▁when ▁it ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁State ▁for ▁ 4 ▁billion ▁eu ros . ▁The ▁company ' s ▁headquarters ▁are ▁in ▁Br uss els . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Belg ium : ▁Geme ent ek red iet ▁van ▁Bel gi ë ▁/ ▁Cr éd it ▁Comm unal ▁de ▁Belgique ▁▁ ▁Geme ent ek red iet ▁van ▁Bel gi ë ▁/ ▁Cr éd it ▁Comm unal ▁de ▁Belgique ▁is ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁specifically ▁for ▁the ▁finan cing ▁of ▁local ▁authority ▁invest ments . ▁Municipal ities ▁seeking ▁to ▁borrow ▁are ▁obliged ▁to ▁purchase ▁shares ▁equal ▁in ▁value ▁to ▁at ▁least ▁ 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁borrow ings . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁the ▁bank ▁begins ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁network ▁of ▁ret ail ▁branches ▁that ▁allows ▁funds ▁to ▁be ▁drawn ▁from ▁the ▁general ▁public ▁through ▁sav ings ▁accounts . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁on , ▁the ▁branches ▁are ▁run ▁by ▁independent ▁agents , ▁allowing ▁the ▁offer ▁of ▁a ▁bro ader ▁range ▁of ▁services ▁and ▁products ▁and ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁last ing ▁relationship ▁with ▁clients . ▁ ▁The ▁international ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁bank ▁starts ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁with ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁C reg em ▁International ▁Bank , ▁special ising ▁in ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁large ▁sums ▁of ▁money , ▁in ▁the ▁Grand ▁Duch y ▁of ▁Luxemb ourg . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Geme ent ek red iet ▁builds ▁on ▁its ▁international ▁expansion ▁by ▁taking ▁a ▁ 2