Metsäliitto Osuuskunta - Company Announcement

Metsäliitto considers the claims of Metsähallitus unfounded

Metsäliitto Group Stock Exchange Release 1 April 2011 at 12.30 pm

Metsähallitus has filed a claim for damages against Metsäliitto Cooperative,
Stora Enso Oyj and UPM-Kymmene Oyj at the District Court of Helsinki on 31
March 2011. Metsäliitto considers the claims of Metsähallitus unfounded. The
claim relates to the Market Court decision of 3 December 2009, whereby the
respective companies were deemed to have breached the restrictive trade
practises. 

Metsäliitto will review the application for summons of Metsähallitus carefully.
However, as a starting point, Metsäliitto considers the claims unfounded.
Metsäliitto has caused no damage to the forest owners, including Metsähallitus.
According to Metsäliitto, during 1997-2004 the companies had shared information
and discussed non-binding price expectations in a scale that can only be
considered as a slight competition breach. Thus Metsäliitto has not caused any
damage to forest owners and the company considers the application of summons of
Metsähallitus unfounded. Furthermore, the Market Court could not either
demonstrate any proof of the negative market effects that would have caused
damage to the forest owners. 

According to the application for summons, Metsähallitus claims jointly from the
three companies an aggregate capital amount of approximately EUR 282.6 million
in maximum. On top of this, Metsähallitus also claims for compensation relating
to value added tax and interests. 

Further information:
Esa Kaikkonen, Group General Counsel, Metsäliitto Group, tel. +358 10 465 4749
Anne-Mari Achrén, Group CCO, Metsäliitto Group, tel. +358 10 465 4541