UNICORN PRIVATE Sanctions compliance in France: which rules apply and what companies must do
In short
In France, EU sanctions regulations apply directly, together with the asset freeze rules of the Monetary and Financial Code.
The Directorate General of the Treasury (DG Trésor) is the competent authority for financial sanctions and publishes the national register of asset freezes.
Companies must not make funds or goods available to listed parties and should screen clients and suppliers regularly.
Applicable rules and competent authorities
EU sanctions regulations are binding in France without national transposition. The Monetary and Financial Code (Code monétaire et financier) sets the national rules on asset freezes.
The Directorate General of the Treasury (DG Trésor), at the Ministry of the Economy, is the competent authority for financial sanctions: it grants licences and publishes the national register of asset freezes (registre national des gels).
Export licences for dual use goods are issued by the Dual Use Goods Service (SBDU) of the Ministry of the Economy, and customs enforce the rules at the border.
Practical duties for companies
- Do not make funds or economic resources available, directly or indirectly, to persons and entities listed by the EU or by the national register.
- Screen clients, suppliers, owners and banks against the sanctions lists and the national register, also when they change.
- Inform the DG Trésor of frozen funds and request licences when the regulations require it.
- Check whether your goods need a dual use export licence.
- Keep records of the checks you carried out and of the decisions taken.
Fines and penalties
Statutory maximums we verified on the official texts:
- European Union, Directive 2024/1226: fines on companies of at least 5% of worldwide turnover or €40,000,000, and prison terms of at least 5 years. (source)
Maximum amounts set by law, as published by the authorities linked, checked on October 29, 2026.
Official sources
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Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for financial sanctions in France?
The Directorate General of the Treasury (DG Trésor) at the Ministry of the Economy is the competent authority for financial sanctions and asset freeze licences.
What is the national register of asset freezes?
It is the public register published by the DG Trésor that lists the persons and entities whose assets are frozen under EU, UN and national measures applicable in France.
Do EU sanctions apply directly to French companies?
Yes. EU sanctions regulations are directly binding in France, and the Monetary and Financial Code adds the national rules.
The program can make mistakes. The final responsibility for compliance stays with your company. Unicorn Intelligence is an information tool. Decisions and legal obligations, including sanctions compliance, due diligence and tender participation, remain with the customer.
Unicorn Intelligence checks your clients and suppliers against the sanctions lists every day.