EU Clears UK's Barclays To Buy Dutch Bank ABN Amro

BRUSSELS -(Dow Jones)- The European Commission Monday cleared U.K. bank Barclays PLC (BCS) to buy Netherlands-based lender ABN Amro Holding NV (ABN).

The commission concluded that the proposed merger "would not significantlyimpede effective competition" in Europe.

The deal values ABN Amro at around EUR65 billion.

Barclays is competing against a consortium led by the Royal Bank of ScotlandGroup PLC (RBS.LN) which includes Dutch-Belgian bank Fortis NV (FORSY) andSpain's Banco Santander SA (STD). The consortium is offering about EUR72 billionfor ABN Amro , about 93% of that in cash.

Barclays has been helped in its bid by China Development Bank (2883.TW) andSingapore's Temasek, who agreed to invest up to $18.5 billion in return forstakes in Barclays .

Barclays , with a staff of 123,000, had 2006 revenue of GBP22.17 billion. ABNAmro's revenue notched EUR22.66 billion; it has 105,000 staff.

-By Rachel Bayefsky, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 27411487; rachel.bayefsky@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires 08-06-07 0639ET Copyright (c) 2007 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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