The Commercial Agency Agreement in France: Qualification, Key Clauses and Mandatory Rules

1991

The year France enacted its statutory commercial agency regime, implementing EU Directive 86/653 (C. com. Art. L 134-1 s.)

2 years

Maximum duration of a post-contract non-compete clause; any longer term is deemed unwritten (C. com. Art. L 134-14 and L 134-16)

Quarterly

Commission must be paid no later than the last day of the month following the quarter in which it accrued (C. com. Art. L 134-9)

The commercial agency agreement in France: a contract the parties only partly control

A commercial agency agreement is the contract by which a business entrusts an independent professional, the commercial agent (agent commercial), with negotiating and, where agreed, concluding sale or purchase contracts in its name and on its behalf, on a permanent basis (C. com. Art. L 134-1). France transposed Directive 86/653/EEC by the Law of 25 June 1991, codified at Articles L 134-1 to L 134-17 of the Commercial Code, and the resulting regime is among the most protective in Europe. A large part of it is mandatory: clauses that derogate from the agent's right to a written document, from the reciprocal duties of loyalty and information, from the core commission rules or from the termination indemnity are deemed unwritten (C. com. Art. L 134-16).

[ask-lawyer-light-tint]

For a foreign company appointing an agent for the French market, and for an agent about to sign, the practical consequence is the same: the contract is only partly what the parties make of it. This article examines when a contract qualifies as a commercial agency, what form and registration require, the clauses that decide how the relationship works in practice (exclusivity, competing lines, commission, sub-agency, assignment, restraints after the contract), the duties neither party can waive, and how duration, renewal and the end of the contract are framed by statute.

Does the French statutory regime apply to your intermediary?

Answer two questions to see whether your contract is likely to fall under Articles L 134-1 and following, then have a lawyer confirm it.

Free · 30 seconds

Is your contract a French commercial agency?

Handled by a French registered lawyer · Paris Bar (Toque #C2396)

What is your position?

This tailors what the answer means for you.

The information here does not constitute legal advice and may not fit your situation; always consult a lawyer before acting.

When a contract qualifies as a commercial agency (C. com. Art. L 134-1)

Four elements make an intermediary a commercial agent. The agent is an independent professional, free to organise its own business, which distinguishes it from an employed sales representative (VRP) governed by employment law. It holds a permanent authority: a mandate for a single transaction is not agency. It negotiates, and where empowered concludes, contracts. And it acts in the name and on behalf of the principal (mandant), so title to the goods never passes through it. The contract is a mandate in the common interest of both parties, civil in nature even though both sides are in business.

The definition excludes the other routes to the French market. A distributor buys and resells in its own name and for its own account. A commission agent (commissionnaire) contracts in its own name for the principal's account. A broker (courtier) merely brings the parties together, transaction by transaction. None of them is a commercial agent, and none earns the agent's statutory protection.

Qualification is a matter of substance and public policy (ordre public). Courts look at how the relationship actually operated, not at the label: a contract called a service agreement is requalified as an agency where its holder in fact negotiated permanently in the supplier's name, and a contract called an agency earns no protection where the intermediary did not. Since the Court of Justice ruled on the point, negotiation no longer requires the power to alter prices or terms: an intermediary who durably solicits orders and develops the principal's clientele negotiates within the meaning of the Directive even where every sale is concluded on the principal's standard terms (CJEU, 4 June 2020, C-828/18). Before signing, each side should therefore verify whether the intermediary is really a commercial agent under the negotiation test, because that answer commands the whole regime.

One statutory opt-out exists: where the agency is performed under a written contract whose principal object is another activity, the parties may agree in writing to disapply the regime, and the agent may waive its rights in writing at the end of the contract (C. com. Art. L 134-15). Outside that narrow case, no waiver holds.

Public policy

The statutory regime cannot be avoided by drafting. Whatever the contract is called, the protective provisions, including the termination indemnity, apply to any intermediary that in fact meets the definition of Article L 134-1, and clauses to the contrary are deemed unwritten (C. com. Art. L 134-16).

Form, the right to a written contract and registration

No writing is required for validity: a commercial agency agreement exists as soon as the parties agree on its substance, and courts routinely find agencies that were never signed. What the statute does guarantee is that each party may at any time demand from the other a signed written document recording the terms of the contract and of any later amendment (C. com. Art. L 134-2). That right cannot be waived.

A written contract remains indispensable in practice, because the statute says nothing about the questions that generate disputes: the territory and whether it is exclusive, the products covered, the commission rate and its basis, targets, reporting, intellectual property, governing law. Where the contract is silent, the default rules described below apply, and they are not always what either side expects.

Before taking up the activity, commercial agents established in France must register on the special register of commercial agents (registre spécial des agents commerciaux) kept at the commercial court registry (C. com. Art. R 134-6). Registration is an administrative policing measure, not a condition of the contract: an unregistered agent's contract remains valid and its commission remains due, and a principal that tolerated the situation cannot invoke the missing registration as a serious breach (faute grave) when the relationship ends (CA Rennes, 17 déc. 2024). Agents established abroad who act in France only temporarily or occasionally are exempt.

The clauses that decide how the relationship works

The statute frames the relationship but leaves its economics to the contract. The table summarises the default position where the contract is silent, and what a clause can and cannot achieve.

Clause	Default rule if the contract is silent	What a clause can and cannot do
Territory and exclusivity	No exclusivity is implied; but an agent entrusted with a territory or customer group earns commission on every transaction within it, even concluded without its intervention (C. com. Art. L 134-6).	Exclusivity may be granted. Even then the principal may deal directly, provided direct sales do not empty the agent's mission of its substance; the commission consequences of direct sales should be spelt out.
Other principals	The agent may accept new principals without authorisation, but needs the principal's agreement to represent a competitor (C. com. Art. L 134-3).	The contract may require consent for any new mandate; it cannot turn the agent into a de facto employee by removing its independence.
Order acceptance	Transactions negotiated by the agent within its authority engage the principal.	A clause may reserve the principal's express acceptance of each order; refusals must not be abusive.
Client withdrawal	The principal cannot unilaterally strip the agent of customers or territory without engaging its liability.	A clause allowing the principal to withdraw certain customers is valid in principle, but its use must not empty the agency of its substance (Cass. com., 5 oct. 2022, n° 20-16.665).
Del credere (ducroire)	The agent does not guarantee that customers will pay.	An express clause may make the agent guarantee performance, within limits proportionate to its commission.
Sub-agents	The agent may in principle appoint sub-agents, who have a direct claim for their remuneration.	The contract may exclude sub-agency or subject it to the principal's consent.
Assignment	The agent cannot assign the contract without the principal's agreement; an agent that assigns loses the termination indemnity (C. com. Art. L 134-13).	The contract may organise the presentation of a successor; a refusal of consent must not be abusive.
Remuneration	The customary rate in the sector applies; failing usage, reasonable remuneration (C. com. Art. L 134-5).	The rate, basis and payment terms are free, but the acquisition, payment and information rules of Articles L 134-9 and R 134-3 cannot be derogated from to the agent's detriment (C. com. Art. L 134-16).
Post-contract non-compete	None is implied; the former agent is free.	Valid only if written, limited to the sector, customers and goods covered by the contract, and no longer than two years (C. com. Art. L 134-14).

The post-contract non-compete clause (C. com. Art. L 134-14)

A restraint on the former agent is valid only on cumulative conditions: it must be in writing; it must concern the geographic sector, or the group of customers, entrusted to the agent, together with the type of goods or services covered by the contract; and it may not exceed two years after the end of the contract, any longer term being deemed unwritten (C. com. Art. L 134-14 and L 134-16). Case law adds two limits and removes one constraint. A clause is void where it prevents the former agent from carrying on any professional activity at all (Cass. com., 17 janv. 2012, n° 10-27.701), and void where the restriction does not correspond to the clientele actually entrusted to the agent (Cass. com., 15 mai 2012, n° 11-18.330). By contrast, unlike an employee's non-compete, no financial consideration is required (Cass. com., 4 déc. 2007, n° 06-15.137). A well-drafted contract treats in the same movement the exclusivity and non-compete clauses of a French commercial agency, the restraints during the relationship and those that survive it.

Commission (C. com. Art. L 134-5 to L 134-10)

During the contract, commission is due on every transaction concluded through the agent's intervention, and on every transaction with a customer the agent previously acquired for business of the same kind; an agent entrusted with a territory or customer group earns commission on all transactions within it (C. com. Art. L 134-6). Commission may also be due on orders placed after the end of the contract where they are principally attributable to the agent's work and concluded within a reasonable time (C. com. Art. L 134-7).

Commission is acquired, at the latest, when the customer performs its side of the transaction or should have performed it had the principal performed its own, and must be paid no later than the last day of the month following the quarter in which it accrued (C. com. Art. L 134-9). The right is lost only where the principal establishes that the contract with the customer will not be performed for reasons not attributable to the principal (C. com. Art. L 134-10). The principal must deliver a quarterly commission statement, and the agent may demand the accounting information needed to verify it, whether or not it enjoys exclusivity (C. com. Art. R 134-3; Cass. com., 17 mai 2023, n° 22-11.463). Clauses derogating from these rules to the agent's detriment are deemed unwritten (C. com. Art. L 134-16). Before fixing the rate, both sides should calculate what the commercial agent's commission in France will actually produce on real order flows, because the statutory basis reaches sales the parties do not always expect to be commissionable.

Choice of law and jurisdiction

Foreign principals regularly submit the contract to their own law, and within limits that choice is effective. Where the agent carries on its activity in the European Union, however, the protective termination provisions derived from Directive 86/653 are internationally mandatory and apply despite the choice of a non-member State's law (CJEU, 9 Nov. 2000, C-381/98, Ingmar). Conversely, an agent performing the contract outside the EU cannot rely on that protection (CJEU, 16 Feb. 2017, C-507/15). Any party negotiating cross-border should therefore determine which law governs its international commercial agency contract before choosing the forum, not after the dispute has arisen.

Would your non-compete clause survive scrutiny?

Two questions test a post-contract restraint against Article L 134-14; a lawyer can then confirm the answer on your actual clause.

Free · 30 seconds

Is your post-contract non-compete clause enforceable?

Handled by a French registered lawyer · Paris Bar (Toque #C2396)

Is the clause in writing and limited to the geographic sector or customer group entrusted to the agent, and to the goods or services of the contract?

The information here does not constitute legal advice and may not fit your situation; always consult a lawyer before acting.

Duties neither party can contract away (C. com. Art. L 134-4)

The contract is a mandate of common interest: the agent develops a clientele whose value both parties share. From that flow reciprocal duties of loyalty and information which the contract cannot exclude (C. com. Art. L 134-4 and L 134-16). The agent must perform its mandate as a good professional and comply with the principal's reasonable instructions (C. com. Art. R 134-1); it answers for the damage its own breaches cause the principal.

The principal's side is more demanding than foreign companies often expect. It must put the agent in a position to perform: provide the documentation for the goods and services concerned, supply the information necessary to performance and, notably, warn the agent within a reasonable time where it foresees that the volume of transactions will be significantly lower than the agent could normally have expected. It must also inform the agent of its acceptance, refusal or non-performance of the transactions the agent has procured (C. com. Art. R 134-2). A principal reorganising its distribution, or planning to cut the product range, must anticipate these duties before acting.

Duration, renewal, assignment and the end of the contract

The contract may be concluded for a fixed or an indefinite term (C. com. Art. L 134-11). A fixed-term contract that both parties continue to perform after expiry becomes, by tacit renewal, a contract for an indefinite term. An indefinite-term contract may be terminated unilaterally subject to notice: one month in the first year, two months in the second, three months from the third year onwards. The parties may lengthen these periods but not shorten them, and the notice owed by the principal may never be shorter than that owed by the agent.

The agent cannot assign the contract without the principal's agreement, and an agent that does assign loses its termination indemnity (C. com. Art. L 134-13). The agent's death ends the contract, the claim passing to the heirs (C. com. Art. L 134-12).

Whatever form the end takes, the statutory scheme applies: an indemnity commonly assessed at around two years' gross commission, lost if not claimed from the principal within one year, and excluded only in the cases Article L 134-13 defines, chief among them serious breach (faute grave) by the agent. Even the simple non-renewal of a fixed term opens the right, and an agent who declines to sign a replacement contract at expiry does not thereby forfeit it (Cass. com., 21 juin 2017, n° 15-29.127). Before giving notice, a principal or an agent should measure what terminating a commercial agency agreement in France entails; where a termination is already in prospect, Petroff Avocats acts to claim or defend a commercial agent's termination indemnity in France.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a French commercial agency agreement have to be in writing?

No. The contract is valid without any writing, and courts regularly recognise agencies that were never signed. Each party may however demand a signed written document recording the terms at any time (C. com. Art. L 134-2), and a written contract is indispensable in practice to fix territory, products, commission and governing law.

Can we submit the contract to a foreign law and avoid the French regime?

Only up to a point. Where the agent operates in the European Union, the protective termination provisions derived from Directive 86/653 apply despite the choice of a non-member State's law (CJEU, 9 Nov. 2000, C-381/98, Ingmar). The choice of law still matters for everything the mandatory rules do not cover, which is why the clause deserves careful drafting rather than omission.

Must the agent be registered, and what happens if it is not?

An agent established in France must register on the special register kept at the commercial court registry (C. com. Art. R 134-6). Registration is an administrative policing measure: its absence does not invalidate the contract, does not deprive the agent of its commission, and cannot be raised as a serious breach by a principal that tolerated it. Foreign agents acting in France temporarily or occasionally are exempt.

Can the agent represent competing brands?

The agent may accept new principals without authorisation, but may not represent a competitor of an existing principal without that principal's agreement (C. com. Art. L 134-3). The contract can tighten this by requiring consent for any new mandate.

Can the principal sell directly to customers in the agent's territory?

In principle yes, even where the agent has exclusivity, provided direct sales do not empty the agent's mission of its substance. But where the agent is entrusted with a territory or customer group, it earns commission on every transaction concluded within it, including sales the principal makes directly (C. com. Art. L 134-6). The contract should say expressly how direct sales are commissioned.

Is a post-contract non-compete clause enforceable against the agent?

Yes, if it is in writing, limited to the sector or customers and the goods covered by the contract, and no longer than two years (C. com. Art. L 134-14). It is void if it prevents the former agent from working at all or does not correspond to the clientele actually entrusted. No financial consideration is required, unlike an employee's non-compete.

What commission is due if the contract says nothing about it?

The agent is entitled to the remuneration customarily allowed in its sector of activity where it operates; failing any usage, to reasonable remuneration taking account of all elements of the transaction (C. com. Art. L 134-5). Silence therefore does not mean no commission; it means a rate fixed by reference points the parties did not choose.

Can the contract exclude the termination indemnity in advance?

No. Any clause derogating from the indemnity to the agent's detriment is deemed unwritten (C. com. Art. L 134-16). The indemnity is excluded only in the cases defined by Article L 134-13: serious breach by the agent, termination initiated by the agent outside specific circumstances, or assignment of the contract by the agent.

Key takeaways on the French commercial agency agreement

Qualification is public policy: the statutory regime applies to any intermediary that in fact negotiates permanently in the principal's name, whatever the contract is called (C. com. Art. L 134-1 and L 134-16).

No writing is required, but each party can demand one: the right to a signed document recording the terms cannot be waived (C. com. Art. L 134-2), and a written contract is where territory, products, commission and governing law get settled.

Registration polices the profession, not the contract: an unregistered agent's contract remains valid and its commission due (C. com. Art. R 134-6).

The commission rules are a floor: acquisition, quarterly payment and the agent's right to verifying information cannot be reduced by contract (C. com. Art. L 134-9, R 134-3 and L 134-16).

A non-compete must be written, correlated and short: sector, customers and goods of the contract only, two years at most, void if it bars all activity (C. com. Art. L 134-14).

The end of the contract is framed by statute: notice of one to three months, an indemnity commonly around two years' gross commission that no clause can exclude, and a one-year deadline to claim it (C. com. Art. L 134-11 and L 134-12).

Drafting, reviewing or about to sign a French commercial agency agreement?

Petroff Avocats advises foreign principals and agents on French agency contracts: qualification of the relationship, drafting and negotiation of the clauses that matter, and the positions to take before signature or termination, with conclusions delivered in English as a written opinion the board can act on. For advice on a specific appointment, contract or dispute, consult our French commercial agency lawyer.

Talk to a French business lawyer

This article is for general information only and reflects French law as published at the date shown above. It does not constitute legal advice. Always seek qualified advice before acting.

C. com. Art. L 134-1Definition of the commercial agent: independent professional negotiating permanently in the name and on behalf of the principalLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-2Each party's unwaivable right to a signed written document recording the contract termsLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-3The agent may accept new principals, but needs consent to represent a competitorLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-4Mandate of common interest; reciprocal duties of loyalty and informationLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-5Remuneration absent a clause: customary rate, failing usage a reasonable remunerationLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-6Commission on transactions during the contract, including territory and customer-group commissionLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-7Commission on transactions concluded after the end of the contractLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-9Acquisition of commission and payment by the end of the month following the quarterLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-10Extinction of the right to commission only for non-performance not attributable to the principalLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-11Fixed or indefinite term; tacit renewal; notice of one to three monthsLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-12Termination indemnity; one-year deadline to notify the claim; heirs' rightsLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-13Exclusions from the indemnity: serious breach, agent-initiated termination, assignmentLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-14Post-contract non-compete: written, correlated to sector, customers and goods, two years maximumLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-15Written opt-out where the agency is accessory to a contract with another principal objectLégifrance
C. com. Art. L 134-16Clauses derogating from the protective provisions are deemed unwrittenLégifrance
C. com. Art. R 134-1 to R 134-3Implementing duties of agent and principal; quarterly commission statements and information rightsLégifrance
C. com. Art. R 134-6Registration on the special register of commercial agents at the commercial court registryLégifrance
Directive 86/653/EECEU directive on the coordination of the laws relating to self-employed commercial agentsEUR-Lex
CJEU, 4 June 2020, C-828/18Negotiation does not require the power to vary prices or termsCJEU
CJEU, 9 Nov. 2000, C-381/98, IngmarThe Directive's termination protections are internationally mandatory for agents operating in the EUCJEU
CJEU, 16 Feb. 2017, C-507/15An agent performing the contract outside the EU cannot rely on the Directive's protectionCJEU
Cass. com., 4 déc. 2007, n° 06-15.137No financial consideration is required for the agent's non-compete clauseCour de cassation
Cass. com., 17 janv. 2012, n° 10-27.701A non-compete clause is void where it prevents the former agent from carrying on any activityCour de cassation
Cass. com., 15 mai 2012, n° 11-18.330A non-compete clause must correspond to the clientele contractually entrusted to the agentCour de cassation
Cass. com., 5 oct. 2022, n° 20-16.665Validity and limits of clauses allowing the principal to withdraw customers from the agentCour de cassation
Cass. com., 21 juin 2017, n° 15-29.127An agent who declines a new contract at expiry of the term does not forfeit the indemnityCour de cassation
Cass. com., 17 mai 2023, n° 22-11.463The agent's right to information verifying its commission does not depend on exclusivityCour de cassation
CA Rennes, 17 déc. 2024Non-registration tolerated by the principal is not a serious breach by the agentCour de cassation

Interactive Tool

French Commercial Agency Agreement - Interactive Explorer & Bilingual Model Contract

A complete model commercial agency agreement under Articles L.134-1 et seq. of the French Commercial Code, for principals and agents. Explore every clause - what it does, whether the underlying rule is mandatory, and the drafting mistakes that get contracts requalified or clauses deemed unwritten - then unfold the full model, article by article, in English or in French. Download either Word version to study before engaging a lawyer.

21Guided clauses

2Languages

4Schedules

4Risk levels

Formation & status

Performance

Remuneration

Duration & exit

Data, compliance & boilerplate

Art. 1 · Formation & status

MandatoryCritical risk if omitted

Purpose and characterisation

What this clause does

Places the contract under the statutory commercial agency regime of Articles L.134-1 et seq. of the French Commercial Code: a mandate of common interest to negotiate permanently, in the name and on behalf of the principal. Characterisation is a matter of substance and public policy - courts look at how the relationship actually operates, not at the label.

Key provisions

Permanent negotiation in the name and on behalf of the principal - the four elements of Article L.134-1
Mandate of common interest, expressly stated
Optional grant of the power to conclude sales, framed by the principal's conditions of sale
Independence declared: no subordination, no partnership, no corporate office

Common drafting mistakes

Calling the contract a 'services agreement' to escape the statute - courts requalify on the facts and the protective regime applies anyway (deemed unwritten clauses, Art. L.134-16)
Granting a power to conclude without tying it to the principal's conditions of sale

Sample clause text

The Principal entrusts to the Agent, who accepts it, a mandate of common interest whose purpose is to negotiate on a permanent basis, in the name and on behalf of the Principal, the sale of the contractual products to the clientele and in the territory defined in Articles 2 and 3.

Complete model contract - English version (21 articles)

Unfold any article to read the full text. This English version is a word-for-word translation of the French original. Download the Word version for offline study.

Download Word document .docx · English version

For information purposes only. This English text is a word-for-word courtesy translation of the French model; only the French version is intended for signature and prevails in case of divergence. The drafting must be tailored to your products, territory and commission structure - always engage a qualified French lawyer before signature.

COMMERCIAL AGENCY AGREEMENT

(Articles L.134-1 to L.134-17 and R.134-1 et seq. of the French Commercial Code)

BETWEEN THE UNDERSIGNED:

The company [●], a [●] (legal form) with a share capital of [●] euros, having its registered office at [●], registered with the Trade and Companies Register of [●] under number [●], represented by [●], in the capacity of [●], duly authorised for the purposes hereof,

Hereinafter referred to as "the Principal",

On the one hand,

AND:

[Option 1 - agent natural person] Mr/Ms [●], born on [●] at [●], of [●] nationality, residing at [●], registered on the special register of commercial agents kept at the registry of the commercial court of [●] under number [●],

[Option 2 - agent legal entity] The company [●], a [●] (legal form) with a share capital of [●] euros, having its registered office at [●], registered with the Trade and Companies Register of [●] under number [●] and on the special register of commercial agents of [●] under number [●], represented by [●], in the capacity of [●],

Hereinafter referred to as "the Agent",

On the other hand,

Hereinafter referred to together as "the Parties".

PREAMBLE

A. The Principal manufactures and markets the following products: [●], under the trademark [●], of which it is the owner (I.N.P.I. filing No. [●] dated [●], class(es) [●]).

B. The Agent, an independent professional, declares that it has the experience, the material, financial and human resources and the skills necessary for the promotion and the negotiation of the sale of such products. It declares that it is bound by no non-compete undertaking, that it is subject to no prohibition from practising and to no measure of a nature to restrict its capacity to contract.

C. The Parties have come together in order to entrust to the Agent, in their common interest, the permanent negotiation of the sale of the contractual products in the territory defined below, with due respect for the independence of each of them and without any relationship of subordination being created between them.

IT HAS BEEN AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1Purpose and characterisation

1.1 The Principal entrusts to the Agent, who accepts it, a mandate of common interest whose purpose is to negotiate on a permanent basis, in the name and on behalf of the Principal, the sale of the contractual products to the clientele and in the territory defined in Articles 2 and 3.

[Option: 1.1 bis - The Agent also has the power to conclude the sale contracts in the name and on behalf of the Principal, in compliance with the conditions of sale referred to in Article 5.3.]

1.2 This agreement is a commercial agency agreement governed by Articles L.134-1 to L.134-17 and R.134-1 et seq. of the French Commercial Code.

1.3 The Agent performs its mission in the capacity of an independent agent. This agreement creates between the Parties no relationship of subordination, no partnership and no corporate office.

Article 2Contractual products

2.1 The products covered by this agreement (the "Products") are the following: [●]. The complete catalogue of the Products appears in Schedule 1.

2.2 If the Principal offers new products for sale, it remains free to entrust their marketing to the Agent or not, and the Agent remains free to accept or refuse it. The integration of new products is recorded in a written amendment.

Article 3Territory, clientele and exclusivity

3.1 The Agent performs its mission in the following territory (the "Territory"): [●], with the following clientele: [●].

[Option A - exclusivity] 3.2 The Principal undertakes, for the duration of this agreement, not to appoint another commercial agent or intermediary for the negotiation of the sale of the Products in the Territory. The Principal retains the right to deal directly with any person belonging to the Territory or to the entrusted clientele; the transactions thus concluded give rise to commission for the benefit of the Agent under the conditions of Article 7.2.

[Option B - without exclusivity] 3.2 This mandate is granted without exclusivity. The Principal retains the right to appoint other intermediaries and to deal directly in the Territory.

3.3 The Agent undertakes not to canvass, without the prior written consent of the Principal, clientele located outside the Territory or not belonging to the entrusted clientele.

Article 4Status of the Agent

4.1 Independence. The Agent freely organises its activity, chooses its working methods and alone bears the costs and charges of its agency as well as the remuneration of its staff, for whom it alone answers.

4.2 Registration. The Agent declares that it is registered on the special register of commercial agents under number [●]. It undertakes to maintain that registration for the entire duration of the agreement, to renew it within the required time limits and to provide evidence of it at the Principal's first request.

4.3 Vigilance. In accordance with Articles L.8222-1 and D.8222-5 of the French Labour Code, the Agent delivers to the Principal, upon signature hereof and then every six months until the termination of the agreement: (i) a certificate of vigilance issued by the body responsible for collecting social security contributions, less than six months old, the authenticity of which the Principal verifies; and (ii) proof of registration (extract from the special register of commercial agents and, where applicable, extract of registration with the Trade and Companies Register). In accordance with Articles L.8254-1 and D.8254-2 of the French Labour Code, the Agent also delivers to the Principal, at the same intervals, either a sworn statement certifying that it employs no foreign employee subject to a work permit and no person in an irregular situation, or the nominative list of the foreign employees subject to a work permit, specifying for each of them the date of hiring, the nationality and the type and serial number of the document constituting a work permit. An Agent established abroad delivers the equivalent documents provided for by the applicable regulations. The failure to deliver these documents, not remedied under the conditions of Article 11.3, constitutes a contractual breach.

4.4 Plurality of mandates. In accordance with Article L.134-3 of the French Commercial Code, the Agent may accept the representation of new principals without authorisation. It may not, however, accept the representation of an undertaking competing with the Principal without the latter's prior written consent.

4.5 Sub-agents. The Agent may engage or substitute sub-agents for the performance of this agreement only with the prior written consent of the Principal. It answers for the acts of its sub-agents as for its own and alone bears their remuneration.

4.6 Insurance. The Agent takes out and maintains professional civil liability insurance covering its activity and provides evidence of it at first request.

Article 5Obligations of the Agent

5.1 The Agent performs its mandate as a good professional. The relations between the Parties are governed by a reciprocal obligation of loyalty and information, in accordance with Article L.134-4 of the French Commercial Code. The Agent complies with the reasonable instructions of the Principal.

5.2 Canvassing. The Agent canvasses the contractual clientele in the Territory, by all appropriate means, and devotes to its mission the necessary diligence.

5.3 Conditions of sale. The Agent presents and negotiates the Products at the prices, tariffs and general terms and conditions of sale of the Principal appearing in Schedule 2, as amended and communicated by the Principal. It may grant no discount, rebate or refund, nor any derogation from the said conditions, without the prior written consent of the Principal.

5.4 Transmission of orders. The Agent transmits to the Principal every order, in the following form: [●], within a maximum period of [●] days from its receipt. It carries out neither invoicing nor collection, save express written mandate of the Principal.

5.5 Information of the Principal. The Agent keeps the Principal informed of the state and needs of the market, of the actions of competitors, of any difficulty encountered in the performance of its mission and of any payment difficulty or established insolvency of a customer of which it has knowledge. It provides the Principal, each month, with a report on its activity.

5.6 Promotion and advertising. The Agent complies with the commercial and communication policy of the Principal and carries out no advertising or promotional operation relating to the Products without the prior consent of the Principal.

5.7 Intellectual property. The use of the trademark and distinctive signs of the Principal is strictly limited to the performance of this agreement and confers on the Agent no right over them. The Agent at no time becomes owner of the Products.

Article 6Obligations of the Principal

6.1 The Principal puts the Agent in a position to perform its mandate. It provides it with the useful documentation relating to the Products, its tariffs and general terms and conditions of sale, as well as all information necessary for the performance of the agreement, in accordance with Article R.134-2 of the French Commercial Code. The documents delivered upon signature appear in Schedule 2.

6.2 The Principal notifies the Agent within a reasonable time as soon as it anticipates that the volume of transactions will be significantly lower than that which the Agent could normally have expected.

6.3 Orders. The Principal informs the Agent in writing, within [●] days of their receipt, of the acceptance or refusal of any order transmitted, as well as of any non-performance of a transaction negotiated by the Agent. In the absence of a written refusal within that period, the order is deemed accepted. The Principal may refuse an order complying with the conditions of sale only for a legitimate reason, in particular the known insolvency of the customer.

6.4 The Principal issues the sale invoices, collects the prices and carries out, at its own expense and risk, the delivery of the Products.

Article 7Commission

7.1 Rate and basis. The Principal pays the Agent a commission of [●] % calculated on the amount excluding tax of the invoiced sales, after deduction of discounts, rebates and refunds.

7.2 Transactions giving rise to commission. In accordance with Article L.134-6 of the French Commercial Code, commission is due for any commercial transaction concluded during the term of the agreement: (i) where it was concluded as a result of the Agent's intervention; (ii) where it was concluded with a third party whose custom the Agent previously acquired for transactions of the same kind; (iii) the Agent being entrusted with the Territory and the clientele referred to in Article 3, where it was concluded with a person belonging to that Territory or that clientele, even without its intervention, including for sales concluded directly by the Principal.

[Option - to be inserted only if the mandate is granted without exclusivity (Article 3.2, Option B) and if the Parties intend to exclude indirect commission] 7.2 bis By express derogation from Article L.134-6, paragraph 2, of the French Commercial Code, whose non-mandatory character the Parties acknowledge, the transactions concluded without the Agent's intervention with persons belonging to the Territory or the clientele referred to in Article 3 do not give rise to commission. Point (iii) of Article 7.2 is then deemed inapplicable.

7.3 Transactions concluded after the termination of the agreement. In accordance with Article L.134-7 of the French Commercial Code, commission is also due for any transaction concluded after the termination of the agreement: (i) where the transaction is mainly attributable to the Agent's activity during the agreement and was concluded within [●] months of the termination; (ii) where the order of the third party, whose custom the Agent had previously acquired for transactions of the same kind, was received by the Principal or by the Agent before the termination of the agreement. Any sharing with a successor agent takes place under the conditions of Article L.134-8 of the French Commercial Code.

7.4 Accrual. The commission accrues as soon as the Principal has performed the transaction or should have performed it under the agreement concluded with the third party, or as soon as the third party has performed the transaction, and at the latest when the third party has performed its part of the transaction or should have performed it had the Principal performed its own part (Article L.134-9 of the French Commercial Code).

7.5 Extinguishment. The right to commission is extinguished only if it is established that the contract between the third party and the Principal will not be performed and that the non-performance is not due to circumstances attributable to the Principal (Article L.134-10 of the French Commercial Code). Commissions already received in respect of an extinguished right are reimbursed.

7.6 Statements and payment. The Principal delivers to the Agent a statement of the commissions due, setting out all the elements on the basis of which they were calculated, no later than the last day of the month following the quarter during which they accrued; the commissions are paid no later than the same date. The Agent may require from the Principal all information, in particular an extract of the accounting records, necessary to verify the amount of the commissions due to it (Article R.134-3 of the French Commercial Code). Any sum unpaid on its due date bears interest by operation of law at the statutory rate, without prior formal notice.

7.7 Costs. The commission covers on a fixed basis all the costs incurred by the Agent for the performance of its mandate, with the exception of exceptional costs incurred at the written request of the Principal, which are reimbursed against supporting documents.

Article 8Invoicing and VAT

8.1 The commissions give rise to the issue of invoices by the Agent, in compliance with the mandatory particulars and, where applicable, with application of value added tax at the rate in force.

[Option - self-billing mandate] 8.1 bis The Parties agree on a self-billing mandate whereby the Principal issues the commission invoices in the name and on behalf of the Agent, on the basis of the statements referred to in Article 7.6, in accordance with Article 289, I-2 of the French General Tax Code. The Agent retains full responsibility for its invoicing and VAT obligations and has a period of [●] days to dispute any invoice issued on its behalf.

8.2 Where the Principal is a taxable person established outside France and where, pursuant to the VAT territoriality rules, the Agent's supply is not located in France, the invoices are issued exclusive of tax and bear the mention "autoliquidation" (reverse charge), the Principal being responsible for any tax due in the State where it is established.

Article 9Targets

[Optional] 9.1 The Parties may agree on annual commercial targets, set by mutual agreement and appearing in Schedule 3. The targets are reviewed in good faith each year in the light of the state of the market.

[Optional] 9.2 The failure to reach the targets does not, of itself, constitute a serious breach (faute grave) by the Agent. It may justify the termination of the agreement under the conditions of Article 11.1.

Article 10Term

10.1 This agreement is concluded for an indefinite term with effect from [●].

[Option - fixed term] 10.1 This agreement is concluded for a fixed term from [●] to [●]. If it continues to be performed by both Parties after its expiry, it is deemed converted into an agreement for an indefinite term, in accordance with Article L.134-11 of the French Commercial Code.

Article 11Termination

11.1 Termination with notice. Either Party may terminate the agreement of indefinite term by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, subject to a notice period of one month for the first year of the agreement, two months for the second year commenced and three months for the third year commenced and the following years, in accordance with Article L.134-11 of the French Commercial Code. The notice period owed by the Principal may not be shorter than that owed by the Agent.

11.2 Termination without notice. By exception to Article 11.1, the agreement may be terminated without notice in the event of a serious breach (faute grave) by one of the Parties, that is to say a breach of such gravity that it makes the maintenance of the contractual relationship impossible, or in the event of force majeure making the continuation of the agreement impossible.

11.3 Termination for breach. In the event of a breach by one of the Parties of one of its obligations not constituting a serious breach within the meaning of Article 11.2, the other Party gives it formal notice to remedy it by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. In the absence of remedy within a period of [●] days, it may terminate the agreement subject to the notice provided for in Article 11.1, without prejudice to any damages. If the persistence or the aggravation of the breach amounts to a serious breach, Article 11.2 applies.

Article 12Termination indemnity

12.1 In the event of the termination of its relations with the Principal, the Agent is entitled to a compensatory indemnity for the loss suffered, in accordance with Article L.134-12 of the French Commercial Code. In the event of the Agent's death, this right passes to its heirs.

12.2 The Agent loses the right to this indemnity if it has not notified the Principal, within one year of the termination of the agreement, that it intends to assert its rights.

12.3 In accordance with Article L.134-13 of the French Commercial Code, the indemnity is not due: (i) where the termination of the agreement is caused by the serious breach (faute grave) of the Agent; (ii) where the termination is initiated by the Agent, unless it is justified by circumstances attributable to the Principal or by the age, infirmity or illness of the Agent, as a result of which the continuation of its activity can no longer reasonably be required; (iii) where, by agreement with the Principal, the Agent assigns to a third party the rights and obligations it holds under this agreement.

Article 13Post-contractual non-compete

[Optional] 13.1 For a period of [●] (a maximum of two years) from the termination of this agreement, the Agent undertakes not to represent, promote or negotiate products directly or indirectly competing with the Products, with the clientele and in the Territory referred to in Article 3.

[Optional] 13.2 In accordance with Article L.134-14 of the French Commercial Code, this clause is limited to the geographic sector and the clientele entrusted to the Agent and to the type of products covered by this agreement. It does not deprive the Agent of the ability to carry on its professional activity for non-competing products.

Article 14Personal nature of the agreement - assignment

14.1 This agreement is concluded intuitu personae. The Agent may assign or transfer this agreement, free of charge or for consideration, in whole or in part, only with the prior written consent of the Principal. It is recalled that an Agent who assigns its agreement to a third party loses its right to the termination indemnity (Article L.134-13, 3° of the French Commercial Code).

14.2 Where the Agent is a legal entity, it informs the Principal in advance of any proposed change of control. The Principal may then terminate the agreement under the conditions of Article 11.1.

Article 15Effects of the termination of the agreement

15.1 Upon the termination of the agreement, for any reason whatsoever, the Agent immediately ceases every act of representation on behalf of the Principal, ceases all use of the trademark and distinctive signs of the Principal and returns all the documents, tariffs, samples and materials delivered to it, together with the customer file under the conditions of Article 16.1.

15.2 The termination of the agreement is without effect on the commissions remaining due to the Agent, in particular under Article 7.3, or on the rights referred to in Article 12.

Article 16Customer file and personal data

16.1 Customer file. The clientele canvassed and developed under this agreement, as well as the customer file and all the data and information relating to it, belong to the Principal, without prejudice to the Agent's rights under Articles 7 and 12. Upon the termination of the agreement, the Agent delivers to the Principal the up-to-date customer file and retains no copy of it, subject to its statutory retention obligations.

16.2 Personal data. Each Party complies, for the processing of personal data carried out for the purposes of this agreement, with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 (GDPR) and with Law No. 78-17 of 6 January 1978 as amended.

[Option A] 16.3 For the processing relating to the data of the Principal's customers and prospects, the Agent acts in the capacity of processor of the Principal within the meaning of Article 28 of the GDPR; the stipulations required by that provision (documented instructions, confidentiality, security, sub-processing, assistance, fate of the data) appear in Schedule 4.

[Option B] 16.3 Each Party acts in the capacity of a separate controller for the processing it carries out for its own purposes. Each Party informs the other, without undue delay, of any data breach liable to affect the data exchanged under this agreement.

Article 17Confidentiality

17.1 Each Party undertakes, during the term of the agreement and for [●] years after its termination, to keep confidential the commercial, technical and financial information of the other Party of which it has knowledge in connection with this agreement, and to have this obligation observed by its employees, agents and subcontractors.

Article 18Compliance

18.1 Anti-corruption. Each Party declares that it complies, and undertakes to comply for the entire duration of the agreement, with the applicable laws and regulations on the fight against corruption and influence peddling, in particular Law No. 2016-1691 of 9 December 2016 and, where applicable, any foreign anti-corruption legislation applicable to either Party. The Agent undertakes not to offer, promise or grant, directly or indirectly, any undue advantage to anyone in connection with this agreement.

18.2 International sanctions. The Agent declares that neither it nor its officers appear on any sanctions or asset-freeze list adopted by France, the European Union or the United Nations, or on any other sanctions list applicable to the Principal. It undertakes not to negotiate transactions for the benefit of persons or entities, or towards territories, covered by such measures.

18.3 Any breach of the stipulations of this article may justify the termination of the agreement under the conditions of Article 11, without prejudice to any damages.

18.4 Non-solicitation. During the term of the agreement and for [●] months after its termination, each Party undertakes not to solicit or hire, directly or indirectly, any employee or collaborator of the other Party having taken part in the performance of this agreement, save with the latter's prior written consent.

Article 19Force majeure

19.1 Neither Party is liable for the non-performance of an obligation rendered impossible by an event of force majeure within the meaning of Article 1218 of the French Civil Code. The affected Party notifies the other Party of the event without delay; the obligations concerned are suspended for the duration of the impediment.

19.2 If the impediment is permanent, or if the suspension exceeds [●] days, either of the Parties may terminate the agreement by written notification, without prejudice to the rights arisen prior to the termination and to Articles 7.3 and 12.

Article 20Miscellaneous provisions

20.1 Notifications. Any notification under this agreement is made by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the addresses appearing at the head hereof. The Parties elect domicile at the said addresses; any change of address is enforceable only after notification in the same form.

20.2 Entire agreement - amendment. This agreement and its schedules express the entirety of the Parties' agreement. Any modification is recorded in a written rider signed by both Parties, each Party being entitled to require from the other a written document recording the agreement and its riders, in accordance with Article L.134-2 of the French Commercial Code.

20.3 Partial nullity. If a stipulation of this agreement is null or deemed unwritten, the other stipulations retain their full effect.

20.4 No waiver. The fact for a Party of not relying on a breach by the other Party does not amount to a waiver of the right to rely on it subsequently.

20.5 Electronic signature. This agreement and its riders may be signed electronically under the conditions of Articles 1366 and 1367 of the French Civil Code, such a signature having the same value as a handwritten signature.

Article 21Governing law - jurisdiction

21.1 This agreement is governed by French law.

21.2 Amicable settlement. In the event of a dispute relating to this agreement, the Parties first endeavour to resolve it amicably. In the absence of resolution within a period of thirty (30) days following the formal notice served by the more diligent Party, each of the Parties is free to bring any proceedings, save for urgency or the necessity of protective measures, which are not subject to this precondition.

21.3 Any dispute relating to the validity, the interpretation, the performance or the termination of this agreement is submitted to the competent courts in Paris, France.

Executed in [●], on [●], in two original copies.

The Principal - [●], represented by [●]

The Agent - [●]

SCHEDULES

Schedules 1 to 4

Schedule 1Catalogue of the contractual Products

[Insert the catalogue of the Products.]

Schedule 2Tariffs, general terms and conditions of sale and documents delivered to the Agent

[Insert the tariffs, the general terms and conditions of sale and the list of the documents delivered.]

Schedule 3Commercial targets [where applicable]

[Insert the agreed targets.]

Schedule 4Data processing agreement (Article 28 GDPR) [where applicable]

[To be inserted if Option A of Article 16.3 is retained.]

Contrat type complet - version française (21 articles)

Dépliez chaque article pour lire le texte intégral. Téléchargez la version Word pour l'étudier hors ligne et la compléter avec votre avocat.

Télécharger le document Word .docx · version française

À titre d'information uniquement. Ce modèle doit être adapté à vos produits, votre territoire et votre structure de commission ; les options signalées entre crochets appellent un choix. Consultez un avocat qualifié avant toute signature.

CONTRAT D’AGENT COMMERCIAL

(articles L.134-1 à L.134-17 et R.134-1 et suivants du Code de commerce)

ENTRE LES SOUSSIGNÉS :

La société [●], [●] (forme sociale), au capital de [●] euros, dont le siège social est situé [●], immatriculée au registre du commerce et des sociétés de [●] sous le numéro [●], représentée par [●], en qualité de [●], dûment habilité(e) aux fins des présentes,

Ci-après désignée « le Mandant »,

D’une part,

ET :

[Option 1 - agent personne physique] M./Mme [●], né(e) le [●] à [●], de nationalité [●], demeurant [●], immatriculé(e) au registre spécial des agents commerciaux tenu au greffe du tribunal de commerce de [●] sous le numéro [●],

[Option 2 - agent personne morale] La société [●], [●] (forme sociale), au capital de [●] euros, dont le siège social est situé [●], immatriculée au registre du commerce et des sociétés de [●] sous le numéro [●] et au registre spécial des agents commerciaux de [●] sous le numéro [●], représentée par [●], en qualité de [●],

Ci-après désigné(e) « l’Agent »,

D’autre part,

Ci-après désignés ensemble « les Parties ».

PRÉAMBULE

A. Le Mandant fabrique et commercialise les produits suivants : [●], sous la marque [●], dont il est titulaire (dépôt I.N.P.I. n° [●] du [●], classe(s) [●]).

B. L’Agent, professionnel indépendant, déclare disposer de l’expérience, des moyens matériels, financiers et humains ainsi que des compétences nécessaires à la promotion et à la négociation de la vente de tels produits. Il déclare n’être tenu par aucun engagement de non-concurrence, n’être frappé d’aucune interdiction d’exercer et n’être soumis à aucune mesure de nature à restreindre sa capacité de contracter.

C. Les Parties se sont rapprochées afin de confier à l’Agent, dans leur intérêt commun, la négociation permanente de la vente des produits contractuels dans le territoire défini ci-après, dans le respect de l’indépendance de chacune d’elles et sans qu’aucun lien de subordination ne soit créé entre elles.

IL A ÉTÉ CONVENU CE QUI SUIT :

Article 1Objet et qualification

1.1 Le Mandant confie à l’Agent, qui l’accepte, un mandat d’intérêt commun ayant pour objet de négocier de façon permanente, au nom et pour le compte du Mandant, la vente des produits contractuels auprès de la clientèle et dans le territoire définis aux articles 2 et 3.

[Option : 1.1 bis - L’Agent dispose également du pouvoir de conclure les contrats de vente au nom et pour le compte du Mandant, dans le respect des conditions de vente visées à l’article 5.3.]

1.2 Le présent contrat est un contrat d’agence commerciale régi par les articles L.134-1 à L.134-17 et R.134-1 et suivants du Code de commerce.

1.3 L’Agent exerce sa mission en qualité de mandataire indépendant. Le présent contrat ne crée entre les Parties aucun lien de subordination, aucune société ni aucun mandat social.

Article 2Produits contractuels

2.1 Les produits objets du présent contrat (les « Produits ») sont les suivants : [●]. Le catalogue complet des Produits figure en Annexe 1.

2.2 Si le Mandant met en vente de nouveaux produits, il demeure libre d’en confier ou non la commercialisation à l’Agent, qui demeure libre de l’accepter ou de la refuser. L’intégration de nouveaux produits fait l’objet d’un avenant écrit.

Article 3Territoire, clientèle et exclusivité

3.1 L’Agent exerce sa mission dans le territoire suivant (le « Territoire ») : [●], auprès de la clientèle suivante : [●].

[Option A - exclusivité] 3.2 Le Mandant s’interdit, pendant la durée du présent contrat, de désigner un autre agent commercial ou intermédiaire pour la négociation de la vente des Produits dans le Territoire. Le Mandant conserve la faculté de traiter directement avec toute personne appartenant au Territoire ou à la clientèle confiée ; les opérations ainsi conclues ouvrent droit à commission au profit de l’Agent dans les conditions de l’article 7.2.

[Option B - sans exclusivité] 3.2 Le présent mandat est conféré sans exclusivité. Le Mandant conserve la faculté de désigner d’autres intermédiaires et de traiter directement dans le Territoire.

3.3 L’Agent s’interdit, sans accord préalable et écrit du Mandant, de prospecter la clientèle située hors du Territoire ou n’appartenant pas à la clientèle confiée.

Article 4Statut de l’Agent

4.1 Indépendance. L’Agent organise librement son activité, choisit ses méthodes de travail et supporte seul les frais et charges de son agence ainsi que la rémunération de son personnel, dont il répond seul.

4.2 Immatriculation. L’Agent déclare être immatriculé au registre spécial des agents commerciaux sous le numéro [●]. Il s’engage à maintenir cette immatriculation pendant toute la durée du contrat, à procéder à son renouvellement dans les délais requis et à en justifier à première demande du Mandant.

4.3 Vigilance. Conformément aux articles L.8222-1 et D.8222-5 du Code du travail, l’Agent remet au Mandant, à la signature des présentes puis tous les six mois jusqu’à la cessation du contrat : (i) une attestation de vigilance délivrée par l’organisme de recouvrement des cotisations sociales, datant de moins de six mois, dont le Mandant vérifie l’authenticité ; et (ii) un justificatif d’immatriculation (extrait du registre spécial des agents commerciaux et, le cas échéant, extrait d’immatriculation au registre du commerce et des sociétés). Conformément aux articles L.8254-1 et D.8254-2 du Code du travail, l’Agent remet en outre au Mandant, selon la même périodicité, soit une attestation sur l’honneur certifiant qu’il n’emploie aucun salarié étranger soumis à autorisation de travail ni aucune personne en situation irrégulière, soit la liste nominative des salariés étrangers soumis à autorisation de travail, précisant pour chacun sa date d’embauche, sa nationalité ainsi que le type et le numéro d’ordre du titre valant autorisation de travail. L’Agent établi à l’étranger remet les documents équivalents prévus par la réglementation applicable. Le défaut de remise de ces documents, non régularisé dans les conditions de l’article 11.3, constitue un manquement contractuel.

4.4 Cumul de mandats. Conformément à l’article L.134-3 du Code de commerce, l’Agent peut accepter sans autorisation la représentation de nouveaux mandants. Il ne peut toutefois accepter la représentation d’une entreprise concurrente du Mandant sans l’accord écrit et préalable de celui-ci.

4.5 Sous-agents. L’Agent ne peut s’adjoindre ou se substituer de sous-agents pour l’exécution du présent contrat qu’avec l’accord préalable et écrit du Mandant. Il répond des actes de ses sous-agents comme des siens propres et supporte seul leur rémunération.

4.6 Assurance. L’Agent souscrit et maintient une assurance de responsabilité civile professionnelle couvrant son activité et en justifie à première demande.

Article 5Obligations de l’Agent

5.1 L’Agent exécute son mandat en bon professionnel. Les rapports entre les Parties sont régis par une obligation réciproque de loyauté et d’information, conformément à l’article L.134-4 du Code de commerce. L’Agent se conforme aux instructions raisonnables du Mandant.

5.2 Prospection. L’Agent démarche la clientèle contractuelle sur le Territoire, par tous moyens appropriés, et consacre à sa mission les diligences nécessaires.

5.3 Conditions de vente. L’Agent présente et négocie les Produits aux prix, tarifs et conditions générales de vente du Mandant figurant en Annexe 2, tels que modifiés et communiqués par le Mandant. Il ne peut consentir aucune remise, rabais ou ristourne, ni aucune dérogation auxdites conditions, sans l’accord écrit et préalable du Mandant.

5.4 Transmission des commandes. L’Agent transmet au Mandant toute commande, sous la forme suivante : [●], dans un délai maximal de [●] jours à compter de sa réception. Il ne procède ni à la facturation ni à l’encaissement, sauf mandat exprès et écrit du Mandant.

5.5 Information du Mandant. L’Agent tient le Mandant informé de l’état et des besoins du marché, des actions de la concurrence, de toute difficulté rencontrée dans l’exécution de sa mission et de toute difficulté de paiement ou d’insolvabilité avérée d’un client dont il a connaissance. Il communique au Mandant, chaque mois, un compte rendu de son activité.

5.6 Promotion et publicité. L’Agent respecte la politique commerciale et de communication du Mandant et ne réalise aucune opération de publicité ou de promotion relative aux Produits sans l’accord préalable du Mandant.

5.7 Propriété intellectuelle. L’usage de la marque et des signes distinctifs du Mandant est strictement limité à l’exécution du présent contrat et ne confère à l’Agent aucun droit sur ceux-ci. L’Agent ne devient à aucun moment propriétaire des Produits.

Article 6Obligations du Mandant

6.1 Le Mandant met l’Agent en mesure d’exécuter son mandat. Il lui remet la documentation utile relative aux Produits, ses tarifs et conditions générales de vente, ainsi que toute information nécessaire à l’exécution du contrat, conformément à l’article R.134-2 du Code de commerce. Les documents remis à la signature figurent en Annexe 2.

6.2 Le Mandant avertit l’Agent dans un délai raisonnable dès qu’il prévoit que le volume des opérations sera sensiblement inférieur à celui auquel l’Agent pouvait normalement s’attendre.

6.3 Commandes. Le Mandant informe l’Agent par écrit, dans un délai de [●] jours à compter de leur réception, de l’acceptation ou du refus de toute commande transmise, ainsi que de toute inexécution d’une opération négociée par l’Agent. À défaut de refus écrit dans ce délai, la commande est réputée acceptée. Le Mandant ne peut refuser une commande conforme aux conditions de vente que pour un motif légitime, notamment l’insolvabilité connue du client.

6.4 Le Mandant établit les factures de vente, encaisse les prix et assure, à sa charge et à ses risques, la livraison des Produits.

Article 7Commission

7.1 Taux et assiette. Le Mandant verse à l’Agent une commission de [●] % calculée sur le montant hors taxes des ventes facturées, rabais, remises et ristournes déduits.

7.2 Opérations ouvrant droit à commission. Conformément à l’article L.134-6 du Code de commerce, la commission est due pour toute opération commerciale conclue pendant la durée du contrat : (i) lorsqu’elle a été conclue grâce à l’intervention de l’Agent ; (ii) lorsqu’elle a été conclue avec un tiers dont l’Agent a obtenu antérieurement la clientèle pour des opérations du même genre ; (iii) l’Agent étant chargé du Territoire et de la clientèle visés à l’article 3, lorsqu’elle a été conclue avec une personne appartenant à ce Territoire ou à cette clientèle, même sans son intervention, y compris pour les ventes conclues directement par le Mandant.

[Option - à insérer uniquement si le mandat est conféré sans exclusivité (article 3.2, Option B) et si les Parties entendent écarter la commission indirecte] 7.2 bis Par dérogation expresse à l’article L.134-6, alinéa 2, du Code de commerce, dont les Parties reconnaissent le caractère supplétif, les opérations conclues sans l’intervention de l’Agent avec des personnes appartenant au Territoire ou à la clientèle visés à l’article 3 n’ouvrent pas droit à commission. Le point (iii) de l’article 7.2 est alors réputé non applicable.

7.3 Opérations conclues après la cessation du contrat. Conformément à l’article L.134-7 du Code de commerce, la commission est également due pour toute opération conclue après la cessation du contrat : (i) lorsque l’opération est principalement due à l’activité de l’Agent au cours du contrat et a été conclue dans un délai de [●] mois à compter de la cessation ; (ii) lorsque la commande du tiers, dont l’Agent avait antérieurement obtenu la clientèle pour des opérations du même genre, a été reçue par le Mandant ou par l’Agent avant la cessation du contrat. Le partage éventuel avec un agent successeur s’opère dans les conditions de l’article L.134-8 du Code de commerce.

7.4 Acquisition. La commission est acquise dès que le Mandant a exécuté l’opération ou devrait l’avoir exécutée en vertu de l’accord conclu avec le tiers, ou dès que le tiers a exécuté l’opération, et au plus tard lorsque le tiers a exécuté sa part de l’opération ou devrait l’avoir exécutée si le Mandant avait exécuté la sienne (article L.134-9 du Code de commerce).

7.5 Extinction. Le droit à commission ne s’éteint que s’il est établi que le contrat entre le tiers et le Mandant ne sera pas exécuté et que l’inexécution n’est pas due à des circonstances imputables au Mandant (article L.134-10 du Code de commerce). Les commissions déjà perçues à raison d’un droit éteint sont remboursées.

7.6 Relevés et paiement. Le Mandant remet à l’Agent un relevé des commissions dues, mentionnant tous les éléments sur la base desquels elles ont été calculées, au plus tard le dernier jour du mois suivant le trimestre au cours duquel elles sont acquises ; les commissions sont payées au plus tard à la même date. L’Agent peut exiger du Mandant toutes informations, en particulier un extrait des documents comptables, nécessaires pour vérifier le montant des commissions qui lui sont dues (article R.134-3 du Code de commerce). Toute somme non payée à son échéance porte intérêts de plein droit au taux légal, sans mise en demeure préalable.

7.7 Frais. La commission couvre forfaitairement l’ensemble des frais exposés par l’Agent pour l’exécution de son mandat, à l’exception des frais exceptionnels engagés à la demande écrite du Mandant, qui sont remboursés sur justificatifs.

Article 8Facturation et TVA

8.1 Les commissions donnent lieu à l’émission de factures par l’Agent, dans le respect des mentions obligatoires et, le cas échéant, avec application de la taxe sur la valeur ajoutée au taux en vigueur.

[Option - mandat de facturation] 8.1 bis Les Parties conviennent d’un mandat de facturation par lequel le Mandant établit les factures de commissions au nom et pour le compte de l’Agent, sur la base des relevés visés à l’article 7.6, conformément à l’article 289, I-2 du Code général des impôts. L’Agent conserve l’entière responsabilité de ses obligations en matière de facturation et de TVA et dispose d’un délai de [●] jours pour contester toute facture émise pour son compte.

8.2 Lorsque le Mandant est un assujetti établi hors de France et que, en application des règles de territorialité de la TVA, la prestation de l’Agent n’est pas située en France, les factures sont émises hors taxes et portent la mention « autoliquidation », le Mandant faisant son affaire de la taxe éventuellement due dans l’État où il est établi.

Article 9Objectifs

[Optionnel] 9.1 Les Parties peuvent convenir d’objectifs commerciaux annuels, fixés d’un commun accord et figurant en Annexe 3. Les objectifs sont examinés de bonne foi chaque année au regard de l’état du marché.

[Optionnel] 9.2 La non-atteinte des objectifs ne constitue pas, à elle seule, une faute grave de l’Agent. Elle peut justifier la résiliation du contrat dans les conditions de l’article 11.1.

Article 10Durée

10.1 Le présent contrat est conclu pour une durée indéterminée à compter du [●].

[Option - durée déterminée] 10.1 Le présent contrat est conclu pour une durée déterminée du [●] au [●]. S’il continue à être exécuté par les deux Parties après son terme, il est réputé transformé en contrat à durée indéterminée, conformément à l’article L.134-11 du Code de commerce.

Article 11Résiliation

11.1 Résiliation moyennant préavis. Chacune des Parties peut résilier le contrat à durée indéterminée par lettre recommandée avec demande d’avis de réception, moyennant un préavis d’un mois pour la première année du contrat, de deux mois pour la deuxième année commencée et de trois mois pour la troisième année commencée et les années suivantes, conformément à l’article L.134-11 du Code de commerce. Le délai de préavis dû par le Mandant ne peut être plus court que celui dû par l’Agent.

11.2 Résiliation sans préavis. Par exception à l’article 11.1, le contrat peut être résilié sans préavis en cas de faute grave de l’une des Parties, c’est-à-dire d’un manquement d’une gravité telle qu’elle rend impossible le maintien du lien contractuel, ou en cas de force majeure rendant impossible la poursuite du contrat.

11.3 Résiliation pour manquement. En cas de manquement de l’une des Parties à l’une de ses obligations ne constituant pas une faute grave au sens de l’article 11.2, l’autre Partie le met en demeure de le réparer par lettre recommandée avec demande d’avis de réception. À défaut de régularisation dans un délai de [●] jours, elle peut résilier le contrat moyennant le préavis prévu à l’article 11.1, sans préjudice de tous dommages-intérêts. Si la persistance ou l’aggravation du manquement caractérise une faute grave, l’article 11.2 s’applique.

Article 12Indemnité de cessation de contrat

12.1 En cas de cessation de ses relations avec le Mandant, l’Agent a droit à une indemnité compensatrice en réparation du préjudice subi, conformément à l’article L.134-12 du Code de commerce. En cas de décès de l’Agent, ce droit bénéficie à ses ayants droit.

12.2 L’Agent perd le droit à cette indemnité s’il n’a pas notifié au Mandant, dans un délai d’un an à compter de la cessation du contrat, qu’il entend faire valoir ses droits.

12.3 Conformément à l’article L.134-13 du Code de commerce, l’indemnité n’est pas due : (i) en cas de cessation du contrat provoquée par la faute grave de l’Agent ; (ii) en cas de cessation à l’initiative de l’Agent, à moins qu’elle ne soit justifiée par des circonstances imputables au Mandant ou dues à l’âge, l’infirmité ou la maladie de l’Agent, par suite desquels la poursuite de son activité ne peut plus être raisonnablement exigée ; (iii) lorsque, en accord avec le Mandant, l’Agent cède à un tiers les droits et obligations qu’il détient en vertu du présent contrat.

Article 13Non-concurrence post-contractuelle

[Optionnel] 13.1 Pendant une durée de [●] (au maximum deux ans) à compter de la cessation du présent contrat, l’Agent s’interdit de représenter, promouvoir ou négocier des produits directement ou indirectement concurrents des Produits, auprès de la clientèle et dans le Territoire visés à l’article 3.

[Optionnel] 13.2 Conformément à l’article L.134-14 du Code de commerce, la présente clause est limitée au secteur géographique et à la clientèle confiés à l’Agent ainsi qu’au type de produits objet du présent contrat. Elle ne prive pas l’Agent de la faculté d’exercer son activité professionnelle pour des produits non concurrents.

Article 14Caractère personnel du contrat - cession

14.1 Le présent contrat est conclu intuitu personae. L’Agent ne peut céder ou transmettre le présent contrat, à titre gratuit ou onéreux, en tout ou partie, qu’avec l’accord écrit et préalable du Mandant. Il est rappelé que l’Agent qui cède son contrat à un tiers perd son droit à l’indemnité de cessation (article L.134-13, 3° du Code de commerce).

14.2 Lorsque l’Agent est une personne morale, il informe préalablement le Mandant de tout projet de changement de contrôle. Le Mandant peut alors résilier le contrat dans les conditions de l’article 11.1.

Article 15Effets de la cessation du contrat

15.1 À la cessation du contrat, pour quelque cause que ce soit, l’Agent cesse immédiatement tout acte de représentation pour le compte du Mandant, cesse tout usage de la marque et des signes distinctifs du Mandant et restitue l’ensemble des documents, tarifs, échantillons et matériels qui lui ont été remis, ainsi que le fichier clients dans les conditions de l’article 16.1.

15.2 La cessation du contrat est sans effet sur les commissions demeurant dues à l’Agent, notamment au titre de l’article 7.3, ni sur les droits visés à l’article 12.

Article 16Fichier clients et données personnelles

16.1 Fichier clients. La clientèle prospectée et développée au titre du présent contrat, ainsi que le fichier clients et l’ensemble des données et informations qui s’y rapportent, appartiennent au Mandant, sans préjudice des droits de l’Agent au titre des articles 7 et 12. À la cessation du contrat, l’Agent remet au Mandant le fichier clients à jour et n’en conserve aucune copie, sous réserve de ses obligations légales de conservation.

16.2 Données personnelles. Chaque Partie se conforme, pour les traitements de données à caractère personnel mis en œuvre pour les besoins du présent contrat, au règlement (UE) 2016/679 du 27 avril 2016 (RGPD) et à la loi n° 78-17 du 6 janvier 1978 modifiée.

[Option A] 16.3 Pour les traitements portant sur les données des clients et prospects du Mandant, l’Agent agit en qualité de sous-traitant du Mandant au sens de l’article 28 du RGPD ; les stipulations requises par ce texte (instructions documentées, confidentialité, sécurité, sous-traitance ultérieure, assistance, sort des données) figurent en Annexe 4.

[Option B] 16.3 Chaque Partie agit en qualité de responsable de traitement distinct pour les traitements qu’elle met en œuvre à ses propres fins. Chaque Partie informe l’autre, sans délai injustifié, de toute violation de données susceptible d’affecter les données échangées au titre du présent contrat.

Article 17Confidentialité

17.1 Chaque Partie s’engage, pendant la durée du contrat et pendant [●] ans après sa cessation, à garder confidentiels les renseignements commerciaux, techniques et financiers de l’autre Partie dont elle a connaissance à l’occasion du présent contrat, et à faire respecter cette obligation par ses employés, mandataires et sous-traitants.

Article 18Conformité

18.1 Anticorruption. Chaque Partie déclare se conformer, et s’engage à se conformer pendant toute la durée du contrat, aux lois et règlements applicables en matière de lutte contre la corruption et le trafic d’influence, notamment la loi n° 2016-1691 du 9 décembre 2016 ainsi que, le cas échéant, toute législation anticorruption étrangère applicable à l’une des Parties. L’Agent s’interdit d’offrir, de promettre ou d’accorder, directement ou indirectement, tout avantage indu à quiconque en lien avec le présent contrat.

18.2 Sanctions internationales. L’Agent déclare que ni lui, ni ses dirigeants, ne figurent sur une liste de sanctions ou de gel des avoirs adoptée par la France, l’Union européenne ou l’Organisation des Nations unies, ni sur toute autre liste de sanctions applicable au Mandant. Il s’interdit de négocier des opérations au profit de personnes, d’entités ou vers des territoires visés par de telles mesures.

18.3 Tout manquement aux stipulations du présent article peut justifier la résiliation du contrat dans les conditions de l’article 11, sans préjudice de tous dommages-intérêts.

18.4 Non-sollicitation. Pendant la durée du contrat et pendant [●] mois après sa cessation, chaque Partie s’interdit de solliciter ou d’embaucher, directement ou indirectement, tout salarié ou collaborateur de l’autre Partie ayant participé à l’exécution du présent contrat, sauf accord écrit préalable de celle-ci.

Article 19Force majeure

19.1 Aucune Partie ne répond de l’inexécution d’une obligation rendue impossible par un événement de force majeure au sens de l’article 1218 du Code civil. La Partie affectée notifie l’événement à l’autre Partie sans délai ; les obligations concernées sont suspendues pendant la durée de l’empêchement.

19.2 Si l’empêchement est définitif, ou si la suspension excède [●] jours, chacune des Parties peut résilier le contrat par notification écrite, sans préjudice des droits nés antérieurement à la résiliation et des articles 7.3 et 12.

Article 20Dispositions diverses

20.1 Notifications. Toute notification au titre du présent contrat est faite par lettre recommandée avec demande d’avis de réception aux adresses figurant en tête des présentes. Les Parties font élection de domicile auxdites adresses ; tout changement d’adresse n’est opposable qu’après notification dans les mêmes formes.

20.2 Intégralité - modification. Le présent contrat et ses annexes expriment l’intégralité de l’accord des Parties. Toute modification fait l’objet d’un avenant écrit signé des deux Parties, chaque Partie pouvant exiger de l’autre un écrit constatant le contrat et ses avenants, conformément à l’article L.134-2 du Code de commerce.

20.3 Nullité partielle. Si une stipulation du présent contrat est nulle ou réputée non écrite, les autres stipulations conservent leur plein effet.

20.4 Non-renonciation. Le fait pour une Partie de ne pas se prévaloir d’un manquement de l’autre Partie ne vaut pas renonciation à s’en prévaloir ultérieurement.

20.5 Signature électronique. Le présent contrat et ses avenants peuvent être signés par voie électronique dans les conditions des articles 1366 et 1367 du Code civil, une telle signature ayant la même valeur qu’une signature manuscrite.

Article 21Loi applicable - compétence

21.1 Le présent contrat est soumis au droit français.

21.2 Règlement amiable. En cas de différend relatif au présent contrat, les Parties s’efforcent d’abord de le résoudre à l’amiable. À défaut de résolution dans un délai de trente (30) jours suivant la mise en demeure notifiée par la Partie la plus diligente, chacune des Parties est libre d’engager toute poursuite, sauf urgence ou nécessité de mesures conservatoires, qui ne sont pas soumises à ce préalable.

21.3 Tout litige relatif à la validité, l’interprétation, l’exécution ou la cessation du présent contrat est soumis aux tribunaux compétents à Paris, France.

Fait à [●], le [●], en deux exemplaires originaux.

Le Mandant - [●], représenté par [●]

L’Agent - [●]

ANNEXES

Annexes 1 à 4

Annexe 1Catalogue des Produits contractuels

[Insérer le catalogue des Produits.]

Annexe 2Tarifs, conditions générales de vente et documents remis à l’Agent

[Insérer les tarifs, les conditions générales de vente et la liste des documents remis.]

Annexe 3Objectifs commerciaux [le cas échéant]

[Insérer les objectifs convenus.]

Annexe 4Accord de traitement des données (article 28 RGPD) [le cas échéant]

[À insérer si l’Option A de l’article 16.3 est retenue.]

Need your French commercial agency agreement drafted or reviewed?

Our firm drafts, reviews and negotiates commercial agency agreements for foreign principals and agents - in English and French, tailored to your products, territory, commission structure and exit strategy.

Request a review

Sales Agency

Two years to end it?

Ending a French agency means an indemnity of about two years' commission that no clause in your contract can take away.

Ask a French Lawyer

Key Legal References

Definition of the commercial agent: independent professional negotiating permanently in the name and on behalf of the principal

C. com. Art. L 134-1

Each party's unwaivable right to a signed written document recording the contract terms

C. com. Art. L 134-2

The agent may accept new principals, but needs consent to represent a competitor

C. com. Art. L 134-3

Mandate of common interest; reciprocal duties of loyalty and information

C. com. Art. L 134-4

Remuneration absent a clause: customary rate, failing usage a reasonable remuneration

C. com. Art. L 134-5

Commission on transactions during the contract, including territory and customer-group commission

C. com. Art. L 134-6

Commission on transactions concluded after the end of the contract

C. com. Art. L 134-7

Acquisition of commission and payment by the end of the month following the quarter

C. com. Art. L 134-9

Extinction of the right to commission only for non-performance not attributable to the principal

C. com. Art. L 134-10

Fixed or indefinite term; tacit renewal; notice of one to three months

C. com. Art. L 134-11

Termination indemnity; one-year deadline to notify the claim; heirs' rights

C. com. Art. L 134-12

Exclusions from the indemnity: serious breach, agent-initiated termination, assignment

C. com. Art. L 134-13

Post-contract non-compete: written, correlated to sector, customers and goods, two years maximum

C. com. Art. L 134-14

Written opt-out where the agency is accessory to a contract with another principal object

C. com. Art. L 134-15

Clauses derogating from the protective provisions are deemed unwritten

C. com. Art. L 134-16

Implementing duties of agent and principal; quarterly commission statements and information rights

C. com. Art. R 134-1 to R 134-3

Registration on the special register of commercial agents at the commercial court registry

C. com. Art. R 134-6

EU directive on the coordination of the laws relating to self-employed commercial agents

Art. Directive 86/653/EEC

Negotiation does not require the power to vary prices or terms

Art. CJEU Art. 4 June 2020 Art. C-828/18

The Directive's termination protections are internationally mandatory for agents operating in the EU

Art. CJEU Art. 9 Nov. 2000 Art. C-381/98 Art. Ingmar

An agent performing the contract outside the EU cannot rely on the Directive's protection

Art. CJEU Art. 16 Feb. 2017 Art. C-507/15

No financial consideration is required for the agent's non-compete clause

Art. Cass. com.Art. 4 déc. 2007 Art. n° 06-15.137

A non-compete clause is void where it prevents the former agent from carrying on any activity

Art. Cass. com.Art. 17 janv. 2012 Art. n° 10-27.701

A non-compete clause must correspond to the clientele contractually entrusted to the agent

Art. Cass. com.Art. 15 mai 2012 Art. n° 11-18.330

Validity and limits of clauses allowing the principal to withdraw customers from the agent

Art. Cass. com.Art. 5 oct. 2022 Art. n° 20-16.665

An agent who declines a new contract at expiry of the term does not forfeit the indemnity

Art. Cass. com.Art. 21 juin 2017 Art. n° 15-29.127

The agent's right to information verifying its commission does not depend on exclusivity

Art. Cass. com.Art. 17 mai 2023 Art. n° 22-11.463

Non-registration tolerated by the principal is not a serious breach by the agent

Art. CA Rennes Art. 17 déc. 2024

Sales Agency

Commercial Agency and EU Competition Law

Sales Agency

Exclusivity and Non-Compete Clauses in French Commercial Agency

Sales Agency

Selling in France: Agent, Distributor or Subsidiary?

Sales Agency

French Agency Law vs the UK Commercial Agents Regulations 1993

The Commercial Agency Agreement in France: Qualification, Key Clauses and Mandatory Rules

The commercial agency agreement in France: a contract the parties only partly control

Does the French statutory regime apply to your intermediary?

When a contract qualifies as a commercial agency (C. com. Art. L 134-1)

Form, the right to a written contract and registration

The clauses that decide how the relationship works

The post-contract non-compete clause (C. com. Art. L 134-14)

Commission (C. com. Art. L 134-5 to L 134-10)

Choice of law and jurisdiction

Would your non-compete clause survive scrutiny?

Duties neither party can contract away (C. com. Art. L 134-4)

Duration, renewal, assignment and the end of the contract

Frequently Asked Questions

French Commercial Agency Agreement - Interactive Explorer & Bilingual Model Contract

Purpose and characterisation

Complete model contract - English version (21 articles)

Contrat type complet - version française (21 articles)

Two years to end it?

Speak With a French Lawyer

Key Legal References

Related Articles

Check Out More Articles

Commercial Agency and EU Competition Law

Exclusivity and Non-Compete Clauses in French Commercial Agency

Selling in France: Agent, Distributor or Subsidiary?

Mariela Petrova

Talk To A French Lawyer In France.

Talk to a French lawyer.