Soon he had to go quickly to complete this negotiation in the long term. Wednesday night, the State, the Deposit and Consignment Office (CDC), La Banque Postale (LBP) and Dexia have agreed on a "summary of conclusions" laying the foundation for a new local bank. The bodies of public institutions and Dexia must approve the scheme this Thursday – the Supervisory Board of CDC did on Wednesday night – to allow the President of the Republic to announce the creation of local associations it meets Friday. Pending the effective launching of this new bank, savings funds from the CDC will make available to local public sector, including hospitals, a budget of 3 to 5 billion euros.
In mind, this is to ensure the handover between Dexia Credit Local (DCL), a subsidiary of Dexia in difficulties and the first player in France's local government finance, and La Banque Postale, led to his entering this profession abandoned by private banks. In fact, this transfer goes through a montage of rare complexity. Moreover, it is not a new bank that will be born, but two!
Entry of the state in the loop
The assembly established by the Commissioner Rene Ricol investment, initially, and then finalized by Jean-Paul Redouin, Deputy Governor of the Bank of France, goes into effect by the creation of two banks: d On one side, which means a company will finance new production, on the other, a commercial company that will distribute loans to local authorities. To prime the pump, the CDC will make cash available to the joint venture.
The company will be owned means on one side by a holding company for the State (31.7%), CDC (31.7%) and LBP (4.9%) and the other by DCL (31, 7%). According to the agreements, LBP will aim to return from DCL, under certain conditions, by 2020. This means company will own 100% of DexMa (Dexia MA), the refinancing vehicle with MCI.
Accordance with the agreements of October, DexMa, bringing 75 billion euros in credits, will be redeemed at a price of DCL to 380 million euros. However, the CDC advised by Lazard and JP Morgan, who fought to review the terms of the transaction in terms of degradation of the euro area since the fall, won a provision to review the prices of within three years. She also gained entry to the State in the loop, which was not envisaged in the scheme in October.
This company will provide the means and the back office and the refinancing of the commercial joint venture LBP (65%) and CDC (35%) who will distribute the new loans. The joint venture will remunerate its counterpart on a package of 15 basis points. If the bill is higher, will be paid by MCI.
For its part, the subsidiary of Dexia will continue to manage so-called toxic loans granted to local elected before 2008. According to the scheme proposed by Rene Ricol, DCL will continue its core activities, short-term loans, leasing or insurance. Finally, LBP and the CDC will also direct some trades in the direction of joint venture companies.
The European Commission, the last obstacle
If the outline were arrested, it is clear that the device is not fully seated. The discussions will continue with LBP – pivot of the organization even if it is a small shareholder of the company means – to define the borders between these entities both partners and competitors: in short, what really makes for that. The fate of 1,350 employees of DCL is not set. Society means and the joint venture is expected to resume commercial teams, but nobody knows yet how much. Finally, the last obstacle and not least, the European Commission.
According to several sources, Brussels, which must approve state aid granted to Dexia by the end of March, was expressed last weekend. The Competition Directorate has written very dry emphasizing how it would be vigilant on this new scheme. Some consider unlikely that DCL is allowed to continue its core activities in light of 90 billion euros of guarantees given by France, Belgium and Luxembourg with Dexia.
The French plan also raises a new obstacle. Indeed, is the nationalization of DexMa results in a decrease in its cost of issuance, and this is probably the result of state aid. Or changes in capital does not change because the tool – as the CDC calls since the beginning – is discredited: and then this whole gas plant will be worth nothing.
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