Erste Bank JPMorgan Merrill Lynch International

Other threatened and pending court and arbitration proceedings
Legal action by the Association for Consumer Information (Verein für Konsumenteninformation, VKI)
In a class action suit, the Association for Consumer Information has objected to some of the
clauses contained in Wiener Städtische AG’s standard contract terms (AVB) for traditional life
insurance due to a violation of transparency requirements and has demanded that Wiener Städtische
AG waive these clauses in the future. In the meantime, the suit has also been extended to Wiener
Städtische AG’s standard contract terms for unit-linked life insurance.
Not only Wiener Städtische AG but also other Austrian corporate Groups and most other large
Austrian insurance companies use comparable clauses in their standard contract terms. VKI has also
filed suits with similar content against UNION and other Austrian insurance companies. Wiener
Städtische AG contests VKI’s standing to bring the lawsuit. Moreover, it considers the content of the
suit to be unfounded, particularly in view of the fact that the contract clauses criticised by VKI as nontransparent
or contrary to law are either made more specific by individual agreements or reflect
provisions of law. No reliable information can be provided at the present time concerning the possible
outcome of these proceedings.
Kärntner Belegärzteverein — anti-trust proceedings
The Kärntner Belegärzteverein (BAV) has filed an action with the Vienna Higher Regional Court
(as anti-trust court) against Wiener Städtische AG and other Austrian insurance companies and
various private clinics for alleged abuse of their dominant positions in the market and has petitioned
that they be enjoined from certain actions and that they be found to have formed a prohibited cartel.
Wiener Städtische AG considers BAV’s suit to be unfounded because the procedures under
objection are common practice throughout the Austrian market and, therefore, there is no abuse. At
the present time, it is not possible to provide any reliable information concerning the possible outcome
of the proceedings.
Guarantees
The following explanatory notes are provided concerning the contingent liabilities not shown on
the balance sheet: Letters of comfort exist for Businesspark Brunn Entwicklungs GmbH in the amount
of EUR 799,000 in favour of Marktgemeinde Brunn am Gebirge relating to assumption of the costs for
construction of an expressway junction and the development of the property. Furthermore, a written
guarantee exists in favour of APC Geschäftscenter Betriebsges. m.b.H. in the amount of EUR 209,000
as well as joint and several guarantee for loans taken out by COUNTRY INN VIC Hotelerrichtungsund
Betriebsgesellschaft m.b.H. up to a total amount of EUR 10,850 million. The company has also
provided guarantees for employee loan repayments to the employees’ savings and loan fund of
“Wiener Städtische Allgemeine Versicherung Aktiengesellschaft” reg.Gen.m.b.H. in the amount of
EUR 161,000. There is a letter of comfort in the amount of EUR 7,410 million in favour of Central
Point IT-Solutions GmbH.
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