Intesa Sanpaolo and Banca Carige, Credito Valtellinese, Veneto Banca and Banca Popolare di Bari sign contracts of sale for 198 branch offices of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group Joint press release pursuant to Article 114 of Legislative Decree No. 58/98 Turin,Milan/Genoa/Sondrio/Montebelluna/Bari, October 5 2007 – Today, Intesa Sanpaolo signed contracts of sale (the “Transaction”) with Banca Carige, Credito Valtellinese, Veneto Banca and Banca Popolare di Bari (jointly referred to as the “Buyers”) related to the 198 branch offices (the “Network”) being sold by Intesa Sanpaolo, as established by the Antitrust Authority (“AGCM”) in Measure No. 16249 issued on December 20 2006 in relation to the merger between Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI. The Network includes 198 branch offices throughout Italy (0.6% of the market), located in 11 regions and 16 provinces. The branch offices will be split as follows: 78 branch offices to Banca Carige in the provinces of Turin (14), Aosta (1), Como (19), Pavia (6), Venice (18), Padua (15), Rovigo (1), and Sassari (4); 35 branch offices to Credito Valtellinese, in the provinces of Turin (19), Alessandria (4), and Pavia (12); 42 branch offices to Veneto Banca in the provinces of Imperia (5), Venice (18), Padua (7), Udine (9), and Rovigo (3); 43 branch offices to Banca Popolare di Bari in the provinces of Pesaro (2), Terni (11), Naples (15), Caserta (10), and Brindisi (5). The payment for sale of the 198 branch offices amounts to € 1,900 million, split as follows: Banca Carige: € 996 million Credito Valtellinese: € 395 million Veneto Banca: € 328 million Banca Popolare di Bari: € 181 million Said amount is subject to a possible mechanism to adjust the price in relation to the total amount of deposits and savings (direct and indirect) at the date of sale of the branch offices. The Buyers shall take appropriate measures, if needed, to comply with equity security requirements. At December 31 2006, the Network’s accounts receivable amounted to € 3.5 billion, total deposits and savings to € 11.6 billion, of which direct deposits and savings of € 3.4 billion. Net operating income totalling approximately € 290 million was attributed to the Network in 2006. The Transaction makes it possible on the one hand for Intesa Sanpaolo to comply with the measures imposed by AGCM, and on the other hand, allows the Buyers to pursue their external growth strategies through consolidation of the distribution network in their areas of interest. The Transaction is expected to be completed with the transfer of branch offices to the Buyers by the first quarter of 2008, subject to obtainment of the necessary authorisation from the relevant authorities. Intesa Sanpaolo is assisted in the Transaction by Banca IMI, Banca Leonardo and Merrill Lynch International as financial advisors, and by Chiomenti Studio Legale as legal advisor. The Buyers are assisted by Mediobanca – Banca di Credito Finanziario S.p.A. and Rothschild S.p.A. as financial advisors and by Carnelutti – Studio Legale Associato as legal advisor. .