Article L1521-1 of the French General Code of Local Authorities
Municipalities, départements, regions and their groupings may, within the scope of the powers conferred on them by law, set up local semi-public companies which associate them with one or more private individuals and, where applicable, with other public individuals to carry out development or construction projects, to operate industrial or commercial public services, or for any other activity of general interest; where the purpose of local semi-public companies includes several…