On March 17, 2019, the French financial markets authority took emergency measures in light of recent market developments relating to the COVID-19 outbreak and prohibited for a 30-day period commencing at 12:00 a.m. CET on March 18, 2020 all net short positions in relation to equity securities traded on a French trading venue for which the AMF is the competent authority. These measures replace an emergency order temporarily banning net short positions in respect of a limited number of shares traded on certain French stock exchanges, which applied until the end of the trading day on March 17, 2020.