The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is the French financial regulatory authority responsible for overseeing and supervising the financial markets in France.
Established in 2003, the AMF was formed as a result of the merger between the Commission des opérations de bourse (COB), the Conseil des marchés financiers (CMF), and the Conseil de discipline de la gestion financière (CDGF).
The AMF’s primary mission is to ensure investor protection, maintain orderly financial markets, and promote transparency and integrity within the French financial system.
The agency achieves this through various means, including:
- Regulating financial products, participants, and services: The AMF ensures that financial instruments and services comply with the relevant rules and regulations, and monitors the conduct of market participants, such as investment firms, asset managers, and financial intermediaries.
- Supervising market infrastructure: The AMF oversees the operation of regulated markets, multilateral trading facilities (MTFs), and organized trading facilities (OTFs) to ensure they function smoothly and fairly.
- Enforcing compliance with rules and regulations: The AMF investigates potential breaches of financial regulations, and can impose sanctions on entities or individuals found to be in violation of these rules.
- Educating and informing investors: The AMF provides resources and information to help investors make informed decisions and understand the risks associated with various financial products and services.
- Developing and implementing financial regulations: The AMF contributes to the development of national, European, and international financial regulations, and ensures their implementation within the French financial system.