All Bell ceremonies

Run4Schools Foundation sounds gong for Two Oceans Marathon

The Run4Schools Foundation sounds the gong for the tough, 56 kilometer long, Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, which is held on 19 April.

A team of runners run the marathon to raise money for the foundation Run4Schools. Run4Schools finances and organizes both in - and after - school sports activities and care at four primary schools in the township of Mitchell's Plain, Cape Town, South Africa. The after school sports activities prove to be an effective instrument to keep children away from gangs and prevents them from engaging in drugs, crime or worse. Also, the programs are successful in helping children's healthy development by allowing them to be the children they deserve to be, at least during the safe and supportive Run4Schools activities. Different kinds of fundraising activities are initiated around running events in the Netherlands and also in South Africa. Founding father, Leslie Pangemanan, sounds the gong.

For more information: www.run4schools.nl

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Minister Plasterk and ‘Hulp voor Hulpverleners’ Foundation sound gong

On December 30th, one day before the end of the year, minister Plasterk sounds the gong to show his appreciation for the work and the commitment of emergency workers. But more importantly, he calls attention to aggression and violence during New Year’s Eve. Plasterk: "Aggression and violence against emergency workers are unacceptable. I am committed to reduce the number of incidents.”

For years already the ‘Hulp voor Hulpverleners’ (Assistance for Emergency Workers) Foundation has been campaigning to reduce aggression and violence against emergency workers. The foundation calls on the Dutch population to ensure that emergency workers can do their work in a normal way this year.

For more information: www.hulpvoorhulpverleners.nl

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Witte Bedjes Het Parool foundation highlights Happy2Move project

Witte Bedjes Het Parool foundation sounds the gong to highlight the Happy2Move project.

The foundation raises money for children who are sick, handicapped, or in need of some other form of help. The money is made available to non-profit organisations working with sick or handicapped children in and around Amsterdam. The fund is primarily intended for relatively small, tangible projects that do not receive any other form of subsidy. This year the foundation is supporting the Happy2Move project.

The Happy2Move project provides after-school care to mentally or physically handicapped children between the ages of 4 and 20. The activities it organises after school and during teacher workshops and vacations are based on healthy lifestyles, emphasizing sports, healthy eating and enjoying recreation. To promote healthy eating, the children are given a hot meal after these activities, just before they go home. Happy2Move provides the children with transportation from school to the activities venue, and from there to their home.

For more information: www.happy2move.nl

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Speelgoedbank Amsterdam celebrates successful year

Speelgoedbank Amsterdam sounds the gong for a very successful first year.

Many children in Amsterdam grow up in poverty. For these children, it is not part of their normal lives to visit a toy store. Growing up in poverty has clear implications, not only materially but also emotionally and socially. Speelgoedbank Amsterdam collects toys, both new and used. Children growing up in poverty can visit Speelgoedbank Amsterdam four times a year. At each visit, they can choose two toys and a book from the store. This way Speelgoedbank Amsterdam builds a bridge between surplus and deficit, recycles toys and lets children shine.

For more information: www.SpeelgoedbankAmsterdam.nl

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Barbara Barend sounds gong for Sterrenfonds December month

Sterrenfonds ambassador Barbara Barend sounds gong for all the children in the Netherlands, who are in a disadvantaged position. Whether it is because of living in poverty, being seriously ill or having been placed out of home. With great attention we have to take responsibility for them, who are our future.

Over the past month, Sterrenfonds enabled 12,000 children to fully experience their childhood with a unique cinema event, a Santa Claus show and Children's Christmas Boxes. In 2012, Sterrenfonds ambassador Frans Bauer sounded the gong, concluding the Children's Christmas Boxes for over 600 seriously ill children and children in poverty. This year ambassador Barbara Barend visits Euronext for the ending the December activities for 12,000 children.

For more information: sterrenfonds.nl

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Winner Deloitte Kordes Awards sounds gong

Deputy mayor of Uden municipality, René Peerenboom, sounds the gong as the winner of the Deloitte Kordes Award 2013.

The Deloitte Kordes Award is awarded since 1995 for the public organization with the best annual report. The objective of the award is to continuously improve reporting on performance and accountability of (semi) public organizations. According to the jury Uden municipality is this year's convincing winner: "The annual report meets all jury criteria and excels in risk reporting and in style and communication. Additionally, the municipality has made the annual report available digitally and is herewith setting an example for other organizations." Last year, Uden Municipality participated for the first time and immediately became the winner in the category of Local Government."

For more information: www.deloitte.com

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Congratulations to Lotus Bakeries with its 25 years of listing on the Brussels Stock Exchange

Matthieu Boone, Chairman of the Board of Lotus Bakeriesrang the Opening Bell to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the listing of their company on Euronext. On this special occasion the following guests were also present : Jan Boone (CEO) Jan Vander Stichele (Executive Director), John Van de Par (Corporate Director EMEA & ICT), Jos Destrooper (Corporate Director Finance & HR) and Marc Janssens (Partner Petercam)

Lotus Bakeries operates in the field of authentic specialties in the biscuits, gingerbread, waffles and cake specialties markets. Lotus Bakeries, with headquarters in Belgium, is a dynamic, internationally oriented company with production facilities in Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Sweden, own sales organisations in 10 European countries, the US, Hong Kong, China, Chile, ….

Trading symbol : LOTB
Company information about : LotusBakeries

Gong marks launch ‘Follow the money’ app

Director of the Amsterdam Museum, Paul Spies, launches the new app ‘Follow the money’ by sounding the gong. With this app users can take a stroll through the centre of Amsterdam and learn more about the financial history of the city. The tour spans a period of 400 years, from the Golden Age to the present.

With the app users can get acquainted with the visible financial history in the city in an accessible way. The app has been realized by the Amsterdam Museum with the help of Platform Capital Amsterdam, Capital Amsterdam Foundation, Nachenius Tjeenk Foundation, the Dutch Central Bank and M2Mobi. The app is available for free in both Dutch and English in the Google store or can be downloaded from Itunes, search term "money tour.

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Euronext welcomes Carbios, a green chemistry company on Alternext Paris

Jean-Claude Lumaret, CEO of Carbios opens the European trading day in Paris.

Carbios is a green chemistry company specializing in the development of breakthrough technologies in the recovery of plastic waste and the production of bio-polymers. "Our ambition is to develop new programmed self-degradable plastics; transform plastic into high value raw material so it can act as a substitute for petroleum; and regenerate new plastics from plastic waste”, said Jean-Claude Lumaret, CEO of Carbios. “100 million tons of valuable plastic waste in the world; that is a windfall of $100 billion and represent a significant reservoir of untapped renewable resources.

Winner Shell LiveWIRE Award sounds gong

Brechtje Riphagen, founder of Innofuse and the winner of the prestigious Shell LiveWIRE Award 2013 visits Euronext Amsterdam and sounds the gong in the presence of president director Shell Netherlands B.V., Dick Benschop and director Syntens Innovation Center, Piet van Staalduinen.

The winner is chosen on December 17^th and received the award from Bertholt Leeftink, director-general Enterprise and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs at the award ceremony hosted at Shell Headquarters in The Hague. Shell LiveWIRE is an international social investment programme that aims to help young innovative entrepreneurs develop their business. Every year over 600 entrepreneurs receive free professional coaching and training through master classes as well as access to an expert network. Syntens Innovation implements Shell LiveWIRE programme in the Netherlands. The programme is active in 17 countries.

For more information: www.LiveWIRE.nl

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Listing of Qrf on Euronext Brussels

Since 18 December 2013 is the company Qrf listed on Euronext Brussels. Quares stands for Quality Real Estate Services. Quares is a real estate specialist operating in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany and France. The company’s primary objective is to maximise the financial returns on real estate of private clients, business partners and investors.Qrf-Quares Retail Fund- founded on 3 September 2013, is part of the group and is a quoted fixed-capital real estate investment fund investing in commercial real estate under Belgian law. Qrf focuses on inner-city stores in streets that are dominant in their catchment areas. The fund seeks to create value through active portfolio management and an innovative, professional approach.

To celebrate this event, Anneleen Desmyter, CEO of Qrf opened the markets with a Bell Ceremony on 18 December 2013 together with Freddy Hoorens and Herman Du Bois.  Anneleen Desmyterhad the honour to write the first opening price on the blackboard. Other guests of honour were Inge Boets, Chairman of the Board, Frank De Moor and Jan Brouwers, Board members - Francis Hendrickx, CFO - Bert Weemaes, COO and An Bertels, Finance Manager.

The ticker code : QRF.

If you would like to find out more on Quares : www.qrf.be

Aon celebrates 325th anniversary at Euronext Amsterdam

Today (Re)insurance brokers are common among organizations and individuals, but that was not always the case. Exactly 325 years ago the oldest existing insurance broker in the world was founded, a company that is now known as Aon (ticker symbol: AON). CEO Aon Benfield Netherlands,Bob Reichenfeld, sounds the gong to celebrate the anniversary.

The founding father of Aon risk consultants and (re)insurance brokers is Evert van Heijningen. Back in 1688 he founded his company, Van Heijningen, which is now part of one of the largest financial services companies in the world. What began with a single policy, is now a $ 11.5 billion global company with over 500 offices in 120 countries and a working population of more than 65,000.

(Re)insurance brokers and insurers continue to ensure that risks are manageable and pose limited threat to the continuity of a company. "Over the years a lot has changed in the insurance business, but the goal has remained the same. We make sure that entrepreneurs can and dare to take responsible risks by helping them to protect and manage their business continuity," says Lex Geerdes , Country Manager Aon Netherlands, CEO Aon Risk Solutions Benelux and CEE.

For more information: www.aon.com

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Montepio rings the closing bell

To celebrate the listing of €200 million in participation units, António Tomás Correia rang the Closing Bell. He was accompanied by Montepio management team, along with the Euronext team.

Bell Ceremony to celebrate the first listing of the equity options on Arseus

On 16 December 2013, Ger van Jeveren, CEO of Arseus opened the markets with aBell Ceremony at Euronext Brussels to celebrate the introduction of new option contracts on Arseus at Euronext Liffe Brussels. The trading symbol is RCU.

Arseus is a multinational group of companies that provides products, services and concepts for professionals and institutions active in the healthcare sector in Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Australia. Arseus is subdivided into four divisions and, among other things, is active in the markets for magistral preparations for pharmacies, dental products, medical and surgical products and medical IT solutions. The Belgian company Arseus NV is located in Waregem, and is listed on Euronext Brussels and Euronext Amsterdam.

To learn more about the company : www.arseus.com

Contract specifications : https://www.euronext.com/en/for-investors/financial-derivatives

Winner of the FD Gazellen Awards visits Euronext

Arends Techniek is the winner of the 10th edition of the FD Gazellen Award and visits Euronext to celebrate.

The FD Gazelle Award, presented annually by the Dutch financial daily Het Financieele Dagblad, is aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and drawing attention to the country’s fastest-growing companies. This year, for the 10th consecutive year, awards were presented to the fastest-growing companies in each category. In all 12 provinces, regional prizes were awarded in three categories, based on sales levels (small, medium, large). At the same time, Het Financieele Dagblad delved into the state of entrepreneurship in each province.

Arends Techniek emerged as the national winner of the award for the Fastest-Growing Company of 2013. The company, which installs solar panels, received the award in The Hague during the finals of the FD Gazellen Awards, where a ranking of the 100 fastest growing companies in the Netherlands was unveiled.In three years’ time the company became the fastest growing company in the Netherlands with a growth percentage of 1185%.CEO, Marjan Arends Smid, sounds the gong.

For more information: www.fd.nl

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Young farmers from Loiret close the Europeans markets in Paris

Within the framework of their general assembly, young Loiret farmers (farmers' union promoting the farming industry) are accompanied by Crédit Mutuel to visit Euronext.

Created by farmers, Crédit Mutuel protects its founding values : its development of the farming market and food-processing industries continues to reinforce  these same values : synergies, close relationships, innovation and local know-how.

Euronext introduces equity options on OCI N.V.

Euronext N.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), introduces options on the shares of OCI N.V. (“OCI”). The options will be available as of Friday 13 December on the derivatives market of Euronext Amsterdam.

OCI N.V. is a global producer of natural gas-based chemicals and an engineering & construction contractor, with projects and investments in Europe, the United States, Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. The company employs more than 75,000 people in 35 countries around the globe.

The chemicals segment produces nitrogen fertilizers, methanol and other natural gas based products and ranks among the world’s top fertilizer producers with a fertilizer production capacity of nearly 7 million metrictons in The Netherlands, the United States, Egypt and Algeria. The company is currently constructing a world-scale fertilizer plant in Iowa, USA and recently announced it will start the construction of a world-scale methanol plant in Texas, USA, once finished the largest one in North America.

The construction segment provides international engineering and construction services primarily on infrastructure, industrial and high-end commercial projects and ranks among the world’s top global contractors. Notable construction projects include Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest building, Ferrari Experience theme park in Abu Dhabi, the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, roof over the A2 motorway in Utrecht, the Netherlands and Maastoren, the tallest building in the Netherlands.

The newly listed options follow the successful listing of OCI on Euronext Amsterdam on 25 January 2013. Since September 2013, OCI N.V. has been a constituent of the AMX-Index®, the index for mid-sized companies listed on Euronext Amsterdam. By adding these new options Euronext is expanding the number of equity option classes on AMX® companies to 22. In addition, all constituents of the AEX-Index® have an equity option listing.

Frank Ammerlaan, Head of Sales & Client Coverage Benelux for Euronext, said:  “We are pleased to announce the introduction of the OCI options, providing investors with new investment opportunities. The Amsterdam derivatives market of Euronext is a highly liquid and competitive market, with a large number of direct market participants trading in a wide and successful range of equity option classes. The OCI options are a great addition to our option series and increase the range of options on large internationally oriented companies.”

These new American-style options (option trading symbol: OCI) will expire on the third Friday of the contract month and will have initial maturities of 1, 2, 3 and 6 months. Each option will represent 100 shares in OCI and will be cleared via LCH.Clearnet SA.

Euronext lists over 200 equity options (also known as individual stock options) on leading European companies via the Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Paris central order books.

For more information: www.oci.nl

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Entrepreneurial Ecosystem of Lisbon rings the Closing Bell

Paulo Carvalho, from the City Hall, four entrepreneurs (Miguel Santo Amaro from Uniplaces, Filipe Botto from Yonest, Domingos Guimarães from Live Content and Bernardo Gaieras from Fab Lab Lisboa,)  as well Inês Domingos, from the Macrometria and the author of the study “Entrepreneurial Ecosystem of Lisbon” rang the closing bell in Lisbon to celebrate the launch of the study.

Euronext Lisbon organized a conference to present the study and the developments of the Entrepreneurial Network, an initiative that has been supported by the Lisbon municipality. Four young entrepreneurs were also invited to talk about their projects. Now in its seventh year, Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is currently celebrated in 140 countries and thousands of cities around the world.