33Therefore, in order to protect not only the specific interests of the firms directly concerned, but also the public interest in the normal functioning of the markets in financial instruments of the European Union, Article 54(1) of Directive 2004/39 imposes, as a general rule, the obligation to maintain professional secrecy (see, to that effect, judgment of 12 November 2014, Altmann and Others, C‑140/13, EU:C:2014:2362, paragraph 33).
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