Foley Hoag LLP (JD Supra France)

All deadlines and measures which expire between March 12th,2020 and June 23rd, 2020 shall be suspended in whole or in part during this Statutory Period or shall have their expiration date postponed...

All deadlines and measures concerning urban planning which have expired between March 12th,2020 and May 24th, 2020 shall be suspended during this Derogating Period or shall have their expiration date postponed...

Deadlines imposed by the public administration - All deadlines imposed by the public administration are suspended between March 12th and June 24th. The remaining deadline shall start to run again from the latter date...

Deadlines in urban planning law matters are suspended between March 12th and May 25th. The period remaining will start again to run from the latter date...

Delegation of powers from deliberative assemblies to local executives – • Full delegation: Local executives (mayors, presidents of EPCIs (public inter-municipality cooperation establishments), departmental and regional councils) are automatically entrusted with all the powers which can be delegated by their deliberative assemblies...

Possibility of dematerialized deliberations for the deliberative bodies - • Persons concerned: public establishments, whatever their status, public interest groups, commissions and any collegial administrative body intended to adopt opinions or decisions...

The Functioning of Administrative Courts During the French State of Health Emergency - • Judicial activity continuity plan: administrative courts have been closed since Monday March 16th, 2020 except for the processing of essential disputes. - Caution: Before the French Conseil d’Etat, except for urgent cases, the hearings are postponed and the reception of the public of the litigation...

April 10, 2020 On March 25, 2020, the French Government has - through the French public investment bank BPI - launched a program of State-guaranteed loans (“prêts garantis par l’Etat”) in order to help French-based businesses to restore and maintain their cash flow and financial situation in the current COVID-19 pandemic...

The following provisions apply to contracts subject to the Public Procurement Code, administrative contracts and contracts concluded by public entities operating a network activity. However, in New Caledonia and Polynesia, these provisions apply only to public procurement contracts concluded by the French State and its public bodies...

The magnitude of the disruption caused by Covid-19 to the economy has a very significant impact on business contracts and in particular triggers an increase of the number of breaches. This situation undermines businesses and exposes their liability due to these breaches; but above all, and in the very short term, it may deprive them from contracts which are key for their operations - such as...

Deadlines for challenging before administrative courts: if the statutory deadline expires between March 12th and June 25th, the deadline starts to run again from the latter date for its initial duration not exceeding two months - • Example : In the case of a claim subject to the ordinary 2-month deadline, if the latter expires on March 30th, the claim will be admissible until August 25th, 2020.

Following the entry into force of the French emergency bill aimed at tackling the COVID-19 epidemic dated March 23, 2020, the French government has adopted, on March 25, 2020, two ordinances (ordonnances) (n°2020-318 and 2020-321) to ensure, despite the current disruptions (in particular those resulting from the containment measures) the continuity of operation of the governance bodies of "legal...

If there is no doubt that the Coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic significantly jeopardizes the world economy and triggers a significant increase of breaches in contract completion, is it nevertheless possible to systematically plead force majeure as a justification to such breaches? COVID-19 pandemic is increasingly present in our day-to-day life and, inter alia, jeopardizes business activities.

Please note that, as that the date hereof, all measures mentioned have merely been announced and are in the process of being implemented. Further details, and possibly further changes, will be released in the coming days, in accordance also with the evolution of the Covid-19 crisis. Due to the health situation in France arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences on French economy,