6-K
FORM 6-K
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington D.C. 20549
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For June 2010
Commission File Number: 1-32575
Royal Dutch Shell plc
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
England and Wales
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
30, Carel van Bylandtlaan, 2596 HR The Hague
The Netherlands
Tel No: (011 31 70) 377 9111
(Address of principal executive officers)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of
Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F þ Form 40-F o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form
is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes o No þ
If Yes is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with
Rule 12g3-2(b):82-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Royal Dutch Shell plc (the Registrant) is filing the following exhibits on this Report on Form
6-K, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference:
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Exhibit |
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No. |
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Description |
1.1 |
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Underwriting Agreement, dated June 21, 2010, between Royal
Dutch Shell plc, Shell International Finance B.V., Banc of
America Securities LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. |
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5.1 |
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Opinion of Slaughter and May, English solicitors to Royal
Dutch Shell plc, as to certain matters of English law relating
to the Guarantees of Royal Dutch Shell plc. |
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5.2 |
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Opinion of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, U.S. legal advisors to
Royal Dutch Shell plc and Shell International Finance B.V., as
to the validity of the Guaranteed Debt Securities issued as a
matter of New York law. |
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5.3 |
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Opinion of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek London B.V., Dutch
legal advisors to Shell International Finance B.V., as to
certain matters of Dutch law relating to the Guaranteed Debt
Securities of Shell International Finance B.V. |
This Report on Form 6-K is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement on Form F-3 of
Royal Dutch Shell plc and Shell International Finance B.V. (Registration Numbers 333-155201 and
333-155201-01).
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused
this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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Royal Dutch Shell plc
(Registrant) |
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By:
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/s/ Michiel Brandjes |
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Name: Michiel Brandjes |
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Title: Company Secretary |
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Date: June 22, 2010
Exhibit 1.1
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION VERSION
Royal Dutch Shell plc
Shell International Finance B.V.
Debt Securities
Ordinary Shares
Warrants
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
June 21, 2010
Banc of America Securities LLC
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.
452 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10018
Dear Sirs:
1. Introductory. Royal Dutch Shell plc, a public company limited by shares
existing under the laws of England and Wales (Company), proposes to issue and sell from time to
time certain of the Companys unsecured debt securities (Debt Securities), Class A and Class B
ordinary shares (Ordinary Shares) and warrants (Warrants) and Shell International Finance B.V.,
a private limited liability company organized under the laws of the Netherlands with corporate seat
in The Hague (the Issuer) proposes to issue and sell from time to time certain of the Issuers
unsecured debt securities to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company as to payment
of principal, premium (if any) and interest (Guaranteed Debt Securities), registered under the
registration statement referred to in Section 2(a) (collectively, the Registered Securities). The
Registered Securities constituting Debt Securities will be issued in one or more series under an
indenture to be identified in the Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3, which series may vary
as to interest rates, maturities, redemption provisions, selling prices and other terms. The
Registered Securities constituting Guaranteed Debt Securities will be issued in one or more series
under an indenture to be identified in the Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3 (which
indenture, together with the indenture referred to in the immediately previous sentence, herein the
Indenture), which series may vary as to interest rates, maturities, redemption provisions,
selling prices and other terms. The Registered Securities constituting Ordinary Shares may be
represented by American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) to be issued under a Deposit Agreement with
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. dated May 19, 2005, with respect to the Class A Ordinary Shares or a
Deposit Agreement with The Bank of New York dated May 19, 2005, with respect to the Class B
Ordinary Shares (collectively the Deposit Agreements and
Depositaries and with respect to the deposit agreement pertaining to the Offered
Securities
(defined below) the Deposit Agreement and Depositary). Particular series or offerings of
Registered Securities will be sold pursuant to a Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3, for
resale in accordance with terms of offering determined at the time of sale.
The Registered Securities involved in any such offering are hereinafter referred to as the
Offered Securities. The firm or firms which agree to purchase the Offered Securities are
hereinafter referred to as the Underwriters of such securities, and the representative or
representatives of the Underwriters, if any, specified in a Terms Agreement referred to in Section
3 are hereinafter referred to as the Representatives; provided, however, that if the Terms
Agreement does not specify any representative of the Underwriters, the term Representatives, as
used in this Agreement (other than in Sections 5(c) and 6 and the second sentence of Section 3),
shall mean the Underwriters.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Issuer. The Company, and
if Guaranteed Debt Securities are being offered, the Issuer, as of the date of each Terms Agreement
referred to in Section 3, represent and warrant to, and agree with, each Underwriter that:
(a) A registration statement (No. 333-155201) on Form F-3, including a
prospectus (hereinafter referred to as the Base Prospectus), relating to the Registered
Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission) and
has become effective. The Company and the Issuer meet the requirements of the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (Act) for the use of Form F-3. Such registration
statement, as amended at the time of any Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3 entered
into in connection with a specific offering of the Offered Securities and including any
documents incorporated by reference therein, including exhibits (other than any Form T-1)
and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Offered Securities
that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (Rule 424(b)) under the Act and
deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act, is
hereinafter referred to as the Registration Statement. The Base Prospectus, as
supplemented as contemplated by Section 3 to reflect the terms of the Offered Securities
(if they are Debt Securities, Guaranteed Debt Securities or Warrants) and the terms of the
offering of the Offered Securities, as first filed with the Commission pursuant to and in
accordance with Rule 424(b), including all material incorporated by reference therein, is
hereinafter referred to as the Final Prospectus. Any preliminary prospectus supplement
to the Base Prospectus which describes the Offered Securities and the offering thereof and
is used prior to filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus, is
hereinafter referred to as the Preliminary Final Prospectus. Free Writing Prospectus
shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 under the Act.
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Applicable Time shall mean, with respect to a specific offering of the Offered
Securities, each time and date specified as such in the Terms Agreement relating to that
offering of Offered Securities. Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall mean an issuer free
writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act. Disclosure Package shall mean,
with respect to any specific offering of the Offered Securities, (i) the Preliminary Final
Prospectus, if any, used most recently prior to the Applicable Time, (ii) the Issuer Free
Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B to the Terms Agreement, (iii) the
final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(c) hereto, if any, and (iv) any
other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in
writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.
(b) On the effective date and each deemed effective date of the
registration statement relating to the Registered Securities, such registration statement,
including all material incorporated therein by reference, conformed in all respects to the
requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (Trust Indenture Act) and the
rules and regulations of the Commission (Rules and Regulations) and did not include any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and at the
Applicable Time and at the Closing Date and, in the case of the Final Prospectus only, its
date, the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, will conform in all respects to
the requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act and the Rules and Regulations, and
neither of such documents, including all material incorporated therein by reference, will
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided, however, that the
Company and the Issuer make no representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the
Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) under
the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii) the information contained in or omitted from
the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company or the Issuer by or on behalf of any Underwriter
through the Representatives specifically for use therein.
(c) At the Applicable Time, the Disclosure Package will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided, however, that the
Company and the Issuer make no representations or warranties as to the information
contained in or omitted from the Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company or the Issuer by or on behalf of any Underwriter
through the Representatives specifically for use therein.
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(d) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time
of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of
the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed
pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the
time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause
only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Offered Securities in reliance on the
exemption in Rule 163, and (iv) at the Applicable Time (with such date being used as the
determination date for purposes of this clause (iv)), the Company was or is (as the case
may be) a well-known seasoned issuer as defined in Rule 405).
(e) (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement
that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning
of Rule 164(h)(2)) of any Offered Securities and (ii) as of the Applicable Time (with such
date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company
was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of
any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the
Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.
(f) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, and the final term sheet
prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(c) hereto do not include any information that
conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any
document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a
part thereof that has not been superseded or modified, provided, however, that the Company
and the Issuer make no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or
omitted from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or such final term sheet in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished to the Company or the Issuer by or on behalf
of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein.
(g) If the Offered Securities constitute Debt Securities: the Indenture for
the Offered Securities has been duly authorized and will be duly qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act and validly executed and delivered by the Company and will constitute legal,
valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance
with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally from time
to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without limitation,
concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and the Offered Securities have been duly
authorized and will be executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the
respective Indenture and when delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement, the Offered Securities will constitute legal,
valid and binding obligations of the
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Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company
in accordance with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors
rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity,
including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair
dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(h) If the Offered Securities constitute Guaranteed Debt Securities: the
Indenture for the Offered Securities has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act
and duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Issuer and constitute
legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and the Issuer enforceable against the
Company and the Issuer in accordance with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws
affecting creditors rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles
of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good
faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law); and the Offered Securities have been duly authorized, and will be executed and
authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the respective Indenture and when
delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and
Terms Agreement, the Offered Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Issuer and the guarantee of the Offered Securities will constitute
legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture and enforceable against the Issuer and the Company, respectively, in accordance
with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally from time
to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without limitation,
concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(i) If the Offered Securities constitute Warrants: the warrant agreement
will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and will constitute a legal,
valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance
with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally from time
to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without limitation,
concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and the Offered Securities will be duly
authorized, executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the relevant
warrant agreement and when issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement,
such Offered Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits of the relevant warrant
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agreement and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms (subject
to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and
other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally from time to time in effect and to
general principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
(j) If the Offered Securities constitute Ordinary Shares: the Offered
Securities will be authorized and when delivered and paid for in accordance with the Terms
Agreement and the Underwriting Agreement the Offered Securities will be validly issued and
fully paid and no further contributions in respect of such Offered Securities will be
required to be made to the Company by the holders thereof, by reason solely of their being
such holders.
(k) The Company is a public company limited by shares duly incorporated
under the laws of England and Wales; and the Issuer has been incorporated and is existing
as a private company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte
aansprakelijkheid).
(l) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing with, any
governmental agency or body or any court in the UK, the Netherlands or the United States is
required for the consummation by the Company or the Issuer of the transactions contemplated
by the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) or the Indenture (if
the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) in connection
with the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company, or if the Offered
Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities, the Issuer and with respect to the guarantee of
the Offered Securities if the Offered Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities, the
Company, except such as have been obtained or made under the Act, the Exchange Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required under U.S. state securities laws or the
laws of the UK and the Netherlands relating to the offering and sale of securities if the
Offered Securities are offered and sold in such jurisdictions.
(m) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Issuer
of the Indenture, the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement), this
Agreement and any Delayed Delivery Contract and the issuance and sale of the Offered
Securities (including the related guarantee of the Offered Securities if the Offered
Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities) and compliance with the terms and provisions
thereof by the Company and the Issuer will not result in a breach or violation of any of
the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the laws of its jurisdiction of
incorporation, any of the terms or provisions of the documents constituting it, or any
material agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound.
(n) Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Final
Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings
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pending or, to
the best of the Companys knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company or any
of its subsidiaries, (ii) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of, or
property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) relating to
environmental or discrimination matters, where in any such case (A) there is a reasonable
possibility that such action, suit or proceeding might be determined adversely to the
Company or such subsidiary, or any officer or director of, or property owned or leased by,
the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (B) any such action, suit or proceeding, if so
determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or adversely affect the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or the Issuer and delivered to the
Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Offered
Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company or the Issuer, as the case
may be, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
3. Purchase and Offering of Offered Securities. The obligation of the Underwriters
to purchase the Offered Securities will be evidenced by an agreement or exchange of other written
communications (Terms Agreement) at the time the Company and/or the Issuer determines to sell the
Offered Securities. The Terms Agreement will incorporate by reference the provisions of this
Agreement, except as otherwise provided therein, and will specify the issuer, and if applicable,
guarantor, of the securities to be sold, the firm or firms which will be Underwriters, the names of
any Representatives, the principal or other amount of securities or number of shares to be
purchased by each Underwriter, the purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters and (if the
Offered Securities are debt securities) the terms of the Offered Securities not already specified
in the Indenture, including, but not limited to, interest rate, maturity, any redemption provisions
and any sinking fund requirements and whether any of the Offered Securities may be sold to
institutional investors pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts (as defined below). The Terms
Agreement will also specify the time and date of delivery and payment (such time and date, or such
other time as the Representatives and the Company and/or the Issuer agree as the time for payment
and delivery, being herein and in the Terms Agreement referred to as the Closing Date), the place
of delivery and payment and any details of the terms of offering that should be reflected in the
prospectus supplement relating to the offering of the Offered Securities. For purposes of Rule
15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act), the Closing Date (if later
than the otherwise applicable settlement date) shall be the date for payment of funds and delivery
of securities for all the Offered Securities sold pursuant to the offering, other than Contract
Securities (as defined below) for which payment of funds and delivery of securities shall be as
hereinafter provided. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Offered Securities will
be several and not joint. It is understood that the
Underwriters propose to offer the Offered Securities for sale as set forth in the Final
Prospectus.
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If the Terms Agreement provides for sales of Offered Securities pursuant to delayed delivery
contracts, the Company or the Issuer authorize the Underwriters to solicit offers to purchase
Offered Securities pursuant to delayed delivery contracts substantially in the form of Annex I
attached hereto (Delayed Delivery Contracts) with such changes therein as the Company or the
Issuer may authorize or approve. Delayed Delivery Contracts are to be with institutional
investors, including commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment
companies and educational and charitable institutions. On the Closing Date the Company and/or the
Issuer will pay, as compensation, to the Representatives for the accounts of the Underwriters, the
fee set forth in such Terms Agreement in respect of the principal amount or number of shares of
Offered Securities to be sold pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts (Contract Securities). The
Underwriters will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or the performance of
Delayed Delivery Contracts. If the Company or the Issuer executes and delivers Delayed Delivery
Contracts, the Contract Securities will be deducted from the Offered Securities to be purchased by
the several Underwriters from the Company or the Issuer and the aggregate principal amount or
number of shares of Offered Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter from the Company or the
Issuer will be reduced pro rata in proportion to the principal amount or number of shares of
Offered Securities set forth opposite each Underwriters name in such Terms Agreement, except to
the extent that the Representatives determine that such reduction shall be otherwise than pro rata
and so advise the Company or the Issuer. The Company or the Issuer will advise the Representatives
not later than the business day prior to the Closing Date of the principal amount or number of
shares of Contract Securities.
If the Offered Securities are Warrants and such Offered Securities are issued in certificated
form by the Company, the certificates for the Offered Securities delivered to the Underwriters on
the Closing Date will be in definitive form, if the Offered Securities are Ordinary Shares or
Warrants for Ordinary Shares such Offered Securities will be credited to the CREST accounts or
(with the prior written consent of the Company) to the Euroclear Nederland accounts notified by the
Underwriter to the Company on the Closing Date unless otherwise provided in the Terms Agreement,
and if the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities, the Offered
Securities delivered to the Underwriters on the Closing Date will be in definitive fully registered
form, in each case in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives
request. Payment for the Offered Securities shall be made by the Underwriters in Federal (same
day) funds by official check or checks or wire transfers to accounts previously designated by the
Company or the Issuer at banks acceptable to the Representatives at the place of payment specified
in the Terms Agreement on the Closing Date, against delivery of the Offered Securities.
If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities and the Terms
Agreement specifies Book-Entry Only settlement or otherwise states that the provisions of this
paragraph shall apply, the Company or the Issuer will deliver against
payment of the purchase price the Offered Securities in the form of one or more permanent
global securities in definitive form (the Global Securities) deposited with the Trustee as
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custodian for The Depository Trust Company (DTC) and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as
nominee for DTC and/or deposited with the common depositary identified in the Terms Agreement (the
Common Depositary), as custodian for Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear
System (Euroclear), and Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (Clearstream), and registered in
the name of the Common Depositary, or its nominee, as nominee for Euroclear and Clearstream.
Interests in any permanent global securities will be held only in book-entry form through DTC
and/or Euroclear and Clearstream, except in the limited circumstances described in the Final
Prospectus. Payment for the Offered Securities shall be made against delivery to the Trustee as
custodian for DTC and/or to the Common Depositary as custodian for Euroclear and Clearstream of the
Global Securities representing all the Offered Securities.
4. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Issuer. The Company, and if
Guaranteed Debt Securities are being offered, the Issuer, agrees with the several Underwriters that
it will furnish to counsel for the Underwriters, copies of the registration statement relating to
the Registered Securities, including all exhibits as such counsel may reasonably request, in the
form it became effective and of all amendments thereto and that, in connection with each offering
of Offered Securities:
(a) The Company and/or the Issuer will file the Final Prospectus with the
Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b)(2) or (5), if applicable, not
later than the second business day following the execution and delivery of the Terms
Agreement.
(b) During any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is
required to be delivered under the Act in connection with sales by any Underwriter or
dealer (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule
172), the Company and/or the Issuer will advise the Representatives promptly of any
proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus or to
issue any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus relating to the Offered Securities (other than the
issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included in Schedule B to the applicable
Terms Agreement) and will afford the Representatives a reasonable opportunity to comment on
any such proposed amendment or supplement or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and the
Company and/or the Issuer will also advise the Representatives promptly of the filing of
any such amendment or supplement or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and of the
institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration
Statement or of any part thereof and will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any such stop order and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued; provided,
however, that nothing in this paragraph shall apply to any report to be filed or furnished
to the Commission under the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act except
those periodic reports furnished to the Commission and incorporated by
reference into the Final Prospectus between the date of a Terms Agreement and the
Closing Date with respect to the Securities subject to the Terms Agreement.
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(c) The Company and/or the Issuer will prepare a final term sheet
substantially in the form of Annex II hereto, containing solely a description of the
Offered Securities and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act
within the time required by such Rule.
(d) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is
required to be delivered under the Act in connection with sales by any Underwriter or
dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the
Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act, the
Company and/or the Issuer promptly will notify the Representatives of such event and
promptly will prepare and file with the Commission, an amendment or supplement which will
correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance.
(e) As soon as practicable, but not later than 16 months, after the date of
each Terms Agreement, the Company will make generally available to its securityholders an
earnings statement of the Company covering a period of at least 12 months which will
satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act, including through compliance with Rule
158 under the Act.
(f) The Company and/or the Issuer will furnish to the Representatives
copies of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits, and, for so long as delivery
of a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities by an Underwriter or dealer is required
under the Act in connection with sales by such Underwriter or such dealer (including in
circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), the Base
Prospectus, any related Preliminary Final Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case
promptly after a request and in such quantities as the Representatives reasonably request.
(g) Each of the Company and the Issuer will pay all expenses incident to
the performance of its obligations under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of
this Agreement), for any filing fees or other expenses (including fees and disbursements of
counsel) in connection with qualification of the Offered Securities for sale and (if the
Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) any determination of
their eligibility for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the
Representatives may reasonably designate and the printing of memoranda relating thereto,
for any fees charged by investment rating agencies for the rating of the Offered Securities
(if the Offered Securities are Debt
Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities), for any applicable filing fee incident to
the review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority of the Offered Securities, the
fees and expenses of any listing of the Offered Securities,
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for any travel expenses of the
Companys officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company and/or the Issuer in
connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of Offered
Securities, and for expenses incurred in distributing the Final Prospectus, the Disclosure
Package, supplements to the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the
Underwriters, it being understood that the Underwriters will pay all of their expenses
relating to the offer and sale of the Offered Securities, including the fees and expenses
of their counsel.
(h) The Company and the Issuer will arrange, if necessary, for the
qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions in
the United States of America as the Representatives may designate in writing and will
maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the
Offered Securities; provided, that in no event shall the Company or the Issuer be obligated
to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified, to take any
action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out
of the offering or sale of the Offered Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now
so subject or to subject itself to taxation as doing business in any such jurisdiction.
(i) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees with
the Company that, unless it has obtained or will obtain, as the case may be, the prior
written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the
Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would
otherwise constitute a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405) required to be
filed by the Company and/or the Issuer with the Commission or retained by the Company
and/or the Issuer under Rule 433, other than the final term sheet prepared and filed
pursuant to Section 4(c) hereto; provided that the prior written consent of the Company
shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any,
included in Schedule B to the applicable Terms Agreement and any electronic road show. Any
such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company is hereinafter referred to as a
Permitted Free Writing Prospectus. The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will
treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, and (y) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements
of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in
respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
(j) Each of the Company and the Issuer consents to the use by any
Underwriter of a Free Writing Prospectus that (a) is not an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
and (b) contains only (A) information describing the preliminary terms
of the Offered Securities or their offering, (B) information required or permitted by
Rule 134 under the Act that is not issuer information as defined in Rule 433 or (C)
information that describes the final terms of the Offered
11
Securities or their offering and
that is included in the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(c)
hereto.
5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the
several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Offered Securities will be subject to the accuracy
of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Issuer herein, to the
accuracy of the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the
performance by the Company and the Issuer of their obligations hereunder and to the following
additional conditions precedent:
(a) On the Closing Date (and if so specified in the Terms Agreement, the
date of the Terms Agreement), the Representatives shall have received a letter (also
addressed to the Board of Directors of the Company and/or the Issuer, as applicable), dated
the date of delivery thereof (and if so specified in the Terms Agreement, dated the date of
the Terms Agreement), of the independent auditors of the Company confirming that they are
independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the
applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission and the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and stating to the effect that:
(i) in their opinion the financial statements and any schedules
audited by them and included in the Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package or
incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of
the Act and the Exchange Act and the related published Rules and Regulations;
(ii) they have performed the procedures specified by the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board for a review of interim financial information as
described in Statement of Auditing Standards No. 100, Interim Financial
Information, on any unaudited financial statements incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement;
(iii) on the basis of the review referred to in clause (ii) above
and/or a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the
Company and/or inquiries of certain officials of the Company who have
responsibility for financial and accounting matters and/or other specified
procedures as appropriate (but not an audit in accordance with standards of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States)), nothing came to their
attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) any material modification should be made to the unaudited
condensed financial statements included in the Disclosure Package or the
Final Prospectus, if any, for them to be in conformity with the basis of
presentation as described in the Companys year-end financial statements
incorporated by reference therein, and that
12
such unaudited condensed
financial statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the
related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;
(B) at the date of the latest available balance sheet information read
by or available to such accountants, there was any change in balance sheet
items specified in the Terms Agreement of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries as compared with amounts shown on the latest balance sheet
information included in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus; or
(C) for the period from the closing date of the latest income
statement information included in the Disclosure Package or the Final
Prospectus to the closing date of the latest available income statement
read by or available to such accountants there were any decreases, as
compared with the corresponding period of the previous year and with the
period of corresponding length ended the date of the latest income
statement information included in the Disclosure Package or the Final
Prospectus, in the statement of income items specified in the Terms
Agreement;
except in all cases set forth in clauses (B) and (C) above for changes, increases or
decreases which the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus discloses have occurred or
may occur or which are described in such letter;
(iv) they have compared specified dollar amounts (or percentages
derived from such dollar amounts) and other financial information contained in the
Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure Package (in each
case to the extent that such dollar amounts, percentages and other financial
information are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its
subsidiaries subject to the internal controls over financial reporting of the
Companys accounting system or to schedules prepared by the Company therefrom) with
the results obtained from a reading of such general accounting records and other
procedures specified in such letter and have found such dollar amounts,
percentages and other financial information to be in agreement with such results,
except as otherwise specified in such letter; and
(v) if pro forma financial statements are included or incorporated
in the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, on
the basis of a reading of the unaudited pro forma financial statements, carrying
out certain specified procedures, inquiries of certain officials of the Company and
the acquired company(ies) who have responsibility for financial and accounting
matters, and proving the arithmetic accuracy of the application of the pro forma
adjustments to the
13
historical amounts in the pro forma financial statements,
nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that the pro forma
financial statements do not comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X or that the pro
forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
compilation of such statements.
All financial statements and schedules included in material incorporated by reference into the
Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package shall be deemed included in the Final Prospectus or the
Disclosure Package for purposes of this subsection.
(b) The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in
accordance with the Rules and Regulations. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or of any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceedings
for that purpose shall have been instituted. The final term sheet contemplated by Section
4(c) hereto, and any other material required to be filed by the Company and/or the Issuer
pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the
applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433.
(c) Subsequent to the execution of the Terms Agreement, there shall not
have occurred (i) any banking moratorium declared by U.S. Federal, UK or Dutch authorities;
(ii) any major disruption of settlements of securities or clearance services in the United
States, the UK or the Netherlands, (iii) any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities
or other calamity or crisis involving the United States, the UK or the Netherlands, (iv)
any decrease in the rating of any of the Companys debt securities by any nationally
recognized statistical rating organization (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under
the Securities Act) or a public announcement by such organization that it has under
surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the
Companys debt securities, or (v) any change, or any development involving a prospective
change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or
properties of the Company or its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth in or
contemplated in the Final Prospectus, which, in the case of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v)
in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, is so material and adverse as to make it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the public offering or the sale of
and payment for the Offered Securities.
(d) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing
Date, of Slaughter and May, English counsel for the Company, substantially to the effect
that:
(i) The Company is a public limited company duly incorporated under
the laws of England and Wales and is a validly existing company;
14
(ii) If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed
Debt Securities, or Warrants for Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities: the
Company has the corporate power and authority to (a) sign and deliver the
Indenture, this Agreement, the Terms Agreement, the Delayed Delivery Contract, if
any, and the warrant agreement, if any and (b) to exercise its rights and perform
its obligations under the Indenture, the Terms Agreement (including the provisions
of this Agreement), the Delayed Delivery Contract, if any, and the warrant
agreement, if any.
(iii) If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed
Debt Securities: the signature and delivery of the Indenture by the Company and the
exercise of its rights and the performance of its obligations under the Indenture
are not prohibited by any law or regulation applicable to English companies
generally or by the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the
Company.
(iv) No authorization, approval or consent of or registration of or
filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body within the United
Kingdom is required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of this Agreement and the Terms Agreement.
(v) The statements made in the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure
Package under the caption Taxation U.K. Taxation, insofar as they purport to
summarise the material UK tax consequences for a U.S. holder of an investment in
the Offered Securities, fairly summarize the matters therein described.
(vi) If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed
Debt Securities, or Warrants for Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities: (a)
the execution and delivery of the Indenture, and if applicable, the warrant
agreement, have been duly authorized by the Company, and the Indenture and if
applicable the warrant agreement have been duly executed and delivered by the
Company; and (b) on the assumption that the Indenture, and if applicable, the
warrant agreement create valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the parties
under New York law, English law will not prevent any provisions of the Indenture or
the warrant agreement (if applicable) from being valid, binding and
enforceable obligations of the Company; and the choice of New York law to
govern the Indenture or the warrant agreement (if applicable) is, under the laws of
England, a valid choice of law.
(vii) If the Offered Securities are Ordinary Shares: (a) all
necessary corporate action has been taken by the Company to authorise the issue of
the Offered Securities; (b) the Offered Securities have been validly issued and
fully paid and no further contributions in respect of such Offered
15
Securities will
be required to be made to the Company by the holders thereof, by reason solely of
their being such holders.
(viii) If the Offered Securities are Warrants (other than Warrants
described in (ii) above): (a) all necessary corporate action has been taken by the
Company to authorise the signing of the warrant agreements relating to the
Warrants; (b) the terms of the Warrants and of their issuance and sale have been
established in conformity with the Companys Memorandum and Articles of Association
and so as not to violate English law; (c) the warrant agreements and the Warrants
have been duly executed; (d) if the warrant agreements and the Warrants are
expressed to be governed by English law the warrant agreements and the Warrants
constitute valid and binding obligations of the parties under English law.
(ix) The execution and delivery of the Terms Agreement (including
the provisions of this Agreement) and, if the Offered Securities are debt
securities, any Delayed Delivery Contracts have been duly authorized by the
Company, and the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) and,
if the Offered Securities are debt securities, any Delayed Delivery Contracts have
been duly executed and delivered by the Company.
Such opinions shall be subject to customary limitations, reservations and assumptions.
(e) If the Offered Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities, the
Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of De Brauw
Blackstone London B.V., Dutch counsel for the Issuer, substantially to the effect that:
(i) The Issuer has been incorporated and is existing as a private
company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte
aansprakelijkheid) under Dutch law.
(ii) The Issuer has the corporate power to enter into and perform
this Agreement, the Indenture, the Terms Agreement and the Delayed
Delivery Contract, if any, and to issue and perform the Guaranteed Debt
Securities.
(iii) The Issuer has taken all necessary corporate action to
authorise its entry into and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture, the
Terms Agreement and the Delayed Delivery Contract, if any, and its issue and
performance of the Guaranteed Debt Securities.
16
(iv) This Agreement, the Indenture, the Terms Agreement, the
Delayed Delivery Contract, if any, and the Guaranteed Debt Securities have been
validly signed by the Issuer.
(v) Under Dutch law there are no governmental or regulatory
consents, approvals or authorisations required by the Issuer for its entry into and
performance of this Agreement, the Indenture, the Terms Agreement or the Delayed
Delivery Contract, if any, or for its issue and performance of the Guaranteed Debt
Securities.
(vi) Under Dutch law there are no registration, filing or similar
formalities required to ensure the validity, binding effect and enforceability
against the Issuer of this Agreement, the Indenture, the Terms Agreement, the
Delayed Delivery Contract, if any, or the Guaranteed Debt Securities.
(vii) The entry into and performance of this Agreement, the
Indenture, the Terms Agreement or the Delayed Delivery Contract, if any, or the
issue and performance of the Guaranteed Debt Securities, by the Issuer do not
violate Dutch law or the articles of association of the Issuer.
(viii) The choice of New York law as the governing law of this
Agreement, the Indenture, the Terms Agreement, the Delayed Delivery Contract, if
any, and the Guaranteed Debt Securities is recognised and accordingly that law
governs the validity, binding effect on and enforceability against the Issuer of
this Agreement, the Indenture, the Terms Agreement, the Delayed Delivery Contract,
if any, and the Guaranteed Debt Securities.
(ix) Under Dutch law, in proceedings in the New York Courts, New
York law determines the validity, binding effect and enforceability against the
Issuer.
(x) A judgment rendered by a New York court will not be recognized
and enforced by the Dutch courts. However, if a person has obtained a final and
conclusive judgment for the payment of money rendered by a New York court which is
enforceable in New York and files
his claim with the competent Dutch court, the Dutch court will generally give
binding effect to the judgment insofar as it finds that (a) the jurisdiction of the
New York court has been based on grounds which are internationally acceptable, (b)
proper legal procedures have been observed and (c) the judgment does not contravene
Dutch public policy.
(xi) The statements in the Registration Statement under the heading
Taxation Dutch taxation and Enforceability of Certain Civil
17
Liabilities, to
the extent that they are statements as to Dutch law, are correct.
Such opinions shall be subject to customary limitations, reservations and assumptions.
(f) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing
Date, of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, United States counsel for the Company and the Issuer,
substantially to the effect that:
(i) No authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice
to, consent of, order of, or filing with, any United States Federal or New York
governmental authority is required to be made or obtained by the Company or the
Issuer for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting
Agreement and Terms Agreement, other than (i) those that have been obtained or made
under the Securities Act or the Trust Indenture Act, (ii) those that may be
required under the Securities Act in connection with the use of a free writing
prospectus and (iii) those that may be required under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Offered
Securities by the Underwriters.
(ii) The consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement will not contravene any law, rule or
regulation of the United States of the State of New York that, in our experience,
is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions
of the type contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement.
(iii) The statements made in the Final Prospectus and the
Disclosure Package under the caption Taxation U.S. Taxation, insofar as they
purport to describe the material tax consequences of an investment in the Offered
Securities, fairly summarize the matters therein described.
(iv) If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities: (a) assuming
that the Indenture has been duly authorized, and to the extent not a matter of New
York law, executed and delivered by the Company, the Indenture
constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws
affecting creditors rights generally from time to time in effect and to general
principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law); (b) the Offered Securities conform in all material
respects to the description thereof contained in the Final Prospectus and the
Disclosure
18
Package; (c) assuming that the Offered Securities have been duly
authorized, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of
the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement, the Offered Securities will constitute
legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms
(subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally
from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and (d) the
Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
(v) If the Offered Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities: (a)
assuming that the Indenture has been duly authorized, and to the extent not a
matter of New York law, executed and delivered by the Company and the Issuer, the
Indenture constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and the
Issuer enforceable against the Company and the Issuer in accordance with its terms
(subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally
from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); (b) the
Offered Securities conform in all material respects to the description thereof
contained in the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure
Package; (c) assuming that the
Offered Securities have been duly authorized, when executed and authenticated in
accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by
the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement, the
Offered Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the
Issuer and the guarantee of the Offered Securities will constitute a legal, valid
and binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture and enforceable against the Issuer and the Company, respectively, in
accordance with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting
creditors rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles
of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness,
good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law); and (d) the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939.
19
(vi) If the Offered Securities are Ordinary Shares represented by
American Depositary Receipts: (a) assuming that the Deposit Agreement has been duly
authorized, and to the extent not a matter of New York law, executed and delivered
by the Company, the Deposit Agreement constitutes legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally
from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). Insofar as
provisions in the Deposit Agreement provide for indemnification or a limitation of
liability, the enforceability thereof may be limited by public policy
considerations; (b) the statements set forth under the heading Description of
Royal Dutch Shell American Depositary Receipts in the Final Prospectus and the
Disclosure Package, insofar as such statements purport to constitute summaries of
the terms of the ADRs, fairly summarize, in all material respects, the matters
therein described; and (c) assuming that the issuance of the ADRs has been duly
authorized by the Company and the Depositary in accordance with applicable laws and
that the ADRs conform to the form of ADR attached to the Deposit Agreement (which
fact such counsel has not verified by an inspection of the individual ADRs), upon
due issuance by the Depositary of ADRs evidencing ADSs being delivered on the date
hereof against the deposit of Ordinary Shares in respect thereof in accordance with
the provisions of the Deposit Agreement and upon due execution thereof by the
Depositarys authorized officers, the ADRs evidencing such ADSs will be duly and
validly issued and persons in whose names such ADRs are registered will be entitled
to the rights specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement. In expressing the
foregoing opinion, such counsel may assume that (A) the Ordinary Shares represented
by the ADSs which are in turn evidenced by such ADRs have been duly and validly
authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable and any preemptive
rights with respect to such Ordinary Shares have been validly waived or exercised,
(B) the Company
has the full power, authority and legal right to deposit the Ordinary Shares
in accordance with the Deposit Agreement and (C) the Ordinary Shares have been duly
deposited in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, in each case under and in
accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
(vii) If the Offered Securities are Warrants for Debt Securities or
Guaranteed Debt Securities (Debt Warrants): (a) assuming that the debt warrant
agreement has been duly authorized, and to the extent not a matter of New York law,
executed and delivered by the Company, the debt warrant agreement constitutes a
legal, valid and binding obligation of
20
the Company enforceable against the Company
in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting
creditors rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles
of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness,
good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law); and (b) assuming that debt warrant certificates relating to the
Debt Warrants have been duly authorized, and to the extent not a matter of New York
law, executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the relevant
debt warrant agreement and issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration
Statement, such debt warrant certificates will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the relevant debt warrant
agreement and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms
(subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors rights generally
from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(viii) The Registration Statement (and if the Offered Securities
are ADRs, also the Registration Statement on Form F-6 relating to the ADRs (the
ADS Registration Statement)) have become effective under the Securities Act, and,
to our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement (or the ADS Registration Statement, if applicable) has been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or contemplated
under the Securities Act.
(ix) Neither the Company nor the Issuer is required to register as
an investment company as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP will also provide the Representatives with a
statement to the effect that that although such counsel has made certain inquiries
and investigations in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement
(and the ADS Registration Statement, if applicable) and, the Disclosure Package and
the Final Prospectus, the limitations inherent in the role of outside counsel are
such that such counsel cannot and do not assume responsibility for the accuracy or
completeness of the statements made in the Registration Statement (and the ADS
Registration Statement, if applicable) and, the Disclosure Package and the Final
Prospectus, except insofar as such statements relate to such counsel and the
opinions referenced above, as applicable; subject to the foregoing, (a) such
21
counsel confirms, on the basis of information gained in the course of the
performance of the services rendered above, the Registration Statement (and the ADS
Registration Statement, if applicable), at the time it became effective (or was
last amended or deemed to be amended, as applicable), and the Final Prospectus, as
of the date thereof (in each case except for the financial statements and other
information of a statistical, accounting or financial nature included therein, the
Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) included as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and any description of English and Dutch law, as to which such counsel
does not express any view), appeared or appears on its face to be appropriately
responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder; (b) such counsel advises that such counsels work in connection with
this matter did not disclose any information that gave such counsel reason to
believe that the Registration Statement (and the ADS Registration Statement, if
applicable), at the time the Registration Statement (and the ADS Registration
Statement, as applicable) became effective (or was last amended or deemed to be
amended, as applicable), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, or that the Final Prospectus, as of its date
and the Closing Date, or the Disclosure Package, considered together as of the
Applicable Time, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state
a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case except
for the financial statements and other information of an accounting or financial
nature included therein as to which such counsel does not express any view, and
noting that such counsel assumed the correctness of the descriptions of Dutch law
and English law provided by Dutch and English counsel to the Company).
Such opinion and statement shall be subject to customary limitations, reservations
and assumptions.
(g) The Representatives shall have received, if the Offered Securities are
Ordinary Shares represented by ADRs, the opinion of counsel to the Depositary stating that
the Deposit Agreement is a valid and binding obligation of the Depositary and that the ADRs
will be duly and validly issued and will entitle the registered holders the rights
specified in the Deposit Agreement.
(h) The Representatives shall have received from OMelveny & Myers LLP or
such other counsel specified in the Terms Agreement, counsel for the Underwriters, an
opinion incorporating subparagraphs (iii) through (vii), and the final paragraph in (f)
above, dated the Closing Date, and the Company and the
22
Issuer shall have furnished to such
counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such
matters.
(i) The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated the
Closing Date, signed by any one of a director, the Chief Financial Officer, Secretary or
Assistant Secretary of the Company or Group Treasurer or the Head of Financial Markets of
the Shell Group (meaning Royal Dutch Shell plc and those companies in which it either
directly or indirectly has control, by having either a majority of the voting rights or the
right to exercise a controlling influence or to obtain the majority of the benefits and be
exposed to a majority of the risks) (and without personal liability of those persons
signing) in which such officers, to the best of their knowledge after having carefully
examined the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, the Disclosure Package and this
Agreement, shall state that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company and, if
applicable, the Issuer in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the
Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and each of the
Company and the Issuer has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing
Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted
or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Issuer, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus or Disclosure
Package, there has been no material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
other), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Final Prospectus or
Disclosure Package or as described in such certificate.
The Company and the Issuer will furnish the Representatives with such conformed copies of such
opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request. The
Representatives may in their sole discretion waive on behalf of the Underwriters compliance with
any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and the Terms Agreement.
6. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company, and if the Offered
Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities, the Issuer, will indemnify jointly and severally and
hold harmless each Underwriter and the directors, officers and employees of each Underwriter and
each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter, within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange
Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or
23
several, to which they or any of
them may become subject under the Act or the Exchange Act or other U.S. federal or state statutory
law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, the Disclosure
Package, Preliminary Final Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each as amended
or supplemented if the Company or Issuer shall have furnished any amendments or supplements
thereto, or caused by the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made not misleading, and will reimburse each such indemnified party for any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending
any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however,
that the Company, and if the Offered Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities, the Issuer, will
not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises
out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged
omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company or the Issuer by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the
Representatives, if any, specifically for use therein.
(b) Each Underwriter will severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company and the Issuer, each of their directors, officers and employees and each
person, if any, who controls the Company and/or the Issuer within the meaning of the Act or
the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the forgoing indemnity from the Company or the
Issuer to each Underwriter but only with reference to written information furnished to the
Company and/or the Issuer by such Underwriter through the Representatives, if any,
specifically for use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Company and the Issuer in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under subsection (a)
or (b) above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the
failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it
may have under subsection (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially
prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and
provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it
from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under subsection
(a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it
notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be
entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any
24
other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel
reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent
of the indemnified party (not to be unreasonably withheld), be counsel to the indemnifying
party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable to
such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation. Notwithstanding the indemnifying partys election to
appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party
shall have the right to employ a single separate counsel, in addition to a single separate
local counsel, and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and
expenses of such separate counsel, if the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party
to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest.
It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding
or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. An indemnifying
party shall not, without prior written consent of the indemnified parties (such consent not
to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of
any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in
respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not
the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless
such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected
without its written consent but if settled with such consent or if there be a final
judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified
party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b)) above, then
each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and/or the Issuer on
the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Offered Securities
or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law
or is unavailable for any reason, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only
the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the
Company and/or the Issuer on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company
25
and the Issuer on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company and/or the Issuer bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material
fact relates to information supplied by the Company and/or the Issuer or the Underwriters
and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company, Issuer and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined
by pro rata allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations
referred to above. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d)
shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which
is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection
(d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
which the total price at which the Offered Securities underwritten by it and distributed to
the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(e) The obligations of the Company and the Issuer under this Section shall
be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Issuer may otherwise have and
shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director, officer and employee
of, and each person, if any, who controls, any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act or
the Exchange Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section shall be in
addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall
extend, upon the same
terms and conditions, to each director, officer and employee of the Company and the
Issuer and to each person, if any, who controls the Company and the Issuer within the
meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act.
7. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their
obligations to purchase Offered Securities under the Terms Agreement and the aggregate principal
amount (if Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or shares (if
Ordinary Shares) of Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total principal amount (if Debt Securities or
Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or shares (if Ordinary Shares) of Offered
Securities the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their
respective commitments
26
under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement), to
purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase. If
any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate principal amount (if Debt Securities
or Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or shares (if Ordinary Shares) of Offered
Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total principal
amount (if Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or shares (if
Ordinary Shares) of Offered Securities and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives, the
Company and the Issuer for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made
within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of
any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company or the Issuer, except as provided in Section 8. As
used in this Agreement, the term Underwriter includes any person substituted for an Underwriter
under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability, if any,
for its default. If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities, the
respective commitments of the several Underwriters for the purposes of this Section shall be
determined without regard to reduction in the respective Underwriters obligations to purchase the
principal amounts (if Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or
shares (if Ordinary Shares) of the Offered Securities set forth opposite their names in the Terms
Agreement as a result of Delayed Delivery Contracts entered into by the Company and/or the Issuer.
8. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective
indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Issuer, the
Company or its officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to the Terms
Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) will remain in full force and effect,
regardless of any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of
any Underwriter, the Issuer, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or
directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered
Securities. Except where the sale by the Underwriters of the Offered Securities does not occur as a
result of a material default by the Company or the Issuer of it obligations hereunder, if the sale
of the Offered Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 5 hereof is not satisfied or because of any
refusal,
inability or failure on the part of any party to perform any agreement herein or comply with
any provision hereof, each party hereto shall be responsible for all of its own out of pocket
expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred in
connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Offered Securities.
9. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the
Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or faxed and confirmed to them at their address furnished
to the Company or the Issuer in writing for the purpose of communications hereunder or, if sent to
the Company or the Issuer, will be mailed, delivered or faxed and confirmed to them at Carel van
Bylandtlaan 30, 2596 HR The Hague, the Netherlands, telephone: 011 31 70 377 9111, Attention (for
Company): Company Secretary, fax (for
27
Company): 011 31 70 377 3687, Attention (for Issuer): Legal
Corporate, fax (for Issuer): 011 31 70 377 3953, with a copy to Shell Centre, London SE1 7NA,
telephone: +44 207 934 1234, fax: +44 207 934 7770, Attention: Head of Financial Markets (SI-FTF).
10. Successors. The Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement)
will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company, the Issuer and such Underwriters as
are identified in the Terms Agreement and their respective successors and the officers and
directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and no other person will have any right
or obligation hereunder.
11. Representation. Any Representatives will act for the several Underwriters in
connection with the transactions contemplated by the Terms Agreement, and any action under such
Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) taken by the Representatives jointly
or separately will be binding upon all the Underwriters.
12. Counterparts. The Terms Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall
together constitute one and the same Agreement.
13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company and the Issuer each acknowledge and agree that
(a) the purchase and sale of the Offered Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arms-length
commercial transaction between the Company and the Issuer, on the one hand, and the several
Underwriters, on the other, (b) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such
transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the
Company or the Issuer, (c) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in
favor of the Company or the Issuer with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process
leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the
Company or the Issuer on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or the Issuer except
the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (d) each of the Company and the Issuer
have consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The
Company and the Issuer each agree that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has
rendered advisory services of any nature or respect,
or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or the Issuer, in connection with such
transaction or the process leading thereto.
This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral)
between the Company and the Issuer and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the
subject matter hereof.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement and the Terms Agreement shall be governed by,
and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles
of conflicts of laws.
28
The Company and the Issuer hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and
state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising
out of or relating to the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) or the
transactions contemplated thereby.
The Company and the Underwriters irrevocably agree to waive trial by jury in any action,
proceeding, claim or counterclaim brought by or on behalf of any party related to or arising out of
this agreement, any terms agreement or any delayed delivery contract.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
29
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and
return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement
between the Company, the Issuer and the Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
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Royal Dutch Shell plc |
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By
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/s/ Maria Cooper |
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Name:
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Maria Cooper
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As Attorney-in-fact |
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Shell International Finance B.V. |
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By
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/s/ Michael Ashworth |
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Name:
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Michael Ashworth
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As Attorney-in-fact |
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The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby
accepted and agreed to as of the date first above
written.
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Banc of America Securities LLC |
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By
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/s/ James Probert |
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Name:
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James Probert
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Title:
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Managing Director |
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HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. |
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By
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/s/ Richard N. Zobkiw, Jr. |
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Name:
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Richard N. Zobkiw, Jr.
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Title:
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Vice President |
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ANNEX I
(Three copies of this Delayed Delivery Contract should be signed and returned
to the address shown below so as to arrive not later than 9:00 A.M.,
New York time, on , (1))
DELAYED DELIVERY CONTRACT
[Insert date of initial public offering]
Royal Dutch Shell plc
Shell International Finance B.V.
c/o [Representatives]
Gentlemen:
The undersigned hereby agrees to purchase from [Royal Dutch Shell plc, a public company
limited by shares existing under the laws of England and Wales / Shell International Finance B.V.,
a private limited liability company organized under the laws of the Netherlands] (the Company),
and the Company agrees to sell to the undersigned, [If one delayed closing, insertas of the date
hereof, for delivery on , (Delivery Date),]
[$] [shares]
principal amountof the Companys [Insert title of securities] (Securities), offered by the
Companys Prospectus dated , and a Prospectus Supplement dated
, relating thereto, receipt of copies of which is hereby acknowledged, at % of the
principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any,$ per share plus accrued dividends, if
any,and on the further terms and conditions set forth in this Delayed Delivery Contract
(Contract).
[If two or more delayed closings, insert the following:
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(1) |
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Insert date which is third full business day prior to Closing Date under the Terms Agreement. |
A-I-1
The undersigned will purchase from the Company as of the date hereof, for delivery on the
dates set forth below, Securities in theprincipalamounts set forth below:
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Principal Amount |
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of Shares |
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Each of such delivery dates is hereinafter referred to as a Delivery Date.]
Payment for the Securities that the undersigned has agreed to purchase for delivery
ontheeachDelivery Date shall be made to the Company or its order in Federal (same day) funds
by certified or official bank check or wire transfer to an account designated by the Company, at
the office of at A.M. onthesuchDelivery Date upon delivery to the
undersigned of the Securities to be purchased by the undersignedfor delivery on such Delivery
Datein definitive [If debt issue, insertfully registered] form and in such denominations and
registered in such names as the undersigned may designate by written or telegraphic communication
addressed to the Company not less than five full business days prior tothesuchDelivery Date.
It is expressly agreed that the provisions for delayed delivery and payment are for the sole
convenience of the undersigned; that the purchase hereunder of Securities is to be regarded in all
respects as a purchase as of the date of this Contract; that the obligation of the Company to make
delivery of and accept payment for, and the obligation of the undersigned to take delivery of and
make payment for, Securities ontheeachDelivery Date shall be subject only to the conditions
that (1) investment in the Securities shall not atthesuchDelivery Date be prohibited under
the laws of any jurisdiction in the United States to which the undersigned is subject and (2) the
Company shall have sold to the Underwriters the totalprincipal amountnumber of sharesof the
Securities less theprincipal amountnumber of sharesthereof covered by this and other similar
Contracts. The undersigned represents that its investment in the Securities is not, as of the date
hereof, prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction to which the undersigned is subject and which
governs such investment.
Promptly after completion of the sale to the Underwriters the Company will mail or deliver to
the undersigned at its address set forth below notice to such effect, accompanied bya
copycopiesof the opinion[s] of counsel for the Company delivered to the Underwriters in
connection therewith.
A-I-2
This Contract will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their
respective successors, but will not be assignable by either party hereto without the written
consent of the other.
This Contract shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
New York, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws.
It is understood that the acceptance of any such Contract is in the Companys sole discretion
and, without limiting the foregoing, need not be on a first-come, first-served basis. If this
Contract is acceptable to the Company, it is requested that the Company sign the form of acceptance
below and mail or deliver one of the counterparts hereof to the undersigned at its address set
forth below. This will become a binding contract between the Company and the undersigned when such
counterpart is so mailed or delivered.
Yours very truly,
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(Name of Purchaser) |
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By |
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(Title of Signatory)
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(Address of Purchaser)
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Accepted, as of the above date.
[Insert Royal Dutch Shell plc / Shell International Finance B.V.]
A-I-3
ANNEX II
Form of Final Term Sheet
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration No. 333-155201
Pricing Term Sheet
[Date]
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC
SHELL INTERNATIONAL FINANCE B.V.
[Name of Securities]
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Issuer:
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Shell International Finance B.V. |
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Guarantor:
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Royal Dutch Shell plc |
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Title of Securities:
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[ ] |
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Trade Date:
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[ ] |
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Settlement Date (T+[3]):
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[ ] |
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Maturity Date:
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[ ] |
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Aggregate Principal Amount
Offered:
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[$/]l |
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Price to Public (Issue Price):
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l% plus accrued interest, if any, from l, 2007 |
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Interest Rate:
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l% per annum |
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Interest Payment Dates:
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l on each l and l, commencing on l, 2007 |
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Optional Redemption:
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[ ] |
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Joint Bookrunners:
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[ ] |
The Issuer and Guarantor have filed a Registration Statement (including a prospectus) with the
Securities and Exchange Commission for the Offering to which this communication relates. Before
you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the
Issuer or Guarantor has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for more complete
information about the Issuer and this Offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting
EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Issuer, the Guarantor, any
A-II-1
underwriter or any dealer participating in the Offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if
you request it by calling [List Underwriters contact details].
A-II-2
exv5w1
Exhibit
5.1
[On Slaughter and May headed notepaper]
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22 June 2010 |
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The Directors
Royal Dutch Shell plc
Shell Centre
London
SE1 7NA
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Your reference
Our reference
MJXT/DWZB
Direct line
+44 (0)20 7090 3789 |
Dear Sirs,
US$1,000,000,000 Floating Rate Guaranteed Notes due 2012; and
US$1,750,000,000 3.10 per cent. Guaranteed Notes due 2015,
(together, the Notes).
Introduction
1. |
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We have acted as legal advisers to Royal Dutch Shell plc (the Company) as to English law in
connection with the issue of the Notes by Shell International Finance B.V. (Shell Finance),
unconditionally guaranteed by the Company as to the payment of principal and interest pursuant
to an indenture dated 27 June 2006 and made between the Company, Shell Finance and Deutsche
Bank Trust Company Americas (the Indenture). We have taken instructions solely from the
Company. |
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2. |
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This opinion is addressed to the Company and delivered in connection with the registration
statement (No. 333-155201) on Form F-3 as filed with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (the SEC) on 7 November 2008 (the Registration Statement) and the prospectus
supplement relating to the Notes filed with the SEC on 21 June 2010 (the Prospectus
Supplement). We have not been concerned with investigating or verifying the facts set out in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus Supplement. |
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3. |
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For the purposes of this opinion, we have examined copies of each of the following documents: |
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the Indenture; |
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(b) |
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the underwriting agreement dated 21 June 2010 and made between the Company,
Shell Finance, Banc of America Securities LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in
respect of the US$1,000,000,000 Floating Rate Guaranteed Notes |
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due 2012 (the Floating Rate Notes) and the underwriting agreement dated 21 June
2010 and made between the Company, Shell Finance, Banc of America Securities LLC
and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in respect of the US$1,750,000,000 3.10 per cent.
Guaranteed Notes due 2015 (the Fixed Rate Notes) (together, the Underwriting
Agreements); |
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(c) |
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the terms agreement dated 21 June 2010 and made between the Company, Shell
Finance, Banc of America Securities LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. in respect of
the Floating Rate Notes and the terms agreement dated 21 June 2010 and made between
the Company, Shell Finance, Banc of America Securities LLC and HSBC Securities (USA)
Inc. in respect of the Fixed Rate Notes (together, the Terms Agreements); |
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(d) |
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the Registration Statement; |
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(e) |
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the Prospectus Supplement; |
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(f) |
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the pro forma final form of the Floating Rate Notes to be dated on or about
24 June 2010 and the pro forma final form of the Fixed Rate Notes to be dated on or
about 28 June 2010; |
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(g) |
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a certificate of the Assistant Company Secretary of the Company dated 22
March 2007 and the documents annexed thereto; |
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(h) |
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a certificate of the Assistant Company Secretary of the Company dated 21 June
2010 and the documents annexed thereto; and |
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(i) |
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the entries shown on the CH Direct print out obtained by us from the
Companies House database on the date hereof of the file of the Company maintained at
Companies House (the Company Search). |
4. |
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We have not been involved in the preparation or the negotiation of the Indenture, the
Underwriting Agreements, the Terms Agreements or the Notes and our role has been limited to
the writing of this opinion. |
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5. |
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This opinion sets out our opinion on certain matters of English law as at todays date. We
have not made any investigation of, and do not express any opinion on, any other law. This
opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. |
Assumptions
6. |
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For the purposes of this opinion, we have assumed each of the following: |
Page 2/Royal Dutch Shell plc/22 June 2010
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(a) |
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all signatures are genuine; |
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(b) |
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the conformity to original documents of all copy (including electronic copy)
documents examined by us; |
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(c) |
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the Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the parties thereto in
the form examined by us; |
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(d) |
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the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to the Indenture
(other than the Company) to execute, deliver and exercise its rights and perform its
obligations under the Indenture; |
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(e) |
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the accuracy and completeness of the statements made in the certificates of
the Assistant Company Secretary of the Company referred to in paragraphs 3(g) and (h)
above; |
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(f) |
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(i) the information disclosed by the Company Search and by our telephone
search at the Central Registry of Winding-Up Petitions on the date hereof in relation
to the Company (the Telephone Search) was then complete, accurate and up to date and
has not since then been altered or added to; (ii) no application has been made or
petition presented to a court, and no order has been made by a court, for the
winding-up or administration of the Company, and no step has been taken to strike off
or dissolve the Company; (iii) the Company has not made any proposal for a voluntary
arrangement or obtained a moratorium under Part I of the Insolvency Act 1986 (as
amended); (iv) the Company has not given any notice in relation to or passed any
voluntary winding-up resolution; (v) no liquidator, administrator, receiver,
administrative receiver, trustee in bankruptcy or similar officer has been appointed
in relation to the Company or any of its assets or revenues, and no notice has been
given or filed in relation to the appointment of such an officer; (vi) the Company
Search and the Telephone Search did not fail to disclose any information relevant for
the purposes of this opinion; and (vii) no insolvency proceedings or analogous
procedures have been commenced in any jurisdiction outside of England and Wales in
relation to the Company or any of its assets or revenues. |
|
|
|
|
It should be noted that information required to be filed with the Registrar of
Companies or the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions is not in all cases
required to be filed immediately and, once filed, the information may not be made
publicly available immediately (or at all). Furthermore, information filed with a
District Registry or County Court may not, and in the case of administrations will
not, become publicly available at the Central Registry of Winding-up Petitions.
However, the certificate of the Assistant Company Secretary referred to in
paragraph 3(h) above confirms that to the Assistant Company Secretarys knowledge,
no such event had occurred as at the date hereof; |
Page 3/Royal Dutch Shell plc/22 June 2010
|
(g) |
|
the Indenture will constitute valid, binding and enforceable obligations of
the parties thereto under the laws of the State of New York (New York law) by which
law the Indenture is expressed to be governed; |
|
|
(h) |
|
no law of any jurisdiction outside England and Wales would render the
execution, authentication, delivery or issue of the Indenture illegal, ineffective or
contrary to public policy and that, insofar as any obligation under the Indenture is
performed in, or is otherwise subject to, any jurisdiction other than England and
Wales, its performance will not be illegal, ineffective or contrary to public policy
by virtue of the law of that jurisdiction; |
|
|
(i) |
|
the Indenture was entered into by the Company in good faith and in
furtherance of the Companys objects under its Memorandum of Association and is in the
best interests and to the advantage of the Company; |
|
|
(j) |
|
the Indenture has the same meaning and effect as if it were governed by
English law; and |
|
|
(k) |
|
since 27 June 2006, no amendments have been made to the Indenture which
continues in full force and effect as at the date hereof. |
Opinion
7. |
|
Based on and subject to the foregoing and to the reservations below, and subject to any
matters not disclosed to us, we are of the opinion that: |
|
(a) |
|
the Company is a public company limited by shares duly incorporated under the
laws of England and Wales and is a validly existing company; |
|
|
(b) |
|
the Indenture has been duly authorised by the Company; |
|
|
(c) |
|
the signing and delivery of the Indenture by the Company and the exercise of
its rights and the performance of its obligations under the Indenture is not
prohibited by the Memorandum of Association or the Articles of Association of the
Company; |
|
|
(d) |
|
on the assumption that the Indenture creates valid and binding obligations of
the parties under New York law, English law will not prevent any provision of the
Indenture from being valid and binding obligations of the Company; |
|
|
(e) |
|
the statements made in the Base Prospectus under the caption Taxation U.K.
Taxation when read together with the statements made in the Prospectus Supplement
under the caption Taxation, insofar as they purport to summarise |
Page 4/Royal Dutch Shell plc/22 June 2010
|
|
|
the material U.K. tax consequences for a U.S. holder of an investment in the
Notes, fairly summarise the matters therein described; and |
|
|
(f) |
|
the statements in the Registration Statement in the third, fourth and fifth
paragraphs of the section headed Enforceability of Certain Civil Liabilities,
insofar as they refer to statements of law or legal conclusions, in all material
respects present fairly the information shown. |
Reservations
8. |
|
Our opinion is qualified by the following reservations: |
|
(a) |
|
undertakings, covenants and indemnities contained in the Indenture may not be
enforceable before an English court insofar as they purport to require payment or
reimbursement of the costs of any unsuccessful litigation brought before an English
court; |
|
|
(b) |
|
insofar as any obligation under the Indenture is to be performed in any
jurisdiction other than England and Wales, an English court may have to have regard to
the law of that jurisdiction in relation to the manner of performance and the steps to
be taken in the event of defective performance; |
|
|
(c) |
|
we express no opinion as to whether specific performance, injunctive relief
or any other form of equitable remedy would be available in respect of any obligation
of the Company under or in respect of the Indenture; |
|
|
(d) |
|
the obligations of the Company under or in respect of the Indenture will be
subject to any law from time to time in force relating to insolvency, liquidation or
administration or any other law or legal procedure affecting generally the enforcement
of creditors rights; |
|
|
(e) |
|
in our opinion, under English law there is doubt as to the enforceability in
the United Kingdom, in original actions or in actions for enforcement of judgments of
United States courts, of liabilities predicated upon United States Federal or State
securities laws; |
|
|
(f) |
|
the searches referred to in paragraph 6(f) above may not reveal whether
insolvency proceedings or analogous procedures have been commenced in jurisdictions
outside England and Wales; and |
|
|
(g) |
|
our opinions in paragraphs 7(e) and 7(f) above are based upon existing
statutory, regulatory and judicial authority, all of which may be changed at any time
with |
Page 5/Royal Dutch Shell plc/22 June 2010
|
|
|
retrospective effect. Any change in applicable laws or the facts and circumstances
surrounding the offering of the Notes, or any inaccuracy in the statements upon
which we have relied, may affect the continuing validity of our opinions in
paragraphs 7(e) and 7(f) above. We assume no responsibility to inform you of any
such change or inaccuracy that may occur or come to our attention. |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. This
opinion is being provided to the Company in connection with the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus Supplement and may not be reproduced, quoted, summarised or relied upon by any other
person or for any other purpose without our express written consent.
|
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Yours faithfully,
|
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|
/s/ Slaughter and May
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Page 6/Royal Dutch Shell plc/22 June 2010
Exhibit 5.2
Exhibit 5.2
[Letterhead of]
CRAVATH, SWAINE & MOORE LLP
[New York Office]
June 22, 2010
Shell International Finance B.V.
Royal Dutch Shell plc
3.10% Guaranteed Notes due 2015
Floating Rate Guaranteed Notes due 2012
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Shell International Finance B.V., a limited liability company
incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands (the Company), and Royal Dutch Shell plc, a public
company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the Guarantor), in connection with the
public offering and sale by the Company of $1,750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.10%
Guaranteed Notes due 2015 (the 2015 Notes) and $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
Floating Rate Guaranteed Notes due 2012 (the 2012 Floating Rate Notes, and together with the 2015
Notes, the Notes, and the unconditional guarantee as to the payments of principal and interest on
the Notes by the Guarantor, the Guarantees) to be issued under an Indenture (the Indenture),
dated as of June 27, 2006, among the Company, the Guarantor and Deutsche Bank Trust Company
Americas, as trustee (the Trustee).
In that connection, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to
our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records and other instruments as we have deemed
necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion, including the Indenture and the Registration
Statement on Form F-3 (Registration No. 333-155201) (the Registration Statement) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) relating to the registration under the
Securities Act of various securities of the Company.
As to various questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon representations
of officers or directors of the Company and the Guarantor and documents furnished to us by the
Company and the Guarantor without independent verification of their accuracy. We have also assumed
(a) the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as
copies and (b) that the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and
represents a legal, valid and binding obligation of, the Trustee.
Based on the foregoing, we are of opinion that, assuming that the Notes to be issued by the
Company have been duly authorized and executed by the Company, and, when the Notes are
authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered and paid for as
contemplated in the Registration Statement, as amended, the Notes and the Guarantees will
constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company and the Guarantor, as applicable,
enforceable against the Company and the Guarantor in accordance with their terms and entitled to
the benefits of the Indenture (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, fraudulent transfer or other laws affecting creditors rights generally from time to
time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of
materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether such enforceability
is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
We are admitted to practice in the State of New York and we express no opinion as to matters
governed by any laws other than the laws of the State of New York and the Federal laws of the
United States of America. In particular, we do not purport to pass on any matter governed by the
laws of England and Wales or The Netherlands. For purposes of our opinion, we have assumed that
(i) the Guarantor has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing company under the laws of
England and Wales and (ii) the Indenture and Notes have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Guarantor. With respect to all matters of English law, we note that you are being
provided with the opinion, dated the date hereof, of Slaughter and May, English counsel to the
Guarantor. For purposes of our opinion, we have also assumed that (i) the Company has been duly
incorporated and is a validly existing company under the laws of The Netherlands and (ii) the
Indenture and the Notes have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. With
respect to all matters of Dutch law, we note that you are being provided with the opinion, dated
the date hereof, of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek London N.V., Dutch counsel to the Guarantor and
the Company.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the Commission) as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference
to our firm under the caption Legal Matters in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
Supplement related to the offering of the Notes, dated June 21, 2010. In giving this consent, we do
not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Royal Dutch Shell plc
Shell International Finance B.V.
Carel van Bylandtlaan 30
2596 HR
The Hague
The Netherlands
exv5w3
Exhibit 5.3
|
|
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Advocaten
Notarissen
Belastingadviseurs |
|
|
|
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|
|
|
To
|
|
5th Floor East Wing |
Shell International Finance B.V.
|
|
10 King William Street |
Carel van Bylandtlaan 30
|
|
London EC4N 7TW |
2596 HR Den Haag |
|
|
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T +44 20 7337 3510
F +44 20 7337 3520 |
|
|
|
Date 22 June 2010
|
|
E. Meyer Swantee |
|
|
advocaat |
Our ref. M8697332/1/91005108/RvtH |
|
|
Dear Sir/Madam,
Shell International Finance B.V. (the Issuer)
USD 1,750,000,000 3.10% Notes due 2015
USD 1,000,000,000 Floating Rate Notes due 2012
(together the Notes)
guaranteed by the Guarantor
1 |
|
Introduction |
|
|
|
My partner Niek Biegman has acted as Dutch legal adviser (advocaat) to the Issuer in
connection with the Registration by the Issuer and the Guarantor with the SEC of (i)
senior debt securities and (ii) subordinated debt securities which may be issued by the
Issuer and which will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor and (iii)
senior and subordinated debt securities, warrants, class A ordinary shares and class B
ordinary shares which may be issued by the Guarantor. |
|
|
|
In addition, I act as Dutch legal adviser (advocaat) to the Issuer in connection with the
issue by it of the Notes. |
|
|
|
Certain terms used in this opinion are defined in the Annex (Definitions). |
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek London is a branch of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek London
B.V., registered with the Commercial Register in The Hague, The Netherlands under no.
27172367; registered with the Companies Register in England & Wales under Branch number
BR4545.
2 |
|
Dutch Law |
|
|
|
This opinion is limited to Dutch law in effect on the date of this opinion. It (including
all terms used in it) is to be construed in accordance with Dutch law. |
|
3 |
|
Scope of Inquiry |
|
|
|
For the purpose of this opinion, I have examined the following documents: |
|
3.1 |
|
A copy of: |
|
(a) |
|
each Agreement signed by the Issuer; |
|
|
(b) |
|
the Form of Security; |
|
|
(c) |
|
the Registration Statement, including the Prospectus (excluding the
documents incorporated into it by reference and any exhibits to it); |
|
|
(d) |
|
the Supplement; and |
|
|
(e) |
|
the Free Writing Prospectus. |
|
(a) |
|
the Issuers deed of incorporation and its articles of association, as
provided to me by the Chamber of Commerce; and |
|
|
(b) |
|
the Trade Register Extract. |
3.3 |
|
A copy of each Corporate Resolution. |
|
3.4 |
|
A copy of the Power of Attorney. |
|
|
|
In addition, I have obtained the following confirmation given on the date of this opinion: |
|
3.5 |
|
Confirmation by telephone from the Chamber of Commerce that the Trade Register Extract is up
to date. |
3.6
|
(a) |
|
Confirmation by telephone from the court registry of the District Court of
the place where the Issuer has its corporate seat, derived from that Courts
Insolvency Register; and |
Our ref. M8697332/1/91005108/RvtH
2 / 15
|
(b) |
|
confirmation through www.rechtspraak.nl, derived from the segment for EU
registrations of the Central Insolvency Register; |
|
|
in each case that the Issuer is not registered as being subject to Insolvency Proceedings. |
|
|
|
I have not examined any document, and do not express an opinion on, or on any reference
to, any document other than the documents referred to in this paragraph 3. My examination
has been limited to the text of the documents and I have not investigated the meaning and
effect of any document governed by a law other than Dutch law under that other law. |
|
4 |
|
Assumptions |
|
|
|
For the purpose of this opinion, I have made the following assumptions: |
4.1
|
(a) |
|
Each copy document conforms to the original and each original is genuine
and complete. |
|
|
(b) |
|
Each signature is the genuine signature of the individual concerned. |
|
|
(c) |
|
Each confirmation referred to in this opinion is true. |
|
|
(d) |
|
Each Agreement has been or will have been entered into, and all Notes have
been or will have been issued, in the form referred to in this opinion and the Terms
and Conditions conform to the terms and conditions in the Indenture in all material
respects. The Registration Statement has been or will have been filed with the SEC,
in the form referred to in this opinion. |
4.2
|
(a) |
|
Each Corporate Resolution has been validly passed and remains in full force
and effect without modification. Each extract from minutes is a true and complete
record of the proceedings described in it in a duly convened, constituted, and
quorate meeting. |
|
|
(b) |
|
There is no works council whose advice on the Companys entry into the
Agreements or the issue and performance of Notes must be sought pursuant to the Works
Councils Act (Wet op de ondernemingsraden). |
4.3
|
(a) |
|
Each Agreement is within the capacity and powers of, and has or will |
Our ref. M8697332/1/91005108/RvtH
3 / 15
|
|
|
have
been validly authorised and entered into by, each party other than the Issuer. |
|
|
(b) |
|
Where required, the Notes have been or will have been validly authenticated
in accordance with the Indenture. |
|
|
(c) |
|
The Power of Attorney: |
|
(i) |
|
has been signed on behalf of the Issuer by two of its
managing directors; and |
|
|
(ii) |
|
remains in full force and effect without modification; |
|
|
|
and no rule of law which under the 1978 The Hague Convention on the Law
applicable to Agency applies or may be applied to the existence and extent of the
authority of any person authorised to sign any Agreement on behalf of the Issuer
under the Power of Attorney, adversely affects the existence and extent of that
authority as expressed in the Power of Attorney. |
|
|
(d) |
|
Each Agreement and the Notes have been signed on behalf of the Issuer by
two of its managing directors or, in case of the Fixed Rate Terms Agreement, the
Floating Rate Terms Agreement, the Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement or the Floating
Rate Underwriting Agreement by a person authorised to do so under the Power of
Attorney. |
|
|
(e) |
|
All Notes have been or will have been signed on behalf of the Issuer,
manually or, with the approval of the managing directors concerned, in facsimile by
its managing directors in accordance with its articles of association. |
4.4 |
|
Under New York law by which each Agreement and the Notes are expressed to be governed when
validly signed by all the parties, each Agreement and the Notes are valid, binding on and
enforceable against each party. |
4.5
|
(a) |
|
The Notes have been, are and will be offered to the public (aangeboden aan
het publiek) in the Netherlands in accordance with the FMSA. |
|
|
(b) |
|
At the time when it disposed or disposes of the Notes in the context of
the offer of the Notes, the Issuer did or does not possess inside information
(voorwetenschap) in respect of the Issuer, the Guarantor or the trade in the
Notes. |
Our ref. M8697332/1/91005108/RvtH
4 / 15
4.6 |
|
None of the Notes qualify as game or wager (spel en weddingschap) within the meaning of
Section 7A:1825 Civil Code, CC) and no issue of Notes falls within the scope of the Games
and Chance Act (Wet op de kansspelen). |
|
4.7 |
|
The Issuer complies with Section 3:2 FMSA and therefore does not require a banking licence
pursuant to that Act. |
|
4.8 |
|
No Notes will be issued exceeding the aggregate maximum amount of USD 15,000,000,000 under
the Registration and/or the Debt Programme taken together. |
|
4.9 |
|
The Agreements and each transaction entered into pursuant to them have been entered into on
an arms length basis. |
|
5 |
|
Opinion |
|
|
|
Based on the documents and confirmations referred to and the assumptions made in
paragraphs 3 and 4 and subject to the qualifications in paragraph 6 and to any matters not
disclosed to me, I am of the following opinion: |
|
5.1 |
|
The Issuer has been incorporated and exists as a private company with limited liability
(besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid). |
5.2
|
(a) |
|
The Issuer has the corporate power to enter into and perform each Agreement
and to issue and perform the Notes. |
|
|
(b) |
|
The Issuer has taken all necessary corporate action to authorise its entry
into and performance of each Agreement and its issue and performance of the Notes. |
|
|
(c) |
|
The Issuer has validly signed each Agreement and the Notes. |
5.3 |
|
The entry into and performance of each Agreement and the issue and performance of the Notes,
by the Issuer do not violate Dutch law or the Issuers articles of association. |
|
5.4 |
|
The choice of New York law as the governing law of each Agreement and the Notes is recognised
and accordingly that law governs the validity, binding effect on and enforceability against
the Issuer of each Agreement and the Notes. |
Our ref. M8697332/1/91005108/RvtH
5 / 15
5.5 |
|
The statements in the Prospectus as supplemented by the Supplement under the heading
Taxation Dutch taxation and Enforceability of Certain Civil Liabilities, to the extent
that they are statements as to Dutch law, are correct. |
|
6 |
|
Qualifications |
|
|
|
This opinion is subject to the following qualifications: |
|
6.1 |
|
This opinion is subject to any limitations arising from bankruptcy, suspension of payments,
emergency measures, (other) Insolvency Proceedings or other laws relating to or affecting the
rights of creditors. |
|
6.2 |
|
Notwithstanding the recognition of New York law as the governing law of the Indenture and the
Notes: |
|
(a) |
|
effect may be given to the law of another jurisdiction with which the
situation has a close connection, insofar as, under the law of that jurisdiction,
that law is mandatory irrespective of the governing law of the Indenture or the
Notes, as applicable; |
|
|
(b) |
|
Dutch law will be applied insofar as it is mandatory irrespective of the
governing law of the Indenture or the Notes, as applicable; |
|
|
(c) |
|
the application of New York law may be refused if it is manifestly
incompatible with Dutch public policy; and |
|
|
(d) |
|
regard will be given to the law of the jurisdiction in which performance
takes place in relation to the manner of performance and the steps to be taken in the
event of defective performance. |
6.3 |
|
The recognition of New York law as the governing law of the Fixed Rate Terms Agreement, the
Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement, the Floating Rate Terms Agreement and the Floating Rate
Underwriting Agreement: |
|
(a) |
|
will not prejudice the application of provisions of Dutch law which cannot
be derogated from by agreement, if all elements relevant to the situation at the time
when the Fixed Rate Terms Agreement, the Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement, the
Floating Rate Terms Agreement or the Floating Rate Underwriting Agreement was entered
into (other than the choice of New York law as the governing law of the Fixed Rate
Terms Agreement, the Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement, the Floating Rate Terms
Agreement or the Floating Rate Underwriting Agreement, as applicable) are located in
the Netherlands; |
Our ref. M8697332/1/91005108/RvtH
6 / 15
|
(b) |
|
will not prejudice the provisions of the law of the European Community (where
appropriate as implemented in the Netherlands) which cannot be derogated from by
agreement if all elements relevant to the situation at the time when the Fixed Rate
Terms Agreement, the Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement, the Floating Rate Terms
Agreement or the Floating Rate Underwriting Agreement was entered into (other than
the choice of New York law as the governing law of the Fixed Rate Terms Agreement,
the Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement, the Floating Rate Terms Agreement or the
Floating Rate Underwriting Agreement, as applicable) are located in one or more
Member States of the European Union; |
|
|
(c) |
|
|
|
(i) |
|
will not restrict the application of the overriding
provisions of Dutch law; and |
|
|
(ii) |
|
will not prevent that effect be given to the overriding
provisions of the law of the jurisdiction where obligations arising out of
the Fixed Rate Terms Agreement, the Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement, the
Floating Rate Terms Agreement or the Floating Rate Underwriting Agreement,
as applicable, have to be or have been performed, insofar as those
provisions render the performance unlawful; |
|
|
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(and for this purpose overriding provisions are provisions the respect for
which is regarded as crucial by a jurisdiction for safeguarding its public
interests to such an extent that they are applicable to any situation falling
within their scope, irrespective of the law otherwise applicable to an
agreement); |
|
|
(d) |
|
will not prevent that the application of New York law be refused if it is
manifestly incompatible with Dutch public policy (ordre public); and |
|
|
(e) |
|
will not prevent that in relation to the manner of performance and the
steps to be taken in the event of defective performance, regard shall be had to the
law of the jurisdiction in which performance takes place. |
6.4 |
|
The enforcement in the Netherlands of each Agreement and the Notes and of foreign judgments
is subject to Dutch rules of civil procedure. |
|
6.5 |
|
The enforceability of each Agreement and the Notes may be limited under the 1977 Sanction Act
(Sanctiewet 1977) or otherwise by international sanctions. |
Our ref. M8697332/1/91005108/RvtH
7 / 15
6.6 |
|
A final judgment in respect of the Agreements and the Notes, rendered by a court of another
country in favour of a party to the Agreements, or any holder of a Note against the Issuer,
will be recognized and enforced by the Dutch courts subject to the conditions and limitations
of a convention or treaty on the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and
commercial matters between such country and the Netherlands and subject to the rules and
regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. |
|
6.7 |
|
In the absence of an applicable convention between the United States of America and the
Netherlands providing for reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and
commercial matters, a judgment rendered by a U.S. court in favour of a party to the Agreements
or any holder of a Note against the Issuer will not be recognised and enforced by the Dutch
courts; in order to obtain a judgment which is enforceable against the Dutch Issuer in the
Netherlands, such party will have to file its claim against the Issuer with the competent
Netherlands court and may submit in the course of the proceedings the final judgment which has
been rendered in the Unites States; if the Dutch court finds that the jurisdiction of the
court in the United States has been based on grounds which are internationally acceptable and
that proper legal procedures haven been observed, the Dutch court would, in principle, give
binding effect to the final judgment which has been rendered in the United States unless such
judgment contravened Netherlands principles of public policy. |
|
6.8 |
|
To the extent that Dutch law applies, any provision that the holder of a Note may be treated
as its absolute owner may not be enforceable under all circumstances. |
|
6.9 |
|
To the extent that Dutch law applies, title to a Note may not pass if (i) the Note is not
delivered (geleverd) in accordance with Dutch law, (ii) the transferor does not have the power
to pass on title (beschikkingsbevoegdheid) to the Note, or (iii) the transfer of title is not
made pursuant to a valid title of transfer (geldige titel). |
|
6.10 |
|
To the extent that Dutch law applies, a power of attorney (including a proxy) (a) does not
preclude the principal from performing the legal acts covered by the power of attorney and (b)
can be made irrevocable only (i) insofar as it has been granted for the purpose of performing
a legal act in the interest of the authorised person or a third party, and (ii) subject to any
amendments made or limitations imposed by the courts on serious grounds (gewichtige redenen). |
|
6.11 |
|
To the extent that the Indenture, the Notes or the Terms and Conditions are general
conditions within the meaning of Section 6:231 CC, a holder of a Note may nullify
(vernietigen) a provision therein if (i) the Issuer has not offered the |
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|
|
holder a reasonable opportunity to examine the Terms and Conditions, or (ii) the
provision, having regard to all relevant circumstances, is unreasonably onerous to the
holder. A provision in general conditions as referred to in Section 6:236 CC is deemed to
be unreasonably onerous, irrespective of the circumstances, if the holder of a Note is a
natural person not acting in the conduct of a profession or trade. The provisions in
Sections 5.02 and 5.03 of the Indenture might fall within the scope of Section 6:236 CC. |
|
6.12 |
|
If any Note has been signed on behalf of the Issuer (manually or in facsimile) by a person
who is on the signing date, but ceases to be before the date of the Note and its
authentication and issue, a duly authorised representative of the Issuer, enforcement of the
Note in a Dutch court may require that the holder of the Note submit a copy of the Indenture. |
|
6.13 |
|
To the extent that Dutch law applies, the provisions in the Indenture to the effect that in
any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and also proceedings in which a declaratory judgment
of a court may be sought as to the interpretation or construction of any provision of the
Indenture to which the Trustee shall be a party), the Trustee shall be held to represent all
the Holders (as defined therein) of the Notes to which such proceedings relate, and that it
shall not be necessary to make any Holders of such Notes parties to any such proceedings, may
not be enforceable. |
|
6.14 |
|
To the extent that Dutch law applies, the provisions in the Indenture to the effect that no
Holder (as defined therein) of any Note of any series shall have the right by virtue or by
availing of any provision of the Indenture to institute any action or proceeding at law or in
equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise upon or under or with respect to the Indenture, or for
the appointment of an administrator, bewindvoerder, receiver, liquidator, curator,
sequestrator, trustee or other similar officer or for any other remedy under the Indenture,
unless such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice as further
provided in the Indenture, may not be enforceable under all circumstances. |
|
6.15 |
|
In proceedings in a Dutch court for the enforcement of any Agreement or the Notes the court
may mitigate amounts due in respect of litigation and collection costs. |
|
6.16 |
|
Under Dutch law any trust to which the Convention on the Law applicable to Trusts and their
Recognition 1985 (the Trust Convention) applies, will be recognised subject to the Trust
Convention. Any trust to which the Trust Convention does not apply may not be recognised. |
|
6.17 |
|
|
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(a) |
|
An extract from the Trade Register does not provide conclusive |
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|
|
evidence that the facts set out in it are correct. However, under the 2007 Trade
Register Act (Handelsregisterwet 2007), subject to limited exceptions, a legal
entity or partnership cannot invoke the incorrectness or incompleteness of its
Trade Register registration against third parties who were unaware of the
incorrectness or incompleteness. |
|
|
(b) |
|
A confirmation derived from an Insolvency Register does not provide
conclusive evidence that an entity is not subject to Insolvency Proceedings. |
6.18 |
|
I do not express any opinion on: |
|
(a) |
|
the validity of any lien as security of the Notes of one or more series of
any property or assets as contemplated by Section 7.07 of the Indenture for whatever
purpose contemplated by the said section of the Indentures or any (other) rights in
rem; |
|
|
(b) |
|
any taxation matters, except for paragraph 5.5. |
7 |
|
Reliance |
|
|
|
This opinion is addressed to and may be relied upon by the Issuer for the purpose of the
Registration of the Notes and not by any other person or for any other purpose. In relying
on this confirmation letter, the Issuer agrees that: |
|
(a) |
|
(other than as set out below) it shall not supply this opinion, or disclose
its contents or existence, to any person for any purpose; and |
|
|
(b) |
|
only De Brauw shall have any liability in connection with this opinion, the
agreement in this paragraph 7 and all liability and other matters relating to this
opinion shall be governed exclusively by Dutch law and the Dutch courts shall have
exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute relating to this opinion. |
|
(i) |
|
file this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; and |
|
|
(ii) |
|
refer to De Brauw under the headings Enforceability of Certain Civil
Liabilities, Taxation- Dutch Taxation and Legal Matters in the Prospectus as
supplemented by the Supplement. |
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|
|
The previous paragraph is no admittance from me (or De Brauw) that I am (or De Brauw is)
in the category of persons whose consent for the filing and reference in that paragraph is
required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or any rules or regulations of the SEC
promulgated under it. |
Yours faithfully,
De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek London B.V.
Ernest Meyer Swantee
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Annex Definitions
Part 1 General
In this opinion:
Agreements is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
CC means the Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek).
Chamber of Commerce means the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (kamer van koophandel en
fabrieken) of the place where the Issuer has its corporate seat.
Corporate Resolution is defined in part 2 (Issuer) of this Annex.
De Brauw means De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek London B.V.
Debt Programme means the USD 25,000,000,000 debt securities programme under which Royal
Dutch Shell plc and the Issuer act as issuers and the Guarantor acts as a guarantor.
Fixed Rate Terms Agreement is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
Floating Rate Terms Agreement is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
Floating Rate Underwriting Agreement is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this
Annex.
FMSA means the Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).
Form of Security means the form of global security for the Notes of the Issuer filed as
Exhibit 4.7 with the Registration Statement.
Free Writing Prospectus is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
Guarantor means Royal Dutch Shell plc.
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Indenture is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
Insolvency Proceedings means insolvency proceedings as defined in Article 2(a) of
Council Regulation (EC) No 1346/2000 of 29 May 2000 on insolvency proceedings.
Issuer is defined in part 2 (Issuer) of this Annex.
New York law means the laws of the State of New York.
Notes means the (i) USD 1,750,000,000 3.10% Notes due 2015 and (ii) USD 1,000,000,000
Floating Rate Notes due 2012 and includes, where the context permits:
(a) |
|
the Notes in all forms referred to in this opinion and the coupons
pertaining to the Notes in definitive form; and |
|
(b) |
|
the Terms and Conditions. |
Power of Attorney is defined in part 2 (Issuer) of this Annex.
Prospectus is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
Registration means the registration of the Securities with the SEC under the Securities
Act.
Registration Statement means the registration statement on form F-3 dated 7 November
2008 in relation to the Registration (excluding any documents incorporated by reference in
it and any exhibits to it).
SEC means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities Act means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Supplement is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
Terms and Conditions is defined in part 3 (Issue Documents) of this Annex.
Trade Register Extract is defined in part 2 (Issuer) of this Annex.
Underwriters means the Underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement.
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Part 2 Issuer
In this opinion:
Corporate Resolution means each of:
(a) |
|
a written resolution of the Issuers managing board dated 31 May 2005; |
|
(b) |
|
a supplemental written resolution of the Issuers managing board dated May
2006; |
|
(c) |
|
a written resolution of the Issuers managing board (directie) with the
heading Memorandum to the Board of Management of Shell International Finance B.V.,
which is dated 5 November 2008; and |
|
(d) |
|
a board resolution of the Issuers managing board headed Memorandum to the
Board of Management of Shell International Finance B.V. signed by all managing
directors of the Issuer and dated 29 January 2010. |
Issuer means Shell International Finance B.V., with corporate seat in The Hague.
Power of Attorney means a power of attorney granted by the Issuer to Cheryl Sunderland,
Maria Cooper, Nick Wakefield, Karin Hawkins and Michael Ashworth and dated 11 March 2010.
Trade Register Extract means a Trade Register extract relating to the Issuer provided by
the Chamber of Commerce and dated 14 June 2010.
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Part 3 Issue Documents
In this opinion:
Agreements means the Indenture, the Fixed Rate Terms Agreement, the Fixed Rate
Underwriting Agreement, the Floating Rate Terms Agreement and the Floating Rate
Underwriting Agreement.
Fixed Rate Terms Agreement means a terms agreement dated 21 June 2010 in connection with
the USD 1,750,000,000 3.10% Notes due 2015 between the Issuer, the Guarantor and the
Underwriters.
Fixed Rate Underwriting Agreement means an underwriting agreement in connection with the
USD 1,750,000,000 3.10% Notes due 2015 dated 21 June 2010 between the Issuer, the
Guarantor and the Underwriters.
Floating Rate Terms Agreement means a terms agreement in connection with the USD
1,000,000,000 Floating Rate Notes due 2012 dated 21 June 2010 between the Issuer, the
Guarantor and the Underwriters.
Floating Rate Underwriting Agreement means an underwriting agreement in connection with
the USD 1,000,000,000 Floating Rate Notes due 2012 dated 21 June 2010 between the Issuer,
the Guarantor and the Underwriters.
Free Writing Prospectus means the pricing term sheets for the Notes, filed as a Free
Writing Prospectus with the SEC on 21 June 2010.
Indenture means an indenture dated 27 June 2006 for senior debt securities between the
Issuer, the Guarantor and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas as trustee and includes the
terms and conditions of the notes to be issued under the Registration.
Prospectus means the prospectus dated 7 November 2008 for the Notes on Form F-3 relating
to the Registration.
Supplement means a preliminary prospectus supplement to the Prospectus dated 21 June
2010.
Terms and Conditions means the terms and conditions of the Notes.
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