The European Commission has ordered France to lift its ban on the online sale of optical goods and spectacles, with a threat of further legal proceedings for failure to comply within the next two months.
Last Friday, the Commission made a formal request to France to amend its national legislation on the sale of optical products. Under existing legislation, all online sales of optical goods are prohibited even by registered optical professionals.
The EC's ruling stated: 'By banning distance sales of optical products and glasses by qualified dispensing opticians and requiring all qualified operators to register their diploma with the French departmental authorities, the current legislation restricts freedom of establishment and free movement of services, in particular free movement of information society services.'
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