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JCB and EURO 6000 Sign Acquiring
License for Spain
For Immediate Release
Tokyo and Madrid, September 8, 2004 - JCB, the leading international
payment brand, is pleased to announce that JCB International Co.,
Ltd. and EURO 6000 S.A., one of Spain's three payment network providers,
concluded a license agreement for JCB acquiring operations yesterday
at EURO 6000 headquarters in Madrid. General Director Santiago Ballesteros
Estevez signed on behalf of EURO 6000, and JCBI was represented
by President & COO Kunio Yoshizawa. This is the first time that
JCB has granted an acquiring license to a payment network in Spain.
This agreement with EURO 6000 completes JCB business relationships
with the major Spanish acquirers. EURO 6000 merchant acquiring operations
and sales processing will begin by the end of March 2005. Thirty-five
banks, primarily regional savings banks, participate in EURO 6000's
payment network and processing center services, for a total of approximately
260,000 merchants.
"We are delighted with our new relationship with EURO 6000,
as this agreement means an increase of another 30% of the total
merchant network in Spain. In fact, Spain ranks sixth among European
nations in the number of Japanese tourists, at about 240,000 a year,
with Spain's many world heritage sites such as Cordoba and the Alhambra
Palace leading in popularity among travelers from Japan", said
Mr. Shunji Yoshioka, Senior Vice President at JCB International
Co., Ltd. "Through this agreement we have another strong local
partner who will be able to meet the needs of a growing merchant
base, and we will be able to enhance payment services throughout
Spain to better meet the needs of traveling JCB cardmembers."
JCB card acceptance will be phased in, starting with about 140,000
merchants in the first year and 250,000 by the end of the third
year. As a result the JCB card acceptance rate in the Spanish market
will nearly double, benefiting not only the La Caixa JCB Card cardmembers
who live in Spain, but also the large number of visitors from other
European countries.
JCB is meeting the changing needs and desires in tourist trends
by increasing JCB card acceptance in regional areas as well as major
cities in Spain, while EURO 6000 can help its merchants take advantage
of these trends by adding the JCB brand to its existing line-up
of international credit card brands. Both organizations will benefit
by this new alliance.
About EURO 6000 S.A.
EURO
6000, present in the Spanish market from 1975, administers the networks
and products of payment means promoted together by the 35 Savings
Banks associates, and represents them with other national and international
systems of payment. The System EURO 6000, moved in the last twelve
months a volume of 37.527 millions of € with 13,4 million cards
issued and 38.592 millions of € as acquirer at merchants and
ATM's. For more information about EURO 6000, please see www.euro6000.com
(Spanish language only).
About JCB International Co., Ltd.
JCB is an international credit card brand and the largest card issuer
and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in
1961 and began expanding overseas in 1981. Its merchant network
includes 11.7 million merchants and spans 189 countries and territories.
JCB cards are now issued in 18 countries and territories, with 51.6
million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy,
JCB has formed alliances with more than 320 leading banks and financial
institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember
base. JCB's corporate philosophy of "Service from the heart",
a commitment to responsive and high-quality service, continues to
guide it as it creates the future together with its customers, merchants
and partners. For further information, plea visit the JCB Co. Ltd.
home page at : www.jcb-global.com/english
or www.jcbinternational.com.
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