10: Tax evasion

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Article 1740 B

French General Tax CodeIn force

Updated 7 Nov 2023

I. - All of the facts established by a flagrante fiscale report, mentioned in I to I ter of Article L. 16-0 BA of the Book of Tax Procedures, shall result in the application of a fine equal to €5,000.

The amount of this fine is increased to €10,000 if, on the date of the finding of flagrante fiscale, the turnover excluding tax or the amount of gross revenue exceeds the limits provided for in 1 of articles 50-0 or 102 ter or in I of Article 69, depending on the nature of the activity. It is also increased to €10,000 if, on this same date, the taxable income established under the conditions provided for in article 1649 quater-0 B bis exceeds the threshold for the third bracket of the income tax scale set out in I of article 197.

This same amount is increased to €20,000 if, on the date of the finding of flagrante fiscale, the turnover excluding tax or the amount of gross revenue exceeds the thresholds provided for in 1° and 2° of Article L. 162-4 of the code of taxes on goods and services or in b of II of article 69, depending on the nature of the activity. It is also increased to €20,000 if, on that same date, the taxable income established under the conditions set out in Article 1649 quater-0 B bis exceeds the threshold for the fourth bracket of the income tax scale set out in I of Article 197.

This same amount is increased to €30,000 if, on the date of the finding of flagrance fiscale, the taxable income established under the conditions provided for in Article 1649 quater-0 B bis exceeds the threshold of the fifth bracket of the income tax scale set out in I of Article 197.

II. - When the penalties provided for in c of 1 of Article 1728 and in b and c of article 1729 and the fine provided for in l'article 1737 are incurred for the same acts as those referred to in I to I ter of Article L. 16-0 BA of the Book of Tax Procedures constituting flagrante fiscale and in respect of the same period, these shall only be applied if their amount is greater than that of the fine referred to in I of this Article. In this case, the amount of this fine is deducted from the amount of these penalties and fines.

Mariela Petrova

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Working with a corporate lawyer in France — Q&A

Any time a strategic decision changes how the company is owned, governed or contractually bound — incorporation, fundraising, M&A, restructuring, shareholder agreements, or major commercial contracts. Earlier engagement always costs less than later remediation.

A notary (notaire) is a public officer who authenticates specific deeds (mainly real-estate transfers and certain family-law acts). A corporate lawyer (avocat) advises on strategy, negotiates and drafts company documents, and represents you in disputes. The two roles complement rather than overlap.

Yes — most of our clients are foreign suppliers, investors or holding entities. We bridge the gap between French law and your home jurisdiction's expectations and deliver everything bilingually.

The SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) is the default choice for most international structures: flexible governance, single shareholder allowed, no minimum capital, and works cleanly with foreign holding entities. We assess SARL, SA, SCI on the merits when the situation calls for it.

Yes — communications with a French avocat are protected by the secret professionnel (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971). This protection is broader than the common-law attorney-client privilege and applies to written and oral exchanges.

We work on fixed fees for clearly scoped engagements (incorporation, contract drafting, audits) and on monthly retainers for ongoing advisory. Hourly billing is the exception, not the default. You always know the cost before work starts.

Typical timeline is 2–3 weeks from KYC kick-off to RCS registration, assuming standard documentation. Holding-company structures, foreign-shareholder identification or in-kind contributions can extend this — we flag the gating items at the first meeting.

Absolutely. We routinely coordinate with your in-house counsel, expert-comptable or notaire — pragmatic collaboration is the norm, not the exception. We send them everything they need to do their part without duplicating work.

Mariela Petrova

Mariela Petrova

Avocate au Barreau de Paris

Toque #C2396

15+ Years In Corporate Practice

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Communications protected by professional secrecy — secret professionnel de l'avocat, Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971.

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