Aspocomp battling old bankrupcy ghost

The provision is written off as according to the French legislation, possibility to file new claims related to the case expired in June 2013. According to information received by Aspocomp no new claims have been filed and therefore the related provision can be written off. Aspocomp’s French subsidiary went bankrupt in 2002. As a result of disputes related to the bankruptcy the French Supreme Court finally ordered the company to pay approximately EUR 11 million to former employees of the subsidiary. The company made the payment in 2007. Between January 2009 and September 2012 the Labor Court of Evreux and the Court Appeal of Rouen, France, handed down several rulings whereby the company is obligated to pay approximately EUR 0.7 million plus legal interest to 20 former employees of the subsidiary. The company has entered into settlement agreements with seven of the aforementioned 20 former employees. In addition, the company has appealed to the Helsinki Court of Appeal about the Helsinki District Court's judgment in which the decision of Court of Appeal of Rouen concerning the 13 former employees was confirmed to be enforceable in Finland. Aspocomp considers the decision to be against Finnish public policy and demands that it will not be recognized. According to the company's current view, risks related to its former, bankrupt French subsidiary are limited to the aforementioned open appeal in relation to the 13 former workers’ compensation claims. The risk is estimated to be about EUR 0.8 million, including possible interest and legal costs of the opposing party. There is a provision equivalent to the risk in the company’s balance sheet and therefore there will be no profit impact should the risk realize.