The French fiducie, introduced following years of debate into French law in 2007, is directly inspired by the English trust mechanism.

Article 1736 IV bis of the French Tax Code (FTC) imposes very high penalties for trustees who fail to comply with filing requirements imposed by French tax legislation applicable to trusts.

Until now, Article 1736 IV bis of the French Tax Code has imposed very high penalties for trustees who fail to comply with filing requirements imposed by French tax legislation applicable to trusts.

On 5 November 2013, the French Parliament voted in favour of a new Act introducing a trust registry to fight against tax evasion.

France will put on on-line a "public register of trusts", an unprecedented initiative permitting public access to personal information on settlors, beneficiaries and trustees.

As June 2026 arrives, French taxpayers face critical deadlines while global markets navigate rising inflation, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on investment strategies. With equity indices remaining positive despite negative sentiment, how should investors position themselves before the summer slowdown?

French trust legislation has been in effect for 10 years, during which time some early uncertainties about its application have been resolved.

Although the concept of a trust does not exist in the French Civil Code, French law does not prohibit the ownership of assets, in particular French real estate, through trusts.

French legislation enacted in 2011 imposed reporting requirements on trustees and changed the treatment of trusts for purposes of income, gift, succession and wealth tax, and established a new special trust tax.