The Bank of Italy performs a different evaluation of mergers and acquisitions, entirely separate from the examination of the prudential aspects, by virtue of the powers as antitrust authority for the banking sector entrusted to it under Law 287/1990.
I will not go into this aspect in detail because it has no bearing on the facts that are the focus of attention today; in the case of the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, the opinion of the Antitrust Authority is pending.