Solvay interim dividend increases to EUR 0.80

New Calculation Method will Reflect Progress of Dividend

October 27, 2006, Solvay S.A. announces today that its Board of Directors has decided to modify its method for the setting of its annual interim dividend. This method will, from 2006 onwards, integrate a guidance corresponding to 40% (rounded) of the total previous dividend and take into account the Group’s nine months results for the current year.

Consequently, for the current financial year, a net interim dividend of EUR 0.80 per share was approved by the Board of Directors on October 26, 2006. This interim dividend (coupon no. 79) will be paid on January 18, 2007 on account of the total dividend for 2006 that will be proposed by the Board of Directors on February 15, 2007.

Until now, the interim dividend was a predetermined amount, which was adapted periodically and currently set at EUR 0.70. With the new system, the interim dividend will reflect more closely the progress of the final dividend paid by Solvay S.A.. The Group’s policy in this respect is to increase the final dividend whenever possible and, if possible, not to reduce it. For the past 24 years, the dividend has progressively been increased and has never been reduced.

SOLVAY is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with headquarters in Brussels. It employs some 30,000 people in 50 countries. In 2005 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.6 billion generated by its three activity sectors: Chemicals, Plastics and Pharmaceuticals. SOLVAY (Euronext : SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR) is listed on the Euronext stock exchange in Brussels. Details are available at www.solvay.com

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Martial Tardy

Corporate Press Officer

Solvay S.A.

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