Section 2: Specific measures

Articles in this section · 10

L412-3L412-4L412-5L412-6L412-7L412-8L412-9L412-10L412-11L412-12

Article L412-4

French Consumer CodeIn force
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Updated 8 Nov 2023

Without prejudice to specific provisions on the method of indicating the origin of foodstuffs, the indication of the country of origin is mandatory for agricultural and food products and seafood products, whether raw or processed.

Without prejudice to labelling requirements laid down by specific provisions of European Union law, where the country of origin or place of provenance of the food is indicated and it is not that of its primary ingredient, the country of origin or place of provenance of the primary ingredient shall also be indicated or the country of origin or place of provenance of the primary ingredient shall be indicated as being other than that of the food. This information shall be marked in a conspicuous place so as to be easily visible, clearly legible and, where appropriate, indelible. It shall in no way be concealed, obscured, truncated or separated by other indications or images or any other interfering element.

The consumer shall be informed, by means of the labelling, of the origin of the cocoa in cocoa- or chocolate-based products and of the origin of royal jelly.

It is also informed of all the countries of origin of the honeys making up a blend of honeys from more than one Member State of the European Union or from a third country, which are indicated on the product label.

The detailed rules for the application of the third and fourth paragraphs of this article shall be laid down by decree in the Council of State after the European Commission has declared the obligation laid down in this article to be compatible with European Union law.

The list of products concerned and the detailed rules for their application shall be laid down by decree in the Council of State. The list of products concerned and the arrangements for applying the indication of origin referred to in the first paragraph are laid down by decree in the Council of State after the European Commission has declared the obligation laid down in this article to be compatible with European Union law.

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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