Questions and answers on registration and participation

Can only shareholders attend the Annual General Meeting?

The Annual General Meeting is the most important annual event of a stock corporation during which shareholders and company management exchange views. Thus the AGM is most of all an event for shareholders.

Can a shareholder bring someone, e.g. his/her spouse or adult daughter/son?

The shareholder may do so. The best solution is if he/she gives notice of this at the time of his/her own registration and has an extra admission card issued for the accompanying person.

Who is allowed to attend?

The Annual General Meeting is the assembly of the corporation’s shareholders. Shareholders can participate in person or can be represented by an authorized representative. Holders of common shares and holders of preferred stock both have the right to attend the AGM. For further details on the conditions regarding participation and exercising voting rights, please consult the invitation to the AGM.

Generally, the depositary banks organize the registration formalities for their clients if the latter order an admission card. In order to fulfill the aforementioned requirements of participation, the shareholders are requested to get in touch with their respective depositary bank preferably at an early stage and to order an admission card.

How can you register as a shareholder to the Annual General Meeting?

From the beginning of June 2010 the shareholders will obtain the invitation to the Annual General Meeting with the agenda from their depositary bank.

Which shareholders are allowed to participate / to vote?

Holders of common shares as well as holders of preferred stock are allowed to participate (please consult „Who is allowed to attend?“). However, generally only holders of common shares are entitled to vote at the shareholders’ meeting. If any resolutions require the consent of the holders of preferred stock, the latter resolve upon that in a separate meeting of the holders of preferred stock. The agenda of this year’s shareholders’ meeting, however, does not provide for such resolutions.

What if a shareholder has registered in time for the Annual General Meeting but has not received an admission card?

A shareholder who has registered in time but has not received an admission card can still attend the AGM. If the admission card was issued and only did not arrive in time via mail, the shareholder is on the registration list. This can be checked at the info desk in the entrance area and, as the case may be, a replacement admission card can be issued.

Will shares be blocked when the shareholder registers for the Annual General Meeting?

No, shares will not be blocked. Regarding holders of preference shares, the registration is based on the principle of record date, i.e. it is decisive whether the shareholder was shareholder at the beginning of the 21st day prior to the AGM (Record Day), i.e. on June 8, 2010 00:00 hours. Disposal of stock after the record date is possible and does not affect the right to attend the AGM.

Can I attend the Annual General Meeting if I have already sold my shares?

For holders of preference shares, the relevant record date (Record Day) for purposes of participation is the beginning of the 21st day prior to the AGM, i.e. June 8, 2010 00:00 hours. A disposal of shares after this date does not affect the right to attend the AGM.

Can shareholders leave the Annual General Meeting for some time and then return later?

The shareholder can leave the AGM temporarily through the exit counter. When leaving, however, he has to sign off at the exit control and to register for re-admission so that the attendance register can be updated accordingly.

How long before the AGM can stocks be bought with a dividend entitlement?

The date relevant for the entitlement to dividends is the day of the shareholders’ meeting, i.e. June 29, 2010. In case of preference shares, therefore, those holders of preference shares are entitled to dividends that hold the respective shares on the day of the shareholders’ meeting. That also applies, if the shares were acquired after the Record Day and the owner, therefore, is not entitled to participate in the AGM.

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