France
Financial Reporting Obligations for Companies in France
1. Registry for Financial Statements Submission
In France, companies must submit their financial statements to the Registre National des Entreprises (RNE) (https://registre-entreprises.inpi.fr). This registry centralizes all business-related information, including financial reports, and is managed by the Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI) (https://www.inpi.fr).
2. Legal Forms Required to Publish Financial Statements
The following legal forms in France are required to submit and publish their financial statements:
- Société Anonyme (SA– Public limited company)
- Société à Responsabilité Limitée (SARL– Private limited company)
- Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS– Simplified joint-stock company)
- Société en Commandite Simple (SCS– Limited partnership)
- Société en Nom Collectif (SNC– General partnership)
- EURL (Entreprise Unipersonnelle à Responsabilité Limitée– Single-member LLC)
Legal forms that are not obliged to publish financial statements include micro-enterprises (if they meet certain criteria) and individual enterprises without limited liability.
3. Companies Required to Audit Financial Statements
The obligation to audit financial statements depends on specific thresholds based on turnover, total assets, and number of employees. The table below summarizes the requirements:
|
Legal Form |
Rule |
Criteria |
|
Société Anonyme (SA– Public limited company) |
Mandatory audit regardless of size |
Not applicable |
|
Société à Responsabilité Limitée (SARL– Private limited company) |
Audit required if 2 of 3 criteria are met: |
Turnover (more than) €8 million Total assets (more than) €4 million Employees (more than) 50 |
|
Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS– Simplified joint-stock company) |
Audit required if 2 of 3 criteria are met: |
Turnover (more than) €8 million Total assets (more than) €4 million Employees (more than) 50 |
|
Micro-enterprises |
Exempt from audit |
Must meet specific thresholds (e.g., turnover (less than) €900 000, assets (less than) €450 000, employees (less than) 10 |
4. Financial Statements Submission for Listed Companies
Companies listed on the French stock exchange must publish their financial statements on Euronext Paris (https://live.euronext.com). You can find more information on the official website of AMF France (https://www.amf-france.org).
5. Deadline for Submission of Financial Statements
The deadline for submitting financial statements varies based on the mode of submission:
- One month from approval by the ordinary shareholders' meeting for manual submissions.
- Two months if the submission is made electronically
6. Partial Financial Statements Submission
Companies classified as micro-enterprises or small companies can opt to file abridged financial statements, excluding detailed income statements or other specific elements, if they meet the necessary thresholds.
7. Consequences of Non-Submission
Failure to submit financial statements on time can lead to fines, legal action, or even the dissolution of the company. Fines can reach up to €4 500, and in severe cases, the company may be struck off the register.
8. Reporting Requirements for Foreign-Owned Branches
Foreign-owned branches operating in France must submit their financial statements, mirroring those filed in their home country if audited and published. These documents must be filed with the local Commercial Court where the branch is registered.
Sources
|
Source |
Link |
|
Entreprendre Service-Public |
|
|
Infogreffe |
|
|
AMF France |
| Start Companies Search | Order Credit Report |
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