The ACPR has greatly contributed to the smooth functioning of the joint supervisory teams, which supervise the major French banking groups, with 38 on-site missions. Under the second pillar, the single resolution mechanism, which entered into force on 1 January 2016, the ACPR has actively prepared the preventive plans for the resolution of the four French banking groups known as systemic banks and the transitional resolution plans for the other important groups. Two and a half years of banking union, this is a significant step forward, but its construction is not yet completed: we have to complete the “resolution” pillar, with finalised and simpler rules between MREL and TLAC, with a more efficient functioning between Frankfurt, Brussels and the national authorities. The banking problems that remain in Italy, Portugal and even elsewhere can be solved: but they must be dealt with quickly, and definitively. It is not normal to have localised difficulties weigh to such an extent on the overall image of a European banking sector that is in fact much stronger than before. Today the question arises as to the architecture of European supervision and regulation. Indeed, the Commission has opened the triennial review of the functioning of the three European authorities, in charge of convergence in the regulation of banks, insurance companies and markets respectively. In the short term, it is essential to relocate the European Banking Authority to take account of Brexit.
On this subject of the “Eckert Act", the insurance companies monitored by the ACPR paid out EUR 2 billion to the beneficiaries of unclaimed policies in 2015; banks, for their part, transferred 5.5 million inactive bank accounts to the Caisse des dépôts et consignations in 2016, representing a total amount of EUR 1.9 billion to be claimed by the account holders or their beneficiaries. The fourth challenge is the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism, which in 2016 was a higher priority for action. We carried out 30 missions among banks and insurance companies on this subject in 2016, as against 22 in 2015. These missions complement the substantive action of the ongoing supervision, which resulted last year in close to 700 follow-up letters. In total, we initiated and published six disciplinary sanctions against institutions. The year 2016 was therefore an active year in this field, raising to 22 the number of sanctions taken since 2010 for noncompliance with the regulations. * * * In conclusion, it is with pride that I look at what was achieved in 2016, but without any let-up or complacency: many projects await us in 2017, both nationally and internationally. A strong ACPR must have the necessary means to accomplish its missions: I would like to emphasise this imperative. I will now give the floor to Bernard Delas, who will present the prudential developments in the insurance sector. Rémi Bouchez will then discuss the work of the Sanctions Committee. Thank you for your attention.