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BNP Paribas joins five of the world's leading financial institutions to create the first ever Global ATM Alliance. The group's first major initiative will be to provide more than 40 million people free access to around 23,000 cash machines on three continents.

The six banks in the Alliance - BNP Paribas, Barclays, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank/Deutsche Bank 24, Scotiabank and Westpac, will offer their customers the benefit of no international access fees for using member banks ATMs around the world.

From July 1, 2001 all customers will be able to withdraw cash without being charged any access fees by either their home bank or other Alliance member banks, from around 23,000 ATMs in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, UK and USA. Ultimately the Global ATM Alliance aims to expand its service to every continent of the world.

Baudouin Prot, managing director of BNP Paribas, said : "BNP Paribas is very proud to be the only French bank to join the ATM Global Alliance, the first multinational cooperation in the cash machine industry. This global alliance will ensure that BNP Paribas 4 million cardholders can withdraw cash free of charge from any ATM in five other countries worldwide. This initiative reflects the ambition of BNP Paribas, a worlwide bank, to better service its customers by providing them more convenience on a global scale."

Initially the access fee waiver will apply to transactions performed at 23,000 member ATMs in the following locations:
- BNP Paribas - 2,700 ATMs throughout France
- Bank of America - over 12,000 ATMs throughout the USA
- Barclays - over 3,000 ATMs throughout the UK
- Deutsche Bank 24 - 1,800 ATMs throughout Germany
- Scotiabank - over 2,100 ATMs throughout Canada
- Westpac - 1,500 ATMs throughout Australia

In time this will be extended to enable customers of any member bank to use their debit card and credit card at cash machines that display the logos of any member anywhere in the world. Future initiatives will be focused on providing additional benefits to member bank customers around the world.




Notes to editors :

BNP Paribas : the leading banking group listed in France has more than 2,000 domestic offices and a network of 2,700 ATM's. It is number 1 in France in e-banking. BNP Paribas ranks number 2 in Euroland in terms of earnings (€ 4.124 billion in 2000) and has assets of € 694 billion. The group employs 80,000 people worldwide and has one of the world's largest international networks, extending in more than 80 countries. Its core businesses are retail banking, corporate and investment banking, international private banking and asset management.

Barclays : Barclays PLC is the UK's fourth largest bank and has total assets of £316 billion. Barclays has over 16 million customers, over 2,129 UK branches, 624 branches overseas and 3,800 ATMs in total. The group also operates in over 60 countries around the world and is a leading provider of co-ordinated global services to multinational corporations and financial institutions in the World's main financial centres. Barclays has been involved in banking for over 300 years and has 75,300 employees world-wide.

Bank of America : One of the world's leading financial services companies, Bank of America is committed to making banking work for customers like it never has before. Through innovative technologies and the ingenuity of its people, Bank of America provides individuals, small businesses and commercial, corporate and institutional clients across the United States and around the world new and better ways to manage their financial lives. The company enables customers to do their banking and investing whenever, wherever and however they choose through the nation's largest financial services network, including approximately 4,400 domestic offices and 12,000 U.S. based ATMs, as well as 38 international offices serving clients in 190 countries, and an Internet Web site that provides online access for more than 3 million customers, more than any other bank.

Deutsche Bank/Deutsche Bank 24 : One of the world's leading financial institutions with total assets of € 940 bn. and more than 98.000 employees worldwide. Within the "Private Clients and Asset Management"- Group, Deutsche Bank provides its more than 11 million private and retail customers an extensive offer of Private Banking and Personal Banking (Deutsche Bank 24) services.

Scotiabank : This is one of North America's premier financial institutions with about CAD 275 bn. in assets and approximately 52,000 employees worldwide including affiliates. It is also Canada's most international bank, with more than 2,000 branches and offices on over 50 countries and a network of 2,100 ATMs in Canada.

Westpac Banking Corporation : Westpac is Australia's first bank and a leading provider of financial solutions to eight million customers in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region. The Westpac Group (including Bank of Melbourne and Challenge Bank) employs 29,000 people around the world, with total assets over AUD $184 billion and has 1,500 ATMs throughout Australia.