By Yasmine EDDAM
23 April 2025
The craft industry is an essential pillar of the French economy, a dynamic sector with an incredible diversity of trades. However, behind the familiar image of manual skills, the legal status of craftspeople is sometimes hard to pin down. It's vital for the person carrying out the activity, as well as for their customers and partners, to have a clear understanding of what is meant by this term. Are they artists? A trader? Or a category in its own right? This article aims to clarify the legal definition of a craftsman in France. We will first explore the historical and economic contours of this concept, before detailing the criteria used by the courts (the civil definition) and then by the authorities (the administrative definition, linked in particular to registration). Finally, we will look at the scope and practical consequences of these different classifications. The artisan: a concept with historical and economic contours The very etymology of the word «artisan» reveals a certain ambivalence. Derived from the...
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