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Law on the simplification of economic life
Sale of business: the Hamon law procedure is evolving
Publié le 27 mai 2026 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
The law simplifying economic life makes the Hamon law more flexible. The latter has set up a mechanism for prior information of employees in companies with fewer than 250 employees in the event of a sale of the business or a sale of the majority of the capital. The aim is to streamline the procedure in order to reduce the burden of administrative procedures and increase the legal certainty of companies.
Reminder
The simplified procedure for the sale of goodwill or the transfer of the majority of the capital concerns:
- companies with fewer than 50 employees;
- companies with 50 to 250 employees without a CSE (Social and Economic Committee).
That procedure provides that the employer must inform its employees of its willingness to sell the company within a period allowing them to formulate a possible offer to purchase.
The Simplification Act now restricts this simplified procedure to companies with fewer than 50 employees.
Companies with at least 50 employees to 250 employees with a CSE are no longer obliged to inform employees directly. However, they are subject to the obligation to inform and consult the EESC.
In addition, the Simplification Act makes the following changes to the simplified procedure:
- the employer must inform employees at least 1 month before the sale (versus 2 months before);
- in the event of non-compliance with the obligation to provide information, thefine is lightened. She moves on to 0.5% of the sale (previously 2%).
The reform will apply to sales concluded 2 months after the enactment of the law (i.e. sales concluded after 27 july 2026).