SEC De-registration

Cookson Group PLC 21 February 2006 21 February 2006 Cookson Group plc Certification as to De-registration of Cookson Ordinary Shares from the US Securities and Exchange Commission On 17 October 2005, Cookson Group plc ('Cookson' or the 'Company') confirmed its intention to terminate registration of its ordinary shares with the US Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC'), due to the increasing cost of maintaining its registration in the US and complying with SEC reporting and other applicable US obligations. Cookson now announces that, on 21 February 2006, it filed a Form 15 with the SEC to terminate the SEC registration of its ordinary shares. SEC de-registration will occur 90 days after 21 February 2006 or such shorter period as the SEC may determine. On filing of the form, Cookson's obligations to file certain forms and reports with the SEC, including Forms 20-F and 6-K, were suspended. Under currently applicable SEC regulations, after the de-registration takes effect, the number of Cookson's US resident shareholders must remain below 300 at each financial year-end to avoid re-commencement of SEC reporting and other applicable US obligations. Cookson's Articles of Association give the Company's Directors the ability to limit the number of Cookson's US resident shareholders for this purpose. Pursuant to the Articles of Association, Cookson's Board may, from time to time, require US resident shareholders, whether holding directly or through nominees, to sell their shares in order to be satisfied that their number is less than 300 at each financial year end. On 23 December 2005, the SEC published a proposed rule that introduces new criteria to make it easier for foreign private issuers such as Cookson to de-register from the SEC. Finalisation of this proposed rule is likely to take several months and it is not possible to be certain what form any new criteria will finally take. It is possible the new criteria will not require Cookson to maintain the number of its US-resident shareholders at below 300 at each financial year-end in order to avoid re-commencement of registration obligations. The Company will keep the position under review. Enquiries: Cookson Group plc Tel: +44 (0)20 7061 6500 Richard Malthouse, Group Secretary www.cooksongroup.co.uk This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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