The Repression of Fraud (DGCCRF) will now be able to “reveal the identity of companies sanctioned for any illegal practice”, which should strengthen “their action of prevention and information”, announced the Delegate Minister in particular for Commerce Olivia Grégoire in a statement on friday. .
The General Directorate of Competition, Consumption and Fraud Prevention could already make public the identity of the companies sanctioned in terms of administrative sanctions, specifies the entity dependent on the Ministry of Economy in this press release.
But a decree published on Friday, taken in application of the law of August 16, 2022 on emergency measures for the protection of purchasing power, made it possible to expand the communication possibilities of the DGCCRF, in particular regarding its “measures precautionary”. .
“Name and Shame”
These precautionary measures to modify an illegal practice, violation of the regulations or illegal commercial clause, must allow the practice to end “in a short period of time”. “They are complementary to pecuniary sanctions, including prison sentences,” specifies the DGCCRF.
Fraud Control will now be able to make public its precautionary measures to companies in all its scope of action, the fight against restrictive practices of competition or consumer protection, for example.
This, in a logic of “name and shame”, consisting of publicly pointing the finger at companies that are very sensitive to their image, “to reinforce the dissuasive nature of the consequences that it implements following its controls”.
“In the case of its ‘digital requirement’ powers,” it further specifies, “it may order the referral of blocked fraudulent sites to a page that informs consumers of the reason for the blocking.”
Olivia Grégoire said in this press release that she hoped “that these new powers can be used broadly and quickly.”
Source: BFM TV
