Chapter I: Approval of associations

The approval of consumer defence associations provided for in article L. 811-1 may be granted to any association: 1° Which, on the date of the application for approval, can prove that it has been in existence for one year from the date of its declaration; 2° Which, during that year of existence, can prove that it has been effectively and publicly active in defending the interests of consumers, as assessed…

The approval of national associations is granted by joint order of the Minister for Consumer Affairs and the Minister for Justice. It is published in the Official Journal of the French Republic. The approval of local, departmental or regional associations is granted by order of the prefect of the department in which the association has its registered office. It is published in the Recueil des actes administratifs. The opinion of…

When several associations, at least one of which is approved, are transformed into a single association, approval must be reapplied for. In this case, the seniority condition set out in article R. 811-1 is not payable.

Applications for approval and renewal shall be sent to the directorate responsible for population protection at the association’s head office.The composition of the file and the procedures for its examination shall be laid down by joint order of the minister responsible for consumer affairs and the minister of justice.When the file submitted to the administration is complete, the latter shall acknowledge receipt.

The approval or refusal decision shall be notified within six months of issue of the acknowledgement of receipt.Reasons shall be given for refusal decisions.

Associations shall report annually on their activities in accordance with the procedures laid down by order in the forms provided for in Article R. 811-4.

Authorisation may be withdrawn following the opinion of the public prosecutor, when the association no longer has the number of members required for its authorisation, when it can no longer justify the activity defined in article R. 811-1 or where it is established that it is no longer independent of any form of professional activity, with the exception of associations emanating from cooperative societies mentioned in article L. 811-2.