Press statement on the visit of Henri Proglio, Veolia Environnement President, to the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Mr Henri Proglio, Veolia Environnement President, visited the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 4 and 5 September 2006. "We regard the Czech Republic as one of the most important European countries for us. Veolia Environnement is one of the largest investors and employers in this country, " said Mr Proglio. In the Czech Republic, Veolia Environnement employs almost 13,000 people and, for example, in water management, it covers almost 45% of the market. During President Proglio's visit to the Czech Republic a meeting also took place with Pavel Bém, the Mayor of Prague.

Henri Proglio also attended an important meeting with the employees of all Veolia Environnement's subsidiaries in the Czech Republic, and presented this year's Sequoia scheme of employee shares. "Our employees can participate in VE's development and buy its shares under advantageous conditions. The Sequoia scheme has met with extremely keen interest in the Czech Republic, " said Henri Proglio.

On Tuesday 5 September President Proglio also called on Veolia Voda's two new subsidiaries in the Slovak Republic, where Veolia Voda had won two international bidding competitions for the provision of water and sewerage services. They are Stredoslovenská vodárenská spoločnosť in Banská Bystrica, which operates in central Slovakia, and Popradská vodárenská spoločnosť, which provides water and sewerage services in Poprad and surrounding municipalities. Over the next 30 years Veolia Voda will supply water to some 950,000 residents of 750 municipalities in the Slovak Republic, thereby taking approximately 20% of the Slovak water management market and becoming a leader in that market. "We greatly appreciate the fact that Slovak municipalities' representatives have selected our company as a long-term partner, " said President Proglio. "Our ambition is to continue expanding our business in the Slovak water management market. We are ready to work with additional towns and cities, " added President Henri Proglio during his visit to Slovakia.

Veolia Environnement is the world's largest provider of environmental services. In the Czech Republic it employs 13,000 people and its 2005 revenues amounted to almost CZK 26 billion.