The sudden termination of a business relationship between a French company and a foreign company may lead to compensation being awarded to the company that has suffered the termination. However, in an international or...more
The French High Court has just handed down a ruling confirming the weakening of the force of business secrecy in the name of the right to evidence principle, based on the right to a fair trial found in article 6 of the...more
Since January 1, 2025, the economic activity courts have replaced 12 commercial courts on an experimental basis, and a financial contribution for economic justice has been introduced.
French commercial justice has just...more
The Council of the European Union has finally adopted the European Forced Labor Regulation. This regulation aims to eradicate from the European market products made using forced labor. It will enter into force at the end of...more
On June 18, 2024, the new chamber 5-12 of the Paris Court of Appeal handed down its first three rulings on the admissibility of duty of vigilance claims in cases involving TotalEnergies, EDF, and Vigie Groupe (formerly Suez)....more
The European Parliament’s recently adopted European Forced Labor Regulation (the Regulation) aims to ban products made with forced labor from the European market, a crucial step toward the European goal of eliminating all...more
Obtaining the exequatur of US judgments in France can be complex, as these rulings might not include a clear statement of reasons, which is one of the conditions required by the French judge for obtaining the exequatur....more
Since 2017, French companies of a certain size have had to draw up a vigilance plan to identify the risks associated with their business and prevent serious violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the health and...more
In 2023, there was an expansion in scope of the discussion around forced labor in the global supply chain. In the United States, the enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) continued to be the main...more
A Parisian interim judge dismissed a claim brought by several non-governmental organizations against one of the first companies—Total Energies—to be sued for alleged violation of the French duty of vigilance law....more
The prevention of forced labor in the global supply chain has been elevated in visibility and consequence over the last several years. In 2022, the emphasis focused largely, though not exclusively, on trade remedies. The...more
The French company filing landscape is undergoing a time of change. Beginning in 2023, differing company registers merged into a “one-stop shop,” a single national register. Additionally, the Court of Justice of the European...more
At the EU level, three significant texts aimed at reinforcing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance among corporations are currently being drafted: a proposed directive to implement and strengthen corporate...more
The European Commission and the European External Action Service issued Guidance on Due Diligence for EU Businesses to Address the Risk of Forced Labour in Their Operations and Supply Chains (Guidance) on 12 July as a guide...more
Companies doing businesses in the European Union should note an important development that could introduce a duty of care for companies. On 10 March 2021, the EU Parliament approved an outline proposal for an EU Directive on...more
Historically, French law is very favorable to arbitration, and to international arbitration in particular. It is against this background that it has recognized the principle of autonomy of arbitral awards for several decades....more
Article L. 442-1 II of the French Commercial Code, implemented in 1996 (and recently modified), prohibits the sudden termination of an established business relationship. This provision aims to give the terminated party...more
The French government has been adopting a series of legal measures in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The French Parliament voted on a law responding to the epidemic on 23 March (the Bill). ...more
4/15/2020
/ Contract Terms ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employment Contract ,
Financial Statements ,
Force Majeure Clause ,
France ,
Insolvency ,
Judicial Proceedings ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Restructuring ,
Securities Regulation ,
Shareholder Meetings ,
Time Extensions ,
Wage and Hour
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in France has led to travel bans and restrictions, including the quarantine of individuals. These measures have disrupted many businesses’ supply chains and operations, including factory...more
A recent report by French MP Raphael Gauvain recommends reinforcing the protection of the economic interests of French companies by reforming the blocking statute and introducing a tax against GAFA companies transmitting data...more
French law continues to integrate and adopt some concepts of common law legal systems. Following the French-style class action reform in 2014 and the French-style deferred prosecution agreement (“convention judiciaire...more
Starting on March 1, 2018, parties to cases in two Paris courts will be entitled to plead in English and submit documents in English before French judges, with the potential for other languages to be used—and the potential to...more
The new system strengthens the French anticorruption arsenal from this year, drawing upon the US and UK regimes....more
In our third and last LawFlash about contract law reform, we cover unforeseeability and significant imbalance.
With the entry into force, for contracts entered into after 1 October 2016, of Ordinance No. 2016-131 of 10...more
In our second of three LawFlashes about the contract law reform in France, we examine the interrogatory processes and the assignment of claims, debts, and contracts.
Ordinance No. 2016-131 of 10 February 2016 (the...more