The Council examined the proposal for a directive concerning the distance marketing of consumer financial services and amending Directives 97/7/EC and 98/27/EC and in particular, the question concerning whether or not Member States could, until the expiration of the transposition period of the directive, continue to apply their national rules on incoming financial service providers. At the end of the debate the Presidency noted that the Council was not in a position to reach agreement by qualified majority on this issue.�