créance

Créance is a term used in civil law to denote a creditor’s right to demand from another person (the debtor) the execution of a prestation. In essence, it is a subjective right that obliges the debtor to provide money, goods, or a specific performance, while the creditor holds the corresponding obligation to accept it or enforce it. Créances arise from contracts, legal rules, or other transactions and can cover various situations, such as payment of a sum, delivery of goods, or a service.

The concept encompasses different forms, including créance certaine et liquide (a definite, due amount) and créance exigible (currently enforceable). A créance may be assignable or transferred to a third party through cession de créance (assignment of receivables), subject to formal notice to the debtor in many jurisdictions. Creances can also be secured by guarantees or liens to enhance their enforceability.

Extinction and enforcement operate through several mechanisms. A créance is extinguished by performance (payment or delivery), by novation or by set-off (compensation) in appropriate cases, or by prescription after a certain period. When not fulfilled, the creditor can seek judicial enforcement to obtain satisfaction.

In accounting, créances refer to assets representing amounts owed to the entity, typically labeled as receivables, such as créances clients or other receivables. The term is widely used in French-speaking legal and financial contexts, including France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec. In English-language contexts, its closest equivalents are “claim,” “receivable,” or “creditor’s right,” depending on context.