Sign a partnership convention 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, multi-signatories, 10-year archiving included.
- Legal framework
- Act No. 2000-321 art. 9-1 and 10
- Signature level
- eIDAS AES recommended
- Legal archiving
- 10 years included
What is an association partnership convention?
A partnership agreement formalizes 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 per year. Over several years, it becomes a multi-year objective agreement (CPO). It must precisely define the objectives assigned to the association, the resources granted, the evaluation indicators and the monitoring procedures. 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 (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, RFC 3161 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, RFC 3161 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. Act No. 2000-321 does not require a handwritten signature. Article 1366 of the Civil Code grants electronic writing the same evidentiary force. 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 is admissible in court (art. 1367 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 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 + RFC 3161 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. An advanced signature (AES) is admissible as evidence (art. 1367 Civil Code), including before the regional audit office in the event of subsidy use audits; its reliability is demonstrated by the audit trail.
Also read
Sign your next agreement 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.