EU consumers to access films via satellite, online on pay-TV

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. "The European Commission has made commitments offered by Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. and Sky legally binding under EU antitrust rules. These commitments address the Commission's concerns regarding certain clauses in these studios' film licensing contracts for pay-TV with Sky UK," the EU executive said in a statement on Thursday.

Under the deal, Hollywood studios accepted not to apply clauses that prevent the Sky UK from allowing EU consumers outside Britain and Ireland to subscribe to its pay-TV services to access films via satellite or online. Sky has agreed it will no longer apply clauses that required NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. to ensure that rival pay-TV services were not available in Britain and Ireland.