French Consumer Law is a comprehensive and comparative overview of French and EU law in this field, covering: advertising, unfair commercial practices, conditions for the validity of contracts, unfair terms, product conformity, latent defects, product safety.

French Consumer Law

Ordinance No 2016-301 has, in accordance with the authorization given by the Hamon Law, brought together, harmonized and standardized the provisions relating to the powers for the investigation and ascertaining of offenses and breaches of the regulations laid down or referred to in the Consumer Code, in particular as regards access to the premises of parties under investigation, the powers of agents, and procedure. This recodification goes beyond a mere recast with regard to investigation and administrative control. Consumer law procedure has thus been amended by the repeal of the references to Title V of Book IV of the Commercial Code and the combining of the powers of the agents referred to in former Article L. 141-1 of the Consumer Code and the powers of investigation in former Article L. 215-1 et seq. of the same code in the case of offenses relating to compliance and safety of products and services. Now, investigations carried out under new Book V of the Consumer Code concern all of the offenses and are strictly limited to consumers while those arising from the application of the Commercial Code only apply to professionals (traders).

New Book V which is entitled “Powers of investigation and follow-up to inspections” includes four sections: Investigations and findings (Articles L. 511-1 to L. 512-65); Post-inspection measures (Articles L. 521-1 to L. 525-1); Sanctions (art. L. 531-1 to L. 532-4); Provisions relating to overseas territories.

10. Procedure