In law, financial assistance refers to assistance given by a company for the purchase of its own shares or the shares of its holing companies. In many jurisdictions such assistance is prohibited or restricted by law. For example all EU member states are required to prohibit financial assistance by public companies , although some members go further, for example, France, Belgium and The Netherlands prohibit financial assistance by all companies. Where such assistance is given in breach of applicable law it will render the relevant transaction void and may constitute a criminal offence.