The Board of Management
of each company is responsible for the preparation of these consolidated
financial statements. This responsibility includes
preparing these consolidated financial statements in accordance
with IFRSs as adopted by the EU, and the additional requirements
of German law pursuant to Section 315a (1) of the German
Commercial Code (HGB), to give a true and fair view of the
net assets, financial position and results of operations of the
group in accordance with these requirements. The Board
of Management is also responsible for the internal controls
that the Board of Management determines are necessary
to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements
that are free from material misstatement, whether due to
fraud or error.