News Release

26th October 2000

ECT TRANSACTION


26-Oct-2000

[Hong Kong 26th October 2000] The transaction whereby Hutchison Atlantic acquired a 35% interest in ECT was notified to the EU Commission in November 1999 under article 81 of the EU treaty.

We confirm that we have received a statement of objections which sets out the EU Commission’s preliminary view that the transaction requires notification under the EU merger regulation.

We now have an opportunity to respond to this preliminary view and we will do so shortly. Based upon the legal advice received we are very confident that the transaction falls outside the requirement for notification under the merger regulation.