French law will accommodate Ecommerce Directive

Suzanna Kerridge, Paris correspondent

The EU Ecommerce Directive will be introduced into French law in the autumn. Speaking this week at the National Assembly, State Secretary of Industry Christian Pierret said he was happy to present the directive as part of the Information Society Bill expected to be read at the end of the year. The Ecommerce Directive was adopted by the European Commission last Thursday in the Brussels based Parliament. Finance minister Laurent Fabius said the directive would boost the confidence of consumers and companies to trade online by enforcing stricter regulations for ecommerce. The French government is also expected to introduce legislation making it compulsory for individual Internet users to register their personal details with their hosting provider. Those who fail to do so, or provide give incorrect details, will face a seven-month jail sentence or a fine of up to E7,000 (£4,180). But the French ISP association - the AFA (Association des Fournisseurs d'Acces et de Services Internet) - has spoken out against the Bill claiming ISPs will never support it.