The AMF Sanctions Committee is the independent body responsible for imposing administrative sanctions. It is composed of twelve members, including judges from the Conseil d'État and the Cour de cassation, as well as qualified experts. This body plays a central role in the enforcement of market abuse in France.

Statistics reveal that total administrative fines have exceeded €117 million since 2004, demonstrating the predominance of administrative sanctions in the enforcement of market abuse. This information highlights the importance of administrative sanctions in the French system.

Under the French market abuse enforcement regime, pecuniary sanctions for professionals can reach up to €100 million or ten times the profit gained, this amount being no less than the actual profit gained when it can be determined. This provision is crucial for deterring serious breaches and protecting the integrity of financial markets.

The average duration of an AMF procedure is approximately 39 months. This information is important for understanding the relative efficiency and speed of administrative procedures compared to criminal proceedings, which last an average of 78 months.

Publication of decisions may be deferred, anonymised or suppressed if it risks disrupting financial stability, compromising an ongoing investigation or causing serious and disproportionate harm. This provision aims to protect the general interest while ensuring the necessary transparency.

The 2016 reform introduced a referral mechanism codified in Article L.465-3-6 of the Code monétaire et financier, following the Constitutional Council's decision of 18 March 2015. This mechanism prohibits the combination of proceedings for the same facts against the same person, thereby ensuring compliance with the ne bis in idem principle.

Types of sanctions include administrative and criminal penalties, while the criteria for determining the amount of sanctions include the severity of the breach, the financial capacity of the person, and the corrective measures adopted. This distinction is essential for understanding how sanctions are applied and justified.

Insider trading is punishable by five years' imprisonment and a fine of €100 million. This sentence may be increased to seven years if the inside information relates to the commission of a crime or an offence. These provisions aim to deter illicit practices on financial markets.