region 1s in Europe - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

nakman · 05-13-2001, 01:16 PM

Is anybody familiar with the legal issues of importing region 1's into Europe? It's been stated in many web sites and publications that although buying imports on the net for personal use is fine, it is illegal to import for resale or to sell over the counter in Region 2 zones. If so, why do I find many region 1 titles openly available in certain large stores such as Fnac in Spain. Do they have special arrangements with US distributors or studios?

***Chromy*** · 05-13-2001, 05:54 PM

I'm not to familliar with this topic. But I don't think that there are any laws that ban exporting movies. I think that region coding is more of a mechanism of studios in an effort to control release dates of their movies.

Chromy

***1138*** · 05-13-2001, 08:57 PM

Welcome to the forum nakman!

If anything, it's an issue for the seller to worry about and not the buyer.

------------------
1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter
I did have a test today. That wasn't bullshit. It's on European socialism. I mean, really, what's the point? I'm not European, I don't plan on being European, so who gives a crap if they're socialists? They could be fascist anarchists. That still wouldn't change the fact that I don't own a car.

mahavishnu · 05-15-2001, 03:21 PM

It depends on the country. And of course, it is common place to buy imported books and CDs in a shop, so why not DVDs?

Well in the UK, internal selling is prohibited under the 1984 Video Recordings Act whereby any video product must be certified and labelled by the British Board of Film Classification. And in France, a controversial new law has been passed to ban the sale of any DVD that hasn't been out in French cinemas for 4 months or more.

Most other European contries don't have a problem with the practice. Personal importation is protected in all of Europe, under international trade agreements (though subject to the censorship laws of individual countries - golden shower and fist porn is not allowed into the UK, for example)

[This message has been edited by mahavishnu (edited 05-15-2001).]

nakman · 05-15-2001, 09:39 PM

anyone know a US/Canadian dealer willing to wholesale abroad?

Lightivity · 05-15-2001, 10:08 PM

Nakman:

check out http://www.dvdboxoffice.com

FiveInches · 05-16-2001, 02:23 PM

I get my DVDs at www.dv-depot.com

Excellent customer service, definitely my first choice, even though they don't have the lowest prices around. 7 discs from Canada to Sweden in 4 days from order-date, 2 from shipping-date. Cost ~US$10.

------------------
"We can't stop here. This is Bat Country!"

pilauh · 05-17-2001, 12:01 AM

hi,

as a french dvd addict I'll bring you some light regarding import of region1 dvd's over the region 2 countries.

by january 1st 2001, it is in fact forbidden to sell imports of region 1 films that hadn't already been released in theaters, but also on region 2 dvd...

there is , of course , some flexibility in regards of region 1 dvd release that wouldn't have any equivalent in the region 2 edition (a good exemple could be the recent release of Spartacus by the Criterion Collection that sold like fresh bread on a sunday morning...)

05-13-2001, 01:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
nakman Supporting Actor Join Date: May 2001 Location: UK	region 1s in Europe Is anybody familiar with the legal issues of importing region 1's into Europe? It's been stated in many web sites and publications that although buying imports on the net for personal use is fine, it is illegal to import for resale or to sell over the counter in Region 2 zones. If so, why do I find many region 1 titles openly available in certain large stores such as Fnac in Spain. Do they have special arrangements with US distributors or studios?

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05-13-2001, 05:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
*Chromy* Producer/Admin Coffee Boy Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Greater Seattle Area, WA	I'm not to familliar with this topic. But I don't think that there are any laws that ban exporting movies. I think that region coding is more of a mechanism of studios in an effort to control release dates of their movies. Chromy

05-13-2001, 08:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
*1138* Producer/Admin Careful, or I'll ban myself... Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	Welcome to the forum nakman! If anything, it's an issue for the seller to worry about and not the buyer. ------------------ 1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter I did have a test today. That wasn't bullshit. It's on European socialism. I mean, really, what's the point? I'm not European, I don't plan on being European, so who gives a crap if they're socialists? They could be fascist anarchists. That still wouldn't change the fact that I don't own a car.

05-15-2001, 03:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
mahavishnu Actor Join Date: Jun 2000	It depends on the country. And of course, it is common place to buy imported books and CDs in a shop, so why not DVDs? Well in the UK, internal selling is prohibited under the 1984 Video Recordings Act whereby any video product must be certified and labelled by the British Board of Film Classification. And in France, a controversial new law has been passed to ban the sale of any DVD that hasn't been out in French cinemas for 4 months or more. Most other European contries don't have a problem with the practice. Personal importation is protected in all of Europe, under international trade agreements (though subject to the censorship laws of individual countries - golden shower and fist porn is not allowed into the UK, for example) [This message has been edited by mahavishnu (edited 05-15-2001).]

05-15-2001, 09:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
nakman Supporting Actor Join Date: May 2001 Location: UK	anyone know a US/Canadian dealer willing to wholesale abroad?

05-15-2001, 10:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Lightivity Actor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Malmoe, Sweden	Nakman: check out http://www.dvdboxoffice.com

05-16-2001, 02:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
FiveInches Actor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Helsingborg, Sweden	I get my DVDs at www.dv-depot.com Excellent customer service, definitely my first choice, even though they don't have the lowest prices around. 7 discs from Canada to Sweden in 4 days from order-date, 2 from shipping-date. Cost ~US$10. ------------------ "We can't stop here. This is Bat Country!"

05-17-2001, 12:01 AM	#8 (permalink)
pilauh Actor Join Date: May 2001 Location: Paris, France	hi, as a french dvd addict I'll bring you some light regarding import of region1 dvd's over the region 2 countries. by january 1st 2001, it is in fact forbidden to sell imports of region 1 films that hadn't already been released in theaters, but also on region 2 dvd... there is , of course , some flexibility in regards of region 1 dvd release that wouldn't have any equivalent in the region 2 edition (a good exemple could be the recent release of Spartacus by the Criterion Collection that sold like fresh bread on a sunday morning...)