Setting up a French company

A big advantage to setting up a company in France is that foreign entrepreneurs don't have to obey any specific restrictions, withstanding the same rules, regulations, rights and obligations as nationals. The most common business forms chosen by entrepreneurs are French joint stock companies (Société Anonyme) and French limited liability companies (Société A Responsabilité Limitée).

Preliminary activities before registering limited liability and joint stock companies in France
Every company must have a unique name and even though it is not legally necessary, the founding members should verify their choice before registering, as unpredicted consequences may follow if two companies have the same or similar name. The company name may be checked online, being free of charge. Also prior to registration it is necessary that the company open a bank account, deposit the minimum required capital, or shares, and obtain a certificate. This procedure must be finished within 8 days of the collection of all funds. Simultaneously the company's representative must publish a notice of the company and obtain a letter from the legal journal that confirms the publication.

Registering the limited liability and joint stock companies with the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises (CFE) in France
This institution handles all the procedures related to registering a company: statistics, tax authorities, social security, labor and health insurance. The representative of the company must file a request for registration, and after receiving the necessary forms, he or she must file the articles of association, signed by all members, the attestation of the capital deposit, evidence of publication, structure and objective of the company, addresses of the managing board, and the chosen headquarters of the company. After receiving the application, the CFE sends the necessary information to every office and authority in order to complete the specified formalities. Also, the CFE automatically enters the company in the Registre Nationale des Entreprise, with the purpose of obtaining the SIRENE (Systéme Informatique pour le Répertoire des Entreprises), SIRET (Systéme Informatique pour le Répertoire des Etablissements) and NAF (Nomenclature des Activitees Francaises) numbers.

Buying company books in France
Every company in France must have a special accounting book, which must be bought from court, or specialized stores and have to be certified by the Commercial Court.

Setting up a French company from abroad
There are no administrative restrictions for foreign investment in France. An entrepreneur may hire a special agent assigned with the company's representation, who can complete the administrative procedures in France, or he may form the company himself registering his company online. Another option is acquiring a ready made company suiting his or her needs.

How long does it take to found a French company?
Registering the limited liability company or the joint stock company at the Centre de Formalités des Entreprises is finished in 4 days, while depositing the initial capital, checking the uniqueness of the company's name, and publishing a notice in the legal journal, each take one day. A French company is created in approximately one week.