In return for the aid, France is imposing a better fortunes clause whereby Bull is to pay the French Government 23.5% of its pre-tax current profits over a period of eight years beginning in 2005.

In exchange, the French Government is imposing a "better fortunes" clause in the form of payment to the State by Bull of 23.5% of its annual consolidated result before tax for a period of eight years starting from 2005.

- where appropriate, grant of repayable loans or insertion of a "better fortunes" clause to secure reimbursement of the aid,

Prior to privatisation, Crédit Lyonnais will purchase in the form of a share issue reserved to EPFR the ' better fortunes' clause established in 1995, which assured the State of a compensatory remuneration on the profits of the bank.

The other conditions imposed by the Commission are as follows: - no amendment may be made to the plan without the Commission's prior agreement; - Crédit Lyonnais will be permitted to repurchase hived-off industrial and commercial assets (compare the Usinor-Sacilor case) only at the price at which the assets were transferred to Consortium de Réalisations (CDR - see background below) or at the market price if that is higher than the price at which the assets were transferred to CDR; an overall limit of FF 5 billion has been set on such repurchases; - a clearer separation will have to be made between CDR and Crédit Lyonnais as regards their managers, their administration and the system of controlling and supervising the management of the hi ...[+++]ving-off mechanism; steps must also be taken to ensure that the committees responsible for managing the hived-off companies remain independent of Crédit Lyonnais and that the bank has no share in the proceeds of CDR's sales; - Crédit Lyonnais will have to use the proceeds of sales to restructure non-performing assets and activities, thereby preventing it from reinvesting those proceeds in the repurchase of industrial or financial holdings; - Société de Participation Banque/Industries (SPBI - see background below) will receive not only the proceeds of the privatization of Crédit Lyonnais but also a substantial share of the bank's profits (in accordance with the "better fortunes" clause).