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French auction houses sue eBay
Monday, December 3, 2007
France's auction houses are taking joint legal action against the online giant eBay, accusing it of encouraging trade in pirated and stolen goods, and breaking a law wich requires all auctionneers to be approved by the state.
Monday, December 3, 2007
By AFP
France's auction houses said Monday they are taking joint legal action against the online giant eBay, accusing it of encouraging trade in pirated and stolen goods.
The council representing the French auction industry accuses the Internet trader of breaking a French 2000 law which requires all auctioneers to be approved by the state.
"Above and beyond the unfair competition," it said, eBay's situation "is leading to a rising number of goods being auctioned without regard for the law on public sales."
The council accused eBay of failing to uphold rules designed to protect consumers and combat tax evasion and the trade of counterfeit and stolen goods.
eBay issued a statement rejecting the lawsuit as "totally unfounded", saying it was not concerned by the law in question.
"eBay's activities and those of the auctioneers are totally separate, as stated by the law, and as we have regularly reminded the council since eBay started trading in France," it said.
A spokesman for the online giant told AFP the website acted as an "auction broker" that "facilitates meetings between buyers and sellers" and that its activities "do not constitute a public auction."
Last month the French council took similar legal action against an online car auctioneer, Exlinea, which it claimed was operating without state approval.
The council representing the French auction industry accuses the Internet trader of breaking a French 2000 law which requires all auctioneers to be approved by the state.
"Above and beyond the unfair competition," it said, eBay's situation "is leading to a rising number of goods being auctioned without regard for the law on public sales."
The council accused eBay of failing to uphold rules designed to protect consumers and combat tax evasion and the trade of counterfeit and stolen goods.
eBay issued a statement rejecting the lawsuit as "totally unfounded", saying it was not concerned by the law in question.
"eBay's activities and those of the auctioneers are totally separate, as stated by the law, and as we have regularly reminded the council since eBay started trading in France," it said.
A spokesman for the online giant told AFP the website acted as an "auction broker" that "facilitates meetings between buyers and sellers" and that its activities "do not constitute a public auction."
Last month the French council took similar legal action against an online car auctioneer, Exlinea, which it claimed was operating without state approval.
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