Chapter II: Status of statutory auditors.

I.-The duties of statutory auditor are performed by natural persons or by companies included on a list drawn up by the Haut conseil du commissariat aux comptes, under the conditions set out in articles L. 822-1-1 to L. 822-1-4. II.-A list drawn up by the High Council enumerates the third-country controllers mentioned in I of Article L. 822-1-5.

To be registered on the list of statutory auditors, a natural person must meet the following conditions: 1° Be French, a national of a Member State of the European Union, of a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or of another foreign State where that State admits French nationals to carry out statutory audits ; 2° Have not been the perpetrator of acts contrary to honour…

As an exception to the provisions of Article L. 822-1-1, natural persons meeting the conditions of competence and professional experience may be exempted from all or part of the professional training period referred to in 5° of the same article, by decision of the Minister of Justice. Exempt from the diploma, internship and examination conditions provided for in 5° and 6° of Article L. 822-1-1 are natural persons who can…

To be registered on the list of statutory auditors, a company must meet the following conditions: 1° The majority of the company’s voting rights are held by statutory auditors or firms of statutory auditors registered on the list provided for in I of Article L. 822-1 or statutory auditors duly approved in another Member State of the European Union. Where a company of statutory auditors holds a stake in the…

As an exception to the provisions of Article L. 822-1-3, a statutory audit firm duly approved in a Member State of the European Union may be registered on the list mentioned in I of Article L. 822-1. The duties of statutory auditor may only be performed on behalf of this company by natural persons registered on the list mentioned in I of Article L. 822-1.

I.-Register on the list provided for in II of Article L. 822-1 auditors from third countries approved in a State that is not a member of the European Union or not party to the agreement on the European Economic Area who perform statutory audits of the annual accounts or consolidated accounts of persons or entities that do not have their registered office in a Member State of the European Union…

Subject to reciprocity, the third-country auditors mentioned in I of Article L. 822-1-5 may be exempted from the requirement to be registered on the list mentioned in II of Article L. 822-1 by decision of the Haut conseil du commissariat aux comptes. This exemption is granted if the third-country auditor is approved by a competent authority of a State whose system of public oversight, quality assurance, investigation and sanctions has…

Registration or exemption from registration granted pursuant to Articles L. 822-1-5 and L. 822-1-6 conditions the validity in France of the certification reports signed by the auditors referred to in I of Article L. 822-1-5. They do not confer the right to conduct audit engagements with persons or entities whose registered office is located on French territory. .

All statutory auditors must take an oath before their Court of Appeal to perform the duties of their profession with honour, probity and independence, and to respect and ensure respect for the law.

I. – Statutory auditors registered on the list referred to in I of Article L. 822-1 are required to undergo ongoing professional training to enable them to maintain and improve their knowledge. II. – Any person registered on the list referred to in I who has not performed the duties of statutory auditor for three years and who has not complied during this period with the obligation referred to in…