Debt Collection Handbook France 2024

Debt Collection Handbook

  • France
  • Agriculture,
  • Automotive/Transport,
  • Chemicals/Pharma,
  • Construction,
  • Consumer Durables,
  • Electronics/ICT,
  • Financial Services,
  • Food,
  • General economic,
  • Machines/Engineering,
  • Metals,
  • Paper,
  • Services,
  • Steel,
  • Textiles

30th October 2024

Having drawn from the expertise of Atradius Collections' local offices, the International Debt Collection Handbook explains the different regulations and procedures for debt collections in France.

Amicable collections

General information

 

 

 

 

Handbook Report Page - Amicable Phase

 

 

 

 

We maintain a professional collection process, focusing on the relationships between you and your debtors at all times. Our team of collection specialists carry out the collection process in-house, contacting debtors both verbally and in writing while adhering to state law.

When there is a case of dispute, we aim to reach an amicable solution between you and the debtor. We do this by analysing all the contractual documents (e.g. signed contracts, orders, confirmations, invoices, delivery notes, as well as all standard terms that have been agreed to). All of our investigations are completed with the assistance and agreement of our legal team.

Local agents

If our in-house collection efforts don’t lead to positive results, we will employ our agent network. They contact the debtors in order to provide us with information regarding their financial situations and solvency. The agents we use will report on any meetings they have with the debtors and provide summaries of the debtors’ business operations. The agents are also able to collect money. If the agents negotiate payment plans or final statements with the debtors, they should ask us for approval.

Interest

We always charge debtors for interest. The interest rate is set by the government and multiplied by three in accordance with French law on payment terms.

The Debt Collection Handbook presents a snapshot of France's economic situation and covers the following topics:

  • Debt collection costs
  • Prescription
  • Payment methods
  • Types of companies
  • Retention of title
  • Safeguard measures
  • Legal procedures & legal system
  • Enforcement in debt, movable and immovable property
  • Insolvency proceedings
  • Arbitration and mediation

To read more about the steps and procedures undertaken in debt collections in France and other countries:

Disclaimer

Each publication available on or from our websites, such as, but not limited to webpages, reports, articles, publications, tips and helpful content, trading briefs, infographics, videos (each a “Publication”) is provided for information purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation or advice as to particular transactions, investments or strategies in any way to any reader. Readers must make their own independent decisions, commercial or otherwise, regarding the information provided. While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in any Publication has been obtained from reliable sources, Atradius is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information in any Publication is provided ’as is’, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from its use, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied. In no event will Atradius, its related partnerships or corporations, or the partners, agents or employees thereof, be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in any Publication, or for any loss of opportunity, loss of profit, loss of production, loss of business or indirect losses, special or similar damages of any kind, even if advised of the possibility of such losses or damages.