RZB Group is Europe’s  «Best Consumer Internet Bank» .

Global Finance selected RZB Group as winner in two regional categoriesin its“World’s Best Internet Bank Awards” contest.

The industry magazine Global Finance has named the Vienna-based RZBGroup as winner of two further awards in the regional categories of its“World’s Best Internet Bank Awards”. At a dinner ceremony in New York, Raiffeisen Zentralbank ?sterreich AG (RZB) was decorated with the prize “Best Consumer Internet Bank in Europe” and its subsidiary Raiffeisen Bank Polska won the title “Best Consumer Internet Bankin Central/Eastern Europe”. Also announced were the Global winners: The prize “Best Consumer Internet Bank” went to Wells Fargo and Citigroup was named “Best Corporate/Institutional Internet Bank” and “World’s Best Internet Bank”. A full report on all awards will be published in the December issue of Global Finance.

Walter Rothensteiner, Chairman of RZB’s Managing Board, was very pleased with the presentation: “With these two further awards, the RZB Group has decorations in all three regional consumer internet categories in Europe and a total of eight internet awards. This is a clear recognition of the internet presence of the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group. But a lot of the credit is also due to the internet banking efforts of RZB’s network banks. RZB is always on the leading edge regarding the implementation of new technologies in Central and Eastern Europe”.

In September, the Internet services of the RZB Group were alreadyselected as winners of six awards, e.g.“Best Consumer Web Site Design in Europe”, both the Consumer and Corporate Award for Austria, as well as country awards for Croatia, Poland and Slovakia.

According to the latest Austrian Internet Monitor (AIM), Raiffeisen hasa market share of 42 per cent making it the clear number one in theAustrian Internet Banking market. More than 590,000 customers regularlyprocess their banking transaction via the Group’s internet platforms. “We have identified and used our chances early. Today, highly sophisticated technologies, stringent security standards and a consequent customer orientation secure our competitive advantage”, said Manfred Url, member of RZB’s Managing Board.

The winners of this year’s World Best Internet Bank contest were chosen by a panel including representatives from the consulting firms of BearingPoint, Deloitte, Tata Infotech and Tower Group. Winners were selected on the basis of strength of strategy for attracting and servicing online customers, success in getting clients to use Web offerings, growth of online customer base, breadth of products offered, evidence of tangible benefits gained from Internet initiatives, and web site design and functionality.

The complete list of Global Finance’s internet awards won by RZB Group in 2004:

· Best Consumer Internet Bank in Europe – RZB/Raiffeisen Banking Group

· Best Consumer Internet Bank in Central/Eastern Europe – Raiffeisen Bank Polska

· Best Consumer Web Design in Europe – RZB/Raiffeisen Banking Group

· Best Corporate/Institutional Internet Bank in Austria -- RZB

· Best Consumer Internet Bank in Austria – RZB/Raiffeisen Banking Group

· Best Corporate/Institutional Internet Bank in Croatia – Raiffeisenbank Austria

· Best Consumer Internet Bank in Poland – Raiffeisen Bank Polska

· Best Consumer Internet Bank in Slovakia – Tatra banka

Raiffeisen Bank Polska’s web site reflects the latest Internet trends giving customers added value. The novelty on the Polish market is a special on-line security manual including general instructions and detailed information on all types of Internet activities for web users. As of 30 June 2004, the bank had a balance sheet total of € 2.04 billion. It employs a staff of about 1,700.

RZB is the central institution of the Raiffeisen Banking Group,Austria''s most powerful banking group. RZB is a leading corporate andinvestment bank in Austria and also considers Central and Eastern Europe(CEE) as its home market, where it operates a network of 15 subsidiarybanks with more than 820 banking outlets, as well as two representativeoffices, in 16 markets of the region. RZB’s network banks are among the three largest banks in eight CEE markets.

You can download 300dpi-pictures of the Awards from:http://www.rzbfiles.at/gfawardrzb.jpgandhttp://www.rzbfiles.at/gfawardpolen.jpg