UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,                       Plaintiff,                   v. AKZO NOBEL CHEMICALS INTERNATIONAL    B.V.                   Defendant.

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Case No. CR 06-0160 MMC STIPULATION IN SUPPORT OF EXPEDITED SENTENCING PURSUANT TO L.R. 32-1(b) DATE: May 17, 2006 TIME: 2:30 p.m. COURT: Hon. Maxine M. Chesney

On March 14, 2006, the United States filed an Information charging Akzo Nobel Chemicals International B.V. ("Akzo Nobel") with participating in a conspiracy in the United States and elsewhere to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing the price of hydrogen peroxide beginning on or about July 1, 1998 and continuing until on or about December 1, 2001, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1. Akzo Nobel is scheduled for a change of plea and possible sentencing before this Court on May 17, 2006. Akzo Nobel will waive Indictment and plead guilty under Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C). The United States and Akzo Nobel have filed a Joint Sentencing Memorandum describing the material terms of the plea agreement and the agreed upon sentencing recommendation.

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED as follows:

Akzo Nobel waives its right to a presentence report. The United States and Akzo Nobel request that the Court sentence Akzo Nobel on an expedited basis pursuant to Crim. L.R. 32-1(b), on May 17, 2006. The United States and Akzo Nobel respectfully submit that the Joint Sentencing Memorandum and the Plea Agreement provide sufficient information for the Court to impose sentence on May 17, 2006, the same date as the change of plea hearing, without a presentence report.

DATED: May 3, 2006

Respectfully submitted,

AKZO NOBEL CHEMICALS INTERNATIONAL B.V. BY:______________/s/______________ A. Jan A.J. Eijsbouts General Counsel Akzo Nobel Group COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANT BY:______________/s/______________ Gary R. Spratling, Esq. Daniel G. Swanson, Esq. Stephen C. McKenna, Esq. Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP One Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104 Telephone: (415) 393-8200

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BY:______________/s/______________ Niall E. Lynch Assistant Chief, San Francisco Office Lidia Spiroff Sidney A. Majalya Lara M. Kroop Trial Attorneys U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division 450 Golden Gate Avenue Box 36046, Room 10-0101 San Francisco, CA 94102 Telephone: (415) 436-6660 Fax: (415) 436-6687