ABN
AMRO
offer update
ABN
AMRO notes the announcement of
Fortis today
in which it
provides details of its planned rights issue. Fortis also disclosed,
in the
trading update press release, measures proposed to the European Commission
to
meet anti-trust requirements.
Fortis
has proposed to the European
Commission that certain
businesses of ABN AMRO in the Netherlands,
notably Hollandsche Bank Unie NV, 13
advisory branches and two Corporate Client Units could be
sold.
Fortis
is currently in discussions with
the European Commission regarding these proposals. The European Commission
is expected to make
further announcements, at the latest by 3 October 2007. As discussions
are
continuing, it is not possible to provide clients and staff with
further details
at this moment. During the whole process, the highest level of customer
service will continue to be
guaranteed.
Fortis
and ABN AMRO will follow
appropriate procedures in full consultation with regulators, the
Central Workers
Council, unions and all other relevant parties.
Press
contact: +31 20 6288900
IR
contact:
+31 20 6287835
Cautionary
statement regarding forward-looking statements
This
announcement contains
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements
that are
not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and
expectations. Any statement
in this announcement that expresses or implies our intentions, beliefs,
expectations or predictions (and the assumptions underlying them)
is a
forward-looking statement. These statements are based on plans, estimates
and
projections, as they
are currently available to the
management of ABN AMRO Holding N.V. ("ABN AMRO"). Forward-looking
statements
therefore speak only as of the date they are made, and we take no
obligation to
update publicly any of them in light of new information or future
events.
Forward-looking
statements involve
inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could
therefore
cause actual future results to differ materially from those expressed
or implied
in any forward looking statement. Such factors include, without
limitation, the outcome of
the offers for our business by Barclays PLC ("Barclays") and the
consortium of
Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A., Fortis SA/NV and the Royal
Bank of
Scotland Group plc ("RBS" and collectively, the "Consortium");
the completion of our proposed
disposition of LaSalle; the conditions in the financial markets in
Europe, the
United States, Brazil and elsewhere from which we derive a substantial
portion
of our trading revenues; potential defaults of borrowers or trading
counterparties; the implementation of
our restructuring including the envisaged reduction in headcount;
the
reliability of our risk management policies, procedures and methods;
the outcome
of ongoing criminal investigations and other regulatory initiatives
related to
compliance
matters in the United States
and the nature and severity of any
sanctions imposed; and other risks referenced in our filings with
the US
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). For more information
on these
and other factors, please
refer to Part I: Item 3.D "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on
Form 20-F filed
with the SEC and to any subsequent reports furnished or filed by
us with the
SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this announcement
are made as
of the date
hereof, and the companies assume no
obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements contained
in this
announcement.
Additional
Information
Barclays
has filed
with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form F-4, which contains
a prospectus,
and a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO. RBS has filed with the
SEC a
Registration Statement on Form F-4, which contains a prospectus,
and RFS
Holdings B.V., Fortis N.V., Fortis SA/NV, Fortis Nederland (Holding)
N.V., RBS,
Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A.. and Santander Holanda B.V.
have filed
with the SEC a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO. ABN AMRO has
filed with
the SEC Solicitation/Recommendation Statements on Schedule 14D-9
in respect of
the offer by each of Barclays and the Consortium.
INVESTORS
ARE URGED
TO READ ANY DOCUMENTS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL TRANSACTIONS IF AND
WHEN THEY
BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
Investors
may obtain
a free copy of such filings without charge at the SEC's website
(http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the prospectus contained in the Barclays
Form
F-4 may also be obtained, without charge, from Barclays and copies
of the
prospectus contained in the RBS Form F-4 may also be obtained, without
charge,
from RBS.
The
publication and distribution of this document and any separate documentation
regarding the intended offer, the making of the intended offer and
the issuance
and offering of Barclays and RBS ordinary shares may, in some jurisdictions,
be
restricted by law. This document is not being published and the intended
offer
is not being made, directly or indirectly, in or into any jurisdiction
in which
the publication of this announcement and the making of the intended
offer would
not be in compliance with the laws of that jurisdiction. Persons
who come into
possession of this announcement should inform themselves of and observe
any of
these restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions
may constitute
a violation of the securities laws of that jurisdiction.