Originally posted 2007-12-04 11:51:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
France’s auction watchdog is taking eBay to court, arguing the Internet auctioneer does not do enough to protect consumers.
The regulatory authority, called the Council of Sales, said Monday that eBay’s French site should be held to the same standards as France’s auction houses, which need a special permit from authorities, partly to ensure consumers are protected.
In a statement, eBay’s French branch, eBay.fr, said the legal action was “totally unjust.” The French site has argued for years that it should not be subject to the same regulations as France’s auctioneers.
It has argued for years, and profited for years, on the sale of counterfeit merchandise. American courts may not care, but these days Europe matters in the world of commerce. eBay has to start paying serious attention.
