France: National Assembly Adopts Narcotrafficking Law
On April 1, 2025, the French National Assembly passed a draft law to combat narcotrafficking in France (the Narcotrafficking Law). The legislation enacts the recommendations of a 2024 Senate committee report calling for enhanced criminal penalties for drug crimes and the reorganization of the government departments that fight drug trafficking. The National Assembly approved the … Continue reading “France: National Assembly Adopts Narcotrafficking Law”
Contributor:
Gilbert, Louis
Date:2025-04-17
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France: Bill Introduced to Require Labeling of AI-Generated Images on Social Networks
On December 3, 2024, a bill was introduced in the French National Assembly to mandate the labeling of images posted on social media that were generated or modified by artificial intelligence (AI).The bill reflects the growing interest in addressing AI’s impact on digital media. As AI-generated images, videos, and texts raise serious concerns about transparency, … Continue reading “France: Bill Introduced to Require Labeling…
Contributor:
Gilbert, Louis
Date:2025-03-07
Article
France: “Airbnb Law” Adopted to Regulate Furnished Tourist Accommodations
On November 19, 2024, France enacted Law No. 2024-1039, designed to strengthen local regulation of furnished tourist rentals, such as those listed on platforms like Airbnb. Nicknamed the “Airbnb Law,” the legislation received multipartisan support as a response to housing shortages in diverse regions of France, including coastal, mountainous, and metropolitan areas.Background and Objectives The … Continue reading “France: “Airbnb Law” Adopted to Regulate…
Contributor:
Gilbert, Louis
Date:2024-12-12
Article
France: Cassation Court Addresses Recognition of Foreign Surrogacy Judgments
On October 2, 2024, the French Court of Cassation issued two rulings identifying criteria for the recognition of foreign gestational surrogacy judgments. The decisions provide greater legal certainty for families formed through international surrogacy.In France, gestational surrogacy (gestation pour autrui, GPA) was banned by Law No. 94-653 of July 29, 1994, on Respect for the … Continue reading “France: Cassation Court Addresses Recognition of…
Contributor:
Gilbert, Louis
Date:2024-10-28
Article
European Union: Court of Justice Clarifies Evidentiary Use of Foreign Encrypted Data
On April 30, 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that public prosecutors can request encrypted data from abroad and use it as evidence in cross-border criminal cases. The Regional Court of Berlin had requested a preliminary ruling from the CJEU on the lawfulness of collecting and using data from an … Continue reading “European Union: Court of Justice Clarifies…
Contributor:
Gesley, Jenny
Date:2024-05-29
Article
France: New Immigration Law Enacted After Extensive Censure by Constitutional Council
On January 26, 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron signed a new immigration law, Law No. 2024-42 to Control Immigration and Improve Integration, which had been largely censured by the French Constitutional Council.In its decision of January 25, 2024, the French Constitutional Council censured a large part of the government’s proposed immigration law, rejecting measures intended … Continue reading “France: New Immigration Law Enacted After…
Contributor:
Gilbert, Louis
Date:2024-02-08
Article
France: French Competition Authority Fines Sony for Abusing Its Dominant Market Position
On December 20, 2023, the French Competition Authority (Autorité de la Concurrence) imposed sanctions on Sony for abusing its dominant market position in supplying video game controllers for PlayStation 4 consoles. The sanctions were in response to a complaint from Subsonic, a French manufacturer of video game controllers, alleging that Sony had abused its market … Continue reading “France: French Competition Authority Fines Sony…
Contributor:
Gilbert, Louis
Date:2024-01-18
Article
France: New Law Establishes Legal Framework for 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
On May 19, 2023, France enacted Law No. 2023-380 to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are scheduled to be held in Paris and several other cities from July 24 to September 8, 2024. This legislation is the culmination of a series of parliamentary amendments and includes legal … Continue reading “France: New Law Establishes Legal Framework…
Contributor:
Buchanan, Kelly
Date:2023-11-15
Article
France: Conseil d’Etat Rules Against Systematic Banning of Pro-Palestinian Demonstrations
In an order dated October 18, 2023, the Conseil d’Etat, France’s highest administrative court, rejected a petition by the Comité Action Palestine (CAP) against a telegram issued by Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin banning pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The Conseil d’Etat noted, however, that it is up to the country’s prefects to assess, on a case-by-case … Continue reading “France: Conseil d’Etat Rules Against Systematic…
Contributor:
Buchanan, Kelly
Date:2023-10-26
Article
France: Statute of Limitations for Hidden Environmental Offenses Extended
On April 12, 2022, the Cour de cassation (Court of Cassation), France’s highest jurisdiction for civil and criminal matters, rendered a decision establishing a new starting point for the statute of limitations for illegal hidden waste disposal. Article R632-1 of the Code pénal (Penal Code) punishes the disposal of waste outside of authorized waste disposal locations … Continue reading “France: Statute of Limitations for…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2022-08-08
Article
France: Government Adopts New Rule on Insanity Defense
On April 25, 2022, the French government issued a decree on employing insanity defenses in criminal trials. This decree relates to the application of a law adopted on January 24, 2022, which reformed the insanity defense in France. This law, which was adopted in reaction to the notorious “Halimi case,” provides that defendants may not … Continue reading “France: Government Adopts New Rule on…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2022-05-11
Article
France: Law on Economic and Professional Gender Equality Adopted
On December 24, 2021, France adopted a new law to promote gender equality in the workplace and in the economy at large. This law, sometimes referred to as the Loi Rixain (Rixain Law), after the bill’s main sponsor in the French parliament, Marie-Pierre Rixain, imposes quotas for the representation of women in the leadership positions … Continue reading “France: Law on Economic and Professional…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2022-01-23
Article
France: Government Bans Single-Use Plastic Packaging for Various Perishable Products
On January 1, 2022, a ban on single-use plastic packaging for the sale of approximately 30 types of fruits and vegetables took effect in France. The ban serves to implement part of a February 2020 law aimed at fighting against waste and promoting a circular economy.The government issued a decree on October 8, 2021, providing … Continue reading “France: Government Bans Single-Use Plastic Packaging…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2022-01-18
Article
France: High Court Blocks Charges Against Syrian Man Accused of Complicity in Crimes Against Humanity
On November 24, 2021, the Cour de cassation, France’s highest jurisdiction for civil and criminal matters, rendered a decision blocking charges against a Syrian man who had been accused of being an accomplice to crimes against humanity committed by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.This case centered on Abdulhamid C., a former member … Continue reading “France: High Court Blocks Charges Against…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-12-28
Article
France: Law Adopted Extending Ability to Declare State of Health Emergency Until July 2022
On November 10, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron signed into law a bill that extends the government’s ability to declare a state of health emergency until July 31, 2022.The government’s ability to declare a state of health emergency was introduced in the Public Health Code in March 2020, but was intended to be an exceptional … Continue reading “France: Law Adopted Extending Ability to…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-12-07
Article
France: President Macron Signs New Law on Bioethics
On August 2, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron signed into law a bill on bioethics that, among other measures, will open access to medically assisted reproductive technology to lesbian couples and single women.Medically Assisted ReproductionBefore the adoption of the new bioethics law, medically assisted reproduction was available only to couples made up of a “man … Continue reading “France: President Macron Signs New Law…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-11-16
Article
Switzerland: Government Approves Amendment of Convention on Road Traffic to Allow Autonomous Vehicles
On November 3, 2021, the Swiss government (Bundesrat) approved an amendment to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic that opens the way for the use of autonomous vehicles in the country. The amendment to article 8 (new paragraph 5bis) of the Convention allows transferring driving tasks to the vehicle itself, provided that the technologies used … Continue reading “Switzerland: Government Approves Amendment of Convention…
Contributor:
Gesley, Jenny
Date:2021-11-14
Article
France: Court of Appeal Holds Only Most Serious Institutional Misconduct Can Nullify Arbitration Rules Limitation of Liability Clauses
On March 23, 2021, the Paris Court of Appeals rendered judgment in a case concerning liability of arbitral institutions. In this case, a lawsuit was brought against the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) for allegedly mismanaging the transition to another tribunal when the composition of the original tribunal constituted under its authority was found to … Continue reading “France: Court of Appeal Holds Only…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-09-16
Article
France: Court of Appeal Rules Seat of Arbitration Is Competent Jurisdiction to Hear Action Related to Arbitrator’s Liability
On June 22, 2021, the Paris Court of Appeal rendered judgment in a case concerning the jurisdiction competent to hear a liability action brought by a party to arbitration proceedings against one of the arbitrators for breach of his arbitration contractual obligations. The court ruled that the competent court is that of the seat and … Continue reading “France: Court of Appeal Rules Seat…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-09-02
Article
France: President Signs New Antiterrorism Law
On July 30, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron signed into law a recently adopted bill on terrorism prevention and intelligence gathering.Terrorism PreventionThe new law permanently renews measures from a 2017 law that were scheduled to sunset on July 31, 2021. These measures are:The ability of local prefects to establish special protection perimeters around places and/or … Continue reading “France: President Signs New Antiterrorism Law”
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-08-23
Article
France: Constitutional Council Strikes Part of Recent Security Law
On May 20, 2021, France’s Conseil constitutionnel (Constitutional Council) struck parts of a domestic security bill that had recently been adopted by the French Parliament. While the council’s decision upheld most of the bill as constitutional, one of the provisions struck down was a section of the controversial article 52 (formerly referred to as article … Continue reading “France: Constitutional Council Strikes Part of…
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-07-23
Article
France: Government Initiates Judicial Reforms
(May 25, 2021) On April 14, 2021, the French prime minister and the minister of justice submitted a bill to Parliament that aims to reform certain aspects of the French judiciary and to “restore trust between citizens and the judiciary institutions.” This bill includes provisions on filming trials, preliminary investigations, attorney-client privilege and the confidentiality […]
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-05-25
Article
France: Parliament Adopts Domestic Security Bill
(May 11, 2021) On April 15, 2021, the French Parliament adopted a bill on domestic security entitled “Bill for Overall Security Which Preserves Freedoms.” This bill, which is currently under review by the Constitutional Council before President Emmanuel Macron can sign it into law, aims to change the legislative framework concerning video surveillance, police body […]
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-05-11
Article
France: High Court Issues Ruling on Insanity Defense
(Apr. 29, 2021) On April 14, 2020, the Cour de cassation, France’s highest court for civil and criminal matters, confirmed that defendants could not be judged under criminal law if they committed murder while in a state of delirium that eliminated (aboli) their discernment. This decision concludes a case referred to in the press as […]
Contributor:
Boring, Nicolas
Date:2021-04-29
Article
France: Court Finds Government Failed to Live Up to Carbon Emissions Reduction Objectives
(Mar. 8, 2021) On February 3, 2021, the Administrative Tribunal of Paris issued a judgment finding the French government liable for failing to live up to its own carbon emissions reduction objectives. This decision came in response to a lawsuit brought by four nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in March 2019, in which they sought to have […]
