It is big stick time for users and vendors of unapproved telecommunications equipment in France. As from November 1992, communications terminals, including facsimile machines and cordless telephones, that operate on the public network and have not passed the French Ministry of Post and Telecommunications’ new approval procedure, will be subject to seizure. Answering questions following the announcement of the campaign against unapproved equipment, Jean-Marie Rausch, the PTT minister, rejected the idea that the new ruling represents state control4, a limitation of the consumer’s freedom of choice, indeed an expression of protectionism badly disguised. Rather, in putting in place this procedure to guarantee security on the public network, the minister says the government’s first job will be the fight against grey market trading in unapproved equipment. This equipment represents 15% to 17% of facsimile machines and almost half of cordless phones that were sold in France last year said Bruno Lasserre, PTT director of general regulations. To this end, it seems that a rather substantial change to the law may be made. Hitherto, as in the UK, it has been illegal only to use the equipment, rather than to be in possession. The new law permits seizure of unapproved kit from users, manufacturers, importers and distributors.
