Chartered accountant: understanding the French code of ethics

Updated March 2026 - The French code of ethics for chartered accountants is not a secondary text sitting in the background of the profession. It governs how the professional may accept an engagement, define its scope, communicate, invoice and protect client interests. For a business owner, this matters in very concrete terms: the code helps you understand what a regulated accounting firm can legitimately do, what it must refuse, and how a proper engagement should be framed from the outset.

For related reading, see also Accountant missions and obligations, Accounting missions and How to switch accountants.

The code is central because it sets the professional baseline for:

• ▸independence and the management of conflicts of interest;
• ▸professional secrecy and confidentiality;
• ▸competence and the quality expected from the engagement;
• ▸fair and loyal communication;
• ▸the framework within which fees may be set and explained.

This is what separates a regulated professional relationship from a loose commercial promise. A chartered accountant is not free to take on any assignment in any manner whatsoever. The engagement has to remain compatible with the rules of the profession and with the protections owed to the client.

From the client's perspective, the code of ethics is a form of protection. It means the firm is expected to work within a defined perimeter, not to blur roles, and not to oversell what the assignment can achieve. It also means the firm must remain careful about confidentiality, documentation and the way it presents its work.

In practice, that gives the client better visibility on what is included in the engagement, what is not, and what level of diligence can reasonably be expected.

Hayot Expertise insight: ethics is not an abstract burden placed on the profession. It is what gives the engagement its credibility, security and practical value.

For companies, the most visible ethical issues are often:

• ▸the clarity of the engagement letter;
• ▸the confidentiality of accounting, legal and payroll information;
• ▸the absence of ambiguity about the firm's exact scope of work;
• ▸the quality of the relationship with a predecessor firm when a file is transferred.

These points may sound procedural, but they have direct consequences. A vague engagement letter leads to misunderstandings. Weak confidentiality practices create risk. Poorly managed file transfers create friction and delay. The code of ethics is precisely there to reduce that kind of uncertainty.

When a company compares firms, technical ability is not the only criterion. The quality of the professional framework matters just as much: how the mission is documented, how the limits of the work are explained, how sensitive information is handled, and how the firm positions itself in relation to the client's interests.

We can explain our scope of intervention, our responsibilities and the way we secure the engagement.

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In 2026, the code of ethics remains one of the foundations of trust in a French chartered accountant. It protects both the client and the profession by requiring rigorous, loyal and properly framed practice. For a business owner, understanding that framework is not theoretical. It is part of choosing the right firm and reading the mission at the right level of precision.

Need a clearer view of what an accounting firm can really do for you, and under what framework? We can help you assess the engagement with the right level of detail. Book an appointment with an expert