In an architectural firm, the chairman of the board of directors, the chief executive officer if he is unique, at least half of the chief executives, of the members of the executive board and of the managers, as well as at least the majority of the members of the board of directors and of the supervisory board must be architects or architectural firms.
As a general rule, only French and EU/EEA nationals can be registered as and bear the title of architect. Non-EU/EEA nationals can be registered on the basis of reciprocity. If the reciprocity condition is not fulfilled, a non-EU/EEA national can nonetheless practice the profession under certain conditions, according to a procedure set by decree.
"Article 2
For the application of this law, the natural persons listed in articles 10 and 11, the companies defined in article 12, as well as the natural persons admitted to bear the title of approved in architecture or that of holder are considered as architects. receipt in application of article 37 and entered in a regional board of architects or in its annex.
[...]
Article 9
Only natural persons registered with a regional association of architects in accordance with the provisions of Articles 10 and 11 below may bear the title of architect.
Legal persons registered with a regional association of architects in accordance with the provisions of article 12 below may only bear the title of architectural firm.
Registration on a regional roll or its annex confers the right to practice throughout the national territory.
Article 10
On request, natural persons of French nationality or nationals of a Member State of the European Union or of another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area are registered on their request. enjoy their civil rights, have the necessary moral guarantees and meet one of the following conditions:
[...]
Article 11
Natural persons who are nationals of States not members of the European Economic Community are registered, on their request, in a regional register under the same conditions of diploma, certificate, architectural or qualification title, enjoyment of civil rights and morality as the French, if they can take advantage of reciprocity agreements or international commitments.
If this last condition is not fulfilled, they may nevertheless be authorized to practice the profession of architect, according to a procedure fixed by decree.
The same decree specifies the conditions under which a foreign architect may, without being registered with a regional register, be authorized to carry out a specific project in France.
Article 12
For the exercise of their activities, architects and natural persons established in another Member State of the European Union or in another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and legally exercising the profession of architect in the conditions defined in 1 ° to 4 ° of article 10 or in article 10-1 may constitute civil or commercial companies among themselves or with other natural or legal persons. They can also set up a company with a single shareholder. Only companies which comply with the rules laid down in article 13 and which are registered in the regional register of architects may bear the title of architectural companies and be authorized to practice the profession of architect.
[...]
Article 13
Any architectural firm must comply with the following rules: [...]
2 ° More than half of the share capital and voting rights must be held by:
a) One or more natural person architects or one or more natural persons established in another Member State of the European Union or party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and legally exercising the profession of architect under the conditions defined in 1 ° to 4 ° of article 10 or article 10-1;
b) Architectural companies or legal persons established in another Member State of the European Union or party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, more than half of the capital and voting rights of which is held by qualified persons, within the meaning of Articles 10 or 10-1, and legally exercising the profession of architect;
3 ° Associated legal persons who are not architectural firms may not hold more than 25% of the share capital and voting rights of architectural firms; [...]
5 ° The chairman of the board of directors, the chief executive officer if he is unique, at least half of the chief executives, of the members of the executive board and of the managers, as well as at least the majority of the members of the board of directors and of the supervisory board must be the persons mentioned in a of 2 °.[...]" (Law n ° 77-2 of January 3, 1977 on architecture, last amended by Ordinance n° 2018-1074 of 26 November 2018, Articles 2, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 [google translation])
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"Article 15
By application of the provisions of the second paragraph of article 11 of the aforementioned law of 3 January 1977 , natural persons who are nationals of States not members of the European Union or of another State party to the Agreement on Space European economy may be registered, at their request, in a regional board of architects, by decision of the regional prefect, after consultation with the National Council of the Order of Architects.
Natural persons send a file to the regional council of the order of architects of the place where they wish to establish their professional domicile, the content of which is fixed by order of the minister responsible for culture.[...]" (Decree n ° 2009-1490 of 2 December 2009 relating to the recognition of professional qualifications for the exercise of the profession of architect, last amended by Decree n°2020-733 of 15 June 2020, Article 15 [google translation])
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"Article 19
Natural persons who are nationals of States not members of the European Union or of another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area who wish to be registered with a regional board of architects in application of article 15 of the the aforementioned decree of 2 December 2009 send to the regional council of the competent order of architects a file in duplicate, including the following documents accompanied, where applicable, by their translation into French:
1 ° A copy of one of the diplomas, certificates or other architectural titles mentioned in I of article 1 of the aforementioned decree of 2 December 2009 ;
2 ° A curriculum vitae;
3 ° A letter setting out the motivations of the applicant;
4 ° Any document attesting to their current professional activity;
5 ° Any document proving their legal residence in the territory;
6 ° A copy of a valid identity document;
7 ° An extract from the criminal record or any equivalent document.[....]" (Decree of December 17, 2009 relating to the methods of recognition of professional qualifications for the exercise of the profession of architect, last amended by Decree of 7 January 2019, Article 19 [google translation])
Law n ° 77-2 of January 3, 1977 on architecture, last amended by Ordinance n° 2018-1074 of 26 November 2018, Articles 2, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13
Decree n ° 2009-1490 of 2 December 2009 relating to the recognition of professional qualifications for the exercise of the profession of architect, last amended by Decree n°2020-733 of 15 June 2020, Article 15
Decree of December 17, 2009 relating to the methods of recognition of professional qualifications for the exercise of the profession of architect, last amended by Decree of 7 January 2019, Article 19
[<a href="https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000000522423/">Law</a>],[<a href="https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/LEGIARTI000042007044/#LEGIARTI000042007044">Decree</a>],[<a href="https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000021528491/">Decree</a>]