Important litigation

With its variety of activities and its geographic distribution, the Solvay Group is exposed to legal risks, particularly in the areas of product liability, contractual relations, antitrust laws, patent disputes, tax assessments, and HSE matters. In this context, litigation cannot be avoided and is sometimes necessary so as to defend the rights and interests of the Group.

The outcome of proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty. It is therefore possible that adverse final court decisions or arbitration awards could lead to liabilities (and expenses) that are not covered or not fully covered by provisions or insurance, and that could have a material impact on the revenues and earnings of the Group.

Ongoing legal proceedings involving the Solvay Group that are currently considered to involve significant risks are outlined below. The legal proceedings described below do not constitute an exhaustive list.

The fact that litigation proceedings are reported below is unrelated to the merits of the cases. In all the cases cited below, Solvay is defending itself vigorously and believes in the merits of its defenses.

For certain cases, Solvay has created reserves/provisions in accordance with the accounting rules to cover financial risk and defense costs (see “Provisions for litigation to the consolidated financial statements” of the present document).