Category: Global regulation · Reviewed by Simon Temme, Account Executive · Last reviewed 2026-06-05
The Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR) is the prudential and resolution authority of the French Republic, with responsibility for the supervision of banks, insurance undertakings, mutual societies and provident institutions. It operates as an independent administrative authority attached to the Banque de France and is the French national implementing supervisor of EU Solvency II.
Category: Global insurance regulation Also known as: ACPR, Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution Jurisdiction: French Republic Founding statute: Ordonnance n° 2010-76 of 21 January 2010 Related concepts: EU insurance regulation, Solvency II, EIOPA
ACPR was established on 9 March 2010 by merger of the Commission Bancaire (banking supervisor), the Autorité de contrôle des assurances et des mutuelles (insurance supervisor), the Comité des entreprises d’assurance (insurance authorisation committee) and the Comité des établissements de crédit et des entreprises d’investissement. The resolution function was added in 2013. ACPR is headed by a chair (the Governor of the Banque de France) and a vice-chair (appointed by the Government); supervision is conducted by the Supervisory College.
ACPR’s institutional charter is in articles L612-1 et seq. of the Code monétaire et financier. The substantive insurance law is in the Code des assurances (the principal insurance code), the Code de la mutualité (mutual societies), and the Code de la sécurité sociale (provident institutions). The Code des assurances implements Solvency II at Book III. ACPR issues binding “notices” (instructions) and non-binding “positions” and “recommendations”.
ACPR supervises the French insurance market, the second-largest in the EU after Germany. Major French groups under ACPR supervision include AXA SA (lead supervisor for the AXA Group), CNP Assurances, Crédit Agricole Assurances, BNP Paribas Cardif, and SCOR SE. As lead supervisor for AXA and SCOR, ACPR coordinates supervisory colleges of the international supervisors of those groups, with PRA participation for UK subsidiaries.
The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is the parallel conduct regulator for capital markets activities; insurance conduct is supervised principally by ACPR and the Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes (DGCCRF) for consumer protection.
ACPR is institutionally similar to the UK PRA in being attached to the central bank (Banque de France) and being responsible for prudential supervision of the banking and insurance sectors. The combination of prudential and conduct functions in a single body for insurance is, however, closer to the UK pre-2013 FSA model than to current FCA/PRA twin peaks. The substantive insurance law follows Solvency II as in the UK, but with national codification in the Code des assurances.
This entry is part of the Apex Insurance Wiki. Last reviewed by Matt Bartlett on 2026-06-05. Next review: 2026-12-05.
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