By Yasmine EDDAM
17 April 2025
Knowing what commercial corruption is is one thing. Understanding how it is actually prosecuted and punished in France is quite another, and just as essential for measuring the risks involved. Because beyond the legal definition, the repression of corruption involves specific mechanisms, potentially very heavy penalties and a judicial procedure that has adapted to the complexity of these cases. What's more, the legislator has recently placed the emphasis on prevention, even imposing specific compliance obligations on certain companies. This article goes to the heart of the criminal response to commercial bribery. We begin by examining the elements that must be present for the offence to be constituted, and then identify the various persons - natural or legal - who may be implicated. We will then detail the range of penalties that may be incurred, before looking at the specific features of the implementation of these penalties, from the...
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