Deutsche Börse: Going Public Principles Go Into Effect - Twelve Further Banks Welcome The Principles

The Going Public Principles developed by Deutsche Börse in collaboration with banks, issuers, investors, shareholder associations and IPO consultants and published on July 16, 2002 will go into effect on Monday. The Principles constitute recommendations for the conduct and actions of issuers and all other parties participating in a share issue and are valid for share issues with a listing application date after September 1, 2002 that are subject to a prospectus requirement.

The Principles are aimed at reinforcing the function of the prospectus as the central source of information for investors regarding companies that are going public as well as ensuring equal treatment of private and institutional investors.

The following twelve banks have now indicated their support for the application of the Going Public Principles for future public offerings: ABN AMRO Rothschild, Bank Vontobel, BW-Bank, Citigroup, Commerzbank, Credit Suisse First Boston, ING BHF-BANK, JPMorgan, LEHMAN BROTHERS, Morgan Stanley, Sal. Oppenheim and WestLB Panmure. Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, DZ-Bank, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and UBS Warburg had already expressed their support for the Principles.

The German Association of Investment Professionals (GAIP), representing analysts, and the Deutsche Schutzvereinigung für Wertpapierbesitz e.V. (DSW), a German shareholder association, also support the Going Public Principles.

The Going Public Principles including comments can be accessed and downloaded from the Internet at www.deutsche-boerse.com/listingcenter/ .