The central body of the caisses d’épargne et des banques populaires is the central body of the cooperative banking group made up of the banques populaires and caisses d’épargne networks and other affiliated credit institutions and finance companies. It is set up as a limited company in which the banques populaires and the caisses d’épargne et de prévoyance together hold an absolute majority of the share capital and voting rights. It must have the status of a credit institution.
In addition, credit institutions and finance companies which are controlled, directly or indirectly, exclusively or jointly within the meaning of article L. 233-16 of the Commercial Code, by the central body of the savings banks and the banques populaires or by one or more institutions belonging to the networks mentioned in the first paragraph, may be affiliated to it under the conditions set out in article L. 511-31 of this code.
The representatives of the members proposed by the chairmen of the guidance and supervisory boards of the caisses d’épargne and the chairmen of the boards of directors of the banques populaires have a majority on the supervisory board or the board of directors of the central body of the caisses d’épargne and the banques populaires.