French chartered accountant code of ethics: what every business owner needs to know in 2026

Updated April 2026 - The French code of ethics for chartered accountants is not a peripheral document. It is the regulatory foundation governing every aspect of the profession: engagement acceptance, independence, professional secrecy, fee-setting, communication and relations between practitioners. For a business owner, understanding this framework is essential. It determines what your accountant can do, what they must refuse, and the safeguards that protect your interests.

Direct answer: The code of ethics for French chartered accountants is set by Decree No. 2012-432 of 30 March 2012. It imposes five fundamental principles: competence, independence, integrity, professional secrecy and loyalty. This regulatory framework, supervised by the Ordre des experts-comptables (OEC), protects the client by ensuring the professional acts in their exclusive interest, in full confidentiality and with the required technical rigour. Any breach may result in disciplinary sanctions.

The code of ethics for chartered accounting professionals is a regulation incorporated into the French Commercial Code (Articles R.822-28 to R.822-38). Derived from Decree No. 2012-432 of 30 March 2012, it applies to all members of the Ordre des experts-comptables: registered chartered accountants, approved accountants, trainees and even salaried staff of accounting firms.

This text is not optional. It carries regulatory force. Every professional is bound by it from the moment of registration, and compliance is monitored by regional and national disciplinary chambers of the Ordre.

Legal framework at a glance

• ▸Ordinance of 19 September 1945 (codifying the Law of 6 May 1942): establishes the Ordre des experts-comptables and defines the professional monopoly;
• ▸Decree No. 2012-432 of 30 March 2012: sets out the code of ethics proper;
• ▸OEC normative reference framework: specifies professional practice standards;
• ▸Commercial Code (Articles L.822-1 et seq., R.822-1 et seq.): overarching legislative and regulatory framework.

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

The French code of ethics for chartered accountants rests on five pillars that structure the entirety of professional activity.

1. Competence

A chartered accountant may only accept engagements for which they possess the necessary knowledge and experience. This principle implies an obligation of continuing professional development: every professional must update their knowledge in accounting, tax law, employment law and any area relevant to their practice.

In practical terms, this means a firm that does not master a particular sector (cryptocurrencies, international holding structures, etc.) must either train itself, refer the client to a competent colleague, or decline the engagement.

2. Independence

Independence is arguably the most sensitive principle of accounting ethics. A chartered accountant cannot accept any engagement that creates a conflict of interest or compromises their professional judgement.

Typical conflict situations include:

• ▸holding significant financial interests in the client;
• ▸simultaneously serving as a director of the client company;
• ▸accepting fees contingent on the outcome of the engagement;
• ▸acting for two parties whose interests are opposed on the same matter.

Independence is not a declaration: it is maintained through constant vigilance and, where necessary, through the refusal or termination of an engagement.

3. Integrity and honesty

This principle requires the chartered accountant to act with integrity in all professional relationships. They cannot participate in fictitious transactions, facilitate fraudulent arrangements or endorse information they know to be inaccurate.

Integrity also applies to the commercial relationship: transparency on fees, absence of misleading practices, and adherence to commitments made in the engagement letter.

4. Professional secrecy

The professional secrecy of chartered accountants is absolute and a matter of public policy. It is enshrined in Article 226-13 of the French Penal Code and Article 23 of the Ordinance of 19 September 1945. Any breach is punishable by one year's imprisonment and a fine of €15,000.

This secrecy covers:

• ▸all accounting, financial and tax information of the client;
• ▸employment and payroll data;
• ▸communications between the client and their firm;
• ▸documents transmitted as part of the engagement.

Professional secrecy admits only very limited statutory exceptions (the tax authority's right of communication during an audit, reporting to the public prosecutor of criminal acts concerning a minor, etc.). It persists even after the engagement ends and after the death of the professional.

Hayot Expertise insight: professional secrecy is not a mere confidentiality clause. It is a criminal-law obligation that protects all of your business data. Never hesitate to share sensitive information with your chartered accountant: they are legally bound to keep it.

5. Loyalty and respect for professional dignity

The chartered accountant must practise with dignity, courtesy and loyalty towards clients, colleagues and third parties. They cannot engage in aggressive canvassing, comparative advertising or unfair practices to attract clientele.

The ethics of fee-setting is a practical concern for every business owner. The code of ethics precisely governs how fees are determined and communicated.

Applicable rules

Fees must be:

• ▸freely agreed between the professional and the client;
• ▸proportionate to the service rendered and the work performed;
• ▸transparent: the client must understand what they are paying and why;
• ▸formalised in the engagement letter.

What is prohibited

The code of ethics expressly forbids:

• ▸pure contingency fees (remuneration exclusively conditional on a result);
• ▸fee-sharing with a non-professional (commercial intermediary, unregulated introducer);
• ▸hidden commissions received from third parties in connection with the engagement.

That said, supplementary fees modulated according to complexity or results achieved are permissible, provided they do not constitute the predominant share of remuneration and are clearly documented.

The engagement letter: a key document

Under the OEC professional standard, the engagement letter is mandatory. It specifies:

• ▸the object and scope of the engagement;
• ▸the respective responsibilities of the client and the firm;
• ▸the methods for determining fees;
• ▸the conditions for termination.

For the business owner, this document is the first guarantee of clarity. If a firm does not offer you an engagement letter, that is a warning sign.

A chartered accountant has the right to communicate about their activity, but within strict limits defined by the code of ethics.

What is permitted

• ▸a professional website with objective information;
• ▸publication of articles, newsletters and educational content;
• ▸participation in conferences and professional events;
• ▸presence on social media within a professional context.

What is prohibited

• ▸direct canvassing (unsolicited prospecting by phone, email or visit);
• ▸comparative or disparaging advertising towards colleagues;
• ▸guaranteed outcome promises;
• ▸any communication that undermines the dignity of the profession.

These restrictions may seem constraining, but they protect the client against excessive promises and ensure the relationship is based on genuine competence, not aggressive marketing.

The Ordre des experts-comptables (OEC) is the guarantor of compliance with the code of ethics. Structured into regional councils and a national supreme council, it has powers of control and sanction.

The disciplinary chamber

In the event of a breach of ethical rules, the professional may be brought before the regional disciplinary chamber, then the national disciplinary chamber on appeal. Possible sanctions are:

1. ▸a warning;
2. ▸a reprimand;
3. ▸temporary suspension from practice (with or without reprieve);
4. ▸removal from the roll of the Ordre (the most serious sanction).

Client recourse

If a business owner believes their chartered accountant has failed in their ethical obligations, they can:

• ▸refer the matter to the regional council of the Ordre to which the professional belongs;
• ▸bring a civil liability action before the courts;
• ▸report the facts to the disciplinary chamber.

The Ordre plays a mediating role before any litigation, which often enables disputes to be resolved amicably.

The ethics of chartered accountants is not an abstraction. It has very practical consequences on the quality of service you receive.

Guarantees for the business owner

• ▸Total confidentiality: your financial, tax and employment data are protected by professional secrecy;
• ▸Independence of judgement: your accountant cannot be influenced by outside interests;
• ▸Verified competence: the professional holds a state diploma (DEC) and is subject to continuing education;
• ▸Fee transparency: you know what you are paying for and what service it covers;
• ▸Recourse in case of problems: the Ordre provides a framework for mediation and sanction.

Situations where ethics protect the client

• ▸a firm that refuses a tax-complacency engagement is acting in accordance with its code;
• ▸a chartered accountant who flags a potential conflict of interest is protecting your interests;
• ▸the relationship between colleagues during a file transfer is regulated to avoid any service disruption;
• ▸professional secrecy prevents disclosure of your information to third parties, including in the context of a business sale.

Hayot Expertise insight: ethics is not an abstract burden. It is what gives value, security and credibility to the engagement. A professional who scrupulously respects their code is a professional you can rely on.