Shareholders and depositary-receipt holders can vote under all circumstances and without any restrictions, whether they attend the AGM or not. Voting at a distance is called "proxy voting". This is done by filling out a special form to vote in writing.

Shareholders' Communication Channel

ING introduced proxy voting for Dutch shareholders in 2003. In the Netherlands, ING works with the Shareholders' Communication Channel, an organisation that sends proxy forms to shareholders who have signed up for this service. Only shareholders whose shares or depositary receipts are in custody with a Dutch bank can make use of this organization to vote by proxy.

In 2004, ING extended proxy voting to international shareholders in the US and the UK. In mid-2003, about 80% of ING's shareholders were outside the Netherlands, with the US and the UK together accounting for 48%. Holders of ADRs in the US automatically receive information on proxy voting from their custodian bank.

Proxy solicitation means collecting proxy votes. A depositary-receipt holder or shareholder can transfer the proxy vote granted to him to a third party, without any restrictions. A holder of depositary receipts does not have voting rights, but if he or she wants to attend the AGM, a proxy will be granted, which can be transferred to someone else.

Those who do not attend the AGM and do not want to have themselves represented will leave it the ING Trust Office that looks after the interests of the holders of the depositary receipt-holders and shareholders.