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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 15 Commitments and Contingencies

Cryovac Transaction Commitments and Contingencies

Refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 17, “Commitments and Contingencies” to our audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 for a description of the Settlement agreement (as defined therein) and $235 million tax refund.  In the first quarter of 2014 we recorded a gain of $21 million related to the Settlement agreement.

Environmental Matters

We are subject to loss contingencies resulting from environmental laws and regulations, and we accrue for anticipated costs associated with investigatory and remediation efforts when an assessment has indicated that a loss is probable and can be reasonably estimated. These accruals are not reduced by potential insurance recoveries, if any. We do not believe that it is reasonably possible that our liability in excess of the amounts that we have accrued for environmental matters will be material to our condensed consolidated financial condition or results of operations. Environmental liabilities are reassessed whenever circumstances become better defined or remediation efforts and their costs can be better estimated.

We evaluate these liabilities periodically based on available information, including the progress of remedial investigations at each site, the current status of discussions with regulatory authorities regarding the methods and extent of remediation and the apportionment of costs among potentially responsible parties. As some of these issues are decided (the outcomes of which are subject to uncertainties) or new sites are assessed and costs can be reasonably estimated, we adjust the recorded accruals, as necessary. We believe that these exposures are not material to our condensed consolidated financial condition or results of operations. We believe that we have adequately reserved for all probable and estimable environmental exposures.

Guarantees and Indemnification Obligations

We are a party to many contracts containing guarantees and indemnification obligations. These contracts primarily consist of:

product warranties with respect to certain products sold to customers in the ordinary course of business. These warranties typically provide that products will conform to specifications. We generally do not establish a liability for product warranty based on a percentage of sales or other formula. We accrue a warranty liability on a transaction-specific basis depending on the individual facts and circumstances related to each sale. Both the liability and annual expense related to product warranties are immaterial to our condensed consolidated financial position and results of operations; and

licenses of intellectual property by us to third parties in which we have agreed to indemnify the licensee against third party infringement claims.

Development Grant Matter

On May 25, 2010, one of our Italian subsidiaries received a demand from the Italian Ministry of Economic Development (the “Ministry”) for the total repayment of grant monies paid to two of our former subsidiaries in the amount of €5 million plus interest. The grant monies had previously been certified as payable by the Italian authorities and the grant process was finalized and closed in 2006. We acquired the former subsidiaries in September 2001 as part of an acquisition. The substance of the repayment demand is that the former owners of the subsidiaries made fraudulent claims and used fraudulent documents to support their grant application prior to our acquisition. There is no suggestion that we or our Italian subsidiary were directly involved in the grant process, but the Ministry is seeking repayment from our Italian subsidiary given our capacity as purchaser of the two companies. Our Italian subsidiary submitted a total denial of liability in regard to this matter on June 30, 2010. A hearing on the merits was held on July 3, 2014 and in mid-September; our subsidiary was advised that the demand for repayment of €10 million was upheld. Accordingly, we recorded a current liability and corresponding charge of $14 million related to this matter in 2014. The liability ($12 million equivalent at June 30, 2015 with accrued interest) is included in other current liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets and the charge is included in selling, general and administrative expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The charge is treated as a special item and included in Corporate in the “Other” category for segment reporting purposes.  In mid-December, 2014 we learned our application to suspend enforcement of the judgment pending appeal had been declined. A final hearing on the merits is expected to be heard in two to three years.