6 May 2026
A French decree on business formalities strengthens the protection of personal information published through the Trade and Companies Register. It also simplifies publicity requirements for transfers of interests in civil companies.
Less personal information in publicly available documents
When a legal entity is registered or its details are changed, certain corporate documents may now be filed as a redacted copy. For individuals mentioned in them, the public version may be limited in particular to the person’s name, customary name, pseudonym, given names, month and year of birth, and municipality of residence.
The exact day and place of birth and the full home address may therefore be omitted from the copy made public. Complete documents and information must still be supplied where legally required: the reform creates a protected public version rather than removing disclosure obligations to the competent authorities.
Transfers of civil-company interests: amended articles take priority
A transfer of interests in a French civil company is now publicised, in principle, by filing the amended articles of association. This reduces the circulation of the transfer or gift deed, which may contain confidential information.
If the manager fails to file the amended articles after a formal notice has remained ineffective for eight days, the transferor or transferee may, subject to the statutory conditions, file the transfer deed provisionally so that the transaction becomes enforceable against third parties pending the filing of the amended articles.
Document preparation remains important
The complete version used to process the filing must be distinguished from the copy made available to the public. Corporate deeds, extracts and amended articles should therefore be prepared consistently so that privacy is protected without affecting the validity or enforceability of the transaction.
Read Decree No. 2026-340 of 30 April 2026 on Légifrance
Photo: Beatriz Pérez Moya / Unsplash.
The firm does not contractually guarantee the accuracy or current validity of this information. To assess how it applies to your circumstances, please consult one of the firm’s notaries.
