Ad-hoc | 19 December 2002 10:00

EVN AG english

EVN AG: EconGas to commence operational activities Ad-hoc-announcement processed and transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– EconGas to commence operational activities * Optimal gas supply for corporate clients in Austria and neighboring countries * Operations to commence at the beginning of 2003 Following the full liberalization of the Austrian gas market and the approval of the competition authority on October 23, EconGas GmbH, in which EVN has a 15,7% stake, will commence its business operations with corporate clients as an Austrian gas supplier at the beginning of 2003. With a growth strategy clearly focused on Central Europe, the company’s primary target markets are Austria and its neighboring countries. Its core businesses are the direct sale of natural gas to clients with a minimum annual consumption of 500,000 cubic meters, and natural gas trading at international centers and stock exchanges. These include Zeebrugge (Belgium) and Oude-Bunde-Emden on the German-Dutch border, and will eventually incorporate Baumgarten in North-Eastern Austria too. The company has set itself an annual sales target of 5.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas. It is owned by Begas (2.6%), EVN (15.7 %), Linz Gas/Wärme (0.45%), OMV Erdgas (50%), OÖ Ferngas (15.55%) and Wiengas (15.7%). end of ad-hoc-announcement (c)DGAP 19.12.2002 ——————————————————————————– WKN: 074105; ISIN: AT0000741053; Index: ATX Listed: Amtlicher Handel in Wien; Amtlicher Markt in Frankfurt und München; Freiverkehr in Berlin, Hamburg und Stuttgart 191000 Dez 02