23/01/2014 - US Internet subscription-video leader plans to disembark in Belgium, France and Germany in order to boost its presence on the continent

After successfully expanding from the United States to Europe – namely, to seven European countries: Ireland and the United Kingdom (news), the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland – VOD leader Netflix is eyeing to reach new markets in the Old Continent. According to analysts and various sources of information (Variety, Le Soir), the company has put Belgium, Germany and France on the spot, where a launch is possible during this year. 

“We plan later this year to embark on a substantial European expansion. Our success this year in international net additions and shrinking contribution losses confirms our belief that there is a big international opportunity for Netflix,” state Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells in a letter that announced 2013’s fourth-quarter results to shareholders.

The company appears to be confident about the new markets in sight. The forecast for 2014’s first quarter predicts 2.25 million new subscribers in the US and 1.6 million internationally. Netflix would enter the Belgian market in May, followed by Germany during the summer and France – which has proven to be a bit more difficult, due to stronger regulations – in autumn. Thus, this operation, which will be definitely an up-thrust for each country’s VOD market, could be the key to turning its international operations profitable.

Netflix would this way continue its growth outside the borders of the United States, where the Internet video service added 2.33 million streaming subscribers during 2013’s fourth quarter, reaching a 33.4 million total. In the same period, the company added 1.7 million subscribers overseas, attaining 10.9 million.