A revised leniency procedural notice enhances the legal certainty and the procedural safeguards governing the French leniency procedure.

On April 3rd 2015, the French Competition Authority (the FCA) issued a revised version of its procedural notice related to the leniency program, which was introduced into French competition law in 2001 under Articles L. 464-2 IV and R. 464-5 of the Commercial Code (the Leniency Notice).

According to the French leniency program, a company that provides the FCA with information contributing to the establishment of an anticompetitive infringement may receive a full immunity from fine (Type 1 leniency) or a reduction in its fine (Type 2 leniency). To date, the FCA has issued 10 decisions under its leniency program and approximately 20 companies have been granted immunity from fine or a reduction of the fine on this basis.