External auditor

PricewaterhouseCoopers Accountants N.V.
Thomas R. Malthusstraat 5
1066 JR Amsterdam
Telephone:  +31 (0)20 568 66 66
Fax: +31 (0)20 568 68 88

Appointment of the external auditor

The external auditor is appointed by the General Meeting of Shareholders. The Supervisory Board nominates a candidate for the appointment or replacement to the General Meeting of Shareholders. In this connection, the Audit Committee and the Management Board render advice to the Supervisory Board.

In 2008 the General Meeting of Shareholders appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers Accountants N.V. to conduct the audit of the financial statements for the years 2008 through 2010. During the General Meeting of Shareholders of 13 May 2011 this appointment was extended for the financial statements for the year 2011.

Functioning of the external auditor

The Management Board and the Audit Committee report annually to the Supervisory Board on their contacts with the external auditor, devoting attention to the independence of the auditor. The Supervisory Board takes account of this in the nominations for the appointment of an external auditor. 

The functioning of the external auditor is evaluated and assessed by the Management Board and the Audit Committee at least once every four years. The most important conclusions of this assessment are shared with the General Meeting of Shareholders. 

The external auditor shall, in principle, attend all meetings of the Audit Committee. The external auditor is also present at the meeting of the Supervisory Board where the report of the external auditor on the annual audit is discussed and the financial statements are signed. Finally, the external auditor also attends the General Meeting of Shareholders, where he can clarify his opinion on the fairness of the financial statements.