30/04/2026
The French National Bar Council, Conseil National des Barreaux (CNB), has approved amendments to draft rules establishing a new national mutualised AML/CFT supervisory commission for lawyers.
The proposed system introduces a two-level control structure. Lawyers first complete an annual mandatory AML/CFT self-assessment questionnaire, followed by independent on-site and document-based inspections carried out by supervisors appointed by the new national commission.
According to the CNB, the amendments reinforce safeguards around independence and confidentiality. Supervisors will not be allowed to operate within the jurisdiction of their own appeal court, and professional secrecy obligations will apply to all information obtained during inspections.
The revised framework also creates a subsidiary mechanism enabling the national commission to initiate audits directly if a local bar association fails to respond within one month to identified high-risk concerns arising from the self-assessment process. Local bar councils, however, will remain solely responsible for deciding on any disciplinary or follow-up measures.
The CNB stated that the reforms respond to criticism from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) regarding the effectiveness of AML/CFT supervision of lawyers in France and align with the EU’s new anti-money laundering legislative package (AMLR).
