acquéreur

Acquéreur is a French term that designates the party who obtains ownership or a legal right over a property, asset or intangible creation through a transaction, succession or other legal act. The word derives from the verb acquérir, meaning “to acquire,” and is used primarily in civil‑law contexts where the transfer of title must be expressly identified.

In French contract law, the acquéreur is the buyer in a sales agreement, whether the object is immovable (real estate) or movable (vehicles, equipment). The obligations of the acquéreur include payment of the price and compliance with any conditions precedent stipulated in the contract, such as obtaining financing or fulfilling regulatory requirements. Upon completion of the transfer, the acquéreur acquires full ownership and the associated rights, including the ability to alienate or encumber the asset.

The notion also appears in corporate law, where an acquéreur is a company or individual that purchases the shares or assets of another enterprise, thereby assuming control or integrating the target into its own structure. In such mergers and acquisitions, the acquéreur must respect statutory procedures concerning public offers, competition authority reviews and the protection of minority shareholders.

In intellectual property, an acquéreur can refer to the person who purchases a copyright, patent or trademark, obtaining the exclusive exploitation rights granted by the original holder. The acquisition may be limited to certain fields of use or geographical territories, as defined in the licensing or assignment contract.

Across these domains, the role of the acquéreur is defined by the legal framework that governs the transfer, ensuring that the transaction is valid, enforceable and recorded in the appropriate public registers when required.