Source date: 2025-05-08

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New access conditions for the Register of Beneficial Owners Published on May 9, 2025 - Updated on April 29, 2026 - Entreprendre Service Public / Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister's Office)

Since July 31, 2024, access to the Register of Beneficial Owners (RBE) has been restricted to individuals demonstrating a legitimate interest. The law of April 30, 2025, supplemented by a decree of April 24, 2026, incorporates this provision into French law and specifies the list of entities authorized to access the RBE. Here are the details.

Until now, in order to enhance transparency and combat fraud, information regarding beneficial owners was public.

In a ruling issued in 2022, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) determined that public access to the RBE violates Articles 7 (respect for private and family life) and 8 (protection of personal data) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Consequently, the access conditions for the RBE had to be modified to strike a balance between privacy rights and economic transparency. This was achieved through the European Anti-Money Laundering Directive 2024/1640 of May 31, 2024.

This directive has just been transposed into French law by the law of April 30, 2025 containing various provisions for adaptation to European Union law in economic, financial, environmental, energy, transport, health, and free movement matters (DDADUE5).

What changes?

Since July 31, 2024, only individuals demonstrating a legitimate interest and a specific list of authorized entities can access all information contained in the RBE. The DDADUE5 law clarifies this list.

Who can access the RBE?

• Individuals: They may, after demonstrating their legitimate interest, access information about the beneficial owners of their potential contracting parties;

• Competent authorities and professionals subject to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations;

• Journalists, researchers, and civil society actors committed to financial transparency;

• The French Anti-Corruption Agency;

• Authorized agents of the General Directorate of the Treasury and customs officers (when implementing European regulations imposing restrictive measures);

• The European Public Prosecutor's Office;

• The European Anti-Fraud Office;

• The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) (when providing operational support to national authorities);

• The European Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing;

• Authorities of EU Member States equivalent to national authorities;

• The High Authority for Transparency in Public Life;

• The National Sanctions Commission;

• Agents of state services responsible for protecting the nation's economic, industrial, and scientific interests;

• Labor inspection control officers and social security organization control officers;

• The Court of Auditors and regional and territorial courts of accounts.

How to access the RBE? The INPI provides a form for requesting access to beneficial owner data for individuals demonstrating a legitimate interest.

This form, accompanied by documents proving this legitimate interest, must be sent to the INPI or the relevant court clerk.

The latter will have 12 days to make a decision. This provision will apply to requests submitted from November 10, 2026.

For current requests, administrative silence lasting 2 months constitutes acceptance.

When granting access rights to beneficial owner information, the INPI or the court clerk issues an access certificate valid for 3 years to the individual whose legitimate interest has been recognized.

What information is available in the RBE? As a reminder, the information regarding beneficial owners accessible in the Register of Beneficial Owners includes:

• Surname and maiden name;

• Month and year of birth;

• Country of residence;

Finally, it is also possible to ascertain the nature and extent of the interests held by beneficial owners in the company (or entity).

Regularization possibility for companies automatically struck off the Trade and Companies Register (RCS) The decree of April 24, 2026, states that after regularizing its situation, a company automatically struck off the RCS : titleContent (due to incomplete or non-compliant information regarding beneficial owners) may request the court clerk to annul this striking off.

The court clerk has 15 days from this request to respond.

In case of refusal or no response, the company may appeal to the president of the tribunal within the following 15 days.

Laws and references

• Decree No. 2026-310 of April 24, 2026, regarding access to the register of beneficial owners and the training obligation for professionals subject to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations

• Law No. 2025-391 of April 30, 2025, containing various provisions for adaptation to European Union law in economic, financial, environmental, energy, transport, health, and free movement matters - Article 4

• Court of Justice of the European Union, November 22, 2022, C-37/20 and C-601/20

• Monetary and Financial Code - Article L561-46

See also

• Declaration of the company's beneficial owners

• Register of Beneficial Owners: overhaul of access procedures - Press release - July 29, 2024 Ministry in charge of the economy

• Request for access to beneficial owner (BO) data National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI)

• Register of Beneficial Owners: access conditions evolving Infogreffe

• Who are the beneficial owners of a company? National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI)

Feedback?

RCS:

Trade and Companies Register

Source: Service-Public professionals