Sant Uk.10te% Regulatory News (SAN)

1 Jul 2005 08:20

Banco Santander Central Hispano SA01 July 2005 BANCO SANTANDER CENTRAL HISPANO, S.A. LONDON LISTING EFFECTIVE AND FREE SHARE DEALING FACILITY TO END Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A. ("Banco Santander") announces that itsordinary shares were today admitted to listing on the Official List and totrading on the London Stock Exchange's market for listed securities. A copy ofthe Summary Document produced by Banco Santander in connection with thesecondary listing is available in electronic form on Banco Santander's websiteat www.gruposantander.com As a result of having obtained a secondary listing in London, Banco Santanderalso announces that the share dealing facility currently provided free of chargeto certain of its shareholders*, all of whom were registered holders of 2,000 orfewer ordinary shares in Abbey National plc ("Abbey") on 12 November 2004, (the"Share Dealing Facility") will end on 22 July 2005. Persons who are eligible to use the Share Dealing Facility and who wish to selltheir Banco Santander shares through that facility should ensure that theirvalidly completed dealing facility instruction forms are received by TheManager, Banco Santander Dealing Facility, Princess House, 1 Suffolk Lane,London EC4B 0ZZ no later than 3.00 p.m. on 22 July 2005. Dealing facility instruction forms are contained in Share Dealing Facility packswhich eligible Banco Santander shareholders can request by calling the SantanderShareholder Department Helpline on 0870 532 9430 (8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Mondayto Friday, 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Saturday, calls charged at national rates).Persons wishing to request a Share Dealing Facility pack should do so as soon aspossible and in any event by no later than 15 July 2005. Spanish tax requirements will continue to apply to shareholders on the sale oftheir Banco Santander shares after the secondary listing in London. Theexisting arrangements under which certain shareholders can receive assistancewith such requirements will no longer be available to shareholders who selltheir shares after the Share Dealing Facility ends. However, subject tocompliance with certain formalities, Abbey Sharedealing will offer assistancewith the Spanish tax requirements to eligible shareholders who sell their sharesthrough Abbey Sharedealing. Shareholders who are in any doubt as to their taxsituation should contact their own independent financial or tax adviser. Advertisements confirming that the free Share Dealing Facility will end at 3.00p.m. on 22 July 2005 will be published in The Times, The Daily Mail and TheDaily Mirror newspapers on 4 July 2005. Enquiries: Grupo Santander Keith Grant (International Media Relations) London office +44 (0)20 7332 7908 Peter Greiff (International Media Relations) Madrid office +34 91 289 52 07 Maitland Martin Leeburn London office +44 (0)20 7379 5151 * References in this announcement to Banco Santander shareholders includepersons whose entitlement to ordinary shares in Banco Santander is held in theform of Banco Santander CDIs (Crest Depository Interests). The terms and conditions governing the use of the Share Dealing Facility are setout in the Share Dealing Facility packs. The price obtained by selling BancoSantander shares through the Share Dealing Facility is not subject to anyminimum or maximum amount and will be dependent on market demand at the time ofsale. The actual time and date of sale will be determined in accordance withthe terms and conditions of the Share Dealing Facility. Banco Santander shareholders are under no obligation to sell, whether throughthe Share Dealing Facility or otherwise, the Banco Santander shares to whichthey are entitled. Completed dealing facility instruction forms returned by post are sent at therisk of the sender. Neither Banco Santander nor Abbey nor any of its or theirrespective affiliates, directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents orservice providers involved in the provision of the Share Dealing Facility shallhave any liability to any person for any delay or for any loss arising from anydelay in receiving, or failure to receive, any dealing facility instructionforms, nor do any of them make any recommendation as to whether persons entitledto Banco Santander shares should elect to sell, whether through the ShareDealing Facility or otherwise, the Banco Santander shares to which they areentitled, or whether they should choose to retain such shares. Banco Santander shareholders who are in any doubt as to what action, if any,they should take should seek their own personal financial advice immediatelyfrom a stockbroker, solicitor, accountant or independent financial adviser whois authorised pursuant to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The contents of the Banco Santander website do not form part of thisannouncement. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or thesolicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy, Banco Santander shares or anyother securities in any jurisdiction. Persons who are not resident in theUnited Kingdom should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicablesecurities law or other legal requirements in the relevant jurisdictions inwhich they are located and which may affect the matters referred to in thisannouncement. This announcement is issued in the United Kingdom by Banco Santander CentralHispano, S.A., London Branch, which is authorised by the Bank of Spain andregulated by the Financial Services Authority for the conduct of investmentbusiness in the United Kingdom. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange