Operating Rules 6.1 Merchant must comply with the Operating Rules, as the same may be amended from time to time. The Operating Rules may change with little or no advance notice to Merchant and Merchant will be bound by all such changes. If Merchant objects to any change in the Operating Rules, it must immediately stop accepting new Transactions for Cards governed by the change. The Operating Rules will govern in the event that there is any inconsistency between the Merchant Agreement and the Operating Rules. However, nothing in the Merchant Agreement shall be construed to impose on Merchant a requirement (including a requirement under the Operating Rules) which is prohibited by mandatory provisions of applicable law (i.e., where the applicability of such provisions of law to the Merchant Agreement, and of the law’s prohibition to the particular requirement which otherwise would be imposed on Merchant hereunder, cannot lawfully be waived by agreement), but the requirement hereunder shall be construed to continue in effect and to be imposed on Merchant in all respects and at all times to the fullest extent possible without violating the law’s prohibition, with only those particular applications of the requirement which would violate the law’s prohibition deemed severed from the provisions hereof. 6.2 Operating Rules of the Debit Networks may differ among them with respect to the Transactions they allow. Bank, at its discretion, may require that the most restrictive requirements of one Debit Network apply to all of Merchant’s On-line Debit Card Transactions, regardless of Card type.
LISTING RULES IMPLICATIONS NWD is the controlling shareholder of NWDS and hence a connected person of NWDS. NWD is interested in approximately 57% of the issued share capital of NWSH as at the date of this announcement and NWSH being an associate of NWD is also a connected person of NWDS under the Listing Rules. Members of the CTF Jewellery Group are associates of CTF, which in turn is a substantial shareholder of NWD, a controlling shareholder of NWDS. Accordingly, members of the CTF Jewellery Group are also connected persons of NWD and NWDS under the Listing Rules. Therefore, the Continuing Connected Transactions constitute continuing connected transactions of NWDS under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules. Since NWDS is a subsidiary of NWD and CTF Jewellery is an associate of CTF which is a substantial shareholder of NWD, the transactions contemplated under the Master Concessionaire Counter Agreement also constitute continuing connected transactions of NWD under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules. As the relevant percentage ratios calculated pursuant to Rule 14.07 of the Listing Rules in respect of each of the Continuing Connected Transactions are more than 2.5%, each of the Continuing Connected Transactions is subject to the reporting, announcement and independent shareholders’ approval requirements under the Listing Rules so far as NWDS is concerned. In view of the interests of NWD and CTF in the relevant Continuing Connected Transactions, NWD, CTF and their associates will abstain from voting in respect of the resolutions to be proposed at the EGM to approve the Continuing Connected Transactions, the CCT Agreements and the Annual Caps. As the Annual Caps in respect of the Master Concessionaire Counter Agreement are more than HK$1,000,000 but the relevant percentage ratios calculated pursuant to Rule 14.07 of the Listing Rules in respect of the Master Concessionaire Counter Agreement are less than 2.5%, the Master Concessionaire Counter Agreement is subject to the reporting and announcement requirements but is exempt from the independent shareholders’ approval requirement under the Listing Rules so far as NWD is concerned. NWDS will convene the EGM for the purpose of seeking approval from the Independent Shareholders on the Continuing Connected Transactions, the CCT Agreements, and the Annual Caps. The Independent Board Committee will be established to consider the terms of the Continuing Connected Transactions, the CCT Agreements and the Annual Caps, and to advise the Independent Shareholders as to whether the Continuing Connected Transactions, the CCT Agreements and the Annual Caps are in the interests of NWDS and the NWDS Shareholders as a whole. An independent financial adviser will be appointed to advise the Independent Board Committee in this regard. A circular of NWDS containing, amongst others, further information on (i) the Continuing Connected Transactions, the CCT Agreements and the Annual Caps; (ii) a letter of recommendation from the Independent Board Committee to the Independent Shareholders; (iii) a letter of advice from the independent financial adviser to the Independent Board Committee; and