GRAFTECH INTERNATIONAL LTD

We are involved in various investigations, lawsuits, claims, demands, labor disputes and other legal proceedings, including with respect to environmental and human exposure or other personal injury matters, arising out of or incidental to the conduct of our business. While it is not possible to determine the ultimate disposition of each of these matters and proceedings, we do not believe that their ultimate disposition will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Additionally, we are involved in the following legal proceedings.

Monterrey, Mexico Suspension of Operations

Background

On September 15, 2022, inspectors from the State Attorney’s Office for the Secretary of Environment of the State of Nuevo León, Mexico visited GrafTech Mexico S.A. De C.V.’s (“GrafTech Mexico”) graphite electrode manufacturing facility located in Monterrey, Mexico to inspect GrafTech Mexico’s facility and certain of the facility’s environmental and operating permits. At the conclusion of the inspection, the inspectors issued a Record of Inspection providing for the results of the inspection, their observations, and the imposition of a temporary suspension of GrafTech Mexico’s facilities within seven days. In parallel, the Director of Comprehensive Atmospheric Management of the Undersecretary of Climate Change and Air Quality of the Ministry of the Environment of the State of Nuevo León formally denied GrafTech Mexico’s previously requested modification to its operating license stating that such license was no longer valid. On September 22, 2022, GrafTech Mexico submitted observations and responses to the Record of Inspection, requested an extension of the shutdown of the facility until October 7, 2022, and requested a clarification of the scope of the shutdown. On September 23, 2022, inspectors from the State Attorney’s Office for the Secretary of Environment visited GrafTech Mexico’s manufacturing facility to verify the information presented in GrafTech Mexico’s observations and responses submitted on September 22, 2022. On October 4, 2022, the State Attorney’s Office for the Secretary of Environment granted an extension of the shutdown of the facility until October 7, 2022 and clarified the suspension permitting GrafTech Mexico to perform several activities, including extracting or withdrawing finished or unfinished product. On November 17, 2022, the State Attorney’s Office for the Secretary of Environment lifted the suspension notice, subject to the completion of certain agreed-upon activities, including the submission of an environmental impact study with respect to the facility’s operations, allowing the Monterrey facility to resume operations. Notwithstanding the suspension notice having been conditionally lifted and the Monterrey facility having resumed operations, GrafTech Mexico believes it is prudent to continue to pursue the related legal proceeding set forth below.

Administrative Proceeding

On November 17, 2022, the State Attorney’s Office for the Secretary of Environment issued a summons opening an administrative proceeding against GrafTech Mexico, citing the lack of an environmental impact authorization and environmental risk study with respect to the facility’s operations. The summons ordered GrafTech Mexico to submit an environmental impact authorization and risk study within 30 business days. GrafTech Mexico submitted its environmental impact authorization and risk study for the full site on November 25, 2022, and filed its response to the summons on December 2, 2022. On August 29, 2024, the State Attorney’s Office for the Secretary of Environment initiated the summary argument period providing GrafTech Mexico the opportunity to draft final arguments. GrafTech Mexico was notified of such initiation on September 5, 2024. GrafTech Mexico submitted its final summary arguments on September 10, 2024. On October 3, 2024, the State Attorney’s Office for the Secretary of Environment imposed a fine in the amount of approximately $37,152, using an exchange rate of 1 Mexican peso equals 0.051 United States dollars, for failure to have an environmental impact authorization at the time of the inspection that gave rise to the administrative proceeding. On November 5, 2024, GrafTech Mexico paid the fine under protest stating that an environmental impact authorization was not required because GrafTech Mexico began operations in 1960, such requirement to obtain an environmental impact authorization was introduced in the regulations in 1989, and requiring GrafTech Mexico to obtain an environmental impact authorization for all of its facilities, including those that have been operating since 1960, would constitute a retroactive application of such legislation.

Brazil Clause IV

Pending litigation in Brazil has been brought by employees seeking to recover additional amounts and interest thereon under certain wage increase provisions applicable in 1989 and 1990 under collective bargaining agreements to which employers in the Bahia region of Brazil were a party (including our subsidiary in Brazil). Companies in Brazil have settled claims arising out of these provisions and, in May 2015, the litigation was remanded by the Brazilian Supreme Court in favor of the employees union. After denying an interim appeal by the Bahia region employers on June 26, 2019, the Brazilian Supreme Court finally ruled in favor of the employees union on September 26, 2019. The employers union has determined not to seek annulment of such decision. Separately, on October 1, 2015, a related action was filed by current and former employees against our subsidiary in Brazil to recover amounts under such provisions, plus interest thereon, which amounts together with interest could be material to us. If the Brazilian Supreme Court proceeding above had been determined in favor of the employers union, it would also have resolved this proceeding in our favor. In the first quarter of 2017, the state court initially ruled in favor of the employees. We appealed this state court ruling, and the appellate court issued a decision in our favor on May 19, 2020. The employees have further appealed and, on December 16, 2020, the court upheld the decision in favor of GrafTech Brazil. On February 22, 2021, the employees filed a further appeal and, on April 28, 2021, the court rejected the employees’ appeal in favor of GrafTech Brazil. The employees filed a further appeal and on September 12, 2022, we filed our response in opposition. We intend to vigorously defend our position. As of December 31, 2024, we are unable to assess the potential loss associated with these proceedings as the claims do not currently specify the number of employees seeking damages or the amount of damages being sought.

Mexico Value-Added Tax (“VAT”)

In July 2019, the Mexican Tax Authority (“MTA”) opened an audit of the VAT filings of GrafTech Comercial de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V. (“GrafTech Commercial Mexico”) for the period of January 1 to April 30, 2019. In September 2021, the MTA issued a tax assessment, claiming improper use of a certain VAT exemption rule for purchases from a foreign affiliate. As of December 31, 2024, the tax assessment for the four month period under audit amounted to approximately $26.1 million, including penalties, inflation and interest. Interest will continue to accrue up to five years from the date the corresponding VAT returns were filed and inflation will continue to accrue with the passage of time. GrafTech Commercial Mexico filed an administrative appeal against the tax assessment with the MTA’s appeals office. In November 2022, the MTA’s appeals office concluded its review and confirmed the tax assessment. GrafTech Commercial Mexico believes that the purchases from a foreign affiliate are exempt from VAT back-up withholding and in December 2022, GrafTech Commercial Mexico filed a Claim for Nullity with the Chamber Specialized in exclusive resolution of substance of the Federal Court of Administrative Justice. On February 17, 2023, the MTA filed the response to the nullity petition. On May 31, 2023, the court held a hearing to determine the scope of the issues to be decided in the proceedings. At the court’s request, GrafTech Commercial Mexico submitted formal pleadings on August 1, 2023. On January 8, 2024, the court ruled in GrafTech

Commercial Mexico’s favor and annulled the tax assessment. On January 31, 2024, the MTA filed an appeal for review. On March 15, 2024, GrafTech Commercial Mexico filed the Tax Adhesive Appeal for Review before the Collegiate Court in Administrative Matters who has authority to hear the MTA’s appeal. The MTA’s appeal and the Adhesive appeal are still pending to be resolved.

In March 2022, the MTA opened another audit of the VAT filings of GrafTech Commercial Mexico for the period January 1 to December 31, 2018. In the proposed assessment received in January 2023, the MTA is alleging the same improper use of certain VAT exemption rules on purchases from a foreign affiliate and has provided notice of its intent to assess approximately $51.0 million, including penalties, inflation and interest. Interest would continue to accrue up to five years from the date the corresponding VAT returns were filed and inflation would continue to accrue with the passage of time. In Mexico, each tax assessment requires a separate claim. In the first quarter of 2023, GrafTech Commercial Mexico requested a conclusive agreement with the Mexican ombudsman (“PRODECON”) to reach a settlement with the MTA. The MTA responded to GrafTech Commercial Mexico’s request on May 30, 2023. On August 2, 2023, GrafTech Commercial Mexico filed a motion exhibiting additional information and reaffirming its position. On September 22, 2023, the MTA responded to GrafTech Commercial Mexico’s motion. On October 2, 2023, GrafTech Commercial Mexico filed a motion requesting a formal meeting with the MTA and PRODECON, which occurred on November 14, 2023. During the meeting, the parties agreed that GrafTech Commercial Mexico will provide additional documentation and information to be evaluated by the MTA, and, on November 29, 2023, GrafTech Commercial Mexico filed the information requested. On January 24, 2024, the MTA filed its response. On that same day, GrafTech Commercial Mexico submitted before PRODECON the favorable ruling it obtained on January 8, 2024 in connection with the 2019 proceeding for the MTA’s consideration. On February 1, 2024, the MTA confirmed its position, holding that GrafTech Commercial Mexico was required to withhold the VAT. On March 20, 2024, a meeting was held at PRODECON where the parties confirmed their final positions. No agreement between the parties was reached, the conclusive agreement procedure came to an end, and the tax audit process resumed. On July 10, 2024, the MTA concluded the tax audit and determined that there is no tax deficiency to be assessed for the period January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018.

As evidenced by the favorable court decision issued on January 8, 2024 with respect to the 2019 proceeding and the MTA’s conclusion of the tax audit for the 2018 proceeding, GrafTech Commercial Mexico’s application of the VAT exemption rules is appropriate and, accordingly, GrafTech Commercial Mexico does not believe that it is probable that it will incur a loss related to this matter for the 2019 proceeding under the MTA’s audit. The Company intends to vigorously defend its position in the 2019 proceeding.

Stockholder Class Action

On January 25, 2024, a stockholder of the Company filed a class action complaint on behalf of a putative class consisting of purchasers of GrafTech common stock between February 8, 2019 and August 3, 2023 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The complaint, as amended, names the Company, certain past and present executive officers, and three entities associated with Brookfield as defendants. The complaint alleges that certain public filings and statements made by the Company contained material misrepresentations or omissions relating to the circumstances before and after the prior temporary suspension of the Company’s graphite electrode manufacturing facility located in Monterrey, Mexico, in September 2022. The complaint seeks unspecified compensatory damages, costs and expenses, and unspecified equitable or injunctive relief. On May 15, 2024, the Court appointed the University of Puerto Rico Retirement System as the lead plaintiff. On October 7, 2024, the plaintiff filed an amended complaint. On December 6, 2024, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the complaint. At this stage of the proceedings, it is too early to determine if the matter would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.