COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2024 Rule of Law Report Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 2024 Rule of Law Report The rule of law situation in the European Union
Date: 2024-07-24
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: France, administrative transparency, corruption, democracy, freedom of the press, independence of the judiciary, infringement of EU law, pluralism in the media, rule of law, whistleblowing

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 24.7.2024  SWD(2024) 810 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2024 Rule of Law Report    Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 2024 Rule of Law Report          The rule of law situation in the European Union {COM(2024) 800 final} - {SWD(2024) 801 final} - {SWD(2024) 802 final} - {SWD(2024) 803 final} - {SWD(2024) 804 final} - {SWD(2024) 805 final} - {SWD(2024) 806 final} - {SWD(2024) 807 final} - {SWD(2024) 808 final} - {SWD(2024) 809 final} - {SWD(2024) 811 final} - {SWD(2024) 812 final} - {SWD(2024) 813 final} - {SWD(2024) 814 final} - {SWD(2024) 815 final} - {SWD(2024) 816 final} - {SWD(2024) 817 final} - {SWD(2024) 818 final} - {SWD(2024) 819 final} - {SWD(2024) 820 final} - {SWD(2024) 821 final} - {SWD(2024) 822 final} - {SWD(2024) 823 final} - {SWD(2024) 824 final} - {SWD(2024) 825 final} - {SWD(2024) 826 final} - {SWD(2024) 827 final} - {SWD(2024) 828 final} - {SWD(2024) 829 final} - {SWD(2024) 830 final} - {SWD(2024) 831 final}  
 
 
ABSTRACT 

Two important laws related to the justice system were adopted in November 2023: one on the 
status of magistrates, reforming their recruitment and disciplinary regimes; and another one 
bringing  a  substantial  increase  in  human  resources  in  the  justice  system  and  making  the 
profession  of  magistrate  more  attractive.  The  law  also  empowers  the  Government  to  recast 
the  Code  of  Criminal  Procedure,  includes  new  provisions  on  criminal  proceedings,  and 
promotes the amicable settlement of disputes. Further efforts were made on the digitalisation 
of judicial procedures, and the online access to court decisions advanced further. In general, 
the length of court proceedings further decreased. 

The 2024-2027 national anti-corruption plan is in preparation. Significant results continue to 
be achieved in the prosecution and adjudication of corruption cases, although concerns exist 
in relation to  resources. The implementation of integrity measures in the private and public 
sectors,  including  the  declarations  of  asset  and  interests  of  public  officials,  and  the  public 
funds  used  by  political  parties  and  politicians,  continued  to  be  monitored,  although  the 
increased  workload  or  limited  resources  may  represent  challenges  for  relevant  institutions. 
Guidelines on lobbyists’ register have entered into force, the number of ethics requests from 
Members  of  Parliament  increased,  and  integrity  measures  for  police  officers  and  judges 
continue  to  be  applied,  although  some  concerns  exist.  New  instruments  were  developed  to 
track  whistleblowing  reports  and  provide  advice  to  potential  whistleblowers.  Public 
procurement is a priority for the prosecution authorities considering that it is an area with a 
high risk of corruption. 

Rules are in place to ensure the effective and autonomous functioning and adequate funding 
of the independent media regulator (ARCOM). No further steps have been taken to enhance 
transparency  of  media  ownership,  in  particular  regarding  complex  shareholding  structures. 
Public service media maintain their independence through well-established safeguards, while 
the  Government  plan  to  reform  the  public  media  is  postponed  for  the  time  being.  While 
safeguards  are  in  place  to  ensure  the  safety  of  journalists,  attacks  and  threats  against  them 
continue. 

The  Government  continued  to  make  considerable  use  of  accelerated  legislative  procedures. 
Several  tools  have  been  put  in  place  to  increase  the  participation  of  citizens  in  the  law-
making  process.  The  Defender  of  Rights  and  the  National  Consultative  Commission  on 
Human  Rights  (CNCDH)  are  facing  a  continuous  increase  in  their  workload,  which  is  not 
always  followed  by  an  increase  in  resources.  The  financial  environment  of  civil  society 
organisations remains favourable, while concerns have been expressed by stakeholders about 
the granting and possible withdrawal of public subsidies. Courts and experts have recalled the 
need for demonstrations to take place in a safe environment. 

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RECOMMENDATIONS  

Overall, concerning the recommendations in the 2023 Rule of Law Report, France has made: 

•  Some further progress on completing ongoing projects aimed at full digitalisation of civil 

and criminal court proceedings. 

•  Significant further progress on ensuring adequate human resources for the justice system, 
particularly  by  completing  the  development  of  the  workload  measuring  tools  to  better 
evaluate the needs. 

•  Some progress on ensuring that rules on lobbying activities are consistently applied to all 

relevant actors, including at top executive level. 

•  No  progress  in  stepping  up  efforts  to  improve  the  transparency  of  media  ownership,  in 
particular, complex shareholding structures, building on the existing legal safeguards. 

On this basis, and considering other developments that took place in the period of reference, 
it is recommended to France to: 

•  Further continue efforts to complete ongoing projects aimed at full digitalisation of civil 

and criminal court proceedings. 

•  Step  up  efforts  to  ensure  that  rules  on  lobbying activities  are  consistently  applied  to  all 

relevant actors, including at top executive level. 

•  Step  up  efforts  to  improve  the  transparency  of  media  ownership,  in  particular,  complex 

shareholding structures, building on the existing legal safeguards. 

2 

 
 
 
I. 

JUSTICE SYSTEM  

The justice system is composed of two autonomous branches of courts: ordinary courts with 
jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases on the one hand, and administrative courts on the other 
hand.  Both  branches  consist  of  three  levels  of  courts,  with  first  instance  courts,  courts  of 
appeal and an upper court (the Court of Cassation and the Council of State, respectively). The 
Council of State also has an advisory branch that provides opinions on draft legislation and is 
tasked with  the management of the administrative tribunals  and courts of appeal. The High 
Council  for  the  Judiciary1  plays  an  important  role  in  safeguarding  judicial  independence:  it 
nominates candidates for top judicial functions and, as regards the appointment of judges by 
the  Minister  of  Justice,  issues  binding  opinions2.  The  prosecution  service  is  part  of  the 
judiciary and falls under the authority of the Minister of Justice3. The latter can give general 
instructions on prosecution policy but is barred from giving instructions in individual cases4. 
In  addition,  the  Constitutional  Council  is  competent  to  verify  the  constitutionality  of  laws. 
France  participates  in  the  European  Public  Prosecutor’s  Office  (EPPO).  Lawyers  are 
represented by various bar associations throughout France. 

Independence  

The level of perceived  judicial independence in France continues to be average among 
both the general public and companies. Overall, 54% of the general population and 48% of 
companies perceive the level of independence of courts and judges to be ‘fairly or very good’ 
in  20245.  The  perceived  judicial  independence  among  the  general  public  has  slightly 
increased  in  comparison  with  2023  (53%),  although  it  remains  lower  in  comparison  with 
2020  (56%).  The  perceived  judicial  independence  among  companies  has  increased  in 
comparison with 2023 (46%), although it remains lower in comparison with 2020 (68%)6. 

1   The  High  Council  for  the  Judiciary  has  two  distinct  formations.  For  the  formation  relating  to  judges,  the 
High  Council  for  the  Judiciary  is  comprised  of  the  President  of  the  Court  of  Cassation,  five  judges,  one 
public prosecutor, one member of the Council of State, one lawyer, and six other qualified members, who are 
not affiliated with the Parliament, the judiciary or the administrative courts. An additional judge completes 
this  formation  when  acting  as  a  disciplinary  council.  For  the  formation  relating  to  prosecutors,  the  High 
Council  for  the  Judiciary  is  comprised  of  the  General  Prosecutor  of  the  Court  of  Cassation,  five  public 
prosecutors, one judge, the same member of the Council of State, the same lawyer and the same six other 
qualified members as mentioned above. An additional prosecutor completes this formation when acting as a 
disciplinary council. 

2   Prosecutors are currently nominated by the Minister of Justice, following an advisory opinion of the Council, 

which has been followed in practice since 2008. 
3   Art. 5 of Ordinance 58-1270 of 22 December 1958. 
4   Art. 1 of Law 2013-669 of 25 July 2013 and Art. 30 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. This prohibition is 

respected in practice. 

5   Figures 51 and 53, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard, and Figures 50 and 52, 2022 EU Justice Scoreboard. The 
level  of  perceived  judicial  independence  is  categorised  as  follows:  very  low  (below  30%  of  respondents 
perceive judicial independence as fairly good and very good); low (between 30-39%), average (between 40-
59%), high (between 60-75%), very high (above 75%). 

6   61% of the companies in France are either fairly or very confident that their investments are protected by the 
law  and  courts  in  the  Member  State.  Only  20  %  of  the  surveyed  companies  see  the  quality,  efficiency  or 
independence of justice as one of the main reasons for concern about investment protection in the country. 
Figures 55 and 56, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. 

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A  law  reforming  the  status  of  magistrates,  including  their  disciplinary  regime,  was 
adopted. The law7 clarifies the definition of ‘disciplinary offence’8, in line with the practice 
of  the  High  Council  for  the  Judiciary,  while  allowing  for  an  adjustment  of  the  different 
sanctions9. Under this law, the High Council for the Judiciary is entitled to draft and adopt an 
ethical  charter  for  magistrates  and  assess,  from  a  disciplinary  angle,  the  resignation  of  a 
magistrate  in  view  of  joining  the  private  sector.  The  law  also  simplifies  the  admissibility 
conditions for complaints against judges lodged with the High Council for the Judiciary10 and 
strengthens the investigative powers of the Council’s panel ruling on the admissibility of such 
complaints11,  with  the  aim  to  increase  citizens’  trust  in  the  judiciary12.  The  law  further 
provides  that  all  decisions  of  the  Council’s  panel  ruling  on  the  admissibility  of  litigants’ 
complaints  must  be  communicated  to  the  Minister  of  Justice13.  This  does  not  reflect 
recommendations  by  the  Venice  Commission  and  GRECO  to  shift  the  power  to  initiate 
disciplinary proceedings  ex officio from  the Minister of Justice to  the  High Council for the 
Judiciary14,  which  is  considered  as  unconstitutional  by  the  Ministry  of  Justice15.  The 
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe16 reiterated on 26 January 2024 its call to 
France for further legislative and constitutional reforms to address the Venice Commission’s 
recommendations regarding the High Council for the Judiciary. Recommendations not taken 

7   Organic Law no. 2023-1058 of 20 November 2023 on the openness, modernisation and accountability of the 

judiciary. It modifies the ordinance Nr 58-1270 of 22 September 1958 on the statute of the magistracy. 

8   New Art. 43(1) of Ordinance 1958. 
9   New Art. 46(2) of Ordinance 1958. These two aspects are in line with recommendations made by the Venice 

Commission (CDL-AD(2020)017, points 57-59). 

10   New Art. 50(3) and 63 of Ordinance 1958. The number of complaints by citizens has been stable in the last 
years  (from  2017  to  2022:  around  300  per  year).  In  comparison,  the  number  of  decisions  by  the  High 
Council of the Judiciary in disciplinary cases has increased substantially between 2021 and 2022 (+150%). 
Litigants tend to see this procedure as a way to contest judicial decisions. Information received in the context 
of  the  country  visit  to  France  from  the  High  Council  for  the  Judiciary  and  written  contribution  from  the 
Union of Magistrates in the context of the country visit to France. 

11   ‘Commission d’admission des requêtes’. 
12   The biggest magistrates’ trade union, the Union of Magistrates (USM), however points to the risk that the 
reinforced  possibility  for  litigants  to  lodge  complaints  against  magistrates  might  be  instrumentalised  to 
destabilise them. It should be accompanied, in their view, by rules reinforcing the protection of magistrates, 
e.g. the possibility for a magistrate to get his/her costs reimbursed where no charges have been found against 
him/her.  To  be  noted  that  the  High  Council  of  the  Judiciary,  including  in  its  disciplinary  formation,  is 
composed mainly of non-magistrates. Written contribution from the Union of Magistrates in the context of 
the country visit to France. 

13   This possibility was negatively assessed by the High Council for the Judiciary in its observations to the draft 
law, see 2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 4, fn. 14, in the 
contribution from the European Association of Judges, and in the contribution from ENNRHI for the 2024 
Rule of Law Report, (p. 12 for both), as in their view, this procedure would give the litigants the power to 
indirectly  refer  a  case  to  the  Minister. The  European Association  of  Magistrates  also  recommended  to  the 
French  authorities  not  to  introduce  this  change. Written  contribution  from  the  Union of Magistrates  in  the 
context of the country visit to France. See also GRECO, Fourth Evaluation Round, Second Addendum to the 
second compliance report, France, Recommendation ix, para. 37 and 51. 

14   Venice Commission (CDL-AD(2023)015, point 79). 
15   The  Minister  of  Justice  considers  this  proposed  change  unconstitutional,  in  line  with  Article  20  of  the 
Constitution  and  Article  15  of  the  Human  and  Citizen’s  Rights  Declaration,  as  interpreted  by  the  State 
Council on 23 March 2018, which provides that the Minister of Justice is competent for inspections. On the 
other  hand,  the  law  adapted  the  election  rules  for  the  High  Council  for  the  Judiciary,  in  line  with  the 
recommendations  from  the  Venice  Commission.  Written  contribution  from  the  Ministry  of  Justice  in  the 
context of the country visit to France. For more details on the Venice Commission opinion, see 2023 Rule of 
Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 5 and fn. 17.  

16   Resolution 2534 (2024), para. 6.1. 

4 

 
 
into account by France so far also include changing the composition of the Council17, which 
would  require  a  constitutional  amendment.  Constitutional  reforms  relating  to  the  status  of 
prosecutors, both in terms of their disciplinary regime and their appointment rules, have not 
progressed,  despite  calls  of  the  General  Estates  of  Justice  to  strengthen  impartiality  in  the 
appointment and the management of prosecutors18.  

The procedure against  the Minister of Justice  has been closed. The Minister was found 
not guilty of the charges against him and was therefore acquitted by the Court of Justice of 
the Republic (CJR) on 29 November 202319. More generally, this is a court of exception and 
due to its specific mandate, its composition and its place outside the ordinary justice system, 
the Committee of the Estates General of Justice, as well as two previous draft constitutional 
laws, proposed to abolish it20. 

Quality  

Further  significant  progress  was  made  on  increasing  human  resources  of  the  justice 
system,  with  the  adoption  of  the  law  on  the  orientation  and  programming  of  justice 
2023-2027, and substantial efforts made to increase the attractiveness of careers in the 
judiciary.  The  2023  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  to  France  to  ‘[f]urther  continue 
efforts  made  to  ensure  adequate  human  resources  for  the  justice  system,  particularly  by 

17   See fn. 1 for the composition of the High Council of the Judiciary and Venice Commission opinion CDL-
AD(2023)015 on the Superior Council of the Magistracy, recommendation in para. 77 and reference in para. 
23  to  the  recommendation  of  the  Council  of  Ministries  CM/Rec(2010)12  which  states  that  ‘half  of  the 
members  of  the  High  Councils  for  the  Judiciary  should  be  selected  by  their  peers  […]  from  within  the 
Judiciary’. 

18   The  Committee of  the  Estates  General  of  Justice  proposed  to  confer  on  the  High  Council  of  the  Judiciary 
power to give its assent to proposals for the appointment of these magistrates as well as on the disciplinary 
measures affecting them. 2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, 
p. 5. The French Bar Association also regrets that the reform of the prosecutors’ statute has not progressed. 
According  to  them,  the  fact  that  the  Minister  of  Justice  plays  an  important  role  in  the  nomination  of 
prosecutors would give rise to suspicion in relation to the handling of sensitive cases. In addition, the fact 
that the EPPO (who will not be submitted to the  authority of the Minister) started its work would make it 
even  more  urgent  to  have  some  coherence  between  both  categories  of  prosecutors.  Contribution  from  the 
French  Bar  Association  for  the  2024  Rule  of  Law  Report,  p.  1.  See  also  written  contribution  from 
Transparency International France in the context of the country visit to France, citing the European Court of 
Human  Rights,  the  Council  of  Europe  and  the  OECD  asking  for  a  reform  of  the  statute  of  prosecutors  to 
guarantee  their  independence.  See  also  report  of  the  Committee  of  Inquiry  of  the  National Assembly  into 
Judicial  Independence,  No.  3296,  September  2020  and  information  received  in  the  context  of  the  country 
visit to France from the High Council for the Judiciary. 

19   For  details  on  the  whole  procedure,  see  2023  Rule  of  Law  Report,  Country  Chapter  on  the  rule  of  law 

situation in France, pp. 3-4. 

20   The CJR is exclusively competent to hear criminal cases relating to acts of members of the government in 
the  exercise  of  their  functions,  La  Vie  Publique,  La  Cour  de  justice  de  la  République:  une  institution 
contestée [official website of the Prime Minister]. Draft constitutional law of 14 March 2013 on the judicial 
liability of the President of the Republic and members of the government and the draft constitutional law for 
a renewal of the democratic life of 29 August 2019: both proposed the abolition of the CJR. The final report 
of the Committee of the Estates General of Justice (transmitted to the President of the Republic on 8 July 
2022) also recommended its abolition. The Committee proposed, in addition to the abolition of the CJR,  to 
align  on  the  ordinary  law  the  applicable  rules  of  procedure  and  jurisdiction  applying  to  members  of  the 
Government,  subject  to  the  establishment  of  a  filtering  mechanism.  See  also  contribution  from  the  French 
Bar Association for the 2024 Rule of Law  Report, p. 7, contribution from the  CCBE for the 2024 Rule of 
Law  Report,  p.  56,  contribution  from  ENNRHI  for  the  2024  Rule  of  Law  Report  on  p.  13  and  written 
contribution from Transparency International France in the context of the country visit to France. 

5 

 
 
completing the development of the workload measuring tools to better evaluate the needs’21. 
This new law22, inspired by the work of the Estates General of Justice, increases the budget of 
the judiciary from EUR 9.5 billion in 2023 to EUR 10.7 billion in 202723. This increase will 
allow  to  finance,  by  2027,  10 000  additional  full-time  equivalent  jobs,  including  1 500 
magistrates and 1 800 clerks24. Compared to previous years, this is an important increase and 
is  in  line  with  the  recommendations  made  by  the  Estates  General  of  Justice.  Workload 
measuring  tools  for  the  judiciary,  currently  in  development,  are  expected  to  evaluate  more 
precisely the number of magistrates and supporting staff needed to ensure the sustainability 
of the justice system25. The remuneration of magistrates in  the judiciary (civil and criminal 
courts) has been substantially increased, to make the career more attractive. It is now aligned 
with the remuneration of magistrates of the administrative courts26. The team supporting the 
magistrate  is  being  reinforced  through  the  recruitment  of  newly  created  ‘judicial  attachés’ 
(with  expanded  competences  compared  with  the  current  court  assistants)  and  specialised 
assistants27.  To  attract  more  candidates  in  the  judiciary,  the  Law  on  the  opening, 
modernisation and responsibility of the judiciary also opens up and simplifies the procedures 
for  becoming  a  magistrate.  In  particular,  the  law  provides  for  a  new  competition  for  legal 
professionals,  including  lawyers28.  It  also  modernises  the  career  of  the  magistrates,  by 
providing new rules on the evaluation29, promotion30 and representation of magistrates31 and 

21   2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 2. 
22   Law  no.  2023-1059  of  20  November  2023  on  the  orientation  and  programming  of  the  Ministry  of  Justice 

2023-2027. 

23   Between 2023 and 2024, the budgetary increase for the judicial services will be 12% (from EUR 3,4 to 3,8 

billion).  

24   On 1 January 2024, there were 9424 magistrates in France, an increase of 139 since the publication of the 
2023 Rule of Law Report in July 2023. In 2024, 327 new positions of magistrates will be created. Written 
contribution  from  the  Ministry  of  Justice  in  the  context  of  the  country  visit  to  France.  In  addition,  the 
number of court auditors will increase by 24% between 2023 and 2024. The high number of recruitments has 
opened a discussion on the quality of recruitments and training for the new staff. Information received in the 
context of the country visit to France by the High Council for the Judiciary. 

25   Input from France to the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 1-2. The works of the working group put in place by 
the  government  to  evaluate  the  workload  in  the  judiciary rendered  its  conclusions  beginning  of 2024  (not 
publicly  available).  In  April  2024,  20  benchmarks  had  been  adopted  for  first  instance  courts  and  28  for 
courts of appeal. This work is complemented by a project submitted by France and currently funded by the 
Commission (DG REFORM) via the Technical  Support Instrument to further develop the benchmarks. An 
experimentation of new digital tools is planned for 2024. Written contribution from the Ministry of Justice in 
the  context  of  the  country  visit  to  France. According  to  the  website  of  the  Union  of  Magistrates,  whose 
representatives participated in the working group and their written contribution in the context of the country 
visit to France, preliminary results for first instance tribunals show a need to double or triple the number of 
magistrates, which is line with analyses of CEPEJ. 

26   On average the increase is of approximately EUR 1 000 in the gross monthly remuneration of magistrates in 
civil and criminal courts. Input from France to the 2024 Rule of Law Report, pp. 10-11. Decree 2023-768 of 
12 August 2023 and Circular of the Ministry of Justice of 8 November 2023. 

27   Criticism about this law has been voiced by the Defender of Rights, notably with regard to the transfer of 
certain  competences  from  the  Judges  of  Liberties  and  Detention  to  the  ordinary  judges,  particularly 
regarding the detention of migrants and forced hospitalisation.  The Judges of Liberties and Detention have 
acquired relevant expertise on these issues, and the transfer of part of their attributions to the ordinary judges 
might have an impact, in the Defender’s view, on the quality of justice. See Defender of Rights, opinion No. 
23-04, 9 June 2023. 

28   In  addition,  a  special  competition  for  the  recruitment  of  court  auditors  for  students  in  the  ‘Pre-Talents’ 

classes will be tested until the end of 2026 in order to open up the judiciary to different profiles. 
29   E.g., heads of courts and tribunals will be evaluated on a 360° basis (they were not evaluated before). 
30   E.g., a third grade will be created. 

6 

 
 
by improving social dialogue32. With regard to the substantial efforts made to increase human 
resources  and  make  the  careers  in  the  judiciary  more  attractive,  further  significant  progress 
has been made on the recommendation made in the 2023 Rule of Law Report. 

Some further progress was made on the digitalisation of judicial procedures.  The 2023 
Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  to  France  to  ‘[f]urther  continue  efforts  to  complete 
ongoing projects aimed at full digitalisation of civil and criminal court proceedings’33. France 
remains among the lowest-ranking Member States as regards the use of digital technology by 
courts and prosecution services and the availability of secure electronic communication tools 
for courts and prosecution services34. However, progress was made in the implementation of 
the  Digital  Criminal  Procedure35,  a  project  to  digitalise  all  steps  of  criminal  procedures36. 
Portalis, which replaces applications considered obsolete, was tested in 2023 in nine labour 
courts and will be  extended to  all labour  courts  in  2024, and to  all civil  proceedings in  the 
coming years37. The development of electronic signatures38 and the deployment of the Legal 
Aid Information System (SIAJ), which enables digital legal aid procedures39, also continued. 
The  IT  budget  of  the  Ministry  of  Finance  has  more  than  doubled  since  201840.  The  new 
digital transformation plan of the judiciary 2023-2027 will allow courts to rely on the help of 
200 newly recruited local IT technicians (TIP)41. Therefore, some further progress was made 
on the recommendations made in previous Rule of Law Reports.  

31   Magistrates  will  participate  in  the  joint  renewed promotion  commissions. These  commissions  will  now  be 

consulted on any draft law having an impact on the statute of magistrates. 

32   Magistrates’ unions have now the possibility to request the extension to magistrates of agreements negotiated 
for the benefit of civil servants. The promotion committee, in which magistrates participate, will become a 
social dialogue committee, which will have to be consulted on all legislative drafts relating to the status of 
magistrates. Information received in the context of the country visit to France from the Ministry of Justice 
and written contribution from the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to France. 

33   2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 2. 
34   Figures 42-44, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
35   For more details on this project and previous steps taken, see 2022 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on 
the rule of law situation in France, pp. 6-7 and 2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law 
situation in France, pp. 6-7. 

36   Cooperation on this project has been reinforced between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior 
through  the  creation  of  a  joint  directorate.  More  than  3.5  million  fully  digitalised  procedures  were 
communicated by the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Justice through the PPN application, including 
1.3  million  procedures  in  2023.  In  the  case  of  misdemeanour  proceedings  (offences  like  theft,  serious 
violence,  etc.),  the  PPN  has been  successfully  tested  in  147  out of  168  jurisdictions  and  is  expected  to  be 
effective in all jurisdictions at the end of 2025. 98% of the jurisdictions use automated procedures for cases 
not requiring further action. Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 4. 

37   Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 3. The Union of Magistrates expressed doubts on the 
swift implementation of Portalis, since there have been many delays in the past years. Written contribution 
from the Union of Magistrates in the context of the country visit to France. 

38   Ibidem,  p.  2.  The Axone  electronic  archiving  system  went  to  production  on  23 August  2023.  Its  gradual 
deployment  at  national  level  started  in  January  2024,  with  a  connection  to  the  PPN.  This  will  relieve  the 
courts of paper archiving in criminal matters. 

39   Ibidem, p.  3. The  electronic  signature  of  legal  aid  decisions  is  now  deployed  in  all  courts  in  metropolitan 
France  and  will  be  extended  in  2024  to  overseas  and  administrative  courts.  The  SIAJ  allows  citizens  to 
request legal aid online and to evaluate its amount. 

40   Report of the finance committee of the Senate on the draft finance law for 2024. 
41   Ibidem. 127 have already been recruited and the objective is to recruit a total of 200 TIP by the end of 2024. 

Written contribution from the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to France. 

7 

 
 
Online  access  to  court  decisions  improved  further.  In  accordance  with  national 
legislation42, all decisions issued by administrative courts are publicly available. Decisions by 
the Court of Cassation and the courts of appeal in civil matters have been made available and 
770 000 of them were accessible in open data in December 202343. Decisions of civil courts 
are  gradually  made  available  online,  at  the  latest  on  30  September  2025.  Some  first  and 
second  instances’  judgments  in  criminal  cases  are  available  online44.  These  judgments  in 
criminal cases should be fully online resp. end of 2024 for the first instance and end of 2025 
for the second instance45. 

In  line  with  the  Action  Plan  on  Justice,  launched  in  January  2023  by  the  Minister  of 
Justice, new legislation adopted in 2023 promotes the amicable settlement of disputes to 
respond to recommendations of the General Estates of Justice. The law on the orientation 
and programming  of justice provides  for the recast  of the code of civil procedure to  clarify 
existing  modes  of  alternative  dispute  resolutions  (ADR)  and  envisages  to  increase  the 
compensation  of  lawyers  under  the  legal  aid  regime  when  resorting  to  ADR46.  Decrees  of 
July and December 2023 provide for two new procedures: the possibility for the judge to split 
proceedings  and  the  introduction  of  the  hearing  for  an  amicable  settlement47.  This  new 
procedure allows the judge to assist the parties in reaching an agreement48. Work is underway 
on a new platform for resolving small disputes in the area of pre-litigation. Its purpose would 
be to put users in contact with each other during the negotiation phase and/or to offer them 
the services of an amicable settlement professional, conciliator or mediator49. 

The law on the orientation and programming of justice also empowers the Government 
to  recast  the  Code  of  Criminal  Procedure  and  includes  new  provisions  on  criminal 
proceedings. According to the new law, the Government has two years to improve the code’s 
clarity and readability (without changing the content of the provisions), as called for by the 
Estates  General  of  Justice.  The  law  also  includes  a  number  of  new  measures  to  simplify 
criminal  proceedings,  which were in general  well received, with  some exceptions50:  among 
these  measures,  the  possibility  for  a  judge  to  remotely  activate  a  connected  device  to  geo-
locate  persons  in  real  time  in  certain  investigations51,  the  reform  of  the  status  of  assisted 

42   Law of 23 March 2019 and Order of 28 April 2021, modified by order of 27 June 2023; see also 2022 Rule 
of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 4. and 2023 Rule of Law Report, 
Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 7.  

43   Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 2. Figure 49, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
44   Figure 49, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
45   According to national legislation mentioned. 
46   Decree Nr. 2023-1299 of 28 December 2023. 
47   Decrees of 29 July and 28 December 2023. For more details on the new procedures, see also 2023 Rule of 

Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 8.  

48   On the promotion and incentives for using ADR methods, see also figure 28, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
49   Information received in the context of the country visit to France from the Ministry of Justice and written 
contribution from the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to France. This platform is known 
as the ‘service de règlement amiable des différends’ (amicable dispute resolution service). 

50   Article  6ff.  On  several  of  these  aspects,  the  Defender  of  Rights  recommended  to  remain  vigilant  to  avoid 
abuses. See opinion No 23-04 and 2023 Annual Report. The CNCDH is of the opinion that some of these 
new  provisions  ‘raise  serious  concerns  over  possible  violation  of  human  rights,  notably,  the  rights  of  the 
defence and the right to privacy’. Contribution from ENNRHI for the 2024 Rule of Law Report. 

51   For crimes punishable by at least five years’ imprisonment. 

8 

 
 
witnesses, the limitation of pre-trial detention if it can be avoided, or the possibility to place a 
person under an electronic bracelet in the event of unlawful pre-trial detention52. 

Efficiency 

In general,  the length  of court proceedings  further decreased and the 2023 reforms of 
the  justice  system  are  expected  to  have  a  positive  impact  on  judicial  efficiency  and 
overall  length  of  proceedings.  In  2022,  the  disposition  time  for  civil,  commercial, 
administrative  and  other  cases  at  first  instance  courts,  decreased  considerably,  from  440  to 
297 days, whereas it lowered from 495 to 333 days for litigious civil and commercial cases at 
first  instance53.  After  a  significant  decrease  in  2021,  the  estimated  time  needed  to  resolve 
administrative  cases  at  first  instance  slightly  increased54.  However,  as  regards  corruption 
cases,  the  average  length  of  court  cases  at  first  instance  is  particularly  high  and  increased 
further55. Overall, the number of pending cases remains generally stable, except for litigious 
civil and commercial cases56. The clearance rates slightly decreased57. 

II. 

ANTI-CORRUPTION FRAMEWORK  

Authorities  competent  for  the  fight  against  corruption  include  the  Anti-Corruption  Agency 
(AFA),  which  prepares  the  multiannual  anti-corruption  plan,  monitors  its  implementation, 
supports  private  and  public  entities  on  how  to  prevent  and  detect  corruption,  checks  the 
execution  of  judicial  compliance  programs58,  and  has  been  designated  as  an  external 
reporting channel authority for whistleblowers revealing breaches against probity59; the High 
Authority for Transparency in Public life (HATVP), responsible for ensuring the integrity of 
public  officials;  and  the  Central  Office  for  Combating  Corruption  and  Tax  Offences 
(OCLCIFF), a specialised police service for the investigation of economic crimes, including 
corruption  and  money  laundering.  The  National  Financial  Prosecutor  Office  (PNF)  is 
competent for the investigation of high-level corruption cases. 

The perception among experts and business executives is that the level of corruption in 
the  public  sector  remains  relatively  low.  In  the  2023  Corruption  Perceptions  Index  by 
Transparency International, France scores 71/100 and ranks 10th in the European Union and 
20th globally60. This perception has been relatively stable over the past five years61. The 2024 

52   The  law  also  allows  the  judge  to  authorise  investigators  to  remotely  activate  a  connected  device  (mobile 
phone, computer, etc.) to geo-locate people in real time in certain instructions or investigations (for crimes 
punishable by at least five years’ imprisonment). 

53   Figures 5-6, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard.  
54   Figures 8-9, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard.  
55   Figure 23, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. The average duration of proceedings at first instance increased from 

529 days in 2021 to 638 days in 2022, the third highest available data across the EU. 

56   Figures  13-15,  2024  EU  Justice  Scoreboard.  The  number  of  pending  litigious  civil  and  commercial  cases 

decreased in 2022 from 2.4 to 1.8.  

57   Figures 10-12, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard.  
58   Competences  are  carried  out  through  advice  and  administrative  audits,  and  also  the  monitoring  of 
companies’ compliance programs when decided by judicial authorities. Information received from the AFA 
in the context of the country visit to France. 

59   In  application  of  the  Law  n.  2022-401  of  21  March  2022  on  whistleblower  protections  (also  known  as 

Waserman law). Written contribution in the context of the country visit to France.  

60   Transparency  International  (TI),  Corruption  Perceptions  Index  2023  (2024).  The  level  of  perceived 
corruption is categorized as follows: low (the  perception among experts and business executives of public 

9 

 
 
 
Special  Eurobarometer  on  Corruption  shows  that  70%  of  respondents  consider  corruption 
widespread  in  their  country  (EU  average  68%)  and  13%  of  respondents  feel  personally 
affected by corruption in their daily lives (EU average 27%)62. As regards businesses, 62% of 
companies consider that corruption is widespread (EU average 65%) and 42% consider that 
corruption  is  a  problem  when  doing  business  (EU  average  36%)63.  Furthermore,  20%  of 
respondents find that there are enough successful prosecutions to deter people from  corrupt 
practices  (EU  average  32%)64,  while  36%  of  companies  believe  that  people  and  businesses 
caught for bribing a senior official are appropriately punished (EU average 31%)65. 

The  2024-2027  national  anti-corruption  plan  is  in  preparation.  Following  an  initial 
stakeholders’  public  consultation66,  an  inter-ministerial  group  coordinated  by  the  AFA  is 
preparing the national anti-corruption plan for 2024-2027 which according to the draft should 
include five pillars, namely: link between fighting corruption and organised crime; integrity 
in public sector; ethics in private sector; detection and repression; and international action67. 
The  final  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  previous  national  anti-corruption  plan  (for 
2020-2022) is still not published68.  

Significant  results  continue  to  be  achieved  in  the  prosecution  and  adjudication  of 
corruption  cases,  although  concerns  exist  in  relation  to  resources.  In  2023,  both  the 
OCLCIFF69 and the PNF70 continued the investigative and prosecutorial activities. The PNF 

sector  corruption  scores  above  79);  relatively  low (scores between  79-60),  relatively high (scores  between 
59-50), high (scores below 50). 

61   In 2019 the score was 69, while, in 2023, the score is 71. The score significantly increases/decreases when it 
changes  more  than  five  points;  improves/deteriorates  (changes  between  4-5  points);  is  relatively  stable 
(changes from 1-3 points) in the last five years. 

62   Special Eurobarometer 548 on Citizens’ attitudes towards corruption in the EU (2024). The Eurobarometer 
data  on  citizens’  corruption  perception  and  experience  is  updated  every  year.  The  previous  data  set  is  the 
Special Eurobarometer 534 (2023). 

63   Flash Eurobarometer 543 on Businesses’ attitudes towards corruption in the EU (2024). The Eurobarometer 
data on businesses’ attitudes towards corruption as is updated every year. The previous data set is the Flash 
Eurobarometer 524 (2023). 

64  Special Eurobarometer 548 on Citizens’ attitudes towards corruption in the EU (2024).  
65   Flash Eurobarometer 543 on Businesses’ attitudes towards corruption in the EU (2024).  
66   NGOs  deplore  not  being  more  involved  also  in  the  finalisation  of  the  new  anti-corruption  strategy. 

Information received by Anticor and TI in the context of the country visit to France. 

67   Input  from  France  for  the  2024  Rule  of  Law  Report,  p.  21  and  information  received  by  the  AFA  in  the 
context of the country visit to France. In May 2024, the ad-hoc Senate commission of inquiry into the impact 
of drug trafficking in France, issued a report including recommendations to curbing corruption linked to drug 
trafficking. Among other entities, the national police participates in the development and implementation of 
the inter-ministerial and multi-annual national anti-corruption plan. Written contribution from France in the 
context of the country visit to France. 

68   According to the AFA, the 2020-2022 national anticorruption plan was implemented successfully. 2023 Rule 
of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 11. NGOs raised concerns on the 
delay in the publication of the report on the implementation of the last national anticorruption plan.  Written 
contribution from TI France in the context of the country visit to France, p. 6. 

69   At the end of Q1 of 2024, the OCLCIFF had 81 officers, handling a total of 227 ongoing cases (compared to 
233 in 2023). Written contribution from France in the context of the country visit to France. To cover lack of 
staff, OCLCIFF occasionally uses external consultants, and retired police officers (as per law n. 52 of 2022). 
Information received from the OCLCIFF in the context of the country visit to France.  

70   The  PNF  counts  20  judges  and  prosecutors,  and  9  specialized  assistants.  Written  contribution  from  the 

Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to France.  

10 

 
 
continued  to  achieve  significant  results  and  closed  numerous  cases71,  treated  a  total  of  781 
procedures  in  2023  (compared  to  708  in  2022)  including  300  procedures  initiated  and  234 
closed72,  and  some  concerns  exist  regarding  their  limited  resources,  including  to  carry  out 
training  and  retain  specialised  investigators73.  The  EPPO  investigated  3  corruption  cases  in 
2023, which accounts for around 2% of the total number of EPPO cases (in France)74. Some 
shortcomings  persist  regarding  the  investigation  and  prosecution  of  foreign  bribery75,  and 
some  NGOs  expressed  some  concerns  about  the  modalities  for  their  participation  as  a  civil 
party in criminal trials against corruption76.  

AFA continued to monitor and support the implementation of integrity measures in the 
public and private sectors, with a significant increase  of its workload. In 2023, the new 
Director of AFA was appointed, two additional officials were hired77, and AFA promoted a 
series  of  tools  and  trainings  for  public  agents,  business  actors  and  representatives  of  civil 
society78. In addition, the number of whistleblowing reports received by the AFA increased 
by 23% compared to 202279, and AFA also needed external support from audit companies80 

71   In  2023,  the  PNF  obtained  111  convictions  (71  individuals  were  banned  from  public  office,  concluded  5 
judicial agreements of public interest  - CJIPs, and one  individual appearance on prior admission of guilt  - 
CRPC),  and  collected  around  EUR  482.8  million,  while  since  it  was  created  (in  2014),  it  collected 
EUR 12.328 billion (2023 PNF annual report, pp. 2-5). Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, 
p.  34. The  public  fund  created  to  return  illicit  funds  to  States  of  origin  continues  to  be  used.  Information 
received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the context of the country visit to France. 

72   2023 PNF Annual Report, p. 3.  
73   The chief of OCLICIFF voiced difficulties with budget (see National Assembly hearing of March 2023). In 
March  2024,  GRECO  recommended  to  provide  adequate  human  resources  to  the  PNF  (GRECO  Fifth 
Evaluation Round, Second Compliance Report), while the OECD recommended to strengthen the resources 
to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate foreign bribery (OECD Phase 4 Evaluation of France). According to 
the EPPO, the heavy workload of investigators may also have a negative effect on the investigation of cases 
concerning EU funds. Written contribution received by the EPPO for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, Annex, 
p. 25. 

74   EPPO (2024) Annual Report 2023, p. 31. 
75   Information received from the Anticor and TI in the context of the country visit to France, in addition to the 
written contribution from TI France, pp. 16-18. The OECD recommended a better coordination between the 
non-trial  resolutions  for  natural  and  legal  persons  in  foreign  bribery  cases,  and  noted  some  legislative 
weakness for corporate liability (OECD Phase 4 Evaluation of France, March 2024). NGOs raised concerns 
on the large use of alternative criminal measures (such as  the  CJIPs) compared to other ‘regular’ criminal 
procedures.  

76   Some  stakeholders  raised  concerns  on  the  procedure  to  obtain  the  Government  issued  certificate  to  act  as 
civil  parties  in  criminal  proceedings,  and  its  3-year  duration.  Written  contribution  from  TI  France  in  the 
context of the country visit to France and information received in the context of the country visit to France 
from Anticor. 

77   AFA has 54 officials, and the current Director, was appointed in August 2023 (6 month after the expiring of 
the  mandate  of  the previous  Director).  Input  from  France for  the  2024  Rule  of  Law  Report,  p. 20.  NGOs 
raised concern of possible conflicts of interests between  the newly appointed Director and the Minister of 
Justice.  Information  received  from  the  Anticor  and  TI  in  the  context  of  the  country  visit  to  France.  In  its 
March 2024 Report, OECD was encouraged by the increase in the AFA’s annual funding since 2021, as well 
as a slight increase in its human resources. OECD Phase 4 Evaluation of France (March 2024). 

78   AFA  issued  a  report  on  the  implementation  of  its  anti-corruption  guidelines  for  associations,  and  other 
guidelines (for private sector) are under preparation; it  developed an anti-corruption educational toolkit for 
high schools.  AFA representatives participated in 69 training events (with public servants), and developed 
online training, university courses and radio broadcasts. Finally, AFA issued a guide to ‘Support on the issue 
of  facilitation  payments’  (October  2023),  and  a  ‘Guide  for  Chambers  of  commerce  and  industry’  (May 
2024). Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 23 and 27. 

79   AFA received 373 whistleblowing reports in 2023 (compared to 304 for 2022). On average (considering also 
anonymous reports), almost 60% of the reports received by the AFA are used for an inspection or other type 

11 

 
 
 
to continue to monitor the implementation of integrity programmes in both public entities and 
private corporations 81. The OECD noted that no measures had been implemented concerning 
assertions  of  professional  secrecy  obligations  to  the  AFA,  which  it  had  identified  as  a 
possible impediment to its audits82. 

The High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP) continued checking the 
integrity of public officials, including their declarations of asset and interests and issues 
related  to  revolving  doors,  although  with  limited  resources. In  2023,  the  HATVP 
examined  about  the  same  percentage  of  asset  and  interests’  declarations  compared  to  the 
previous  year  (about  40%  of  the  declarations  received)83,  and  transmitted  some  files  to  the 
Public  Prosecutor  Office  for  criminal  examination84.  The  HATVP  continued  to  carry  out 
trainings  and  issued  384  opinions  to  officers  on  professional  mobility  (between  public  and 
private sectors)85, although, according to the HATVP, not all cases could have been properly 
followed up due to its limited resources86. 

Public  funds  used  by  political  parties  and  politicians  continued  to  be  audited,  finding 
some breaches.  In 2023, the auditing  by the National Commission  on Campaign Accounts 
and Political  Financing  (CNCCFP) on the use of public finance by political  candidates and 
parties  showed  some  breaches  (for  which  the  CNCCFP  issued  administrative  fines  against 
political parties)87. In its 2024 annual report (for activities of 2023), the CNCCFP expressed 

of  follow  up  action.  In  2023,  around  50  files  were  forwarded  to  the  judicial  authorities  (for  further 
examination  and  prosecution).  Information  received  from  the  AFA  in  the  context  of  the  country  visit  to 
France. 

80   The  externalization  of  this  monitoring  raises  some  concerns  (see  for  example  Observateur  de  l’Ethique 
Publique,  ‘The  externalization  of  control  operations  by  the  AFA’,  February  2024).  According  to 
international standards, an anticorruption agency ‘shall be entitled to adequate resources for fulfilment of  its 
mandate’. UNDP/UNODC supported Jakarta Statement on Principles for Anti-Corruption Agencies (2012), 
and its Colombo commentary (2020). 

81   In 2023, AFA completed 18 controls on public entities; it opened 15 new controls on public entities, and 10 
on private companies; and it checked 12 CJIPs. The implementation of corporate compliance programmes is 
mandated by AFA to private auditing companies (whose  cost is paid by the monitored corporation). Input 
from  France  for  the  2024  Rule  of  Law  Report,  pp.  26-28  and  information  received  from  the  AFA  in  the 
context of the country visit to France. In October 2023, the European Court of Human Rights rejected the 
application from two large companies registered in France, involved in a case of foreign bribery. In January 
2024, the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) debarred two large corporations registered in France, 
for fraudulent and corrupt practices. IADB press release (4 January 2024).  

82   OECD Phase 4 Evaluation of France, March 2024. 
83   In 2023, HATVP received 8 816 declarations of assets and interests, and examined 3 536 of them (compared 
to  10  659  and  4  170  respectively  in  2022).  The  number  of  declarations  received  depends  strongly  on  the 
number of newly elected officials as well as, more marginally, on the evolution of the property situation and 
the interests held by other officials bound to declare. Written contribution from the HATVP in the context of 
the country visit to France. 

84   In 2023, 17 files were transmitted to the public prosecutor office (compared to 51 cases in 2022). Among the 
files previously transmitted by the HATVP to the prosecutor office, one case was concluded in 2023 with an 
individual  appearance  on  prior  admission  of  guilt  (CRPC),  including  a  fine  of  EUR  15 000.  Written 
contribution from the HATVP in the context of the country visit to France. 

85   HATVP  organized  34  ethics  awareness  and  training  events  and  met  with  delegations  of  21  foreign 

counterparts. Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, pp. 22-23. 

86   Written  contribution  from  the  HATVP  in  the  context  of  the  country  visit  to  France.  The  workload  on 

lobbying for the HATVP increased. See below p. 13. 

87   Public  funds  may  be  suspended,  for  up-to  three  years.  The  CNCCFP  does  not  have  investigative  powers. 

Information received from the CNCCFP in the context of the country visit to France. 

12 

 
 
public criticism on the current mechanism of financial declarations and control88. A software 
(FinPol)  was  used  to  check  the  financial  declarations  of  the  candidates  to  the  EU  elections 
and the candidates to the legislative elections in June 202489. 

Some  progress  has  been  achieved  regarding  the  rules  on  lobbying,  as  guidelines  on 
lobbyists’  register  have  entered  into  force,  but  concerns  remain  in  relation  to  top 
executive  level  officials.  The  2023  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  France  to  ‘[e]nsure 
that rules on lobbying activities are consistently applied to all relevant actors, including at top 
executive level’90. In 2023, the guidelines on the lobbyists’ register (applied to an extended 
type  of  public  officials)  entered  into  force91  Consequently,  the  workload  for  the  HATVP 
related  to  lobbying  increased  significantly  compared  to  the  previous  year92,  while  its 
personnel  (with  a  majority  of  temporary  officers)  did  not  grow  accordingly93.  Concerns 
remain  on  the  disclosure  of  lobbying  meetings  by  top-ranking  officials,  and  on  the  type  of 
lobbying activities and lobbyists94. Two draft laws on lobbying presented in the second half 
of  202395  are  still  pending  in  the  Parliament96.  So  far,  with  regard  to  the  guidelines  on 

88   In light of some increased challenges, such as the risk of illegal financing by legal entities and interference in 
electoral campaigns via social networks or the use of loans from natural persons, the CNCCFP proposed 18 
actions  aimed  at  combating  the  risks  of  hidden  or  irregular  financing,  or  to  simplify  the  obligations  of 
candidates  and  political  parties.  The  actions  are  grouped  in  the  following  clusters:  strengthen  the 
commission’s means of control and sanction; protecting political funding from interference; simplify certain 
provisions for candidates; simplify and improve the regime of the agent of a political party; and rationalize 
and unify specific regimes. 2024 CNCCFP annual activity Report (for the year 2023). Some concerns on the 
form of funding and potential abuse of administrative resources by presidential candidates holding executive 
positions were also raised by media outlet (see media coverage from Le Monde, in June 2023). Following a 
report from the CNCCFP, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary inquiry in July 2024 against a 
member  of  the  national  Parliament  regarding  suspicions  of  illicit  financing  related  to  the  presidential 
campaign of 2022. The allegations concern possible financial crimes against the public administration for an 
estimated  amount  of  around  EUR  316.000.  Several  media  outlets  covered  the  news  on  9  July  2024, 
including: Politico, Marine Le Pen hit by shock probe into 2022 presidential campaign funding; Le Monde, 
Marine  Le  Pen's  campaign  in  2022:  judicial  information  open  on  financing  conditions;  Euronews,  2022 
presidential election: suspicions of illegal financing of Marine Le Pen's campaign. 

89   Before, FinPol software could not be deployed for large national or regional elections, with participations of 
many  candidates  and  lists.  Information  received  from  the  CNCCFP  in  the  context  of  the  country  visit  to 
France. 

90   2022 and 2023 Rule of Law Reports, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 2 and p. 2. 
91   The new measures entered in force in October 2023, apply to an extended type of public officials, including 
from  local  administrations,  as  well  as  foreign  institutions  or  States,  as  confirmed  by  the  OECD  report  on 
Public Governance Reviews Strengthening the Transparency and Integrity of Foreign Influence Activities in 
France (April 2024). Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 18. 

92   In 2023, HATVP received the registration from 3 055 lobbyists, 73 251 lobbying activities, and launched 234 
controls (i.e. an increase of more than 15%, 659% and 44% respectively compared to 2022). The HATVP 
found  79  violations  for  non-disclosure  (compared  to  87  in  2022),  and  it  forwarded  six  files  to  the  public 
prosecutor (compared to eight files in 2022).  

93   For 2023, the HATVP relied on 71 agents (compared to 67 in 2022, with a plan to reach 75 by the end of 
2024).  The  staff  employed  by  the  HATVP  is  49%  permanent  and  51%  on  a  temporary  base.  Written 
contribution from the HATVP in the context of the country visit to France.  Mutatis mutandis, according to 
international  standards,  bodies  performing  anti-corruption  tasks  ‘shall  be  entitled  to  reliable  and  adequate 
resources for the gradual capacity development and improvement of the agency’s operations and fulfilment 
of  its  mandate’.  UNDP/UNODC  supported  Jakarta  Statement  on  Principles  for Anti-Corruption Agencies 
(2012), and its Colombo commentary (2020). 

94   In March 2024, GRECO recommended to increase the transparency of lobbying with top executive officers. 

GRECO, Fifth Evaluation Round, Second Compliance Report.  

95   The  draft  laws  on  the  Transparency  of  interest  representation  (text  n.  834),  and  on  Digital  directory  of 
interest representatives were presented in July 2023 at the Senate and the National Assembly, respectively.  

13 

 
 
lobbyists’  register  that  have  entered  into  force,  there  has  been  some  progress  on  the 
recommendations made in the previous years. 

The number of ethics-related requests from Members of the Parliament increased, and 
there were calls for increased transparency and accountability. In 2023, the ethics offices 
in both Chambers of the Parliament saw a significant increase of ethics-related requests from 
Members of Parliament97. While new integrity tools were issued in 202398, concerns remain in 
relation  to  the  transparency  and  accountability  on  the  use  of  parliamentary  assistants,  their 
operational expenses and benefits, and declarations of assets of Members of the Parliament99, as 
well  as  vetting,  declarations  of  asset  and  interests,  and  other  integrity  measures  for  senior 
officials (including at Minister and President level)100. In March 2024, the HATVP was asked 
to  issue  its  opinion  on  the  first  draft  of  the  ethics  charter  for  the  Presidency101.  The  data 
shows  that  the  number  of  declarations  for  voting  recusals  filed  by  both  members  of  the 
National  Assembly  and  Senators  (to  avoid  conflicts  of  interest),  although  still  modest,  is 
slightly increasing102.  

Integrity  measures  for  police  officers  and  judges  continue  to  be  applied  and  some 
became  operational,  although  some  concerns  exist.  The  integrity  of  police  officers 
continues  to  be  screened  against  different  aspects,  based  on  asset  declarations,  ethics 
interviews,  and  checks  on  side  activities103.  The  system  for  collecting  and  processing 

96   Stakeholders  raised  concerns  on  the  lack  of  legislative  action  on  lobbying,  and  they  advocate  for  reform. 

Written contribution from TI France in the context of the country visit to France, p. 24. 

97   In 2023, the Ethics Committee of the Senate issued 221 written replies (+73% compared to 2022) to integrity 
requests;  while  the  Ethics  Office  of  the  National Assembly  received  about  1 000  requests  for  advice. The 
Senate uses a software (called ‘Julia’) to receive financial statements from Senators. While the Senate relies 
on about 30 external accountants to control financial statements, the Ethics Office of the National Assembly 
has  ten full-time officials.  Information  received  from  the  Ethics  Offices  of  the  National Assembly  and  the 
Senate in the context of the country visit to France. 

98   The  Ethics  Committee  of  the  Senate  issued  a  new  code  of  conduct  for  research  entities  and  a  deontology 
guide for Senators’ assistants; clarified measures on lobbying, and its annual activity report was published 
on its webpage in March 2024. Written contribution from the Ethics Committee of the Senate in the context 
of the country visit to France. 

99   In  January  2024,  GRECO  concluded  that  two  previous  recommendations  (to  improve  transparency  and 
accountability  on  use  of  parliamentary  assistants,  and  their  operational  expenses  and  benefits)  remained 
partly  implemented,  while  another  recommendation  (to  make  declarations  of  assets  from  all  MPs  easily 
accessible) remained not implemented. GRECO, Second Addendum to the Second Compliance Report of the 
Fourth Evaluation Round, pp. 3-9. 

100  In  March  2024,  GRECO  recommended  to  extend  HATVP’s  prior  vetting  to  all  Government  advisers;  to 
publish registers of withdrawals; to ensure total independence and impartiality of the court assessing acts of 
corruption  in  the  performance  of  duties  committed  by  members  of  the  Government;  and  verify  the 
declarations of assets and interests of the elected presidential candidate. GRECO, Fifth Evaluation Round, 
Second  Compliance  Report.  NGOs  also  raised  concerns  on  the  independence  of  the  special  court. Written 
contribution from TI France in the context of the country visit to France. 

101  The  charter,  aimed  at  all  members  of  the  President’s  private  office  and  staff,  including  new  recruits,  is 
expected  to  be  approved  by  the  President  soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  review  by  the  HATVP,  and  its 
implementation is expected to be monitored by an ethics committee. Information received from the General 
Secretariat of the Government in the context of the country visit to France.  

102  For  2023-2024,  there  are  approximately  26  declarations  from  17  MPs,  and  8  declarations  from  Senators, 

compared to 577 MPs and 348 Senators in France.  

103  Police  officers  submit  the  declaration  of  their  assets  (to  the  HATVP)  and  pass  an  ethics  interview  before 
moving  to  a  different  post;  an  integrity  officer  checks  the  accumulation  of  side  activities.  In  2023,  the 
Inspectorate  General  of  the  Police  (IGPN)  conducted  105  investigations  (compared  to  113  in  2022), 
including 41 for corruption. In 2023, the IGPN issued 59 opinions on ethics conduct, and a specific training 

14 

 
 
 
whistleblowing  reports  has  been  set  up  in  January  2024  by  directorates-general  of  the 
Ministry of Interior104, and the general inspectorate and the ethics office105 are responsible for 
collecting and processing whistleblowing reports within the national police force106. Despite 
some positive developments107, there are some concerns regarding the integrity measures for 
law  enforcement  agencies108.  Last  year,  some  measures  on  the  integrity  of  members  of  the 
judiciary were updated109, and others  are under discussion110, although some concerns  exist 
regarding the disciplinary procedure, and the appointment of prosecutors111. 

New instruments were developed to track whistleblowing reports and provide advice to 
potential  whistleblowers.  In  2023,  the  workload  of  the  Defender  of  Rights  (Defender) 
to  whistleblowing112  (with  a  128%  growth  of 
increased  significantly 
whistleblowing  reports  compared  to  2022)113,  the  Defender  developed  a  single  form  to  be 
used by competent authorities to record and track the whistleblowing reports, and it continued 
to  coordinate  the  actions  of  the  40  competent  authorities114.  A  staff  reinforcement  was 

in  relation 

was delivered. Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 22-29 and information received from 
the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to France. 

104  As part of the alert system, it is possible to choose among different reporting channels based on the merit of 
the report: for integrity whistleblowing, there is an internal reporting (via the IGPN or the IGGN) or external 
one (via the Defend of Rights); for non-integrity complaints against police officers and gendarmes, there is 
an internal and one external platform. Written contribution from the Ministry of Interior in the context of the 
country visit to France.  

105  The body is tasked to review ethical measures, and issue opinions to officials of the Ministry of Interior and 

police officers. Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 21. 

106 Written contribution from the Ministry of Justice in the context of the country visit to France. 
107  In  its  March  2024  Report,  GRECO  positively  noted  the  changes  in  the  code  of  ethics,  the  conduct  action 
plan  and  whistleblowing  system  for  the  police.  GRECO,  Fifth  Evaluation  Round,  Second  Compliance 
Report. 

108  In  March  2024,  GRECO  concluded  that  there  was  no  corruption  prevention  strategy  for  law  enforcement 
agencies;  no  adequate  security  checks,  and  no  specific  rotation  system  sectors  with  risk  of  corruption. 
GRECO, Fifth Evaluation Round, Second Compliance Report. 

109  Organic Law no. 2023-1058 of 20 November 2023 on the openness, modernisation and accountability of the 

judiciary. 

110  A new code of ethics is expected to the drafted by the CSM by 2025. Judges and magistrates are not bound 
to disclose their assets but, in case they move to a different tribunal, they submit a declaration of interests, 
which is assessed by their new chief of section. Information received from both the HATVP, the CSM and 
the Union of Magistrates in the context of the country visit to France. 

111  In its January 2024 report, GRECO concluded: a) that its recommendation on judges (that the disciplinary 
authority and administrative procedure be concentrated at the Judicial Service Commission with jurisdiction 
over  judges),  remained  not  implemented;  and  b)  that  its  recommendation  on  prosecutors  (to  reform  the 
procedure for the appointment of prosecutors, with a binding opinion by the Judicial Service Commission, 
and that the disciplinary procedure be in line with that applicable to judges, with the High Council for the 
Judiciary holding sole authority), remained partly implemented. GRECO, Second Addendum to the Second 
Compliance Report of the Fourth Evaluation Round, pp. 9-12. 

112  The  2023  annual  activity  report  from  the  Defender  (published  in  March  2024)  indicates  that  complaints, 

information and advises increased by 10%, and requests by phone increase by 18%. 

113  The Defender received 306 whistleblowing cases in 2023, while the data on whistleblowing reports received 
by  the  competent  authorities  remains  uneven.  Information  received  from  the  Defender  of  Rights  in  the 
context of the country visit to France. According to the Defender, the list of 40 competent authorities should 
be completed. The 2023 annual activity report from the Defender (March 2024), pp. 9 and 80. 

114  The Defender coordinates the mailing list of competent authorities, and organises topic-focused meetings: on 
confidentiality,  or  whistleblowing  reports  in  the  financial,  labour,  and  pharmaceutical  sectors.  Information 
received from the Defender of Rights in the context of the country visit to France.  

15 

 
 
allocated in  recent  years115, and  for 2024 no  additional staff is foreseen by the Defender  to 
support and advise whistleblowers116. According to the Defender and NGOs, funding would 
be needed, in particular in view to provide sufficient financial and  psychological support to 
whistleblowers  (as  required  by  the  law)117.  A  consortium  of  NGOs  was  created  to  provide 
advice to potential whistleblowers118. 

Public procurement is among the priorities for the prosecution authorities, considering 
that  it  is  an  area  with  a  high  risk  of  corruption.  Combatting  corruption  in  public 
procurement is one of the priorities for the PNF119. Businesses’ attitudes towards corruption 
in the EU show that 34% of companies in France (EU average 27%) think that corruption has 
prevented them from winning a public tender or a public procurement contract in practice in 
the last three years120. Following concerns raised on large public contracts121, a draft law on the 
use  of  consulting  companies  for  public  policies  was  presented  at  the  Parliament  (where  it 
remains  pending)122,  and  the  Government  established  a  public  advising  agency  in  March 
2024123. 

III.  MEDIA PLURALISM AND MEDIA FREEDOM 

The  French  legal  framework  concerning  media  pluralism  and  media  freedom  is  established 
by  the  Constitution  and  specific  sectorial  legislation,  and  it  is  enforced  for  the  audiovisual 
and  digital  sectors  by  the  independent  media  regulator  the  Autorité  de  régulation  de  la 
communication audiovisuelle et numérique (ARCOM). The Constitution protects freedom of 
expression and guarantees pluralism of the media. The Declaration of Human Rights and the 
Rights  of  the  Citizen  recognises  freedom  of  expression  as  a  fundamental  right124. 

115  Despite the allocation of three additional officers, the Defender pointed to the lack of sufficient human and 
financial  resources  to  carry  out  its  tasks.  2023  Rule  of  Law  Report,  Country  Chapter  on  the  rule  of  law 
situation in France, p. 16-17. 

116  Written contribution from the Defender in the context of the country visit to France. 
117  The lack of funds necessary to provide the support foreseen by the law remains a point of concern for both 
the  Defender  and  NGOs.  Information  received  from  the  Defender  of  Rights  and  Anticor  and  TI  in  the 
context of the country visit to France. 2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation 
in France, p. 17. For resources allocated to the Defender in general (not limited to whistleblowing), see the 
information provided in the section on ‘checks and balances’, further below. 

118  The  whistleblowers’  home  (La  maison  des  lanceurs  d’alerte),  in  combination  with  the  Centre  for  judicial 
support (in French CAJAC) offer advice and support to potential whistleblowers. Information received from 
Anticor and TI in the context of the country visit to France. 

119  Together  with  groups  of  inside  traders,  corruption  in  public  procurement  is  at  the  top  of  priorities  for  the 
PNF. Information received from the PNF in the context of the country visit to France. On this topic, in June 
2020  the  AFA  had  issued  specific  guidelines  on  ‘Control  the  risk  of  corruption  in  the  cycle  of  public 
procurement’. 

120  Flash Eurobarometer 543 on Businesses’ attitudes towards corruption in the EU (2024). This is 7 percentage 

points above the EU average. 

121  Consulting  company  were  estimated  to  have  signed  public  contracts  worth  above  EUR  1  billion.  Senate 

Commission of inquiry report No. 578 (2021-2022), volume I, filed on 16 March 2022. 

122  Draft law on Supervising the intervention of private consulting firms in public policies. Written contribution 

from the Ethics Committee of the Senate in the context of the country visit to France. 

123  The inter-ministerial consulting agency, attached at the Ministry of Civil Service, has recruited 53 agents, and 

plans to reach a staff of 75 by the end of 2024. 

124  France ranks 21st in the 2024 Reporters without Borders World Press Freedom Index compared to 24th in 

the previous year.  

16 

 
 
Transparency  on  media  ownership  is  guaranteed  by  specific  legislation125.  The  Right  to 
information is guaranteed by the Law on Free Access to Administrative Documents126. 

A  solid  legal  framework  permits  the  media  regulator  to  operate  autonomously.  The 
ARCOM  disposes  of  its  own  budget  and  the  allocated  resources  continue  to  be  considered 
adequate  for  the  accomplishment  of  its  tasks.  Transparent  and  balanced  rules  on  the 
appointment  and  dismissal  of  the  ARCOM  members  are  established  by  law127.  As  regards 
legal safeguards for media pluralism, in a recent decision128, the Council of State established 
that  to  assess  compliance  by  a  television  channel  with  pluralism  of  information,  ARCOM 
must  take  account  not  only  the  airtime  taken  up  by  politicians,  but  also  the  diversity  of 
thought  and  opinion  represented  by  all  the  participants  in  its  broadcasts.  Furthermore, 
according  to  the  Council  of  State’s  decision,  ARCOM  must  ensure  independence  of 
information  within  a  channel  by  ‘taking  account  of  all  its  operating  conditions  and  the 
characteristics of its programming’129. In November 2023, the National Assembly approved 
the creation of a parliamentary Committee of inquiry into ‘the allocation, content and control 
of  licenses  for  national  television  services  on  digital  terrestrial  television’130,  following  a 
request  by  the  opposition  parties131.  The  Committee  is  composed  of  30  Members  from  all 
political groups in the lower chamber of Parliament (National Assembly). Its work focuses on 
the procedure for granting authorisations for the broadcasting of digital terrestrial television 
(DTT)  by  ARCOM,  the  compliance  with  the  obligations  established  in  the  authorisations, 
particularly  for  those  channels  whose  contracts  are  due  to  expire  in  2025,  as  well  as  the 
resources  made  available  to  ARCOM  to  ensure  compliance  with  those  commitments.  The 
2024 MPM maintains its low-risk score for the independence of the media authority132. 

The  Government  has  announced  its  intentions  to  change  the  framework  relating  to 
transparency  of  media  ownership,  however  there  are  currently  no  concrete  plans  for 
regulatory changes. The 2023 Rule of Law Report recommended France to ‘step up efforts 
to  improve  the  transparency  of  media  ownership,  in  particular,  complex  shareholding 
legal  safeguards’133.  The  ‘États  généraux  de 
structures,  building  on 

the  existing 

125  Law No. 86-1067 of 30 September 1986 on the Freedom of Communication; Law No. 2004-575 of 21 June 
2004 to support confidence in the digital economy, and Law of 29 July 1881 on the Freedom of the Press; 
these  laws  state  that  any  editor  of  a  broadcasting  service  or  director  of  publication  must  keep  certain 
information permanently available to the public, including ownership. 

126  Law No. 78-753 of 17 July 1978. 
127  The President is appointed by the President of the Republic after consulting the relevant standing committees 
of  the  National Assembly  and  the  Senate.  Three  members  are  appointed  by  the  President  of  the  National 
Assembly, three by the President of the Senate, one by the Vice-President of the Council of State and one by 
the First President of the Court of Cassation. 

128  The  decision  follows  an  appeal  submitted  by  Reporters  without  Borders:  ‘RSF  appeal  elicits  historic 

decision by France’s Council of State on TV news channel’s regulation’. 

129  Council  of  State,  Judgment  of  13  February  2024:  Pluralism  and  independence:  Arcom  must  re-examine 

compliance with its obligations by CNews.  

130  8 November 2023: Rapport n°1839-Rapport de la commission des affaires culturelles et de l'éducation sur la 
proposition de résolution de M. Aurélien Saintoul, les membres du groupe La France insoumise  - Nouvelle 
Union Populaire écologique et sociale tendant à la création d’une commission d’enquête sur l'attribution, le 
contenu  et  le  contrôle  des  autorisations  de  services  de  télévision  à  caractère  national  sur  la  télévision 
numérique terrestre (1743). 

131  Motion for a resolution n° 1753 tabled on 13 October 2023 by Mr Aurélien Saintoul and the members of the 

groupe La France insoumise – Nouvelle Union Populaire écologique et sociale (LFI-NUPES).  

132  2024 Media Pluralism Monitor, France, p.19 
133  2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 2 

17 

 
 
l’information’,  (Estates  General  of  Information)  have  been  launched  in  July  2023  by  the 
President  of  the  Republic,  to  analyse  all  the  issues  relating  to  information  and  ‘to  lay  the 
foundations  for  a  media  and  digital  space  model  for  future  generations’134.  While  the 
Government  announced  that  aspects  relating  to  the  transparency  of  media  ownership  and 
media concentration would be addressed in particular by the working groups on ‘the future of 
the news media and journalism’ and  ‘the State and regulation’, no legislative changes  have 
been adopted yet. The 2024 MPM indicates a high risk for ‘plurality of media providers’, in 
France,  pointing  to  ‘the  progress  of  vertical,  horizontal  and  diagonal/conglomerate 
concentration’  and  highlighting  that  ‘concentration  in  the  audiovisual  sector  has  led  to  less 
internal  pluralism’135.  Considering  the  ongoing  consultation  as  regards  the  revision  of  the 
national  framework  and  considering  that  no  legislative  changes  have  been  adopted  yet  to 
improve  the  transparency  of  media  ownership,  there  has  been  no  progress  yet  in  the 
implementation of the recommendations made in previous Rule of Law Reports.  

Public service media maintain their independence through well-established safeguards, 
while the Government plan to reform the public media is postponed for the time being. 
The  public  service  media  (France  Télévisions,  Radio  France,  France  Médias  Monde,  Arte, 
parliamentary channels) are mainly regulated by the Law on Freedom to Communicate (Law 
Léotard)136. The state holds the entire capital of France TV, Radio France and France Médias 
Monde,  which  is  subject  to  the  legislation  on  public  limited  companies.  By  law137,  public 
service media must ensure pluralism of information and independence as well as diversity of 
opinion, respect for human rights and democratic principles. Furthermore, when broadcasting 
television  news,  the  services  of  France  TV  must  have  an  independent  editorial  line138.  As 
reported  in  the  2023  Report,  the  public  broadcasting  contribution  has  been  abolished  and 
public  broadcasting  will  be  financed  by  a  fraction  of  the  value-added  tax  (VAT)  revenues 
until  the end of 2024,  when a more stable system  should  be defined139. According to  some 
stakeholders,  in  the  absence  of  an  adequate  and  predictable  funding  model,  public  service 
media  risk  to  become  more  precarious140.  The  2024  MPM  considers  the  independence  of 
public service media as an area of medium risk141. A draft bill142 was tabled in Parliament in 
2023 and modified in 2024 by the Government to provide for the merging of Radio France 
and France Télévisions at the start of 2026. The objective is to strengthen the public media 
industry,  which  is  facing  stark  competition  from  private  companies143.  This  proposal  faced 
opposition  from  the  public  broadcasters’  unions144,  and  its  examination  was  interrupted  by 
the dissolution of the National Assembly on June 9, 2024. 

134  2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, p. 19. 
135  2024 Media Pluralism Monitor, France, p.23. 
136  Law No. 86-1067 of 30 September 1986 (Law Léotard).  
137  Ibidem. 
138  Article 44 of Law No. 86-1067 of 30 September 1986. 
139  2022 Amending  Budget  Law  (FRL)  published  in  Official  Journal  of  17 August  2022.  2023  Rule  of  Law 

Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in France, pp. 19-20.  

140  Information  received  from  French  Journalists’  trade  unions  and  France  Television  in  the  context  of  the 

country visit to France. 

141  2024 Media Pluralism Monitor, France, p.40. 
142  Draft Law No. 545 of 21 April 2023 on the reform of public broadcasting and audiovisual sovereignty. 
143  International video platforms and social networks, which have diminished exposure to public media services. 
144  See e.g. Communication from the National Journalists’ Union:  https://snj-francetv.fr/renforcer-laudiovisuel-

public-ne-se-fera-pas-avec-des-fusions-suppressions/. 

18 

 
 
Journalists  continue  to  be  subject  to  threats  and  attacks,  particularly  during 
demonstrations. Since the publication of the 2023 Rule of Law Report, nine new alerts were 
registered by the Council of Europe’s Platform to promote the protection of journalism and 
safety  of journalists, while the Mapping  Media Freedom  platform reported twenty-one new 
incidents145.  The  alerts  relate  mainly  to  cases  of  attacks  or  threats  against  journalists  and 
online  harassment.  The  National  Law  Enforcement  Plan  (SNMO)146  amended  in  2021 
recognises  the  particular  role  of  journalists  during  demonstrations  and  provides  for  the 
obligation  to  guarantee  their  security  in  the  context  of  public  protests  and  demonstrations. 
Despite  the  safeguards  in  place,  some  cases  of  police  intimidation  against  journalists  have 
been  reported,  as  well  as  physical  attacks  by  protesters147.  On  7  February  2024,  the  lower 
chamber of Parliament adopted an amendment extending from three months to one year the 
time  limit  for  elected  officials  to  lodge  complaints  for  defamation  or  public  insult148.  This 
amendment  was  dropped  after  being  largely  criticised  by  journalists’  trade  unions,  which 
denounced the measure as it could in their view disproportionately increase the time available 
to  elected  officials  to  attack  newspapers  and  give  them  the  possibility  to  put  pressure  on 
journalists  investigating,  without  providing  publishers  with  additional  safeguards  to  protect 
themselves  against  abusive  lawsuits149.  The  2024  MPM  considers  journalistic  profession, 
standards  and  protection  as  an  area  presenting  medium  risk,  pointing  in  particular  to  the 
‘ongoing degradation of journalists’ working conditions’150. 

IV.  OTHER INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHECKS AND BALANCES 

France  is  a  democratic  republic  with  a  semi-presidential  system  of  government,  with  a 
President  directly  elected  by  the  people  and  a  Prime  Minister  who  is  accountable  to 
Parliament.  The  bicameral  Parliament  consists  of  the  National  Assembly  and  the  Senate. 
Legislative proposals can originate from the Government or from members of both Houses of 
Parliament.  The  Constitutional  Council  scrutinises  the  constitutionality  of  laws,  before  or 
after their adoption.  Independent  authorities play an important  role in  the system  of  checks 
and balances. The Defender of Rights, which also functions as the national equality body, and 
the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) are both tasked with the 
promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

The  Government  continued  to  make  considerable  use  of  accelerated  legislative 
procedures. In 2023, an accelerated legislative procedure was used for 40 draft bills out of 
71151,  including  regarding  the  draft  pension  reform,  the  draft  programming  law  on  public 
finances,  and  the  draft  2024  finance  law.  The  considerable  use  of  the  accelerated 
procedures152 has been regularly criticised by members of Parliament, the CNCDH153 and the 

145  Council of Europe, Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists, France. 
146 Schéma national du maintien de l’ordre (SNMO), December 2021. 
147  Input from RFS for the Rule of Law Report, p.18.; and information received from French Journalists’ trade 

unions in the context of the country visit to France.  

148  Mapping Media Freedom: National Assembly adopted amendment extending time limit for elected  officials 

for filing defamation complaints.  

149  Input from French Journalists’ trade unions (SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalistes, SGJ-FO) for the 2024 Rule 

of Law Report.  

150  2024 Media Pluralism Monitor, France, p.16. 
151  In addition, the Article 49-3 of the Constitution was used 13 times. Input from France for the 2024 Rule of 

Law Report. 

152  The two governments of Premier Minister Borne (16 May 2022 – 9 January 2024) used the procedure of the 
article 49-3 of the Constitution 23 times between 2022 and 2023 (website of the National Assembly). It was 

19 

 
 
 
Human Rights League154. As mentioned in the 2023 Report, the use of accelerated legislative 
procedures  limits  parliamentary  debate  as  well  as  the  possibility  to  introduce  and  debate 
amendments. The approach has also been criticised by the Venice Commission155.  

Several  tools  have  been  put  in  place  to  increase  the  participation  of  citizens  and 
stakeholders  in  the  policy-making  process.  The  application  ‘Agora’  was  launched  in 
September  2023.  It  allows  citizens  to  participate  in  the  consultations  launched  by  the 
ministries and to ask questions to the government. Every week, the Government replies to the 
most frequent questions156. First results show a significant interest157. This initiative is part of 
a  broader  political  initiative  to  increase  the  participation  of  citizens  in  decision-making.  In 
line  with  this  approach,  the  National  Council  for  Reconstruction  (Conseil  national  de  la 
refondation) was launched by the President of the Republic in September 2022. Its goal is to 
build consensus and identify solutions at the local level to address policy issues in fields such 
as  health  and  education,  by  holding  meetings  and  consultations  to  initiate  or  support 
multistakeholder projects. The joint own-initiative referendum, introduced in the Constitution 
in 2008, allows members of Parliament to trigger a referendum on the basis of a request of 
10% of the electorate158, without a majority vote in parliament.  

On 1 January 2024, France had 20 leading judgments of the European Court of Human 
Rights pending implementation, a decrease of nine compared to the previous year159. At 
that time, France’s rate  of leading  judgments  from  the past  10 years that remained pending 
was  at  29%  (compared  to  36%  in  2023)  and  the  average  time  that  the  judgments  had  been 
pending implementation was 3 years and 10 months (compared to 2 years and 11 months in 

used for the adoption of major pieces of legislation. The President of the Republic announced specifically 
that  the  normal  legislative  procedure  would  be  used  for  the  legislation  on  the  ‘end-of-life’.  Information 
received in the context of the country visit to France from the Constitutional Council. 

153  Contribution from ENNRHI for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 4. 
154  LDH website. 
155  CDL-AD(2023)024,  para.  44.  See  also  2023  Rule  of  Law  Report,  Country  Chapter  on  the  rule  of  law 
situation in France, p. 21. The Constitutional Council also drew attention to the need for legislative proposals 
to abide by the principles of the rule of law and EU legislation. Speech of the President of the Constitutional 
Council of 8 January 2024. On the other hand, only 13% of the surveyed companies perceive the frequent 
changes in legislation or concerns about quality of law-making process as a reason for a lack of confidence 
in investment protection. Figure 56, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. 

156  Either  the  Minister  concerned  or  the  spokesperson  of  the  government  replies  with  a  video  directly  on  the 
application.  Out  of  24  frequent  questions  in  the  first  6  months  of  operation,  6  related  to  justice,  5  to  the 
functioning of  democracy  and  3  to  education  and  childhood,  while  the  rest  relating  to other more  specific 
topics. Written contribution from the French authorities in the context of the country visit to France. 

157  In February 2024, 130 000 citizens had downloaded the application on their device; 36 000 had participated 
in public consultations via the application and 24 questions had received a public answer by the government. 
61% of users were satisfied with the reply. Information received in the context of the country visit to France 
from the Secretariat General of the Government. 

158  4.8 million signatures required. 
159  The  adoption of necessary execution measures for a  judgment by the European Court of Human Rights is 
supervised by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. It is the Committee’s practice to group 
cases against a State requiring similar execution measures, particularly general measures, and examine them 
jointly. The first case in the group is designated as the leading case as regards the supervision of the general 
measures and repetitive cases within the group can be closed when it is assessed that all possible individual 
measures needed to provide redress to the applicant have been taken. 

20 

 
 
2023)160. The decrease in the absolute number of pending cases is explained by the closure of 
10 cases in 2023, though the majority were newer judgments whose implementation had been 
pending  for  less  than  3  years.  The  oldest  leading  judgment,  pending  implementation  for 
almost  14  years,  concerns  the  inaction  of  the  authorities  in  the  execution  of  judiciary 
measures  of  expulsion  regarding  illegally  occupied  lands161.  As  regards  the  respect  of 
payment deadlines, on 31 December 2023 there were 8 cases in total awaiting confirmation 
of payments (compared to 15 in 2022)162. On 1 July 2024, the number of leading judgments 
pending implementation had increased to 25163.  

The  Defender  of  Rights  and  the  National  Consultative  Commission  on  Human  Rights 
are facing a continuous increase in their workload, which is not always followed by an 
increase  in  resources.  In  2023,  the  number  of  complaints,  requests  for  information  to  the 
Defender of Rights, decisions, opinions and reminders to the law it issued, including opinions 
to the parliament on draft laws and, for the first time, to the European Parliament, increased 
substantially164. This is even more the case since the Defender of Rights has been entrusted 
with tasks in relation to  whistleblowing. Its budget will increase in 2024, including through 
10 new positions for the fight against discrimination but the Defender of Rights considers this 
increase  as  insufficient165.  The  National  Consultative  Commission  on  Human  Rights 
(CNCDH),  the  French  human  rights’  institution  accredited  with  an  ‘A  Status’  by  the 
GANHRI166  Sub-Committee  on  Accreditations,  in  compliance  with  the  Paris  Principles,  is 
facing similar issues of lack of sufficient resources. The ENNRHI recommended to France to 
provide  the  CNCDH  with  the  ‘required  financial  and  human  resources  so  that  it  can 
effectively carry out all its tasks and mainly its mandate as independent rapporteur’ and that 
the  CNCDH  ‘shall  be  consulted  in  advance,  or  at  least  be  informed  systematically,  of  the 
preparation of legislative and regulatory texts and public policies, in particular those that are 
directly related and affect human rights’167.  

The  financial  environment  of  civil  society  organisations  remains  favourable,  while 
stakeholders continued to raise concerns about the granting and possible withdrawal of 
public subsidies. The civic space continues to be considered as narrowed168. Public funding 

160  All figures are calculated by the European Implementation Network and are based on the number of cases 
that  are  considered  pending  at  the  annual  cut-off  date  of  1  January  2024.  See  the  Contribution  from  the 
European Implementation Network for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 4. 

161  Judgment  of  the  European  Court  of  Human  Rights  of  21  January  2010,  Barret  and  Sirjean  v.  France, 

6528/11, pending implementation since 2010. 

162  Council  of  Europe  (2024),  Supervision  of  the  execution  of  judgments  decisions  of  the  European  Court  of 

Human Rights – 17th Annual Report of the Committee of Ministers – 2023, p. 137.  

163  Data according to the online database of the Council of Europe (HUDOC). 
164  In 2023, the Defender of Rights received 257 000 solicitations from individuals and 137 894 complaints and 
requests  for  information  and orientation.  It  took  320  decisions  (compared  to  221  in  2022)  and  issued  416 
reminders  to  the  law  (302  in  2022).  In  2023,  the  number  complaints  and  requests  for  information  and 
orientation increased by 10% as compared to 2022. 2023 Annual Report of the Defender of Rights. 

165  The Defender of Rights’ budget will increase by EUR 1.1 million in 2024. Information received and written 

contribution from the Defender of Rights in the context of the country visit to France. 

166  GANHRI (Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions). 
167  Contribution from the ENNRHI for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, pp. 2-3.  
168  Rating by CIVICUS; ratings are on a five-category scale defined as: open, narrowed, obstructed, repressed 

and closed. 

21 

 
 
 
of  civil  society  organisations  increased  between  2021  and  2022169.  Direct  funding  to 
associations is gradually replaced with calls for proposals, directed at needs identified by the 
administrations170.  The  Economic,  Social  and  Environmental  Council  launched  a  broad 
consultation  on  the  financing  of  associations.  According  to  preliminary  findings171,  62%  of 
associations mentioned that they do not  have sufficient budget  to  reach their goal  and 42% 
noted a decrease in public funding. In application of the law of 24 August 2021 on the respect 
of  Republican  principles172,  several  decisions  were  taken  to  order  the  dissolution  of 
associations or withdraw their public subsidies173. Some of these decisions have subsequently 
been  successfully  challenged  in  court174,  while  associations  and  the  Defender  of  Rights 
consider that certain decisions to withdraw funds go beyond the intended purpose of the law, 
which can create uncertainties175. The Defender of Rights176 and the CNCDH177 criticised the 
stigmatisation by public authorities of certain associations178.  

Courts  and  experts  have  recalled  the  need  for  demonstrations  to  take  place  in  a  safe 
environment. In the beginning of 2024, the Defender of Rights recalled the need for public 
authorities  to  respect  certain  guarantees,  not  to  discourage  the  public  from  participating  in 
demonstrations179. In a number of cases, decrees banning demonstrations were taken at a very 

169  In 2022, public funding for CSOs amounted to EUR 11 billion, of which 8.5 billion subsidies; in 2021, these 
figures were of EUR 10.6 and 8 billion respectively. Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, pp. 
49-50. 

170  Information  received  in  the  context  of  the  country  visit  to  France  from  La  Ligue  des  Droits  de  l’Homme 
(LDH),  Le  Mouvement Associatif  (an  umbrella  organisation  for  39  national  and  13  regional  associations) 
and  the  European  Civic  Forum.  The  part  of  public  grants  represented  34%  of  the  associations’  budget  in 
2005  but  was  below  20%  in  2020.  In  the  same  period,  the  part  of  financing  through  public  procurements 
increased from 17% to 29% in proportion to the associations’ budgets. 

171  Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Evolution of the financing models of associations, Analysis 

of 6500 contributions received from associations, Final report, 11 March 2024.  

172  Law No. 2021-1109. For more details on its provisions, see 2022 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on 
the rule of law situation in France, pp. 23-24 and 2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of 
law  situation  in  France,  p.  24. Associations  requesting  a  subsidy,  a  State  accreditation  or  a  public  utility 
status must subscribe to a contract of republican commitment. 

173  The Decree of 31 December 2021 provides that if the contract of republican commitment has been violated, 
all public fundings are withdrawn.  See e.g. associations Alternatiba Poitiers, Cie Arlette Moreau, media Ti 
Zef,  Alternatiba  Rhônes,  Maison  régionale  de  l’environnement  et  des  solidarités,  Centre  sociale  des 
Epinettes (Maubeuge).  

174  Input from France for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 48, mentioning the ruling of the Council of State of 9 
November  2023,  annulling  the  dissolution  of  the  association  ‘Les  soulèvements  de  la  Terre’;  for  more 
information on this case, see 2023 Rule of Law report, fn. 222. In November 2023, the court in Poitiers also 
annulled  the  decision  to  withdraw  public  subsidies  from  the  association Alternatiba.  Contribution  of  The 
Human Rights League and the European Civic Forum for the 2024 Rule of Law Report. 

175  Contribution  from  The  Human  Rights  League  and  the  European  Civic  Forum  for  the  2024  Rule  of  Law 
Report, p. 18. Information confirmed in the context of the country visit to France from The Human Rights 
League,  the  European  Civic  Forum  and  the  Mouvement  Associatif.  Defender  of  Rights,  2023  Annual 
Activity Report, p. 16. 

176  Defender of Rights, 2023 Annual Activity Report, p. 16. 
177  Contribution from ENNRHI for the 2024 Rule of Law Report. 
178  The Human Rights League in  particular, but also, more generally, associations defending the environment, 
women’s  rights  and  migrants.  Information  received  in  the  context  of  the  country  visit  to  France  from  the 
CNCDH. 

179  See 2023 Annual Report, recalling the recommendations made by the Defender of Rights in its opinion of 23 
March 2023, like strictly setting the framework for identity controls and centering the police interventions on 
appeasement  and  the  protection  of  individual  rights.  See  also  contribution  from  the  Fundamental  Rights 
Agency for the 2024 Rule of Law Report, p. 15 of the chapter relating to France. 

22 

 
 
short  notice,  making  it  difficult,  in  practice,  to  challenge  them  in  front  of  a  court180.  The 
Council of State, in  a ruling of 4 December 2023181, recalled the need to  inform  the public 
about  the  ban  of  demonstrations  by  any  useful  means  and,  as  far  as  possible,  within  a 
timeframe that allows the matter to be brought before the administrative court. Police actions, 
in  the  framework  of  demonstrations,  that  would  allegedly  be  contrary  to  their  deontology 
rules, can often not be investigated, as the authors of these actions cannot be identified. In its 
decision  of  11  October  2023182,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  Council  ordered  the 
Minister for Interior and Overseas Matters to make sure that the characteristics of individual 
identification  of  policemen  and  gendarmes  be  readable  by  the  public  in  all  operational 
contexts. Several United Nations experts called on France to respect and promote the right to 
peaceful  assembly183.  The  Parliamentary  Assembly  of  the  Council  of  Europe  ‘urge[d]  the 
authorities  to  introduce  an  effective  system  of  recording  identity  checks  and  to  publish 
statistics on the number of people wounded or killed during protests with a view to improving 
the accountability of law enforcement officials’184. 

180  Contributions from The Human Rights League and the European Civic Forum, as well as from ENNRHI for 
the  2024  Rule  of  Law  Report.  See  also  horizontal  contribution  from  the  European  Civic  Forum,  p.  9:  ‘In 
Nice,  the  Prefect  of  Police  issued  no  less  than  ten  successive  orders  banning  gatherings  (…).  All  were 
suspended by the administrative court on the grounds of serious and manifestly illegal infringement of the 
fundamental  freedoms  of  expression  and  peaceful  assembly,  and  in  one  of  its  decisions  (of  18  November 
2023), the court pointed out the prefect's obstinacy in an approach that had already been ordered illegal’. 

181  Order of the Council of State of 4 December 2023, The Human Rights League, 487984. 
182  Council of State, judgment of 11 October 2023, No. 467771, ECLI:FR:CEASS:2023:467771.20231011. The 
Council of State also ordered that ‘the characteristics of individual identification [be modified], in particular 
its size, so as to ensure sufficient readability for the public’. 

183  https://www.ohchr.org/fr/press-releases/2023/06/france-must-respect-and-promote-right-peaceful-protest-un-

experts.  

184  Council  of  Europe,  Parliamentary  Assembly,  Resolution  n°2534  (2024),  para.  6.1,  with  reference  to 

Resolution 2512 (2023). 

23 

 
 
 
 
Annex I: List of sources in alphabetical order* 

* The list of contributions received in the context of the consultation for the 2024 Rule of Law report 
can 
https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2024-rule-law-report-targeted-
stakeholder-consultation_en. 

found 

be 

at 

Anti-Corruption Agency of France (AFA) (2024), Guide for Chambers of commerce and industry  

Anti-Corruption Agency of France (AFA) (2023), Support on the issue of facilitation payments  

Centre  for  Media  Pluralism  and  Media  Freedom  (2024),  Media  Pluralism  Monitor  2024,  country 
report for France. 

Committee of the Estates General of Justice (2022), Final Report. 

Constitutional Council (2024), President’s speech for the New Year’s ceremony (https://www.conseil-
constitutionnel.fr/actualites/voeux-du-conseil-constitutionnel-au-president-de-la-republique-1). 

Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), 2023 Annual report. 

Council  of  Europe  (2024),  Annual  report  of  the  Secretary  General  of  the  Council  of  Europe,  Our 
rights, our future. 

Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly, Resolution 2534 (2024). 

Council  of  Europe,  Platform  to  promote  the  protection  of  journalism  and  safety  of  journalists  - 
France, https://fom.coe.int/en/pays/detail/11709510. 

Council of Europe (2024), Supervision of the execution of judgments decisions of the European Court 
of Human Rights – 17th Annual Report of the Committee of Ministers – 2023. 

Council of Europe: Venice Commission (2023), France - Joint opinion of the Venice Commission and 
the  Directorate  General  of  Human  Rights  and  Rule  of  Law  (DGI)  of  the  Council  of  Europe  on  the 
Superior  Council  of  Magistracy  and  the  status  of  the  judiciary  as  regards  nominations,  mutations, 
promotions and disciplinary procedures (CDL-AD(2023)015). 

Council  of  Europe:  Venice  Commission  (2023),  France  -  Avis  intérimaire  sur  l'article  49.3  de  la 
Constitution (only in French), (CDL-AD(2023)024). 

Council 
ECLI:FR:CEASS:2023:467771.20231011. 

judgment 

State, 

of 

of 

11 

October 

2023, 

No. 

467771, 

Council of State, Order of 4 December 2023, The Human Rights League, 487984. 

Defender of Rights (2023), opinion No. 23-04 on the draft orientation and programmation law of the 
Ministry of Justice 2023-2027. 

Defender  of  Rights  (2024),  Annual  Activity  Report  2023.Economic,  Social  and  Environmental 
Council  (2024),  Evolution  of  the  financing  models  of  associations,  Analysis  of  6500  contributions 
received 
2024. 
Final 
https://www.lecese.fr/sites/default/files/articles/fichiers/CESE_financement_associations_rapport_fin
al_V2.1.pdf. 

associations, 

report, 

March 

from 

11 

EPPO (2024), Annual Report 2023. 

Euronews, 2022 presidential election: suspicions of illegal financing of Marine Le Pen's campaign, 9 
July 
https://fr.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/07/09/presidentielle-2022-les-soupcons-de-
financement-illegal-de-la-campagne-de-marine-le-pen 

2024, 

European Civic Forum, Annual Report 2024 – France, p.161ff. 

European Commission (2022), 2022 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation 
in France. 

European Commission (2022), 2022 EU Justice Scoreboard. 

24 

 
European Commission (2023), 2023 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation 
in France. 

European Commission (2023), Flash Eurobarometer 524 – Businesses’ attitudes towards corruption 
in the EU. 

European Commission (2023), Special Eurobarometer 534 – Citizens’ attitudes towards corruption in 
the EU. 

European Commission (2024), Flash Eurobarometer 543 – Businesses’ attitudes towards corruption 
in the EU. 

European Commission (2024), Flash Eurobarometer 548 – Citizens’ attitudes towards corruption in 
the EU. 

European Commission (2024), EU Justice Scoreboard. 

European Court of Human Rights, Judgment of the of 21 January 2010, Barret and Sirjean v. France, 
6528/11. 

GRECO  (2024),  Fourth  Evaluation  Round  Second  Addendum  to the  Second  Compliance  Report  on 
France.  

GRECO (2024), Fifth Evaluation Round Second Compliance Report on France. 

Inter-American  Development  Bank 
https://www.iadb.org/en/who-we-are/transparency/sanctions-system/sanctioned-firms-and-
individuals.  

(IADB), 

release, 

Press 

4 

January 

2024, 

La Vie Publique, The Court of Justice of the Republic: a contested institution (La Cour de justice de 
la  République  :  une  institution  contestée),  https://www.vie-publique.fr/eclairage/19542-la-cour-de-
justice-de-la-republique-une-institution-contestee.  

Le Monde, Marine Le Pen's campaign in 2022: judicial information open on financing conditions, 9 
July 2024, https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2024/07/09/campagne-de-marine-le-pen-en-2022-
une-information-judiciaire-ouverte-pour-des-soupcons-de-financement-illegal_6248197_3224.html. 

Le Monde, The Campaign Accounts Commission requests new prerogatives to improve its control, 15 
June 
https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2023/06/15/la-commission-des-comptes-de-
campagne-demande-de-nouvelles-prerogatives-pour-ameliorer-son-controle_6177741_3224.html.  

2023, 

Mapping Media Freedom- France https://www.mappingmediafreedom.org/. 

Magistrates Trade Union (Union Syndicale des Magistrats), Letter of the USM n°2024-1, Overview 
of 2023 (Lettre de l’USM n°2024-1, Bilan de l’année 2023) 

Magistrates  Trade  Union  (Union  Syndicale  des  Magistrats),  press  release  of  20  March  2024, 
Marseille: stating a judicial reality is neither banned nor an earthquake! 

Magistrates  Trade  Union  (Union  Syndicale  des  Magistrats),  Communication  of  12  April  2024, 
Effectifs  supplémentaires  :  10%  attendus,  250%  nécessaires  ?  (https://www.union-syndicale-
magistrats.org/effectifs-supplementaires-10-attendus-250-necessaires/). 

National Assembly, Committee of Inquiry (2020), Report into Judicial Independence, No 3296.  

National  Commission  on Campaign  Accounts  and  Political  Financing  (CNCCFP)  (2024),  CNCCFP 
annual activity report, https://www.vie-publique.fr/files/rapport/pdf/294652.pdf.  

National Financial Prosecutor Office (PNF) (2023), Annual Report. 

25 

 
 
Observatory  of  Public  Ethics,  ‘The  externalization  of  control  operations  by  the  AFA’,  2  February 
2024, 
(https://www.observatoireethiquepublique.com/nos-propositions/notes/preserver-la-
supervision-publique-de-lanti-corruption.html). 

Organisation  for  Economic  Co-operation  and  Development  (OECD)  (2024),  Phase  4  Evaluation  of 
France. 

Organisation  for  Economic  Co-operation  and  Development  (OECD)  (2024),  Public  Governance 
Reviews Strengthening the Transparency and Integrity of Foreign Influence Activities in France. 

Poitiers  administrative  court,  judgment  of  30  November  2023,  cases  n°  2202694,  2202695, 
Alternatiba. 

Politico, Marine Le Pen hit by shock probe into 2022 presidential campaign funding, 9 July 2024, 
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-probe-marine-le-pen-2022-presidential-election-campaign-
financing/#:~:text=The%20CNCCFP%20had%20already%20noted,her%20unsuccessful%202022%2
0presidential%20campaign. 

Reporters without Borders, France, https://rsf.org/en/country/france. 

Senate,  Inquiry  Commission  Report  n.  588  (impact  of  drug  trafficking  in  France),  7  May  2024, 
https://www.senat.fr/rap/r23-588-1/r23-588-1.html. 

Senate,  Commission  of  inquiry  report  No.  578,  16  March  2022.  https://www.senat.fr/rap/r21-578-
1/r21-578-11.pdf. 

Transparency International (2024), Corruption Perceptions Index 2023. 

UN  Development  Programme  (UNDP)/UN  Office  on  Drugs  and  Crime  (UNODC)  (2012),  Jakarta 
Statement on Principles for Anti-Corruption Agencies. 

UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) (2020), Colombo commentary on the Jakarta Statement on 
Principles for Anti-Corruption Agencies.  

UN  High  Commissioner  for  Human  Rights  (2023),  press  release  of  15  June  2023,  France  must 
respect and promote the right to peaceful protest: UN experts. 

26 

 
 
 
Annex II: Country visit to France 

The Commission services held virtual meetings in March 2024 with: 

•  Agence France Presse  
•  Anticor  
•  Anti-Corruption Agency 
•  Central Office for Combating Corruption and Tax Offenses  
•  Conference of Bar Presidents  
•  Constitutional Council 
•  Council of State  
•  Defender of Rights  
•  Delegation of the Bars of France  
•  Ethics Commissioner of the National Assembly  
•  European Civic Forum  
•  France Chamber of Commerce and Industry 
•  High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life  
•  High Council for the Judiciary  
•  Journalistic Ethics and Mediation Council  
•  League for Human Rights  
•  Le Mouvement Associatif  
•  Ministry of Culture  
•  Ministry of Justice  
•  Ministry of Foreign Affairs  
•  National Commission on Campaign Accounts and Political Financing  
•  National Consultative Commission on Human Rights  
•  National Council of Bar Associations  
•  National Financial Prosecutor  
•  National Journalists Union  
•  Paris Bar Association  
•  Public service media (Radio France and France Télévision) 
•  Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (ARCOM)  
•  Reporters without Borders  
•  Senate Ethics Committee  
•  Syndicat de la Magistrature 
•  Transparency International France  
•  Union Syndicale des Magistrats 

* The Commission also met the following organisations in a number of horizontal meetings:  

•  Amnesty International EU 
•  Centre for Democracy and Technology Europe  
•  Centre for European Volunteering 
•  Civil Liberties Union for Europe 
•  Civil Rights Defenders 
•  Civil Society Europe 

27 

 
 
•  Culture Action Europe 
•  Democracy Reporting International 
•  European Centre for Non-Profit Law 
•  European Civic Forum 
•  European Federation of Journalists  
•  European Partnership for Democracy 
•  European Youth Forum 
•  Free Press Unlimited 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•  JEF Europe 
•  Open Society Foundations 
•  Philanthropy Europe Association 
•  PICUM 
•  Reporters Without Borders 
•  SOLIDAR 
•  Transparency International EU 

International Federation for Human Rights 
International Planned Parenthood Federation 
International Press Institute  
Irish Council for Civil Liberties 

28