I.-The subscription by the company of its own shares, either directly or by a person acting in his own name but on behalf of the company, is prohibited.
The founders or, in the case of an increase in capital, the members of the Board of Directors or the Management Board, as the case may be, are required, under the conditions set out in Article L. 225-251 and the first paragraph of Article L. 225-256, to pay up shares subscribed by the company in breach of the first paragraph.
Where the shares have been subscribed by a person acting in his own name but on behalf of the company, that person is required to pay up the shares jointly and severally with the founders or, as the case may be, the members of the Board of Directors or the Management Board. This person is also deemed to have subscribed to these shares on his own behalf.
II.-The purchase by a company of its own shares is authorised under the terms and conditions set out in articles L. 225-207 to L. 225-217, L. 22-10-62, L. 22-10-64 and L. 22-10-65.
Purchases of shares by a person acting on behalf of the company are prohibited except in the case of an investment services provider or a member of a regulated market operating under the conditions set out in I of article 43 of law no. 96-597 of 2 July 1996 on the modernisation of financial activities.