ARTICLE · 23 NOVEMBER 2022

Anti-Corruption & Bribery Comparative Guide

Spitz Poulle Kannan

Explore more from Spitz Poulle Kannan

Anti-Corruption & Bribery Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of France, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

FranceCriminal Law

Jean-Baptiste Poulle

Margot Dezellus

1 Legal and enforcement framework

1.1 Which legislative and regulatory provisions govern anti-corruption in your jurisdiction, from a regulatory (preventive) and enforcement (criminal) perspective?

Prevention: Until recently, French law did not expressly require companies to implement preventive measures to combat corruption. Following recommendations by international organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and Transparency International, which were critical of the lack of enforcement of anti-corruption laws in France, the French authorities have reinforced the anti-corruption regime in France through:

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

The French Anti-Corruption Agency Is Flexing Its Muscles

FranceCriminal Law

Five Charged With Fundraising For Designated Terrorist Group

FranceCriminal Law

Duane Morris LLP

First “Direct” Pecuniary Sanction Under Sapin II: Compliance Lessons From Decision 25-01 (Société V And MS)

GlobalCriminal Law

Sapin II: First Financial Penalties Imposed By The AFA Sanctions Committee

FranceCriminal Law

Court Of Cassation: Intangible Data Qualifies As Stolen Goods

FranceCriminal Law

GGI | Global Alliance

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Criminal Law
- Crime
- White Collar Crime, Anti-Corruption & Fraud

Related Comparative Guides

Comparative Guide

Public Procurement

Comparative Guide

White Collar Crime

Comparative Guide

Bribery & Corruption

See more popular content from

Criminal Law

Sapin II: First Financial Penalties Imposed By The AFA Sanctions Committee

France's Anti-Corruption Agency has imposed its first-ever monetary sanctions under the Sapin II Act, penalizing a company €350,000 and its president €60,000 for widespread compliance failures. The landmark decision establishes critical precedents for enforcement strategy, breach assessment timing, and personal executive liability in anti-corruption matters.

FranceCriminal Law

Five Banks Were Raided In France As Part Of A Major Tax Probe

Aziz Rahman of financial crime specialists Rahman Ravelli assesses the significance of the action taken by the authorities.

FranceCriminal Law

Eye On Economic Crime: UK, Swiss And French International Anti-Corruption Taskforce

On 20 March 2025, the UK's Serious Fraud Office ("SFO"), France's Parquet National Financier ("PNF") and the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland ("OAG") affirmed their shared commitment to tackling national...

FranceCriminal Law

Criminal Jurisdiction In France: A Comprehensive Overview

The criminal jurisdiction in France is a vital aspect of the legal system, playing a fundamental role...

FranceCriminal Law

Court Of Cassation: Intangible Data Qualifies As Stolen Goods

The French Cour de cassation has ruled that receiving stolen goods can extend beyond tangible property to include strategic information obtained through breach of trust, even when not recorded on physical media. This landmark decision adapts criminal law to modern economic realities where intangible assets and confidential business information hold significant value.

FranceCriminal Law

GGI | Global Alliance

For A Legal Entity To Be Held Criminally Liable, It Is Necessary To Identify Said Entity's Body Or Representative Who Has Committed The Offense

In a decision issued on June 21, 2022, the Criminal Chamber of the Cour de Cassation (French Supreme Court) recalled its case law according to which it is necessary...

FranceCriminal Law

Soulier Avocats

No Seizures Without Criminal Prosecution

French criminal law is to be interpreted strictly. This principle, enshrined in Article 111-4 of the French Criminal Code, is a principle that permeates French criminal law.

FranceCriminal Law

Soulier Avocats

First “Direct” Pecuniary Sanction Under Sapin II: Compliance Lessons From Decision 25-01 (Société V And MS)

France's Anti-Corruption Agency has imposed its first direct financial penalties under the Sapin II Law on a holding company and its executive for failing to implement required corruption prevention measures, marking a significant shift in enforcement approach. The decision establishes that compliance deficiencies are assessed at the audit date rather than when remediation occurs, and that senior executives may face personal liability for non-compliance. What does this landmark ruling mean for multinational

GlobalCriminal Law

Cement Maker Lafarge And Eight Executives Convicted Of Sanctions And Terrorist Financing Breaches

A Paris court has delivered its verdict in the landmark Lafarge prosecution, convicting the French cement company and eight former executives of terrorist financing and sanctions violations related to operations in Syria. The case resulted in substantial fines for the company and prison sentences ranging from 18 months to seven years for the convicted executives, with several defendants already signaling their intent to appeal.

FranceCriminal Law

Duane Morris LLP

France's National Bar Council Publishes Guidelines On Internal Investigations

On July 2, 2020, France's national bar council—the Conseil national des barreaux ("CNB")—released comprehensive guidelines that outline best practices and ethics considerations for...

GlobalCriminal Law

Ropes & Gray LLP