Subsection 2: Pre-contractual information

Articles in this section · 3

Article L224-3

French Consumer CodeIn force

Updated 8 Nov 2023

The electricity or natural gas supply offer specifies, in clear and comprehensible terms, the following information:

1° The identity of the supplier, the address of its registered office, its unique identification number and the words RCS followed by the name of the town where the registry where it is registered is located or any equivalent document for companies located outside France and for operators who are not entered in the trade and companies register;

2° The supplier's telephone and e-mail contact details;

3° A description of the products and services offered and the service quality levels offered;

3°a The proportions of natural gas and biomethane in the gas offered;

4° The prices of these products and services on the date of the offer and, where applicable, the conditions for changes in these prices, including the means by which updated information on all applicable tariffs is made available. For offers where the price, set freely, is indexed to market prices at intervals not exceeding one quarter, or dynamic pricing offers as referred to in article L. 332-7 of the Energy Code, the opportunities, costs and risks associated with these types of offers are specified in clear and comprehensible terms, particularly with regard to their exposure to price volatility, in accordance with the procedures specified by order of the ministers responsible for consumption and energy, after consultation with the Energy Regulation Commission. This order specifies in particular the periodicity mentioned in the second sentence of this 4°;

5° For the supply of electricity, mention of whether or not the prices offered are regulated and whether or not a person who has opted out of the regulated sales tariffs for a given site can go back on this choice;

6° The duration of the contract and its renewal conditions;

7° The period of validity of the offer;

8° The forecast timeframe for the supply of energy;

9° The billing arrangements and payment methods offered, in particular via the internet;

10° The means, in particular electronic means, of accessing information relating to access to and use of the public distribution networks, in particular the list of technical services and their prices, the conditions of compensation and the terms of reimbursement applicable in the event that the level of quality of energy supply or continuity of delivery is not achieved;

11° Cases of voluntary interruption of energy supply, without prejudice to the provisions of article L. 115-3 of the Code de l'action sociale et des familles ;

12° The conditions of contractual liability of the supplier and the distribution network operator and the arrangements for reimbursement or compensation in the event of billing errors or delays or when the service quality levels provided for in the contract are not achieved;

13° The existence of the right of withdrawal provided for in Articles L. 221-18 et L. 221-20;

14° The terms and conditions of termination of the contract;

15° The possibility of recourse to the national energy mediator provided for in article L. 122-1 of the Energy Code and the methods of contentious settlement of disputes;

16° The conditions provided for in article L. 124-1 of the Energy Code to benefit from the energy cheque, as well as the terms and conditions for using this cheque to pay for the supply of electricity or natural gas;

17° The details of the website that provides consumers free of charge, either directly or via links to websites of public or private bodies, with the information contained in the energy consumer checklist drawn up by the European Commission or, failing that, in an equivalent document drawn up by the ministers responsible for consumption and energy.

Mariela Petrova

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Common Questions

Working with a corporate lawyer in France — Q&A

Any time a strategic decision changes how the company is owned, governed or contractually bound — incorporation, fundraising, M&A, restructuring, shareholder agreements, or major commercial contracts. Earlier engagement always costs less than later remediation.

A notary (notaire) is a public officer who authenticates specific deeds (mainly real-estate transfers and certain family-law acts). A corporate lawyer (avocat) advises on strategy, negotiates and drafts company documents, and represents you in disputes. The two roles complement rather than overlap.

Yes — most of our clients are foreign suppliers, investors or holding entities. We bridge the gap between French law and your home jurisdiction's expectations and deliver everything bilingually.

The SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) is the default choice for most international structures: flexible governance, single shareholder allowed, no minimum capital, and works cleanly with foreign holding entities. We assess SARL, SA, SCI on the merits when the situation calls for it.

Yes — communications with a French avocat are protected by the secret professionnel (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971). This protection is broader than the common-law attorney-client privilege and applies to written and oral exchanges.

We work on fixed fees for clearly scoped engagements (incorporation, contract drafting, audits) and on monthly retainers for ongoing advisory. Hourly billing is the exception, not the default. You always know the cost before work starts.

Typical timeline is 2–3 weeks from KYC kick-off to RCS registration, assuming standard documentation. Holding-company structures, foreign-shareholder identification or in-kind contributions can extend this — we flag the gating items at the first meeting.

Absolutely. We routinely coordinate with your in-house counsel, expert-comptable or notaire — pragmatic collaboration is the norm, not the exception. We send them everything they need to do their part without duplicating work.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In Corporate Practice

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Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

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