1. (1)

   This section applies to a firm that carries on any distance marketing activity from an establishment in the United Kingdom, with or for a consumer in the United Kingdom9.

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2. (2)

   If a firm is an intermediary rather than the supplier under the distance contract, references to 'firm' in COBS 5 Annex 1 R and COBS 5 Annex 2 R are to be interpreted as referring to the supplier except for references to 'firm' in COBS 5 Annex 1 R (2), (4) and (18).3

1A firm must provide a consumer with the distance marketing information (COBS 5 Annex 1R ) in good time before the consumer is bound by a distance contract or offer.

A firm must ensure that the distance marketing information, the commercial purpose of which must be made clear, is provided in a clear and comprehensible manner in any way appropriate to the means of distance communication used, with due regard, in particular, to the principles of good faith in commercial transactions, and the legal principles governing the protection of those who are unable to give their consent, such as minors.

When a firm makes a voice telephony communication to a consumer, it must make its identity and the purpose of its call explicitly clear at the beginning of the conversation.

A firm must ensure that information on contractual obligations to be communicated to a consumer during the pre-contractual phase is in conformity with the contractual obligations which would result from the law presumed to be applicable to the distance contract if that contract is concluded.

A firm must communicate to the consumer all the contractual terms and conditions and the information referred to in the distance marketing disclosure rules (COBS 5.1.1 R to COBS 5.1.4 R) on a durable medium available and accessible to the consumer in good time before the consumer is bound by any distance contract or offer.

This section does not apply to a distance contract to deal as agent, advise or arrange, if the distance contract is concluded merely as a stage in the provision of another service by the firm or another person.

In the case of a distance contract comprising an initial service agreement, followed by successive operations or a series of separate operations of the same nature performed over time, the rules in this section only apply to the initial agreement.

If there is no initial service agreement but the successive operations or separate operations of the same nature performed over time are performed between the same contractual parties, the distance marketing disclosure rules (COBS 5.1.1 R to COBS 5.1.4 R) will only apply:

1. (1)

   when the first operation is performed; and

2. (2)

   if no operation of the same nature is performed for more than a year, when the next operation is performed (the next operation being deemed the first in a new series of operations).

In the case of a voice telephony communication, and subject to the explicit consent of the consumer, only the abbreviated distance marketing information (COBS 5 Annex 2R ) needs to be provided during that communication. However, a firm must still provide the distance marketing information (COBS 5 Annex 1R ) on a durable medium available and accessible to the consumer in good time before the consumer is bound by any distance contract or offer, unless another exception applies.

A firm may provide the distance marketing information (COBS 5 Annex 1R ) and the contractual terms and conditions in a durable medium immediately after the conclusion of a distance contract, if the contract has been concluded at a consumer's request using a means of distance communication that does not enable the provision of that information in that form in good time before the consumer is bound by any distance contract or offer.

4Where a distance contract is also a contract for payment services to which the Payment Services Regulations apply, a firm is required to provide to the consumer only the information specified in rows 7 to 12, 15, 16 and 20 of COBS 5 Annex 1 R.

If, at any time during the contractual relationship, a consumer that is a party to a distance contract asks a firm:

1. (1)

   for a paper copy of the terms and conditions of that contract; or

2. (2)

   to change the means of distance communication used;

the firm must provide that paper copy or change the means of distance communication used, unless (in the latter case) that would be incompatible with the contract or the nature of the service provided.

1. (1)

   A firm must not enforce, or seek to enforce, any obligations under a distance contract against a consumer, in the event of an unsolicited supply of services, the absence of reply not constituting consent.

2. (2)

   This rule does not apply to the tacit renewal of a distance contract.

If a consumer purports to waive any of the consumer's rights created or implied by the rules in this section, a firm must not accept that waiver, nor seek to rely on or enforce it against the consumer.

If a firm proposes to enter into a distance contract with a consumer that will be governed by the law of a country outside the United Kingdom9, the firm must ensure that the consumer will not lose the protection created by the rules in this section if the distance contract has a close link with the territory of the United Kingdom9.

This section applies to a firm1carrying on 1an electronic commerce activity1from an establishment in the United Kingdom, with or for a person in the United Kingdom3.

A firm must make at least the following information easily, directly and permanently accessible to the recipients of the information society services it provides:

1. (1)

   its name;

2. (2)

   the geographic address at which it is established;

3. (3)

   the details of the firm, including its e-mail address, which allow it to be contacted rapidly and communicated with in a direct and effective manner;

4. (4)

   an appropriate statutory status disclosure statement (GEN 4 Annex 1 R or GEN 4 Annex 1A R as appropriate4), together with a statement which explains that it is on the Financial Services Register and includes its Firm Reference Number;2

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5. (5)

   if it is a professional firm3:

   1. (a)

      the name of the professional body (including any designated professional body) or similar institution with which it is registered;

   2. (b)

      the professional title3;

   3. (c)

      a reference to the applicable professional rules 3and the means to access them; and

6. (6)

   where the firm undertakes an activity that is subject to VAT, its VAT number.

If a firm refers to price, it must do so clearly and unambiguously, indicating whether the price is inclusive of tax and delivery costs.

A firm must ensure that commercial communications which are part of, or constitute, an information society service, comply with the following conditions:

1. (1)

   the commercial communication must be clearly identifiable as such;

2. (2)

   the person on whose behalf the commercial communication is made must be clearly identifiable;

3. (3)

   promotional offers must be clearly identifiable as such, and the conditions that must be met to qualify for them must be easily accessible and presented clearly and unambiguously; and

4. (4)

   promotional competitions or games must be clearly identifiable as such, and the conditions for participation must be easily accessible and presented clearly and unambiguously.

An unsolicited commercial communication sent by e-mail by a firm3 must be identifiable clearly and unambiguously as an unsolicited commercial communication as soon as it is received by the recipient.

A firm must (except when otherwise agreed by parties who are not consumers):

1. (1)

   give an ECA recipient at least the following information, clearly, comprehensibly and unambiguously, and prior to the order being placed by the recipient of the service:

   1. (a)

      the different technical steps to follow to conclude the contract;

   2. (b)

      whether or not the concluded contract will be filed by the firm and whether it will be accessible;

   3. (c)

      the technical means for identifying and correcting input errors prior to the placing of the order; and

   4. (d)

      the languages offered for the conclusion of the contract;

2. (2)

   indicate any relevant codes of conduct to which it subscribes and information on how those codes can be consulted electronically;

3. (3)

   (when an ECA recipient places an order through technological means), acknowledge the receipt of the recipient's order without undue delay and by electronic means; and

4. (4)

   make available to an ECA recipient, appropriate, effective and accessible technical means allowing the recipient to identify and correct input errors prior to the placing of an order.

For the purposes of COBS 5.2.6 R (3), an order and an acknowledgement of receipt are deemed to be received when the parties to whom they are addressed are able to access them.

Contractual terms and conditions provided by a firm to an ECA recipient must be made available in a way that allows the recipient to store and reproduce them.

The requirements relating to the placing and receipt of orders (COBS 5.2.6 R) do not apply to contracts concluded exclusively by exchange of e-mail or by equivalent individual communications.