Approval of an association

Verified 31 August 2021 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry for Associative Life

Accreditation is the recognition by an authority of the commitment of an association in a particular field (e.g. animal protection). Approval shall be granted by the State or one of its public establishments. In order to benefit from it, the association must meet general conditions and, possibly, other conditions specific to each approval. Approval may be canceled if a condition necessary for its granting is no longer fulfilled by the association.

Accreditation reflects the state recognition the involvement of an association in a particular field (consumer protection, environmental protection,...).

The approved association shall benefit frombenefits variables according to the license: possibility to apply for public subsidies, tax advantages, right to practice certain activities,...

The association, which may be law 1901 or association of Alsace-Moselle, must meet the following 3 conditions:

  • To respond to an object of general interest, that is to say that the association must not be based on a cause or for a prohibited object, contrary to the law, to good morals
  • Present a democratic way of working
  • Adhere to rules that ensure financial transparency

The following associations are automatically considered as meeting these 3 conditions:

The issue of an approval may also be subject to other specific conditions (at least 1 year old, a certain number of members, etc.).

Responding to an object of general interest

In order to fulfill an object of general interest, the association must fulfill the following conditions:

  • Justify a selfless management and not pursue profit-making
  • Be open to all without discrimination
  • Present sufficient guarantees with regard to respect for individual freedoms, that is to say that the association may not have the aim of undermining the integrity of France and the republican form of government
  • Its action must not be limited to defending the collective interests of its members alone

Present a democratic way of working

The functioning of the association shall be considered as democratic if all of the following conditions are met:

  • The General Assembly shall meet regularly, at least once a year
  • Up-to-date members of their obligations (in particular of their contributions) shall have the right to participate effectively in the general meeting and to vote
  • Rules and regulations The documents necessary for their information shall be communicated to them in accordance with the conditions laid down in the statutes or in the
  • At least half of the members responsible for administration or management shall be elected by the general meeting
  • The regular renewal of the members responsible for administration or management and the annual activity report shall be submitted for approval to the general meeting

Adhere to rules ensuring financial transparency

Financial transparency shall be considered to be fulfilled if all of the following conditions are met:

  • The association shall draw up an annual budget and financial statements or, where appropriate, accounts
  • The annual budget, financial statements or accounts shall be communicated to the members within the time limits laid down in its statutes
  • These documents shall be submitted to the general meeting for acceptance
  • The association shall ensure the publication and communication of these budgetary and accounting documents to the public authorities in accordance with the regulations

The application file includes the activity reports for the last completed fiscal year.

It shall also include proof of any changes in the association's statutes, management or administration.

An association that is not required to publish its annual accounts must also provide its approved financial statements for the last year ended. This is the case for associations whose amount of donations and/or grants is less than €153,000.

The legal representative of the association shall draw up an attestation of honor to certify the following information:

  • The information provided to justify that the association fulfills the three conditions (object of general interest, democratic functioning, financial transparency) is accurate and sincere
  • The association complies with the laws and regulations
  • The association is up to date with its accounting obligations.

Other specific elements may be requested (minutes of general meetings, note presenting the activity of the association,...).

The dossier shall be forwarded to the competent authority in order to issue the desired approval.

The competent administration varies according to the activity of the association: environmental protection association, sports association not affiliated to a sports federation, educational association, youth and/or popular education association, ...

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Environmental Protection Association

The request should be addressed to the prefect of the department in which the association has its registered office.

Who shall I contact

Non-affiliated sports association

The request should be addressed to the prefect of the department in which the association has its registered office.

Who shall I contact

Educational associations

The application for national accreditation is made to the Office for Educational, Cultural and Sports Activities of the Directorate-General for School Education of the Ministry responsible for National Education.

Associations with a youth and/or popular education activity

The request is made to the Directorate of Youth, Popular Education and Associative Life of the Ministry in charge of Youth.

The approval decision shall be taken by the competent administrative authority. This depends on the approval requested.

Once the application has been accepted, approval shall be granted for a period of Five years.

The license shall be renewable.

The administrative authority which issued the authorization may cancel it where a condition necessary for its granting is no longer fulfilled.

Repeal shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure specific to each approval.