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They were given an order they couldn't achieve compliance for, which fined them 1mil per infraction against rules that were too broad to implement.

I fail to see a response other than - stay operating against the order of the court, or close until they can be in compliance with the court.



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The unions' complaints date from before when the lawsuit was filed. In March.

"“While the prime minister last March ordered the closure of non-essential businesses and activities bringing together more than 100 people simultaneously, due to the coronavirus epidemic, Amazon continues its activity as if nothing had happened,” a union spokesperson said alongside the lawsuit. “Despite not only the mobilisation of staff and formal notices from unions, inspection and occupational health, but also criticism from the ministers of economy and labour.”"

The ruling called for Amazon to limit orders to a rather specific group of items; I have not heard that other companies in France have had problems understanding. (Although I understand some stores in my state had to be told that "no, even if what you sell is considered essential in another state, you still have to obey this state's order.") And the ruling has been suspended pending appeal.

"The ruling, which has already been suspended pending appeal, required the company to only accept orders for groceries, toiletries and medical products as part of the wider lockdown imposed in France....Amazon immediately appealed against the ruling, securing a suspension of the requirements until conclusion of the appeal."

Amazon didn't seem to have problems when the limitation was its own idea, at least temporarily.

"Amazon temporarily, in late March, stopped taking orders for some non-essential products in France and Italy, in a move to implement social distancing guidelines at the company’s dispatch centres in those countries. Now the company says it is “prioritising” essential products in those countries, but non-essentials continue to be available."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/15/amazon-sales-n...

But all that aside, no country likes to be dictated to by a foreign company, and I rather suspect Amazon has less power in France than, say, the United Fruit Company in 20th century Nicaragua. Amazon is gambling that French consumers value its services enough that they will oppose the likely long-term response from the French government.

I personally wouldn't take that bet.


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