Sintesi

Le vendite online all’interno di una rete distributiva pongono problemi sempre più delicati sotto il profilo antitrust e commerciale. L’e-commerce aumenta la trasparenza dei prezzi, amplia la capacità competitiva dei distributori e rende più difficile per il produttore mantenere un controllo coerente della propria strategia distributiva. Tuttavia il produttore può ancora imporre determinati limiti alle attività online della rete vendita, purché tali restrizioni rispettino il quadro normativo europeo in materia di vendite attive, vendite passive e geoblocking. La legittimità dei vincoli dipende quindi non solo dal loro contenuto, ma anche dalla struttura della rete distributiva e dagli obiettivi perseguiti dal produttore.

1. The European Commission's analysis of the impacts of e-commerce.

The European Commission recently carried out an investigation into the trade impacts that thee-commerce has on the market and consumers, concluded with the drafting of the "final report on the e-commerce sector enquiry."[1] Here are some insights into the conclusions reached by the Commission:

[Through e-commerce, price transparency has] increased [and] consumers are [...] able to immediately obtain and compare product and price information online and quickly switch from one channel (online/offline) to another."[2]

[...]

The ability to compare product prices between different online retailers leads to increased price competition for both online and offline sales[3] and alternative online distribution models, such as online marketplaces, have enabled retailers to reach customers more easily [...] with limited investment and effort."[4] 

This analysis paints a very effective picture of the reality of sales online, leading increasingly to one:

  • greater transparency on prices;
  • easier to reach a very large customer base, even beyond the territorial limits possibly imposed by the distributor.

2. Può il produttore bloccare le vendite online dei propri distributori? Il regolamento 720/2022.

Aware of these risks, the manufacturer, in order to defend its strategy, often decides to impose limits on its distributors' use of this medium, prohibiting them from selling online (talvolta altresì imponendo ai distributori di applicare a loro volta la medesima restrizione ai propri acquirenti), ovvero impedendo di vendere online outside the territory assigned to them (on this subject see also The mixed system: when the manufacturer chooses to adopt both exclusive and selective distribution).

At this point, the question arises: can the manufacturer prevent its distributor from selling online?

To answer this question, one must start with theArticle 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). This rule ban agreements and concerted practices of enterprises "che abbiano per oggetto e per effetto di impedire, restringere o falsare il gioco della concorrenza all’interno del mercato comune"This prohibition includes agreements that prevent the distributor from selling to customers domiciled outside the territory.[5]

In any case, European legislation derives specific exceptions which are fixed in the regolamento n. 720/2022  concerning the so-called '.vertical agreements', i.e. agreements for the distribution and supply of goods or services concluded between undertakings each operating at a different level of the production or distribution chain. This regulation must be interpreted and supplemented in the light of the Commission Guidelines (LGC), pubblicate il 20 Aprile 2010, che approfondiscono tra l’altro il tema delle restrizioni al commercio elettronico.

The European legislation referred to above prohibits theArticle 4 of the Regulation agreements that prevent the distributor from selling to customers domiciled outside the territory. In any event, in order to prevent a manufacturer from dividing its network of distributors into different territories, it allows restrictions only on the so-called '.active sales"[6] nel territorio esclusivo o alla clientela esclusiva riservata al fornitore, non consentendo invece di vietate la cd. “passive sales. "[7]

As for the online salesthe Guidelines (point 52) specify that they are generally to be regarded as "passive", with the consequence that, in principle, no distributor may be prevented from using internet to sell their products. In particular, it is made express prohibition to negotiate agreements whereby the distributor agrees to:

  1. redirecting consumers to the site internet of the manufacturer or other distributors with territorial exclusivity;
  2. interrupting transactions online of consumers following the ascertainment of their geographical area of residence through their credit card data;
  3. limit the proportion of total sales made via internet;
  4. pay a higher price for products intended for resale online compared to those for traditional outlets (para. 52 LGC).

It is therefore not possible to prevent a distributor or retailer from setting up its own site for sales onlinelet alone use digital platforms (e.g. Amazon, E-bay, Alibaba, etc.) for marketing.[8] The manufacturer can find its products online, supplied by the distributor or by the shop itself supplied by the distributor, without being able to prevent this process, let alone control it (on this topic see also article "Exclusivity clauses and vertical economic agreements in the European context: e-commerce and territorial exclusivity"by colleague Vittorio Zattra).

The distributor, by the way, will not be obliged to accept all orders from customers outside its territory: in order to avoid the risk that foreign customers might assume that the offer is directed at them, for the sole reason that they have visibility of the offer on their device, it is advisable to indicate directly on the site that the offer does not concern sales involving the delivery of goods abroad. This clause is also in line with the new regulation 302/2018 on the CD. geoblockingon measures to prevent unjustified geographical blockades and other forms of discrimination based on the nationality, place of residence or place of establishment of customers within the internal market.

This regulation (mentioned here only briefly), aims to prevent unjustified geographic blockades or other forms of discrimination based directly or indirectly on the nationality, place of residence or establishment of customers: the regulation in fact removes the blockade, but does not oblige customers to sell outside their own country or to have the same prices for the whole of Europe.[9]

3. Court of Justice rulings on online sales.

3.1. The Pierre Fabre Case.

However, the Court of Justice in the case Pierre Fabre C-439/09 decided that the absolute ban on the use of internet imposto da un produttore ad un distributore, costituisce una restrizione non in linea con le disposizione del regolamento n. 7200/2022, a patto che il produttore dimostri che detto divieto non is objectively justified.

One (other) question arises: when is such a restriction justifiable and to what extent?

3.2. The Coty Germany GmbH case.

The Court in its recent judgment of 6 December 2017,  C-230/16 Coty Germany GmbH clarified that in a system of selective distribution[10] of luxury products, a manufacturer (in this case Coty) is authorised to impose a clause on its distributor allowing it to sell the products via internet, but on condition that such sales activity online is realised through an 'electronic shop window' of the authorised shop and that it is thus preserved the luxurious connotation of the products.

In that case, the Court decided that a clause preventing the dealer not so much from using internet to sell/promote the goods purchased from the manufacturer, but to market them through digital platforms such as Amazon and the like. This is because the quality of the products:

"results not only from their material characteristics, but also from the style and image of prestige that gives them an aura of luxury, because such an aura constitutes an essential element of these products in order for them to be distinguished by consumers from other similar products."

Per concludere si può affermare che il produttore/fornitore, una volta autorizzato un distributore a trattare la sua merce, non può impedire che questi utilizzi il commercio elettronico per venderla anche al di là dei confini prestabiliti, invadendo il territorio esclusivo riservato ad altri distributori, purché la richiesta del cliente finale possa considerarsi come spontanea e non specificamente sollecitata dal distributore.

Vi è inoltre la possibilità per il fornitore di imporre, in ogni caso, ai propri distributori alcuni standard qualitativi per la presentazione dei prodotti, o specifiche modalità di vendita coerenti con il proprio sistema distributivo, purché tali condizioni non influiscano direttamente sul quantitativo di merce commerciabile via internet o sui  prezzi praticabili su tale piattaforma.

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[1] Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, Final Report on the E-Commerce Sector Inquiry, 10.5.2017.

[2] Id. No. 11

[3] Id. No. 12

[4] Id. No. 14

[5] On this point See Bortolotti, Distribution Contracts, Wolters Kluwers, 2016, p. 746 ff.

[6]  The LGCs, paragraph 51, define active sales as: "active contact with individual customers, e.g. by mail, including by sending unsolicited e-mails, or by visits to customers; or active contact with a specific group of customers, or with customers located in a specific territory through advertisements in the media or via the Internet or other promotions specifically addressed to that group of customers or to customers in that territory.

Advertising or promotions that are only attractive to the buyer if they (also) reach a specific group of customers or customers in a specific territory are considered active sales to that group of customers or customers in that territory. "

[7] The LGCs, paragraph 51, define passive sales as: "the response to unsolicited orders from individual customers, including the delivery of goods or the provision of services to such customers. Passive sales are advertising or promotions of a general nature that reach customers within the (exclusive) territories or customer groups of other distributors, but which are a reasonable way to reach customers outside those territories or customer groups, for instance to reach customers within one's own territory.

General advertising or promotions are considered a reasonable way to reach these customers if it is attractive for the buyer to make such investments even if they do not reach customers within the (exclusive) territory or (exclusive) customer group of other distributors'..

[8] On this point see Stefano Dindo, E-Wine, Legal-economic aspects of wine communication and distribution online, G. Giappichelli Editore, p. 47, 2018.

[9] On this point see Stefano Dindo, E-Wine, Legal-economic aspects of wine communication and distribution online, G. Giappichelli Editore, p. 41, 2018.

[10] There is no definition of selective distribution, however the Metro judgement, Court of Justice, 25.9.1977, already indicates the criteria for its identification: a) the products must be products whose quality or technological content require a selective distribution system, which safeguards their quality and correct use; b) the choice of distributors is made according to objective criteria of a qualitative nature; c) the defined criteria must not go beyond what is necessary.