32 – Related-party transactions

A related party is a natural person or legal entity which can exert influence on the BASF Group or over which the BASF Group exercises control or joint control or a significant influence. In particular, this comprises nonconsolidated subsidiaries, joint ventures and associated companies.

The following tables show the volume of business with related parties that are included at amortized cost or accounted for using the equity method.

Sales and trade accounts receivable from and trade accounts payable to related parties mainly included business with own products and merchandise, agency and licensing businesses, and other operating business.

Other receivables and liabilities primarily arose from financing activities, outstanding dividend payments, profit-and-loss transfer agreements and other finance-related and operating activities and events.

The decline of €1,621 million in sales to associated companies in 2015 was mainly due to the fact that transactions with Styrolution Group companies were to be classified as transactions with associated companies only until the sale of Styrolution in November 2014.

The outstanding balances toward related parties were generally not secured and settled in cash. As in the previous year, there were no significant valuation allowances in 2015 for trade accounts receivable from related parties. Valuation allowances of €17 million were recognized as an expense for other receivables from nonconsolidated subsidiaries. The balance of valuation allowances for other receivables from nonconsolidated subsidiaries therefore rose from €22 million as of December 31, 2014, to €39 million as of December 31, 2015. In 2014, there had been no material expenses from valuation allowances for other receivables from related parties.

There were obligations from guarantees and other financial obligations at BASF in favor of nonconsolidated subsidiaries in the amount of €45 million in 2015 (2014: €8 million) and in favor of associated companies in the amount of €37 million in 2015 (2014: €27 million).

On December 31, 2015, obligations arising from purchase contracts with associated companies amounted to €29 million. There were no material obligations arising from purchase contracts with joint ventures on December 31, 2015. On December 31, 2014, purchase obligations with joint ventures arising from natural gas purchasing contracts amounted to €32,561 million. Their discontinuation is attributable to the disposal of Wintershall Erdgas Handelshaus GmbH & Co. KG, based in Kassel, Germany, which occurred on September 30, 2015, as part of the asset swap with Gazprom.

Effective December 31, 2015, the present value of the outstanding minimum rental payments for an office building including parking area payable by BASF SE to BASF Pensionskasse VVaG for the nonterminable basic rental period to 2029 amounted to €60 million.

There were no reportable related party transactions with members of the Board of Executive Directors or the Supervisory Board and their related parties in 2015.