Risk, Compliance & Financial Integrity in France

Full guide · Source-checked research97% of statements checked against a source143 checked against an official source4 checked against a secondary sourceChecked 2026-10-19Not yet professionally reviewed

• Commercial and civil companies with a head office in France, and foreign commercial companies with an establishment in France, must declare their beneficial owners at registration through the Guichet des formalités des entreprises.

  A beneficial owner is a natural person holding directly or indirectly more than 25% of capital or voting rights, or otherwise exercising control; failing that, the legal representative.Service Public Entreprendre (DILA, Prime Minister's Office) · checked 2026-10-18

• Any change to beneficial ownership information must be filed as an amended declaration within 30 days of the change.

  The official amendment fee stated on the page is 35.36 euros.Service Public Entreprendre (DILA, Prime Minister's Office) · checked 2026-10-18

• The beneficial ownership register (RBE) is no longer open to public consultation; access is limited to persons showing a legitimate interest in combating money laundering, assessed case by case, while authorities and AML-obliged professionals keep full access.

  Those with a legitimate interest see limited data such as name, month and year of birth, nationality and nature and extent of interest.Service Public Entreprendre (DILA, Prime Minister's Office) · checked 2026-10-18

• Since 28 May 2026 failure to file beneficial ownership information exposes the legal representative to a fine of up to 200,000 euros and a management ban of up to 15 years, and the company to a fine of up to 1,000,000 euros; the registry may also strike off a company that does not regularise within three months of formal notice.

  Replaces the former penalties of a 7,500 euro fine and six months' imprisonment (representative) and 37,500 euros (company).Service Public Entreprendre (DILA, Prime Minister's Office) · checked 2026-10-18

• A company convicted of failing to file beneficial ownership information can face additional penalties including dissolution or exclusion from public contracts.

  In addition to the fine of up to 1,000,000 euros applicable since 28 May 2026.Service Public Entreprendre (DILA, Prime Minister's Office) · checked 2026-10-18

• A personal data breach that poses a risk to individuals' privacy must be notified to the CNIL as soon as possible and at the latest within 72 hours, using the CNIL online notification service.

  Controllers subject to the GDPR whose breach is notified in France. An initial notification can be supplemented later; reasons must be given if the 72-hour limit is missed.Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL) · checked 2026-10-18

• Under the ordinary sanction procedure, the CNIL can impose fines of up to EUR 10 million or 2% of annual worldwide turnover, rising to EUR 20 million or 4% for the most serious breaches, and compliance orders with penalties of up to EUR 100,000 per day of delay.

  Applies to companies; the higher of the fixed amount and the turnover percentage applies under the GDPR. The CNIL can also restrict or ban processing, suspend data flows to third countries and publish its decision.Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL) · checked 2026-10-18

• A notifiable merger cannot be completed before the Autorité de la concurrence's decision; failure to notify can lead to a fine of up to 5% of the company's French turnover.

  Gun-jumping (early completion) is separately sanctionable.Autorité de la concurrence · checked 2026-10-18

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