Note 48 Contingent assets and liabilities

Pursuant to Section 403 Book 2, of the Netherlands Civil Code, Alliander has assumed liability for the obligations arising from the legal acts of several of the subsidiaries listed in the other information. Alliander, together with its Dutch subsidiaries, forms a tax group for both corporate income tax and value added tax (VAT). Consequently, every legal entity forming part of the tax group bears joint and several liability for the tax liabilities of the legal entities included in the tax group. Alliander has also given a declaration of indemnity to network operator Liander under which its liability in this respect is restricted to the amount for which Liander itself would be liable if a tax group did not exist.

As at year-end 2017, Alliander had issued parent company guarantees amounting to €45 million (2016: €54 million) and a parent company guarantee of €5.2 million (2016: €5.2 million) for the non-controlling interest Reddyn. Bank guarantees amounting to €0.4 million had been issued on Alliander’s behalf as at year-end 2016 (2016: €1 million).

Operating leases

The following table presents the future minimum operating lease payment obligations. Alliander has operating lease payables, mainly relating to buildings and company cars.

€ million

2017

2016

Less than 1 year

23

16

Between 1 and 5 years

51

38

Over 5 years

62

10

   

Total as at 31 December

136

64

Capital expenditure commitments

The following table presents the existing capital expenditure commitments and other purchase commitments as at year-end.

€ million

2017

2016

Capital expenditure commitments regarding property, plant and equipment

-

6

Other purchasing commitments

75

80

   

Total as at 31 December

75

86