Date of fiscal year end:
|
12/31
|
Date of reporting period:
|
12/31/2010
|
ITEM 1.
|
REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS
|
Christian Strenger
Chairman
|
Rainer Vermehren
Vice President and
Lead Portfolio Manager
|
Michael G. Clark
President and Chief
Executive Officer
|
|||||||||
For the years ended December 31,
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Net Asset Value(a)
|
1.99
|
%
|
33.76
|
%
|
(50.68
|
)%
|
15.35
|
%
|
34.01
|
%
|
|||||||||||||
Market Value(a)
|
8.32
|
%
|
36.84
|
%
|
(53.96
|
)%
|
11.79
|
%
|
42.35
|
%
|
|||||||||||||
Benchmark(b)
|
(4.25
|
)%
|
31.41
|
%
|
(47.57
|
)%
|
19.55
|
%
|
36.29
|
%
|
Net Assets
|
$
|
94,079,928
|
||
Shares Outstanding
|
11,499,478
|
|||
Net Asset Value (NAV) Per Share
|
$
|
8.18
|
Record
Date
|
Payable
Date
|
Ordinary
Income
|
ST Capital
Gains
|
LT Capital
Gains
|
Total
Distribution
|
||||||||||||
12/31/10
|
1/28/11*
|
$
|
0.045
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.045
|
||||||||
04/30/10
|
05/10/10
|
$
|
0.010
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.010
|
||||||||
12/31/09
|
01/28/10**
|
$
|
0.100
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.100
|
||||||||
05/11/09
|
06/05/09
|
$
|
0.234
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.234
|
||||||||
05/06/08
|
05/15/08
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.124
|
$
|
0.403
|
$
|
0.527
|
||||||||
12/21/07
|
12/31/07
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
1.000
|
$
|
1.000
|
||||||||
05/03/07
|
05/15/07
|
$
|
0.250
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.250
|
||||||||
12/21/06
|
12/28/06
|
$
|
0.290
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.290
|
||||||||
05/05/06
|
05/15/06
|
$
|
0.090
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.090
|
||||||||
12/22/05
|
12/30/05
|
$
|
0.060
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.060
|
||||||||
12/22/04
|
12/31/04
|
$
|
0.025
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.025
|
||||||||
05/06/04
|
05/14/04
|
$
|
0.039
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.039
|
||||||||
11/19/02
|
11/29/02
|
$
|
0.010
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.010
|
||||||||
11/19/01
|
11/29/01
|
$
|
0.060
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.060
|
||||||||
09/03/01
|
09/17/01
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
0.02
|
$
|
0.020
|
NYSE Ticker Symbol
|
EEA
|
||||||
NASDAQ Symbol
|
XEEAX
|
||||||
Dividend Reinvestment Plan
|
Yes
|
||||||
Voluntary Cash Purchase Program
|
Yes
|
||||||
Annual Expense Ratio (12/31/10)***
|
1.41
|
%
|
1.
|
Daimler
|
4.4
|
%
|
||||||||
2.
|
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton
|
4.1
|
%
|
||||||||
3.
|
Telefonica
|
3.7
|
%
|
||||||||
4.
|
Societe Generale
|
3.5
|
%
|
||||||||
5.
|
Banco Santander
|
3.4
|
%
|
||||||||
6.
|
Siemens
|
3.3
|
%
|
||||||||
7.
|
Software
|
3.3
|
%
|
||||||||
8.
|
Xstrata
|
3.0
|
%
|
||||||||
9.
|
Aareal Bank
|
2.9
|
%
|
||||||||
10.
|
SBM Offshore
|
2.7
|
%
|
Name, Address, Age*
|
Term of
Office and
Length of
Time
Served†
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years††
|
Other Directorships Held by Director
|
||||||||||||
Detlef Bierbaum, 68(1)(2)
|
Class I Since 1986
|
Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Oppenheim KAG GmbH (asset management) and a member of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bank Österreich AG since April 2010 (formerly Bank Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie. (österreich) AG (private bank) from July 2005 until April 2010). Mr. Bierbaum also serves as a member of the Board or Supervisory Board of a number of non-U.S. investment companies and of companies in diverse businesses including insurance, reinsurance, real estate, and retailing. He is a former member of the Supervisory Board of Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie. KGaA (private bank) (2008 to March 2010) and was formerly a partner of that firm. He is also a former member of the Supervisory Board of DWS Investment GmbH (asset management) (2005-2008).
|
Director, The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 1990) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 2008).
|
||||||||||||
John Bult, 74(1)(2)
|
Class II Since 1986
|
Chairman, PaineWebber International (financial services holding company) (since 1985). Mr. Bult has many years of experience in the securities industry.
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 1990) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 1990). Director of The Greater China Fund, Inc. (closed-end fund) (Since 1992).
|
||||||||||||
Name, Address, Age*
|
Term of
Office and
Length of
Time
Served†
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years††
|
Other Directorships Held by Director
|
||||||||||||
Ambassador Richard R. Burt, 63(1)
|
Class II Since 2000
|
Managing Director, McLarty Associates (international strategic advisory). Formerly, Chairman, Diligence, Inc. (international information and risk management firm) (2002-2007); Chairman of the Board, Weirton Steel Corp. (1996-2004); Partner, McKinsey & Company (consulting firm) (1991-1994); State Department, Chief Negotiator in charge of negotiating the Arms Treaty with Russia (1989-1991); U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany (1985-1989). Mr. Burt is also Director, IGT, Inc. (gaming technology) (since 1995), and HCL Technologies, Inc. (information technology and product engineering) (since 1999) and member, Textron Inc. International Advisory Council (aviation, automotive, industrial operations and finance) (since 1996).
|
Director, The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 2000) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 2004). Director, UBS family of mutual funds (since 1995).
|
||||||||||||
John H. Cannon, 68(1)
|
Class I Since 2004
|
Consultant (since 2002). Formerly, Vice President and Treasurer, Venator Group/Footlocker, Inc. (footwear retailer) (1982-2002).
|
Director of The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 1990) and The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 2004).
|
||||||||||||
Richard Karl Goeltz, 68(1)
|
Class I Since 2008
|
Retired. Formerly Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of American Express Co. (financial services) (1996-2000) and previously served as chief financial officer of two other major multi-national corporations. Mr Goeltz is a member of the Council and Court of Governors of the London School of Economics and Political Science, Trustee of the American Academy in Berlin and of other charitable organizations.
|
Director, The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 2008) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 1990). Independent Non-Executive Director of Aviva plc (financial services) and The Warnaco Group Inc. (apparel). Formerly director of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and Delta Air Lines, Inc. (air transport).
|
||||||||||||
Name, Address, Age*
|
Term of
Office and
Length of
Time
Served†
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years††
|
Other Directorships Held by Director
|
||||||||||||
Dr. Franz Wilhelm
Hopp, 68(1)
|
Class III Since 2008
|
Member of the Board of Management of KarstadtQuelle Pension Trust e.V. (February 2007-September 2009). Former Member of the Boards of Management of ERGO Insurance Group AG, ERGO Europa Beteiligungsgesellschaft AG, and ERGO International AG (insurance) (over five years until 2004). Former Member of the Boards of Management of VICTORIA Holding, VICTORIA Lebensversicherung AG (life insurance), VICTORIA Versicherung AG (insurance), VICTORIA International, VICTORIA Rückversicherung AG (reinsurance) and D.A.S. Versicherungs-AG. (insurance).
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 2008) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 1993).
|
||||||||||||
Dr. Friedbert Malt, 69(1)
|
Class II Since 2007
|
Vice Chairman and Member of the Executive Committee of NOL Neptune Orient Lines Ltd., Singapore ("NOL") (since 2002). He currently is also a Director of NOL (since 2000) and TÜV Rheinland of North America, Inc., a company offering independent testing and assessment services. Formerly, Dr. Malt was a Member of the Executive Board of DG Bank (now DZ Bank), Frankfurt (until 2001).
|
Director, The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 2007) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 2007).
|
||||||||||||
Name, Address, Age*
|
Term of
Office and
Length of
Time
Served†
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years††
|
Other Directorships Held by Director
|
||||||||||||
Christian H. Strenger, 67(1)(2)
|
Class III Since 1986
|
Member of Supervisory Board (since 1999) and formerly Managing Director (1991-1999) of DWS Investment GmbH (investment management), a subsidiary of Deutsche Bank AG. Mr. Strenger is also a Supervisory Board Member, Evonik Industries AG (chemical, utility and property business), Fraport AG (international airport business) and Hermes Equity Ownership Services Ltd. (governance advisory).
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 1990) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 1990).
|
||||||||||||
Robert H. Wadsworth, 70(1)(3)
|
Class I Since 1986
|
President, Robert H. Wadsworth Associates, Inc. (consulting firm) (1983-present). Mr. Wadsworth also has experience as an owner and chief executive officer of various businesses serving the mutual fund industry, including a registered broker-dealer and a registered transfer agent, and has served as a senior executive officer of several mutual funds.
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 1990) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 1992), as well as other funds in the Fund Complex.
|
||||||||||||
Joachim Wagner, 63(1)
|
Class II Since 2009
|
Chief Financial Officer, RAG Beteiligungs AG/Evonik Industries AG, Germany (chemical, utility and property business) (2006-2009). Formerly, Chief Financial Officer, Degussa AG, Germany (chemical manufacturer) (2001-2006). Mr. Wagner is also a member of the Supervisory Board of a German retail bank and a member of the advisory board of a private German bank.
|
Director of The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 2009).
|
||||||||||||
Name, Address, Age*
|
Term of
Office and
Length of
Time
Served†
|
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years††
|
Other Directorships Held by Director
|
||||||||||||
Werner Walbröl, 73(1)
|
Class III Since 1986
|
Delegate for North American Humboltt Universitat (Berlin). Formerly, President and Chief Executive Officer, The European American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (2004-2008); President and Chief Executive Officer, The German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (until 2003). Mr. Walbröl is also a Director of The German American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. President and Director, German-American Partnership Program (student exchange programs), and a Director of an independent testing and assessment company.
|
Director of The Central Europe and Russia Fund, Inc. (since 1990) and The New Germany Fund, Inc. (since 2004).
|
||||||||||||
Name, Age
|
Principal Occupations During Past Five Years
|
||||||
Michael G. Clark(1)(2), 45
President and Chief
Executive Officer
|
Managing Director(3), Deutsche Asset Management (since 2006); President of DWS family of funds. Formerly, Director of Fund Board Relations (2004-2006) and Director of Product Development, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (2000-2004).
|
||||||
Paul H. Schubert(2)(4), 47
Chief Financial Officer
and Treasurer
|
Managing Director(3), Deutsche Asset Management (since 2004). Formerly, Executive Director, Head of Mutual Fund Services and Treasurer for UBS Family of Funds at UBS Global Asset Management (1998-2004).
|
||||||
Rainer Vermehren(5)(6), 42
Vice President
|
Director(3), DWS Investment GmbH (since 2007). Fund Manager, DWS Investment GmbH (since 1997).
|
||||||
John Millette(7)(8), 48
Secretary
|
Director(3), Deutsche Asset Management (since 2002).
|
||||||
Rita Rubin(9)(10), 40
Chief Legal Officer
|
Vice President and Counsel, Deutsche Asset Management (since 2007). Formerly, Vice President, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (2004-2007).
|
||||||
Alexis Kuchinsky(10)(11), 34
Chief Compliance Officer
|
Vice President, Deutsche Asset Management (since 2002); Head of Compliance Program Oversight of Deutsche Asset Management.
|
||||||
John Caruso(5)(10), 45
Anti-Money Laundering
Compliance Officer
|
Managing Director(3), Deutsche Asset Management.
|
||||||
Shares
|
Description
|
Value(a)
|
|||||
INVESTMENTS IN GERMAN
SECURITIES – 41.7%
|
|||||||
COMMON STOCKS – 37.7%
|
|||||||
AIRLINES – 2.3%
|
|||||||
97,000
|
Deutsche Lufthansa*
|
$
|
2,128,202
|
||||
AUTOMOBILES – 4.3%
|
|||||||
60,000
|
Daimler*
|
4,083,258
|
|||||
CHEMICALS – 5.0%
|
|||||||
21,000
|
Lanxess
|
1,664,936
|
|||||
11,000
|
Linde
|
1,675,600
|
|||||
8,000
|
Wacker Chemie
|
1,401,599
|
|||||
4,742,135
|
|||||||
CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS – 2.4%
|
|||||||
36,000
|
HeidelbergCement
|
2,264,989
|
|||||
DIVERSIFIED
TELECOMMUNICATION
SERVICES – 1.1%
|
|||||||
80,000
|
Deutsche Telekom
|
1,036,175
|
|||||
ELECTRIC UTILITIES – 1.6%
|
|||||||
49,000
|
E.ON
|
1,507,598
|
|||||
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT – 2.3%
|
|||||||
80,000
|
Tognum
|
2,116,887
|
|||||
INDUSTRIAL
CONGLOMERATES – 3.3%
|
|||||||
25,000
|
Siemens
|
3,108,926
|
|||||
INSURANCE – 2.0%
|
|||||||
16,000
|
Allianz
|
1,908,793
|
|||||
INTERNET SOFTWARE &
SERVICES – 1.9%
|
|||||||
110,000
|
United Internet
|
1,795,128
|
|||||
PHARMACEUTICALS – 1.9%
|
|||||||
24,000
|
Bayer
|
1,780,439
|
|||||
SOFTWARE – 4.6%
|
|||||||
25,000
|
SAP
|
1,277,779
|
|||||
21,000
|
Software
|
3,093,230
|
|||||
4,371,009
|
|||||||
TEXTILES, APPAREL & LUXURY
GOODS – 2.1%
|
|||||||
30,000
|
Adidas*
|
1,967,578
|
Shares
|
Description
|
Value(a)
|
|||||
THRIFTS & MORTGAGE
FINANCE – 2.9%
|
|||||||
88,000
|
Aareal Bank*
|
$
|
2,691,586
|
||||
Total Common Stocks
(cost $26,596,549)
|
35,502,703
|
||||||
PREFERRED STOCKS – 4.0%
|
|||||||
AUTOMOBILES – 1.7%
|
|||||||
10,000
|
Volkswagen
(cost $951,062)
|
1,628,581
|
|||||
HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS – 2.3%
|
|||||||
34,000
|
Henkel & Co.
(cost $1,288,680)
|
2,122,508
|
|||||
Total Preferred Stocks
(cost $2,239,742)
|
3,751,089
|
||||||
Total Investments in German
Securities
(cost $28,836,291)
|
39,253,792
|
||||||
INVESTMENTS IN FRENCH
COMMON STOCKS – 16.0%
|
|||||||
COMMERCIAL BANKS – 3.4%
|
|||||||
60,000
|
Societe Generale
|
3,237,308
|
|||||
HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT &
SUPPLIES – 2.1%
|
|||||||
30,000
|
Essilor International
|
1,938,803
|
|||||
HOTELS, RESTAURANTS &
LEISURE – 2.4%
|
|||||||
50,000
|
Accor
|
2,233,598
|
|||||
MULTI-UTILITIES – 2.3%
|
|||||||
60,000
|
GDF Suez
|
2,161,156
|
|||||
OIL, GAS & CONSUMABLE
FUELS – 1.8%
|
|||||||
32,000
|
Total
|
1,702,095
|
|||||
TEXTILES, APPAREL & LUXURY
GOODS – 4.0%
|
|||||||
23,000
|
LVMH Moet Hennessy
Louis Vuitton
|
3,798,189
|
|||||
Total Investments in French
Common Stocks
(cost $14,456,818)
|
15,071,149
|
Shares
|
Description
|
Value(a)
|
|||||
INVESTMENTS IN SPANISH
COMMON STOCKS – 9.8%
|
|||||||
COMMERCIAL BANKS – 3.4%
|
|||||||
300,000
|
Banco Santander
|
$
|
3,190,623
|
||||
DIVERSIFIED
TELECOMMUNICATION
SERVICES – 3.6%
|
|||||||
150,000
|
Telefonica
|
3,413,782
|
|||||
INDEPENDENT POWER
PRODUCERS & ENERGY
TRADERS – 0.8%
|
|||||||
200,000
|
Iberdrola Renovables
|
712,605
|
|||||
OIL, GAS & CONSUMABLE
FUELS – 2.0%
|
|||||||
68,000
|
Repsol YPF*
|
1,901,979
|
|||||
Total Investments in Spanish
Common Stocks
(cost $7,659,446)
|
9,218,989
|
||||||
INVESTMENTS IN SWISS
COMMON STOCKS – 8.8%
|
|||||||
COMMERCIAL SERVICES &
SUPPLIES – 1.2%
|
|||||||
20,500
|
Gategroup Holding AG*
|
1,124,236
|
|||||
INSURANCE – 2.5%
|
|||||||
9,000
|
Zurich Financial Services
|
2,337,086
|
|||||
METALS & MINING – 3.0%
|
|||||||
120,000
|
Xstrata
|
2,828,413
|
|||||
PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES – 2.1%
|
|||||||
30,000
|
Adecco*
|
1,970,087
|
|||||
Total Investments in Swiss
Common Stocks
(cost $6,663,419)
|
8,259,822
|
||||||
INVESTMENTS IN DUTCH
COMMON STOCKS – 8.2%
|
|||||||
CHEMICALS – 2.2%
|
|||||||
36,000
|
Koninklijke DSM
|
2,057,566
|
|||||
DIVERSIFIED FINANCIAL
SERVICES – 2.0%
|
|||||||
195,000
|
ING Groep*
|
1,904,394
|
Shares
|
Description
|
Value(a)
|
|||||
ENERGY EQUIPMENT &
SERVICES – 2.7%
|
|||||||
110,000
|
SBM Offshore
|
$
|
2,473,927
|
||||
FOOD PRODUCTS – 1.3%
|
|||||||
40,000
|
Unilever
|
1,250,278
|
|||||
Total Investments in Dutch
Common Stocks
(cost $6,689,178)
|
7,686,165
|
||||||
INVESTMENTS IN FINNISH
COMMON STOCKS – 5.7%
|
|||||||
AUTO COMPONENTS – 2.4%
|
|||||||
60,000
|
Nokian Renkaat
|
2,209,451
|
|||||
CONSTRUCTION &
ENGINEERING – 2.0%
|
|||||||
76,000
|
Yit
|
1,901,442
|
|||||
MACHINERY – 1.3%
|
|||||||
22,000
|
Metso
|
1,233,643
|
|||||
Total Investments in Finnish
Common Stocks
(cost $4,367,000)
|
5,344,536
|
||||||
INVESTMENTS IN BRITISH
COMMON STOCKS – 4.1%
|
|||||||
COMMERCIAL BANKS – 1.1%
|
|||||||
1,000,000
|
Lloyds Banking Group*
|
1,028,599
|
|||||
COMMERCIAL SERVICES &
SUPPLIES – 1.7%
|
|||||||
70,000
|
Aggreko
|
1,624,153
|
|||||
ENERGY EQUIPMENT &
SERVICES – 1.3%
|
|||||||
48,000
|
Acergy
|
1,178,835
|
|||||
Total Investments in British
Common Stocks
(cost $3,528,797)
|
3,831,587
|
||||||
INVESTMENTS IN NORWEGIAN
COMMON STOCKS – 2.2%
|
|||||||
FOOD PRODUCTS – 2.2%
|
|||||||
2,000,000
|
Marine Harvest
|
2,119,292
|
|||||
Total Investments in
Norwegian Common Stocks
(cost $1,856,590)
|
2,119,292
|
Shares
|
Description
|
Value(a)
|
|||||
INVESTMENTS IN ITALIAN
COMMON STOCKS – 1.5%
|
|||||||
COMMERCIAL BANKS – 1.5%
|
|||||||
700,000
|
UniCredit
|
$
|
1,453,649
|
||||
Total Investments in Italian
Common Stocks
(cost $1,422,533)
|
1,453,649
|
||||||
INVESTMENTS IN DANISH
COMMON STOCKS – 1.1%
|
|||||||
CHEMICALS – 1.1%
|
|||||||
50,000
|
Christian Hansen Holding
|
1,025,992
|
|||||
Total Investments in Danish
Common Stocks
(cost $834,047)
|
1,025,992
|
||||||
Total Investments in Common and
Preferred Stocks – 99.1%
(cost $76,314,119)
|
93,264,973
|
||||||
CASH EQUIVALENTS – 0.1%
|
|||||||
56,740
|
Central Cash Management
Fund, 0.19%
(cost $56,740)(b)
|
56,740
|
|||||
Total Investments – 99.2%
(cost $76,370,859)**
|
93,321,713
|
||||||
Other Assets and Liabilities,
Net – 0.8%
|
758,215
|
||||||
NET ASSETS – 100.0%
|
$
|
94,079,928
|
Category
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Total
|
||||||||||||
Common Stocks and/or Other Equity Investments(c)
|
||||||||||||||||
Germany
|
$
|
39,253,792
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
39,253,792
|
||||||||
France
|
15,071,149
|
—
|
—
|
15,071,149
|
||||||||||||
Spain
|
9,218,989
|
—
|
—
|
9,218,989
|
||||||||||||
Switzerland
|
8,259,822
|
—
|
—
|
8,259,822
|
||||||||||||
Netherlands
|
7,686,165
|
—
|
—
|
7,686,165
|
||||||||||||
Finland
|
5,344,536
|
—
|
—
|
5,344,536
|
||||||||||||
Britain
|
3,831,587
|
—
|
—
|
3,831,587
|
||||||||||||
Norway
|
2,119,292
|
—
|
—
|
2,119,292
|
||||||||||||
Italy
|
1,453,649
|
—
|
—
|
1,453,649
|
||||||||||||
Denmark
|
1,025,992
|
—
|
—
|
1,025,992
|
||||||||||||
Short-Term Instruments
|
56,740
|
—
|
—
|
56,740
|
||||||||||||
Total
|
$
|
93,321,713
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
93,321,713
|
ASSETS
|
||||
Investments in securities, at value (cost $76,314,119)
|
$
|
93,264,973
|
||
Investment in Central Cash Management Fund (cost $56,740)
|
56,740
|
|||
Total investments, at value (cost $76,370,859)
|
93,321,713
|
|||
Foreign currency, at value (cost $1,436,549)
|
1,471,079
|
|||
Foreign taxes recoverable
|
51,115
|
|||
Interest receivable
|
1,159
|
|||
Other assets
|
8,009
|
|||
Total assets
|
94,853,075
|
|||
LIABILITIES
|
||||
Management fee payable
|
45,492
|
|||
Investment advisory fee payable
|
26,408
|
|||
Payable for Directors' fees and expenses
|
27,169
|
|||
Distributions payable
|
517,476
|
|||
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
|
156,602
|
|||
Total liabilities
|
773,147
|
|||
NET ASSETS
|
$
|
94,079,928
|
||
Net assets consist of:
|
||||
Paid-in capital, $0.001 par (Authorized 80,000,000 shares)
|
164,966,969
|
|||
Cost of 5,349,798 shares held in Treasury
|
(43,784,355
|
)
|
||
Undistributed net investment income
|
76,733
|
|||
Accumulated net realized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currency
|
(44,170,138
|
)
|
||
Net unrealized appreciation on investments and foreign currency
|
16,990,719
|
|||
Net assets
|
$
|
94,079,928
|
||
Net assets value per share ($94,079,928 ÷ 11,499,478 shares of common stock issued and outstanding)
|
$
|
8.18
|
For the
year ended
December 31, 2010
|
||||
NET INVESTMENT INCOME
|
||||
Income:
|
||||
Dividends (net of foreign witholding taxes of $326,338)
|
$
|
1,993,232
|
||
Interest
|
1,518
|
|||
Income distributions — Central Cash Management Fund
|
345
|
|||
Securities lending, including income from Daily Assets Fund Institutional, net of borrower rebates
|
105,981
|
|||
Total investment income
|
2,101,076
|
|||
Expenses:
|
||||
Management fee
|
530,360
|
|||
Investment advisory fee
|
305,683
|
|||
Custodian fee
|
82,732
|
|||
Services to shareholders
|
37,490
|
|||
Reports to shareholders
|
117,673
|
|||
Directors' fees and expenses
|
165,778
|
|||
Legal fees
|
77,871
|
|||
Audit and tax fees
|
57,002
|
|||
NYSE listing fee
|
23,757
|
|||
Insurance
|
9,811
|
|||
Miscellaneous
|
18,951
|
|||
Total expenses before expense reductions
|
1,427,108
|
|||
Partial waiver of management fee and investment advisory fee
|
(198,916
|
)
|
||
Total expenses after expense reductions
|
1,228,192
|
|||
Net investment income
|
872,884
|
|||
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN (LOSS)
|
||||
Net realized gain (loss) from:
|
||||
Investments
|
1,038,315
|
|||
Foreign currency
|
(270,470
|
)
|
||
Payment made by affiliates
|
13,773
|
|||
Net realized gain (loss)
|
781,618
|
|||
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on:
|
||||
Investments
|
(730,724
|
)
|
||
Foreign currency
|
82,760
|
|||
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
|
(647,964
|
)
|
||
Net gain (loss)
|
133,654
|
|||
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS
|
$
|
1,006,538
|
For the
year ended
December 31, 2010
|
For the
year ended
December 31, 2009
|
|||||||
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS
|
||||||||
Operations:
|
||||||||
Net investment income
|
$
|
872,884
|
$
|
1,294,273
|
||||
Net realized gain (loss)
|
781,618
|
(23,615,941
|
)
|
|||||
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
|
(647,964
|
)
|
46,885,941
|
|||||
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
|
1,006,538
|
24,564,273
|
||||||
Distributions to shareholders from:
|
||||||||
Net investment income
|
(639,559
|
)
|
(4,013,767
|
)
|
||||
Capital share transactions:
|
||||||||
Net proceeds from reinvestment of dividends (77,238 and 207,315 shares, respectively)
|
492,004
|
1,167,182
|
||||||
Cost of shares repurchased (627,075 and 265,168 shares, respectively)
|
(4,156,102
|
)
|
(1,604,014
|
)
|
||||
Net decrease in net assets from capital share transactions
|
(3,664,098
|
)
|
(436,832
|
)
|
||||
Total increase (decrease) in net assets
|
(3,297,119
|
)
|
20,113,674
|
|||||
NET ASSETS
|
||||||||
Beginning of year
|
97,377,047
|
77,263,373
|
||||||
End of year (including undistributed net investment income of $76,733 and
$113,878, as of December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively)
|
$
|
94,079,928
|
$
|
97,377,047
|
For the years ended December 31,
|
|||||||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||||||||
Per share operating performance:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Beginning of year
|
$
|
8.08
|
$
|
6.38
|
$
|
13.52
|
$
|
12.94
|
$
|
9.95
|
|||||||||
Net investment income(a)
|
.07
|
.11
|
.25
|
.16
|
.10
|
||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and
foreign currency
|
.06
|
1.92
|
(6.87
|
)
|
1.71
|
3.27
|
|||||||||||||
Increase (decrease) from investment operations .
|
.13
|
2.03
|
(6.62
|
)
|
1.87
|
3.37
|
|||||||||||||
Distributions from net investment income
|
(.06
|
)
|
(.33
|
)
|
—
|
(.25
|
)
|
(.38
|
)
|
||||||||||
Distributions from net realized gains
|
—
|
—
|
(.53
|
)
|
(1.00
|
)
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Total distributions
|
(.06
|
)
|
(.33
|
)
|
(.53
|
)
|
(1.25
|
)
|
(.38
|
)
|
|||||||||
Dilution in net asset value from dividend reinvestment
|
(.01
|
)
|
(.02
|
)
|
—
|
(.04
|
)
|
—
|
|||||||||||
Increase resulting from share repurchases
|
.04
|
.02
|
.01
|
—
|
.00
|
(b)
|
|||||||||||||
Net asset value:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
End of year
|
$
|
8.18
|
$
|
8.08
|
$
|
6.38
|
$
|
13.52
|
$
|
12.94
|
|||||||||
Market value:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
End of year
|
$
|
7.58
|
$
|
7.05
|
$
|
5.45
|
$
|
12.39
|
$
|
12.20
|
|||||||||
Total investment return for the year:†
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Based upon market value
|
8.32
|
%
|
36.84
|
%
|
(53.96
|
)%
|
11.79
|
%
|
42.35
|
%
|
|||||||||
Based upon net asset value
|
1.99
|
%**
|
33.76
|
%**
|
(50.68
|
)%
|
15.35
|
%
|
34.01
|
%
|
|||||||||
Ratio to average net assets:
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses before expense reductions
|
1.63
|
%
|
1.69
|
%
|
1.43
|
%
|
1.23
|
%*
|
1.60
|
%*
|
|||||||||
Ratio of expenses after expense reductions
|
1.41
|
%
|
1.55
|
%
|
1.43
|
%
|
1.23
|
%*
|
1.60
|
%*
|
|||||||||
Net investment income
|
1.00
|
%
|
1.59
|
%
|
2.40
|
%
|
1.18
|
%
|
.89
|
%
|
|||||||||
Portfolio turnover
|
67
|
%
|
77
|
%
|
85
|
%
|
78
|
%
|
64
|
%
|
|||||||||
Net assets at end of year (000's omitted)
|
$
|
94,080
|
$
|
97,377
|
$
|
77,263
|
$
|
165,662
|
$
|
152,986
|
Undistributed ordinary income
|
$
|
76,733
|
||
Capital loss carryforward
|
$
|
(44,049,000
|
)
|
|
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
|
$
|
16,829,706
|
Years Ended December 31,
|
||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||
Distributions from ordinary
income*
|
$
|
639,559
|
$
|
4,013,767
|
Fiscal years ended December 31,
|
2010
|
2009
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||
Shares repurchased
|
627,075
|
265,168
|
141,900
|
—
|
10,450
|
||||||||||||||||||
Shares issued for dividend reinvestment
|
77,238
|
207,315
|
—
|
427,524
|
—
|
FACTS
|
What Does DWS Investments Do With Your Personal Information?
|
||||||
Why?
|
Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.
|
||||||
What?
|
The types of personal information we collect and share can include:
• Social Security number
• Account balances
• Purchase and transaction history
• Bank account information
• Contact information such as mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number
|
||||||
How?
|
All financial companies need to share customers' personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers' personal information; the reasons DWS Investments chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.
|
||||||
Reasons we can share your personal
information
|
Does DWS Investments
share?
|
Can you limit this
sharing?
|
|||||||||
For our everyday business purposes — such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders or legal investigations
|
Yes
|
No
|
|||||||||
For our marketing purposes — to offer our products and services to you
|
Yes
|
No
|
|||||||||
For joint marketing with other financial companies
|
No
|
We do not share
|
|||||||||
For our affiliates' everyday business purposes — information about your transactions and experiences
|
No
|
We do not share
|
|||||||||
For our affiliates' everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness
|
No
|
We do not share
|
|||||||||
For nonaffiliates to market to you
|
No
|
We do not share
|
|||||||||
Who is providing this notice?
|
The European Equity Fund, Inc.
|
||||||
How does DWS Investments protect my personal information?
|
To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.
|
||||||
How does DWS Investments collect my personal information?
|
We collect your personal information, for example. When you
• open an account
• give us your contact information
• provide bank account information for ACH or wire transactions
• tell us where to send money
• seek advice about your investments
|
||||||
Why can't I limit all sharing?
|
Federal law gives you the right to limit only
• sharing for affiliates' everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness
• affiliates from using your information to market to you
• sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you
State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.
|
||||||
Affiliates
|
Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial or non-financial companies. Our affiliates include financial companies with the DWS or Deutsche Bank ("DB") name, such as DB AG Frankfurt and DB Alex Brown.
|
||||||
Non-affiliates
|
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and non-financial companies.
Non-affiliates we share with include account service providers; service quality monitoring services; mailing service providers; and verification services to help in the fight against money laundering and fraud.
|
||||||
Joint marketing
|
A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.
• DWS Investments does not jointly market.
|
||||||
ITEM 2.
|
CODE OF ETHICS
|
As of the end of the period covered by this report, the registrant has adopted a code of ethics, as defined in Item 2 of Form N-CSR, that applies to its Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer.
There have been no amendments to, or waivers from, a provision of the code of ethics during the period covered by this report that would require disclosure under Item 2.
A copy of the code of ethics is filed as an exhibit to this Form N-CSR.
|
|
ITEM 3.
|
AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT
|
The Fund’s Board of Directors has determined that the Fund has at least one “audit committee financial expert” serving on its audit committee: Mr. John H. Cannon, Mr. Robert H. Wadsworth, Mr. Richard Karl Goeltz and Mr. Joachim Wagner. Each of these audit committee members is “independent,” meaning that he is not an “interested person” of the Fund (as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940) and he does not accept any consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from the Fund (except in the capacity as a Board or committee member).
An “audit committee financial expert” is not an “expert” for any purpose, including for purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, as a result of being designated as an “audit committee financial expert.” Further, the designation of a person as an “audit committee financial expert” does not mean that the person has any greater duties, obligations, or liability than those imposed on the person without the “audit committee financial expert” designation. Similarly, the designation of a person as an “audit committee financial expert” does not affect the duties, obligations, or liability of any other member of the audit committee or board of directors.
|
|
ITEM 4.
|
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
|
Fiscal Year Ended December 31,
|
Audit Fees Billed to Fund
|
Audit-Related
Fees Billed to Fund
|
Tax Fees Billed to Fund
|
All
Other Fees Billed to Fund
|
2010
|
$57,000
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
2009
|
$57,000
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
Fiscal Year December 31,
|
Audit-Related
Fees Billed to Adviser and Affiliated Fund Service Providers
|
Tax Fees Billed to Adviser and Affiliated Fund Service Providers
|
All
Other Fees Billed to Adviser and Affiliated Fund Service Providers
|
2010
|
$7,500
|
$0
|
$0
|
2009
|
$2,000
|
$0
|
$0
|
Fiscal Year Ended December 31,
|
Total
Non-Audit Fees Billed to Fund
(A)
|
Total Non-Audit Fees billed to Adviser and Affiliated Fund Service Providers (engagements related directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund)
(B)
|
Total Non-Audit Fees billed to Adviser and Affiliated Fund Service Providers (all other engagements)
(C)
|
Total of (A), (B)
and (C)
|
2010
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
$0
|
2009
|
$0
|
$0
|
$100,000
|
$100,000
|
ITEM 5.
|
AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS
|
The registrant has a separately-designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The registrant's audit committee consists of John H. Cannon (Chairman), Robert H. Wadsworth, Richard R. Burt, Dr. Friedbert Malt, Richard Karl Goeltz, Joachim Wagner and Werner Walbrol.
|
|
ITEM 6.
|
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
|
Not applicable
|
|
ITEM 7.
|
DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
|
(i)
|
adopting, monitoring and updating guidelines, attached as Exhibit A (the “Guidelines”), that provide how AM will generally vote proxies pertaining to a comprehensive list of common proxy voting matters;
|
(ii)
|
voting proxies where (A) the issues are not covered by specific client instruction or the Guidelines; (B) the Guidelines specify that the issues are to be determined on a case-by-case basis; or (C) where an exception to the Guidelines may be in the best economic interest of AM’s clients; and
|
(iii)
|
monitoring the Proxy Vendor Oversight’s proxy voting activities (see below).
|
n
|
Neither the Guidelines nor specific client instructions cover an issue;
|
n
|
ISS does not make a recommendation on the issue;
|
n
|
The GPVSC cannot convene on the proxy proposal at issue to make a determination as to what would be in the client’s best interest. (This could happen, for example, if the Conflicts of Interest Management Sub-committee found that there was a material conflict or if despite all best efforts being made, the GPVSC quorum requirement could not be met).
|
n
|
Deutsche Bank Americas Restricted Activities Policy. This policy provides for, among other things, independence of AM employees from CIB, and information barriers between AM and other affiliates. Specifically, no AM employee may be subject to the supervision or control of any employee of CIB. No AM employee shall have his or her compensation based upon his or her contribution to any business activity within the Bank outside of the business of AM, without the prior approval of Legal or Compliance. Further, no employee of CIB shall have any input into the compensation of a AM employee without the prior approval of Legal or Compliance. Under the information barriers section of this policy, as a general rule, AM employees who are associated with the investment process should have no contact with employees of Deutsche Bank or its affiliates, outside of PCAM, regarding specific clients, business matters, or initiatives. Further, under no circumstances should proxy votes be discussed with any Deutsche Bank employee outside of AM (and should only be discussed on a need-to-know basis within AM).
|
n
|
AM will maintain a record of each vote cast by AM that includes among other things, company name, meeting date, proposals presented, vote cast and shares voted.
|
n
|
The Proxy Vendor Oversight maintains records for each of the proxy ballots it votes. Specifically, the records include, but are not limited to:
|
–
|
The proxy statement (and any additional solicitation materials) and relevant portions of annual statements.
|
–
|
Any additional information considered in the voting process that may be obtained from an issuing company, its agents or proxy research firms.
|
–
|
Analyst worksheets created for stock option plan and share increase analyses.
|
–
|
Proxy Edge print-screen of actual vote election.
|
n
|
AM will retain these Policies and Procedures and the Guidelines; will maintain records of client requests for proxy voting information; and will retain any documents the Proxy Vendor Oversight or the GPVSC prepared that were material to making a voting decision or that memorialized the basis for a proxy voting decision.
|
n
|
The GPVSC also will create and maintain appropriate records documenting its compliance with these Policies and Procedures, including records of its deliberations and decisions regarding conflicts of interest and their resolution.
|
n
|
With respect to AM’s investment company clients, ISS will create and maintain records of each company’s proxy voting record for 12-month periods ended June 30. AM will compile the following information for each matter relating to a portfolio security considered at any shareholder meeting held during the period covered by the report and with respect to which the company was entitled to vote:
|
–
|
The name of the issuer of the portfolio security;
|
–
|
The exchange ticker symbol of the portfolio security (if symbol is available through reasonably practicable means);
|
–
|
The Council on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures number for the portfolio security (if the number is available through reasonably practicable means);
|
–
|
The shareholder meeting date;
|
–
|
A brief identification of the matter voted on;
|
–
|
Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a security holder;
|
–
|
Whether the company cast its vote on the matter;
|
–
|
How the company cast its vote (e.g., for or against proposal, or abstain; for or withhold regarding election of directors); and
|
–
|
Whether the company cast its vote for or against management.
|
1
|
For purposes of these Policies and Procedures, “clients” refers to persons or entities: for which AM serves as investment adviser or sub-adviser; for which AM votes proxies; and that have an economic or beneficial ownership interest in the portfolio securities of issuers soliciting such proxies.
|
2
|
The Proxy Vendor Oversight generally monitors upcoming proxy solicitations for heightened attention from the press or the industry and for novel or unusual proposals or circumstances, which may prompt the Proxy Vendor Oversight to bring the solicitation to the attention of the GPVSC Chair. AM portfolio managers, AM research analysts and sub-advisers also may bring a particular proxy vote to the attention of the GPVSC Chair, as a result of their ongoing monitoring of portfolio securities held by advisory clients and/or their review of the periodic proxy voting record reports that the GPVSC Chair distributes to AM portfolio managers and AM research analysts.
|
3
|
As mentioned above, the GPVSC votes proxies (i) where neither a specific client instruction nor a Guideline directs how the proxy should be voted, (ii) where the Guidelines specify that an issue is to be determined on a case by case basis or (iii) where voting in accordance with the Guidelines may not be in the best economic interests of clients.
|
4
|
The Proxy Vendor Oversight, who serves as the non-voting secretary of the GPVSC, may receive routine calls from proxy solicitors and other parties interested in a particular proxy vote. Any contact that attempts to exert improper pressure or influence shall be reported to the Conflicts of Interest Management Sub-Committee.
|
I
|
Board Of Directors And Executives
|
A
|
Election Of Directors
|
B
|
Classified Boards Of Directors
|
C
|
Board And Committee Independence
|
D
|
Liability And Indemnification Of Directors
|
E
|
Qualifications Of Directors
|
F
|
Removal Of Directors And Filling Of Vacancies
|
G
|
Proposals To Fix The Size Of The Board
|
H
|
Proposals to Restrict Chief Executive Officer’s Service on Multiple Boards
|
I
|
Proposals to Restrict Supervisory Board Members Service on Multiple Boards
|
J
|
Proposals to Establish Audit Committees
|
II
|
Capital Structure
|
A
|
Authorization Of Additional Shares
|
B
|
Authorization Of “Blank Check” Preferred Stock
|
C
|
Stock Splits/Reverse Stock Splits
|
D
|
Dual Class/Supervoting Stock
|
E
|
Large Block Issuance
|
F
|
Recapitalization Into A Single Class Of Stock
|
G
|
Share Repurchases
|
H
|
Reductions In Par Value
|
III
|
Corporate Governance Issues
|
A
|
Confidential Voting
|
B
|
Cumulative Voting
|
C
|
Supermajority Voting Requirements
|
D
|
Shareholder Right To Vote
|
IV
|
Compensation
|
A
|
Establishment of a Remuneration Committee
|
B
|
Executive And Director Stock Option Plans
|
C
|
Employee Stock Option/Purchase Plans
|
D
|
Golden Parachutes
|
E
|
Proposals To Limit Benefits Or Executive Compensation
|
F
|
Option Expensing
|
G
|
Management board election and motion
|
H
|
Remuneration (variable pay)
|
I
|
Long-term incentive plans
|
J
|
Shareholder Proposals Concerning “Pay For Superior Performance”
|
K
|
Executive Compensation Advisory
|
V
|
Anti-Takeover Related Issues
|
A
|
Shareholder Rights Plans (“Poison Pills”)
|
B
|
Reincorporation
|
C
|
Fair-Price Proposals
|
D
|
Exemption From State Takeover Laws
|
E
|
Non-Financial Effects Of Takeover Bids
|
VI
|
Mergers & Acquisitions
|
VII
|
Social & Political Issues
|
A
|
Labor & Human Rights
|
B
|
Diversity & Equality
|
C
|
Health & Safety
|
D
|
Government/Military
|
E
|
Tobacco
|
F
|
Principles for Responsible Investment (“PRI”)Environmental Issues
|
VIII
|
Miscellaneous Items
|
A
|
Ratification Of Auditors
|
B
|
Limitation Of Non-Audit Services Provided By Independent Auditor
|
C
|
Audit Firm Rotation
|
D
|
Transaction Of Other Business
|
E
|
Motions To Adjourn The Meeting
|
F
|
Bundled Proposals
|
G
|
Change Of Company Name
|
H
|
Proposals Related To The Annual Meeting
|
I
|
Reimbursement Of Expenses Incurred From Candidate Nomination
|
J
|
Investment Company Proxies
|
K
|
International Proxy Voting
|
1.
|
“For” proposals that require that a certain percentage (majority up to 66 2/3%) of members of a board of directors be comprised of independent or unaffiliated directors.
|
2.
|
“For” proposals that require all members of a company's compensation, audit, nominating, or other similar committees be comprised of independent or unaffiliated directors.
|
3.
|
“Against” shareholder proposals to require the addition of special interest, or constituency, representatives to boards of directors.
|
4.
|
“For” separation of the Chairman and CEO positions.
|
5.
|
“Against” proposals that require a company to appoint a Chairman who is an independent director.
|
1.
|
“For” proposals to fix the size of the board unless: (a) no specific reason for the proposed change is given; or (b) the proposal is part of a package of takeover defenses.
|
2.
|
“Against” proposals allowing management to fix the size of the board without shareholder approval.
|
1.
|
“Against” proposals to create blank check preferred stock or to increase the number of authorized shares of blank check preferred stock unless the company expressly states that the stock will not be used for anti-takeover purposes and will not be issued without shareholder approval.
|
2.
|
“For” proposals mandating shareholder approval of blank check stock placement.
|
a)
|
The company has a five year return on investment greater than the relevant industry index,
|
b)
|
All directors and executive officers as a group beneficially own less than 10% of the outstanding stock, and
|
c)
|
No shareholder (or voting block) beneficially owns 15% or more of the company.
|
(1)
|
The resulting dilution of existing shares is less than (a) 15 percent of outstanding shares for large capital corporations or (b) 20 percent of outstanding shares for small-mid capital companies (companies having a market capitalization under one billion U.S. dollars.)
|
(2)
|
The transfer of equity resulting from granting options at less than FMV is no greater than 3% of the over-all market capitalization of large capital corporations, or 5% of market cap for small-mid capital companies.
|
(3)
|
The plan does not contain express repricing provisions and, in the absence of an express statement that options will not be repriced; the company does not have a history of repricing options.
|
(4)
|
The plan does not grant options on super-voting stock.
|
1.
|
Proposals to limit benefits, pensions or compensation and
|
2.
|
Proposals that request or require disclosure of executive compensation greater than the disclosure required by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations.
|
•
|
the election of board members with positions on either remuneration or audit committees;
|
•
|
the election of supervisory board members with too many supervisory board mandates;
|
•
|
“automatic” election of former board members into the supervisory board.
|
•
|
directly align the interests of members of management boards with those of shareholders;
|
•
|
establish challenging performance criteria to reward only above average performance;
|
•
|
measure performance by total shareholder return in relation to the market or a range of comparable companies;
|
•
|
are long-term in nature and encourage long-term ownership of the shares once exercised through minimum holding periods;
|
•
|
do not allow a repricing of the exercise price in stock option plans.
|
1.
|
AM policy is to vote “against” shareholder proposals to force equal employment opportunity, affirmative action or board diversity.
|
2.
|
AM policy is also to vote “against” proposals to adopt the Mac Bride Principles. The Mac Bride Principles promote fair employment, specifically regarding religious discrimination.
|
1.
|
AM policy is to vote “against” adopting a pharmaceutical price restraint policy or reporting pricing policy changes.
|
2.
|
AM policy is to vote “against” shareholder proposals to control the use or labeling of and reporting on genetically engineered products.
|
1.
|
AM policy is to vote against shareholder proposals regarding the production or sale of military arms or nuclear or space-based weapons, including proposals seeking to dictate a company's interaction with a particular foreign country or agency.
|
2.
|
AM policy is to vote “against” shareholder proposals regarding political contributions and donations.
|
3.
|
AM policy is to vote “against” shareholder proposals regarding charitable contributions and donations.
|
1.
|
AM policy is to vote “against” shareholder proposals requesting additional standards or reporting requirements for tobacco companies as well as “against” requesting companies to report on the intentional manipulation of nicotine content.
|
2.
|
Shareholder requests to spin-off or restructure tobacco businesses will be opposed.
|
ITEM 8.
|
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
|
·
|
Joined Deutsche Asset Management in 1997 and the Fund in 2010.
|
·
|
Portfolio manager for emerging markets equity: Frankfurt.
|
·
|
Prior to that, served as assistant to fund manager in Latin American equities at Morgan Stanley, New York from 1994 to 1996.
|
·
|
BA, Towson University; MBA, Fordham University.
|
·
|
Head of Institutional Equities, Europe: Frankfurt
|
·
|
Joined Deutsche Asset Management and the Fund in 2009.
|
·
|
Previously, 1990-99 worked in New York for HVB Capital, the US investment bank of Hypovereinsbank and 1999-2004 with Deka Investment as senior portfolio manager, 2004-2009 Partner and Managing Director of F&V Vermoegensverwaltung AG and fund manager of the innovative Dynamic Europe Fund.
|
·
|
MBA in Finance from Columbia University, New York and Diplom-Kaufmann in Banking from Technical University, Berlin
|
·
|
Quantitative measures (e.g. one-, three- and five-year pre-tax returns versus the benchmark and appropriate peer group, taking risk targets into account) are utilized to measure performance.
|
·
|
Qualitative measures (e.g. adherence to, as well as contributions to, the enhancement of the investment process) are included in the performance review.
|
·
|
Other factors (e.g. teamwork, adherence to compliance rules, risk management and "living the values" of Deutsche Asset Management) are included as part of a discretionary component of the review process, giving management the ability to consider additional markers of performance on a subjective basis.
|
Name of
Portfolio Manager
|
Dollar Range of
Fund Shares Owned
|
Dollar Range of All DWS Fund Shares Owned
|
Rainer Vermehren
|
-
|
-
|
Gerd Kirsten
|
-
|
-
|
Name of Portfolio Manager
|
Number of Registered Investment Companies
|
Total Assets of Registered Investment Companies
|
Number of Investment Company Accounts with Performance Based Fee
|
Total Assets of Performance- Based Fee Accounts
|
||||||||||||
Rainer Vermehren
|
4 | $ | 2,016,262,973 | - | - | |||||||||||
Gerd Kirsten
|
- | - | - | - |
Name of Portfolio Manager
|
Number of Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
Total Assets of Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
Number of Pooled Investment Vehicle Accounts with Performance-Based Fee
|
Total Assets of Performance- Based Fee Accounts
|
||||||||||||
Rainer Vermehren
|
1 | $ | 31,515,634 | - | - | |||||||||||
Gerd Kirsten
|
5 | $ | 3,251,555,154 | - | - |
Name of Portfolio Manager
|
Number of Other Accounts
|
Total Assets of Other Accounts
|
Number of Other Accounts with Performance- Based Fee
|
Total Assets of Performance- Based Fee Accounts
|
Rainer Vermehren
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Gerd Kirsten
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
·
|
Certain investments may be appropriate for the Fund and also for other clients advised by the Advisor, including other client accounts managed by the Fund’s portfolio management team. Investment decisions for the Fund and other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives and after consideration of such factors as their current holdings, availability of cash for investment and the size of their investments generally. A particular security may be bought or sold for only one client or in different amounts and at different times for more than one but less than all clients. Likewise, because clients of the Advisor may have differing investment strategies, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more other clients are selling the security. The investment results achieved for the Fund may differ from the results achieved for other clients of the Advisor. In addition, purchases or sales of the same security may be made for two or more clients on the same day. In such event, such transactions will be allocated among the clients in a manner believed by the Advisor to be most equitable to each client, generally utilizing a pro rata allocation methodology. In some cases, the allocation procedure could potentially have an adverse effect or positive effect on the price or amount of the securities purchased or sold by the Fund. Purchase and sale orders for the Fund may be combined with those of other clients of the Advisor in the interest of achieving the most favorable net results to the Fund and the other clients.
|
·
|
To the extent that a portfolio manager has responsibilities for managing multiple client accounts, a portfolio manager will need to divide time and attention among relevant accounts. The Advisor attempts to minimize these conflicts by aligning its portfolio management teams by investment strategy and by employing similar investment models across multiple client accounts.
|
·
|
In some cases, an apparent conflict may arise where the Advisor has an incentive, such as a performance-based fee, in managing one account and not with respect to other accounts it manages. The Advisor will not determine allocations based on whether it receives a performance-based fee from the client. Additionally, the Advisor has in place supervisory oversight processes to periodically monitor performance deviations for accounts with like strategies.
|
·
|
The Advisor and its affiliates and the investment team of each Fund may manage other mutual funds and separate accounts on a long only or a long-short basis. The simultaneous management of long and short portfolios creates potential conflicts of interest including the risk that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of the long positions (and vice versa), the risk arising from sequential orders in long and short positions, and the risks associated with receiving opposing orders at the same time. The Advisor has adopted procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. Included in these procedures are specific guidelines developed to provide fair and equitable treatment for all clients whose accounts are managed by each Fund’s portfolio management team. The Advisor and the portfolio management team have established monitoring procedures, a protocol for supervisory reviews, as well as compliance oversight to ensure that potential conflicts of interest relating to this type of activity are properly addressed.
|
ITEM 9.
|
PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS
|
(a)
|
(b)
|
(c)
|
(d)
|
|||||||||||||
Period
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased*
|
Average Price Paid per Share
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs
|
Maximum Number of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
|
||||||||||||
January 1 through January 31
|
77,760 | $ | 6.9336 | 77,760 | 307,475 | |||||||||||
February 1 through February 28
|
61,267 | $ | 6.1902 | 61,267 | 246,208 | |||||||||||
March 1 through March 31
|
113,100 | $ | 6.5337 | 113,100 | 133,108 | |||||||||||
April 1 through April 30
|
21,800 | $ | 6.7250 | 21,800 | 111,308 | |||||||||||
May 1 through May 31
|
64,400 | $ | 5.8368 | 64,400 | 46,908 | |||||||||||
June 1 through June 30
|
47,200 | $ | 5.6682 | 46,908 | 0 | |||||||||||
July 1 through July 31
|
11,500 | $ | 5.5504 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
August 1 through August 31
|
43,100 | $ | 6.5386 | 43,100 | 556,900 | |||||||||||
September 1 through September 30
|
33,902 | $ | 6.7639 | 33,902 | 522,998 | |||||||||||
October 1 through October 31
|
63,536 | $ | 7.2689 | 63,536 | 459,462 | |||||||||||
November 1 through November 30
|
89,510 | $ | 7.5064 | 89,510 | 369,952 | |||||||||||
December 1 through December 31
|
0 | 0 | 944,926 | |||||||||||||
Total
|
627,075 | $ | 6.6278 | 615,283 | ||||||||||||
* All shares were purchased in open market transactions.
|
||||||||||||||||
On October 26, 2009, the Fund announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to 500,000 shares during the period from November 1, 2009 until October 31, 2010. The Board also ratified the repurchase of 11,792 shares in excess of this 500,000 limit. The program was terminated effective July 31, 2010.
|
||||||||||||||||
On July 20, 2010, the Fund announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a Discount Management Program (the "Program"). The Board approved a series of up to four consecutive, semi-annual tender offers each up to 5% of the Fund's outstanding shares at a price equal to 98% of net asset value. The Fund will conduct a tender offer if its shares trade at an average discount to net asset value of more than 10% during the applicable twelve-week measurement period. The first measurement period commenced on September 1, 2010 and expired on November 24, 2010. During th first measurement period, the Fund's shares traded at an average discount to NAV of 10.02%. Therefore the Fund conducted a tender offer which commenced on January 7, 2011 and expired on February 8, 2011. The Fund accepted 574,974 tendered shares (which represents 5% of the shares outstanding on the Fund). The second measurement period will commence on March 7, 2011 and expire on May 27, 2011. The Program also provides for a continuation of share repurchases by the Fund such that the Fund is authorized to repurchase up to 600,000 shares from August 1, 2010 to July 31, 2011.
|
ITEM 10.
|
SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
|
|
There were no material changes to the procedures by which stockholders may recommend nominees to the Fund’s Board. The Nominating Committee will consider nominee candidates properly submitted by stockholders in accordance with applicable law, the Fund's Articles of Incorporation or By-laws, resolutions of the Board and the qualifications and procedures set forth in the Nominating Committee Charter and this proxy statement. A stockholder or group of stockholders seeking to submit a nominee candidate (i) must have beneficially owned at least 5% of the Fund's common stock for at least two years, (ii) may submit only one nominee candidate for any particular meeting of stockholders, and (iii) may submit a nominee candidate for only an annual meeting or other meeting of stockholders at which directors will be elected. The stockholder or group of stockholders must provide notice of the proposed nominee pursuant to the requirements found in the Fund's By-laws. Generally, this notice must be received not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the preceding year's annual meeting. Such notice shall include the specific information required by the Fund's By-laws. The Nominating Committee will evaluate nominee candidates properly submitted by stockholders on the same basis as it considers and evaluates candidates recommended by other sources.
|
||
ITEM 11.
|
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
|
|
(a)
|
The Chief Executive and Financial Officers concluded that the Registrant’s Disclosure Controls and Procedures are effective based on the evaluation of the Disclosure Controls and Procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report.
|
|
(b)
|
There have been no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal controls over financial reporting.
|
|
ITEM 12.
|
EXHIBITS
|
|
(a)(1)
|
Code of Ethics pursuant to Item 2 of Form N-CSR is filed and attached hereto as EX-99.CODE ETH.
|
|
(a)(2)
|
Certification pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-2(a)) is filed and attached hereto as Exhibit 99.CERT.
|
|
(b)
|
Certification pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30a-2(b)) is furnished and attached hereto as Exhibit 99.906CERT.
|
Registrant:
|
The European Equity Fund, Inc.
|
By:
|
/s/Michael G. Clark
Michael G. Clark
President
|
Date:
|
March 1, 2011
|
By:
|
/s/Michael G. Clark
Michael G. Clark
President
|
Date:
|
March 1, 2011
|
By:
|
/s/Paul Schubert
Paul Schubert
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
|
Date:
|
March 1, 2011
|