COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
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| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Bunge is party to claims and lawsuits, primarily non-income tax and labor claims in South America, arising in the normal course of business. Bunge is also involved from time to time in various contract, antitrust, environmental litigation and remediation and other litigation, claims, government investigations and legal proceedings. The ability to predict the ultimate outcome of such matters involves judgments, estimates and inherent uncertainties. Bunge records liabilities related to legal matters when the exposure item becomes probable and can be reasonably estimated. Bunge management does not expect these matters to have a material adverse effect on Bunge’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. However, these matters are subject to inherent uncertainties and there exists the remote possibility that a liability arising from these matters could have a material adverse impact in the period the uncertainties are resolved should the liability substantially exceed the amount of provisions included in the consolidated balance sheets. Information regarding the claims appears in Bunge’s Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Included in other non-current liabilities at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 are the following amounts related to these matters:
Brazil Indirect Taxes Non-income tax claims - These tax claims relate to ongoing claims against Bunge’s Brazilian subsidiaries, primarily value-added tax claims (ICMS, ISS, IPI and PIS/COFINS). Bunge expects to pay 58 million Brazilian reais (approximately $11 million) in 2020 or 2021 to settle a portion of its outstanding liabilities in amnesty programs in certain Brazilian states regarding certain tax credits. As of March 31, 2020, the Brazilian federal and state authorities have concluded examinations of the ICMS and PIS COFINS tax returns and have issued outstanding claims (including applicable interest and penalties). The Company continues to evaluate the merits of each of these claims and will recognize them when loss is considered probable. The outstanding claims are comprised of the following:
Labor claims — The labor claims are principally claims against Bunge’s Brazilian subsidiaries. The labor claims primarily relate to dismissals, severance, health and safety, salary adjustments and supplementary retirement benefits. Civil and other claims — The civil and other claims relate to various disputes with third parties, including suppliers and customers. During the first quarter of 2016, Bunge received a notice from the Brazilian Administrative Council for Economic Defense ("CADE") initiating an administrative proceeding against its Brazilian subsidiary and two of its employees, certain of its former employees, several other companies in the Brazilian wheat milling industry, and others for alleged anticompetitive activities in the north and northeast of Brazil. Additionally, in the second quarter of 2018, Bunge received a notification from CADE that it has extended the scope of an existing administrative proceeding relating to alleged anticompetitive practices in the Rio Grande port in Brazil to include certain of Bunge's Brazilian subsidiaries and certain former employees of those subsidiaries. Bunge is defending against these actions; however, the proceedings were put on hold due to a Court injunction obtained by one of the defendants while the Courts determine whether the statute of limitations should be applied to the proceedings. Therefore, Bunge cannot, at this time, reasonably predict the ultimate outcome of the proceedings or sanctions, if any, that may be imposed. Guarantees — Bunge has issued or was a party to the following guarantees at March 31, 2020:
the conclusion of the lease term. These leases expire at various dates from 2020 through 2026. At March 31, 2020, no obligation has been recorded related to these guarantees. Any obligation recorded would be recognized in Current operating lease obligations or Non-current operating lease obligations (see Note 4 - Leases). Bunge Limited has provided a guarantee to the Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture as Trustee for Bunge North America, Inc. (“BNA”), an indirect wholly‑owned subsidiary, which guarantees all amounts due and owing by BNA to grain producers and/or depositors in the State of Illinois who have delivered commodities to BNA’s Illinois facilities. In addition, Bunge Limited has provided full and unconditional parent level guarantees of the outstanding indebtedness under certain credit facilities entered into, and senior notes issued, by its 100% owned subsidiaries. At March 31, 2020, Bunge’s condensed consolidated balance sheet includes debt with a carrying amount of $4,522 million related to these guarantees. This debt includes the senior notes issued by two of Bunge’s 100% owned finance subsidiaries, Bunge Limited Finance Corp. and Bunge Finance Europe, B.V. There are largely no restrictions on the ability of Bunge Limited Finance Corp. and Bunge Finance Europe B.V. or any other Bunge subsidiary to transfer funds to Bunge Limited.
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