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contact the Commercial Service at the U.S. Mission to the European Union for morespecific guidance.Processing Customer DataThe EU has strict laws governing the protection of personal data, including the use ofsuch data in the context of direct marketing activities. For more information on theserules, please see the privacy section above.Distance Selling Rules• Distance and Door-to-Door salesThe EU’s Directive on distance selling to consumers (97/7/EC and amendments)sets out a number of obligations for companies doing business at a distance withconsumers. It can read like a set of onerous "do’s" and "don’ts," but in many ways itrepresents nothing more than a customer relations good practice guide with legaleffect. Direct marketers must provide clear information on the identity of themselvesas well as their supplier, full details on prices including delivery costs, and the periodfor which an offer remains valid – all of this, of course, before a contract isconcluded. Customers generally have the right to return goods without any requiredexplanation within seven days, and retain the right to compensation for faulty goodsthereafter. Similar in nature is the Doorstep Directive (85/577/EEC) which isdesigned to protect consumers from sales occurring outside of a normal businesspremises (e.g., door-to-door sales) and essentially assure the fairness of resultingcontracts.Key Links: Consumer Affairs Homepage:http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/index_en.htmDistance Selling:http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/dist_sell/index_en.htmDoor StepSelling:http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/door_sell/index_en.htm• Distance Selling of Financial ServicesFinancial services are the subject of a separate Directive that came into force in June2002 (2002/65/EC). This piece of legislation amends three prior existing Directivesand is designed to ensure that consumers are appropriately protected in respect tofinancial transactions taking place where the consumer and the provider are notface-to-face. In addition to prohibiting certain abusive marketing practices, theDirective establishes criteria for the presentation of contract information. Given thespecial nature of financial markets, specifics are also laid out for contractualwithdrawal.Key Link: http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32002L0065:EN:NOT2/18/2010 Country Commercial Guide for France 14INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICEAND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, © 2010. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.