Legal Compendium - FAQ
INTERNATIONAL GUIDE TO DIRECT SELLING LEGISLATION
The WFDSA international compendium of direct selling laws is available free-of-charge to member DSAs and their respective member companies. A project of more than five years in the making, more than 40 DSAs have contributed to the content of this compendium and we hope many more will contribute in the future. Below are some questions and answers that explain how to access and use the International Guide to Direct Selling Legislation.
What kind of information is in the Guide?
Roughly 41 DSAs have contributed information on direct selling laws in their countries. The Guide organizes the information by country and by topic, including: general information, cooling-off period, pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing, prohibition of products, credit restrictions, money collections, licenses, status of direct sellers, earnings claims, taxes and fees, social security, other.
Can I rely upon this Guide rather than legal counsel?
The WFDSA international legal compendium is a guide and is not exhaustive either in terms of subjects presented or for all areas of concern to direct selling companies. It is intended to cover general areas of concern. The Guide is not a substitute for legal counsel but only intended to alert you to the general nature of laws and regulations affecting the direct selling industry in a particular country. Consequently, before beginning an operation in any foreign country, it is strongly recommended that competent legal counsel be consulted. While every effort has been made to insure that the information contained in this Guide is accurate, the variety of sources used makes absolute verification difficult. Furthermore, laws and regulations also can change from time to time without notice. Therefore, the WFDSA cannot be held liable for the information included in this publication.
Which countries are listed in the Guide?
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Colombia, Denmark, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.
Will there be more countries in the Guide and will the information be updated?
Effort is made on an ongoing basis to add more countries to the Guide and update it regularly.
What is the cost of subscribing to the Guide and how do I subscribe?
The Guide is available free-of-charge to member DSAs and their respective member companies. All others will be charged based on the cost of creating and maintaining the Guide, the market value of such legal information and their ability to pay. Please refer to the Annual Subscription Form for more details.
How can I know if this Guide is worth the subscription cost?
Ask your legal counsel to give you an estimate for preparing the same type of information.
How long are the subscription rates in effect?
A subscription term is one calendar year, beginning January 1 and ending December 31. Subscription renewals for the next calendar year are due by December 31 of the preceding year. The subscription cost for the Guide will not be pro-rated over the year. Payment must accompany the order form, either by a check drawn from a US bank with US funds or with a credit card. Checks should be made payable to the WFDSA.
How do I access the Guide on the website?
The WFDSA Secretariat will assign you a username and password to access the Guide. Member DSAs and their respective member companies can use their members-only username and password to access the Guide. If you are a WFDSA member and have forgotten your password, please contact your local DSA. Non-members must contact the WFDSA Secretariat for username and password assignment and information. Non-member passwords will be active for the one-year subscription period only. If you choose not to renew your subscription for the next calendar year, your password will automatically expire on January 1.
How do I find information in the Guide?
The content of the Guide is arranged by country and regulatory topic. It is also possible to compare all country data at a glance, so you can easily make country comparisons of laws or do an analysis of how certain types of laws vary from country to country. The keyword search is yet another way to access information in the Guide.
Can I share the Guide with others?
In general, the Guide is not meant to be shared with non-purchasers. The WFDSA International Guide to Direct Selling Legislation is a unique work product that is registered under United States copyright law. While the use of the material by the purchaser is expected and welcome, sharing this information with individuals who are not the purchasers could be a violation of the agreement under which the password is made available. Only WFDSA is permitted to sell this information. Not only are entities prohibited from selling the Guide to others, the Guide cannot be conveyed as a whole work to anyone who has not purchased the right to use the password from the WFDSA.
What if a government agency wants access to the Guide?
Normally, a government agency would fall into the non-profit subscription category for the Guide. However, should a DSA decide that it would benefit their overall government relations strategy to allow government access to this Guide, the DSA can make a special application on the government's behalf to the WFDSA for a reduced rate which the WFDSA will evaluate on a case-by-case basis.
Who did all the work on this Guide?
The late Jim Threlfall was the original editor of Guide and he acknowledged the role of the following contributors: special thanks to John Braun for his valuable start-up assistance when Jim first undertook the project. Kurt Bressler who took up the cudgels after John's retirement and encouraged him to continue with the project. Ross Creber, whose excellent assistance ensured that the long-drawn-out project would finally be completed. Bridget Egglesfield for her tireless efforts in magnificently putting the gathered information into typescript, thus bringing the project to a conclusion. Bobbie Creber and Partylite for their generosity in allowing Bridget to undertake the preparation of the manuscript. Finally, thanks to all the DSAs who contributed information to the Guide.
