This strategic acquisition further strengthens First Data’s presence in Europe and complements the company’s expansion, earlier this year, into Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Serbia, Montenegro, Russia and Hungary. First Data now has strong processing hubs and competency centres across Europe and is well-positioned to support its banking clients in meeting the requirements for a Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). The acquisition of APSS also further extends First Data’s capabilities and service offering in the areas of smart card development, ATM management and debit card processing. APSS provides Austria’s banking industry with debit and credit card issuing and acquiring processing, as well as card network operations and terminals and ATM processing. The acquisition by First Data will enable the company to broaden its service offering and, under the First Data International brand, to support the growth strategies of Austrian banks expanding across the fast-growing markets of Central and Eastern Europe. Nabila.Laarari@firstdata.com www.firstdata.com susanne.stoeger@apss.at www.apss.at