Belgium offers Fortis shareholders profit coupon

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Shareholders in Fortis (FOR.BR) will be able to claim a part of any profit the Belgian state makes from its investment in BNP Paribas through a coupon to be issued over the weekend, the Belgian government said.

The coupon will be detached by Fortis to offer proof of ownership of Fortis Holding shares, the Belgian government said in a statement late on Friday.

This coupon will be used to get a share of Belgium's profits in BNP Paribas under conditions yet to be determined by the government, the statement said.

"This non-negotiable and independent certificate, that will not influence the value of the Fortis stock, could be exchanged from the state at a date and under conditions to be decided by the state," the statement said.

Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders said this would allow small shareholders to take a part in any profit the government would make when it sells its 11.6 percent stake in Paribas, Belgian media reported.

He also said that this would take a few years, "probably over three years," adding that more details on the coupons would be announced on Sunday, Belgian daily L'Echo reported.

The Belgian government said this move should allow trading in the troubled Belgium-based financial services group to resume on Monday.

Shares in Fortis, which was carved up by the Dutch, Belgian and Luxembourg governments and partly sold to France's BNP Paribas (BNPP.PA) last weekend, have not traded all week.

BNP Paribas agreed late on Sunday to buy Fortis assets in Belgium and Luxembourg for 14.5 billion euros ($20.1 billion) in a share swap with the Belgian and Luxembourg governments.

This followed the Netherlands' move on Friday to nationalize the Dutch assets of Fortis for 16.8 billion euros.

Belgium will retain a 25 percent blocking stake in Fortis Bank Belgium and will also get an 11.6 percent interest in BNP Paribas.

The Belgian government also confirmed late on Friday the increase of deposit guarantees from 20,000 to 100,000 euros, as well as plans to extend a bank loan guarantee scheme.

The loan guarantee scheme, first agreed for Dexia (DEXI.BR)(DEXI.PA) on Thursday, is extended to any Belgian bank that would ask to be part of it, on the condition that it would be judged solvent enough by the government.

It "aims to facilitate the refinancing of Belgian banks on inter-banking markets," a government statement said.

(Reporting by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Mike Peacock)