WOLFSBURG, Germany - Volkswagen AG today launches its Group ombudsman system structured along international lines. Information on corruption is given to two lawyers in the strictest confidence and the lawyers forward the material to the company.

A team of experts from Group Internal Auditing, the Legal Department and Group Security will investigate every lead and take immediate action where appropriate. In a letter to employees today, Dr. Bernd Pischetsrieder, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, stressed that “the Volkswagen Group champions the cause of an open and transparent corporate culture. The ombudsman system marks an important step forward.”

At the end of 2005, Pischetsrieder announced the introduction of an ombudsman system as a main consequence of the so-called VW affair. In today’s letter addressed to all Group employees worldwide, he writes: “Corruption is not a trivial offence. With both corruption and bribery, the self-seeking behavior of very few individuals harms many innocent people. That is why corruption of any form whatsoever must be rigorously and comprehensively exposed.” He reported that Volkswagen AG had won the support of two highly-respected lawyers to act as ombudsmen.