European cooperative
banks strengthen
cooperation
c
Paris becomes a branch
Expansion planned
in Curacao
X
The cooperation between a number of cooperative banks in West
ern Europe is entering a second phase. One of these banks is Rabo
bank. Over a number of years these banks have become familiar
with each other in the UNICO BANKING GROUP and have made up
for their lack of foreign experience. Within the context of Euro
pean unification they are now cooperating more closeiy and dis-
cussions have taken place about setting up a Unico 'Institute' for
European affairs. This will only become opportune, however, when
European monetary union is a reality. Nevertheless, agreements
have meanwhile been made about a number of other forms of
cooperation.
KoUU
Issue 6/April 6, 1990 band
Rabobank, too, is a member of Unico,
the organization which brings to-
gether cooperative banks from
Belgium, France, Finland, the Netherlands,
Austria and West Germany. Customers of
Rabobank in these countries can already ex-
pect a wider range of services this year. For
example, they can use the heip telephone of
the Unico banks in the five other European
countries. If someone has, for instance, lost
money he can quickly have cash available
again in this way. That is organized through a
help desk in the Netherlands via the cus-
tomer's own local Rabobank.
Mortgages In addition to the conveni-
ence of the help telephone, Rabobank cus
tomers will shortly be able to take out a mort-
gage loan for a house outside the Nether
lands more easily. It is often time-consuming
for Dutch residents to arrange for a mortgage
abroad. That is because of the legal regula-
tions which differ from country to country.
Agreements have meanwhile been made be
tween Unico banks which make it easierto fi-
nance a house outside one's own country. In
practice, this means that the customer runs
fewer risks and that the local bank abroad as-
sists in determiningthe value of the property.
Other services Rabobank customers will
shortly also be able to open an account with
one of the other Unico banks more quickly
and easily. That is advantageous for people
cefifl CERA (Belgium)
GO? Crédit Agricole (France)
OKOBANK (Finland)
53 Rabobank (The Netherlands)
RZB (Austria)
DG Bank (West Germany)
Volksbank and Raiffeisenbank are united
in Germany DG Bank
Volksbanken
who iive outside the Netherlands on a semi-
permanent basis or live abroad temporarily.
They can quickly open an account on local
conditions through their own Rabobank. This
makes it easier to transfer money in the cur-
rency of the country concerned. It is not in-
tended that, for example, Rabobanks should
attract savings in the countries of other Uni
co partners. These banks, in turn, will not
grant loans to private individuals in the
Netherlands. The situation is different in the
business sector. Rabobank Nederland has
meanwhile already opened its own offices in
some countries where other Unico banks
have their field of operations.
All 37,000 branches of the banks affiliat-
ed to Unico will display a Unico sticker. So
when Rabobank customers are staying
abroad and need a bank they can see that
they have come to the right place. The basic
idea is that the customers of cooperative
banks will also be encouraged to use the ser
vices of a cooperative bank when they are in
another country.
At the start of this year it was decided to
convert Rabobank Nederland's representa-
tive office in Paris into a full branch. A mar-
ket study has again shown that France is
a market with considerable possibilities
for the customers of the Rabobank Group.
'If we really want to be able to service our
customers ourselves, then we must have
our own branch in Paris,' says André Bar, at
the representative office in the French capi-
tal. 'A representative office acts as an infor-
mation office for banks and customers, but
on the basis of French banking laws it is not
allowed to perform financial transactions.
For opening accounts, transferring money to
the Netherlands and granting loans we have
to refer our Dutch customers to other banks
in France at present. With our own branch,
we can offer all these services ourselves.'
France is an important country for Dutch
exports of, among other things, dairy pro-
duce, flowers, plants, vegetables and fruit.
There is also interest in the transport field.
The Dutch play an important part in Euro
pean transport. Thanks to its central situ
ation in Europe, France can become an im
portant place as a business location for
transport companies operating interna-
tionaily. In addition, many Dutch people are
interested in settling in France - in the agri-
cultural industry, but also, for example, in
the leisure sector. For instance, camping
sites.
Bar: 'Up to now, the local Rabobanks in
the Netherlands and our customers in the
Netherlands have regularly turned to the
Since 1979, Rabobank has had two sub-
sidiaries on the Netherlands Antilies:
Rabobank Curagao NV and Rabobank
Trustmaatschappij Curagao NV. The latter
will be reactivated and innovations will be
introduced.
Curagao is favourably situated for South
America. Rabobank's interests in that part
representative office in Paris. There is a ris
ing trend here. The decision to start a full
branch in Paris signals a marked expansion
in the service to corporate customers of the
Rabobank Group. With this branch we hope
to be able to supply services to our cus
tomers ourselves before the end of 1990.
For this purpose we are also opening two
loan production offices, one in Lille and one
in Lyon. These are advance posts, as it
were, which will bring us closer to our cus
tomers. We intend to make a go of it. You
can count on that!'
of the world have recently been increasing
substantially. It has therefore been decided
to expand the office on Curagao. A start wiil
be made this year with the development of
the Trustmaatschappij. In about five years'
time it is expected that there will be a staff
of about thirty people. At present, the office
on Curagao has six employees.
