Disclaimer

The following translation is based upon the German original submitted for translation into English. In the event of any conflict between the interpretation of the German original version and the present English translation, the original German wording shall prevail over the wording of the English version.

Notes relating to forward-looking statements:

This document contains statements about the future business development and strategic direction of the Company. The forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions. They are subject to certain risks and fluctuations as described in other publications, in particular in the risk and opportunities report of the combined management report. If these expectations and assumptions do not apply or if unforeseen risks arise, the actual course of business may differ significantly from the expected developments. We therefore assume no liability for the accuracy of these forecasts.

These sections contain content or cross-references not required by law, which were not audited by the auditor, but were merely read critically. In the case of cross-references, the information to which the cross-references refer was also not audited.