(a) Standards. In determining whether to approve a merger of Banks under the authority of §1278.2, the Director shall take into consideration the financial and managerial resources of the Constituent Banks, the future prospects of the Continuing Bank, and the effect of the proposed merger on the safety and soundness of the Continuing Bank and the Bank system.

(b) Determination by Director. After FHFA determines that a merger application is complete, as provided in §1278.4(c), the Director shall, within 30 days, either approve or deny the merger application. An approval of a merger application may include any conditions the Director determines to be appropriate, and shall in all cases be conditioned on each Constituent Bank demonstrating that it has obtained its members' ratification of the merger agreement in accordance with the requirements of §1278.6 by submitting to FHFA:

(1) A certified copy of the members' resolution ratifying the merger agreement, on which the members cast their votes; and

(2) A certification of the member vote from the Bank's corporate secretary or from an independent third party.

(c) Notice. If the Director approves the merger application, FHFA shall provide written notice of the approval and any conditions to each Constituent Bank, as well as to each other Bank and the Office of Finance. If the Director denies the merger application, FHFA shall provide written notice of the denial to each Constituent Bank, as well as to each other Bank and the Office of Finance, and the notice to the Constituent Banks shall include a statement of the reasons for the denial.