French Monetary and Financial Code
In forceFrench joint stock companies, known as sociétés de développement régional, contribute to the financing of companies located in France in the form of equity holdings.
These companies are authorised to grant loans of five years or more to companies, regardless of their legal form, under conditions set by the Minister for the Economy; they may also guarantee loans of two years or more taken out by these companies. They are also authorised to grant loans to local authorities, semi-public companies and regional chambers of commerce and industry, in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Minister for the Economy, to contribute to the financing of either public tourist facilities or industrial or commercial buildings constructed for designated entrepreneurs.
They may also, within the limits and under the conditions defined in the preceding paragraphs, contribute to the financing of investments made by commercial enterprises and aimed at reducing selling prices by improving distribution through the use of modern tools or techniques.
They may also, under the same conditions and within the same limits, and each for operations concerning its area of action, provide assistance to private companies whose corporate purpose is to contribute directly to the development, conversion or adaptation of the activities defined in the preceding paragraphs. They must, however, be authorised to do so in each case by a decision of the competent administrative authority taken on a proposal from the Government Commissioner.
