France's 2025 Commercial Court Reforms: Implications for International Disputes.

The French Government's 2025 reforms to the organisation and procedure of the Tribunaux de commerce represent the most significant modernisation of French commercial justice in over two decades. For international businesses with operations, contracts, or disputes connected to France, three aspects of the reform deserve immediate attention: the establishment of dedicated international commercial chambers, the introduction of an expedited procedure for cross-border disputes, and the expansion of the Paris Commercial Court's international jurisdiction.

The creation of chambres internationales within the Tribunal de commerce de Paris formalises what has been an informal practice: channelling complex international commercial disputes to judges with specific expertise in cross-border transactions, international trade, and comparative commercial law. The new chambers will conduct proceedings in French but permit the submission of documentary evidence in English without certified translation — a significant practical concession for international parties. The reform also introduces the possibility of expert witness testimony procedures that more closely resemble common-law practice, including the ability for parties to present their own expert reports (expertise contradictoire) alongside or in lieu of court-appointed experts.

The expedited procedure (procédure accélérée au fond) for international commercial disputes aims to deliver first-instance judgments within 6–9 months — a dramatic improvement over the current average of 12–18 months for complex commercial cases. The procedure is available for disputes exceeding a specified threshold amount and requires that both parties consent or that the president of the chamber orders it on grounds of urgency. The compressed timeline is achieved through strict case management: the juge de la mise en état sets a binding calendar at the outset, limits the number of written exchanges to two rounds, and schedules the oral hearing within 120 days of the final submissions deadline.

The jurisdictional dimension of the reform is equally important. The reformed Tribunal de commerce de Paris will have exclusive first-instance jurisdiction over certain categories of international commercial disputes connected to France, including disputes arising from contracts governed by French law with a value exceeding EUR 5 million, and disputes involving international sale of goods where one party is domiciled in France. This consolidation of international jurisdiction in Paris — combined with the existing French International Arbitration Court at the Cour d'appel de Paris and France's role as a leading seat of ICC arbitration — strengthens Paris's position as a comprehensive dispute resolution hub.

For international businesses, the reform creates a viable alternative to arbitration for certain categories of dispute. Where confidentiality is not paramount, where precedent-setting judgments are strategically desirable, and where the availability of appellate review is valued, the reformed Paris Commercial Court offers a faster, less expensive, and more transparent forum than international arbitration — with the enforceability of French judgments across the EU under the Brussels I Regulation and the Hague Judgments Convention. GSDA Legal Consultants' litigation team in Paris advises international clients on forum selection, French commercial court proceedings, and cross-border enforcement of French judgments.