Cooperative banking group Rabobank is considering reducing its stake in the Eureko insurance group from 39% to 30%, and that interest may be reduced further in the future, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Tuesday.

The move makes it less likely that Rabobank and Eureko will merge, the paper says. It quotes the bank as saying the chance of a merger is ‘very small’.
New capital demands on banks make it less attractive for them to take minority stakes in insurance companies, Rabobank said.
Last August, Rabobank said its take in Eureko is not for sale.
The two companies signed a statement of intent to merge in 2005. That agreement was extended in 2009, according to the Financieele Dagblad.
Together, Rabobank and Eureko would form the biggest financial services group in the country, with insurance brands such as Interpolis, Achmea, Zilveren Kruis and Avero falling under their combined control.