National contacts

Law Enforcement Agencies

Pursuant to Article L. 511-13. 3° du Code de la Consommation, the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) is authorised to investigate and establish infringements of trademark counterfeiting.

Prosecution

The prosecution of IP crimes falls under the competence of the general prosecution system. At the first instance courts, the prosecution is led by public prosecutors (Procureur de la République).

At the appellate courts and Court of Cassation, the prosecution is led by the General Prosecutor’s Office (Parquet Général).

Judiciary

There are no specialised courts on IP crime. This type of crime falls under the general court system.

The general courts are organised in a three-tier system:

• District Courts;
• Regional Courts; and
• Court of Cassation.

Judicial libraries

COUR DE CASSATION (COURT OF CASSATION)

Public and free database. No registration is required.

Décisions | Cour de cassation Accueil | Cour de cassation 

Selected judgments from:

• Court of Cassation (3rd instance)

Other available resources:

• other documents published by the Court of Cassation, such as annual reports
• bulletins of judgments of the Civil Chambers and the Criminal Division.

LÉGIFRANCE (PUBLIC SERVICE FOR THE DIFFUSION OF LAW)

Public and free database. No registration is required.

Légifrance

Selected judgments from:

• Regional Courts (1st instance)
• District Courts (1st instance)
• Commercial Courts (1st instance)
• Courts of Appeal (2nd instance)
• Court of Cassation (3rd instance)
• codes, consolidated texts and circulars,
• constitutional and financial jurisprudence