PROSPECTUS BANCA INTESA S.p.A. (incorporated as a società per azioni in the Republic of Italy) as Issuer and, in respect of Notes issued by Intesa Bank Ireland p.l.c., as Guarantor and INTESA BANK IRELAND p.l.c. (incorporated with limited liability in Ireland under registered number 217741) as Issuer €25,000,000,000 Global Medium Term Note Programme ___________________________________ On 3rd July, 2001, Banca Intesa S.p.A. (formerly IntesaBci S.p.A.) (“Banca Intesa”) and Intesa Bank Overseas Limited (“IBOL”) established a Global Medium Term Note Programme (the “Programme”) and issued an Offering Circular on that date describing the Programme. On 3rd July, 2002, IntesaBci Bank Ireland p.l.c. (subsequently re- named Intesa Bank Ireland p.l.c.) (“IBI”) was added as an issuer under the Programme. This Prospectus supersedes any offering circular with respect to the Programme issued prior to the date hereof. Any Notes (as defined below) issued under the Programme on or after the date of this Prospectus are issued subject to the provisions described herein, but this Prospectus does not affect the terms of any Notes issued prior to the date hereof. Pursuant to the Programme, Banca Intesa and IBI (each an “Issuer” and together the “Issuers”) may from time to time issue non-equity securities within the meaning of Article 22 no. 6(4) of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 809/2004 of 29th April, 2004 (“Notes”). Notes may be issued in bearer and/or registered form denominated in any currency agreed between the Issuer, Banca Intesa (where IBI is the Issuer) and the relevant Dealer (as defined below). The Notes will be constituted by an amended and restated trust deed dated 13th October, 2005 (such Trust Deed, as modified and/or supplemented and/or restated from time to time, the “Trust Deed”) between the Issuers and The Law Debenture Trust Corporation p.l.c. (the “Trustee”). The payments of all amounts due in respect of the Notes issued by IBI (“Guaranteed Notes”) will be unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by Banca Intesa pursuant to the Trust Deed. As more fully described herein, Notes may be issued (i) on an unsubordinated basis (“Unsubordinated Notes”) or (ii) on a subordinated basis (“Subordinated Notes”) having, in the case of Notes issued by IBI and any further issuer as may from time to time be appointed, the benefit of the Unsubordinated Guarantee or Subordinated Guarantee as the case may be (all as defined in “Terms and Conditions of the Notes” herein). The maximum aggregate nominal amount of all Notes from time to time outstanding under the Programme will not exceed €25,000,000,000 (or its equivalent in other currencies calculated as described herein). The Notes may be issued on a continuing basis to one or more of the Dealers specified in “General Description of the Programme” and any additional Dealer appointed under the Programme from time to time, which appointment may be for a specific issue or on an ongoing basis (each a “Dealer” and together the “Dealers”). References in this Prospectus to the “relevant Dealer” shall, in the case of an issue of Notes being (or intended to be) purchased by one Dealer, be to such Dealer and, in the case of an issue of Notes being (or intended to be) purchased by more than one Dealer, be to the lead manager of such issue. An investment in Notes issued under the Programme involves certain risks. For a discussion of these risks, see “Risk Factors” on page 6. Application has been made to the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (the “CSSF”) in its capacity as competent authority under the Luxembourg Act dated 10th July, 2005 on prospectuses for securities to approve this document as a base prospectus for each Issuer. Application has also been made for Notes issued under the Programme during the period of 12 months from the date of this Prospectus to be listed or admitted to trading on the regulated market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. The Programme provides that Notes may be listed or admitted to trading (as the case may be) on such other or further stock exchange(s) or market(s) as may be agreed between the relevant Issuer, Banca Intesa (in the case of Guaranteed Notes) and the relevant Dealer. Unlisted Notes or Notes not admitted to trading on any market may also be issued. This Prospectus comprises two base prospectuses (one for each Issuer) for the purposes of Directive 2003/71/EC (the “Prospectus Directive”). The CSSF may, at the request of the Issuer, send to the competent authority of another European Economic Area Member State (i) a copy of this Prospectus; (ii) a certificate of approval pursuant to Article 18 of the Prospectus Directive attesting that this Prospectus has been drawn up in accordance with the Prospectus Directive (an “Attestation Certificate”); and (iii) if so required by such competent authority, a translation of the Summary set out on pages 6 to 14 of this Prospectus. At the date hereof, the Issuer has requested the CSSF to send an Attestation Certificate and copy of this Prospectus to the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority in its capacity as competent authority in Ireland. Under the Luxembourg Law on Prospectuses for Securities which implements the Prospectus Directive, prospectuses relating to money market instruments having a maturity at issue of less than 12 months and complying also with the definition of securities are not subject to the approval provisions of Part II of such law. Notice of the aggregate nominal amount of Notes, interest (if any) payable in respect of Notes, the issue price of Notes and any other terms and conditions not contained herein which are applicable to each Tranche of Notes will be set out in the final terms (the “Final Terms”) which, with respect to Notes to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, will be delivered to the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Notes of each Tranche will initially be represented by a Temporary Global Note, a Permanent Global Note, an Unrestricted Global Note and/or a Restricted Global Note (each as defined below), in each case as indicated in the applicable Final Terms. (See “Form of the Notes and Transfer Restrictions relating to U.S. Sales” below). Subject to and as more fully set out in “Terms and Conditions of the Notes — Taxation”, Banca Intesa shall not be liable to pay any additional amounts to holders of the Notes in relation to any withholding or deduction required pursuant to Italian Legislative Decree No. 239 of 1st April, 1996 (as the same may be amended or supplemented) and related implementing regulations which have been or as may subsequently be enacted (“Legislative Decree No. 239”) and otherwise in the circumstances described in Condition 13. Furthermore, Notes issued by Banca Intesa with an original maturity of less than 18 months are subject to a withholding tax levied at the rate of 27 per cent. per annum in respect of interest and premium (if any), as more fully described under “Taxation” below. Joint Arrangers Caboto Deutsche Bank Dealers ABN AMRO Banca Intesa S.p.A. Barclays Capital Caboto CALYON Corporate and Investment Bank Citigroup Commerzbank Corporates & Markets Credit Suisse First Boston Deutsche Bank Dexia Capital Markets Goldman Sachs International JPMorgan Lehman Brothers Merrill Lynch International Morgan Stanley The Royal Bank of Scotland UBS Investment Bank The date of this Prospectus is 13th October, 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 RISK FACTORS .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAMME .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 FURTHER PROSPECTUSES .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35 FORMS OF THE NOTES AND TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS RELATING TO U.S. SALES 36 TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE NOTES .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 42 FORM OF FINAL TERMS .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 84 DESCRIPTION OF BANCA INTESA S.p.A. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 97 DESCRIPTION OF INTESA BANK IRELAND p.l.c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 115 TAXATION .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 119 SUBSCRIPTION AND SALE .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 139 GENERAL INFORMATION .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 144 APPENDIX – AUDITED CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL BALANCE SHEETS AND INCOME STATEMENTS OF THE BANCA INTESA GROUP .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 147 2 This Prospectus comprises a base prospectus for each Issuer for the purposes of Article 5.4 of the Prospectus Directive. Each of Banca Intesa and IBI accepts responsibility for the information contained in this document. To the best of the knowledge of each of Banca Intesa and IBI, having taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case, the information contained in this document is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. This Prospectus should be read and construed together with any supplements hereto and with any other documents incorporated by reference herein and, in relation to any Tranche (as defined herein) of Notes, should be read and construed together with the relevant Final Terms (as defined herein). Each of Banca Intesa and IBI has confirmed to the Dealers named under “Subscription and Sale” below that this Prospectus (including for this purpose, each relevant Final Terms) contains all information which is (in the context of the Programme, the issue, offering and sale of the Notes and the Guarantee of the Notes) material; that such information is true and accurate in all material respects and is not misleading in any material respect; that any opinions, predictions or intentions expressed herein are honestly held or made and are not misleading in any material respect; that this Prospectus does not omit to state any material fact necessary to make such information, opinions, predictions or intentions (in the context of the Programme, the issue, offering and sale of the Notes and the Guarantee of the Notes) not misleading in any material respect; and that all proper enquiries have been made to verify the foregoing.