[25] Provisions

OPERATIONAL AND LITIGATION

The Group defines operational risk as the potential for incurring losses in relation to staff, technology, projects, assets, customer relationships, other third parties or regulators, such as through unmanageable events, business disruption, inadequately defined or failed processes or control and system failure.

Due to the nature of its business, the Group is involved in litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings in Germany and in a number of jurisdictions outside Germany, including the United States, arising in the ordinary course of business. In accordance with applicable accounting requirements, the Group provides for potential losses that may arise out of contingencies, including contingencies in respect of such matters, when the potential losses are probable and estimable. Contingencies in respect of legal matters are subject to many uncertainties and the outcome of individual matters is not predictable with assurance. Significant judgment is required in assessing probability and making estimates in respect of contingencies, and the Group’s final liabilities may ultimately be materially different. The Group’s total liability recorded in respect of litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings is determined on a case-by-case basis and represents an estimate of probable losses after considering, among other factors, the progress of each case, the Group’s experience and the experience of others in similar cases, and the opinions and views of legal counsel. Although the final resolution of any such matters could have a material effect on the Group’s consolidated operating results for a particular reporting period, the Group believes that it will not materially affect its consolidated financial position. In respect of each of the matters specifically described below, most of which consist of a number of claims, it is the Group’s belief that the reasonably possible losses relating to each claim in excess of any provisions are either not material or not estimable.

The Group’s significant legal proceedings are described below.

The United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) is also conducting a criminal investigation of tax-oriented transactions that were executed from approximately 1997 through 2001. In connection with that investigation, DOJ has sought various documents and other information from Deutsche Bank and has been investigating the actions of various individuals and entities, including Deutsche Bank, in such transactions. In the latter half of 2005, DOJ brought criminal charges against numerous individuals based on their participation in certain tax-oriented transactions while employed by entities other than Deutsche Bank. In the latter half of 2005, DOJ also entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with an accounting firm (the “Accounting Firm”), pursuant to which DOJ agreed to defer prosecution of a criminal charge against the Accounting Firm based on its participation in certain tax-oriented transactions provided that the Accounting Firm satisfied the terms of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement. On February 14, 2006, DOJ announced that it had entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with a financial institution (the “Financial Institution”), pursuant to which DOJ agreed to defer prosecution of a criminal charge against the Financial Institution based on its role in providing financial products and services in connection with certain tax-oriented transactions provided that the Financial Institution satisfied the terms of the Deferred Prosecution Agreement. Deutsche Bank provided similar financial products and services in certain tax-oriented transactions that are the same or similar to the tax oriented transactions that are the subject of the above-referenced criminal charges. Deutsche Bank also provided financial products and services in additional tax-oriented transactions as well. DOJ’s criminal investigation is ongoing.

KIRCH LITIGATION. In May 2002, Dr. Leo Kirch personally and as an assignee of two entities of the former Kirch Group, i.e., PrintBeteiligungs GmbH and the group holding company TaurusHolding GmbH & Co. KG, initiated legal action against Dr. Rolf-E. Breuer and Deutsche Bank alleging that a statement made by Dr. Breuer (then the Spokesman of Deutsche Bank’s Management Board) in an interview with Bloomberg television on February 4, 2002 regarding the Kirch Group was in breach of laws and financially damaging to Kirch. On January 24, 2006 the German Federal Supreme Court sustained the action for the declaratory judgment only in respect of the claims assigned by PrintBeteiligungs GmbH. Such action and judgment did not require a proof of any loss caused by the statement made in the interview. PrintBeteiligungs GmbH is the only company of the Kirch Group which was a borrower of Deutsche Bank. Claims by Kirch personally and by TaurusHolding GmbH & Co. KG were dismissed. To be awarded a judgment for damages against Deutsche Bank, Dr. Kirch had to file a new lawsuit. In May 2007, Dr. Kirch filed an action as assignee of PrintBeteiligungs GmbH against Deutsche Bank and Dr. Breuer for the payment of approximately € 1.6 billion at the time of the filing (the amount depends, among other things, on the development of the price for the shares of Axel Springer AG) plus interest. In these proceedings he will have to prove that such statement caused financial damages to PrintBeteiligungs GmbH and the amount thereof. In the Group’s view, the causality in respect of the basis and scope of the claimed damages has not been sufficiently substantiated in the complaint.

On December 31, 2005, KGL Pool GmbH filed a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and Dr. Breuer. The lawsuit is based on alleged claims assigned from various subsidiaries of the former Kirch Group. KGL Pool GmbH seeks a declaratory judgment to the effect that Deutsche Bank and Dr. Breuer are jointly and severally liable for damages as a result of the interview statement and the behavior of Deutsche Bank in respect of several subsidiaries of the Kirch Group. In December 2007, KGL Pool GmbH supplemented this lawsuit by a motion for payment of approximately € 2.1 billion plus interest as compensation for the purported damages which two subsidiaries of the former Kirch Group allegedly suffered as a result of the statement by Dr. Breuer. In the Group’s view, due to the lack of a relevant contractual relationship with any of these subsidiaries there is no basis for such claims, and the causality in respect of the basis and scope of the claimed damages has not been sufficiently substantiated in the complaint.

Other

Other provisions include non-staff related provisions that are not captured on other specific provision accounts and provisions for restructuring. Restructuring provisions are recorded in conjunction with acquisitions as well as business realignments. Other costs primarily include, among others, amounts for lease terminations and related costs.