Topics discussed by the Supervisory Board
The first Supervisory Board meeting of the reporting year took place on January 11, 2019. At this meeting, we focused on the IPO of TRATON SE (then TRATON AG).
The Supervisory Board next met on February 22, 2019. Following a detailed examination, we approved the consolidated financial statements and the annual financial statements of Volkswagen AG for 2018 prepared by the Board of Management. We examined the combined management report, the combined separate nonfinancial report for 2018 and the Report by the Board of Management on Relationships of Volkswagen AG with Affiliated Companies in Accordance with Section 312 of the AktG (dependent company report). Upon completion of our examination of the dependent company report, we came to the conclusion that there were no objections to be raised to the concluding declaration by the Board of Management in the dependent company report. Other agenda items included the current state of affairs with respect to the diesel issue, financing measures at the Volkswagen Group and the agenda for the 59th Annual General Meeting of Volkswagen AG, particularly the Supervisory Board’s proposed resolutions.
At the Supervisory Board meeting on April 23, 2019, we largely discussed strategic issues relating to the Group.
The Supervisory Board held another meeting on May 13, 2019. Alongside preparations for the 59th Annual General Meeting of Volkswagen AG on May 14, 2019, the agenda included, among others, the IPO of TRATON SE, the current state of affairs with respect to the diesel issue and monitor’s report. We also discussed with the Board of Management factors affecting the decision to build a new production site.
The Supervisory Board meeting on July 11, 2019 centered on fundamental decisions concerning the construction of a new production site and the planned cooperation with Ford.
On September 25, 2019, two meetings took place: In the first meeting, the Supervisory Board discussed the indictments by the public prosecutor’s office in Braunschweig against the former chairman of the Volkswagen AG Board of Management Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board Mr. Hans Dieter Pötsch and the Chairman of the Board of Management Dr. Herbert Diess, which concerned alleged market manipulation. It was decided unanimously that Dr. Diess and Mr. Pötsch should continue in post. The main topics of the day’s second meeting were the creation of a software organization, the agreement of a syndicated line of credit and the current state of affairs with respect to the diesel issue.
At the Supervisory Board meeting on November 15, 2019, we discussed in detail the Volkswagen Group’s investment and financial planning for the period from 2020 to 2024. The meeting also focused on changes in the composition of the Board of Management and the creation of a software organization. We also submitted the annual declaration of conformity with the Code together with the Board of Management.
In the reporting period, we voted in writing on matters such as a cooperation with Northvolt AB concerning the building of a battery cell factory.