France prepares for ratification of HNS Protocol

Posted: 01/06/2020

France made further progress towards ratification of the 2010 HNS Protocol in May as it published two pieces of legislation setting out the reporting obligations of those entities receiving HNS in France, as well as the methods by which they should submit those reports. 

Those pieces of legislation took the form of a decree and an order; adopted and published by the Ministère de la Transition écologique et solidaire on 20 May 2020.  The Ministry confirms that an online reporting system is operational to enable HNS receivers to declare from January 2021 the goods they have received during the course of 2020. Sanctions are also included for any receivers who do not submit such reports within the required timeframe. 

This positive move is hoped to set France on course to meet the May 2021 ratification target date for EU Member States, which was set out in a decision of the Council of the European Union in 2017.