After Raising Prices, Netflix Loses Major Court Case That Changes How It Operates

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The streaming service has experienced a lot of change recently as it strives to become a leading platform, but it’s now facing a significant setback.

Netflix recently lost a deal with Warner Bros., and now faces a setback in its European growth. Belgium’s Constitutional Court ruled against Netflix in a legal dispute over EU rules requiring financial contributions from streaming services. Netflix had previously appealed these rules.

Netflix Has Multiple Belgium Titles

European laws now require streaming services to invest more in locally made TV shows and movies, and Belgium is an important country for the EU, as the European Parliament is located in Brussels. Netflix is challenging a new law passed in 2023 by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, a French-speaking region of Belgium with 4.6 million residents. This law requires streaming platforms, including Disney+ and Netflix, to dramatically increase their investment in local content from 2.2% of their revenue in the region to 9.5% by 2027.

Netflix tried to fight a new rule, but lost the first round in court. A Belgian court ruled on March 26th that Netflix wouldn’t be exempt from a requirement set by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. However, the case isn’t over yet – it’s now going to the European Court of Justice for review.

The legal battle is not over yet, but it’s future is still unclear.

Netflix has been involved in several Belgian productions, including the series High Tides, which is similar to The Summer I Turned Pretty. The show, originally called Knokke Off, recently launched its second season on March 21st.

Netflix has been consistently delivering some really compelling international series, and I’ve been particularly hooked by a few. There’s Into the Night, a fantastic two-part sci-fi thriller about the apocalypse, which then spawned its own spinoff, Yakamoz S-245. And the Belgian crime drama Undercover was so good, they gave that a follow-up with Ferry. Honestly, the list of strong shows just keeps growing!

Netflix Just Increased Its Prices

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I’ve been watching Netflix closely, and it’s fascinating to see how they’re adapting! After a tough hit with losing content from Warner Bros., they seem to have really reassessed their strengths. It’s clear they recognize all the amazing shows and movies they do have, and they’ve just announced a new pricing plan. It feels like a confident move, showing they believe in what they offer.

Prices for Disney+ plans are increasing. The Standard With Ads plan will now cost $8.88 per month, up from $7.99. The ad-free Standard plan, which allows streaming on two devices, will be $19.99 per month, an increase of $2. The Premium plan, offering ad-free viewing on up to four devices in Ultra HD and HDR, will also cost $2 more, at $26.99 per month.

This marks the second price increase for the streaming service this year, following a change made in January. It’s the second time in three years they’ve raised prices for their Standard plan, and this increase is larger than the first.

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2026-03-28 23:08