9. Legal aspects

In the eyes of many, a document transmitted by telex can constitute indisputable proof. With the development of the fax, the question of its legal value quickly arose. Can it replace the telex in commercial exchanges?

French law distinguishes between :

• commercial law (which applies to exchanges of goods and services between commercial professionals or between a private individual and a commercial professional);

• and civil law (which applies to exchanges between private individuals).

In civil law, for transaction amounts in excess of 5,000 F (762 $\text{e}$ ), faxes only constitute the beginning of proof, whereas for transactions below this sum, and in commercial...