Trade Union Association of Owners
Verified 21 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
A trade union association of landowners (ASP) allows several landowners to organize themselves to manage together equipment, works or spaces of common interest. What is the purpose of this type of association, who can join it and how does it work? We explain the different types of ASPs and their role in the management of shared assets.
It exists 3 shapes of SPAs according to their method of creation and the type of property concerned:
- Free Trade Union Association (FSA), which is a legal person of private law
- Authorized Trade Union Association (ASA), which is a public administrative establishment
- Incorporated Trade Union Association (ASCO), which is a public administrative establishment established by the prefect.
Some SPAs, such as LSAs, concern single-family housing complexes with shared facilities. It may sound like a condominium, but it's a separate legal regime.
A SPA is not governed by the condominium and does not apply automatically: it is based on a voluntary or administrative organization for the management of external common assets.
ASL
Owners who wish to do so can form an ASL.
They must all give them consent by written.
Members must draft the statutes of the association. They must include the following information:
- Name, object, seat, rules of operation of the association
- Conditions of representation of the association with regard to third parties
- Conditions for amending the statutes
- Conditions for dissolution of the association
- List of buildings included in the perimeter of the association and withdrawal conditions
- Methods of financing and collection of contributions.
The creation of the ASL must be declared online:
Creation of a trade union association of owners (ASL)
A receipt is dated and signed by the prefect. The receipt is issued within 5 days following receipt of the complete declaration dossier.
The association then has the legal capacity.
The prefectural services transmit to the Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Dila) the request for insertion for publication in the JOAFE: titleContent within one month of the date of issue of the receipt.
The extract of the statutes to be published in the Official Journal shall contain the date of the declaration, the name, the subject matter and the registered office of the association.
This insertion is free of charge.
FYI
In order to be able to justify the existence and legal capacity of the association, the directors may download a copy of the advertisement published in the Official Journal (or proof of publication). This document is to be kept throughout the life of the association.
Any amendment to the statutes must be declared.
The declaration and publication in the Official Journal of amendments to the Statutes shall be made by the president of the association within 3 months following the deliberation approving the amendment of the statutes.
The declaration is to be made online:
The statutes shall lay down freely the rules of operation from the FSA.
THEgeneral assembly is made up of all the owners who are members of the ASL. Its powers and mode of operation are defined by the statutes.
FSA is administered by a union composed of members elected from the owners who are members of the association or their representatives under the conditions laid down by the statutes. The union settles the affairs of the FSA. Decisions are taken by deliberation.
The statutes define the tasks of the president from the FSA. However, the president has the obligation to keep up to date the registered status of the owners of the buildings included in the perimeter of the association and to proceed to the declaration and publication of the statutory amendments.
The FSA may request, at least 1 year after its creation, to be transformed into an ASA.
This transformation requires the favorable opinion of the owners. This is the case where a favorable opinion has been given in one of the following 2 cases :
- By the majority of owners representing at least 2/3 of the area of the properties concerned
- By 2/3 of the owners representing more than half of the area of the properties concerned.
The conditions for the dissolution of an ASL must be laid down in its statutes.
Dissolution must be declared and published at the JOAFE: titleContent within 3 months following the deliberation approving the finding by the President that the statutory conditions for dissolution have been met.
The declaration and publication shall be made by the president of the association.
The declaration is made online:
ASA
The creation of an Authorized Trade Union Association (ASA) may be initiated by:
- From one or more owners
- Of a local authority or a group of local authorities
- From the state (the prefect).
The person initiating the creation must create a file consisting of his application and the draft statutes that he has drafted.
The statutes of the SAA shall lay down in particular:
- Name, object, seat
- List of buildings within the scope of the SAA
- Financing arrangements and method of collection of fees
- Terms of representation of members at the meeting of owners who may provide for a minimum of area or contribution to expenses giving the right to be part of the meeting
- Allocation to each member of a number of votes calculated on the basis of the size of his property or his contribution to expenses as well as a maximum number of votes that can be allocated to a member or a category of members
- Number of mandates that can be given to the same person in owner's meeting or union meeting and their maximum validity
- Number of members of the union, its internal organization, which may provide for colleges, the distribution of members in such colleges and the duration of their duties
- Rules for the designation of trade union members
- Periodicity of meetings of the owners' assembly, which may not exceed 2 years, with the exception of meetings of the owners' assembly of land associations for consolidation and land associations for agricultural and forestry land development, the periodicity of which may not exceed 4 years
- Duration of association, if necessary.
The constitution of the association and the draft statutes are subject to a public inquiry. This is intended to inform the owners of buildings that may possibly be included in the scope of the future association and to collect their comments.
Warning
an owner who does not expressly oppose the project is considered to be in favor of the creation of the association.
The request must be addressed to the prefecture of the department where the association has planned to have its headquarters.
General case
In Paris
Who shall I contact
The creation of the trade union association may be authorized by the prefect when a favorable opinion was donated by the owners. This is the case where a favorable opinion has been given in one of the following 2 cases :
- By the majority of owners representing at least 2/3 of the area of the properties concerned
- By 2/3 of the owners representing more than half of the area of the properties concerned
The prefectural decree creating the association is published at collection of administrative acts of the prefecture.
The decree and the statutes of the association are displayed in each of the municipalities on whose territory the perimeter of the association extends within 15 days from the date of publication of the decree.
The order is also notified the owners of the buildings that may be included in the perimeter of the association.
Please note
In case of refusal of creation, the owners of the buildings that can be included in the perimeter of the association receive a notification of this decision.
The owner who pronounced expressly against the creation project the SAA may, within the period of 3 months from notification of the act authorizing such creation, declare that intends to abandon one or more of the buildings belonging to it and included in the perimeter of the association.
This abandonment opens right, at the expense of the association, to one compensation.
The organs of the association are:
- An assembly of owners, which meets at the invitation of the president of the ASA
- A union, composed of members elected by the owners' assembly
- A president and a vice-president, elected by the union from among its members
The operation of an ASA is regulated by law. However, certain rules, in particular relating to the functioning of the SAA bodies, are defined by the statutes for example, the statutes may define a minimum interest threshold to be held by each owner in order to be able to sit on the SAA owners' meeting.
Each year, the president prepares a report on the activity of the association and its financial situation.
The financial resources of the SAA come, inter alia, from royalties owed by its members, donations, income from movable or immovable property of the association, grants of various origins or loans.
FYI
The deliberations of the bodies of the SAA shall be forwarded to the prefect where the association has its seat. It has the right to amend certain acts.
Nature of the amendment request
The proposed amendment of the initial statutory measures may relate to one of the following :
- Extension of the scope of the SAA
- Change of the purpose of the SAA
Please note
Other statutory amendments may be requested on the proposal of the trade union or of 10e of the owners. They are the subject of a deliberation by the owners' assembly convened in extraordinary session. The deliberation is transmitted to the prefect for authorization. The prefect's order is published and then notified.
Authors of the change request
The proposed amendment relating to extension or change of object may be requested by:
- SAA Union
- 1/4 of the associated owners
- Territorial collectivity or group of territorial collectivities on whose territory the scope of the SAA extends
- Prefect of the department where the ASA has its headquarters
- Owners whose buildings are not included in the perimeter, when extension is requested
Vote of the amendment request
The proposed amendment relating to extension or change of object shall be submitted to the meeting of owners.
To be approved, the proposed amendment requires the favorable opinion of the owners. This is the case where a favorable opinion has been given in one of the following 2 cases :
- By the majority of owners representing at least 2/3 of the area of the properties concerned
- By 2/3 of the owners representing more than half of the area of the properties concerned
Public Inquiry and Consultation
Where the amendment relates to the extent of the perimeter of the ASA, the prefect consults the owners of the buildings likely to be included in this new perimeter.
When the majority of the members of the assembly decides in favor of the proposed amendment, the prefect orders a public inquiry.
The public inquiry shall not take place where the extension covers an area not exceeding 7% % of the area included in the perimeter of the association. In addition, the membership of each owner of the buildings likely to be included in the perimeter must have been obtained in writing, as well as the opinion of each interested municipality.
Prefect's Order
The prefect authorizes by decree the modification of the statutes.
The order shall be published in collection of administrative acts of the prefecture.
The decree and the statutes of the association are displayed in each of the municipalities on whose territory the perimeter of the association extends.
The order is also notified to the owners of the buildings likely to be included in the new perimeter of the association.
Yes, a property may be allowed to leave the perimeter of the ASA permanently for any reason.
The request for distraction can be made by:
- Prefect
- Or union
- Or owner of the building
The proposal for a distraction is submitted to the owners' assembly. However, if the area affected by the distraction procedure does not exceed 7% within the perimeter of the SAA, the proposal is then submitted to the union.
Union
Yes, SAAs or ASCOs may join together to facilitate their management or the execution or maintenance of works or works of common interest.
The request for union is addressed, by one or more of these associations, to the prefect of the department where the union has planned to have its seat.
General case
In Paris
Who shall I contact
When the perimeter of the union extends over several departments, the decision authorizing the creation of the union shall be taken by the prefect of the department in which the union intends to have its seat, after consulting the prefects of the other departments concerned, and taking into account the consent of the associations applying for membership of the union.
The prefectural decree authorizing the union is published in the collection of administrative acts of the prefecture. It shall be displayed in each municipality within the territory of which the perimeter of the association extends and notified to the members of the association.
Merge
2 or more ASAs or ASCOs may be allowed, to merge into one ASA.
This merger can be made on request:
- Associations
- Or any person with the capacity to create an ASA
The request must be addressed to the prefect of the department where the future association plans to have its headquarters.
General case
In Paris
Who shall I contact
The prefect pronounces the merger after favorable deliberation of the assemblies of all the owners members of each association concerned. In this situation, the representation threshold provided for in their statutes does not apply.
All the assets, rights and obligations of the merged trade union associations shall be transferred to the trade union association resulting from the merger.
An SAA may be dissolved at the request of the members of the association. This is the case when a favorable opinion of the members has been given in one of the following 2 cases:
- By the majority of owners representing at least 2/3 of the area of the properties concerned
- By 2/3 of the owners representing more than half of the area of the properties concerned
The ASA may also be automatically dissolved in the following cases:
- Disappearance of the object for which the SAA was formed
- The ASA is without real activity related to its object, and this for more than 3 years
- The continuation of the SAA hinders the realization of projects of public interest in a wider scope than that of the association
- The SAA is experiencing serious and persistent difficulties which hinder its functioning
- The SAA has been set up for a limited period (expiry date)
Dissolution is pronounced by the prefect by a reasoned act.
The prefectural decree dissolving the association is published in the collection of administrative acts of the prefecture. It shall be displayed in each municipality within the territory of which the perimeter of the association extends and notified to the members of the association.
ASCO
A trade union association may be of its own motion ASCO by the prefect. This is the case when an SAA could not be created due to the opposition of the owners included in the perimeter of the association while a legal maintenance obligation was imposed on certain works or works.
This measure may be applied to the following works or works:
- Prevention of natural or health risks, pollution and nuisance
- Preservation, restoration or exploitation of natural resources
- Development or maintenance of rivers, lakes or bodies of water, roads and various networks
It is the prefect of the department in which the association must have its seat who is competent.
The constitution of the association is subject to public inquiry.
Please note
Owners whose property is located within the perimeter of ASCO cannot oppose the creation of the association. The declaration of abandonment is therefore impossible.
The prefectural decree creating the association is published at collection of administrative acts of the prefecture.
The decree and the statutes of the association are displayed in each of the municipalities on whose territory the perimeter of the association extends within 15 days from the date of publication of the decree.
The order is also notified the owners of the buildings that may be included in the perimeter of the association.
Please note
In case of refusal of creation, the owners of the buildings that can be included in the perimeter of the association receive a notification of this decision.
The prefect's order includes provisions on the following points:
- Scope of the association
- Object
- Mode of execution of the works
- Conditions for allocating expenditure according to the degree of interest of each owner in the execution of the work
The provisions governing SAAs apply to ASCOs.
The organs of the association are:
- A meeting of owners
- A union, composed of members elected by the owners' assembly
- A president and a vice-president, elected by the union from among its members
The operation of an ASCO is regulated by law. However, certain rules, in particular relating to the functioning of the SAA bodies, are laid down in the Statutes
ASCO's financial resources come from, among other things, royalties owed by its members, donations, income from the association's movable or immovable property, grants of various origins or loans.
The rules governing SAAs concerning the amendment of statutes shall apply to ASCOs.
Nature of the amendment request
The proposed amendment of the initial statutory measures may relate to one of the following :
- Extension of the perimeter of ASCO
- Change of purpose of ASCO
Please note
Other statutory amendments may be requested on the proposal of the trade union or of 10e of the owners. They are the subject of a deliberation by the owners' assembly convened in extraordinary session. The deliberation is transmitted to the prefect for authorization. The prefect's order is published and then notified.
Authors of the change request
The proposed amendment relating to extension or change of object may be requested by:
- ASCO Union
- 1/4 of the associated owners
- Territorial collectivity or group of territorial collectivities on whose territory the perimeter of ASCO extends
- Prefect of the department where ASCO has its headquarters
- Owners whose buildings are not included in the perimeter, when extension is requested
Vote of the amendment request
The proposed amendment relating to extension or change of object shall be submitted to the meeting of owners.
To be approved, the proposed amendment requires the favorable opinion of the owners. This is the case where a favorable opinion has been given in one of the following 2 cases :
- By the majority of owners representing at least 2/3 of the area of the properties concerned
- By 2/3 of the owners representing more than half of the area of the properties concerned
Public Inquiry and Consultation
Where the amendment relates to the extent of the perimeter At ASCO, the Prefect consults the owners of the buildings likely to be included in this new perimeter.
When the majority of the members of the assembly decides in favor of the proposed amendment, the prefect orders a public inquiry.
The public inquiry shall not take place where the extension covers an area not exceeding 7% % of the area included in the perimeter of the association. In addition, the membership of each owner of the buildings likely to be included in the perimeter must have been obtained in writing, as well as the opinion of each interested municipality.
Prefect's Order
The prefect authorizes by decree the modification of the statutes.
The order shall be published in collection of administrative acts of the prefecture.
The decree and the statutes of the association are displayed in each of the municipalities on whose territory the perimeter of the association extends.
The order is also notified to the owners of the buildings likely to be included in the new perimeter of the association.
Yes, an ASCO may request to be converted into an ASA.
The meeting of owners must have given a favorable opinion to this transformation. This is the case in one of the following 2 cases:
- By the majority of owners representing at least 2/3 of the area of the properties concerned
- By 2/3 of the owners representing more than half of the area of the properties concerned
Transformation can be delivered by the prefect if the 2 conditions the following are combined:
- The members of the union were appointed by the owners' assembly
- The association has been operating normally for at least one fiscal year.
Yes, ASAs or ASCOs can be grouped together or merged.
Union
SAAs or ASCOs may join together to facilitate their management or the execution or maintenance of works or works of common interest.
The request for union is addressed, by one or more of these associations, to the prefect of the department where the union has planned to have its seat.
General case
In Paris
Who shall I contact
When the perimeter of the union extends over several departments, the decision authorizing the creation of the union shall be taken by the prefect of the department in which the union intends to have its seat, after consulting the prefects of the other departments concerned, and taking into account the consent of the associations applying for membership of the union.
The prefectural decree authorizing the union is published in the collection of administrative acts of the prefecture. It shall be displayed in each municipality within the territory of which the perimeter of the association extends and notified to the members of the association.
Merge
2 or more ASAs or ASCOs may be allowed to merge in an ASA.
This merger can be made on request:
- Associations
- Or any person with the capacity to create an ASA
The request must be addressed to the prefect of the department where the future association plans to have its headquarters.
General case
In Paris
Who shall I contact
The prefect pronounces the merger after favorable deliberation of the assemblies of all the owners members of each association concerned. In this situation, the representation threshold provided for in their statutes does not apply.
All the assets, rights and obligations of the merged trade union associations shall be transferred to the trade union association resulting from the merger.
The dissolution of an ASCO is decided, solely, on the initiative of the prefect.
Ministry of the Interior
Ministry of the Interior