Brussels, 18/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission authorised the joint control of NovaBank, a joint venture created, by Banco Comercial Portugues, largest Portuguese group in banking and financial services, and Interamerican Hellenic Life Insurance Company SA, one of the main Greek private insurance groups. NovaBank exercises its activities in the Greek market for retail banking services. BCP recently acquired a Portuguese company active in the Greek insurance sector. However this acquisition does not lead to any significant overlaps with the insurance activities of Interamerican which exercises, minor activities on the Greek market for non-life insurance through Interamerican Property & Casualty Company. The parties activities also do not overlap in a significant manner outside Greek borders, BCP and Interamerican being turned towards their respective national markets, namely Portugal for BCP and Greece for Interamerican. Taking into account these arguments, the Commission as formulated no objections to the merger.