As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 20, 2005

Registration No. 333-

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

FORM F-3

Please send copies of all communications to:

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the Registration Statement becomes effective.

     If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o

     If any of the securities being registered on this form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), please check the following box. þ

     If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

     If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o

     If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434 under the Securities Act, please check the following box. o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

     The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

Subject to completion, dated July 20, 2005

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

U.S.$10,000,000,000

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES
WARRANTS
CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES
CLASS B ORDINARY SHARES

SHELL INTERNATIONAL FINANCE B.V.

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES
SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC

     Royal Dutch Shell plc (“Royal Dutch Shell”) may use this prospectus to offer from time to time senior or subordinated debt securities, warrants or Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares, directly or in the form of American Depositary Receipts. Shell International Finance B.V. (“Shell Finance”) may use this prospectus to offer from time to time senior or subordinated debt securities fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Royal Dutch Shell. Royal Dutch Shell’s Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are admitted to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority (“UKLA”) and to trading on the market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange under the symbols “RDSA” and “RDSB”, respectively, and listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam N.V. under the symbols “RDSA” and “RDSB”, respectively. Royal Dutch Shell’s Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are admitted for trading in the form of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “RDS.A” and “RDS.B”, respectively.

     The aggregate initial offering price of any combination of securities offered through this prospectus will not exceed U.S.$10,000,000,000 (or its equivalent in euro, pounds sterling or other currencies).

     We will provide the specific terms of the securities that we are offering in supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the relevant prospectus supplement regarding the particular issue of securities (the “prospectus supplement”) carefully before you invest.

     This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless accompanied by the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also contain the names of the underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the sale of the securities, together with any applicable commissions or discounts.

     Investing in the securities involves certain risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

Prospectus dated                     , 2005.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

     All dealers that effect transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC utilizing a shelf registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $10,000,000,000 (including the U.S. dollar equivalent of any securities denominated in other currencies). This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of those securities and their offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information About Us”. However, if there are any inconsistencies between the information contained herein and the prospectus supplement, the information in the prospectus supplement shall prevail.

     In this prospectus “Royal Dutch Shell” refers to Royal Dutch Shell plc, and where the context requires, its direct and indirect subsidiaries. “Shell Finance” refers to Shell International Finance B.V. References to “we”, “our” and “us” refer to Royal Dutch Shell and its subsidiaries collectively, as the context may require.

     As of July 20, 2005, Royal Dutch Shell became the parent company of N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Petroleum Maatschappij (also known as Royal Dutch Petroleum Company, “Royal Dutch”) and The “Shell” Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c. (“Shell Transport”), as described below under “Royal Dutch Shell plc — The Unification Transaction”.

     In this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, “U.S. dollars” or “$” refers to U.S. currency, “pounds sterling,” “£” or “pence” refers to UK currency, and “euro” or “€” refers to the currency established for participating member states of the European Union as of the beginning of stage three of the European Monetary Union on January 1, 1999.

     In this prospectus “Admitted Institution” means the institutions which hold Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares on behalf of their clients through Euroclear Nederland as an admitted institution of Euroclear Nederland or, as the context so permits, which hold Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares on behalf of their clients through an institution which is an admitted institution of Euroclear Nederland. References in this prospectus to Royal Dutch ordinary shares in bearer form or to Royal Dutch Shell shares shall, where the relevant shares are held by Euroclear Nederland in its capacity as central institute (centraal instituut) under the Dutch Securities Giro Act (Wet giraal effectenverkeer) and the context so permits, include references to interests held in such shares by other persons in accordance with the Dutch Securities Giro Act.

     In connection with any issue of securities through this prospectus, a stabilizing manager or any person acting for him may over-allot or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of such securities and any associated securities at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail for a limited period after the issue date. However, there will be no obligation on the stabilizing manager or any agent of his to do this. Such stabilizing, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time, and must be brought to an end after a limited period.

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ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC

     Royal Dutch Shell plc is the single parent company of N.V. Koninklijke Nederlandsche Petroleum Maatschappij (also known as Royal Dutch Petroleum Company) and The “Shell” Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c., as a result of the Unification Transaction described below. Since 1907, Royal Dutch and Shell Transport have been the parent companies of a group of companies known collectively as the Shell Group of Companies (the “Group” or the “Shell Group”). The companies of the Shell Group are engaged worldwide in all the principal aspects of the oil and natural gas industry.

     The Unification Transaction. On July 20, 2005 Royal Dutch Shell became the parent company of Royal Dutch and Shell Transport upon the consummation of (i) an exchange offer under Dutch law by Royal Dutch Shell for the outstanding shares of Royal Dutch and (ii) a Scheme of Arrangement under English law involving Shell Transport and its shareholders (the “Scheme of Arrangement”). Together, these are referred to as the “Unification Transaction”.

     Shell Group. Present in more than 140 countries and territories around the world, the companies of the Shell Group are engaged in the business of Exploration & Production, Gas & Power, Oil Products, Chemicals and Other industry segments including Shell Renewables and Hydrogen.

     General. You can find a more detailed description of the Shell Group’s business in the Annual Report on Form 20-F of Royal Dutch and Shell Transport for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004, as amended on May 4, 2005 (the “2004 20-F”), which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus. A detailed description of the Unification Transaction whereby Royal Dutch Shell became the parent company of Royal Dutch and Shell Transport may be found in Royal Dutch Shell’s Form F-4 relating to its Class A ordinary shares (File no. 333-125037) (the “Form F-4”), also incorporated herein by reference.

     Royal Dutch Shell was incorporated in England and Wales on February 5, 2002, as a private company. On October 27, 2004, Royal Dutch Shell was re-registered as a public company limited by shares and changed its name from Forthdeal Limited to Royal Dutch Shell plc. Royal Dutch Shell has its headquarters in The Netherlands and is resident in The Netherlands for Dutch and UK tax purposes.

SHELL INTERNATIONAL FINANCE B.V.

     Shell International Finance B.V. was incorporated as a private limited liability company under the laws of The Netherlands on March 5, 2004. Shell Finance was renamed its current name and became a 100% owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell on July 20, 2005. Shell Finance is a financing vehicle for Royal Dutch Shell and its consolidated subsidiaries. Shell Finance has no independent operations, other than raising debt for use by the Shell Group, hedging such debt when appropriate and on-lending funds raised to companies in the Shell Group. Shell Finance will lend substantially all proceeds of its borrowings to companies in the Shell Group. Royal Dutch Shell will fully and unconditionally guarantee the guaranteed debt securities issued by Shell Finance as to payment of principal, premium, if any, interest and any other amounts due.

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RISK FACTORS

     Investing in the securities offered using this prospectus involves risk.

Risks Relating to Royal Dutch Shell’s Business

     Our businesses are subject to various risks relating to changing competitive, economic, political, legal, social, industry, business and financial conditions. These conditions are described below and discussed in greater detail in the 2004 20-F.

Prices for oil, natural gas, oil products and chemicals may fluctuate.

     Oil, natural gas, oil products and chemical prices can vary as a result of changes in supply and demand for products, which may be global or limited to specific regions and influenced by factors such as economic conditions, weather conditions or action taken by major oil exporting countries. Political developments, including war, embargoes and political strife in oil producing regions can affect world oil supply and prices. Fluctuations in oil, natural gas, oil products and chemical prices could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial position.

The Group’s operations and earnings are subject to risks related to currency fluctuations and exchange controls.

     The Group is present in more than 140 countries and territories throughout the world and is subject to risks from changes in currency values and exchange controls. Changes in currency values and exchange controls could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial position.

The Group’s operations and earnings are subject to risks related to the drilling and well production process and the ability to replace oil and gas reserves.

     The Group’s future oil and gas production is significantly dependent on the successful implementation of development projects. There are risks in this process in the interpretation of geological and engineering data, project delay, cost overruns and technical, fiscal, regulatory and other conditions. In addition, future oil and gas production will depend on the Group’s ability to access new reserves through exploration, negotiation with countries and other owners of known reserves and acquisitions. Failures in exploration and in identifying, and consummating transactions to access suitable potential reserves could adversely impact the Group’s oil and gas production and reserve replacement, which in turn could have an adverse impact on the Group’s results of operations and financial position in the future.

The Group’s operations and earnings are subject to risks related to the estimation of reserves.

     The estimation of oil and gas reserves involves subjective judgments and determinations based on available geological, technical, contractual and economic information. They are not exact determinations. In addition, these judgments may change based on new information from production or drilling activities or changes in economic factors, as well as from developments such as acquisitions and dispositions, new discoveries and extensions of existing fields and the application of improved recovery techniques. Published reserve estimates are also subject to correction for errors in the application of published rules and guidance.

     In 2004 and 2005, the Group restated its proved reserves to correct certain errors. In connection with the restatements, a number of putative shareholder class actions and shareholder derivative suits were filed against, among others, Royal Dutch and Shell Transport, and civil and criminal investigations were commenced by authorities in the US, the UK and The Netherlands. Please see the 2004 20-F for additional information on the restatements and these legal proceedings.

The Group’s operations and earnings are subject to economic and financial market conditions.

     Group companies are subject to differing economic and financial market conditions in countries and regions throughout the world. There are risks to such markets from political or economic instability, as well as from industry

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competition. Realization of one of these risks in a country or region could have an adverse effect on the results of operations and financial position of the Group companies operating in that country or region.

The Group’s operations and earnings are subject to environmental risks.

     Group companies are subject to a number of different environmental laws, regulations, environmental expectations, and reporting requirements. Costs are incurred for prevention, control, abatement or elimination of releases into the air and water, as well as in the disposal and handling of wastes at operating facilities. Expenditures of a capital nature include both remedial measures on existing plants and integral features of new plants.

The Group’s operations and earnings are subject to risks related to operational hazards, natural disasters and expropriation of property.

     The Group’s assets are subject to risk from operational hazards, natural disasters and expropriation of property. Realization of these risks could have an adverse effect on the results of operations and financial position of the impacted Group company.

The Group’s operations and earnings are subject to risk of change in legislation and fiscal and regulatory policies.

     The Group’s operations are subject to risk of change in legislation, taxation and regulation. For exploration and production activities, these matters include land tenure, entitlement to produced hydrocarbons, production rates, royalties, pricing, environmental protection, social impact, exports, taxes and foreign exchange. Changes in legislation, taxation and regulations could have an adverse effect on the results of operations and financial position of the impacted Group companies.

The Group’s operations and earnings are subject to the risks of doing business in politically sensitive or unstable countries.

     The Group’s operations and earnings throughout the world have been, and may in the future be, affected from time to time to varying degrees by other political developments and laws and regulations, such as forced divestiture of assets; restrictions on production, imports and exports; war or other international conflicts; civil unrest and local security concerns that threaten the safe operation of company facilities; price controls; tax increases and other retroactive tax claims; expropriation of property; cancellation of contract rights; and environmental regulations. Both the likelihood of such occurrences and their overall effect upon the Group vary greatly from country to country and are not predictable. Realization of these risks could have an adverse impact on the results of operations and financial position of the Group companies located in the affected country.

We may be subject to the imposition of U.S. government sanctions as a result of the Group’s activities in certain countries.

     The Group currently has investments in Iran and Syria. U.S. law currently imposes economic sanctions with the objective of denying certain countries, including Iran and Syria, the ability to support state-sponsored terrorism. In the case of both countries, there are prohibitions on certain activities and transactions and penalties for violation of these prohibitions include criminal and civil fines and imprisonment. In addition, in the case of Iran, U.S. legislation includes a limit of $20 million in any twelve-month period on certain investments knowingly made in that country and authorizes the imposition of sanctions (from a list that includes denial of financings by the U.S. export-import bank, denial of certain export licenses, denial of certain government contracts and limits on loans or credits from U.S. financial institutions). However, compliance with this investment limit by European companies is prohibited by Council Regulation No. 2271/96 adopted by the Council of the European Union, so that the statutes conflict with each other in certain respects. The Group has exceeded and expects to exceed in the future the U.S. imposed investment limits in Iran. While the Group seeks to comply with applicable legal requirements in its dealings in Iran and Syria, it is possible that the Group or persons employed by the Group could be found to be subject to sanctions or other penalties under this legislation in connection with their activities in Iran and Syria. Considering both the likelihood of the imposition of sanctions on the Group and the possible effects thereof, the Group does not believe that there will be

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a material negative effect on its results of operations or financial condition resulting from its investments and activities in Iran and Syria.

We will prepare our financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, which differ from the accounting standards applicable to Royal Dutch’s, Shell Transport’s and the Shell Group’s historical financial statements.

     The condensed interim financial information incorporated in this prospectus as at and for the quarter ended March 31, 2005 has been prepared in accordance with accounting standards under the first time adoption provisions set out in International Financial Reporting Standards 1 and the policies described in the notes to quarterly results announcement of Royal Dutch and Shell Transport for the first quarter of 2005 (furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K on May 9, 2005) and in the Form F-4. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is currently being applied in Europe and in other parts of the world simultaneously for the first time. Furthermore, due to a number of new and revised standards included within the body of standards that comprise IFRS, there is not yet a significant body of established practice on which to draw in forming judgments regarding interpretation and application. Accordingly, practice is continuing to evolve and the full financial effect of reporting under IFRS as it will be applied and reported on in our first IFRS Financial Statements cannot be determined with certainty at this stage.

     In the future, Royal Dutch Shell will prepare its financial information in accordance with IFRS. These accounting standards and policies adopted under IFRS differ from those applicable to the historical financial information included, and incorporated by reference, in this prospectus for periods up to and including December 31, 2004. As at the date of this prospectus, the accounting policies of Royal Dutch Shell are in accordance with both IFRS and those accounting standards that have been adopted for use in the EU.

Risks Relating to Royal Dutch Shell’s Ordinary Shares

Trading prices in our ordinary shares and/or our ADRs may be subject to fluctuation.

     The trading prices of our ordinary shares and/or our ADRs may be subject to wide fluctuations. Prices of our ordinary shares and/or our ADRs may fluctuate as a result of a variety of factors beyond our control, including changes in our business, operations and prospects, regulatory considerations and general market and economic conditions.

Our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares and Class A ADRs and Class B ADRs may trade at different prices.

     Each class of our ordinary shares and ADRs may trade at different prices based on, among other things, the fact that dividends to be received by holders of Class A ordinary shares or Class A ADRs will have a Dutch source, for Dutch and UK tax purposes, and dividends to be received by holders of Class B ordinary shares or Class B ADRs will have a UK source, for Dutch and UK tax purposes, to the extent paid through the dividend access mechanism (as further described in “Description of Royal Dutch Shell Ordinary Shares — Dividend Access Mechanism for Class B ordinary shares”). Prices also may differ owing to differing levels of demand in different markets for reasons external to Royal Dutch Shell, such as index inclusion and relative index performance.

Certain provisions of our Articles of Association may limit your ability to obtain monetary or other relief, or increase the cost of seeking and obtaining recoveries in a dispute.

     Our articles of association require that all disputes (i) between a shareholder in its capacity as such and us or any of our subsidiaries or any of our or our subsidiaries’ directors or former directors arising out of or in connection with our articles of association or otherwise, and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by law, between us or our subsidiaries and any of our or our subsidiaries’ directors or former directors, including all claims made by us or any of our subsidiaries or on our behalf or on behalf of any of our subsidiaries against any such director, and (iii) between a shareholder in its capacity as such and any of our professional service providers (which could include our auditors, legal counsel, bankers and ADR depositaries) that have agreed with us to be bound by the arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction provisions of our articles of association, and (iv) between us and our professional service providers arising in connection with any claim under (iii) above, shall be exclusively and finally resolved by arbitration in The Hague, The Netherlands under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”). This would include all disputes arising under UK, Dutch or U.S. law (including securities laws) between covered parties. Our

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articles will also provide that if the arbitration provision is held for any reason by a court or other competent authority in any jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in any particular dispute in that jurisdiction, the dispute may only be brought in the courts of England and Wales. These provisions may affect the ability of shareholders to obtain monetary or other relief, including for claims arising under U.S. securities and other laws and may increase the cost of seeking and obtaining recoveries in any dispute.

Risks Relating to the Debt Securities and Warrants

Because Royal Dutch Shell is a holding company and currently conducts its operations through subsidiaries, your right to receive payments on debt securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell or on the guarantees is subordinated to the other liabilities of its subsidiaries.

     Royal Dutch Shell is organized as a holding company, and substantially all of its operations are carried on through subsidiaries of Royal Dutch Shell. Royal Dutch Shell’s ability to meet its financial obligations is dependent upon the availability of cash flows from its domestic and foreign subsidiaries and affiliated companies through dividends, intercompany advances and other payments. Moreover, Shell Finance is a special purpose financing vehicle that was formed for the purpose of raising debt for the Shell Group. Shell Finance conducts no business or revenue-generating operations of its own. Shell Finance has no subsidiaries and will rely on payments (including principal and interest) from Royal Dutch Shell and other subsidiaries in the Shell Group to whom it has on-lent the proceeds of any debt securities issued by it in order to make payments on securities issued by it. Royal Dutch Shell’s subsidiaries are not guarantors of the debt securities that may be offered with this prospectus. Claims of the creditors of Royal Dutch Shell’s subsidiaries have priority as to the assets of such subsidiaries over the claims of Royal Dutch Shell. Consequently, in the event of insolvency of Royal Dutch Shell, the claims of holders of debt securities guaranteed or issued by Royal Dutch Shell would be structurally subordinated to the prior claims of the creditors of subsidiaries of Royal Dutch Shell.

Because the debt securities are unsecured, your right to receive payments may be adversely affected.

     The debt securities that we are offering will be unsecured. If Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance default on the debt securities or Royal Dutch Shell defaults on the guarantees, or in the event of bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization, then, to the extent that Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance have granted security over their assets, the assets that secure these debts will be used to satisfy the obligations under that secured debt before Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance could make payment on the debt securities or the guarantees, respectively. If there is not enough collateral to satisfy the obligations of the secured debt, then the remaining amounts on the secured debt would share equally with all unsubordinated unsecured indebtedness, including the senior debt securities.

Your rights as a holder of debt securities may be inferior to the rights of holders of debt securities issued under a different series pursuant to the indenture.

     The debt securities are governed by documents called indentures, which are described later under “Description of Debt Securities”. We may issue as many distinct series of debt securities under the indentures as we wish. We may also issue a series of debt securities under the indentures that provides holders with rights superior to the rights already granted or that may be granted in the future to holders of another series. You should read carefully the specific terms of any particular series of debt securities which will be contained in the prospectus supplement relating to such debt securities.

The debt securities and warrants lack a developed trading market, and such a market may never develop.

     Each of Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance may issue debt securities in different series with different terms in amounts that are to be determined. Although any such debt securities issued may be listed on a recognized stock exchange in the U.S. or Europe, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop for any series of debt securities. Similarly, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop for any warrants issued by Royal Dutch Shell. There can also be no assurance regarding the ability of holders of our debt securities and warrants to sell their debt securities or warrants or the price at which such holders may be able to sell their debt securities or warrants. If a trading market were to develop, the debt securities and warrants could trade at prices that may be higher or lower than the initial offering price and, in the case of debt securities, this may result in a return that is greater or less than the interest rate on the debt security, in each case depending on many factors, including, among

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other things, prevailing interest rates, Royal Dutch Shell’s financial results, any change in Royal Dutch Shell’s credit-worthiness and the market for similar securities.

     Any underwriters, broker-dealers or agents that participate in the distribution of the debt securities or warrants may make a market in the debt securities or warrants as permitted by applicable laws and regulations but will have no obligation to do so, and any such market-making activities may be discontinued at any time. Therefore, there can be no assurance as to the liquidity of any trading market for the debt securities or warrants or that an active public market for the debt securities or warrants will develop.

The substitution of the obligor on a particular series of our debt securities generally would cause you to realize taxable gain or loss for U.S. tax purposes, if any, on any such debt securities that you hold.

     We have the right to cause Royal Dutch Shell or any of its subsidiaries to assume the obligations of Shell Finance under any series of debt securities as described in “Description of Debt Securities—Substitution of Shell Finance as Issuer”. Also an entity that becomes the owner of 100% of the voting stock of Royal Dutch Shell may assume the obligations of Royal Dutch Shell with respect to one or more series of debt securities as described in “Description of Debt Securities—Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets”. Under U.S. tax law, the change in the obligor on our debt securities under these provisions could be treated as a disposition of any such debt securities that you hold, requiring you to realize gain or loss on our debt securities even though you continue to hold our debt securities and receive no distribution in connection with the deemed disposition. See “Taxation—U.S. Taxation of Debt Securities—Sale or Retirement of Debt Securities.”

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FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

     The SEC encourages companies to disclose forward-looking information so that investors can better understand a company’s future prospects and make informed investment decisions. This prospectus and the material incorporated herein contain historical and forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements.

     Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions.

     These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “plan”, “objectives”, “outlook”, “probably”, “project”, “will”, “seek”, “target”, “risks”, “goals”, “should” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this prospectus, including (without limitation):

     All forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. Neither Royal Dutch Shell nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US

     Royal Dutch Shell is subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and, in accordance with those requirements, files annual reports and other information with the SEC. However, as a foreign private issuer, Royal Dutch Shell and its shareholders are exempt from some of the Exchange Act reporting requirements. The reporting requirements that do not apply to Royal Dutch Shell or its shareholders include proxy solicitations rules, the short-swing insider profit disclosure rules of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to Royal Dutch Shell’s shares and the rules regarding the furnishing of quarterly reports to the SEC, which are required to be furnished only if required or otherwise provided in our home country domicile. Both Royal Dutch and Shell Transport were subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act in a similar manner.

     The materials Royal Dutch Shell files with or furnishes to the SEC (and the materials Royal Dutch and Shell Transport filed with or furnished to the SEC) may be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at its principal offices at the Public Reference Room, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Room 1024, Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room by calling the SEC in the U.S. at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains a web site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC.

     The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with them. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to documents. The information that we incorporate by reference is an important part of this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the following documents and any future filings that we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c) and 15(d) of the Exchange Act until we complete the offerings using this prospectus:

     Information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supercede information in documents filed with the SEC at earlier dates. All information appearing in this prospectus is qualified in its entirety by the information and financial statements, including the notes, contained in the documents that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus.

     You may request a copy of these filings and any document concerning Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance referred to in this prospectus, at no cost, by writing or telephoning Royal Dutch Shell at the following address:

Royal Dutch Shell plc
Carel van Bylandtlaan 30
2596 HR The Hague
The Netherlands
Tel. No.: (011 31 70) 377 9111

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     Royal Dutch Shell’s Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are admitted to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and to trading on the market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange and listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Amsterdam N.V. Royal Dutch Shell’s Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are admitted for trading in the form of ADRs on the New York Stock Exchange. You can consult reports and other information about Royal Dutch Shell that it files or makes public pursuant to the rules of the London Stock Exchange, Euronext Amsterdam N.V. and the New York Stock Exchange at such exchanges.

     Additional information regarding Royal Dutch Shell may be obtained on its website (www.shell.com). Such information is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

     You should rely only on the information that we incorporate by reference or provide in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.

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ENFORCEABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL LIABILITIES

     Royal Dutch Shell plc is a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales. Shell International Finance B.V. is a private limited liability company organized under the laws of The Netherlands. A majority of our directors and officers and some of the experts named in this document reside outside of the U.S. and a majority of our assets are located outside of the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for investors to effect service of process within the U.S. upon us or these persons or to enforce against it or them, either in the United States, the United Kingdom or The Netherlands, judgments of U.S. courts predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal or state securities laws.

     Our articles of association require that all (i) disputes between a shareholder in its capacity as such and us or any of our subsidiaries or our or any of our subsidiaries’ directors or former directors arising out of or in connection with our articles of association or otherwise and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by law, disputes between us or our subsidiaries and any of our or our subsidiaries’ directors or former directors, including all claims made by us or any of our subsidiaries or on our behalf or on behalf of any of our subsidiaries against any such director, and (iii) disputes between a shareholder in its capacity as such and any of our professional service providers (which could include our auditors, legal counsel, bankers and ADR depositaries) that have agreed with us to be bound by the arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction provisions of our articles of association, and (iv) between us and our professional service providers arising in connection with any claim under (iii) above, shall be exclusively and finally resolved by arbitration in The Hague, The Netherlands under the Rules of Arbitration of the ICC. This would include all disputes arising under UK, Dutch or U.S. law (including securities laws), or under any other law, between parties covered by the arbitration provision. Our articles also provide that if the arbitration provision is held for any reason by a court or other competent authority in any jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in any particular dispute in that jurisdiction, the dispute may only be brought in the courts of England and Wales.

     The following discussion with respect to the enforceability of certain U.S. court judgments in England and Wales assumes a judgment is rendered in a U.S. Court notwithstanding our charter provision described above and is based upon advice provided to us by our English counsel, Slaughter and May. The U.S. and the United Kingdom do not have a treaty providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (although the U.S. and the United Kingdom are both parties to the New York Convention on Arbitral Awards). Any judgment rendered by any federal or state court in the U.S. based on civil liability, whether or not predicated solely upon U.S. federal securities law, would not be directly enforceable in England and Wales. In order to enforce any such judgment in England and Wales, proceedings must be initiated by way of fresh legal proceedings in respect of the judgment debt before a court of competent jurisdiction in England and Wales. In this type of action, an English court generally will not (subject to the matters identified below) reinvestigate the merits of the original matter decided by a U.S. court and will treat the judgment as conclusive. The matters which would cause an English court not to enforce a judgment debt created by a U.S. judgment are that:

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     If an English court gives judgment for the sum payable under a U.S. judgment, the English judgment will be enforceable by methods generally available for this purpose. The judgment creditor is able to utilize any method or methods of enforcement available to him at the time. In addition, it may not be possible to obtain an English judgment or to enforce that judgment if the judgment debtor is subject to any insolvency or similar proceedings, or if the judgment debtor has any set-off or counterclaim against the judgment creditor.

     Subject to the foregoing, investors may be able to enforce in England and Wales judgments in civil and commercial matters obtained from U.S. federal or state courts in the manner described above using the methods available for enforcement of a judgment of an English court. It is, however, uncertain whether an English court would impose liability on us or such persons in an action predicated upon the U.S. federal securities law brought in England and Wales.

     De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. (“De Brauw”), our Dutch legal counsel, has advised us that there is doubt as to the enforceability in The Netherlands, in original actions or in actions for enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts, of civil liabilities solely based on the U.S. federal securities laws. We have further been advised by De Brauw that the U.S. and The Netherlands do not currently have a treaty providing for reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments (other than arbitration awards) in civil and commercial matters. As a consequence, a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the U.S. based on civil liability, whether or not predicated solely upon the federal securities laws of the United States, would not be directly enforceable in The Netherlands. However, if the party in whose favor such final judgment is rendered brings a new suit in a court of competent jurisdiction in The Netherlands, such party may submit to the Dutch court the final judgment that has been rendered in the United States. If the Dutch court finds that the jurisdiction of the federal or state court in the U.S. has been based on grounds that are internationally acceptable and that proper legal procedures have been observed, the court in The Netherlands would, under current practice, give binding effect to the final judgment that has been rendered in the U.S. unless such judgment contravenes Dutch public policy.

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     Royal Dutch Shell became the parent company of Royal Dutch and Shell Transport on July 20, 2005. The following table sets forth, on a U.S. GAAP basis, the consolidated unaudited ratio of earnings to fixed charges of Royal Dutch Shell for the years ended December 31, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. This information is derived from the consolidated financial statements of Royal Dutch Shell contained in the RDS Financials Form 6-K. We have not presented information for Shell Finance below as management has determined that this information is not material and Royal Dutch Shell will fully and unconditionally guarantee all debt securities issued by Shell Finance.

     For the purposes of this table, “earnings” consists of pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for minority interest and income from equity investees plus fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest) less undistributed earnings of equity investees, plus distributed income from equity interests. “Fixed charges” consists of expensed and capitalized interest plus interest within rental expenses plus preference security dividend requirements of consolidated subsidiaries.

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LEGAL OWNERSHIP

Street Name and Other Indirect Holders

     We generally will not recognize investors who hold securities in accounts at banks or brokers as legal holders of securities. When we refer to the holders of securities, we mean only the actual legal and (if applicable) record holder of those securities. Holding securities in accounts at banks or brokers is called holding in street name. If you hold securities in street name, we will recognize only the bank or broker or the financial institution the bank or broker uses to hold its securities. These intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions pass along principal, interest and other payments on the securities, either because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required. If you hold securities in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

Direct Holders

     Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the trustee and those of any third parties employed by us or the trustee, under the securities run only to persons who are registered as holders of securities. As noted above, we do not have obligations to you if you hold in street name or other indirect means, either because you choose to hold securities in that manner or because the securities are issued in the form of global securities as described below. For example, once we make payment to the registered holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment even if that holder is legally required to pass the payment along to you as a street name customer but does not do so.

Global Securities

What is a Global Security?

     A global security is a special type of indirectly held security, as described above under “Street Name and Other Indirect Holders”. If we choose to issue securities in the form of global securities, the ultimate beneficial owners can only be indirect holders.

     We require that the securities included in the global security not be transferred to the name of any other direct holder unless the special circumstances described below occur. The financial institution that acts as the sole direct holder of the global security is called the depositary. Any person wishing to own a security must do so indirectly by virtue of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary. The prospectus supplement relating to an offering of a series of securities will indicate whether the series will be issued only in the form of global securities.

Special Investor Considerations for Global Securities

     As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize this type of investor as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

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     If you are an investor in securities that are issued only in the form of global securities, you should be aware that:

Special Situations When the Global Security Will Be Terminated

     In a few special situations described below, the global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing securities. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor; provided, however, that the physical certificates are issued in a registered form for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Investors must consult their own bank or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own name so that they will be direct holders. The rights of street name investors and direct holders in the securities have been previously described in the subsections entitled “— Street Name and Other Indirect Holders” and “— Direct Holders”.

     The special situations for termination of a global security are:

     The prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global security that would apply only to the particular series of securities covered by the prospectus supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not we or the trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

In the remainder of this description “you” means direct holders and not street name or other indirect holders of securities. Indirect holders should read the previous subsection entitled “Street Name and Other Indirect Holders”.

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

     The debt securities of Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance covered by this prospectus will be Royal Dutch Shell’s and Shell Finance’s general unsecured obligations. The debt securities of Shell Finance will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Royal Dutch Shell. Royal Dutch Shell will issue senior debt securities under an indenture among Royal Dutch Shell, as issuer, and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee or another trustee identified in the prospectus supplement. Shell Finance will issue senior debt securities unconditionally guaranteed by Royal Dutch Shell on a senior unsecured basis under an indenture, among Shell Finance, as issuer, Royal Dutch Shell, as guarantor, and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee or another trustee identified in the prospectus supplement. We refer to these indentures as the senior indentures and these securities as the senior debt securities.

     Royal Dutch Shell will issue subordinated debt securities under an indenture among Royal Dutch Shell, as issuer, and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee or another trustee identified in the prospectus supplement. Shell Finance will issue subordinated debt securities unconditionally guaranteed by Royal Dutch Shell on a subordinated unsecured basis under an indenture among Shell Finance, as issuer, Royal Dutch Shell, as guarantor, and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee or another trustee identified in the prospectus supplement. We refer to these indentures as the subordinated indentures and these securities as the subordinated debt securities.

     The indentures of Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance will be substantially identical except with regards to the guarantees. We refer to the senior indentures and the subordinated indentures collectively as the indentures. The indentures will be substantially identical, except for provisions relating to subordination and covenants.

     We have summarized material provisions of the indentures, the debt securities and the guarantees below. This summary is not complete. We have filed the form of senior indentures and the form of subordinated indentures with the SEC as exhibits to this registration statement, and you should read the indentures for provisions that may be important to you.

     In this summary description of the debt securities, unless we state otherwise or the context clearly indicates otherwise, all references to Royal Dutch Shell mean Royal Dutch Shell only and all references to Shell Finance mean Shell Finance only. We refer to the indentures of Shell Finance as the Shell Finance indentures.

Provisions Applicable to Each Indenture

     General. None of the indentures limits the amount of debt securities that may be issued under that indenture, and none of the indentures limits the amount of other unsecured debt or securities that Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance may issue. Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance may issue debt securities under the indentures from time to time in one or more series, each in an amount authorized prior to issuance.

     Royal Dutch Shell conducts substantially all its operations through subsidiaries, and those subsidiaries generate substantially all its operating income and cash flow. As a result, distributions or advances from those subsidiaries, repayment or refinancing of intra-group lending and interest flows are the principal source of funds necessary to meet the debt service obligations of Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance. Contractual provisions or laws, as well as the subsidiaries’ financial condition and operating requirements, may limit the ability of Royal Dutch Shell to obtain cash from its subsidiaries that it requires to pay its debt service obligations, including any payments required to be made under the debt securities and its guarantee of Shell Finance’s debt securities. In addition, holders of the debt securities and Royal Dutch Shell’s related guarantee will have a junior position to the claims of creditors of the subsidiaries of Royal Dutch Shell on their assets and earnings. The articles of association of Royal Dutch Shell also limit the borrowings of the Shell Group to two times its adjusted capital and reserves, as such terms are defined therein. Such limit can be exceeded with the approval of Royal Dutch Shell shareholders.

     None of the indentures contains any covenants or other provisions designed to protect holders of the debt securities in the event Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance participates in a highly leveraged transaction or upon a change of control. The indentures also do not contain provisions that give holders the right to require Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance to repurchase their securities in the event of a decline in Royal Dutch Shell’s credit ratings for any reason, including as a result of a takeover, recapitalization or similar restructuring or otherwise.

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     Terms. The prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

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     Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance may sell the debt securities at a discount, which may be substantial, below their stated principal amount. These debt securities may bear no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates.

     If material to a particular series of securities and not already described in this prospectus, we will describe in the prospectus supplement the restrictions, elections, tax consequences, specific terms and other information relating to those debt securities.

     Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets. The indentures generally permit a consolidation, merger or similar transaction involving Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance. They also permit Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, to transfer or dispose of all or substantially all of their assets. Each of Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance has agreed, however, that it will not consolidate with or merge into any entity (other than, with respect to Shell Finance, Royal Dutch Shell) or transfer or dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to any entity (other than, with respect to Shell Finance, Royal Dutch Shell) if, immediately after giving effect to such transaction or transactions, an event of default, or an event that, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default, has occurred and is continuing; and unless:

     Additionally, in the event that any entity shall become the owner of 100% of the voting stock of Royal Dutch Shell, such entity may, but is not obligated to, assume the performance of Royal Dutch Shell’s covenants and obligations under any or all of the indentures, either as issuer and/or as guarantor for the debt securities of Shell Finance (a “Voluntary Assumption”). See “Taxation—U.S. Taxation of Debt Securities—Merger and Consolidation/Substitution of Issuer” for discussion of possible tax consequences.

     Upon any such consolidation, merger or similar transaction or asset transfer or disposition involving Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, or any such Voluntary Assumption, the resulting entity, transferee or assuming entity, as applicable, will be substituted for Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, under the applicable indenture and debt securities. Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, will thereupon be released from the applicable indenture.

     Events of Default. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following are events of default with respect to a series of debt securities:

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     A default under one series of debt securities will not be a default under another series.

     If an event of default for any series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, the trustee of the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series affected by the default (or, in some cases, 25% in principal amount of all debt securities issued under the applicable indenture that are affected, voting as one class) may declare the principal of and all accrued and unpaid interest on those debt securities to be due and payable. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series affected by the default (or, in some cases, of all debt securities issued under the applicable indenture that are affected, voting as one class) may in some cases rescind this accelerated payment requirement.

     A holder of a debt security of any series issued under an indenture may pursue any remedy under that indenture only if:

     This provision does not, however, affect the right of a holder of a debt security to sue for enforcement of any overdue payment.

     In most cases, holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series (or of all debt securities issued under the applicable indenture that are affected, voting as one class) may direct the time, method and place of:

     The indentures of Royal Dutch Shell require Royal Dutch Shell, and the indentures of Shell Finance require Shell Finance, to file each year with the trustee a written statement as to their compliance with the covenants contained in the applicable indenture.

     Modification and Waiver. Each indenture may be amended or supplemented if the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series issued under that indenture that are affected by the amendment or supplement (acting as one class) consent to it. Without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected, however, no modification may:

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     Each indenture may be amended or supplemented or any provision of that indenture may be waived without the consent of any holders of debt securities issued under that indenture in certain circumstances, including:

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     The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series (or, in some cases, of all debt securities issued under the applicable indenture that are affected, voting as one class) may waive any existing or past default or event of default with respect to those debt securities. Those holders may not, however, waive any default or event of default in any payment on any debt security or compliance with a provision that cannot be amended or supplemented without the consent of each holder affected.

     Defeasance. When we use the term defeasance, we mean discharge from some or all of our obligations under the indentures. If any combination of funds or government securities are deposited with the trustee under an indenture sufficient to make payments on the debt securities of a series issued under that indenture on the dates those payments are due and payable, then, at the option or Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, either of the following will occur:

     If a series of debt securities is defeased, the holders of the debt securities of the series affected will not be entitled to the benefits of the applicable indenture, except for obligations to register the transfer or exchange of debt securities, replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities or maintain paying agencies and hold moneys for payment in trust. In the case of covenant defeasance, the obligation of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance to pay principal, premium and interest on the debt securities and, if applicable, Royal Dutch Shell guarantees of the payments will also survive.

     Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement or unless such defeasance occurs within one year of when the securities would be due and payable or called for redemption, we will be required to deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the deposit and related defeasance would not cause the holders of the debt securities to recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If we elect legal defeasance, that opinion of counsel must be based upon a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or a change in law to that effect.

     Substitution of Shell Finance as Issuer. We may at our option at any time, without the consent of any holders of debt securities, cause Royal Dutch Shell or any other subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell to assume the obligations of Shell Finance under any series of debt securities, provided that the new obligor executes a supplemental indenture in which it agrees to be bound by the terms of those debt securities and the relevant indenture. To the extent that Royal Dutch Shell is not itself the new obligor, its guarantee shall remain in place after the substitution unless another entity assumes the role of a guarantor in respect of the debt securities of Shell Finance following a Voluntary Assumption. If the new obligor is not a U.S. or UK company it must be a member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (or any successor) and it must also agree in the supplemental indenture to be bound by a covenant comparable to that described under “Payment of Additional Amounts” below with respect to taxes imposed in its jurisdiction of residence. In such cases the new obligor will benefit from any optional redemption provision for

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tax reasons as described below under “-Optional Tax Redemption” or provided for in the prospectus supplement. In the case of such a substitution, the relevant finance subsidiary will be relieved of any further obligations under the assumed series of debt securities. See “Taxation—U.S. Taxation of Debt Securities—Merger and Consolidation/Substitution of Issuer” for discussion of possible tax consequences.

     Governing Law. New York law will govern the indentures and the debt securities.

     Trustee. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, or another trustee we identify in the prospectus supplement, will be the trustee under the indentures. The address of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas is 60 Wall Street, 27th Floor, New York, New York 10005, Attention: Global Transaction Banking, Trust and Securities Services. Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance, as applicable, may appoint another trustee or a substitute trustee under the indentures or appoint an entity qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 to serve as trustee under the indentures. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas has served as trustee, paying agent, auction agent, exchange agent and in similar capacities in transactions involving entities in the Shell Group or relating to the debt or long term payment obligations of members of the Shell Group. Additionally, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas and its affiliates perform certain commercial banking services for us for which they receive customary fees and are lenders under various outstanding credit facilities of subsidiaries of Royal Dutch Shell.

     If an event of default occurs under an indenture and is continuing, the trustee under that indenture will be required to use the degree of care and skill of a prudent person in the conduct of that person’s own affairs. The trustee will become obligated to exercise any of its powers under that indenture at the request of any of the holders of any debt securities issued under that indenture only after those holders have offered the trustee indemnity satisfactory to it.

     Each indenture contains limitations on the right of the trustee, if it becomes a creditor of Royal Dutch Shell or, if applicable, Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, to obtain payment of claims or to realize on certain property received for any such claim, as security or otherwise. The trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions with Royal Dutch Shell and, if applicable, Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance. If, however, it acquires any conflicting interest, it must eliminate that conflict or resign within 90 days after ascertaining that it has a conflicting interest and after the occurrence of a default under the applicable indenture, unless the default has been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated within the 90-day period.

     Form, Exchange, Registration and Transfer. The debt securities will be issued in registered form, without interest coupons. There will be no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. However, payment of any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable for that registration may be required.

     Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the applicable indenture. Holders may present debt securities for registration of transfer at the office of the security registrar or any transfer agent Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, designates. The security registrar or transfer agent will effect the transfer or exchange if its requirements and the requirements of the applicable indenture are met.

     The trustee will be appointed as security registrar for the debt securities. If a prospectus supplement refers to any transfer agents Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, initially designates, Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, may at any time rescind that designation or approve a change in the location through which any transfer agent acts. Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, is required to maintain an office or agency for transfers and exchanges in each place of payment. Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, may at any time designate additional transfer agents for any series of debt securities.

     In the case of any redemption, Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, will not be required to register the transfer or exchange of:

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     Payment and Paying Agents. Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, payments on the debt securities will be made in U.S. dollars at the office of the trustee and any paying agent. At the option of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, however, payments may be made by wire transfer for global debt securities or by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to the payment as it appears in the security register. Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, interest payments may be made to the person in whose name the debt security is registered at the close of business on the record date for the interest payment.

     Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, the trustee will be designated as the paying agent. Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts.

     If the principal of or any premium or interest on or additional amounts with respect to debt securities of a series is payable on a day that is not a business day, the payment will be made on the following business day. For these purposes, unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, a “business day” is any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in any of New York, New York; London, England; or a place of payment on the debt securities of that series is authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.

     Subject to the requirements of any applicable abandoned property laws, the trustee and paying agent will pay to us upon written request any money held by them for payments on the debt securities that remains unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment. In that case, all liability of the trustee or paying agent with respect to that money will cease.

     Book-Entry Debt Securities. The debt securities of a series may be issued in the form of one or more global debt securities that would be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the prospectus supplement. Global debt securities may be issued in either temporary or permanent form. We will describe in the prospectus supplement the terms of any depositary arrangement and the rights and limitations of owners of beneficial interests in any global debt security.

     Optional Tax Redemption. We may have the option to redeem the debt securities in the two situations described below. The redemption price for the debt securities, other than original issue discount debt securities, will be equal to the principal amount of the debt securities being redeemed plus accrued (but unpaid) interest and any additional amounts due on the date fixed for redemption. The redemption price for original issue discount debt securities will be specified in the prospectus supplement for such securities. Furthermore, we must give you between 15 and 60 days’ notice before redeeming the debt securities.

     The first situation is where, as a result of a change in, execution of or amendment to any laws or treaties or the official application or interpretation of any laws or treaties, either:

     This applies only in the case of changes, executions or amendments that occur on or after the date specified in the prospectus supplement for the applicable series of debt securities.

     We would not have the option to redeem in this case if we could have avoided the payment of additional amounts or the deduction or withholding by using reasonable measures available to us.

     The second situation is where a person assumes the obligations of Royal Dutch Shell or, in the case of debt securities issued by Shell Finance, Shell Finance, as described above under “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of

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Assets” and “Substitution of Shell Finance as Issuer” and is required to pay additional amounts. We would have the option to redeem the debt securities even if we are required to pay additional amounts immediately after such assumption (except in the case of a Voluntary Assumption). Additionally, we would not be required to use reasonable measures to avoid the obligation to pay additional amounts in this situation. However, we would have the option to redeem the securities in the circumstances described above only if a change in, execution of or amendment to any laws or treaties or official application of any law or treaty occurs after such assumption.

     Payment of Additional Amounts. The government of any jurisdiction where Royal Dutch Shell or, in the case of debt securities issued by Shell Finance, Shell Finance, is resident may require Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance to withhold or deduct amounts from payments on the principal or interest on a debt security or any amounts to be paid under the guarantees, as the case may be, for taxes or any other governmental charges. If the jurisdiction requires a withholding or deduction of this type, Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as the case may be, may be required to pay you an additional amount so that the net amount you receive will be the amount specified in the debt security to which you are entitled. However, in order for you to be entitled to receive the additional amount, you must not be resident in the jurisdiction that requires the withholding or deduction. Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as the case may be, will not have to pay additional amounts under any of the following circumstances (including any combination of the following):

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     These provisions will also apply to any taxes or governmental charges imposed by any jurisdiction in which a successor to Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance is resident. The prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities may describe additional circumstances in which Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance would not be required to pay additional amounts.

     Redenomination. Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, may without your consent elect that, on the Redenomination Date specified in a notice to the trustee, a series of debt securities may be redenominated in euro.

     The election will have effect as follows:

     “Established Rate” means the rate for the conversion of the specified currency into euro established by the Council of the European Union pursuant to Article 1091(4) of the Treaty establishing the European Community, as amended (the “Treaty”).

     "Redenomination Date” means any date specified by Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance for payment of interest on the debt securities if the country of the specified currency is one of the countries then participating in the third stage of European economic and monetary union pursuant to the Treaty. If the country of the specified currency is not so participating, then the Redenomination Date means, with respect to such debt securities, any date for payment of interest so specified that falls on or after the date that such country does so participate.

Provisions Applicable Solely to Senior Debt Securities

     Ranking. The Senior Debt securities will constitute Senior Debt of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, and will rank equally with all of their unsecured and unsubordinated debt from time to time outstanding.

     Guarantee of Shell Finance Senior Debt securities. Royal Dutch Shell will fully and unconditionally guarantee on a senior unsecured basis the full and prompt payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any additional amounts which may be payable by Shell Finance in respect of the Senior Debt securities issued by Shell Finance when and as the payment becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or otherwise. The guarantees

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provide that in the event of a default in the payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any additional amounts which may be payable by Shell Finance in respect of a Senior Debt security, the holder of that debt security may institute legal proceedings directly against Royal Dutch Shell to enforce the guarantees without first proceeding against Shell Finance. The guarantees will rank equally with all of Royal Dutch Shell’s other unsecured and unsubordinated debt from time to time outstanding.

Provisions Applicable Solely to Subordinated Debt Securities

     Ranking. The subordinated debt securities will rank junior to all Senior Debt of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, and may rank equally with or senior to other subordinated debt of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, that may be outstanding from time to time.

     Guarantee of Shell Finance subordinated debt securities. Royal Dutch Shell will fully and unconditionally guarantee on a subordinated unsecured basis the full and prompt payment of the principal of, any premium and interest on, and any additional amounts which may be payable by Shell Finance in respect of the subordinated debt securities issued by Shell Finance when and as the payment becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or otherwise. The guarantee will provide that in the event of a default in the payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any additional amounts which may be payable by Shell Finance in respect of a subordinated debt security, the holder of that debt security may institute legal proceedings directly against Royal Dutch Shell to enforce the guarantees without first proceeding against Shell Finance. The guarantee will rank junior to all Senior Debt of Royal Dutch Shell and may rank equally with or senior to other subordinated debt of Royal Dutch Shell that may be outstanding from time to time.

     Subordination. Under the subordinated indenture, payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on and any additional amounts with respect to the subordinated debt securities will generally be subordinated and junior in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Debt. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, may not make any payment of principal of or any premium or interest on the subordinated debt securities if it fails to pay the principal, interest, premium or any other amounts on any Senior Debt when due.

     The subordination does not affect the obligation of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay, when due, the principal of and any premium and interest on or additional amounts respect to the subordinated debt securities. In addition, the subordination does not prevent the occurrence of any default under the subordinated indenture.

     The subordinated indenture does not limit the amount of Senior Debt that Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, may incur. As a result of the subordination of the subordinated debt securities, if Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, becomes insolvent, holders of subordinated debt securities may receive less on a proportionate basis than other creditors.

     Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, “Senior Debt” will mean all debt, including guarantees, of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable, unless the debt states that it is not senior to the subordinated debt securities or other junior debt of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance, as applicable. Senior Debt with respect to a series of subordinated debt securities could include other series of debt securities issued under the subordinated indenture.

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

     Royal Dutch Shell may issue warrants to purchase debt securities of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance or equity securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any securities and may be attached to or separate from those securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into by Royal Dutch Shell and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. It is expected that at the time of any warrant offering, the offering would be structured so as to comply with the requirements of the Financial Services Authority and any other pertinent regulations, including being made by an appropriately authorized person, as necessary.

     Subject to applicable law and our articles of association, any warrants in respect of ordinary shares (or preference shares where the preference shares have the right to participate beyond a specified amount in a dividend or capital distribution) which are issued by us for cash must first be offered to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings. See “Description of Royal Dutch Shell Ordinary Shares” for further information on shareholders’ pre-emption rights.

Debt Warrants

     Royal Dutch Shell may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance. Each debt warrant will entitle its holder to purchase debt securities at an exercise price set forth in, or to be determined as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Debt warrants may be issued separately or together with any other securities.

     The debt warrants are to be issued under debt warrant agreements to be entered into by Royal Dutch Shell and one or more banks or trust companies, as debt warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. At or around the time of an offering of debt warrants, a form of debt warrant agreement, including a form of debt warrant certificate representing the debt warrants, reflecting the alternative provisions that may be included in the debt warrant agreements to be entered into with respect to particular offerings of debt warrants, will be added as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part by an amendment or incorporation by reference to a subsequent filing.

     The particular terms of each issue of debt warrants, the debt warrant agreement relating to such debt warrants and such debt warrant certificates representing debt warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. This description will include:

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Equity Warrants

     Royal Dutch Shell may issue warrants for the purchase of equity securities (including its ordinary shares). As explained below, each equity warrant will entitle its holder to purchase equity securities at an exercise price set forth in, or to be determined as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Equity warrants may be issued separately or together with any other securities.

     The equity warrants are to be issued under equity warrant agreements to be entered into by Royal Dutch Shell and one or more banks or trust companies, as equity warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. At or around the time of an offering of equity warrants, a form of equity warrant agreement, including a form of equity warrant certificate representing the equity warrants, reflecting the alternative provisions that may be included in the equity warrant agreements to be entered into with respect to particular offerings of equity warrants, will be added as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part by an amendment or incorporation by reference to a subsequent filing.

     The particular terms of each issue of equity warrants, the equity warrant agreement relating to such equity warrants and the equity warrant certificates representing such equity warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. This description will include:

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DESCRIPTION OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL ORDINARY SHARES

     The following is a summary of the material terms of Royal Dutch Shell’s ordinary shares, including brief descriptions of the provisions contained in our memorandum of association and articles of association and applicable laws of England in effect on the date of this document. This summary does not purport to include complete statements of these provisions. References to the provisions of our memorandum of association and articles of association are qualified in their entirety by reference to our full memorandum of association and articles of association which are filed as an exhibit to the Form F-4, and incorporated herein by reference. See the “Description of Royal Dutch Shell American Depositary Receipts” section below for more information about the rights of holders of our ADRs. For the purposes of the discussion below, references to “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Royal Dutch Shell.

Share Capital

     Once the shares accepted for tender in the Unification Transaction as of July 20, 2005 have settled (and assuming full settlement) our authorized, issued and fully paid share capital will be as follows:

     There are also approximately 344 million euro deferred shares of €0.07 authorized and outstanding.

     The unclassified shares can be issued as Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares at the discretion of our board of directors. Any future issue of additional Class B ordinary shares will only be made after prior consultation with the Dutch Revenue Service.

     All Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares will be fully paid and free from all liens equities, charges, encumbrances and other interest and not subject to calls of any kind. All Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares will rank equally for all dividends and distributions on our ordinary share capital declared. Our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are admitted to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and to trading on the market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange. Our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are also listed on Euronext Amsterdam. In addition, for technical purposes only, the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. has authorized the listing of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, with respect to which there will be no trading privileges.

     Our current authorized share capital (once the shares accepted for tender in the Unification Transaction as of July 20, 2005 have settled, and assuming full settlement) consists of (i) £50,000 divided into 50,000 sterling deferred shares of £1 each and (ii) €700,000,000 divided into 343,762,784 euro deferred shares of €0.07 each, 3,795,877,216 Class A ordinary shares, 2,759,360,000 Class B ordinary shares and 3,101,000,000 unclassified shares of €0.07 each to be classified as Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares upon issue at the discretion of our directors. As of December 31, 2004, our issued share capital consisted of 20,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, 30,000 sterling deferred shares of £1 each and 4,148,800,000 euro deferred shares of €0.07 each. All ordinary shares, sterling deferred shares and euro deferred shares are fully paid and not subject to calls for additional payments of any kind. As of July 20, 2005, trusts holding shares for the benefit of employee plans of the Shell Group held 168 million ordinary shares of Royal Dutch Shell with a book value of $4,549 million and a face value of €12 million.

Shareholders Meetings

     Under English law, we are required in each year to hold an annual general meeting of shareholders in addition to any other meeting of shareholders that may be held. Not more than 15 months may elapse between the date of one annual general meeting of shareholders and that of the next.

     Our directors have the power to convene a general meeting of shareholders at any time. In addition, our directors must convene a meeting upon the request of shareholders holding not less than 10 percent of our paid-up capital carrying voting rights at general meetings of shareholders. A request for a general meeting of shareholders must state the objects of the meeting, and must be signed by the requesting shareholders and deposited at our registered office. If

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our directors fail to give notice of such meeting to shareholders with 21 days from receipt of notice, the shareholders that requested the general meeting, or any of them representing more than one-half of the total voting rights of all shareholders that requested the meeting, may themselves convene a meeting, but any meeting so convened shall not be held after the expiration of 3 months. Any such meeting must be convened in the same manner, as readily as possible, as that in which meetings are to be convened by our directors.

     We are required to provide at least 21 clear days’ notice of any annual general meeting, any general meeting where a special resolution is to be voted upon, or to pass a resolution of which special notice under the Companies Act of England and Wales 1985, as amended (the “Companies Act”), has been given. “Special resolutions” generally involve proposals to:

At least 14 clear days’ notice is required for all other general meetings.

     Our articles of association require that any notice of general meetings must be in writing and must specify where the meeting is to be held, the date and time of the meeting and the general nature of the business of the meeting. The listing rules (the “Listing Rules”) of the UKLA require us to inform holders of our securities of the holding of meetings which they are entitled to attend.

     A shareholder is entitled to appoint a proxy (which is not required to be another shareholder) to represent and vote on behalf of the shareholder at any general meeting of shareholders, including the annual general meeting.

     Business may not be transacted at any general meeting, including the annual general meeting, unless a quorum is present. A quorum is two people who are entitled to vote at that general meeting. They can be shareholders who are personally present or proxies for shareholders entitled to vote at that general meeting or a combination of both.

     If a quorum is not present within five minutes of the time fixed for a general meeting to start or within any longer period not exceeding one hour (as decided by the Chairman of the meeting), (i) if the meeting was called by shareholders it will be canceled and (ii) any other meeting will be adjourned to any day (being not less than three nor more than 28 days later), time and place stated in the notice of the meeting. If the notice does not provide for this, the meeting shall be adjourned to a day, time and place decided upon by the Chairman of the meeting. One shareholder present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote will constitute a quorum at any adjourned general meeting.

Record dates

     In relation to shares in uncertificated form, the holders of those shares that are on the register of members on the record date have the right to attend and vote at meetings. In relation to shares in certificated form, holders of those shares that are on the register of members at the time of a meeting of shareholders are entitled to attend and vote at meetings.

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Voting rights

     The Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares have identical voting rights and vote together as a single class on all matters including the election of directors unless a matter affects the rights of one class as a separate class. If a resolution affects the rights attached to either class of shares as a separate class, it must be approved either in writing by shareholders holding at least three-quarters of the issued shares of that class by amount, excluding any shares of that class held as treasury shares, or by an extraordinary resolution passed at a separate meeting of the registered holders of the relevant class of shares.

     “Extraordinary resolutions” are confined to matters out of the ordinary course of business, such as a proposal to wind up the affairs of a company.

     It is the intention that all voting at our general meetings will take place on a poll. On a poll, every holder of Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares present in person or by proxy has one vote for every share he holds.

     This is subject to any rights or restrictions which are given to any class of shares. No shareholder is entitled to vote if he has been served with a restriction notice after failure to provide us with information concerning interests in his or her shares required to be provided under the Companies Act.

     A “poll” is voting by means of a ballot where the number of shares held by each voting shareholder is counted, as opposed to voting by way of a show of hands where the actual number of shares held by voting shareholders is not taken into account.

     Under the Companies Act, if a poll is demanded, the resolution conducted on a poll must be approved by holders of at least a majority of the votes cast at the meeting. Both special and extraordinary resolutions require the affirmative vote of at least 75% of the votes cast at the meeting to be approved.

Dividends

     Under English law, dividends are payable on Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares only out of profits available for distribution, as determined in accordance with the Companies Act and under International Financial Reporting Standards.

     Subject to the Companies Act, if our directors consider that our financial position justifies the declaration of a dividend, we can pay an interim dividend.

     Our shareholders can declare dividends by passing an ordinary resolution. Dividends cannot exceed the amount recommended by our directors.

     It is the intention that dividends will be declared and paid on a quarterly basis. Dividends are payable to persons registered as shareholders on the record date relating to the relevant dividend.

     All dividends will be divided and paid in proportions based on the amounts paid upon our shares during any period for which that dividend is paid.

     Any dividend payable in cash relating to a share can be paid by sending a cheque, warrant or similar financial instrument payable to the shareholder entitled to the dividend by post addressed to the shareholder’s registered address or it can be made payable to someone else named in a written instruction from the shareholder and sent by post to the address specified in that instruction. A dividend can also be paid by inter-bank transfer or by other electronic means directly to an account with a bank or other financial institution named in a written instruction from the person entitled to receive the payment. Such bank or other financial institution must be in the United Kingdom other than in respect of our ordinary shares which are held within Euroclear Nederland and to which the Securities Giro Act (Wet giraal effectenverkeer) applies. Alternatively, a dividend can be paid in some other way requested in writing by a shareholder and agreed to by us. We will not be responsible for a payment which is lost or delayed.

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     Where any dividends or other amounts payable on a share have not been claimed, the directors can invest them or use them in any other way for our benefit until they are claimed. We will not be a trustee of the money and will not be liable to pay interest on it. If a dividend has not been claimed for 12 years after being declared or becoming due for payment, it will be forfeited and go back to us, unless the directors decide otherwise.

     We expect that dividends on our outstanding Class B ordinary shares will be paid under the dividend access mechanism described below. As also noted below, any further issue of Class B ordinary shares is subject to advance consultation with the Dutch Revenue Service. See “Dividend Access Mechanism for Class B ordinary shares” below. Our articles of association provide that if any amount is paid by the issuer of the dividend access share by way of dividend on the dividend access share and paid by the dividend access trustee to any holder of Class B ordinary shares, the dividend that we would otherwise pay to such holder of Class B ordinary shares will be reduced by an amount equal to the amount paid to such holder of Class B ordinary shares by the dividend access trustee.

Issuance of additional shares; other changes in share capital

     Our articles of association provide that, subject to applicable law, Royal Dutch Shell can issue shares with any rights or restrictions attached to them as long as this is not restricted by any rights attached to existing shares. These rights or restrictions can be decided either by an ordinary resolution passed by the shareholders or by the directors as long as there is no conflict with any resolution passed by the shareholders. Accordingly, without further shareholder approval but subject to the limitations described above, including pre-emption rights, the directors could issue one or more series of preferred shares and establish the rights, preferences, redemption terms and other provisions of those shares.¹

     Subject to the provisions of applicable law and the provisions of our articles of association, shareholders can increase our share capital by passing an ordinary resolution. This resolution will fix the amount of the increase and the amount of new shares.

     Subject to applicable law and the provisions of our articles of association, shareholders can pass an ordinary resolution to do any of the following:

     Subject to applicable law and the provisions of our articles of association, shareholders can pass a special resolution to reduce our share capital, any capital redemption reserve, any share premium account or any other undistributable reserve in any way.

     We may, subject to applicable law and existing shareholder rights, and to any requirements imposed by any relevant listing authority in respect of securities admitted to listing, purchase our own shares including redeemable shares.

Liquidation rights

     If we are wound up (whether the liquidation is voluntary, under supervision of the court or by the court), the liquidator can, with the authority of an extraordinary resolution passed by our shareholders and any other sanction required by legislation, divide among the shareholders (excluding any shareholder holding shares as treasury shares)

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the whole or any part of our assets. For this purpose, the liquidator can set the value that the liquidator considers fair upon any property and decide how such division is carried out as between shareholders or different groups of shareholders.

Transfer of shares

     Unless our articles of association provide otherwise, a shareholder may transfer some or all of his shares in certificated form to another person. A transfer of certificated shares must be either in the usual standard form or in any other form approved by the directors. The share transfer form for certificated shares must be signed or made effective in some other way by or on behalf of the person making the transfer.

     In the case of a transfer of a certificated share, where the share is not fully paid, the share transfer form must also be signed or made effective in some other way by or on behalf of the person to whom the share is being transferred.

     Unless our articles of association provide otherwise, a shareholder may transfer some or all of his shares in uncertificated form through CREST (the computerized settlement system to facilitate the transfer of title to shares in uncertificated form operated by CRESTCo Limited). Provisions of our articles of association do not apply to any uncertificated shares to the extent that those provisions are inconsistent with the holding of shares in uncertificated form or with the transfer of shares through CREST.

     The person making a transfer will continue to be treated as a shareholder until the name of the person to whom the share is being transferred is put on the register for that share.

     Our directors may, without giving any reasons, refuse to register the transfer of any shares which are not fully paid. Our directors may also refuse to register the transfer of any shares in the following circumstances:

Certificated shares

Uncertificated shares

     Title to certificated shares will be evidenced by entry in the register of our members and title to uncertificated shares will be evidenced by entry in the operator register maintained by CRESTCo (which forms part of the register of our members).

     No share certificates will be issued in respect of our shares in uncertificated form. Since our shares will initially all be in uncertificated form, neither share certificates nor any temporary documents of title will initially be issued in respect of them. If any of our shares are converted to be held in certificated form, share certificates will be issued in respect of those shares in accordance with applicable legislation.

     Our directors may refuse to register a transfer of any certificated shares by a person with a 0.25 per cent. or greater holding of the existing capital (calculated excluding any shares held as treasury shares) if such a person has received a restriction notice (as defined in our articles of association) after failure to provide us with information concerning

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interests in these shares required to be provided under the legislation unless our directors are satisfied that they have been sold outright to an independent third party.

Dividend Access Mechanism for Class B ordinary shares

General

     Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares are identical, except for the dividend access mechanism, which will only apply to the Class B ordinary shares.

     Dividends paid on Class A ordinary shares have a Dutch source for tax purposes and are subject to Dutch withholding tax.

     It is expected that holders of Class B ordinary shares will receive dividends through the dividend access mechanism. Dividends paid through the dividend access mechanism will have a UK source for UK and Dutch tax purposes and accordingly will not be subject to Dutch withholding tax insofar as these dividends are paid through the dividend access mechanism. For further details regarding the tax treatment of dividends paid on the Class A and Class B ordinary shares and ADRs, please refer to “Taxation”.

Description of Dividend Access Mechanism

     A dividend access share has been issued by Shell Transport to Hill Samuel Offshore Trust Company Limited as dividend access trustee. Pursuant to a declaration of trust, Hill Samuel Offshore Trust Company Limited will hold any dividends paid in respect of the dividend access share on trust for the holders of Class B ordinary shares from time to time and will arrange for prompt disbursement of such dividends to holders of Class B ordinary shares. Interest and other income earned on unclaimed dividends will be for the account of Shell Transport and any dividends which are unclaimed after 12 years will revert to Shell Transport. Holders of Class B ordinary shares will not have any interest in the dividend access share and will not have any rights against Shell Transport as issuer of the dividend access share. The only assets held on trust for the benefit of the holders of Class B ordinary shares will be dividends paid to the dividend access trustee in respect of the dividend access share. Any dividends paid on the dividend access share will have a UK source for Dutch and UK tax purposes; there will be no UK or Dutch withholding tax on such dividends and certain holders (not including U.S. holders) of Class B ordinary shares or Class B ADRs will be entitled to a UK tax credit in respect of their proportional share of such dividends.

     The Shell Transport articles of association state that the maximum dividend that can be declared by Shell Transport on the dividend access share in respect of a specified period will be an amount equal to the aggregate dividend declared by us on the Class B ordinary shares in respect of such period. In addition, the dividends that Shell Transport may pay on the dividend access share in any year will be limited to a total of €3.3 billion. This limit can be varied by a resolution of the shareholders of Shell Transport from time to time and will not be less than the aggregate dividends declared on the Class B ordinary shares in any year.

Operation of the Dividend Access Mechanism

     Following the declaration of a dividend by us on the Class B ordinary shares, Shell Transport may declare a dividend on the dividend access share. Shell Transport will not declare a dividend on the dividend access share before we declare a dividend on the Class B ordinary shares, as Shell Transport will need to know what dividend we have declared on the Class B ordinary shares. This is to ensure that the dividend declared on the dividend access share does not exceed an amount equal to the total dividend declared by us on the Class B ordinary shares.

     Before Shell Transport can declare any dividend, the Shell Transport directors will need to consider Shell Transport’s financial condition and amount of distributable reserves. It is the expectation and the intention, although there can be no certainty, that holders of Class B ordinary shares will receive dividends via the dividend access mechanism.

     To the extent that a dividend is declared by Shell Transport on the dividend access share and paid to the dividend access trustee, the holders of the Class B ordinary shares will be beneficially entitled to receive their share of that

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dividend pursuant to the declaration of trust (and arrangements will be made to ensure that the dividend is paid in the same currency in which they would have received a dividend from us). No dividend declared and paid by Shell Transport on the dividend access share will be paid to holders of Class A ordinary shares in respect of their Class A ordinary shares.

     Our articles of association provide that if any amount is paid by Shell Transport by way of a dividend on the dividend access share and paid by the dividend access trustee to any holder of Class B ordinary shares, the dividend which we would otherwise pay on the Class B ordinary shares will be reduced by an amount equal to the amount paid to such holders of Class B ordinary shares by the dividend access trustee.

     Royal Dutch Shell will have a full and unconditional obligation, in the event that the dividend access trustee does not pay an amount to holders of Class B ordinary shares on a cash dividend payment date (even if that amount has been paid to the dividend access trustee), to pay immediately the dividend declared on the Class B ordinary shares. The right of holders of Class B ordinary shares to receive distributions from the dividend access trustee will be reduced by an amount equal to the amount of any payment actually made by us on account of any dividend on Class B ordinary shares.

     Any payment by Royal Dutch Shell will be subject to Dutch withholding tax (unless in any particular case an exemption is obtained under Dutch law or the provisions of an applicable tax treaty). If for any reason no dividend is paid on the dividend access share, holders of Class B ordinary shares will only receive dividends from Royal Dutch Shell directly.

     The dividend access mechanism may be suspended or terminated at any time by our directors or the directors of Shell Transport, for any reason and without financial recompense. This might, for instance, occur in response to changes in relevant tax legislation.

     The dividend access mechanism has been approved by the Dutch Revenue Service pursuant to an agreement (vaststellingsovereenkomst) with us and Royal Dutch dated October 26, 2004 as supplemented and amended by an agreement between the same parties dated April 25, 2005. The agreement states, among other things, that dividend distributions on the dividend access share by Shell Transport will not be subject to Dutch dividend withholding tax provided that the dividend access mechanism is structured and operated substantially as set out above. Royal Dutch Shell may not extend the dividend access mechanism to any future issuances of Class B ordinary shares without the approval of the Dutch Revenue Service. Accordingly, we would not expect to issue additional Class B ordinary shares unless we obtained that approval or determined that the continued operation of the dividend access mechanism was unnecessary. Any further issue of Class B ordinary shares is subject to advance consultation with the Dutch Revenue Service.

Manner of holding shares

Holdings through Euroclear Nederland

     We expect that the Admitted Institution or, if applicable, other bank or financial institution where a person who holds interests in our shares through Euroclear Nederland maintains a relevant securities account will send such person a statement detailing the interests in our shares such person holds through Euroclear Nederland. However, whether and, if so, how they do so, will depend on the individual arrangements between such Admitted Institution or other bank or financial institution and that person.

     Euroclear Nederland has indicated that each person who holds interests in our shares through it will be able to exercise rights relating to those shares such that he will (subject to the individual arrangements between that person and the Admitted Institution or other bank or financial institution where that person maintains a relevant securities account):

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in each case, so far as is possible in accordance with the Securities Giro Act, other applicable law and the Euroclear Nederland rules and regulations issued pursuant to the Securities Giro Act and further subject to compliance by all concerned with any applicable policies and procedures.

Holdings through the Corporate Nominee Service

     In order to allow the persons who hold our shares through the corporate nominee service provided by Lloyds TSB Bank plc (the “Corporate Nominee Service”) to exercise rights relating to those shares, we have entered into an agreement with Lloyds TSB Bank plc (the “Corporate Nominee”) requiring it to ensure that persons holding our shares through the Corporate Nominee Service will:

in each case, so far as is possible in accordance with the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001 and other applicable law. In particular, residents in, or citizens of, jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom should be aware that they will not be able to participate in capital events as registered holders of our shares unless the Corporate Nominee is satisfied that such participation or treatment would not breach any applicable laws or regulations in those jurisdictions.

     It is the responsibility of persons resident in, or citizens of jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom to inform themselves of, and to satisfy themselves as to the full observance of, the laws of the relevant jurisdiction in connection with any applicable legal requirements in respect of holding our shares through the Corporate Nominee Service, including the obtaining of any governmental, exchange control or other consents which may be required, or the compliance with other necessary formalities that are required to be observed. If, due to applicable legal requirements, it is not permissible or practical to hold our shares through the Corporate Nominee Service, persons resident in, or citizen of, that jurisdiction should request that they be sent a share certificate for the Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares to which they are entitled.

     For so long as a person holds our shares through the Corporate Nominee Service, we will ensure that the Corporate Nominee sends each such person a statement of his holding of our shares at least once a year.

Change in the manner of holding our shares

     Holders of our shares may, subject as set out below, change the manner in which they hold such shares so that they are held through Euroclear Nederland, through the Corporate Nominee Service or directly as the registered holder. The ability to change the manner of holding our shares is subject to, in each case, compliance with any relevant regulatory requirements and, in respect of holdings through the Corporate Nominee Service, the agreement of the Corporate Nominee and acceptance by the holder of our shares of the terms and conditions of the Corporate Nominee Service.

     Holders of our shares who wish to change the manner in which they hold such shares are urged to consult their own legal, tax and financial advisers with respect to the legal, tax and cost consequences of any such change.

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Repurchase of shares

     Subject to applicable law and our articles of association, we may purchase our own shares if (a) in the case of an open-market purchase, authority to make the market purchase has been given by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders or; (b) in the case of an off-market purchase, authority has been given by a special resolution. However, we intend to comply with the guidance of the Association of British Insurers that authority to repurchase shares should be given by special resolution. We can only repurchase our own shares out of distributable reserves or the proceeds of a new issuance of shares made for the purposes of funding the repurchase.

     Royal Dutch Shell has entered into agreements with the Dutch Revenue Service regarding the Dutch tax consequences of the repurchase of both Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Accordingly, Royal Dutch Shell will consider such Dutch tax consequences if and when it decides to repurchase ordinary shares. See “Taxation — Dutch Taxation — Dutch taxation of Ordinary Shares and ADRs — Withholding tax on dividend payments.”

Shareholders’ preemptive rights

     Under the Companies Act, if we propose to issue for cash:

they must be offered first to each person who holds equity securities on the same or more favorable terms in proportion to those securities which is as nearly as practicable equal to the proportion in nominal value of the equity securities held by him or her to the aggregate issued equity securities. These pre-emption rights can be disapplied by a special resolution passed by shareholders in a general meeting, either generally or specifically, for a maximum period not exceeding five years.

     Subject to applicable law and our articles of association, any equity shares issued by us for cash must first be offered to existing shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings (the shareholders’ pre-emption rights). Both the Companies Act and the Listing Rules allow for the disapplication of the shareholders’ pre-emption rights. The pre-emption rights may be waived by a special resolution of the shareholders, either generally or specifically, for a maximum period not exceeding five years.

Ability to pay commission on shares and to issue shares at a discount

     In connection with any share issued, we can use all the powers given by applicable law to pay commissions or brokerage. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act, we can pay the commissions in cash or by allotting shares or by a combination of both.

     Subject to applicable law and our articles of association, we may also issue further shares of a class already issued at a discount to the market price. The Listing Rules limit the maximum discount under which shares may be issued in an open offer to 10 percent of the middle market price of those shares at the time of announcing the terms of the open offer. Furthermore, shares may not be allotted at less than their par value.

Disputes between a shareholder or ADR holder and Royal Dutch Shell, any subsidiary, director or professional service provider

     All disputes between a shareholder in its capacity as such and us or any of our subsidiaries or any of our or our subsidiaries’ directors or former directors arising out of or in connection with our articles of association or otherwise and disputes between us or our subsidiaries and any of our or our subsidiaries’ directors or former directors, including all claims made by us or any of our subsidiaries or on our behalf or on behalf of any of our subsidiaries against any such director, and disputes between a shareholder in its capacity as such and any of our professional service providers (which could include our auditors, legal counsel, bankers and ADR depositaries) that have agreed with us to be bound

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by the arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction provisions of our articles of association and between us and our professional service providers arising in connection with any such dispute between a shareholder and a professional service provider, shall be exclusively and finally resolved by arbitration in The Hague, The Netherlands under the Rules of Arbitration of the ICC. This would include all disputes arising under UK, Dutch or U.S. law (including securities laws), or under any other law, between parties covered by the arbitration provision.

     The tribunal shall consist of three arbitrators to be appointed in accordance with the Rules of Arbitration of the ICC. The chairman must have at least 20 years experience as a lawyer qualified to practice in a common law jurisdiction which is within the Commonwealth and each other arbitrator must have at least 20 years experience as a qualified lawyer.

     If a court or other competent authority in any jurisdiction determines that the arbitration requirement described above is invalid or unenforceable in any particular dispute in that jurisdiction, that dispute may only be brought in the courts of England and Wales.

     The governing law of our articles of association is the substantive law of England.

     We have incorporated arbitration clauses into all indemnities granted by us to our directors and into all service contracts between directors and our subsidiaries. We have incorporated an arbitration clause into the deposit agreements relating to the Class A ADRs and Class B ADRs which applies as between us and holders of the Class A ADRs and Class B ADRs (but not the depositaries).

     Disputes relating to our failure or alleged failure to pay all or part of a dividend which has been declared and which has fallen due for payment will not be the subject of the arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction provisions of our articles of association.

     We believe that the arbitration provision contained in our articles of association provides a predictable framework in which Royal Dutch Shell can run its affairs and assess risk, which is in the interest of Royal Dutch Shell and its shareholders as a whole. We also believe that the arbitration provision can provide the benefits of swiftness and economy, when compared with litigation as a dispute resolution mechanism. As a company based in Europe, most of whose shareholders are expected to be located in Europe, we consider it appropriate that the proceedings for resolving disputes among Royal Dutch Shell, its subsidiaries, its directors, its professional service providers (to the extent they have agreed to do so), and its shareholders and ADR holders, in their capacities as such, should be settled in Europe.

History of our share capital

     Our current authorized share capital (once the shares accepted for tender in the Unification Transaction as of July 20, 2005 have settled, and assuming full settlement) consists of (i) £50,000 divided into 50,000 sterling deferred shares of £1 each and (ii) €700,000,000 divided into 343,762,784 euro deferred shares of €0.07 each, 3,795,877,216 Class A ordinary shares of €0.07 each, 2,759,360,000 Class B ordinary shares of €0.07 each and 3,101,000,000 unclassified shares of €0.07 each to be classified as Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares upon issue at the discretion of our directors. As of December 31, 2004, our issued share capital consisted of 20,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, 30,000 sterling deferred shares of £1 each and 4,414,800,000 euro deferred shares of €0.07 each. All ordinary shares, sterling deferred shares and euro deferred shares are fully paid and not subject to calls for additional payments of any kind.

     We were incorporated with an authorized share capital of £1,000, divided into 1,000 ordinary shares of £1 each, one of which was issued to Instant Companies Limited.

     The following alterations to our authorized and issued share capital have taken place since our incorporation:

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     The directors were authorized to allot these shares pursuant to section 80 of the Companies Act; and

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Objects and Purposes

We are incorporated under the name Royal Dutch Shell plc, and are registered at Companies House, Cardiff with company number 04366849, and the Chamber of Commerce, The Hague under number 34179503. Our registered office is at Shell Centre, London, SE1 7NA, UK and our headquarters are at Carel van Bylandtlaan 30, 2596 HR The Hague, The Netherlands. Our memorandum of association provides that our primary objective is to carry on the business of a holding company.

Headquarters

     We will, as required by our articles of association, have a single corporate headquarters in The Netherlands. The meaning of “headquarters” under our articles of association is established by our board of directors and can only be amended by a resolution of our board of directors in respect of which two-thirds of those Royal Dutch Shell directors who are present and voting vote in favor.

     Our board of directors has resolved that “headquarters” shall mean the place of our effective management where:

     We are considered a resident of The Netherlands for Dutch and UK tax purposes.

Board of Directors

     General. Under English law, we are required to have a single-tier board of directors. Our board is headed by a non-executive Chairman and has a majority of independent non-executive directors. Our board currently comprises ten non-executive directors (including the Chairman) and five executive directors. The directors can delegate any of

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their powers or discretions to an individual director or committees of one or more persons. All committees must comply with any regulations laid down by the directors.

     The directors have delegated some responsibilities to the executive committee and others to the non-executive committees referred to below. The directors can exercise all of our powers, except where our memorandum of association, the articles of association or applicable law limit the use of powers to the shareholders voting to do so at a general meeting, for example to increase the total fees payable to all of the directors. The directors can give a director any of the powers which they have jointly as directors (with the power to sub-delegate). These powers can be given on terms and conditions decided on by the directors either in parallel with, or in place of, the powers of the directors acting jointly.

     The directors can appoint anyone as our attorney by granting a power of attorney. Attorneys can either be appointed directly by the directors or the directors can give someone else the power to select attorneys. The directors or the persons who are authorized by them to select attorneys can decide on the purposes, powers, authorities and discretions of attorneys. However, they cannot give an attorney any power, authority or discretion which the directors do not have under our articles of association.

     Size. Under our articles of association, we must have a minimum of three directors and a maximum of 20 directors (disregarding alternate directors (described in greater detail below). However, these restrictions can be amended by resolution of our board of directors.

     Appointment and Election of Directors. Our shareholders may, by passing an ordinary resolution, elect any eligible willing person to be a director, either as an additional director or to fill a vacancy.

     Subject to our articles of association, our directors can appoint any willing person to be a director, either as an additional director or as a replacement for another director. Any director appointed by our directors must retire from office at the first annual general meeting after his or her appointment and is then eligible for election.

     Any director can appoint any person (including another director) to act in his place (called an “alternate director”). That appointment requires the approval of the directors, unless previously approved by the directors or unless the appointee is another director.

     Retirement. Our articles of association provide that at every annual general meeting any director who was in office at the time of the two previous annual general meetings and who did not retire at either of them must retire. Additional provisions in respect of retirement apply to our 2006 and 2007 annual general meetings. At the general meeting at which a director retires, shareholders can pass an ordinary resolution to re-elect the director or to elect another eligible person in his or her place.

     A director who would not otherwise be required to retire must also retire if he is aged 70 or more at the date of the meeting or if he has been in office, other than as a director holding an executive position, for a continuous period of nine years or more at the date of the meeting. Any such director will be eligible to stand for re-election.

     Removal of Directors. Under the Companies Act, our shareholders may remove any director without cause by ordinary resolution, irrespective of any provision of our articles of association or any service contract a director may have with us, provided that we are given 28 clear days’ notice of the resolution. In these circumstances, we may be required by a service contract to pay compensation to the removed director.

     In addition to any power to remove directors conferred by legislation, the company can pass a special resolution to remove a director from office even though his time in office has not ended.

     Committees. The directors can delegate any of their powers or discretions to committees of one or more persons. Unless the directors decide not to allow this, any committee can sub-delegate any of its powers or discretions to sub-committees.

     Our directors have delegated powers to the Executive Committee, Audit Committee, Nomination and Succession Committee, Remuneration Committee and Social Responsibility Committee.

     Executive Committee. We have an executive committee which comprises the Chief Executive, the Chief Financial Officer and the other Executive Directors. The executive committee is responsible for our overall business and affairs and has the final authority in all matters of management that are not within the duties and authorities of our

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board of directors or our shareholders’ meeting. The executive committee implements all resolutions of our Board of Directors and supervises the management of our businesses.

     Directors’ Liability. Under English law, each of our directors has a fiduciary duty to act in our best interest. This duty includes an obligation not to create an actual or potential conflict between the director’s duty to us and duties to any other person or his personal interests as well as an obligation to exercise his or her powers only in accordance with our memorandum of association and articles of association and any applicable legislation. In addition, each of our directors is obligated under English law to exercise reasonable care and skill.

     Limitation on Liability and Indemnification. Our articles of association provide that, as far as legislation allows, we can indemnify any director of the company, of an associated company or of any affiliate against any liability and that we can purchase and maintain insurance against any liability for any director of the company, of any associated company or of any affiliate.

     English law provides that a company may indemnify a director against any liability except for: (i) any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director to the company or any associated company, (ii) any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director to pay a fine imposed in criminal proceedings or a sum payable to a regulatory authority by way of a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any requirement of a regulatory nature, and (iii) any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director in defending criminal proceedings in which he is convicted, or in defending civil proceedings brought by the company or an associated company in which judgment is given against him or in connection with an application under certain sections of the Companies Act (acquisition of shares by an innocent nominee and relief in the case of honest and reasonable conduct) in relation to which the court refuses to grant him relief.

     Class Action Suits and Shareholder Derivative Suits. The following provisions would only apply in circumstances where the arbitration provisions of our articles of association would be invalid or inapplicable. While English law permits a shareholder to initiate a lawsuit on behalf of the company only in limited circumstances, the Companies Act permits a shareholder whose name is on the register of shareholders of the company to apply for a court order:

Except in these limited circumstances, English law does not generally permit class action lawsuits by shareholders on behalf of the company or on behalf of other shareholders.

     Transactions with Interested Directors. Under the Listing Rules, we must obtain shareholder approval for certain transactions with related parties (which includes certain transactions with directors). The Listing Rules provide that an announcement, a circular and prior approval of the shareholders in a general meeting will be required before such a transaction is entered into. The related party will not be allowed to vote on the resolution. Our articles of association state that, if legislation allows and provided that a director discloses the nature and extent of his or her interest to the other directors, he is permitted to: (i) have an interest in any contract with, or involving, us or any other company in which we have an interest; (ii) hold any other position (other than as an auditor) with us as well as being a director; (iii) acting alone, or through a firm with which he is associated, do paid professional work for us or another company in which we have an interest (other than as an auditor); and (iv) hold any position within, or be a shareholder of, or have any other kind of interest in any company in which we have an interest. Except as provided for in our articles of association, a director cannot vote on, or be counted in a quorum in relation to, any resolution of the board of directors on any contract in which he has an interest which the director knows is material. Interests purely as a result of an interest in our securities will be disregarded for these purposes. Our articles of association provide that a director can vote, and be counted for purposes of a quorum, on those conflict of interest transactions specified in article 105(E) if the only material interest that director has in the transaction is one of those specified in article 105(E) of our articles of association.

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     Our articles of association provide that holders of our shares may by ordinary resolution suspend or relax the list contained in article 105 to any extent or to ratify any contract which has not been properly authorized in accordance with our articles of association.

     Under our articles of association:

     (1) a director may not vote or be counted in the quorum in respect of any matter in which he is materially interested including any matter related to his own compensation;

     (2) the directors may exercise Royal Dutch Shell’s power to borrow money provided that the borrowings of the Shell Group shall not, without the consent of an ordinary resolution of shareholders of Royal Dutch Shell, exceed two times Royal Dutch Shell’s adjusted capital and reserves (these powers relating to borrowing may only be varied by special resolution of shareholders);

     (3) directors over age 70 must retire at each Annual General Meeting, but are eligible for re-election; and

     (4) directors are not required to hold shares of Royal Dutch Shell to be qualified to be a director.

Shareholders’ Information Rights.

     Except when closed under the provisions of the Companies Act (i.e. where a company, on giving notice by advertisement in a newspaper circulating in the district in which the company’s registered office is situated, closes the register of members for any time or times not exceeding in the whole 30 days in each year), the register and index of names of our shareholders may be inspected during business hours:

     In both cases, the documents may be copied for a fee. Our shareholders may also, without charge, during business hours:

     In addition, our published annual accounts are required to be available for shareholders at a general meeting, and a shareholder is entitled to a copy of these accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Interests

     Section 198 of the Companies Act imposes an obligation upon a person who acquires or ceases to have notifiable interest in the relevant share capital of a public company to notify the company of that fact within 2 days (excluding weekends and bank holidays) of his knowing of its occurrence. The disclosure threshold is 3%.

     Section 212 of the Companies Act provides a public company with the statutory means to ascertain the persons who are or have within the last 3 years been interested in its relevant share capital and the nature of such interests.

     The Royal Dutch Shell articles of association provide that in any statutory notice under section 212, Royal Dutch Shell will ask for details of those who have an interest and the extent of their interest in a particular holding. The Royal Dutch Shell articles of association also provide that when a person receives a statutory notice, he has 14 days to comply with it. If he does not do so or if he makes a statement in response to the notice which is false or inadequate in some important way, Royal Dutch Shell may restrict the rights relating to the identified shares, following notice. The restriction notice will state that the identified shares no longer give the shareholder any right to attend or vote either personally or by proxy at a shareholders’ meeting or to exercise any right in relation to the shareholders’ meetings. Where the identified shares make up 0.25% or more (in amount or in number) of the existing shares of a class at the date of delivery of the restriction notice, the restriction notice can also contain the following further restrictions: (i) the directors can withhold any dividend or part of a dividend or other money otherwise payable in respect of the identified shares without any liability to pay interest when such money is finally paid to the shareholder; and (ii) the directors can refuse to register a transfer of any of the identified shares which are certificated shares unless the directors are satisfied

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that they have been sold outright to an independent third party. Once a restriction notice has been given, the directors are free to cancel it or exclude any shares from it at any time they think fit. In addition, they must cancel the restriction notice within seven days of being satisfied that all information requested in the statutory notice has been given. Also, where any of the identified shares are sold and the directors are satisfied that they were sold outright to an independent third party, they must cancel the restriction notice within seven days of receipt of the notification of the sale. The Royal Dutch Shell articles of association do not restrict in any way the provision of section 212 of the Companies Act.

     The UK City Code on Takeovers and Mergers imposes rigorous disclosure requirements affecting parties to a proposed takeover, their “associates” and persons acting “in concert” in relation to the shares of a company. These requirements also extend to dealings by persons who directly or indirectly own or control (either before or as a result of the dealing) 1% or more of the equity shares in an offeror or offeree company or of any other class of shares relevant to the offer in question.

     The UK Rules Governing Substantial Acquisitions of Shares require accelerated disclosure of acquisitions of shares or rights over shares where a person holds, or as a result of an acquisition, comes to hold shares or rights over shares representing 15 percent or more of the voting rights of a company whose shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Amendment of Articles of Association

     Under the Companies Act, our shareholders have power to amend the objects, or purpose, clause in our memorandum of association and any provision of our articles of association by special resolution, subject to, in the case of amendments to the objects clause of the memorandum of association, the right of dissenting shareholders to apply to the courts to cancel the amendments.

     Under the Companies Act, our board of directors is not authorized to change the memorandum of association or the articles of association. Our articles of association provide that if permitted by legislation, the rights attached to any class of our shares can be changed if this is approved either in writing by shareholders holding at least three-quarters of the issued shares of that class by amount (excluding any shares of that class held as treasury shares) or by an extraordinary resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the relevant class of shares.

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DESCRIPTION OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS

General

     JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as depositary for our Class A ADRs and The Bank of New York as depositary for our Class B ADRs, will execute and deliver the Class A ADRs and Class B ADRs, respectively (collectively, the “ADRs”). Each Class A ADR and Class B ADR is a certificate evidencing a specific number of Class A or Class B American depositary shares (“Class A ADSs” and “Class B ADSs” and, collectively, “ADSs”), respectively. Each Class A ADS will represent two shares (or a right to receive two shares) deposited with the custodian of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Each Class B ADS will represent two shares (or a right to receive two shares) deposited with The Bank of New York. Each ADS will also represent any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary’s office at which the Class A ADRs will be administered is located at 4 New York Plaza, New York, New York 10004. The depositary’s office at which the Class B ADRs will be administered is located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286.

     You may hold ADSs either directly (by having an ADR registered in your name) or indirectly through your broker or other financial institution. If you hold ADSs directly, you are an ADR holder. This description assumes you hold your ADSs directly. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADR holders described in this section. You should consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

     As an ADR holder, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have shareholder rights. English law generally governs shareholder rights. The depositary or its nominee will be the holder of the shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADRs, you will have ADR holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the respective depositary and you, as an ADR holder, and the beneficial owners of ADRs sets out ADR holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the respective depositary. New York law governs the deposit agreements and the ADRs except that the arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction provisions are governed by English law.

     The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of ADRs. The deposit agreement relating to the Class A ADRs and the form of Class A ADR relating thereto are attached as an exhibit to the Capital Stock Form 6-K and incorporated herein by reference. The deposit agreement relating to the Class B ADRs and the form of Class B ADR relating thereto are also attached as an exhibit to the Capital Stock Form 6-K and incorporated herein by reference. See “Taxation — U.S. Taxation — U.S. Taxation of Ordinary Shares and ADRs” for a description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders of holding our ADRs.

Dividends and Other Distributions

How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?

     The depositary has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of shares your ADSs represent.

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     The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADR holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADRs, shares, rights or anything else to ADR holders. This means that you may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is deemed illegal or impractical for us to make them available to you.

Deposit and Withdrawal

How are ADSs issued?

     The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposits shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the relevant custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADRs at its office to the persons you request.

How do ADS holders cancel an ADR and obtain shares?

     You may surrender your ADRs at the respective depositary’s office. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the respective depositary will deliver (i) to the extent applicable, the shares, (ii) shares to an account designated by such owner with Euroclear Nederland or an Admitted Institution and (iii) and any other deposited securities underlying the ADR to you or a person you designate at the office of the respective custodian. Or, in the case of certificated shares, at your request, risk and expense, the respective depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its office, if feasible.

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Voting Rights

How do you vote?

     In the deposit agreements, upon the written request of a registered holder of Class A ADSs, the respective depositary endeavors to cause the appointment of such holder as each registered holder of ADSs its proxy with power to vote the number of shares its ADSs represent. This means that, subject to the procedures described below, if you are a registered holder of ADSs, you will have a right to attend and vote directly at shareholders’ meetings. You also have a right to appoint the respective depositary your substitute and instruct it how to vote the number of shares your ADSs represent. The respective depositary will notify you of shareholders’ meetings and arrange to deliver our voting materials to you if we ask it to. Those materials will describe the matters to be voted on and explain how you may vote directly or instruct the respective depositary how to vote. For instructions to be valid, they must reach the respective depositary by a date set by the respective depositary. In order for you to vote, the depositary must receive your request to be a proxy prior to the date specified for each meeting.

     The respective depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to English law and the provisions of our articles of association, to vote the number of shares or other deposited securities represented by your ADSs as you instruct. The respective depositary will only vote or attempt to vote as you instruct.

     We cannot ensure that you will receive voting materials or otherwise learn of an upcoming shareholders’ meeting in time to ensure that you can instruct the respective depositary to vote your shares.

     The respective depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to vote and there may be nothing you can do if your shares are not voted as you requested.

Fees and Expenses

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Payment of Taxes

     The respective depositary may deduct the amount of any taxes owed from any payments to you. It may also sell deposited securities, by public or private sale, to pay any taxes owed. You will remain liable if the proceeds of the sale are not enough to pay the taxes. If the respective depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to you any proceeds, or send to you any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.

Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers

Amendment and Termination

How may the deposit agreement be amended?

     We may agree with the respective depositary to amend the respective deposit agreement and the ADRs without your consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the respective depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADR holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADRs until 30 days after the respective depositary notifies ADR holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADRs, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

How may the deposit agreement be terminated?

     The respective depositary will terminate the respective deposit agreement if we ask it to do so. The respective depositary may also terminate the respective deposit agreement if it has told us that it would like to resign and we have not appointed a new depositary bank within 60 days. In either case, the respective depositary must notify you at least 30 days before termination.

     After termination, the respective depositary and its agents will do the following under the respective deposit agreement but nothing else: (1) advise you that the deposit agreement is terminated, (2) collect distributions on the deposited securities (3) sell rights and other property, and (4) deliver shares and other deposited securities upon surrender of ADRs. Six months or more after termination, the respective depositary may sell any remaining deposited securities by public or private sale. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement for the pro rata benefit of the ADR holders of that class that have not surrendered their ADRs. It will invest the money in direct obligations of the federal government of the U.S. and has no liability for interest. The respective depositary’s only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination our only obligations will be to indemnify the respective depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.

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Limitations on Obligations and Liability

Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositaries; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADRs

     The deposit agreements expressly limit our obligations and the obligations of the depositaries. They also limit our liability and the liability of the depositaries. We and the depositaries:

     By holding an ADR or an interest therein you will be agreeing that the respective depositary and its agents may fully respond to any and all demands or requests for information maintained by or on its behalf to the extent such information is requested or required by or pursuant to any lawful authority, including without limitation laws, rules, regulations, administrative or judicial process, banking, securities or other regulators.

     Neither we nor the respective depositary nor any of our or their respective agents shall be liable to registered or other holders of ADSs or any other third party or parties for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages.

     In the deposit agreements, we agree to indemnify the depositaries for acting as depositary, except for losses caused by the depositary’s own negligence or bad faith, and the depositaries agree to indemnify us for losses resulting from their negligence or bad faith and in connection with pre-released ADRs.

Requirements for Depositary Actions

     Before the depositaries will deliver or register a transfer of an ADR, make a distribution on an ADR, or permit withdrawal of shares or other property, the respective depositary may require:

     The respective depositary may refuse to deliver ADRs or register transfers of ADRs generally when the transfer books of the respective depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the respective depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

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Your Right to Receive the Ordinary Shares Underlying your ADRs

     You have the right to cancel your ADRs and withdraw the underlying shares or have shares credited to an account with Euroclear Nederland or an Admitted Institution at any time except:

     This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreements.

Pre-release of ADRs

     The deposit agreements permit the depositaries to deliver ADRs before deposit of the underlying shares. This is called a pre-release of the ADRs. Subject to the terms and conditions of the deposit agreements, the pre-release of ADRs may occur only if (i) pre-released ADRs are fully collateralized (marked to market daily) with cash or U.S. government securities in an amount equal to not less than 100% of the market value of the pre-released ADRs held by the respective depositary for the benefit of owners of the applicable shares (but such collateral shall not constitute deposited securities), (ii) each recipient of pre-released ADRs agrees in writing with the respective depositary that such recipient (a) owns such shares, (b) assigns all beneficial right, title and interest therein to the respective depositary, (c) holds such shares for the account of the respective depositary and (d) will deliver such shares to the respective custodian as soon as practicable and promptly upon demand therefor and (iii) all pre-released ADRs evidence not more than 20% of all ADRs (excluding those evidenced by pre-released ADRs) or such other percentage as we and the respective depositary may from time to time agree in writing, of the total number of shares represented by ADRs except to the extent, if any, that such limitation is exceeded solely because of the withdrawal of ADSs subsequent to the execution and delivery of pre-released ADRs in compliance with such limitation. As discussed in “U.S. Taxation of Ordinary Shares and ADRs—Deposits, withdrawals, and Pre-Releases,” the U.S. Treasury has expressed concerns regarding certain transactions involving the pre-release of ADRs.

Arbitration

     Under the deposit agreements, each holder of ADSs is bound by the arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction provisions of our articles of association as if the applicable ADS holder was our shareholder. For a description of the arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction provisions of our articles of association see “Description of Royal Dutch Shell Ordinary Shares — Disputes between a shareholder or ADR holder and Royal Dutch Shell, any subsidiary, director or professional service provider”.

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CLEARANCE AND SETTLEMENT

     Securities we issue may be held through one or more international and domestic clearing systems. The principal clearing systems we will use are the book-entry systems operated by the Depositary Trust Company (the “DTC”) in the United States, Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (“Clearstream”), in Luxembourg and Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. (“Euroclear”), in Brussels, Belgium. These systems have established electronic securities and payment transfer, processing, depositary and custodial links among themselves and others, either directly or through custodians and depositaries. These links allow securities to be issued, held and transferred among the clearing systems without the physical transfer of certificates.

     Special procedures to facilitate clearance and settlement have been established among these clearing systems to trade securities across borders in the secondary market. Where payments for securities we issue in global form will be made in U.S. dollars, these procedures can be used for cross-market transfers and the securities will be cleared and settled on a delivery against payment basis.

     Cross-market transfers of securities that are not in global form may be cleared and settled in accordance with other procedures that may be established among the clearing systems for these securities. Investors in securities that are issued outside of the United States, its territories and possessions must initially hold their interests through Euroclear, Clearstream or the clearance system that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

     The policies of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear will govern payments, transfers, exchange and other matters relating to the investor’s interest in securities held by them. This is also true for any other clearance system that may be named in a prospectus supplement.

     We have no responsibility for any aspect of the actions of DTC, Clearstream or Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants. We have no responsibility for any aspect of the records kept by DTC, Clearstream or Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants. We also do not supervise these systems in any way. This is also true for any other clearing system indicated in a prospectus supplement.

     DTC, Clearstream, Euroclear and their participants perform these clearance and settlement functions under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers. You should be aware that they are not obligated to perform these procedures and may modify them or discontinue them at any time.

     The description of the clearing systems in this section reflects our understanding of the rules and procedures of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear as they are currently in effect. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time.

The Clearing Systems

     DTC

     DTC has advised us as follows:

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     Clearstream

     Clearstream has advised us as follows:

     Euroclear

     Euroclear has advised us as follows:

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     Other Clearing Systems

     We may choose any other clearing system for a particular series of securities. The clearance and settlement procedures for the clearing system we choose will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Primary Distribution

     The distribution of the securities will be cleared through one or more of the clearing systems that we have described above or any other clearing system that is specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Payment for securities will be made on a delivery versus payment or free delivery basis. These payment procedures will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

     Clearance and settlement procedures may vary from one series of securities to another according to the currency that is chosen for the specific series of securities. Customary clearance and settlement procedures are described below.

     We will submit applications to the relevant system or systems for the securities to be accepted for clearance. The clearance numbers that are applicable to each clearance system will be specified in the prospectus supplement.

     Clearance and Settlement Procedures — DTC

     DTC participants that hold securities through DTC on behalf of investors will follow the settlement practices applicable to U.S. corporate debt obligations in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System, or such other procedures as are applicable for other securities.

     Securities will be credited to the securities custody accounts of these DTC participants against payment in same-day funds, for payments in U.S. dollars, on the settlement date. For payments in a currency other than U.S. dollars, securities will be credited free of payment on the settlement date.

     Clearance and Settlement Procedures — Euroclear and Clearstream

     We understand that investors that hold their securities through Euroclear or Clearstream accounts will follow the settlement procedures that are applicable to conventional Eurobonds in registered form for debt securities, or such other procedures as are applicable for other securities.

     Securities will be credited to the securities custody accounts of Euroclear and Clearstream participants on the business day following the settlement date, for value on the settlement date. They will be credited either free of payment or against payment for value on the settlement date.

Secondary Market Trading

     Trading Between DTC Participants

     Secondary market trading between DTC participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC’s rules. Secondary market trading will be settled using procedures applicable to U.S. corporate debt obligations in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System for debt securities, or such other procedures as are applicable for other securities.

     If payment is made in U.S. dollars, settlement will be in same-day funds. If payment is made in a currency other than U.S. dollars, settlement will be free of payment. If payment is made other than in U.S. Dollars, separate payment arrangements outside of the DTC system must be made between the DTC participants involved.

     Trading Between Euroclear and/or Clearstream Participants

     We understand that secondary market trading between Euroclear and/or Clearstream participants will occur in the ordinary way following the applicable rules and operating procedures of Euroclear and Clearstream. Secondary

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market trading will be settled using procedures applicable to conventional Eurobonds in registered form for debt securities, or such other procedures as are applicable for other securities.

     Transfers Between DTC and Clearstream or Euroclear

     Cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Clearstream participants or Euroclear participants, on the other, will be effected in DTC in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international clearing system by its U.S. depositary. However, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the counterparty in such system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its U.S. depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving securities in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Clearstream participants and Euroclear participants may not deliver instructions directly to the respective U.S. depositaries.

     Because of time-zone differences, credits of securities received by Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of a transaction with a DTC participant will be made during subsequent securities settlement processing and will be dated the business day following DTC settlement date. Such credits or any transactions in such securities settled during such processing will be reported to the relevant Clearstream participants or Euroclear participants on such business day. Cash received in Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of sales of securities by or through a Clearstream or Euroclear participant to a DTC participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date but will be generally available to the relevant Clearstream or Euroclear cash account only as of the business day following settlement in DTC.

     Although DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of securities among their respective participants, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be changed or discontinued at any time.

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TAXATION

U.S. Taxation

     This section describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. It applies to you only if you acquire the offered securities in an offering or offerings contemplated by this prospectus and you hold the offered securities as capital assets for tax purposes. This section is the opinion of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, U.S. counsel to the issuer.

     This section applies to you only if you are a U.S. holder. You are a U.S. holder if you are a beneficial owner of an offered security and you are for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

     This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a special class of holders subject to special rules, including:

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     This section is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.

     If a partnership holds the offered securities, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. If you are a partner of a partnership holding the offered securities, you should consult your tax advisor.

     This summary does not address the alternative minimum tax, any non-income tax or any state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership or disposition of our securities.

You are urged to consult your own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, state and local and other tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of offered securities in your particular circumstances.

U.S. Taxation of Ordinary Shares and ADRs

     Taxation of Cash Distributions and Distributions of Stock. The gross amount of any distribution (other than in liquidation), including the fair market value of all distributions of Royal Dutch Shell’s ordinary shares or ADRs whenever a holder may elect to receive cash distributions instead of distributions of Royal Dutch Shell’s ordinary shares or ADRs, that a U.S. holder receives with respect to Royal Dutch Shell’s ordinary shares or ADRs (before reduction for Dutch tax, if any, withheld from such distributions) generally will be includible in such U.S. holder’s gross income on the day on which, in the case of a holder of our ordinary shares, such holder receives such distribution or, in the case of a holder of our ADRs the depositary receives such distribution on behalf of the holder of the applicable ADRs. Depending on the amount of the dividend and the amount of the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the applicable ordinary shares or ADRs, distributions will be taxed in the following manner:

     To the extent that distributions paid by Royal Dutch Shell with respect to the underlying ordinary shares do not exceed Royal Dutch Shell’s earnings and profits (“E&P”), as calculated for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such distributions will be taxed as dividends. The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (the “Act”), enacted on May 28, 2003, reduced the maximum rate of tax imposed on certain dividends received by U.S. holders that are individuals to 15% (5% for individuals in the lower tax brackets and 0% for these taxpayers in 2008) (the “Reduced Rate”), so long as certain holding period requirements are met. The Reduced Rate applies to dividends received after December 31, 2002 and before January 1, 2009. In order for dividends paid by a non-U.S. corporation to be eligible for the Reduced Rate, the non-U.S. corporation must be a Qualified Foreign Corporation (“QFC”) within the meaning of the Act and must not be a passive foreign investment company (a “PFIC”) in either the taxable year of the distribution or the preceding taxable year. We believe that Royal Dutch Shell will be a QFC and will not be a PFIC. As a result, dividends received by individual U.S. holders before January 1, 2009 will generally constitute qualified dividend income (“QDI”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes and be taxable at rates applicable to net capital gains (see “— Taxation of Sale or Other Disposition”), provided that certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. There can be no assurance, however, that Royal Dutch Shell will continue to be considered a QFC or that Royal Dutch Shell will not be classified as a PFIC in the future. Thus, there can be no assurance that Royal Dutch Shell’s dividends will continue to be eligible for the Reduced Rate. Special rules apply for purposes of determining the recipient’s investment income (which limits deductions for investment interest) and non-U.S. income (which may affect the amount of foreign tax credit) and to certain extraordinary dividends. Each U.S. holder that is an individual is urged to consult his or her or its own tax advisor regarding the possible applicability of the Reduced Rate under the Act and the related restrictions and special rules.

     Because Royal Dutch Shell is not a U.S. corporation, dividends Royal Dutch Shell pays generally will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowable to corporations under the Code.

     To the extent that distributions by Royal Dutch Shell exceed its E&P, such distributions will be treated as a tax-free return of capital, to both individual and corporate U.S. holders, to the extent of each such U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in Royal Dutch Shell’s ordinary shares or ADRs, and will reduce such U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares or ADRs on a dollar-for-dollar basis (thereby increasing any gain or decreasing any loss on a disposition of the ordinary shares or ADRs). To the extent that the distributions exceed the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares or ADRs, such U.S. holder will be taxed as having recognized gain on the sale or disposition of the ordinary shares or ADRs (see “— Taxation of Sale or Other Disposition”).

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     It is anticipated that any distributions on our ordinary shares will be made in euros or pounds sterling; any dividends so paid generally will be includible in a U.S. holder’s gross income in a U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect on the day the U.S. holder receives the dividend.

     Holders of our ADRs will receive dividend payments in U.S. dollars from the depositary. It is anticipated that we will pay to the depositary a U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect on the day that the dividend is declared, notwithstanding that the dividend will have been declared in euros. In this case, the U.S. holder would include in gross income as a dividend the U.S. dollar amount received by the depositary. Though not anticipated, it is possible that we will pay to the depositary an amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars. In such a case, any dividends so paid generally will be includible in a U.S. holder’s gross income in a U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect on the day the depositary receives the dividend. In such a case, the U.S. holder may recognize foreign exchange gain or loss if the depositary does not convert such currency into U.S. dollars before the U.S. holder is required to take the distribution into gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The gain or loss recognized will generally be based upon the difference between the exchange rate in effect when such currency is actually converted and the “spot” exchange rate in effect at the time the distribution is taken into account and any gain realized generally will be treated as U.S.-source income for U.S. foreign tax credit limitation purposes.

     Dividends paid by Royal Dutch Shell generally will be treated as foreign source income for U.S. foreign tax credit limitation purposes. Subject to certain limitations, U.S. holders may elect to claim a foreign tax credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability for non-U.S. tax withheld (if any) from dividends received in respect of the ordinary shares or ADRs. (See “— Dutch Taxation — Dutch Taxation of Ordinary Shares and ADRs — Withholding Tax on Dividend Payments” for a discussion of Dutch withholding taxes and applicable treaty exemptions.) The limitation on non-U.S. taxes eligible for credit is calculated separately with respect to specific classes of income. For this purpose, dividends paid in respect of Royal Dutch Shell’s ordinary shares or ADRs generally will be “passive income” and therefore any U.S. federal income tax imposed on these dividends cannot be offset by excess foreign tax credits that such U.S. holders may have from non-U.S. source income not qualifying as passive income. In the case of certain types of U.S. holders, any such dividends may be treated as a different class of income for purposes of calculating the U.S. foreign tax credit limitations. U.S. holders that do not elect to claim a foreign tax credit may instead claim a deduction for non-U.S. tax withheld (if any).

     We understand that although dividends paid through the dividend access mechanism generally will bear a UK tax credit available to individual taxpayers in the UK, under the current U.S.-UK income tax treaty (which came into force on March 31, 2003) that tax credit will not be available to U.S. holders, and no offsetting withholding will be imposed by the UK. As a result, the cash amount of the dividend will be the gross dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and there will not be any UK tax in respect of which to claim a credit against any U.S. federal income tax liability.

     Distributions of ordinary shares and ADRs to U.S. holders with respect to their holdings of ordinary shares or ADRs, as the case may be (such previously held ordinary shares or ADRs being “Old Stock”), that are pro rata with respect to their holdings of Old Stock will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income tax (except with respect to cash received instead of fractional ordinary shares or ADRs). A U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares or ADRs so received will be determined by allocating the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Old Stock between the Old Stock and the ordinary shares or ADRs so received.

     Taxation of Sale or Other Disposition. Unless a nonrecognition provision applies, a U.S. holder will recognize capital gain or loss upon a sale or other disposition of ordinary shares or ADRs in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized on their disposition and such U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the ordinary shares or ADRs. Under current law, capital gains realized by corporate and individual taxpayers generally are subject to U.S. federal income taxes at the same rate as ordinary income, except that long-term capital gains realized by non-corporate U.S. holders are subject to U.S. federal income taxes at a maximum rate of 15% for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2009 (and 20% thereafter). Certain limitations exist on the deductibility of capital losses by both corporate and individual taxpayers. Capital gains and losses on the sale or other disposition by a U.S. holder of ordinary shares or ADRs generally should constitute gains or losses from sources within the United States.

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     For cash basis U.S. holders who receive foreign currency in connection with a sale or other taxable disposition of ordinary shares or ADRs, the amount realized will be based on the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency received with respect to such ordinary shares or ADRs as determined on the settlement date of such sale or other taxable disposition.

     Accrual basis U.S. holders may elect the same treatment required of cash basis taxpayers with respect to a sale or other taxable disposition of ordinary shares or ADRs, provided that the election is applied consistently from year to year. Such election may not be changed without the consent of the Internal Revenue Service. Accrual basis U.S. holders who or which do not elect to be treated as cash basis taxpayers (pursuant to the Treasury Regulations applicable to foreign currency transactions) for this purpose may have a foreign currency gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes because of differences between the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency received prevailing on the date of the sale or other taxable disposition of ordinary shares or ADRs and the date of payment. Any such foreign currency gain or loss generally will constitute gain or loss from sources within the United States and generally will be treated as ordinary income or loss and would be in addition to gain or loss, if any, recognized on the sale or other taxable disposition of ordinary shares or ADRs.

     Deposits, Withdrawals and Pre-Releases. Deposits and withdrawals by U.S. holders of ordinary shares in exchange for ADRs and of ADRs in exchange for ordinary shares will not be subject to any U.S. federal income tax. The U.S. Treasury Department, however, has expressed concerns that parties involved in transactions where depositary shares are pre-released may be taking actions that are not consistent with the claiming of foreign tax credits by the holders of the applicable ADRs. Accordingly, the analysis of the creditability of non-U.S. withholding taxes described above could be affected by future actions that may be taken by the U.S. Treasury Department.

     U.S. Backup Withholding and Information Reporting. In general, information reporting requirements will apply to payments of dividends on ordinary shares or ADRs and the proceeds of certain sales of ordinary shares or ADRs in respect of U.S. holders other than certain exempt persons (such as corporations). A 28% backup withholding tax (31% for 2011 and thereafter) will apply to such payments if the U.S. holder fails to provide a correct taxpayer identification number or other certification of exempt status or, with respect to certain payments, the U.S. holder fails to report in full all dividend and interest income and the Internal Revenue Service notifies the payer of such under-reporting. Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited against a holder’s U.S. federal tax liability, and a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be obtained by filing the appropriate claim form with the Internal Revenue Service.

U.S. Taxation of Warrants

     A prospectus supplement will describe, if applicable, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of your ownership of warrants and any equity or debt securities issued together with them.

U.S. Taxation of Debt Securities

     This discussion deals only with debt securities that are due to mature 30 years or less from the date on which they are issued. The U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning debt securities that are due to mature more than 30 years from their date of issue will be discussed in an applicable prospectus supplement.

Merger and Consolidation/Substitution of Issuer

     If we engage in the activities described under “Description of Debt Securities - Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets” or “Description of Debt Securities—Substitution of Shell Finance as Issuer”, a U.S. holder could be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as having constructively exchanged its debt securities for new debt securities in a taxable transaction, resulting in realization of gain or loss. U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors with regard to whether our engaging in such activities results in a constructive exchange and, if so, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of such constructive exchange and of holding the new debt securities such holder is deemed to receive.

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Additional Amounts

     All references to principal, interest or other amounts payable on the debt securities include any additional amounts payable by Royal Dutch Shell as described in “Description of Debt Securities — Payment of Additional Amounts”.

Interest

     The tax treatment of interest paid on the debt securities depends upon whether the interest is “Qualified Stated Interest.” A debt security may have some interest that is Qualified Stated Interest and some that is not.

     “Qualified Stated Interest” is any interest that meets all the following conditions:

     If any interest on a debt security is Qualified Stated Interest, then

     If any interest on a debt security is not Qualified Stated Interest, it is subject to the rules for original issue discount (“OID”) described below.

     Subject to certain limitations, U.S. holders may elect to claim a foreign tax credit against their U.S. federal income tax liability for non-U.S. tax withheld (if any) from interest received in respect of debt securities. Interest paid on, and OID, if any, accrued with respect to the debt securities that are issued by Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance will constitute income from sources outside the United States, and generally will be “passive income”, and therefore any U.S. federal income tax imposed with respect to such interest and OID, if any, cannot be offset by excess foreign tax credits from non-U.S. source income not qualifying as passive income. In the case of certain types of U.S. holders, any such interest or OID may be treated as a different class of income for purposes of calculating the U.S. foreign tax credit limitations. If the U.S. holder does not elect to claim a foreign tax credit, such U.S. holder may instead claim a deduction for non-U.S. tax withheld (if any).

Determining Amount of OID

     Debt securities that have OID are subject to additional tax rules. The amount of OID on a debt security is determined as follows:

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Accrual of OID Into Income

     If a debt security has OID, the following consequences arise:

Debt Securities Subject to Additional Tax Rules

     Additional or different tax rules apply to several types of debt securities that we may issue.

     Short-Term Debt Securities: We may issue debt securities with a maturity of one year or less. These are referred to as “short-term debt securities.”

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     Floating Rate Debt Securities: Floating rate debt securities are subject to special OID rules.

     Foreign Currency Debt Securities: A “foreign currency debt security” is a debt security denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars. Special tax rules apply to these debt securities:

     Other Categories of Debt Securities: Additional rules may apply to certain other categories of debt securities. The Prospectus Supplement for these debt securities may describe these rules. In addition, we suggest that you consult your tax advisor in these situations. These categories of debt securities include:

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Premium and Discount

     Additional special rules apply in the following situations involving premium or discount:

     Appropriate adjustments to tax basis are made in these situations. We suggest that you consult your tax advisor if you are in one of these situations.

Accrual Election

     The U.S. holder can elect to be taxed on the income from the debt security in a different manner than described above. Under the election:

Sale or Retirement of Debt Securities

     On sale or retirement of the debt security:

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Disclosure Requirements

     Treasury regulations meant to require reporting of certain tax shelter transactions (“Reportable Transactions”) could be interpreted to cover transactions generally not regarded as tax shelters, including certain foreign currency transactions. Under Treasury regulations, certain transactions may be characterized as Reportable Transactions including, in certain circumstances, a sale, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of debt denominated in a foreign currency, which results in a foreign currency loss exceeding certain thresholds. Persons considering the purchase of debt denominated in a foreign currency should consult with their own tax advisers to determine the tax return disclosure obligations, if any, with respect to an investment in debt denominated in a foreign currency, including any requirement to file IRS Form 8886 (Reportable Transaction Disclosure Statement).

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

     Under the tax rules concerning information reporting to the IRS:

United Kingdom Taxation

     The following is a summary of the material UK tax consequences for a U.S. holder of the ownership and disposal of securities we may offer pursuant to this prospectus. This summary is the opinion of our UK tax counsel, Slaughter

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and May, as to the matters of law set out in this section headed “United Kingdom Taxation”. It is based on current UK law and on what is understood to be the current practice of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (“HMRC”) in the UK, either of which is subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. Any change in applicable laws or the current practice of HMRC, or any inaccuracy in the documents upon which Slaughter and May have relied, may affect the continuing validity of their opinion. Slaughter and May assume no responsibility to inform you of any such change or inaccuracy that may occur or come to their attention. The opinion of Slaughter and May is being provided to Royal Dutch Shell in connection with this registration statement and may not be reproduced, quoted, summarized or relied upon by any other person or for any other purpose without the express written consent of Slaughter and May. This summary applies only to U.S. holders who hold their securities as an investment and are the absolute beneficial owners of them, who are not resident or ordinarily resident for tax purposes in the UK or carrying on a trade (or profession or vocation) in the UK and who are not (and have not in the previous seven years been) employees of Royal Dutch Shell or of any person connected with Royal Dutch Shell. It assumes that holders of Royal Dutch Shell ADRs will in practice be treated for the purposes of UK tax as the beneficial owners of the Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares represented by such Royal Dutch Shell ADRs.

     The paragraphs below do not attempt to describe all possible UK tax considerations that may be relevant to a U.S. holder. Any U.S. holders who are in any doubt about any aspect of their particular tax position are advised to consult appropriate independent tax advisers.

     For the purposes of this section a person is a U.S. holder at any time if, at that time, he is regarded as a resident of the U.S. for U.S. tax purposes.

UK Taxation of Ordinary Shares and ADRs

UK Tax on Income and Chargeable Gains

     U.S. holders who satisfy the criteria set out in the first paragraph above under the heading “United Kingdom Taxation” will not be subject to UK tax on income or chargeable gains in respect of the ownership and disposal of Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares or Royal Dutch Shell ADRs or the receipt of any dividends that are paid on them.

     There is however an exception to this rule in the case of a U.S. holder who is an individual, who has ceased to be either resident or ordinarily resident for tax purposes in the UK or is regarded as non resident for the purposes of a relevant double taxation treaty (“Treaty Non Resident”) but then resumes residence or ordinary residence in the UK or, as the case may be, ceases to be regarded as Treaty Non Resident, before five complete tax years have passed. Such a holder may be liable to UK capital gains tax (subject to any available exemption or relief) on a disposal of Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares or Royal Dutch Shell ADRs made whilst not resident or ordinarily resident for tax purposes in the UK or whilst Treaty Non Resident.

UK Inheritance Tax

     A U.S. holder who is an individual domiciled in the U.S. for the purposes of the UK/U.S. Estate and Gift Tax Treaty and who is not a national of the UK for the purposes of the UK/U.S. Estate and Gift Tax Treaty will not be subject to UK inheritance tax in respect of Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares or Royal Dutch Shell ADRs on the individual’s death or on a gift of such Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares or the Royal Dutch Shell ADRs made during the individual’s lifetime unless, inter alia, they are part of the business property of the individual’s permanent establishment situated in the UK or pertain to the individual’s UK fixed base used for the performance of independent personal services. In the exceptional case where Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares or Royal Dutch Shell ADRs are subject to both UK inheritance tax and U.S. federal estate or gift tax, the UK/U.S. Estate and Gift Tax Treaty generally provides for tax paid in the UK to be credited against tax payable in the U.S., based on priority rules set out in that treaty.

UK Stamp Duty and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (“SDRT”)

     A conveyance or transfer on sale of Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares other than to a depositary or clearance service or the nominee or agent of a depositary or clearance service will usually be subject to ad valorem stamp duty,

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generally at the rate of 0.5 per cent. of the amount or value of the consideration for the transfer (rounded up to the nearest £5). An unconditional agreement for such transfer, or a conditional agreement which subsequently becomes unconditional, will be liable to SDRT, generally at the rate of 0.5 per cent. of the consideration for the transfer; but such liability will be cancelled if the agreement is completed by a duly stamped instrument of transfer within six years of the date of the agreement or, if the agreement was conditional, the date the agreement became unconditional. Where the stamp duty is paid, any SDRT previously paid will be repaid on the making of an appropriate claim. Stamp duty and SDRT are normally paid by the purchaser.

     Subject to certain exemptions, a charge to SDRT (or in the case of transfer, stamp duty) will arise on the issue or transfer of Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares to particular persons providing a clearance service, their nominees or agents, or to an issuer of depositary receipts, or to its nominee or agent. The rate of stamp duty or SDRT, as the case may be, will generally be 1.5 per cent. of either (i) in the case of an issue of Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares, the issue price of the Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares concerned, or (ii) in the case of a transfer of Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares, the amount or value of the consideration for the transfer or, in some circumstances, the value of the Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares concerned, in the case of stamp duty rounded up if necessary to the nearest multiple of £5.

     No stamp duty need, in practice, be paid on the acquisition or transfer of Royal Dutch Shell ADRs provided that any instrument of transfer or contract of sale remains at all times outside the UK. An agreement for the transfer of Royal Dutch Shell ADRs will not give rise to a liability to SDRT.

     No stamp duty need, in practice, be paid on the acquisition or transfer of interests in Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares held within a clearance service, provided that any instrument of transfer or contract of sale remains at all times outside the UK. An agreement for the transfer of interests in Royal Dutch Shell ordinary shares held within a clearance service will not give rise to a liability to SDRT provided that, at the time the agreement is made, the clearance service satisfies various conditions laid down in the relevant UK legislation.

UK Taxation of Warrants

     A prospectus supplement will describe, if applicable, the UK tax consequences of your ownership of warrants of Royal Dutch Shell and any equity or debt securities issued together with the warrants.

UK Taxation of Debt Securities

Payments and Disposal (including Redemption)

     U.S. holders who satisfy the criteria set out in the first paragraph above under the heading “United Kingdom Taxation” will not be directly assessed to UK tax on income or chargeable gains in respect of interest on, or the disposal (including redemption) of, debt securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance.

     Payments of principal and interest on debt securities issued by Shell Finance, and payments of principal on debt securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell, will not be subject to withholding or deduction for or on account of UK tax.

     Provided that interest payments on debt securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell do not have a UK source, such payments will also not be subject to withholding or deduction for or on account of UK tax.

Even if such payments have a UK source, they will not be subject to withholding or deduction for or on account of UK tax if:

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     In all other cases, if payments of interest on debt securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell have a UK source, such payments would in principle be made to U.S. holders after deduction of tax at the lower rate, which is currently 20%. Certain U.S. holders will generally be entitled to receive payments free of deductions on account of UK tax under the current U.S. — UK income tax treaty and may therefore be able to obtain a direction to that effect from HMRC. However, such a direction will only be issued on prior application to the relevant tax authorities by the U.S. holder in question. If such a direction is not given, the person making the payment will be required to withhold tax, although a U.S. holder who is entitled to relief may subsequently claim the amount withheld from HMRC.

Guarantee Payments

     Neither U.S. holders who satisfy the criteria set out in the first paragraph above headed “United Kingdom Taxation” nor Shell Finance will be directly assessed to UK tax on income or chargeable gains in respect of any payments made by Royal Dutch Shell under the guarantee.

     Depending on the legal analysis of any payment made by Royal Dutch Shell under the guarantee to the persons mentioned above it is possible that such payment could be subject to withholding or deduction for or on account of UK tax if it is regarded as having a UK source. However, no such withholding need be made nor tax deducted if an appropriate claim relating to that payment has been validly made and accepted by HMRC under the applicable double tax treaty and Royal Dutch Shell has received from HMRC a direction under that treaty allowing the payment to be made without the deduction of UK tax.

UK Inheritance Tax

     A U.S. holder who is an individual domiciled in the U.S. for the purposes of the UK/U.S. Estate and Gift Tax Treaty and who is not a national of the UK for the purposes of the UK/U.S. Estate and Gift Tax Treaty will not be subject to UK inheritance tax in respect of debt securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance on the individual’s death or on a gift of such debt securities made during the individual’s lifetime unless, inter alia, they are part of the business property of the individual’s permanent establishment situated in the UK or pertain to the individual’s UK fixed base used for the performance of independent personal services. In the exceptional case where debt securities are subject to both UK inheritance tax and U.S. federal estate or gift tax, the UK/U.S. Estate and Gift Tax Treaty generally provides for tax paid in the UK to be credited against tax payable in the U.S., based on priority rules set out in that treaty.

UK Stamp Duty and SDRT

     No UK stamp duty or SDRT will generally be payable by a holder of debt securities on the creation, issue or redemption of debt securities by Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance.

     No liability for UK stamp duty or SDRT will arise on a transfer of, or an agreement to transfer, debt securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance unless such securities carry:

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Dutch Taxation

     The following describes the material Dutch tax consequences for a U.S. holder of securities which may be offered under this prospectus who is neither resident nor deemed to be resident in The Netherlands for Dutch tax purposes and, in the event such holder is an individual, has not opted to be treated as a resident in The Netherlands for the purposes of the Dutch Income Tax Act 2001, in respect the ownership and disposal of his securities. This summary is the opinion of our Dutch tax counsel, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V., and is limited as described in this section. This description is not intended to be applicable in all respects to all categories of U.S. holders. This section does not purport to describe all possible Dutch tax considerations or consequences that may be relevant to a U.S. holder. Any holder of securities is advised to consult with his tax advisors with regard to the tax consequences of ownership and disposal of securities in his particular circumstances. This section does not purport to describe the possible Dutch tax considerations or consequences that may be relevant to a U.S. holder of securities who receives or has received any benefits from these securities as employment income, deemed employment income or otherwise as compensation.

     Neither does this section purport to describe the possible Dutch tax considerations or consequences that may be relevant to a U.S. holder of securities who has a (fictitious) substantial interest in Royal Dutch Shell.

     Generally, a holder has a (fictitious) substantial interest if such holder, alone or together with his partner, has, or if certain relatives of the holder or of his partner have, directly or indirectly:

     A holder has a fictitious substantial interest if (a) he has disposed of, or is deemed to have disposed of, all or part of a substantial interest or (b) he is an individual and has transferred a business enterprise in exchange for shares, on a non-recognition basis.

     Except as otherwise indicated, this section only addresses Dutch tax legislation and regulations, as in effect on the date hereof and as interpreted in published case law on the date hereof and is subject to change after such date, including changes that could have retroactive effect. A change in legislation or regulations may thus invalidate all or part of this section. Unless otherwise specifically stated herein, this section does not express any opinion on Dutch international tax law or on the rules promulgated under or by any treaty or treaty organization and does not express any opinion on any Dutch legal matter other than Dutch tax law.

Dutch Taxation of Ordinary Shares and ADRs

          Withholding tax on dividend payments

     Dividends distributed by us to a U.S. holder of an ordinary share or ADR are generally subject to withholding tax imposed by The Netherlands at a rate of 25 percent. Dividends paid through the dividend access mechanism to holders of Class B ordinary shares will not be subject to any Dutch withholding tax. Dividends distributed by us include, but are not limited to:

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     As stated above under (b), Dutch tax law treats share buy backs for cancellation as being subject to withholding tax unless an exemption applies by virtue of their being carried out within certain annual quantitative limits. These quantitative limits have been agreed with the Dutch Revenue Service for the Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ADRs) and the limits will not restrict the share buy back program announced for 2005. Buy backs of Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ADRs) within these limits will not be subject to Dutch withholding tax. It has been confirmed by the Dutch Revenue Service that a repurchase of Class B ordinary shares will be exempt from Dutch withholding tax if the repurchase price does not exceed the fair market value of the Shell Transport shares surrendered under the Scheme of Arrangement.

     In any event, any withholding tax arising on a buy back would be borne by us and not the selling shareholder.

     A U.S. holder who is entitled to the benefits of the 1992 Double Taxation Convention between the U.S. and The Netherlands, as amended most recently by the Protocol signed March 8, 2004 (the “Convention”), will be entitled to a reduction in the Dutch withholding tax, either by way of a full or partial exemption at source or by way of a full or partial refund, as follows:

     According to Dutch domestic anti-dividend stripping rules, no exemption from or reduction in or refund of, Dutch dividend withholding tax will be granted if the recipient of the dividend paid by us is not considered to be the beneficial owner (uiteindelijk gerechtigde) of such dividends as meant in these rules.

     Dutch Taxes on Income and Capital Gains

     A U.S. holder will not be subject to Dutch taxes on income or on capital gains in respect of the ownership and disposal of ordinary shares or ADRs, other than Dutch withholding tax as described above, in each case, except if:

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     Dutch Gift, Estate and Inheritance Tax

     No Dutch gift tax or inheritance tax is payable in respect of any gift of ordinary shares or ADRs by, or inheritance of ordinary shares or ADRs on the death of, a U.S. holder of ordinary shares or ADRs, except if:

Dutch Taxation of Warrants

     A prospectus supplement will describe, if applicable, the Dutch income tax consequences of your ownership of warrants and any equity or debt securities issued together with the warrants.

Dutch Taxation of Debt Securities

     Dutch Withholding Tax

     All payments made under Debt Securities issued by Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Finance (the “Issuer”) will not be subject to any withholding tax or any deduction for, or on account of, any Dutch taxes, except if, de jure or de facto (rechtens dan wel in feite):

     Dutch Individual and Corporate Income Tax

     A U.S holder of Debt Securities (“Debt Holder”) will not be subject to any Dutch taxes on any payment made to the Noteholder under the Debt Securities or on any capital gain made by the Debt Holder from the disposal, or deemed disposal, or redemption of, the Debt Securities, other than withholding tax as described above, except if:

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     Dutch Gift and Inheritance Taxes

     No Dutch gift tax or inheritance tax is due in respect of any gift of Debt Securities by, or inheritance of Debt Securities on the death of, a Debt Holder, except if:

(i) the Debt Holder is a resident or is deemed to be a resident of The Netherlands; or

(ii) if at the time of the gift or the death of the Debt Holder, such Debt Holder has an enterprise (or an interest in an enterprise) which is, in whole or in part, carried on through a permanent establishment or permanent representative in The Netherlands to which the Debt Securities are attributable; or

(iii) if the Debt Securities are acquired by way of a gift from a holder who passes away within 180 days after the date of the gift and who is not, and is not deemed to be, at the time of the gift, but is, or is deemed to be at the time of his death, a resident of The Netherlands.

     Other Taxes and Duties

     No capital duty, registration tax, customs duty, transfer tax, stamp duty or any other similar documentary tax or duty, will be payable in The Netherlands by a holder of Debt Securities by reason only of the subscription, issue, placement, allotment or delivery of the Debt Securities.

European Directive on the Taxation of Savings

     Directive 2003/48/EC provides for the tax authorities of the member states of the European Union (“Member States”) to provide each other with details of payments of interest and similar income made in one Member State to individuals who are the beneficial owners of those payments and are resident for tax purposes in another Member State, but permits Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg instead to impose a withholding tax for a “transitional period” on payments made in their respective jurisdictions. The Directive also provides that no such withholding tax should be levied where the beneficial owner of the payment authorizes an exchange of information and/or where the beneficial owner presents a certificate from the tax authority of the Member State in which the beneficial owner is resident. The Directive does not preclude Member States from levying other types of withholding tax.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     We may sell the securities in and outside the U.S. through underwriters or dealers, directly to purchasers or through agents. The prospectus supplement will include the following information:

Sale Through Underwriters or Dealers

     If we use underwriters in the sale of securities, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

     During and after an offering through underwriters, the underwriters may purchase and sell the securities in the open market. These transactions may include over allotment and stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover syndicate short positions created in connection with the offering. The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid, whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers for the offered securities sold for their account may be reclaimed by the syndicate if such offered securities are repurchased by the syndicate in stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the offered securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market. If commenced, these activities may be discontinued at any time.

     If we use dealers in the sale of securities, we will sell the securities to them as principals. They may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. The dealers participating in any sale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. We will include in the prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.

Direct Sales and Sales Through Agents

     We may sell the securities directly. In that event, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may also sell the securities through agents we designate from time to time. In the prospectus supplement, we will name any

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agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities, and we will describe any commissions payable by us to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

     We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any such sales in the prospectus supplement.

Delayed Delivery Contracts

     If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

General Information

     We may have agreements with the agents, dealers and underwriters to indemnify them against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments that the agents, dealers or underwriters may be required to make. Agents, dealers and underwriters may engage in transactions with us or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses.

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EXCHANGE CONTROLS

     There is no legislative or other legal provision currently in force in England or arising under our memorandum or articles of association restricting remittances to non-resident holders of our securities or affecting the import or export of capital for use by us.

     The Dutch External Financial Relations Act of 1994 enables the Minister of Finance or the Central Bank of The Netherlands, as the case may be, to issue regulations with regard to a number of financial transactions relating to the import and export of capital. The regulations as issued and applied to date have not restricted the activities and operations of Royal Dutch, Shell Transport or the Shell Group.

     There is no legislative or other legal provision currently in force in The Netherlands restricting remittances to non-resident holders of our securities.

LIMITATIONS ON RIGHTS TO OWN SECURITIES

     There are no limitations imposed by English law or our memorandum or articles of association on the right to own Royal Dutch Shell debt securities, warrants or ordinary shares, including the rights of non-residents or foreign persons to hold or vote Royal Dutch Shell’s ordinary shares (other than would generally apply to Royal Dutch Shell’s shareholders) or to hold its debt securities or warrants. There are no limitations imposed by Dutch law or Shell Finance’s articles of association on the rights to own its debt securities, including the rights of non-resident or foreign persons to hold the debt securities.

LEGAL MATTERS

     Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, U.S. counsel for Royal Dutch Shell and Shell Finance, and Cleary Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP, U.S. counsel for any underwriters, will pass upon the validity of the debt securities, debt warrants and guarantees as to certain matters of New York law. Slaughter and May, our English solicitors, will pass upon the validity of the debt securities, guarantees, warrants and ordinary shares as to certain matters of English law. De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V., our Dutch counsel, will pass upon Dutch law matters.

EXPERTS

     The financial statements of Royal Dutch Shell plc as of December 31, 2004 and 2003 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004 incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the RDS Financials Form 6-K have been so incorporated in reliance on the report (which contains an explanatory paragraph relating to the retroactive effect for all periods presented of using a carry-over basis of the historical costs of the assets and liabilities of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies, Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and the “Shell” Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c.) of KPMG Accountants N.V. and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firms, given upon the authority of said firms as experts in auditing and accounting.

EXPENSES

     The following are the estimated expenses to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities registered under this Registration Statement:

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

     Article 149 of Royal Dutch Shell’s articles of association provides that, as far as the legislation allows this, Royal Dutch Shell: (i) can indemnify any director of the company against any liability; and (ii) can purchase and maintain insurance against any liability for any director of the company. As Royal Dutch Shell’s articles of association do not prohibit the indemnification of officers of the company against liability, we may purchase and maintain insurance against any liability for any of Royal Dutch Shell’s officers.

     We have entered into a deed of indemnity with each of the Royal Dutch Shell Directors. The terms of each of these deeds will be identical and will reflect the new statutory provisions on indemnities introduced by the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004. Under the terms of each deed, Royal Dutch Shell will undertake to indemnify the relevant Royal Dutch Shell Director, to the widest extent permitted by law, against any and all liability, howsoever caused (including by that director’s own negligence), suffered or incurred by that director in the course of that director acting as a director or employee of Royal Dutch Shell, any member of the Shell Group or certain other entities. It will be a term of each indemnity that Royal Dutch Shell and the relevant director agree to be bound by the provisions in the Royal Dutch Shell Articles of Association relating to arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction.

     Royal Dutch Shell has entered into a deed of indemnity with each of the Royal Dutch Shell Directors. The terms of each of these deeds is identical. Under the terms of the deed, Royal Dutch Shell undertakes to indemnify the relevant Royal Dutch Shell Director, to the widest extent permitted by law, against any and all liability, howsoever caused and including by that director’s own negligence, suffered or incurred by that director in respect of that director’s acts or omissions on or after the date that the deed was entered into in the course of that director acting as a director or employee of Royal Dutch Shell, any member of the Shell Group or certain other entities. In addition, Royal Dutch Shell undertakes to lend such funds to the director as it, in its reasonable discretion, considers appropriate for him to meet expenditure incurred or to be incurred by him in defending any criminal or civil proceedings or in connection with certain applications under the Companies Act.

     The relevant provisions of the Companies Act are sections 309A — C, 337A and 727.

     Sections 309A — C state that, any provision to exempt to any extent a director from liability for negligence, default, breach of duty or trust by him in relation to the company is void. Any provision by which a company directly or indirectly provides (to any extent) an indemnity for a director of the company or an associated company against any such liability is also void unless it is a qualifying third party indemnity provision. Royal Dutch Shell is still permitted to purchase insurance against any such liability for a director of the company or an associated company.

     An indemnity is a qualifying third party indemnity as long as it does not provide: (i) any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director to the company or to any associated company; (ii) any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director to pay a fine imposed in criminal proceedings or a sum payable to a regulatory authority by way of a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any requirement of a regulatory nature; and (iii) any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director in defending criminal proceedings in which he is convicted, civil proceedings brought by the company or an associated company in which judgment is given against him or where the court refuses to grant him relief under an application under sections 144(3) and (4) (acquisition of shares by innocent nominee) or its power under section 727 (described below). Any qualifying third party indemnity in force for the benefit or one or more directors of the company must be disclosed in the directors’ annual report.

     Section 337A provides that a company can provide a director with funds to meet expenditures incurred or to be incurred by him in defending any criminal or civil proceedings or in connection with any application under sections 144(3) and (4) (acquisition of shares by innocent nominee) or section 727 (described below). Such financial assistance must be repaid if the director is convicted, judgment is found against him or the court refuses to grant the relief on the application.

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     Section 727 provides that:

     The following provisions would only apply in circumstances where the arbitration provisions of our articles of association would be invalid or inapplicable. While English law permits a shareholder to initiate a lawsuit on behalf of the company only in limited circumstances, the Companies Act permits a shareholder whose name is on the register of shareholders of the company to apply for a court order:

     A court has wide discretion in granting relief, and may authorize civil proceedings to be brought in the name of the company by a shareholder on terms that the court directs. Except in these limited circumstances, English law does not generally permit class action lawsuits by shareholders on behalf of the company or on behalf of other shareholders.

     The Articles of Association of Shell Finance provide that Shell Finance shall cover the costs of all legal proceedings in which a director is involved in his/her capacity as director of Shell Finance and shall hold harmless the director in question. If and in so far as it appears from a ruling that the director in question is seriously negligent, Shell Finance shall be authorized to demand reimbursement of the costs that it covered before the ruling, and the obligation of further indemnification shall not apply.

     Dutch law does not explicitly prohibit the indemnification of a director of a private company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) against any liabilities which would otherwise attach to him or her. However, regardless of whether or not an indemnification exists, a director may be held liable with respect to the company for improper performance of duties in the case of serious negligence (ernstig verwijt). Whether a specific line of action can be regarded as serious negligence is dependent upon the specific circumstances of a case. If a certain matter pertains to the assigned field of activities of more than one director, each of the directors involved is jointly and severally liable for a shortcoming. An individual director may avoid liability by proving that the shortcoming is not attributable to him and that he has not been negligent with regard to taking measures to prevent the consequences of the shortcoming. In addition, in the case of bankruptcy, each director is jointly and severally liable to the bankruptcy estate for the liquidation deficit, in the event that it is evident that the director has performed his or her duties improperly and it may be assumed that this improper fulfillment of duties has been an important cause of the bankruptcy. An individual director may avoid liability by proving he was not negligent.

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     The form of Underwriting Agreement relating to the offering of Debt Securities filed as an Exhibit to this Registration Statement provides that each Underwriter, severally, will indemnify Royal Dutch Shell plc and Shell International Finance B.V., each of their respective directors, each of their respective officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls Royal Dutch Shell plc or Shell International Finance B.V. within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against certain civil liabilities.

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Item 9. Exhibits

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Item 10. Undertakings

     Each of the undersigned registrants hereby undertakes:

     (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales of the registered securities are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement;

     (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

     (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

     (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (3) To remove from the registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

     (4) To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering.

Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act need not be furnished, provided that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Item 8.A. of Form 20-F if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

     Each of the undersigned registrants hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of Royal Dutch Shell plc’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report

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pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrants pursuant to the provisions described under Item 8 above, or otherwise, the registrants have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrants, of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrants in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted against the registrants by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrants will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Hague on July 20, 2005.

     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Peter Voser, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full powers of substitution, to sign on his or her behalf, individually and in any and all capacities, including the capacities stated below, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all respective exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting to said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the undersigned, a duly authorized representative of Royal Dutch Shell plc in the United States, has signed this registration statement in Delaware on July 20, 2005.

SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Hague on July 20, 2005.

     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Andrew Longden his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full powers of substitution, to sign on his or her behalf, individually and in any and all capacities, including the capacities stated below, any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all respective exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting to said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the undersigned, a duly authorized representative of Shell International Finance B.V. in the United States, has signed this registration statement in Delaware on July 20, 2005.

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit 1.1

Royal Dutch Shell plc
Shell International Finance B.V.

Debt Securities
Ordinary Shares
Warrants

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

[date]

[Underwriters]
   As Representative of the Several Underwriters,

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 Company’s 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 (the “Issuer”) proposes to issue and sell from time to time certain of the Issuer’s 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(i) (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 (the “Indenture”), 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. 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:

     (i) A registration statement (No. 333-[        ]) on Form F-3, including a 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, is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”, and the prospectus included in such Registration Statement, 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) (“Rule 424(b)”) under the Act, including all material incorporated by reference therein, is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus”. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Issuer threatened.

     (ii) On the effective date of the registration statement relating to the Registered Securities (the “Effective Date”), 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 on the date of each Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3, the Registration Statement and the 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 and Qualification (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 Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) 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.

     (iii) If the Offered Securities constitute Debt Securities: the Indentures for the Offered Securities have been duly authorized and will be 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 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).

     (iv) If the Offered Securities constitute Guaranteed Debt Securities: the Indentures for the Offered Securities have been duly authorized and will be executed and delivered by the Company and

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the Issuer and will constitutes 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).

     (v) 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 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).

     (vi) 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.

     (vii) 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).

     (viii) 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 this Agreement in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by 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.

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     (ix) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Issuer of the Indentures, this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Offered 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.

     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 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 Underwriter first named in the Terms Agreement (the “Lead Underwriter”) 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 Prospectus.

     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 Underwriter’s name in such Terms Agreement, except to the extent that the Lead Underwriter determines that such reduction shall be otherwise than pro rata and so advises the Company or the Issuer. The Company or the Issuer will advise the

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Lead Underwriter 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 Lead Underwriter requests. 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 Lead Underwriter 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 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 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 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) The Company and/or the Issuer will advise the Lead Underwriter promptly of any proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and will afford the Lead Underwriter a reasonable opportunity to comment on any such proposed amendment or supplement; and the Company and/or the Issuer will also advise the Lead Underwriter promptly of the filing of any such amendment or supplement 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 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) 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 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 Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company and/or the Issuer promptly will notify the Lead Underwriter of such event and will promptly 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.

     (d) 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.

     (e) 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 by an Underwriter or dealer may be required under the Act, any related preliminary prospectus, any related preliminary prospectus supplement, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case promptly after a request and in such quantities as the Lead Underwriter reasonably requests.

     (f) 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 Lead Underwriter 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 National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the Offered Securities, the fees and expenses of any listing of the Offered Securities, for any travel expenses of the Company’s 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 Prospectus, any preliminary prospectuses, any preliminary prospectus supplements or any other amendments or supplements to the 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.

     (g) 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.

     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

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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 Prospectus or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement 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 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 generally accepted accounting standards), nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:

     (A) any material modification should be made to the unaudited condensed financial statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, if any, for them to be in conformity with the basis of presentation as described in the Company’s IFRS financial information incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and that 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 Prospectus; or

     (C) for the period from the closing date of the latest income statement information included in the 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 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 Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter;

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     (iv) they have compared specified dollar amounts (or percentages derived from such dollar amounts) and other financial information contained in the Prospectus (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 of the Company’s accounting system or are derived directly from such records by analysis or computation) with the results obtained from inquiries, 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 and Prospectus, 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 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 Prospectus shall be deemed included in the Prospectus for purposes of this subsection.

     (b) The 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.

     (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 Company’s 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 Company’s 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;

     (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, the Terms Agreement

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and the warrant agreement, if any and (b) to exercise its rights and perform its obligations under the Indenture, the Terms Agreement 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 the Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement.

     (v) The statements made in the Prospectus under the caption “Taxation—United Kingdom 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 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 Company’s 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.

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     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 Westbroek N.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 the Agreements 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 the Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement and its issue and performance of the Guaranteed Debt Securities.

     (iv) The Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement 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 the Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement 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 the Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement and the Guaranteed Debt Securities.

     (vii) The entry into and performance of the Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement, and 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 the Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement and the Guaranteed Debt Securities is recognised under Dutch law by the Dutch courts (provided that the choice of New York law as the law of the Agreements and the Guaranteed Debt Securities is recognised under New York law as valid and binding), and accordingly under Dutch law (i) New York law determines the validity and binding effect of the Agreements and the Guaranteed Debt Securities and (ii) the Dutch courts are legally bound to apply New York law to the Agreements and the Guaranteed Debt Securities and to determine the validity and binding nature of the Agreements and Guaranteed Debt Securities by so applying New York law.

     (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) The statements in the Registration Statement 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.

     Such opinions shall be subject to customary limitations, reservations and assumptions.

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     (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 or regulatory body is required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the blue sky laws of any jurisdictions 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 Prospectus 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 Prospectus; (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

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Prospectus; (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.

     (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 Prospectus, 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 Depositary’s 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 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,

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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.

     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 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 Prospectus, except insofar as such statements relate to such counsel and the opinions referenced above, as applicable; subject to the foregoing, (a) such 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 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 counsel’s 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 Prospectus, at the date of such statement, 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).

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     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 Cleary Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton 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 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 Prospectus, 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 Prospectus, 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 Prospectus 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 Lead Underwriter may in its 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 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 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 as originally filed or in any amendment

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thereof, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any related preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus supplement, in each case if used within the period described in Section 4(c) hereof and 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, and (ii) such indemnity shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or its directors, officers, employees, or any person controlling such Underwriter) from whom the person asserting any such loss, claim damage or liability purchased the Securities which are the subject thereof if such person did not receive a copy of the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as supplemented) excluding documents incorporated therein by reference at or prior to the confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person in any case where such delivery is required by the Act and the untrue statement or omission of a material fact contained in a preliminary prospectus or prospectus prior to being supplemented was corrected in the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as supplemented prior to the confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person) and the Company or the Issuer had previously furnished copies thereof to such Underwriter.

     (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 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 party’s 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, 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

15

party shall not, without prior written consent of the indemnified parties, 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. However, if such consent, having been requested, is withheld for more than 14 days, the indemnifying party will be entitled to withdraw from the conduct of the defense of such claim. Whether or not the relevant indemnified party reassumes such defense, the relevant indemnified party shall not thereafter be entitled to any indemnity from the indemnifying party in respect of such claim in excess of the amount which would have been payable as a consequence of such proposed settlement, compromise or consent in respect of which such indemnified party has withheld or not given its consent. 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 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 (e) 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 (e). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (e), 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.

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     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 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 Lead Underwriter, 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. 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 the Company and/or the Issuer to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Offered Securities. If the sale of the Offered Securities provided for herein is not consummated because a default by an Underwriter under Section 7 hereof, the Underwriters will reimburse the Company in proportion to their respective commitments under the Terms Agreement for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by the Company 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 Company): 011 31 70 377 3687, Attention (for Issuer): LSC, 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

17

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 by the Lead Underwriter 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 (i) the purchase and sale of the Offered Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Issuer, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) 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, (iii) 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 (iv) 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.

     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.

     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/Issuer and the Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

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The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby
accepted and agreed to as of the date first above
written.

19

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 [Lead Underwriter]

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, insert—as of the date hereof, for delivery on      , (“Delivery Date”),]

[$].................[shares]

—principal amount—of the Company’s [Insert title of securities] (“Securities”), offered by the Company’s 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:

     The undersigned will purchase from the Company as of the date hereof, for delivery on the dates set forth below, Securities in the—principal—amounts set forth below:

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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 on—the—each—Delivery 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. on—the—such—Delivery Date upon delivery to the undersigned of the Securities to be purchased by the undersigned—for delivery on such Delivery Date—in definitive [If debt issue, insert—fully 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 to—the—such—Delivery 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 on—the—each—Delivery Date shall be subject only to the conditions that (1) investment in the Securities shall not at—the—such—Delivery 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 total—principal amount—number of shares—of the Securities less the—principal amount—-number of shares—thereof 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 by—a copy—copies—of the opinion[s] of counsel for the Company delivered to the Underwriters in connection therewith.

     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.

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     It is understood that the acceptance of any such Contract is in the Company’s 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.

Accepted, as of the above date.

[Insert Royal Dutch Shell plc / Shell International Finance B.V.]

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[Royal Dutch Shell plc / Shell International Finance B.V.]
(“Company”)

[Guaranteed] Debt Securities

TERMS AGREEMENT

Dear Sirs:

     [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] (“Company”) agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named [in Schedule A hereto] [below] for their respective accounts, on and subject to the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Company’s registration statement on Form F-3 (No. 333-          ) (“Underwriting Agreement”), the following securities (“Offered Securities”) on the following terms:

     Title: [      %] [Floating Rate] [Senior/Subordinated] — Notes — Debentures — Bonds — Due           .

     Principal Amount : $           [(“Firm Securities”)].

     Guarantor: [None.] [Royal Dutch Shell plc.]

     Indenture: the indenture dated as of [          ], 2005, among [Royal Dutch Shell plc as issuer] [Shell International Finance B.V. as issuer, Royal Dutch Shell plc as guarantor] and [          ] as Trustee.

     Common Depositary: [none][          ].

     [Over-allotment: In addition, upon written notice from the Lead Underwriter given to the Company/Issuer from time to time not more than [          ]¹ days subsequent to the date hereof, the Underwriters may purchase up to $        additional principal amount (the “Optional Securities”) of the Offered Securities at the same purchase price set forth in this Terms Agreement for the Firm Securities. The

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Company/Issuer agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriters the principal amount of Optional Securities specified in such notice, and the Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase such Optional Securities. Such Optional Securities shall be purchased for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the principal amount of Firm Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule A hereto (subject to adjustment by the Lead Underwriter to eliminate fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm Securities. No Optional Securities shall be issued, sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Lead Underwriter to the Company/Issuer. References to “Offered Securities” in this Terms Agreement and the Underwriting Agreement shall mean the Firm Securities and the Optional Securities. References to the “Closing Date” in the Underwriting Agreement shall mean the Closing Date for the delivery of and payment for the Firm Securities and each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities. Each condition to the Underwriters’ obligations to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities set forth in Section 5 shall also be a condition to their obligations to purchase and pay for any Optional Securities (with references to “Offered Securities” in any legal opinion being changed as appropriate to refer to the Optional Securities being delivered on the date of delivery of such opinion).]

     Interest: [       % per annum, from      ,        , payable semiannually on            and       , commencing      ,        , to holders of record on the preceding              or       , as the case may be.] [Zero coupon.]

     Right to extend or defer interest payments:

     Form and currency of payment:

     Additional amounts:

     Maturity:                     ,                     .

     Repayment upon acceleration:

     Optional Redemption:

     Redemption:

     Sinking Fund:

     Defeasance:

     Limitation on or additional events of default:

     Limitation on or additional covenants:

     Restrictions on transfer:

     Conversion:

     Subordination provisions:

     Denominations:

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     Other terms:

     Listing: [None.] [          .]

     Delayed Delivery Contracts: [None.] [Delivery Date[s] shall                 ,             . Underwriters’ fee is      % of the principal amount of the Contract Securities.]

     Purchase Price:           % of principal amount, plus accrued interest[, if any,] from         ,        .

     Expected Reoffering Price:           % of principal amount, subject to change by the [Representative[s] [Underwriters].

     Closing [for Firm Securities]:         A.M. on                ,        , at      , in Federal (same day) funds.

     Settlement and Trading: [Physical certificated form.] [Book-Entry Only via [DTC / Euroclear and Clearstream].]

     Blackout: Until            days after the Closing Date.

     Lock-up (if any): [          ]

     [Name[s] and Address[es] of the [Representative[s]] [Underwriter[s]]:]

     The provisions of the Underwriting Agreement are incorporated herein by reference.

     The Offered Securities will be made available for checking and packaging at the office of                  at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.

     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/Issuer and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.