Chapter I: General obligation to provide pre-contractual information

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Article L111-7

French Consumer CodeIn force
Ask for lawyer reviewed or certified translation

Updated 8 Nov 2023

I.-An operator of an online platform is any natural or legal person offering, on a professional basis, whether remunerated or not, an online public communication service based on:

1° The classification or referencing, by means of computer algorithms, of content, goods or services offered or placed online by third parties;

2° Or the bringing together of several parties with a view to the sale of a good, the provision of a service or the exchange or sharing of a content, good or service.

II.-Any online platform operator is required to provide consumers with fair, clear and transparent information on:

1° The general terms and conditions of use of the intermediation service it offers and on the procedures for referencing, classifying and dereferencing the content, goods or services to which this service provides access ;

2° The existence of a contractual relationship, a capital link or remuneration for its benefit, where they influence the ranking or referencing of the content, goods or services offered or placed online;

3° The status of the advertiser and the rights and obligations of the parties in civil and tax matters, where consumers are put in contact with professionals or non-professionals.

A decree shall specify the conditions of application of this article, taking into account the nature of the activity of online platform operators.

This decree also specifies, for any online platform operator whose activity consists of the provision of information enabling the comparison of prices and characteristics of goods and services offered by professionals, the information provided to consumers relating to the elements of this comparison and what falls within the scope of advertising within the meaning of the article 20 of law no. 2004-575 of 21 June 2004for confidence in the digital economy.

This decree also sets the terms and conditions according to which, when professionals, sellers or service providers are put in contact with consumers, the online platform operator provides them with a space enabling them to communicate to consumers the information provided for in articles L. 221-5 and L. 221-6.

Mariela Petrova

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Working with a corporate lawyer in France — Q&A

Any time a strategic decision changes how the company is owned, governed or contractually bound — incorporation, fundraising, M&A, restructuring, shareholder agreements, or major commercial contracts. Earlier engagement always costs less than later remediation.

A notary (notaire) is a public officer who authenticates specific deeds (mainly real-estate transfers and certain family-law acts). A corporate lawyer (avocat) advises on strategy, negotiates and drafts company documents, and represents you in disputes. The two roles complement rather than overlap.

Yes — most of our clients are foreign suppliers, investors or holding entities. We bridge the gap between French law and your home jurisdiction's expectations and deliver everything bilingually.

The SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) is the default choice for most international structures: flexible governance, single shareholder allowed, no minimum capital, and works cleanly with foreign holding entities. We assess SARL, SA, SCI on the merits when the situation calls for it.

Yes — communications with a French avocat are protected by the secret professionnel (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971). This protection is broader than the common-law attorney-client privilege and applies to written and oral exchanges.

We work on fixed fees for clearly scoped engagements (incorporation, contract drafting, audits) and on monthly retainers for ongoing advisory. Hourly billing is the exception, not the default. You always know the cost before work starts.

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Absolutely. We routinely coordinate with your in-house counsel, expert-comptable or notaire — pragmatic collaboration is the norm, not the exception. We send them everything they need to do their part without duplicating work.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In Corporate Practice

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Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

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