BRUSSEL, BELGIUM--(MARKET WIRE)--Nov 5, 2008 --
New transparency legislation was introduced recently, requiring disclosure by Fortis of notifications made by investors to Belgian regulator CBFA (Banking, Finance and Insurance Commission) and to Fortis as prescribed.

AllianceBernstein announced on 31 October that it had reduced its acquired stake in Fortis SA/SA from 3.71% to 2.87%, bringing this stake to below the 3% threshold.

AllianceBernstein is a holding company of the AXA group comprising companies engaged in asset management and services for the account of third parties. AllianceBernstein and all those companies on whose behalf this notice is given act independently from any other entity of the AXA group, according to the conditions mentioned in section 11 (2) of the Act of 2 May 2007.

 
                     Prior to
A) Voting rights        the                After the transaction
                    transaction
                       No of
                      voting
                      rights     No of voting rights   % of voting rights
 Holders of voting               Attached  Unattached  Attached  Unattached
      rights                        to         to         to         to
                                securities securities securities securities
 AllianceBernstein* 93,104,328  72,130,798     0        2.87%      0.00%
                    TOTAL       72,130,798     0        2.87%      0.00%

More information can be found on www.fortis.com/shareholders/transparency_requirements.asp.

Fortis holding (Fortis SA/NV and Fortis N.V.) will, after the conclusion of the deal with BNP Paribas, include only (1) international insurance activities, (2) a 66% stake in a structured credit portfolio entity and (3) financial assets and liabilities of various financing vehicles.

The international insurance activities (Fortis Insurance International) are located in UK, France, Hong Kong, Luxembourg (Non-Life), Germany, Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine, and in joint ventures in Luxembourg (Life), Portugal, China, Malaysia, India and Thailand.

Fortis holding is therefore no longer involved in any banking activities, and once the deal with BNP Paribas is concluded, will concern only international insurance activities.

This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Copyright © Hugin AS 2008. All rights reserved.

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