Sign a partnership convention or CPO online
Partnership convention between an association and a partner (public body, foundation, sponsoring company), signed electronically with the same legal value as a paper convention. Compliant with law no. 2014-856 of 31 July 1985 (administration/association relations, art. 9-1 multi-year Partnership Convention) and eIDAS regulation — advanced signature recommended, multi-signatories, 10-year archiving included.
- Legal framework
- Law 2014-856 art. 9-1
- Signature level
- eIDAS AES recommended
- Legal archiving
- 10 years included
What is an association partnership convention?
A partnership convention formalizes a collaboration between an association and an external partner (public body, foundation, sponsoring company). When it involves the allocation of a multi-year public subsidy, it is a multi-year objectives convention (CPO) governed by art. 9-1 of law 2014-856 of 31 July 1985. It must precisely define the objectives assigned to the association, the resources provided, evaluation indicators and monitoring procedures. Sponsorship conventions (art. 200 and 238 bis CGI) entitle the sponsor to a tax deduction. Certyneo''s advanced signature (AES) is compatible with the requirements of public bodies and foundations.
Why sign electronically?
Multi-party (association + partner + witnesses)
Convention between 2 parties (association + partner) or more (association + public body + co-financers). Our workflow handles sequential or parallel signature. Everyone signs from their phone with individual SMS OTP.
Reduced administrative delays
No more postal mail back-and-forth between the association and the public body (which can take 2-3 weeks). Electronic signature on the same day as validation by the municipal council/board. Accelerated subsidy implementation.
10-year archiving + subsidy traceability
Art. L1611-4 of the CGCT requires conservation of subsidy use documentation for 10 years. Certyneo automatically archives the convention + audit trail + amendments, accessible for any audit by the public body or audit office.
Enforceable audit trail
Each convention comes with a proof PDF: identity of signatories, qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, SMS OTP, IP. Enforceable in case of dispute over compliance of fund use, achievement of objectives or regularity of payment.
4-step procedure
From preparation to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Prepare the convention
Upload your draft or use a template (CPO, sponsorship, operational partnership). Mandatory mentions: purpose, precise objectives, resources provided, duration, payment terms, evaluation indicators, monitoring procedures, termination conditions.
2. Add signatories
Legal representative of the association (president) + representative of the partner (mayor, public body president, foundation director, sponsor). For conventions with 3 or more parties, add all co-financers.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) recommended: identity verification by SMS OTP, unique certificate per signatory, qualified timestamp. Compatible with public bodies and foundations requirements.
4. Implement
The finalized convention + audit trail are archived for 10 years. Subsidy payment can proceed in accordance with the payment schedule. Any amendments are signed like the initial convention.
Frequently asked questions
- Can an association partnership convention be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction. Law 2014-856 does not require handwritten signature. Art. 1366 of the Civil Code recognizes electronic documents as having equal probative value. Certyneo''s advanced signature meets evidentiary requirements.
- Do public bodies accept electronic signature?
- Yes, increasingly. Large public bodies (regions, metropolises, departments) accept advanced signature (AES) to reduce delays. Small municipalities may still prefer paper format — check with your partner public body.
- How to comply with subsidy use control obligations?
- 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 signature level for a multi-year CPO?
- Advanced signature (AES) recommended given the financial stakes (multi-year subsidy, audit office review). It provides a presumption of reliability (art. 1367 Civil Code) enforceable without further demonstration.
- Does a sponsorship convention entitle to tax deduction?
- 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 must a convention be kept?
- 10 years minimum after the convention ends (art. L1611-4 CGCT). For conventions involving European funding (ESF, ERDF), retention until 10 years after program closure. Certyneo archives automatically.
- Can a convention be modified by an electronically signed amendment?
- Yes — amendments (modification of purpose, resources, extension) are signed like the initial convention, with advanced signature + qualified timestamp. The amendment is archived in the same folder as the convention.
- Is an electronically signed agreement enforceable before a judge?
- Yes — French case law recognizes eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures. The reliability presumption of art. 1367 Civil Code makes advanced signatures (AES) enforceable, including before the regional audit office in the event of subsidy use audits.
Also read
Sign your next agreement online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes / month), no credit card required. Compliant with law 2014-856, CGCT and eIDAS. 10-year archiving included.