Focus on Judicial public interest agreements (CJIP)

Since its creation by the Sapin II law of 9 December 2016, the Judicial Public Interest Agreement (“Convention Judiciaire d’Intérêt Public” or “CJIP”) has demonstrated its flexibility in handling various types of cases, both in terms of geographical location and the breadth of offenses covered. Initially, the CJIP underwent testing by the National Financial Prosecutor’s (“PNF”) Office in cross-border cases involving multiple prosecuting authorities. Subsequently, regional prosecutor’s offices started using CJIPs more modest cases. Moreover, the CJIP has expanded its coverage to encompass a wide range of offenses, including breaches of probity, tax fraud, and environmental violations. Over the past 12 months, a total of 16 CJIPs have been signed, and new guidelines regarding their implementation have been published.