The central body of the caisses d’épargne et des banques populaires may authorise the banques populaires to incorporate a portion of their reserves into their share capital. Such incorporation may only take place at the time of a capital increase, of which no more than half may be effected by such incorporation and the remainder by cash subscription. In addition, the fraction of reserves incorporated in this way may not exceed half of said reserves.
In the event of successive incorporations, the fraction of incorporatable reserves may not exceed half of the increase in reserves recorded since the previous incorporation.
The capital increase carried out by means of cash subscriptions must be at least equal to the amount deducted from the reserves.