19. Provisions

       

       

      Balance as of 04/01/2021

       

      Changes in the scope of consolidation

       

      Net exchange differences

       

      Use

       

      Reversals

       

      Transfers

       

      Additions

       

      Reclassification of discontinued operations

       

      Balance as of 03/31/2022

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Non-current provisions

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Other personnel expenses

       

      11.7

       

      0.0

       

      0.1

       

      –4.1

       

      0.0

       

      0.0

       

      2.6

       

      0.0

       

      10.3

      Warranties and other risks

       

      4.3

       

      0.0

       

      0.0

       

      –0.4

       

      –1.7

       

      –0.2

       

      1.1

       

      0.0

       

      3.1

      Other non-current provisions

       

      103.3

       

      0.0

       

      4.6

       

      –10.2

       

      –1.2

       

      –6.1

       

      13.5

       

      0.0

       

      103.9

       

       

      119.3

       

      0.0

       

      4.7

       

      –14.7

       

      –2.9

       

      –6.3

       

      17.2

       

      0.0

       

      117.3

      Current provisions

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Unused vacation entitlements

       

      137.5

       

      0.0

       

      1.4

       

      –81.6

       

      –0.1

       

      0.0

       

      93.1

       

      –0.7

       

      149.6

      Other personnel expenses

       

      186.3

       

      0.0

       

      4.5

       

      –134.3

       

      –8.8

       

      0.0

       

      230.9

       

      –1.5

       

      277.1

      Warranties and other risks

       

      70.1

       

      0.0

       

      2.3

       

      –11.1

       

      –6.0

       

      0.3

       

      17.6

       

      0.0

       

      73.2

      Onerous contracts

       

      44.0

       

      0.0

       

      0.1

       

      –25.9

       

      –7.5

       

      0.0

       

      70.2

       

      0.0

       

      80.9

      Other current provisions

       

      262.7

       

      0.0

       

      4.1

       

      –150.3

       

      –10.3

       

      6.0

       

      359.7

       

      –16.8

       

      455.1

       

       

      700.6

       

      0.0

       

      12.4

       

      –403.2

       

      –32.7

       

      6.3

       

      771.5

       

      –19.0

       

      1,035.9

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      819.9

       

      0.0

       

      17.1

       

      –417.9

       

      –35.6

       

      0.0

       

      788.7

       

      –19.0

       

      1,153.2

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      In millions of euros

      The provisions for personnel expenses mainly include incentive payments and bonuses. Provisions for warranties and other risks as well as for onerous contracts concern current operating activities. The other provisions mainly consist of provisions for sales commission; litigation, legal, and consulting fees; and environmental protection obligations. Other current provisions include environmental protection obligations of EUR 265.9 million (2020/21: EUR 93.5 million), which relate almost exclusively to CO2 allowances.

      The amount recognized as a provision for warranties and other risks is calculated as the most reliable estimated amount that would be required to settle these obligations as of the reporting date. The statistical measure is the expected value. In turn, this is based on the probability of an event occurring in the light of past experience.

      Provisions for onerous contracts are recognized when the unavoidable cost of meeting the given contractual obligations exceeds the expected revenue. Before recognizing separate provisions for an onerous contract, an entity recognizes an impairment loss on the assets associated with the given contract.

      The antitrust investigations of the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) regarding railway superstructure material that voestalpine triggered in 2011 by way of an application under the Leniency Notice were completed in 2013 as far as voestalpine is concerned. A total of EUR 14.9 million in fines were issued against voestalpine in this connection. Another application under the Leniency Notice by voestalpine triggered the Bundeskartellamt’s investigation against special steel companies; it was completed in July 2018 as far as voestalpine is concerned. As the principal witness, no fines were imposed on voestalpine. In connection with the proceedings that the Bundeskartellamt launched in September 2017 pursuant to a search warrant on suspicion of anti-competitive practices under German competition law in the heavy plate segment, voestalpine agreed in December 2019 to settle the matter by paying a fine of EUR 65.5 million. Hence these proceedings have been brought to an end as well.

      To the extent relevant, voestalpine set up provisions as of the March 31, 2022, reporting date for any negative effects from these anti-trust investigations.

      Increases in provisions totaling EUR 0.8 million (2020/21: EUR 1.5 million) are included in these Consolidated Financial Statements due to both accrued interest and changes in the discount rate.