Chapter I: Scope and definitions

The complaint must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the Chairman of the Board. It shall have suspensive effect. The Board shall rule in accordance with the conditions laid down in articles R. 7111-12 and R. 7111-13.

The chairman of the High Commission represents the State before the competent courts in the event of litigation relating to the decisions of this Commission, with the exception of appeals before the Conseil d’Etat.

The High Commission comprises: 1° A member of the Court of Cassation, in office or honorary, as chairman; 2° Two judges from the Paris Court of Appeal, in office or honorary; 3° A representative of the directors of newspapers, press agencies and audiovisual communication companies; 4° A representative of professional journalists.

The three judges on the High Commission and an alternate for each are appointed by the first president of the court to which they report. The representatives of the directors of newspapers, press agencies and audiovisual communication companies and of professional journalists, together with two alternates for each of them, are respectively appointed and elected simultaneously and under the same conditions as the members of the Professional Journalists Identity Card…

The office of representative on the High Commission is incompatible with that of member of the Professional Journalists Identity Card Commission.

Every three years, the entire Board is renewed. Retiring members may be reappointed or re-elected.