International disputes before the French courts in civil, commercial and labour matters

Before the French courts, international disputes are dealt with by civil courts such as the Tribunaux judiciaires in civil matters, which covers the majority of disputes involving primarily individuals and private companies outside commercial affairs (for example, concerning court decisions on family relations, succession, recovery of maintenance payments, bank disputes, disputes with insurance companies, consumer law, disputes relating to the payment of residential rents), Tribunaux de commerce and similar jurisdictions such as, for example, Tribunaux des activités économiques launched since 2025 on an experimental basis in certain localities in commercial matters (for example, in the case of insolvency proceedings of commercial enterprises, contractual relations between commercial companies), in labour matters primarily the Conseils de prud’hommes (for example, in the context of a contested dismissal, a request to recall wages or legal action for harassment), with possibilities of recourse strictly framed and regulated before the Cours d’appel and before the Cour de cassation wherever the law recognizes the possibility to exercise these remedies. The jurisdiction of these courts depends in particular on domestic law such as the Code of Civil Procedure and frequently, on a case-by-case basis, on European regulations or international conventions with variable geometry: for example, European Regulation No 1215/2012 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, European Regulation No 2019/1111 on jurisdiction, the recognition and enforcement of decisions in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, and on international child abduction, as well as international child abduction, or the Lugano Convention of 30 October 2007 on jurisdiction, the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. The determination of the competent court results from the analysis of the circumstances of the case in question with regard to the texts, which may lead, in certain situations, to legitimize the jurisdiction of the French courts. It is then necessary to keep in mind the question of the determination of the law applicable to the dispute, as well as the possible possibility of having judgments rendered by the French courts recognized and duly applied abroad, these issues are also partly governed by transnational texts, taking into account possible alternative dispute resolution options such as conciliation, mediation or arbitration.

This general information article, as of June 27, 2025, is not exhaustive.

Invest in France

Investment in France can be made through companies of any nature and size, commercial or even civil, which fall under French law strictly defined social forms regulated by domestic law, larger structures such as sociétés anonymes, SARL, groups or individual companies or European companies, investments can also be the result of mergers, acquisitions, divestments, business start-ups or partial contributions of assets, cross-border agreements between companies. The entrepreneur who invests in France is thus largely confronted with French law in many aspects and must be informed of the conditions to be fulfilled in order not to succumb to the conflicts of civil, commercial, criminal justice, the possible tax and administrative difficulties, for example having to comply in advance with the requirements of migration law and the specific conditions of his right to stay if necessary, depending on his personal situation. It is in fact confronted with the conception of French law of corporate social responsibility, especially in terms of fundamental rights and environmental protection, which gives a large part to labour law and the situation of the worker, whether he is an expatriate, seconded or employed under French domestic law, either legally or illegally, collective labour relations with staff representative bodies such as social and economic councils or transnational bodies representing workers, such as European works councils, the individual and collective labour relations being regulated in particular around the issue of the rights and duties of workers, themselves legally concerned within the framework of investment in France. This is the case for all levels and forms of investment in France, whether it be the purchase of products and services, real estate acquisitions or other investments, attractive financial investments in France. In this context, international taxation, which is the subject of many bilateral tax conventions and numerous provisions of domestic tax law, the local legal regime of the immovable property concerned, the law applicable to the succession and its taxation, are among the thorny issues on which litigation management, administrative follow-up of specific situations such as amicable settlement of disputes must be mastered.

This general information article, as of June 27, 2025, is not exhaustive.