Unipol Assicurazioni – Sale of a shareholding in Aurora and authorization procedure for the PTO on BNL

With reference to the stake held by Unipol Assicurazioni in the subsidiary Aurora Assicurazioni S.p.A. (‘Aurora’) and to carry out the irrevocable purchase proposals as received and disclosed to the market on 21 October 2005, we hereby inform that
today the following transactions were finalized:
(i) the sale to Ariete S.p.A., a company rooted in the domestic co-operative movement, of 91,888,310 Aurora ordinary shares, corresponding to 9.99% of the company’s share capital, for a total of about €214.7m paid by way of bank transfer. This sale allowed Unipol Assicurazioni a capital gain of about €25.1m;
(ii) the sale to Kora S.p.A., a company controlled by the domestic cooperative movement as well, of 91,888,310 Aurora ordinary shares, corresponding to 9.99% of the company’s share capital, for a total of about €214.7m, paid by way of bank transfer. This sale allowed Unipol Assicurazioni a capital gain of about €25.1m.