Sign a partnership agreement or CPO online
Partnership agreement between an association and a partner (local authority, foundation, sponsoring company), signed electronically with the same legal value as a paper agreement. Compliant with French Act No. 2000-321 of 12 April 2000 (art. 9-1: definition of the subsidy; art. 10: agreement required above €23,000) and the eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, multiple signatories, 10-year archiving included.
- Legal framework
- Act No. 2000-321 art. 9-1 and 10
- Signature level
- AES eIDAS recommended
- Legal archives
- 10 years included
What is a partnership agreement?
A partnership agreement formalises a collaboration between an association and an external partner (public authority, foundation, sponsoring company). When it accompanies a public subsidy, it falls under French Act No. 2000-321 of 12 April 2000: article 9-1, inserted by Act No. 2014-856 of 31 July 2014, defines the subsidy, and article 10 requires an agreement above €23,000 a year. Over several years, it becomes a multi-year objective agreement (CPO). It must precisely define the objectives assigned to the association, the resources provided, the evaluation indicators and the monitoring arrangements. Sponsorship agreements (art. 200 and 238 bis of the French Tax Code, CGI) entitle the sponsor to a tax deduction. Certyneo's advanced signature (AES) is compatible with the requirements of public authorities and foundations.
Why sign electronically?
Multi-party (assistant + partner + witnesses)
Agreement between 2 or more parties (asso + partner) (asso + community + co-financers). Our stream manages sequential or parallel signature. Each one signs from his/her phone with individual SMS OTP.
Reduced administrative time
No more A/R mail between the ASO and the community (which can take 2-3 weeks). Electronic signature on the day of validation by the municipal/administrative council.
10 years of archiving + traceability grant
Article L1611-4 of the CGCT requires that proof of use of the grants be kept for 10 years.
Enforceable audit trail
Each agreement is accompanied by a PDF of proof: identity of signatories, RFC 3161 timestamp, SHA-256 hash, OTP SMS, IP. Optional in case of dispute about the appropriateness of the use of funds, compliance with the objectives or regularity of the payment.
The four-step procedure
From prep to legal filing in less than five minutes.
1. Preparing for the convention
Upload your project or use a template (CPO, sponsorship, operational partnership).Mandatory information: purpose, specific objectives, means granted, duration, payment terms, evaluation indicators, control terms, termination conditions.
2. Add the signatories
Legal representative of the association (president) + representative of the partner (mayor, community president, foundation director, patron).
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, RFC 3161 timestamping.
4. Apply
The final agreement + audit trail are archived for 10 years. The grant may be paid according to the timetable.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a partnership agreement be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction. Act No. 2000-321 does not require a handwritten signature. Article 1366 of the Civil Code gives electronic writing the same evidential weight. Certyneo's advanced signature meets evidential requirements.
- Do public authorities accept electronic signatures?
- Yes, more and more. Large municipalities (regions, metropolises, departments) accept the advanced signature (AES) to reduce time. Small municipalities can still prefer the paper format ask your partner municipality.
- How can the obligations to monitor the use of subsidies be met?
- Art. L1611-4 of the CGCT requires the association to produce the subsidy use report within 6 months following the end of the fiscal year. This report can be signed electronically by the treasurer and auditor (>153k€) and archived with the initial convention.
- What's the signature level for a multi-year CPO?
- Advanced signature (AES) recommended in view of the financial issues (multiannual grant, review by the audit judge). It is admissible in court (Article 1367 of the Civil Code); its reliability is demonstrated by the evidence file delivered with each signature, the presumption of reliability being reserved for the qualified signature.
- Does a patronage agreement give you a right to a tax reduction?
- Yes — for a sponsoring company (art. 238 bis CGI: 60% of donation up to 0.5% of turnover) or individual (art. 200 CGI: 66% of donation up to 20% of taxable income). The association must issue a tax receipt — Certyneo also allows you to sign it electronically.
- How long does a convention have to last ?
- For conventions involving European funding (ESF, ERDF), retention up to 10 years after the closure of the programme.
- Can we change an agreement by signing it electronically?
- Yes the endorsements (amendment of subject matter, grounds, extension) are signed as the original agreement, with advanced signature + RFC 3161 timestamp.
- Is the electronically signed agreement enforceable before the court?
- The advanced signature (AES) is admissible as evidence (Article 1367 of the Civil Code), including before the regional Chamber of Accounts in the event of a subsidy use control; its reliability is demonstrated by the audit trail.
See also
Sign up for your next convention online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes for 14 days, then 2/month), no credit card required. Compliant with Act No. 2000-321, CGCT and eIDAS. 10-year archiving included.