Paris, January 14, 2026 — The French competition authority has carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the audit and certification of financial and non-financial data, amid suspicions of anticompetitive practices in the sector.
The Autorité de la concurrence said its investigation services conducted the inspections on January 13, following authorisation from a liberty and custody judge. The raids targeted companies suspected of engaging in conduct that may infringe competition rules, although the authority did not identify the firms involved or specify the practices under scrutiny.
The authority stressed that the inspections do not prejudge the outcome of the investigation and that any finding of wrongdoing can only be established after a full examination on the merits. No further details will be disclosed at this stage, in line with standard enforcement practice.
The Autorité said it publishes notices of unannounced inspections to ensure equal access to its leniency programme for companies not directly concerned by the raids. The press release is issued without prejudice to the presumption of innocence.
Companies with concerns about past or ongoing practices in the sector were encouraged to contact the authority’s leniency officer to discuss the possibility of applying for immunity or fine reductions.
