Unilever 2002 Annual Report Download - page 17

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Unilever Annual Report & Accounts and Form 20-F 2002
14 About Unilever
Description of our properties
We have interests in properties in most of the countries
where there are Unilever operations. However, none
is material in the context of the Group as a whole.
The properties are used predominantly to house production
and distribution activities and as offices. There is a mixture
of leased and owned property throughout the Group.
There are no environmental issues affecting the properties
which would have a material impact upon the Group.
The directors take the view that any difference between
the market value of properties held by the Group and the
amount at which they are included in the balance sheet
is not significant. See the schedule of principal group
companies and fixed investments on page 128 and details
of tangible fixed assets in note 10 on page 81.
Legal and arbitration proceedings and regulatory
matters
We are not involved in any legal or arbitration proceedings
and do not have any obligations under environmental
legislation which we expect to lead to a material loss in
the context of the Group results. None of our directors or
officers are involved in any such material legal proceedings.
Unilever has businesses in many countries and, from time to
time, these are subject to investigation by competition and
other regulatory authorities. The most significant of these
in recent years concerns ice cream distribution in Europe,
notably the issues of outlet and cabinet exclusivity. The
decision of the European Court of First Instance in the
matter of our appeal against the European Commission’s
negative decision on cabinet exclusivity in Ireland is expected
in the first half of 2003. In the event that our appeal fails,
among the consequences will be the need to institute
changes to the manner in which we offer impulse ice cream
at the point of sale, initially in the Republic of Ireland and
subsequently elsewhere in Europe.
Government regulation
Unilever businesses are governed, in particular, by national
laws designed to ensure that their products may be safely
used for their intended purpose and that their labelling and
advertising complies in all respects with relevant regulations.
The introduction of new products and ingredients and
processes is, specifically, subject to rigorous controls.
Unilever businesses are further regulated by data protection
and anti-trust legislation. Important regulatory bodies
include the European Commission and the US Food and
Drug Administration.