Doing Business In (Insert Country Name Here) - BNA

Retail online sales estimates (B-to-C) in 2006 were USD 14.9 billion (11.9 billion euros)
and accounted for 66 percent of total direct marketing sales, while they represented only
8 percent in 2000. Among total direct marketing sales, France has the highest rate of
Internet sales in Europe. Total online sales of products and services increased by 37
percent from 2005 to 2006, confirming the expected prominent role that the Internet will
have in the future of direct marketing sales. Today 63 percent of Internet users have
already purchased on-line, primary services and travel packages, followed by hi-tech
and cultural products. The average purchase on-line is (90 euros).
Trade Promotion and Advertising Return to top
General Legislation
Laws against misleading advertisements differ widely from Member State to Member
State within the EU. To respond to this imperfection in the Internal Market, the
Commission adopted a Directive, in force since October 1986, to establish minimum and
objective criteria regarding truth in advertising. The Directive was amended in October
1997 to include comparative advertising. Under the Directive, misleading advertising is
defined as any "advertising which in any way, including its presentation, deceives or is
likely to deceive the persons to whom it is addressed or whom it reaches and which, by
reason of its deceptive nature, is likely to affect their economic behavior or which for
those reasons, injures or is likely to injure a competitor." Member States can authorize
even more extensive protection under their national laws.
Comparative advertising, subject to certain conditions, is defined as "advertising which
explicitly or by implication identifies a competitor or goods or services by a competitor."
Member States can, and in some cases have, restricted misleading or comparative
advertising.
The EU’s Television without Frontiers Directive lays down legislation on broadcasting
activities allowed within the EU. From 2009, the rules will allow for US-style product
placement on television and the three-hour/day maximum of advertising will be lifted.
However, a 12-minute/hour maximum will remain. Child programming will be subject to
a code of conduct that will include a limit of junk food advertising to children.
Following the adoption of the 1999 Council Directive on the Sale of Consumer Goods
and Associated Guarantees, product specifications, as laid down in advertising, are now
considered as legally binding on the seller. (For additional information on Council
Directive 1999/44/EC on the Sale of Consumer Goods and Associated Guarantees, see
the legal warranties and after-sales service section below.)
The EU adopted Directive 2005/29/EC concerning fair business practices in a further
attempt to tighten up consumer protection rules. These new rules will outlaw several
aggressive or deceptive marketing practices such as pyramid schemes, "liquidation
sales" when a shop is not closing down, and artificially high prices as the basis for
discounts in addition to other potentially misleading advertising practices. Certain rules
on advertising to children are also set out.
Key Link:
[http://ec.europa.eu/comm/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/fair_bus_pract/index_en.htm]
2/15/2008 Country Commercial Guide for France 19
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
© 2007. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.