French Notaires Up in Arms — Battling the New Reforms

The notaries of France play a specific role in handling matters of property and family law (eg. inheritance, marriage, divorce), similar to the role undertaken by attorneys and title companies. As members of the French law profession, notaries are responsible for drawing up deeds relating to property purchase.

The role of the notaire is defined in clear terms on the official Web site of French notaries.

Just two days ago, the Chambre de Notaires de Paris posted a notice about how the notaries are mobilizing against new reforms that serve to deregulate the profession.

Each year, 20 million clients use notarial services and perform 4 million transactions that protect the public in the ownership or inheritance of property. Appointed by the Minister of Justice and guarantors of public service, the notaries ensure absolute legal and financial security, considered to be one of the best in the world.

The French government now wants to deregulate the profession and the notaries are up in arms! They claim that the consequences will be severe:

You’ll pay more: The cost of many actions they perform today (already at a loss), will increase.

You will be less protected: They can challenge any court, title, legacy and the litigation will be resolved, but the notaries question — at what price? And especially for what guarantee?

The Notaries of France are asking for signatures to withdraw the reforms on regulated professions. The petition (by Philippe Fuzellier of change.org/fr) states:

Addressed to: Manuel Valls
For the immediate withdrawal of the reform on regulated professions

Read the French version here.

(Or a not-so-perfect, but close translation by Bing):

Indignant, denying the reform of regulated professions

Reform was already a project of Nicolas Sarkozy (lawyer), which had already entrusted to Jacques Attali (former President of the Bred, European Bank) a report that led to a Commission headed by Jean Michel Darrois (personal counsel for Sarkozy), which does not, in a desire to unify the law professions.

The list of the persons policy lawyers is uplifting (Dominique de Villepin, Claude Guéant, Jean Francois Coppe, Christine Lagarde, Pierre Lelouche, Jean Louis Borloo…) and François Fillon jurist.

From a project concocted in secret by Arnaud Montebourg (ex lawyer) and taken over by Emmanuel Macron (ex banker Rothschild) the Government has just decided to pass a deregulating 37 in force (by an order, without parliamentary debate) professions (professions of law, health professions, various professions).Some examples, remove the monopoly of driving schools, deskilling the craft to make it more accessible, sale of drugs by large surfaces with risk health, disappearance of a millennial function envied by the world (notaries), disappearance of acts among the ushers…

The entire project, concocted on the sly, at the behest of Brussels has aims to serve many lobbies in the Chamber (bankers, lawyers…) who under the pretext of opening to competition, is designed in reality to strip other competing professions and buying shares of customer markets, allowing the passage a freedom of uncontrolled installation and disqualification.

It will affect hit 1.1 million employees, who may be worried about their future, if we consider foolish robbing Pierre to pay Paul.

The Government bypassed the spirit of Socialists, opposed to this Ordinance, members wishing to satisfy Brussels on this reform and have a temporary respite on public deficits.

The lack of consultation of relevant professions and all their staff is a democratic denial, as the form used to legislate.

It hides our citizens the truth about this project leaving them dreaming of tomorrow who sing, but paradoxically we want to pass it cavalierly.

The so-called reform must be jobs, while it will inevitably destroy, and the lower fares announced is an illusion (like the opening to competition of the electricity and gas).

Together, indignant us, for our fellow citizens, and mobilize us to alert the Government, our rejection of this project, which we call for the immediate withdrawal.

Learn more (in French) and sign their petition.

A bientôt,

Adrian Leeds

Editor, French Property Insider & The Adrian Leeds Group

Email: [email protected]

 

 

 

 

P.S. I will be talking about these issues and much more at the upcoming Living and Investing in France Mini Conference — Nice and the Côte d’Azur on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. You’ll learn how to own a “pied-à-terre” of your own on the Riviera, in Paris or a home in the countryside that you can enjoy when you want…or just make a smart investment, plus ask me all of your questions about owning property in France. Register now and join us in Nice! Visit our Mini-Conference page  to learn more and register in advance.