The filing of financial statements with the Registrar of Companies is a mandatory legal formality for certain entities. The companies concerned include SARLs, EURLs, SAs, SASs, SCAs, SELARLs, SELAFAs, SELCAs and SELASs, as well as general partnerships where all the partners are SARLs or joint-stock companies. Foreign commercial companies with establishments in France, as well as agricultural cooperatives and unions of agricultural cooperatives under certain conditions, are also concerned.
Who can benefit from the confidentiality or simplified publication option?
This option is based on criteria such as balance sheet total, pre-tax sales and average number of employees. Micro-businesses can request total confidentiality of their accounting documents, while small businesses can obtain confidentiality for their income statements. Medium-sized companies can request simplified publication of their balance sheet and appendices. In all cases, accounting documents must be accompanied by a declaration of confidentiality for the annual accounts.
When it comes to financial data confidentiality, there are two possible options: total or partial, each determined by specific criteria.
- For micro-businesses, the balance sheet total is set at 450,000 euros, net sales at 900,000 euros and the average number of employees during the financial year at 10;
- For small businesses, the balance sheet total is set at 7,500,000 euros, net sales at 15,000,000 euros and the average number of employees during the financial year at 50.
- For medium-sized companies, the balance sheet total is set at 25,000,000 euros, net sales at 50,000,000 euros and the average number of employees during the financial year at 250.
The balance sheet total is equal to the sum of net assets.
Net sales are equal to sales of products and services generated in the ordinary course of business, less sales deductions, value-added tax and similar taxes.
Unless otherwise stipulated, the average number of employees is assessed in accordance with the provisions of Article L. 130-1 of the Social Security Code. By way of derogation, it is assessed on the basis of the last accounting period when this does not correspond to the previous calendar year.
