The BBC has confirmed its interest in offering the iPlayer to other European countries, but has linked the issue to reform of the Licence Fee.
It follows yesterday’s statement from the European Commission on cross-border portability.
“We are interested in being able to allow UK licence-fee payers to access BBC iPlayer while they are on holiday in the EU, and welcome the European Commission proposing regulation to help make this possible,” said a BBC statement. “There are complex technical issues to resolve and aspects of the Commission’s proposal need clarification. Being able to offer BBC iPlayer also depends on the UK Government implementing legislation to modernise the licence fee to include VOD as well as linear viewing, something the Government has committed to do next year. That will mean users of BBC iPlayer could be verified as UK licence-fee payers while they are on holiday in the EU.”
The BBC has previously gained a favourable response from government in its attempts to tidy up the legislation regarding online viewing that has created a £150 million (€208 million) shortfall in Licence Fee revenue.
At present it’s legal to watch a catch up TV show without a licence, but not to stream live TV.