Grande Synthe case, Season 3: The judge tries to keep up the pressure on the French Government to achieve the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030

Laure Marolleau, Esq.

On July 1, 2021, in a case brought by the municipality of Grande-Synthe and several environmental organizations, the Conseil d’État (French Administrative Supreme Court) had ordered the French Government to take all necessary measures before March 31, 2022 to meet the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, in order inter alia to comply with the Paris Agreement and the European commitments taken on by the French legislature

Almost two years later, the Conseil d’État found that its decision had not been enforced. In a ruling dated May 10, 2023, it ordered the French Government to take new measures by June 30, 2024, and to submit a progress report by December 31, 2023 detailing these new measures and their effectiveness.

European Commission proposes stronger rules to fight corruption in the EU and worldwide

Claire Filliatre, Esq.

On May 3, 2023, the European Commission presented proposals that represent a milestone in the fight against corruption at national and EU levels.

The proposed measures aim to prevent corruption and create a culture of integrity, criminalize all corruption offences under the United Nations Convention against Corruption, harmonize penalties across the European Union and establish a dedicated common foreign and security policy sanctions regime to target serious acts of corruption worldwide.

French anti-corruption association Anticor loses its anti-corruption accreditation

Victor Trouttet, Esq.

On June 23, 2023, the Paris Administrative Court handed down a judgment whereby the it decided to withdraw the accreditation of the anticorruption association Anticor, accreditation granted on April 2, 2021, which allowed it to act as a civil party in cases concerning in particular corruption and breaches of probity.

Second session of our Compliance Task force

The second session of the Compliance Task Force created by European American Chamber of Commerce Auvergne Rhone-Alps (EACC) in partnership with Soulier Avocats took place on June 8, 2023.

The theme of this second session was “A comparative analysis of the fight against organized economic crime in France and the USA”.

After an update by our Counsel Claire Filliatre on the duty of vigilance (also called due diligence duty) following the adoption by the European Parliament of the EU Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence, Aymeric Dumoulin, Esq., member of New York Bar, presented his comparative analysis of the fight against organized economic crime in France and the USA, through the study of the implementation of internal investigations and negotiated plea agreements.

Best Lawyers 2024

We are pleased to announce that two of our partners have again been named “Best Lawyers 2024” by the US legal guide Best Lawyers:

Jean-Luc Soulier for his expertise in “Mergers and Acquisitions”; and

André Soulier for his expertise in “Criminal Defense” and “Litigation”.

Every year, Best Lawyers publishes some of the most respected rankings around the world.

Congratulations to our teams and warmest thanks to our clients and colleagues for their trust and recognition.

WLG | impact '23: Local steps to global impact

The World Law Group (WLG), a network of 61 leading independent law firms with more than 430 offices in major commercial centers worldwide, to which our Firm belongs, has launched its annual network-wide ESG initiative, WLG | impact ’23.

In this context, all WLG member firms are invited to implement an ESG initiative.

This year, we have decided to work with the soccer division of the multi-sports club Rhodia-Vaise.

As such, Soulier Avocats will host a clean-up session of the part of Rhodia-Vaise’s site dedicated to soccer activities. Team members will go there and spend half a day removing, collecting, and sorting all kinds of trash and waste that can be typically found in these types of places.

The objective is inter alia to raise environmental and waste management awareness among the club members, especially the young ones.