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Partners - France

Updated 07/2009

Legal requirements

Types of collaboration

Franchise contracts

A franchise contract is an intellectual property rights licence under which the franchiser allows the franchisee to use their trademark, logo, products, know-how and technical assistance.

  • Franchise observatory français
  • Franchise in ten questions français
  • The franchise: an idea for setting up your business or commercial enterprise français

Partnerships

Partnerships also provide a logo and technical assistance, but differ for example in that there is no systematic transfer of know-how.

Commission-based affiliations

Commission-based affiliations specifically concern the textiles sector. Although they are broadly similar to franchise contracts, stock covered by them remains the property of the franchiser (commissioning party).

Subcontracting

Subcontracting is an operation in which a business owner (at its own risk) entrusts another person or entity (subcontractor) with performing all or part of a contract on its behalf.

Other options for expanding your business are taking over an existing one, merging with another company or opening a branch in another EU country.

Administrative procedures

Finding a partner

Businesses tend to find future partners (colleague, supplier, client, etc.) within their own sector and should therefore:

  • examine their personal networks (conferences, trade unions, chambers of commerce and industry, etc.);
  • make use of their business contacts;
  • carry out more structured research (advisors, specialists, etc.).
  • Tips on finding partners français

Partner assessment

Business owners should:

  • have a confidentiality agreement signed;        
  • not divulge too much information during initial meetings;         
  • present their vision of the future of the industry and the objectives for the partnership;
  • establish simple and specific targets in order to motivate participants.

Resources

The Sémaphore database helps business owners look for financial and technical assistance to which they may be entitled.

  • Sémaphore database français

Programmes

The many sources of financial assistance for business owners include:

  • the regional fund for advisory assistance (in association with a cooperation project);
  • Regional fund for advisory assistance français
  • network initiative programme (regional subsidy allowing at least three SMEs in a network to develop their activities).
  • Network initiative français

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

  • References

    Legal texts

    • Commercial code français
    • Law 2005-842 of 26 July 2005 promoting economic confidence and modernisation français
    • Law 75-1334 of 31 December 1975 on subcontracting français
    • Law 89-1008 of 31 December 1989 on developing commercial and craft enterprises and improving their economic, legal and social environment français

Living and moving in Europe

Still need help?

Still need help?

Enterprise Europe Network - Contact points

The Enterprise Europe Network provides businesses with information and advice through its local contact points. 

Choose your nearest contact point for personalized help and advice:

Further help

Any business owner wishing to find a technological, commercial or financial partner inside or outside France can get help from the following bodies:

By joining a business network, business owners can benefit from partners' experiences.

  • Networks and partners français

Local productive systems (SPLs) are groupings of businesses and institutions active in the same business sector.

  • Local productive systems français

France Clusters (CDIF) is a forum for sharing experiences between clusters, SPLs and competitiveness groups.

  • France Clusters français

Local business start-up centres (CFE) also provide new businesses with information.

  • Business start-up centres français
  • CFEnet français

The European business register (EBR) is a service covering 16 European countries and provides reliable official data from each country's national trade register. Businesses can use it to obtain details of their European partners.