The Cour de Cassation (French Supreme Judicial Court) made a decision on 19th of December 2019 about a case concerning a refusal to communicate his mobile phone's unlock code to the police while the police found him with a significant quantity of narcotic and a lot of cash and that there was a certain probability that this mobile phone get proofs of culpability of its owner. The individual was indicted not for narcotic trafficking but for not having communicate its unlock code which constitute an offense to article 434-15-2 of code pénal, from the loi du 3 juin 2018 renforçant la lutte contre la criminalité organisée, et le terrorisme et leur financement (law reinforcing organized crime, terrorisme and their financing).
The accused invokes before the court its right to not incriminate oneself. Indeed, the configuration face to policemen was such that if he refused to communicate its unlock code, he will be punished because of this obligation to communicate his code and that if he accepted, he will also be sanctioned because of the proofs contained into the mobile phone. Such a configuration therefore offered him no alternative to confessing, which is contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights and to European and national jurisprudence.
Face to such a case, the Cour de Cassation chose to segment the information and proposed the following solution: if the researched information cannot be obtained regardless of the suspect willingness, it is not possible to constraint this person to communicate this information without violating its procedural rights, but if the information can be obtained regardless of the suspect willingness then the individual is obliged to communicate his code. In the current case, as it was possible for policemen to obtain information contained in the phone by technical means, longer but existent, then the refuse of communication of the unlock code by the suspect constitute an obstruction that should be sanctioned.
Such a decision is an exemple of the conciliation by the judge of two fundamental but contradictory "monumental goals" of Compliance Law: transparency of information towards public authorities and very sensible personal data protection.
About electric Regulation, Senegal remained halfway. Indeed, it has instituted a regulator, the "Commission de Régulation du Secteur de l'Electricité - CRSE)" (Senegale Regulatory Commission of Electricity Sector), but it built the sector around a public operator, SENEGEL with which the State has concluded a concession contract . This operator has the legal monopoly on the transport and distribution. As for production, it has the right to purchase electricity produced by independent producers, as it can sell them electricity if necessary. The prices are regulated by the regulator, through a cap.
On 4 August 2012, the regulator has reported a plan of action. This is to make more transparent the relationship between the public operator and independent producers, the information being given to consumers. This is for encouraging them to act and obtain prices more favorable. This incentive is an alternative to net more liberalization of the sector.
On 22nd of September 2017, Transport of London (TFL), London Transport Regulator, refused to renew the licence, granted on 31st of May 2012 for 5 years, authorizing Uber to transport people because of criminal offenses committed by Uber's drivers. On 26th of June 2018, The Westminster Court prolonged Uber's licence for 15 months under the condition that the platform prevent the reproachable behaviors of its drivers. After these 15 months, the TFL refused once again to prolonge Uber's licence because of the persistence of aggressions against passengers. Uber, once again, contest this decision before the Westminster Court.
In a decision of 28th of September 2020, the Court observes that during the 15 months, the platform implemented many measures to prevent aggressions, that the level of maturity of these measures has improved over time and that the number of offenses was reduced over the period (passing from 55 in 2018 to 4 in 2020). The Court estimated the the implementation of this actions is sufficient to grant a new licence to Uber.
We can learn three lessons from this decision:
The Compliance obligation is not a result obligation but a mean obligation, which means that it is not reasonable to expect from a crucial operator (Uber, for instance) that it prevent every cases of agression but that it is salient to judge it on the effort it deploys to try to be closer to this ideal situation. Moreover, the crucial operator must be proactive, that is going away from the figure of passive subject of Law who apply measures enacted by the regulator in terms of fighting against aggressions to be an actor of the research of the best way to fight abusive behaviors, internalizing this "monumental goal.
The judge appreciates the violation committed by those whose the firm is responsible "in context", that is evaluates the concrete situation in a reasonable way.
It is the judge who decides in last resort and like the crucial operator, it must be reasonable.
A contract between Free (a French Internet Service Provider) and one of its subscribers contained a clause stipulating that access to audiovisual services was conditional upon the eligibility of the user’s telephone line for such services. The Court of Cassation deems that except in cases of force majeure, such a clause does not exempt the service provider from his strict liability to provide such services
The Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - BaFin (the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority) issued on Tuesday May 18th 2010 three decrees prohibiting temporarily naked short selling. These decisions are effective from May 19th 2010 until March 31th 2011. They will be regularly assessed and can be lifted during this period.
FRENCH
La Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - BaFin (l’autorité allemande de surveillance des marchés financiers) a interdit par trois décrets publié le 18 mai 2010 la vente à découvert à nu et les CDS du 19 mai 2010 au 31 mars 2011.
La Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - BaFin (l’autorité allemande de surveillance des marchés financiers) a publié mardi 18 mai 2010 trois décrets interdisant temporairement la vente à découvert à nu. Ces décrets prennent effet le 19 mai 2010 et durent jusqu’au 31 mars 2011. Ils seront régulièrement évalués et pourront être levés à n’importe quel moment durant cette période.
GERMAN
Die Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - BaFin hat am 18. Mai 2010 die ungedeckte Leerverkäufe und ungedeckte CDS auf Staatsanleihen der Eurozone untersagt.
Die BaFin hat drei Anordnungen am 18. Mai 2010 herausgegeben. Sie untersagen die ungedeckte Leerverkäufe von Schuldtiteln von Staaten der Eurozone, die an einer inländischen Börse zum Handel im regulierten Markt zugelassen sind, so wie ungedeckte CDS. Diese Verbote gelten vom 19. Mai 2010 bis zum 31. März 2011 und werden laufend überprüft.
SPANISH
La Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – BaFin (la Autoridad Supervisora de Finanza Federal Alemana) prohíbe las ventas de cortos al descubierto y los CDS a través de tres decretos que se aplicarán entre el 19 de mayo 2010 hasta el 31 de marzo 2011.
La Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – BaFin (la Autoridad Supervisora de Finanza Federal Alemana) publicó tres decretos el 18 de mayo del 2010 prohibiendo temporalmente la vena de cortos al descubierto. Estas decisiones serán efectivas desde el 19 de mayo 2010 hasta el 31 de marzo 2011. Serán asesoradas regularmente y podrán ser desmanteladas en cualquier instante durante este periodo.
CHINESE
Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - (BaFin：德国金融市场监管机构)于2010年5月18日出台三项法令，规定在2010年5月9日至2011年3月31日期间内禁止“裸卖空”和信贷违约掉期行为。
Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - (BaFin：德国金融市场监管机构)于2010年5月18日出台三项法令暂时禁止“裸卖空”行为。这些法令将于2010年5月9日至2011年3月31日内生效。它们将被定期评估并且可能在上述期限的任何时间被撤销。
On June 25, 2012, ESMA has published a draft text to regulate the market for over-the-counter derivatives, providing this text for consultation until September. It is of course ironic "regulating" a system of "over the counter", which consisting an oxymoron: a "over the counter regulated". This is why the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in a roundabout way. Firstly, its project aims at to bring transparency in the system, which it says that the dysfunction is related to the market is held primarily by bilateral relations between banks. Secondly, it envisages a system of warranties, failure of consideration, brings financial and banking regulation. Thirdly, it aims to better supervise the clearing houses, their status of which would be a "crucial operator" is better recognized.
Prof. Pan conducts research on financial regulation, capital markets, corporate governance and international law. Among his many professional activities, he directs the Chatham House City Series and frequently speaks about international financial and corporate law issues across North America, Europe and Asia. Prof. Pan is a member of The American Law Institute.
Before joining Cardozo, Prof. Pan was an attorney for several years with Covington & Burling in Washington, DC, where he practiced corporate, securities and international law. He also was a Jean Monnet Lecturer in Law at Warwick University, England, and a visiting fellow in international law at Cambridge University, England.
He is currently serving as an Academic Fellow in the Office of International Affairs at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC.
Provisions of the financial reform bill (Dodd Bill) currently being examined by the United States Congress would empower the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to implement limits on speculation on energy futures and derivatives, as well as to impose a much stricter declaratory and supervision regime for over-the-counter trades in futures and derivatives in general.
