National approval may be granted by the Minister for Health to associations which have either at least 5,000 individually paid-up members, or individually paid-up members spread over at least four regions, none of which represents more than 50% of the total number of members. Mayotte, Guyane and Martinique are considered as regions for the application of these provisions. In the case of unions of associations, the number of members of the associations that make them up is taken into account.
National approval may also be granted to associations that demonstrate the national nature of their activity.
Associations which do not meet the conditions mentioned in the first two paragraphs may be approved at regional level by the Director General of the Regional Health Agency of each region in which they carry out their activities.