The provisions of articles R. 225-153 to R. 225-155 do not apply when the General Meeting, in order to facilitate a capital increase, an issue of securities giving access to the capital, a merger or a demerger, has authorised the Board of Directors or the Management Board, as the case may be, to purchase a small number of shares with a view to cancelling them.
The purchase carried out under the conditions provided for in the previous paragraph may only involve, during any one financial year, a number of shares representing no more than 0.25% of the amount of the share capital.
In their report on the proposed transaction, the statutory auditors give their opinion on the appropriateness and terms of the proposed share purchase.