Subsection 1: Board of Directors

Articles in this section · 7

Article R1232-1

French General Code of Local AuthoritiesIn force

Updated 6 Nov 2023

The Board of Directors is made up of thirty-three members with voting rights. In addition to two deputies and two senators, it comprises:


1° Sixteen representatives of the State:


a) Two representatives of the Minister for Regional Planning;


> b) Two representatives of the Minister for the Environment b) Two representatives of the Minister responsible for local and regional authorities;


> c) One representative of the Minister responsible for regional planning c) One representative of the Minister responsible for the budget;


> d) One representative of the Minister responsible for the environment;


e) One representative of the Minister responsible for the environment d) A representative of the Minister for Electronic Communications;


e) A representative of the Minister for the Environment;


f) A representative of the Minister for the Environment e) A representative of the Minister for Culture;


> f) A representative of the Minister for the Environment f) A representative of the Minister for Sustainable Development;


g) A representative of the Minister for the Environment;


h) A representative of the Minister for the Environment g) A representative of the Minister for National Education;


h) A representative of the Minister for the Environment;


i) A representative of the Minister for the Environment h) A representative of the Minister for the Interior;


> i) A representative of the Minister for the Interior i) A representative of the Minister for Housing;


> j) A representative of the Minister for Transport j) A representative of the Minister for Overseas Territories;


k) A representative of the Minister for the Environment;


l) A representative of the Minister for the Environment k) A representative of the Minister responsible for urban policy;


> l) A representative of the Minister responsible for the environment;


m) A representative of the Minister responsible for the environment l) A representative of the Minister for Research;


m) A representative of the Minister for the Environment;


n) A representative of the Minister for the Environment m) A representative of the Minister for Health;


n) A representative of the Minister for the Environment;


n) A representative of the Minister for the Environment n) A representative of the Minister responsible for transport;



2° One representative of the Caisse des dépôts et consignations;


> Ten representatives of local and regional authorities 3° Ten representatives of local and regional authorities and their groupings, including at least one elected representative of an overseas local authority:


>a) One representative appointed after consultation with the local and regional authorities and their groupings. a) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association des maires de France;


> b) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association des maires de France b) One representative appointed after consultation with the Assembly of French Communities;


> c) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association of French Mayors c) A representative appointed after consultation with the Assemblée des départements de France;


d) A representative appointed after consultation with the Assemblée des communautés de France;



d) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association of French Regions;


e) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association of French Regions;


f) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association of French Regions e) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association Villes de France;


f) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association Régions de France;


g) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association Villes de France f) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association des maires ruraux de France;


> g) One representative appointed after consultation with the Association des maires ruraux de France g) One representative appointed after consultation with the association Villes et Banlieues;


> h) One representative appointed after consultation with the association Villes et Banlieues h) One representative appointed after consultation with the France Urbaine association;


> i) One representative appointed after consultation with the France Urbaine association i) One representative appointed after consultation with the association of small towns of France;


> j) One representative appointed after consultation with the association of small towns of France j) One representative appointed after consultation with the national association of elected representatives from mountain areas;


>
4° Two staff representatives, elected in accordance with the procedures laid down by order of the Minister responsible for regional planning. An alternate is appointed for members other than Members of Parliament in accordance with the same procedures as for full members. In addition to a representative of the Agence nationale pour la rénovation urbaine, a representative of the Agence nationale de l'habitat, a representative of the Agence de l'environnement et de la maîtrise de l'énergie and a representative of the Centre d'études et d'expertise sur les risques, l'environnement, la mobilité et l'aménagement, The Managing Director of the Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires, the institution's budget controller and accounting officer, as well as the Director General of Local Authorities, Government Commissioner, or his representative, attend the Board in an advisory capacity, as do the qualified persons mentioned in the third paragraph of II of Article L. 1232-1, a member of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council appointed by its chairman and a member of a citizens' council provided for in the article 7 of Law no. 2014-173 of 21 February 2014 programming for the city and urban cohesion appointed by the minister responsible for regional planning.


Any person whose presence the Chairman deems useful may also attend.

Mariela Petrova

Need help applying this article to your situation?

A registered French Lawyer explains what applies to your business — in English, fixed fee.

within 48h

Fixed Fee

Talk to a lawyer
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

English · French · Russian

Ready When You Are

Talk To A Corporate
Lawyer In France.

A 20–30 minute call, in English, to scope the engagement. No obligation, no preliminary fee. You will leave the call with a clear view of what the work will cover and what it will cost.

First EngagementFixed Fee

Talk to a French lawyer.

Reply within 24 hours.

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

Continue Reading

Related corporate services in France

01 / Setup

Setting up a French company

Choose between SAS, SARL, SA or SCI — and structure your first French entity around how you actually plan to operate.

Read More
02 / Operating

French commercial contracts

Distribution, agency, supply, services and IP licences — drafted around the protections French law actually gives.

Read More
03 / Disputes

Business disputes & litigation

Shareholder conflicts, commercial breaches and pre-litigation strategy — handled by the same team that knows the file.

Read More