzA).

• Access the "Geoblocking complaint form" on the BNetzA website.
• Fill in the complaint form online.
• Click on "Submit" to send your complaint to the BNetzA.
• You will receive an e-mail confirming that your complaint has been sent to the BNetzA.
• After examining your complaint, the BNetzA will decide whether to admit or reject it.
• The BNetzA will inform you of the outcome of your complaint by e-mail.
  
  

• for acknowledgement of receipt of the appeal: immediately after receipt.
• Decision on the admission or rejection of the complaint: usually 3 months.
• Notification of the outcome of the appeal: usually 6 months
  
  

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• Opposition
• Administrative court action
  
  

• Complaint procedure Geoblocking Introduction
• Making a complaint about a breach of the Geoblocking Regulations (Regulation (EU) 2018/302).
• Geoblocking Regulation protects customers from discrimination on the grounds of
  • Domicile,
  • place of establishment or
  • Nationality
• Customers are
  • Consumers who
    • Have the nationality of an EU country, or
    • are domiciled in an EU country; and
  • end-user companies that
    • are established in an EU country and
    • use services exclusively for end-use or purchase goods exclusively for end-use.
• Geoblocking Regulation does not protect: businesses that resell, transform, process, rent or subcontract goods or services
• numerous exceptions exist for:
  • certain types of services
  • certain justified differences in treatment
• Information provided by: Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway (BNetzA).
• Submission via: online via the "Geoblocking complaint form" on the website of the Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway (BNetzA).
• responsible: Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway (BNetzA).
  
  

• Forms: yes
• Online procedure possible: yes
• Written form necessary: no
• Personal appearance: no