French law (as European law) provides very protective regulations for the commercial agent (Law of 25 June 1991 which is now codified under the articles L.134-1 and seq. of the French Commercial code).

Article L134-12 states that " If their relationship with their principal ceases, commercial agents shall be entitled to an indemnity for the loss suffered. Commercial agents shall lose the right to this compensation if they have not notified the principal, within one year of the cessation of the contract, that they intend to use their rights.The legal successors of commercial agents shall also benefit from the right to compensation when the cessation of the contract is due to the death of the agent.".  The agent has to provide evidence of the harm. Nevertheless, in practice,  French courts still sometimes refers to notion of loss of goodwill ("clientèle") and estimate the loss to an amount equivalent of two years of commissions.