Subscription service brings classic and current BBC content to audiences in Western Europe...

The BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, has unveiled an international version of the broadcaster's iPlayer iPad app.

The app provides access to current and archive BBC programming for a subscription fee of €6.99 per month or €49.99 per year.

The service will initially be available in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain and Switzerland.

Shown above is the app's homepage as it appears on the iPad.

Since BBC Worldwide is a commercial organisation, the app can carry advertising with Visit Britain acting as a launch partner for the app. The tourism agency's logo appears at the top of the screen.

Subscribers will be able to search for the content they want to view using this alphabetical search page.

The iPad app also allows users to download content and watch it offline as well as stream programmes.

"We have an exciting vision for what this service could become and will develop it based on feedback from within the markets," BBC Worldwide's president of worldwide networks and global iPlayer, Jana Bennett, said in a statement.