European Commission Approves Proposed Disposal of Imperial Tobacco Group PLC’s 49.95% Stake in Aldeasa, S.A. to Autogrill Espańa S.A.

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The European Commission has announced its decision to approve Imperial Tobacco Group PLC's ("Imperial Tobacco") proposed disposal of its 49.95% shareholding in Aldeasa, S.A., held through its subsidiary Altadis, S.A., to Autogrill Espańa S.A., a subsidiary of Autogrill S.p.A..

The transaction is expected to complete on 14 April 2008.


Enquiries

Imperial Tobacco
Alex Parsons (Head of Corporate Communications)
Telephone: +44 (0) 7967 467241

Simon Evans (Group Press Officer)
Telephone: +44 (0) 7967 467684

John Nelson-Smith (Investor Relations Manager)
Telephone: +44 (0) 117 933 7032

Nicola Tate (Investor Relations Manager)
Telephone: +44 (0) 117 933 7082

Citi (financial adviser to Imperial Tobacco)
Ian Carnegie-Brown
Ian Hart
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7986 4000

Citi, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for Imperial Tobacco and no one else in relation to the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Imperial Tobacco for providing the protections afforded to clients of Citi nor for providing advice in relation to these matters, the content of this announcement or any matter referred to in it.