The European Court of Justice (ECJ) looks set to rule that companies blocking online product sales are breaching European Union competition law. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) looks set to rule that companies blocking online product sales are breaching European Union competition law.The ECJ’s Advocate General Ján Mazák gave his opinion on a case involving cosmetic products, saying that Pierre-Fabre’s absolute refusal to allow its French distributors to sell its products on the Internet is “disproportionate.”Pierre-Fabre’s selective distribution network policy insists that a pharmacist be present when its products are sold, effectively preventing any online sales. The advocate general said that this “goes beyond what is objectively necessary” in controlling a product’s aura and image, and restricts competition.He added that a ban on Internet sales eliminates a modern means of distribution that would allow customers outside the catchment area of a physical outlet to buy these products. This opinion could have wide ramifications for online consumers across the E.U. as they gain access to products previously withheld. A general and absolute ban on Internet sales could only be proportionate in very exceptional circumstances, according to the opinion announced on Thursday. Although the opinion is not legally binding, more than 80 percent of the opinions of advocates general are upheld by the court. Follow Jennifer on Twitter at @BrusselsGeek or email tips and comments to jennifer_baker@idg.com. Related content news analysis Attackers breach US government agencies through ColdFusion flaw Both incidents targeted outdated and unpatched ColdFusion servers and exploited a known vulnerability. By Lucian Constantin Dec 06, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Vulnerabilities news BSIMM 14 finds rapid growth in automated security technology Embrace of a "shift everywhere" philosophy is driving a demand for automated, event-driven software security testing. By John P. Mello Jr. Dec 06, 2023 4 mins Application Security Network Security news Almost 50% of organizations plan to reduce cybersecurity headcounts: Survey While organizations are realizing the need for knowledgeable teams to address unknown threats, they are also looking to reduce their security headcount and infrastructure spending. By Gagandeep Kaur Dec 06, 2023 4 mins IT Jobs Security Practices feature 20 years of Patch Tuesday: it’s time to look outside the Windows when fixing vulnerabilities After two decades of regular and indispensable updates, it’s clear that security teams need take a more holistic approach to applying fixes far beyond the Microsoft ecosystem. By Susan Bradley Dec 06, 2023 6 mins Patch Management Software Threat and Vulnerability Management Windows Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe