EU lawmakers push for new 'dynamic pricing' rules after Oasis fans complain

By Martin Coulter

LONDON (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers are backing calls for new rules around the use of “dynamic pricing” when selling online goods, after Oasis fans complained about massively inflated ticket prices for a string of sell-out shows by the British band.

Last month, thousands of fans waited for hours in virtual queues to get their hands on tickets for Oasis reunion shows in the UK and Ireland next summer, only to find prices had jumped dramatically at checkout.

The resulting backlash sparked probes into Ticketmaster – the official ticketing partner for the concerts – among British, Irish, and European regulators.

Now eight of Ireland’s 14 MEPs (members of European Parliament) have backed calls for changes to the Digital Services Act (DSA), a sweeping set of tech regulations rolled out earlier this year, to avoid similar situations in the future.

“If we require further regulation to ensure dynamic pricing does not become the norm then I do think it will be necessary,” said Dublin MEP Regina Doherty, who previously called for Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate the issue.

Firms deemed to be in breach of the DSA face fines of up to 6% of their global turnover. Repeat offenders can be banned from operating in Europe altogether.

The EU has been conducting a broad “fitness check” of existing consumer protection laws over the past two years, with rules around ticket sales among those under review. A final report is due to be published later this year.

Ciaran Mullooly, MEP for Ireland’s Midlands–North-West constituency, told Reuters he would support new measures being added to the DSA.

“There’s no word to describe it other than ‘rip-off’,” he said. “It’s a real challenge for the Digital Services Act. The Commission is going to have to get involved in this – and if they don’t, it’ll make their legislation irrelevant.”

Another six of Ireland’s MEPs – Barry Cowen, Billy Kelleher, Cynthia Ni Murchu, Kathleen Funchion, Luke Ming Flanagan, and Lynn Boylan – told Reuters they would support the introduction of new rules to deal with the issue.

“We should discuss whether or not we should amend the DSA to deal with dynamic pricing,” said Ni Murchi. “This issue is not new. Now is the time to discuss and take action.”

A representative for Oasis declined to comment. Ticketmaster did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Last week, when Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)opened a probe, a Ticketmaster spokesperson said the company was "committed to cooperating," and Oasis issued a statement saying decisions on ticketing and pricing were the responsibility of promoters and management.

(Reporting by Martin Coulter; Editing by David Gregorio)