Press Release: Mergers: Commission approves BBVA takeover of BNL and ABN Amro takeover of Banca Antonveneta

The European Commission on 28 April 2005 cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed public takeover bids of the Italian bank Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.p.A. ('BNL') by the Spanish banking group Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. ('BBVA') and of Banca Antoniana Popolare Veneta S.p.A. ('Banca Antonveneta') by the Dutch banking group ABN Amro Bank N.V. ('ABN Amro'). The Commission concluded that the transactions would not impede effective competition in the EEA or any substantial part of it.