- Czech Republic: Five European banks are in the running for the privatisation of a 60% stake held by the Czech State in the bank KOMERCNI BANKA, second largest Czech bank. This concerns the French banks SOCIETE GENERALE and CREDITE AGRICOLE, the German HYPOVEREINSBANK, AUTRICHIENNE BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT and the Italian UNICREDITO. This privatisation operation should be complete during the first quarter 2001, according to the planned programme.