FISCAL AND PAYING AGENCY AGREEMENT
Exhibit
4(f)
EIGHTH
AMENDED AND RESTATED
among
GENERAL
ELECTRIC CAPITAL
CORPORATION
GE
CAPITAL AUSTRALIA FUNDING
PTY. LTD. (A.B.N. 67 085 675 467)
GE
CAPITAL CANADA FUNDING
COMPANY
GE
CAPITAL EUROPEAN FUNDING
GE
CAPITAL UK FUNDING
and
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.
and
X.X.
XXXXXX BANK LUXEMBOURG
S.A.
Euro
Medium-Term Notes and
Other Debt Securities Due
9
Months or More from Date
of Issue
Dated
as of May 12,
2006
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
1.
|
Appointment
of Paying
Agents
|
1 | ||
2.
|
Notes
Issuable in
Series
|
2 | ||
3.
|
Execution
and Authentication
of Notes; Date and Denomination of Notes
|
4 | ||
4.
|
Exchange
and Registration of
Transfer of Notes
|
8 | ||
5.
|
Payments
of Principal, Premium
and Interest; Paying Agents
|
10 | ||
6.
|
Redemption;
Sinking Funds;
Repayment at the Option of the Holder
|
14 | ||
7.
|
Mutilated,
Destroyed, Stolen
or Lost Notes
|
17 | ||
8.
|
Events
of
Default
|
18 | ||
9.
|
Additional
Payments; Tax
Redemption
|
22 | ||
10.
|
Covenant
of the Issuers and
the Xxxxxxxxx
|
00 | ||
00.
|
Obligations
of the Fiscal and
Paying Agent
|
32 | ||
12.
|
Maintenance
and Resignation of
Fiscal and Paying Agent
|
34 | ||
13.
|
Paying
Agency
|
35 | ||
14.
|
Merger,
Consolidation, Sale or
Conveyance
|
36 | ||
15.
|
Meetings
of Holders of the
Notes
|
37 | ||
16.
|
Consent
of
Holders
|
39 | ||
17.
|
Stamp
Taxes
|
40 | ||
18.
|
Modifications
and
Amendments
|
40 | ||
19.
|
Accession
of Additional
Issuers
|
41 | ||
20.
|
Notices
to
Parties
|
41 | ||
21.
|
Notices
to and by Holders of
the Notes
|
43 | ||
22.
|
Business
Day
|
44 | ||
23.
|
Central
Bank Reporting
Requirements
|
44 | ||
24.
|
Governing
Law
|
44 | ||
25.
|
Consent
to
Service
|
44 | ||
26.
|
Counterparts
|
44 | ||
27.
|
Inspection
of
Agreement
|
44 | ||
28.
|
Descriptive
Headings
|
45 | ||
29.
|
Provisions
Binding on
Successors
|
45 | ||
30.
|
Official
Acts by Successor
Corporation
|
45 | ||
31.
|
Severability
|
45 |
EIGHTH
AMENDED AND RESTATED
FISCAL AND PAYING AGENCY AGREEMENT, dated as of May 12, 2006
between GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (?GE
Capital?), GE CAPITAL AUSTRALIA FUNDING PTY. LTD. (A.B.N. 67 085 675 467),
a
company incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia (?GEC
Australia Funding?), GE CAPITAL CANADA FUNDING COMPANY, a company incorporated
under the laws of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada (?GEC Canada Funding?),
GE
CAPITAL EUROPEAN FUNDING (?GECEF?) and GE CAPITAL UK FUNDING (?GECUKF?, and
together with GECEF, the ?Irish Issuers? and each an ?Irish Issuer?, each of
which was incorporated as a public unlimited liability company under the Irish
Companies Acts 1963-2003) (GEC Australia Funding, GEC Canada Funding, the Irish
Issuers and each Additional Issuer (as defined herein) acceding hereto pursuant
to Section 19 hereof, each an ?Issuer? and collectively, the ?Issuers?) and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as fiscal and principal paying agent, X.X. XXXXXX
BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A. as initial registrar and transfer agent (such agreement,
as
further amended and supplemented from time to time, the ?Agreement?).
Pursuant
to the Eighth Amended and
Restated Distribution Agreement, dated May 12, 2006, among the Issuers
(including GE Capital in its capacity as guarantor (the ?Guarantor?) of Notes
issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) and the agents named therein (the
?Agents?) (as further amended from time to time, the ?Distribution Agreement?),
each Issuer has agreed to issue from time to time its Euro Medium-Term Notes
(?Medium Term Notes?) and other debt securities (?Other Debt Securities?) having
maturities from 9 months or more from date of issue (collectively, Medium Term
Notes and Other Debt Securities are referred to herein as the "Notes"). The
Guarantor has agreed to guarantee Notes issued pursuant to this Agreement by
each Issuer other than GE Capital in the form of the guarantee attached hereto
as Exhibit D-1 (the "Guarantee"). Administrative procedures, which have been
agreed to by the Issuers (including GE Capital in its capacity as Guarantor)
and
the Agents as of the date hereof, are attached as Exhibit A hereto (such
procedures, as amended from time to time pursuant to the Distribution Agreement,
are hereinafter referred to as the "Administrative Procedures").
Pursuant
to this Agreement, the
Seventh Amended and Restated Fiscal and Paying Agency Agreement dated
July 1, 2005 (the "Prior Agency Agreement") shall be amended and restated
on the terms of this Agreement. Any Notes issued on or after the date of this
Agreement shall be issued pursuant to this Agreement, but this shall not affect
any Notes issued prior to the date of this Agreement. Subject to such amendment
and restatement, the Prior Agency Agreement shall continue in full force and
effect.
1.
Appointment
of Paying
Agents. Each Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than
GE Capital) the Guarantor hereby appoint JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., acting
through its London Branch located at Trinity Tower, 9 Xxxxxx Xxxx Street, London
E1W 1YT, England, as the fiscal agent and as the principal paying agent (in
such
capacities and including any successor fiscal and paying agent appointed
hereunder, the "Fiscal and Paying Agent", and, together with any other paying
agents appointed by the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor, the "Paying Agents"),
in respect of the Notes, upon the terms and subject to the conditions stated
herein and in the Notes certified from time to time pursuant to Section 2
hereof. The Fiscal and Paying Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees,
upon such terms and subject to such conditions, to perform its obligations
under
this Agreement, the Notes certified from time to time pursuant to Section 2
hereof and the Administrative Procedures. In addition, unless otherwise agreed
by the parties hereto, the Fiscal and Paying Agent agrees to appoint its local
branch or affiliate located in the jurisdiction of the country where any Notes
are listed from time to time as an additional paying agent, to the extent
required by the rules and regulations of the applicable exchange and to the
extent the Fiscal and Paying Agent has a branch or affiliate located in such
jurisdiction.
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2.
Notes
Issuable in Series.
(a)
Each Issuer may issue Notes
hereunder in one or more series of Notes, each series (a "Series") having
identical terms but for authentication date, effectuation date (in the case
of a
NGN) (as defined below) and public offering price; provided that a Series of
Notes may not comprise Notes in bearer form ("Bearer Notes") and Notes in
registered form ("Registered Notes"). Each such Series may contain one or more
tranches of Notes, each such tranche (a "Tranche") having identical terms,
including authentication date and public offering price; provided that a Tranche
of Notes may not comprise Bearer Notes and Registered Notes.
(b)
Notes issued hereunder shall be
issued pursuant to authority granted by the Board of Directors of the relevant
Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital)
the
Guarantor or any duly authorized committee thereof and shall be in such form
as
shall be certified to the Fiscal and Paying Agent from time to time by any
one
authorized person, as specified in Section 3(a) hereof.
(c)
Prior to the issue of the first
Tranche of Notes of a Series hereunder, the relevant Issuer and (in the case
of
Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor shall advise
the
Fiscal and Paying Agent in writing of the following terms which shall be
applicable to such Series of Notes (each such set of written instructions shall
be provided by such persons as are designated by an Issuer Authorized
Representative (as defined in Section 3(a)) from time to time in an
incumbency certificate delivered to the Fiscal and Paying Agent and shall
hereinafter be referred to as a "Corporate Order"):
(1)
the title of the Series (which
shall distinguish the Notes of such Series from all other Notes), including
identifying whether such series will be issued as Medium Term Notes or Other
Debt Securities;
(2)
any limit upon the aggregate
principal amount of the Notes of such Series which may be authenticated and
effectuated (as applicable) and delivered under this Agreement (except for
Notes
authenticated and effectuated (as applicable) and delivered upon registration
of
transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes of the Series
pursuant to Sections 3, 4, 6 and 7);
(3)
the date or dates on which the
principal of and premium, if any, on the Notes of the Series are payable;
(4)
the rate or rates, or the method
of determination thereof, at which the Notes of the Series shall bear interest,
if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the interest
payment dates on which such interest shall be payable and, in the case of any
Registered Note, if other than as set forth in Section 3, the record dates
for the determination of holders to whom interest is payable;
(5)
the place or places where the
principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on Notes of the Series shall
be
payable;
2
(6)
the currency or composite
currency in which the Notes of such Series are denominated (the "Specified
Currency");
(7)
the currency or currencies in
which payments on the Notes of such Series are payable, if other than the
Specified Currency;
(8)
the price or prices at which,
the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which
the
Notes of such Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of
the
relevant Issuer, pursuant to any sinking fund or otherwise;
(9)
the obligation, if any, of the
relevant Issuer or the Guarantor to redeem, purchase or repay the Notes of
such
Series pursuant to any right to do so contained in the Notes or pursuant to
sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder thereof and
the price or prices at which and the period or periods within which and the
terms and conditions upon which the Notes of such Series shall be redeemed,
purchase or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(10)
the denominations in which the
Notes of such Series shall be issuable, in all cases subject to compliance
with
all applicable laws and regulations;
(11)
if other than the principal
amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Notes of such Series
which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof
pursuant to Section 8;
(12)
if the principal of, premium,
if any, or interest on the Notes of such Series are to be payable, at the
election of the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor or a holder thereof, in a
currency other than the Specified Currency, the period or periods within which,
and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;
(13)
if the amount of payments of
principal, of premium, if any, and of interest on the Notes of such Series
may
be determined with reference to an index based on currency other than the
Specified Currency, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;
(14)
if other than as provided in
Sections 3, 4 and 5 hereof, whether the Notes of such Series will be issuable
as
Registered Notes or Bearer Notes (with or without coupons), or any combination
of the foregoing, any restriction applicable to the offer, sale or delivery
of
Bearer Notes or the payment of interest thereon and the terms upon which Bearer
Notes of any Series may be exchanged for Registered Notes of such Series, except
that the Notes of such Series shall only be issuable as Bearer Notes unless
otherwise provided in such Corporate Order;
(15)
whether the temporary global
Note and permanent global Note to be issued are intended to be issued in new
global note ("NGN") form or classic global note ("CGN") form and whether a
NGN
is intended to be held in a manner which would allow Eurosystem eligibility
(a
"Eurosystem-eligible NGN");
(16)
any Events of Default with
respect to the Notes of such Series, if not set forth herein;
3
(17)
if other than those named
herein, any other depositaries, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents
or registrars or any other agents with respect to such Series;
(18)
the stock exchange, competent
authority and/or market, if any, on or by which the Notes will be listed and/or
admitted to trading and related information;
(19)
any applicable restrictions on
the transfer of any of the Notes of such Series;
(20)
whether Notes of such Series
and/or the related Guarantee, if any, are senior or subordinated and, if such
Notes and/or Guarantee are subordinated, the terms of such subordination; and
(21)
any other terms of the Series
(which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement).
All
Notes of any one Series and
coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, shall be substantially identical except
as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to
such Corporate Order. The Notes and the coupons, if any, appertaining thereto
shall be in substantially such form as shall be established pursuant to a
resolution of the Board of Directors of the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor,
in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and
other variations as are required or permitted by this Agreement, and may have
such legends or endorsements placed thereon as the officers executing the same
may approve (execution thereof to be conclusive evidence of such approval)
and
as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be
required to comply with the directions of Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. as operator
of the Euroclear System ("Euroclear"), Clearstream Banking, soci?t? anonyme
("Clearstream, Luxembourg") or any other clearance system specified for a
particular Tranche or Series of Notes, or any successors thereto, or with any
law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or
regulation of any stock exchange, competent authority and/or market on or by
which such Notes may be listed and/or admitted to trading or to conform to
usage.
(d)
An additional Tranche of the
same Series may be issued subsequent to the original issue date of any Notes
of
such Series (hereinafter called "Additional Notes") following the receipt by
the
Fiscal and Paying Agent of a Corporate Order pertaining to such Tranche, which
Corporate Order will identify the Series to which such Tranche belongs and
the
issue date and aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such Tranche. Any
such
Additional Notes shall be issued initially as provided in Section 3. In the
event Additional Notes are issued prior to the Exchange Date (as hereinafter
defined) for a temporary global Bearer Note representing a prior Tranche of
Notes of the same Series, the Exchange Date for such prior Tranche of Notes
may
be extended to a date not less than 40 days after the issue date of such
Additional Notes; provided however, in no event shall the Exchange Date for
any
Tranche of Notes be extended to a date more than 160 days after their issue
date. Additional Notes, together with each prior and subsequent Tranche of
Notes
of the same Series, shall constitute one and the same Series of Notes for all
purposes under this Agreement.
3.
Execution
and Authentication
of Notes; Date and Denomination of Notes
(a)
Execution,
delivery and
safekeeping of Notes. The Notes and, if applicable, coupons appertaining
thereto in the form certified to the Fiscal and Paying Agent pursuant to the
provisions of Section 2(b) shall each be executed (i) in the case of
Notes issued by GE Capital, by any one of GE
4
Capital's
Chairman, one of its
Presidents, its Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, its Senior Vice
President-Corporate Treasury and Global Funding Operation or by a duly
authorized attorney-in-fact of GE Capital or (ii) in the case of Notes
issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital, by a duly authorized officer of
such
Issuer or a duly authorized attorney-in-fact of such Issuer (each an "Issuer
Authorized Representative"). Such signatures may be the manual or facsimile
signatures of any person who, at the time of such execution, holds any such
office or of a duly authorized attorney-in-fact. Any signature in facsimile
may
be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Notes or the coupons. Each
definitive Note shall have imprinted thereon a facsimile of the corporate seal
of the relevant Issuer attested by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary
of
such Issuer. In case any authorized officer of such Issuer or attorney-in-fact
who shall have signed any Note or coupon shall cease to hold such office or
be
such attorney-in-fact before the Note so signed (or the Note to which the coupon
so signed is attached) shall be authenticated and delivered by the Fiscal and
Paying Agent or disposed of by such Issuer, such Note or coupon nevertheless
may
be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the person who signed
such Note or coupon had not ceased to hold such office or be such
attorney-in-fact; and any Note or coupon may be signed on behalf of such Issuer
by any person who, as at the actual date of the execution of such Note or
coupon, shall hold such office or be an attorney-in-fact, although at the date
of the execution and delivery of this Agreement any such person did not hold
such office or was not an attorney-in-fact.
The
relevant Issuer will furnish the
Fiscal and Paying Agent with an adequate supply of Notes having attached thereto
appropriate coupons, if any, in the forms approved in accordance with
Section 2(b) of this Agreement, bearing consecutive control numbers. Such
Notes shall have been executed by an Issuer Authorized Representative and
attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Issuer in accordance
with this Section. The Fiscal and Paying Agent or its designated agent will
hold
such blank Notes in safekeeping in accordance with its customary practice and
shall issue such Notes in the order of the control numbers imprinted thereon.
The Fiscal and Paying Agent will permit the relevant Issuer and its agents,
at
all reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, to examine the Notes and all
books, records and other materials and information of the Fiscal and Paying
Agent relating thereto.
(b)
Execution
of Guarantee.
The Guarantee endorsed on Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital shall
be executed on behalf of the Guarantor by any one of its Chairman, one of its
Presidents, its Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, its Senior Vice
President-Corporate Treasury and Global Funding Operation or by a duly
authorized attorney-in-fact. Such signatures may be the manual or facsimile
signatures of any person who, at the time of such execution, holds any such
office or of a duly authorized attorney-in-fact. Any signature in facsimile
may
be imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Guarantee endorsed on such Notes.
Each Guarantee endorsed on each definitive Note shall have imprinted thereon
a
facsimile of the corporate seal of the Guarantor. In case any authorized officer
of the Guarantor or attorney-in-fact who shall have signed any Guarantee shall
cease to hold such office or be such attorney-in-fact before the Note endorsed
with the Guarantee so signed shall be authenticated and delivered by the Fiscal
and Paying Agent or disposed of by the relevant Issuer, such Note or coupon
nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the
person who signed such Guarantee endorsed on such Note had not ceased to hold
such office or be such attorney-in-fact; and any Guarantee may be signed on
behalf of the Guarantor by any person who, as at the actual date of the
execution of such Guarantee, shall hold such office or be an attorney-in-fact,
although at the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement any such
person did not hold such office or was not an attorney-in-fact.
5
(c)
Authentication
of temporary
global Notes. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Corporate Order
or by the relevant Agent or Agents, each Tranche of Notes, including any Tranche
of Additional Notes issued prior to the Exchange Date for a prior Tranche of
Notes of the same Series, shall initially be issued in the form of a single
temporary global Note. The temporary global Notes shall be authenticated by
the
Fiscal and Paying Agent or by a duly authorized officer or attorney-in-fact
of
the Fiscal and Paying Agent, upon the same conditions, in substantially the
same
manner and with the same effect as the definitive Notes, and shall be deposited
with a common depositary (the "Common Depositary") (if the temporary global
Note
is a CGN) or specified common safekeeper (the "Common Safekeeper") (if the
temporary global Note is a NGN) for the accounts of Euroclear and Clearstream,
Luxembourg or any other recognized and agreed clearing system (in the case
of a
CGN). In the case of the temporary global Note which is a Eurosystem-eligible
NGN, the Fiscal and Paying Agent will instruct the Common Safekeeper to
effectuate the same. The Fiscal and Paying Agent shall instruct Euroclear and
Clearstream, Luxembourg to make appropriate entries in their records to reflect
the initial outstanding aggregrate principal amount of the relevant Tranche
of
Notes (if the temporary global Note is an NGN) and credit the respective
securities clearance accounts of the relevant Agents (or to such other accounts
as they may have directed) maintained with Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg
or
other recognized and agreed clearing system. For purposes of this Agreement
"Exchange Date" for any Series of Notes shall mean the first Business Day that
is at least 40 days after the issue date of such Series; provided that in the
event a Tranche of Additional Notes of the same Series is issued prior to the
Exchange Date of a prior Tranche of such Series (as such Exchange Date may
have
been extended pursuant to this sentence), such Exchange Date shall be extended
(or further extended, as the case may be) to a date not earlier than 40 days
after the issue date of such subsequent Tranche; provided however, in no event
shall the Exchange Date for any Tranche of Notes be extended to a date more
than
160 days after their issue date. No such exchange will be made on a day that
is
not a London Business Day, but shall instead be made on the next succeeding
day
that is a London Business Day. For the purposes of this Clause 3(c) "London
Business Day" means a day upon which banks are generally open for business
(including dealings in foreign currency) in London, England.
(d)
Exchange
of temporary global
Notes; certification requirements. On or up to 10 days prior to the Exchange
Date for any Series of Notes held in temporary global form, the holders of
such
temporary global Note shall deliver to Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or
other recognized and agreed clearance system, as the case may be, a certificate
substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B-1 hereto, copies of which
certificate shall be available at the offices of Euroclear, Clearstream,
Luxembourg or other clearance system, the Fiscal and Paying Agent, and each
other paying agent of the relevant Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued
by an
Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor. On or after the Exchange Date
for
any Series of Notes, upon the request of the Common Depositary (in the case
of a
CGN) or the common service provider as described in Appendix 1 hereto (a "Common
Service Provider") (in the case of a NGN), acting on behalf of Euroclear,
Clearstream, Luxembourg or other clearance system (in the case of a CGN), acting
in turn on behalf of such holders, the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall
authenticate a permanent global Note in bearer form or (if specified in the
applicable Corporate Order) definitive Bearer Notes and/or definitive Registered
Notes in the amounts requested in an aggregate principal amount equal to the
aggregate principal amount of the temporary global Note beneficially owned
by
such owners, but only upon delivery by Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or
other clearance system, acting on behalf of such owners, to the Fiscal and
Paying Agent or its duly authorized attorney-in-fact of a certificate or
certificates substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B-2 hereto. Such
permanent global Note, if any, shall be authenticated by the Fiscal and Paying
Agent or by a duly authorized officer or attorney-in-fact of the Fiscal and
Paying Agent, upon the same conditions, in substantially the same manner and
with the same effect as the definitive Notes, and shall be deposited
6
with
the Common Depositary (if the
permanent global Note is a CGN) or the Common Safekeeper (if the permanent
global Note is a NGN) for the accounts of Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg
and/or other clearance system (in the case of a CGN) for credit to the
respective accounts of such holders. In the case of a permanent global Note
which is a Eurosystem-eligible NGN, the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall instruct
the Common Safekeeper to effectuate the same.
Upon
any such exchange of all or a
portion of a temporary global Note for a permanent global Note or definitive
Notes, the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall (i) in the case of a permanent
global Note which is a NGN, instruct Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg
to
make appropriate entries in their records to reflect such exchange or
(ii) in the case of any global Note which is a CGN, procure that the
relevant global Note be endorsed by the Fiscal and Paying Agent or its duly
authorized attorney-in-fact to reflect the reduction of its principal amount
by
an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of such permanent global
Note
or definitive Notes as to which certification has been provided as set forth
in
the preceding paragraph.
(e)
Delivery
of authenticated
global Note by electronic means. Where the Fiscal and Paying Agent delivers
any authenticated global Note which is a NGN to a Common Safekeeper for
effectuation using electronic means, it is authorised and instructed to destroy
the global Note retained by it following its receipt of confirmation from the
Common Safekeeper that the relevant global Note has been effectuated.
(f)
Exchange
of permanent global
Note; certification requirements. Holders of Notes desiring to exchange
their interests in any permanent global Note for definitive Notes in bearer
form
or (if the relevant Corporate Order so allows) for definitive Notes in
registered form shall instruct Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or other
clearance system, as the case may be, to request such exchange on their behalf
and shall deliver to Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or such other clearance
system, as the case may be, a certificate substantially in the form set forth
in
Exhibit C-1 hereto, copies of which certificate shall be available at the
offices of Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or other clearance system, the
Fiscal and Paying Agent and each other paying agent of the relevant Issuer
and
(in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor.
Upon the request of the Common Depositary (in the case of a CGN) or the Common
Service Provider (in the case of a NGN), acting on behalf of Euroclear,
Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or other clearance system (in the case of a CGN),
acting in turn on behalf of such holders, the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall,
upon 30 days' written notice, authenticate and deliver outside the United States
and outside the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of the relevant
Issuer (except in compliance with the securities and other laws and regulations
of such jurisdiction, including any applicable laws and regulations of any
political subdivision thereof) to or for the account of such holders, definitive
Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount
of such permanent global Note, but only upon delivery by Euroclear, Clearstream,
Luxembourg and/or other clearance system, acting on behalf of such owners,
to
the Fiscal and Paying Agent or its duly authorized attorney-in-fact of a
certificate or certificates substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit
C-2
hereto. All expenses incurred as a result of any such exchange shall be paid
by
the relevant Issuer or (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than
GE
Capital) the Guarantor. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
in
this subsection 3(e), the Fiscal Agent shall not be required to exchange the
entire aggregate principal amount of a permanent global Note for definitive
Bearer Notes in the event holders of less than the entire aggregate principal
amount of the permanent global Note have requested definitive Bearer Notes,
provided the operating rules and regulations of the clearance system then in
effect would permit less than the entire aggregate principal amount of the
permanent global Note to be so exchanged.
7
Each
permanent global Note shall in
all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Agreement as definitive
Notes authenticated and delivered hereunder.
Any
certification referred to in
Section 3(c) or (d) above which is delivered to the Fiscal and Paying
Agent by Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or other clearance system, as the
case may be, may be relied upon by the Fiscal and Paying Agent as conclusive
evidence that the corresponding certification or certifications of the holder
or
holders have been delivered to Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or such other
clearance system, as the case may be, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
and the terms of the Notes.
(g)
Authentication
of Registered
Notes. If so specified in the applicable Corporate Order, Notes of any
Series may be issued in fully registered form. Such Corporate Order will specify
whether Registered Notes of such Series may be issued in exchange for Bearer
Notes of such Series and whether the Notes of such Series may initially be
issued in permanent global or definitive form. Registered Notes shall be
authenticated by the Fiscal and Paying Agent or by a duly authorized officer
or
attorney-in-fact of the Fiscal and Paying Agent and, in the case of permanent
global Registered Notes, registered in the name of a nominee for and deposited
with the Common Depositary for the accounts of Euroclear, Clearstream,
Luxembourg, and/or another recognized clearance system, for credit to the
respective securities clearance accounts of the relevant Agents (or to such
other accounts as they may have directed) maintained with Euroclear,
Clearstream, Luxembourg, another clearance system or The Depository Trust
Company in New York City for credit to the respective accounts of the relevant
Agents (or to such other accounts as they may have directed) maintained with
The
Depository Trust Company or such other clearance and settlement organization
as
is specified in the applicable Corporate Order.
4.
Exchange
and Registration of
Transfer of Notes.
(a)
Exchange
of Registered
Notes. Registered Notes of any Series may be exchanged for a like aggregate
principal amount of Registered Notes of the same Series of other authorized
denominations. Bearer Notes will not be issuable in exchange for Registered
Notes.
If
so provided in the relevant
Corporate Order, Bearer Notes of any Series (with all unmatured coupons, if
any,
and all matured coupons, if any, then in default, attached thereto) will be
exchangeable (upon the terms, set forth in Section 3) for Registered Notes
of the same Series of any authorized denominations and in an equal aggregate
principal amount. Bearer Notes surrendered in exchange for Registered Notes
after the close of business on (i) any record date with respect to any
regular payment of interest and before the opening of business at such office
on
the relevant interest payment date or (ii) any record date to be
established for the payment of defaulted interest and before the opening of
business on the related proposed date for payment of defaulted interest, shall
be surrendered without the coupon relating to such date for payment of interest.
Notes
to be exchanged pursuant to
the preceding two paragraphs shall be surrendered, at the option of the holders
thereof, either at the office or agency designated and maintained by the
relevant Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE
Capital) the Guarantor for such purpose in accordance with the provisions of
Section 5 or at any of such other offices or agencies as may be designated
and maintained by such Issuer and the Guarantor for such purpose in accordance
with the provisions of Section 5, and such Issuer shall execute and
register, the Guarantor shall cause the Guarantee to be endorsed thereon and
the
Fiscal and Paying Agent shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor
the
Note or Notes which the Noteholder making the exchange shall be entitled to
8
receive.
The term "Noteholder,"
"holder of Notes," or other similar terms, shall mean, (a) with respect to
any Registered Note, the person in whose name at the time such Registered Note
is registered on the books of the relevant Issuer kept for that purpose in
accordance with the terms hereof or (b) with respect to any Bearer Note,
the bearer thereof. Each person designated by the relevant Issuer as a person
authorized to register and register transfer of the Notes is sometimes herein
referred to as a "Registrar." In no event shall such Issuer designate more
than
one Registrar for each Series of Registered Notes. No person shall at any time
be designated as or act as a Registrar unless such person is at such time
empowered under applicable law to act as such and duly registered to act as
such
under and to the extent required by applicable law and regulations.
(b)
Transfers
of Registered
Notes. Each Registrar shall keep, at each such office or agency outside of
the United Kingdom, a register for each Series of Notes (for which it has been
appointed Registrar) issuable in registered form (the registers of all
Registrars being herein sometimes collectively referred to as the "Register")
in
which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Registrar
shall register Registered Notes and shall register the transfer of Registered
Notes as herein provided. The Register shall be in written form or in any other
form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable time.
At
all reasonable times the Register shall be open for inspection by the relevant
Issuer, the Guarantor, the Fiscal and Paying Agent and any Registrar. Upon
due
presentment for registration of transfer of any Registered Note of any Series
at
any designated office or agency, such Issuer shall execute, the Guarantor shall
(in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) cause the
Guarantee to be endorsed thereon, the Registrar shall register and the Fiscal
and Paying Agent shall authenticate and deliver in the name of the transferee
or
transferees a new Registered Note or Registered Notes of the same Series for
an
equal aggregate principal amount. Registration or registration of transfer
of
any Registered Note by any Registrar in the Register maintained by such
Registrar, and delivery of such Registered Note, duly authenticated, shall
be
deemed to complete the registration or registration of transfer of such
Registered Note.
All
Registered Notes presented for
registration of transfer or for exchange, redemption, repayment or payment
shall
(i) be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument or
instruments of transfer or exchange in form satisfactory to the Issuer, the
Guarantor (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital)
and
the Registrar duly executed by, the holder or his attorney duly authorized
in
writing and (ii) be accompanied by a duly completed Form W-8BEN or other
applicable form required by the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as
amended, of the transferee.
If
so specified in the applicable
Corporate Order, the transfer of some or all of the Registered Notes of any
Series may be subject to the restrictions set forth therein. If so specified
in
such Corporate Order, the Registrar for such Notes shall not register the
transfer of any such Notes absent compliance with such restrictions.
(c)
Exchange
and transfer of
Bearer Notes. Bearer Notes in definitive form of any Series will be
exchangeable for Bearer Notes in definitive form of the same Series in other
authorized denominations, in an equal aggregate principal amount. Bearer Notes
to be so exchanged shall be surrendered, at the option of the holders thereof,
at the office of any Paying Agent appointed by the relevant Issuer and (in
the
case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor to
perform such service in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, and
such Issuer shall execute, the Guarantor shall cause the Guarantee to be
endorsed thereon and such Paying Agent shall authenticate and deliver in
exchange therefor the Bearer Note or Notes which the Noteholder making the
exchange shall be entitled to receive. Bearer Notes and any coupons appertaining
thereto will be transferable by delivery.
9
(d)
Repository
of master list of
holders of Registered Notes. The relevant Issuer will at all times designate
one person (who may be such Issuer and who need not be the Registrar of any
Series) to act as repository of a master list of names and addresses of the
holders of the Registered Notes. X.X. Xxxxxx Bank Luxembourg S.A. shall act
as
such repository unless and until some other person is, by written notice from
such Issuer to X.X. Xxxxxx Bank Luxembourg S.A., copied to the fiscal and paying
agent and each Registrar, designated by such Issuer to act as such. Such Issuer
shall cause each Registrar to furnish to such repository, on a current basis,
such information as to all registrations of transfer and exchanges effected
by
such Registrar, as may be necessary to enable such repository to maintain such
master list on as current a basis as is practicable.
(e)
Miscellaneous.
Except as
provided in Section 3(d), no service charge shall be made for any exchange
or registration of transfer of Notes, but the relevant Issuer and (in the case
of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer taxes or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.
The
relevant Issuer shall not be
required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Notes to be
redeemed for a period of fifteen calendar days preceding the first publication
of the relevant notice of redemption, or if Registered Notes are outstanding
and
there is no publication, the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption,
or
(ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Notes selected
for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any such
Registered Notes being redeemed in part, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer
Notes selected for redemption, except that such Bearer Notes may be exchanged
for Registered Notes of like tenor, provided that such Registered Notes shall
be
simultaneously surrendered for redemption or (iv) to register transfer of
or exchange any Notes surrendered for optional repayment, in whole or in part.
Notwithstanding
anything herein or
in the terms of any Notes to the contrary, none of the relevant Issuer, the
Fiscal and Paying Agent or any agent of such Issuer or the Fiscal and Paying
Agent shall be required to exchange any Bearer Note for a Registered Note if
such exchange would result in adverse income tax consequences to such Issuer
(such as, for example, the inability of such Issuer to deduct from its income,
as computed for income tax purposes, the interest payable on the Bearer Notes)
under (i) then applicable United States Federal income tax laws, or
(ii) in the case of an Issuer other than GE Capital, then applicable income
tax laws or regulations of the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization
of
the Issuer or any political subdivision thereof or therein.
5.
Payments
of Principal, Premium
and Interest; Paying Agents.
(a)
Payment
generally. In
order to provide for the payment of the principal of, premium and interest
on
each Series of Notes as the same shall become due and payable on any payment
date, the relevant Issuer hereby agrees to pay to the Fiscal and Paying Agent
at
the place and in the manner specified below or to such account or at such
offices of any paying agent outside of the United States and, in the case of
Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital, outside the jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization of the relevant Issuer, as the Fiscal and Paying
Agent shall specify in writing to such Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued
by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor, such writing to be delivered
not less than five calendar days prior to the payment date, in such currency
or
currency units as shall be required to make the payment due on such payment
date, on each interest payment date and on
10
the
maturity date of such Series of
Notes or any date fixed for redemption or acceleration of such Series of Notes
(in each case determined in accordance with the terms of such Notes), in
immediately available funds available on such interest payment, maturity,
redemption or acceleration date, as the case may be, in an aggregate amount
which (together with any funds then held by the Fiscal and Paying Agent and
available for the purpose) shall be sufficient to pay the entire amount of
the
principal of, premium and interest on such Series of Notes (including Additional
Amounts (as defined below), if any, becoming due on such interest payment,
maturity, redemption or acceleration date), and the Fiscal and Paying Agent
shall hold such amount in trust and apply it to the payment of any such
principal, premium or interest on such interest payment, maturity, redemption
or
acceleration date. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to require the
Fiscal and Paying Agent or any other paying agent to make any payment to the
holder of a Note until funds have been received from the relevant Issuer
pursuant to this Section.
(b)
Payments
on temporary global
Notes; certification requirements. Holders of any temporary global Note may
receive interest payments prior to the Exchange Date of such temporary global
Note; provided such holders deliver a certificate or certificates to Euroclear,
Clearstream, Luxembourg or, if specified in the Corporate Order, other
recognized clearing system substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B-1
and instruct Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or other clearance system,
as
the case may be, to request such interest payment on their behalf. Upon the
request of the Common Depositary (in the case of a CGN) or the Common Service
Provider (in the case of a NGN), acting on behalf of Euroclear, Clearstream,
Luxembourg or other clearance system, acting in turn on behalf of holders of
Notes, the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall make payments of interest to the
holders of interests in temporary global Notes, but only upon delivery by
Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg, or other clearance system, acting on behalf
of such owners, to the Fiscal and Paying Agent or its duly authorized
attorney-in-fact of a certificate or certificates substantially in the form
set
forth in Exhibit B-2 hereto.
In
the event of redemption or
acceleration of all or any part of any temporary global Note prior to its
Exchange Date, holders will be entitled to receive payment on or after the
date
fixed for such redemption or on which such acceleration occurs upon compliance
by such holders and Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or other clearance
system, as applicable, with the provisions of the preceding paragraph of this
Section.
(c)
Payments
on Registered
Notes. The person in whose name any Registered Note of a particular Series
is registered at the close of business or on any Record Date (as hereinafter
defined) with respect to any interest payment date for such Series shall be
entitled to receive the interest payable on such interest payment date
notwithstanding the cancellation of such Registered Note upon any registration
of transfer or exchange subsequent to the Record Date and prior to such interest
payment date; provided however, that (i) if and to the extent that the
relevant Issuer shall default in the payment of the interest on such interest
payment date, such defaulted interest shall be paid to the persons in whose
names outstanding Registered Notes of such Series are registered on a subsequent
Record Date established by notice given by mail by or on behalf of such Issuer
to the holders of such Registered Notes not less than 15 calendar days preceding
such subsequent Record Date, such Record Date to be not less than five calendar
days preceding the date or payment of such defaulted interest and
(ii) interest payable at maturity, redemption or repayment of such
Registered Note shall be payable to the person to whom principal shall be
payable. The term "Record Date" as used in this Section with respect to any
regular interest payment date, shall mean the fifteenth calendar day preceding
such interest payment date, whether or not such fifteenth calendar day shall
be
a Business Day (as defined in Section 22).
11
Interest
on Registered Notes may at
the option of the relevant Issuer be paid by check mailed to the persons
entitled thereto at their respective addresses as such appear in the Register,
or, at the option of any holder of $5,000,000 (or the equivalent thereof in
one
or more foreign or composite currencies) or more aggregate principal amount
of
Registered Notes of any Series and subject to applicable laws and regulations,
be made by transfer to an account denominated in the currency in which such
payment is to be made, maintained by such holder, if appropriate wire transfer
instructions have been received by such Issuer or its agent not less than 10
calendar days prior to the applicable interest payment date.
(d)
Payments
on Bearer Notes.
Payments on Bearer Notes or the coupons appertaining thereto will, upon
presentation of such Notes or coupons at a designated office outside of the
United States, at the holder's option and subject to applicable laws and
regulations, be made by check or wire transfer to an account denominated in
the
Specified Currency (unless otherwise provided in the applicable Corporate Order)
in which such payment is to be made, maintained by such holder with a bank
outside the United States and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other
than GE Capital) outside the jurisdiction of organization of the Issuer, if
appropriate wire transfer instructions have been received by the relevant Issuer
or its agent not less than 10 calendar days prior to the applicable interest
payment date.
The
relevant Issuer will maintain
one or more offices or agencies in a city or cities located outside the United
States and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital)
outside the country of incorporation or organization of the relevant Issuer
(including any city or country in which such an agency is required to be
maintained under the rules of any stock exchange on which any of the Notes
are
listed) where any Bearer Notes issued hereunder and coupons, if any,
appertaining thereto may be presented for payment. No payment on any Bearer
Note
or coupon will be made upon presentation of such Bearer Note or coupon at an
agency of the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor within the United States or
(in
the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) within the country
of incorporation or organization of the relevant Issuer nor will any payment
be
made by transfer to an account in, or by check mailed to an address in, the
United States or (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE
Capital) in the country of incorporation or organization of the relevant Issuer
unless pursuant to applicable United States law or the laws or regulations
of
the country of incorporation or organization of the relevant Issuer or any
political subdivision thereof or therein (in the case of Notes issued by an
Issuer other than GE Capital) then in effect, such payment can be made without
adverse tax consequences to such Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(a) payments in U.S. dollars on Bearer Notes and coupons appertaining
thereto may be made at an agency of such Issuer maintained in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York if such payment in U.S. dollars at each agency
maintained by such Issuer outside the United States for payment on such Bearer
Notes is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar
restrictions, (b) payments in Canadian dollars on Bearer Notes and Coupons
appertaining thereto may be made at an agency of such Issuer maintained in
the
City of Toronto if such payment in Canadian dollars at each agency maintained
by
such Issuer outside Canada for payment on such Bearer Notes is illegal or
effectively precluded by exchange controls or similar restrictions, and
(c) (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital)
payments in such other currencies on Bearer Notes and Coupons appertaining
thereto may be made at such location within the country of incorporation or
organization of the relevant Issuer (other than the United States) as may be
specified in the applicable Corporate Order or otherwise as permitted by
applicable laws and regulations of such country or any political subdivision
thereof or therein.
(e)
Place
of payment. As long
as any Registered Notes remain outstanding hereunder, the relevant Issuer will
designate and maintain in London, England an office or agency where such
Registered Notes may be presented for payment, and where such Notes may be
presented for registration
12
of
transfer and for exchange as
provided in this Agreement and, for so long as any Registered Notes are listed
and/or admitted to trading on or by any stock exchange, competent authority
and
or market there will at all times be an office or agency for such purposes
with
a specified office in each location required by the rules and regulations of
the
relevant stock exchange(s), competent authority(ies) and/or market(s), provided
always that the Register for such Registered Notes shall be maintained outside
of the United Kingdom.
The
relevant Issuer may from time to
time designate one or more additional offices or agencies where Notes and any
coupons appertaining thereto may be presented for payment, where Notes may
be
presented for exchange as provided in this Agreement and where Registered Notes
may be presented for registration of transfer as in this Agreement provided,
and
such Issuer may from time to time rescind any such designation, as such Issuer
may deem desirable or expedient; provided, however, that no such designation
or
rescission shall in any manner relieve such Issuer of its obligation to maintain
the agencies provided for in this Section. Such Issuer will give to the Fiscal
and Paying Agent prompt written notice of any such designation or rescission
thereof.
The
relevant Issuer will give to the
Fiscal and Paying Agent written notice of the location of each such office
or
agency and of any change of location thereof. In case such Issuer shall fail
to
give such notice of the location or of any change in the location thereof,
presentations and demands may be made and notices may be served at the principal
office of the Fiscal and Paying Agent in London, England.
The
relevant Issuer and (in the case
of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor hereby
initially designates the offices of X.X. Xxxxxx Bank Luxembourg S.A. as the
office or agency where Registered Notes may be presented for payment, for
registration of transfer and for exchange as in this Agreement provided. Such
office of X.X. Xxxxxx Bank Luxembourg S.A. is also designated as repository
pursuant to Section 4 for the master list of the names and addresses of the
holders of Registered Notes.
(f)
Payments
by the
Guarantor. If the relevant Issuer shall fail to provide for the amounts
payable on any Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital, or coupons
appertaining thereto, if any, the Guarantor shall, subject to its right to
avail
itself of defenses under all relevant laws for the prescription of actions
in
respect of such Notes and coupons appertaining thereto, forthwith upon receipt
of notice of such failure from the Fiscal and Paying Agent (who shall give
such
notice forthwith upon such failure) deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Fiscal and Paying Agent the amount thereof (to the extent that the same has
not
then been delivered by the relevant Issuer), which amount shall be held and
applied in payment of such amounts by the Fiscal Agent and Paying Agent in
all
respects as if received from the relevant Issuer under this Agreement.
(g)
Taxes;
foreign exchange
clearance. The Fiscal Agent hereby agrees to use its best efforts to obtain,
prior to any payment date on the Notes, any tax or foreign exchange clearance
or
other authorization required under the laws of the United States or of the
country of incorporation or organization of the relevant Issuer (in the case
of
Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) or any political subdivision
thereof or therein or any applicable foreign country or other authority with
respect to the payment to be made on the Notes on such date.
13
6.
Redemption;
Sinking Funds;
Repayment at the Option of the Holder.
(a)
The provisions of this Section
shall be applicable, as the case may be, (i) to any Notes which are
redeemable or subject to repayment at the option of the holder before their
maturity and (ii) to any sinking fund for the retirement of any Notes, in
either case except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2 for
any Series of Notes.
The
minimum amount of any sinking
fund payment provided for by the terms of any Notes is herein referred to as
a
?mandatory sinking fund payment,? and any payment in excess of such minimum
amount provided for by the terms of such Notes is herein referred to as an
?optional sinking fund payment.?
In
case the relevant Issuer shall
desire to exercise any right to redeem all, or, as the case may be, any part
of,
the Notes of any Series in accordance with their terms, it shall fix a date
for
redemption. Notice of redemption to the holders of Registered Notes to be
redeemed in whole or in part at the option of such Issuer shall be given by
mailing notice of such redemption by first class mail, postage prepaid, at
least
30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to
such
holders at their last addresses as they shall appear in the Register. Notice
of
redemption to holders of Bearer Notes shall be published in one leading English
language daily newspaper with general circulation in London, England or, if
publication in London is not practical, elsewhere in Western Europe. Notice
of
redemption to holders of Bearer Notes that have been listed on any stock
exchange, competent authority and/or market shall be published in accordance
with the applicable rules and regulations promulgated by such exchange,
competent authority and/or market. The term "daily newspaper" shall mean a
newspaper customarily published on each business day in morning editions,
whether or not it shall be published in Saturday, Sunday or holiday editions.
Such notice is expected to be published in the Financial Times, and shall be
published at least once a week for three successive weeks prior to the date
fixed for redemption, the first such publication to be not less than 30 days
nor
more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption. If by reason of the
temporary or permanent suspension of publication of any newspaper or by reason
of any other cause, it shall be impossible to make publication of such notice
in
a daily newspaper as herein provided, then such publication or other notice
in
lieu thereof as shall be made by the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall constitute
sufficient publication of such notice, if such publication or other notice
shall, so far as may be possible, approximate the terms and conditions of the
publication in lieu of which it is given. The Fiscal and Paying Agent shall
promptly furnish to the relevant Issuer and to each other paying agent of such
Issuer a copy of each notice of redemption so published. Any notice if given
in
the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly
given, whether or not the holder receives such notice. In any case, failure
to
give notice or any defect in the notice to the holder of any Note of a Series
designated for redemption in whole or in part shall not affect the validity
of
the proceedings for the redemption of any other Note of such Series.
Each
such notice of redemption shall
specify the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price at which the Notes
of such Series are to be redeemed, the place or places of payment, that payment
will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Notes and, in the case
of
Notes issued with coupons, of all coupons appertaining thereto maturing after
the date fixed for redemption, that any interest accrued to the date fixed
for
redemption will be paid as specified in said notice, and that on and after
said
date any interest thereon or on the portions thereof to be redeemed will cease
to accrue. If less than all the Notes of a Series are to be redeemed the notice
of redemption shall specify the number or numbers of the Notes to be redeemed.
In case any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption shall
state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall
state
that on and after the date fixed for
14
redemption,
upon surrender of such
Note, a new Note or Notes of the same Series in principal amount equal to the
unredeemed portion thereof, together with any unmatured coupons appertaining
thereto, will be issued.
On
or prior to the redemption date
specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section, the
relevant Issuer will deposit with the Fiscal and Paying Agent or with one or
more paying agents an amount of money sufficient to redeem on the redemption
date all the Notes or portions thereof so called for redemption, together with
accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption. If less than all the Notes
of
a Series are to be redeemed such Issuer will give the Fiscal and Paying Agent
notice not less than 60 days prior to the redemption date as to the aggregate
principal amount of Notes of such Series to be redeemed and the Fiscal and
Paying Agent shall select or cause to be selected, in such manner as in its
sole
discretion it shall deem appropriate and fair, the Notes or portions thereof
to
be redeemed. Notes of a Series may be redeemed in part only in multiples of
the
smallest authorized denomination of that Series.
(b)
If notice of redemption has been
given as provided in this Section, the Notes or portions of Notes of the Series
with respect to which such notice has been given shall become due and payable
on
the date and at the place or places stated in such notice at the applicable
redemption price together with any interest accrued to the date fixed for
redemption, and on and after said date (unless the relevant Issuer shall default
in the payment of Notes or portions of such Notes, together with any interest
accrued to said date) any interest on the Notes or portions of Notes of such
Series so called for redemption shall cease to accrue, and the unmatured
coupons, if any, appertaining thereto shall be void. On presentation and
surrender of such Notes at a place of payment in said notice specified, together
with all coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the date fixed
for
redemption, the said Notes or the specified portions thereof shall be paid
and
redeemed by the relevant Issuer at the applicable redemption price, together
with any interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption; provided,
however, that payment of interest becoming due on the date fixed for redemption
shall be payable in the case of Notes with coupons attached thereto, to the
holders of the coupons for such interest upon surrender thereof, and in the
case
of Registered Notes, to the persons to whom the principal thereof shall be
payable.
If
any Note issued with coupons is
surrendered for redemption and is not accompanied by all appurtenant coupons
maturing after the date fixed for redemption, the surrender of such missing
coupon or coupons may be waived by the relevant Issuer and the Fiscal and Paying
Agent, if there be furnished to each of them such security or indemnity as
they
may require to save each of them harmless.
Upon
presentation of any Note
redeemed in part only, the relevant Issuer shall execute and the Fiscal and
Paying Agent shall authenticate and deliver to the holder thereof, at the
expense of such Issuer, a new Note or Notes of the same Series, of authorized
denominations, together with all unmatured coupons, if any, appertaining
thereto, in aggregate principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the
Note so presented.
In
lieu of making all or any part of
any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to any Notes in cash the
relevant Issuer may at its option (a) deliver to the Fiscal and Paying
Agent Notes, together with all unmatured coupons, if any, appertaining thereto,
of the same Series theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired by such Issuer,
or (b) receive credit for the principal amount of Notes of the same Series
which have been redeemed either at the election of such Issuer pursuant to
the
terms of such Notes or through the application of permitted optional sinking
fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Notes; provided that such Notes
have
not previously been so credited. Such Notes shall be received and credited
for
such purpose by the Fiscal and Paying Agent at the redemption price specified
in
such Notes for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount
of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.
15
Not
less than 60 days prior to each
sinking fund payment date for any Notes, the relevant Issuer will deliver to
the
Fiscal and Paying Agent a certificate signed by an Issuer Authorized
Representative specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment
for such Notes pursuant to the terms thereof, the portion thereof, if any,
which
is to be satisfied by payment of cash (which cash may be deposited with the
Fiscal and Paying Agent or with one or more paying agents) and the portion
thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Notes
of
the same Series pursuant to this Section (which Notes, if not theretofore
delivered, will accompany such certificate) and whether such Issuer intends
to
exercise its right to make a permitted optional sinking fund payment with
respect to such Notes. Such certificate shall also state that no Event of
Default (as defined in Section 8 below) has occurred and is continuing with
respect to such Notes. Such certificate shall be irrevocable and upon its
delivery the relevant Issuer shall be obligated to make the cash payment or
payments therein referred to, if any, on or before the next succeeding sinking
fund payment date. In the case of the failure of the relevant Issuer to deliver
such certificate (or to deliver the Notes specified in this paragraph), the
sinking fund payment due on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date for
such Notes shall be paid entirely in cash and shall be sufficient to redeem
the
principal amount of such Notes subject to a mandatory sinking fund payment
without the option to deliver or credit Notes as provided in this Section and
without the right to make any optional sinking fund payment, if any, with
respect to such Notes.
Any
sinking fund payment or payments
(mandatory or optional) made in cash plus any unused balance of any preceding
sinking fund payments made in cash which shall equal or exceed 100,000 units
of
the Specified Currency with respect to the particular Series (or a lesser sum
if
the relevant Issuer shall so request or determine) with respect to any Notes
shall be applied by the Fiscal and Paying Agent on the sinking fund payment
date
on which such payment is made (or, if such payment is made before a sinking
fund
payment date, on the next sinking fund payment date following the date of such
payment) to the redemption of such Notes at the redemption price specified
in
such Notes for operation of the sinking fund together with accrued interest,
if
any, to the date fixed for redemption. Any sinking fund moneys not so applied
or
allocated by the Fiscal and Paying Agent to the redemption of Notes shall be
added to the next cash sinking fund payment received by the Fiscal and Paying
Agent for such Notes and, together with such payment (or such amount so
segregated) shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
Any and all sinking fund moneys with respect to any Notes held by the Fiscal
and
Paying Agent on the last sinking fund payment date with respect to such Notes
and not held for the payment or redemption of particular Notes of such Series
shall be applied by the Fiscal and Paying Agent, together with other moneys,
if
necessary, to be deposited (or segregated) sufficient for the purpose, to the
payment of the principal of the Notes of that Series at maturity.
The
Fiscal and Paying Agent shall
select or cause to be selected the Notes to be redeemed upon such sinking fund
payment date in the manner specified in the last paragraph of subsection
(a) and the relevant Issuer shall cause notice of the redemption thereof to
be given in the manner provided in subsection (b) except that the notice of
redemption shall also state that the Notes are being redeemed by operation
of
the sinking fund. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such
Notes shall be made upon any Series of Notes the terms and in the manner stated
in subsection (b).
On
or before each sinking fund
payment date, the relevant Issuer shall pay to the Fiscal and Paying Agent
in
cash a sum equal to any interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption of
Notes or portions thereof to be redeemed on such sinking fund payment date
pursuant to this Section.
16
Neither
the Fiscal and Paying Agent
nor the relevant Issuer shall redeem any Notes of any Series with sinking fund
moneys or give any notice of redemption of such Notes by operation of the
sinking fund for such Series during the continuance of a default in payment
of
interest, if any, on such Notes or of any Event of Default (other than an Event
of Default occurring as a consequence of this paragraph) with respect to Notes
of such Series, except that if the notice of redemption of any such Notes shall
theretofore have been given in accordance with the provisions hereof, the Fiscal
and Paying Agent shall redeem such Notes if cash sufficient for that purpose
shall be deposited with the Fiscal and Paying Agent for that purpose in
accordance with the terms of this Section. Except as aforesaid, any moneys
in
the sinking fund for Notes of such Series at the time when any such default
or
Event of Default shall occur and any moneys thereafter paid into such sinking
fund shall, during the continuance of such default or Event of Default, be
held
as security for the payment of such Notes; provided, however, that in case
such
default or Event of Default shall have been cured or waived as provided herein,
such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next sinking fund payment date
for Notes of such Series on which such moneys may be applied pursuant to the
provisions of this Section.
(c)
Any Series of Notes may be made,
by provision contained in or established pursuant to a Corporate Order pursuant
to Section 2(c) hereof, subject to repayment, in whole or in part, at the
option of the holder on a date or dates specified prior to maturity, at a price
equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued interest
to
but excluding the date of repayment, on such notice as may be required,
provided, however, that the holder of a Note of such Series may only elect
partial repayment in an amount that will result in the portion of such Note
that
will remain outstanding after such repayment constituting an authorized
denomination, or combination thereof, of Notes of such Series.
7.
Mutilated,
Destroyed, Stolen
or Lost Notes.
(a)
The Fiscal and Paying Agent is
hereby authorized to authenticate (and instruct the Common Safekeeper to
effectuate any Eurosystem-eligible NGN) and deliver from time to time Notes
of
any Series, with all unmatured coupons attached, in exchange for or in lieu
of
Notes of such Series which become mutilated, defaced, destroyed, stolen or
lost
or Notes of such Series to which mutilated, defaced, destroyed, stolen or lost
coupons appertain. In every case the applicant for a substituted Note of such
Series or coupon appertaining thereto shall furnish to the relevant Issuer,
the
Guarantor (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital)
and
to the Fiscal and Paying Agent such security or indemnity as may be required
by
them to save each of them harmless, and, in every case of destruction, loss
or
theft, the applicant shall also furnish to such Issuer, the Guarantor and to
the
Fiscal and Paying Agent evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction,
loss
or theft of such Note or coupon and of the ownership thereof. Each Note
authenticated, effectuated (as applicable) and delivered in exchange for or
in
lieu of any such Note shall carry all the rights to interest accrued and unpaid
and to accrue which were carried by such Note and shall have attached thereto
coupons such that neither gain nor loss in interest shall result from such
exchange or substitution.
Upon
the issuance of any substituted
Note or coupon, the relevant Issuer may require the payment of a sum sufficient
to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation
thereto and any other expenses connected therewith. In case any Note or coupon
which has matured or is about to mature shall become mutilated or be destroyed,
lost or stolen, the relevant Issuer may, instead of issuing a substituted Note,
pay or authorized the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except
in
the case of a mutilated Note or coupon) if the applicant for such payment shall
furnish to such Issuer, the Guarantor and to the Fiscal and Paying Agent such
security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless
and, in case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence satisfactory to such
Issuer, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent of the destruction, loss
or theft of such Note or coupon and the ownership thereof.
17
(b)
All Notes and coupons
surrendered for payment, redemption, repayment, exchange or registration of
transfer or for credit against any sinking fund shall be delivered to, or to
the
order of, the Fiscal and Paying Agent for cancellation. The Fiscal and Paying
Agent shall cancel and destroy, or procure the cancellation and destruction
of,
all such Notes and coupons and shall deliver a certificate of destruction to
the
relevant Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE
Capital) the Guarantor. In the case of any global Note initially issued in
temporary global form, which shall be destroyed by the Fiscal and Paying Agent
upon exchange in full, the certificate of destruction shall state that a
certification in the form required pursuant to the terms of such global Note
was
received with respect to each portion thereof exchanged for an interest in
a
Note in permanent global form or in definitive form. The Fiscal and Paying
Agent
is authorized by the relevant Issuer and instructed to, in the case of any
Global Note which is a NGN, instruct Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg
to
make appropriate entries in their records to reflect any such cancellation,
as
the case may be.
8.
Events
of Default. The
term "Events of Default" whenever used herein with respect to Notes of any
Series which are expressed in the relevant Final Terms or Securities Note,
as
the case may be, as being senior and unsubordinated notes means any one of
the
following events and such other events as may be established with respect to
the
Notes of such Series as contemplated by Section 2 hereof, continued for the
period of time, if any, and after the giving of notice, if any, designated
in
this Agreement or as may be established with respect to such Notes as
contemplated by Section 2 hereof, as the case may be, unless it is either
inapplicable or is specifically deleted or modified in the applicable Corporate
Order under which such Series of Notes is issued, as the case may be, as
contemplated by Section 2:
(i) | default in the payment of any installment of interest (including Additional Amounts) upon any Note of such Series as and when the same shall become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or |
(ii) | default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, on any Note of such Series as and when the same shall become due and payable whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration, repayment or otherwise; or |
(iii) | default in the making or satisfaction of any sinking fund payment or analogous obligation as and when the same shall become due and payable by the terms of any Notes of such Series; or |
(iv) | failure on the part of the relevant Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor duly to observe or perform any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of such Issuer or the Guarantor in respect of the Notes of such Series contained in such Notes or this Agreement (other than a covenant or agreement in respect of the Notes of such Series a default in whose observance or performance is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with) continued for a period of 60 days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring such Issuer or the Guarantor to remedy the same, shall have been given to such Issuer, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent by the holders of at least twenty-five percent in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such Series at the time outstanding; or |
18
(v) | an event of default with respect to any other Series of Notes issued or hereafter issued pursuant to this Agreement or as defined in any indenture or instrument evidencing or under which GE Capital has at the date of this Agreement or shall hereafter have outstanding any indebtedness for borrowed money shall happen and be continuing and such other Series of Notes or such indebtedness, as the case may be, shall have been accelerated so that the same shall be or become due and payable prior to the date on which the same would otherwise have become due and payable, and such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within ten calendar days after written notice thereof shall have been given to the relevant Issuer, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent by the holders of at least twenty-five percent in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such Series at the time outstanding; provided, however, that if such event of default with respect to such other Series of Notes or under such indenture or instrument, as the case may be, shall be timely remedied or cured by GE Capital, or timely waived by the holders of such other Series of Notes or of such indebtedness, as the case may be, then the Event of Default hereunder by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been thereupon remedied, cured or waived without further action upon the part of either the Fiscal and Paying Agent or any of the Noteholders of such Series; or |
(vi) | in the case of Notes issued by GEC Australia Funding, an event of default with respect to any other Series of Notes issued or hereafter issued by GEC Australia Funding pursuant to this Agreement or as defined in any indenture or instrument evidencing or under which GEC Australia Funding has at the date of this Agreement or shall hereafter have outstanding any indebtedness for borrowed money in the aggregate principal amount of at least A$10,000,000 (or the equivalent thereof in one or more foreign or composite currencies) shall happen and be continuing and such other Series of Notes or such indebtedness, as the case may be, of GEC Australia Funding shall have been accelerated so that the same shall be or become due and payable prior to the date on which the same would otherwise have become due and payable, and such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within ten calendar days after written notice thereof shall have been given to GEC Australia Funding, as the case may be, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent by the holders of at least twenty-five percent in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such Series at the time outstanding; provided, however, that if such event of default with respect to such other Series of Notes or under such indenture or instrument, as the case may be, shall be timely remedied or cured by GEC Australia Funding or the Guarantor, or timely waived by the holders of such other Series of Notes or of such indebtedness, as the case may be, then the Event of Default hereunder by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been thereupon remedied, cured or waived without further action upon the part of either the Fiscal and Paying Agent or any of the Noteholders of such Series; or |
19
(vii) | in the case of Notes issued by GEC Canada Funding, an event of default with respect to any other Series of Notes issued or hereafter issued by GEC Canada Funding pursuant to this Agreement or as defined in any indenture or instrument evidencing or under which GEC Canada Funding has at the date of this Agreement or shall hereafter have outstanding any indebtedness for borrowed money in the aggregate principal amount of at least C$10,000,000 (or the equivalent thereof in one or more foreign or composite currencies) shall happen and be continuing and such other Series of Notes or such indebtedness, as the case may be, of GEC Canada Funding shall have been accelerated so that the same shall be or become due and payable prior to the date on which the same would otherwise have become due and payable, and such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within ten calendar days after written notice thereof shall have been given to GEC Canada Funding, as the case may be, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent by the holders of at least twenty-five percent in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such Series at the time outstanding; provided, however, that if such event of default with respect to such other Series of Notes or under such indenture or instrument, as the case may be, shall be timely remedied or cured by GEC Canada Funding or the Guarantor, or timely waived by the holders of such other Series of Notes or of such indebtedness, as the case may be, then the Event of Default hereunder by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been thereupon remedied, cured or waived without further action upon the part of either the Fiscal and Paying Agent or any of the Noteholders of such Series; or |
(viii) | in the case of Notes issued by an Irish Issuer, an event of default with respect to any other Series of Notes issued or hereafter issued by such Irish Issuer pursuant to this Agreement or as defined in any indenture or instrument evidencing or under which such Irish Issuer has at the date of this Agreement or shall hereafter have outstanding any indebtedness for borrowed money in the aggregate principal amount of at least U.S.$10,000,000 (or the equivalent thereof in one or more foreign or composite currencies) shall happen and be continuing and such other Series of Notes or such indebtedness, as the case may be, of such Irish Issuer shall have been accelerated so that the same shall be or become due and payable prior to the date on which the same would otherwise have become due and payable, and such acceleration shall not be rescinded or annulled within ten calendar days after written notice thereof shall have been given to such Irish Issuer, as the case may be, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent by the holders of at least twenty-five percent in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such Series at the time outstanding; provided, however, that if such event of default with respect to such other Series of Notes or under such indenture or instrument, as the case may be, shall be timely remedied or cured by such Irish Issuer or the Guarantor, or timely waived by the holders of such other Series of Notes or of such indebtedness, as the case may be, then the Event of Default hereunder by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been thereupon remedied, cured or waived without further action upon the part of either the Fiscal and Paying Agent or any of the Noteholders of such Series; or |
20
(ix) | a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall have been entered adjudging GE Capital bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization of GE Capital under the United States Federal Bankruptcy Code or any other similar applicable United States Federal or State law, and such decree and order shall have continued undischarged and unstayed for a period of 60 days; or a decree or order of a court having jurisdiction in the premises for the appointment of a receiver or liquidator or trustee or assignee (or other similar official) in bankruptcy or insolvency of GE Capital or of all or substantially all of its property, or for the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, shall have been entered, and such decree and order shall have continued undischarged and unstayed for a period of 60 days; or |
(x) | GE Capital shall institute proceedings to be adjudicated voluntarily bankrupt, or shall consent to the filing of a bankruptcy proceeding against it, or shall file a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization under the United States Federal Bankruptcy Code or any other similar applicable United States Federal or State law, or shall consent to the filing of any such petition, or shall consent to the appointment of a receiver or liquidator or trustee or assignee (or other similar official) in bankruptcy or insolvency of it or of its property, or shall make an assignment for the benefit or creditors, or shall admit in writing its inability to pays its debts generally as they become due; or |
(xi) | in the case of Notes issued by GEC Australia Funding, GEC Australia Funding shall be declared bankrupt, or a liquidator, a receiver, manager, receiver and manager, administrator or any other officer with similar powers shall be appointed with respect to GEC Australia Funding or all or substantially all of the property of GEC Australia Funding, and, in all such cases, continues both undischarged and unstayed for a period of 90 days; or |
(xii) | in the case of Notes issued by GEC Canada Funding, any of the following events shall occur: (A) an order shall be made or an effective resolution be passed for the winding-up or liquidation or dissolution of GEC Canada Funding by operation of law, except in the course of carrying out, or pursuant to, a reconstruction, reorganization, consolidation, merger, amalgamation, transfer, sale, conveyance, lease or other disposition contemplated in or permitted under this Agreement; (B) GEC Canada Funding shall make a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors or a proposal under applicable bankruptcy legislation, or if an effective resolution be passed by GEC Canada Funding to give effect to any of the foregoing; or (C) GEC Canada Funding shall be declared bankrupt, or if a custodian or sequestrator or a receiver and manager or any other officer with similar powers shall be appointed of GEC Canada Funding or of all or substantially all of the property of GEC Canada Funding, and, in all such cases, such continues both undischarged and unstayed for a period of 90 days; or |
(xiii) | in the case of Notes issued by an Irish Issuer, such Irish Issuer shall be declared bankrupt, or a liquidator, a receiver, manager, receiver and manager, administrator, examiner or any other official with similar powers shall be appointed with respect to such Irish Issuer or all or substantially all of the property of such Irish Issuer, and, in all such cases, continues both undischarged and unstayed for a period of 90 days; or |
21
(xiv) | any other Event of Default provided in the applicable Corporate Order under which such Series of Notes is issued as contemplated by Section 2(c); or |
(xiii) | with respect to each Additional Issuer acceding hereto pursuant to Section 19 hereof, such Events of Default to the foregoing effect as are provided in the form of Notes certified to the Fiscal and Paying Agent in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof and any other Events of Default provided in the applicable Corporate Order under which a Series of Notes is issued by such Additional Issuer as contemplated by Section 2(c) hereof. |
If
an Event of Default with respect
to Notes of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then
and in each and every case, unless the principal of the Notes of such Series
shall have already become due and payable, each Note of such Series shall,
at
the option of and upon written notice to the relevant Issuer, the Guarantor
and
the Fiscal and Paying Agent by the then holder thereof, mature and become due
and payable upon the date that such written notice is received by such Issuer,
the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent at a price equal to 100% of the
principal amount thereof (or, if such Note provides for an amount less than
the
principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon redemption or a declaration
of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to this Section (hereinafter
an
"Original Issue Discount Note"), such portion of the principal amount as may
be
specified in the terms of such Note), together with accrued interest to such
date, upon presentation and surrender of such Note and all coupons appertaining
thereto maturing after such date, unless prior to such date all Events of
Default in respect of all such Notes of such Series shall have been cured.
9.
Additional
Payments; Tax
Redemption.
(a)
U.S.
Additional Amounts.
The relevant Issuer or (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than
GE
Capital) the Guarantor will, subject to certain exceptions and limitations
set
forth below, pay such additional amounts (the "U.S. Additional Amounts" and,
together with the Australian Additional Amounts, the Canadian Additional
Amounts, the Irish Additional Amounts and Other Additional Amounts (as such
terms are hereinafter defined), the "Additional Amounts") to the holder of
any
Note of any Series or of any interest coupon appertaining thereto who is a
United States Alien (as defined below) as may be necessary in order that every
net payment of the principal of, premium and interest, including original issue
discount, on such Note and any other amounts payable on such Note, after
withholding for or on account of any present or future tax, assessment or other
governmental charge imposed upon or as a result of such payment by the United
States (or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein),
will not be less than the amount provided for in such Note or coupon to be
then
due and payable. However, the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case
may
be, will not be required to make any payment of U.S. Additional Amounts to
any
such holder for or on account of:
(i) |
any
such
tax, assessment or other governmental charge which would not have
been so
imposed but for (1) the existence of any present or former connection
between such holder (or between a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary,
member
or shareholder of such holder, if such holder is an estate, a trust,
a
partnership or a corporation) and the United States, including, without
limitation, such holder (or such fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary,
member
or shareholder) being or having been
|
22
a citizen
or
resident thereof or being or having been engaged in a trade or business
or
present therein or having, or having had, a permanent establishment
therein or (2) the presentation by the holder of any such Note or
coupon for payment on a date more than 15 calendar days after the
date on
which such payment became due and payable or the date on which payment
thereof is duly provided for, whichever occurs later;
|
(ii) | any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, transfer or personal property tax or any similar tax, assessment or governmental charge; |
(iii) | any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by reason of such holder's past or present status as a personal holding company or foreign personal holding company or controlled foreign corporation or passive foreign investment company with respect to the United States or as a corporation which accumulates earnings to avoid United States federal income tax or as a private foundation or other tax-exempt organization; |
(iv) | any tax, assessment or other governmental charge which is payable otherwise than by withholding from payments on or in respect of any Note; |
(v) | any tax, assessment or other governmental charge which would not have been imposed but for the failure to comply with certification, information or other reporting requirements concerning the nationality, residence or identity of the holder or beneficial owner of such Note, if such compliance is required by statute or by regulation of the United States or of any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein as a precondition to relief or exemption from such tax, assessment or other governmental charge; |
(vi) | any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by reason of such holder's past or present status as the actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote of the relevant Issuer or of the Guarantor or as a direct or indirect subsidiary of the relevant Issuer or of the Guarantor; |
(vii) | any tax, assessment or other governmental charge required to be deducted or withheld by any Paying Agent from a payment on a Note or coupon, if such payment can be made without such deduction or withholding by any other Paying Agent; or |
(viii) | any combination of any of items (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) and (vii); |
nor
shall U.S. Additional Amounts be
paid with respect to any payment on any such Note to a United States Alien
who
is a fiduciary or partnership or other than the sole beneficial owner of such
payment to the extent such payment would be required by the laws of the United
States (or any political subdivision thereof) to be included in the income,
for
tax purposes, of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to such fiduciary or
a
member of such partnership or a beneficial owner who would not have been
entitled to the U.S. Additional Amounts had such beneficiary, settlor, member
or
beneficial owner been the holder of such Note.
23
The
term ?United States Alien? means
a beneficial owner of a Note that is not, for United States federal income
tax
purposes, (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a
corporation, partnership or other entity created or organized in or under the
laws of the United States or any political subdivision thereof, (iii) an
estate whose income is subject to United States federal income tax regardless
of
its source, or (iv) a trust if a court within the United States is able to
exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and one or
more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial
decisions of the trust or if such trust has a valid election in effect under
applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.
(b)
Australian
Additional
Amounts. All payments of principal and interest in respect of Notes issued
by GEC Australia Funding and any coupons relating thereto will be made without
withholding of or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes,
duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied
by or on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia or any political subdivision
thereof or any authority or agency therein or thereof having power to tax unless
the withholding or deduction of such taxes, duties, assessments or charges
is
required by law or the application, administration or interpretation thereof.
In
that event, GEC Australia Funding or the Guarantor (if the Guarantor is required
to make payments under the Guarantee) shall pay (subject to the right of
redemption of GEC Australia Funding referred to above in Section 6 -
?Redemption; Sinking Funds; Repayment at the Option of the Holder?) such
additional amounts (the ?Australian Additional Amounts?) as may be necessary
in
order that the net amounts received by the holders of such Notes or coupons
after such withholding or deduction shall equal the respective amounts of
principal and interest which otherwise would have been received by them in
respect of the Notes or coupons, as the case may be, in the absence of such
withholding or deduction, except that no Australian Additional Amounts shall
be
payable with respect to any Note or coupon presented for payment:
(i)
by or on behalf of a holder who
is subject to such taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges by reason
of his being resident or deemed to be resident in Australia or otherwise than
merely by the holding or use or deemed holding or use outside Australia or
ownership as a non-resident of Australia of such Notes or coupons; or
(ii)
by or on behalf of a holder who
is a resident of Australia where no additional amount would have been required
to be paid had a tax file number, Australian business number or other exemption
details been quoted to GEC Australia Funding in respect of the relevant Note
before the due date for payment in respect of the relevant Note (?resident?,
?tax file number? and ?Australian business number? having the same meaning
for
this purpose as they have in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (the ?Australian
Tax Act?), Income Tax Assessment Xxx 0000 and the Taxation Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxx
0000 (each as amended) of Australia); or
(iii)
by or on behalf of a holder
who is subject to such taxes, duties, assessments or government charges which
would not have been so imposed but for the presentation by the holder of any
such Note or coupon for payment on a date more than 15 days after the date
on
which such payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof
is duly provided for, whichever occurs later; or
(iv)
if the holder of such Note or
coupon or any entity which directly or indirectly has an interest in or right
in
respect of such Note or coupon is a ?resident of Australia? or a ?non-resident?
who is engaged in carrying on business in Australia at or through a ?permanent
24
establishment"
of that non-resident
in Australia (the expressions ?resident of Australia?, ?non-resident" and
?permanent establishment? having the meanings given to them by the Australian
Tax Act) if, and to the extent that, Section 126 of the Australian Tax Act
(or any equivalent provision) requires GEC Australia Funding to pay income
tax
in respect of interest payable on such Note or coupon and the income tax would
not be payable were the holder or such entity not such a ?resident of Australia"
or ?non-resident"; or
(v)
by or on behalf of a holder who
is an associate of GEC Australia Funding within the meaning of Section 128F
of the Australian Tax Act where interest withholding tax is payable in respect
of that payment by reason of Section 128F(6) of that Act.
(c)
Canadian
Additional
Amounts. All payments of principal and interest in respect of Notes issued
by GEC Canada Funding and any interest coupons appertaining thereto will be
made
without withholding of or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future
taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed
or
levied by or on behalf of the Government of Canada or any province or territory
or political subdivision thereof or any authority or agency therein or thereof
having power to tax unless the withholding or deduction of such taxes, duties,
assessments or charges is required by law or the application, administration
or
interpretation thereof. In the event that such withholding or deduction is
so
required, GEC Canada Funding (in the case of Notes issued by GEC Canada Funding)
or the Guarantor (if the Guarantor is required to make payments under the
Guarantee) shall pay (subject to the right of redemption of GEC Canada Funding
referred to in paragraph (h) below such additional amounts (the ?Canadian
Additional Amounts") as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received
by the holders of Notes and coupons appertaining thereto after such withholding
or deduction shall equal the respective amounts of principal and interest which
otherwise would have been received by them in respect of such Notes or coupons,
as the case may be, in the absence of such withholding or deduction, except
that
no Canadian Additional Amounts shall be payable with respect to any such Note
or
coupon presented for payment:
(i)
by or on behalf of a holder who
is subject to such taxes, duties, assessments or charges otherwise than merely
by the holding or use or deemed holding or use outside Canada or ownership
as a
non-resident of Canada of such Note or coupon; or
(ii)
by or on behalf of a holder in
respect of whom such taxes, duties, assessments or charges are required to
be
withheld or deducted by reason of the holder being a person with whom GEC Canada
Funding is not dealing at arm's length (within the meaning of the Income Tax
Act
(Canada)); or
(iii)
more than 15 days after the
Relevant Date (as defined below), except to the extent that the holder thereof
would have been entitled to such Canadian Additional Amounts on presenting
such
Note or coupon for payment on the last day of such period of 15 days.
The
term ?Relevant Date" means the
later of (i) the date on which payment in respect of the relevant Note or
Coupon becomes due and payable; and (ii) if the full amount of the moneys
payable on such date has not been received by the Fiscal and Paying Agent on
or
prior to such date, the date on which the full amount of such moneys having
been
so received, notice of such receipt is duly published in accordance with the
terms set out under Section 20- ?Notices to Parties" below.
25
(d)
Irish
Additional Amounts.
All payments of principal and interest in respect of Notes issued by an Irish
Issuer will be made without withholding of or deduction for, or on account
of,
any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of
whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of the Government of Ireland
or any authority or agency therein or thereof having power to tax unless the
withholding or deduction of such taxes, duties, assessments or charges is
required by law or the application, administration or interpretation thereof.
In
the event that such withholding or deduction is so required, the relevant Irish
Issuer or the Guarantor (if the Guarantor is required to make payments under
the
Guarantee) shall pay (subject to the Issuer's right of redemption referred
to
above) such additional amounts (the ?Irish Additional Amounts") as may be
necessary in order that the net amounts received by the holder of such Notes
and
coupons appertaining thereto after such withholding or deduction shall equal
the
respective amounts of principal and interest which otherwise would have been
received in respect of such Notes or the coupons appertaining thereto, as the
case may be, in the absence of such withholding or deduction, except that no
Irish Additional Amounts shall be payable with respect to any such Note or
a
coupon appertaining thereto presented for payment:
(i)
by or on behalf of a holder who
is subject to such taxes, duties, assessments or charges otherwise than merely
by the holding or use or deemed holding or use outside Ireland or ownership
as a
non-resident of Ireland of such Notes or coupon appertaining thereto;
(ii)
by or on behalf of a holder who
is subject to such taxes, duties, assessments or charges or government charges
which would not have been so imposed but for the presentation by the holder
of
any such Note or coupon for payment on a date more than 15 days after the date
on which such payment became due and payable or the date on which payment
thereof is duly provided for, whichever occurs later; or
(iii)
by or on behalf of a holder
who is subject to such taxes, duties, assessments or charges or government
chargers which are deducted or withheld by an Irish paying agent, if the payment
could have been made by another paying agent without such deduction or
withholding.
There
is also no obligation of an
Irish Issuer or the Guarantor to pay such Irish Additional Amounts if such
deduction or withholding taxes, duties or governmental charges could be
prevented or reduced by the fulfillment of information or other obligations.
(e)
European
Union. The
relevant Issuer or Guarantor, as the case may be, will not be required to make
any payment of Additional Amounts to any such holder for or on the account
of:
(i)
any tax, duty, assessment or
other governmental charge required to be withheld by any Paying Agent from
any
payment of principal of, or interest on, any Note, if such payment can be made
without such withholding by any other Paying Agent in a member state of the
European Union; or
(ii)
any tax, duty, assessment or
other governmental charge required to be imposed or withheld on a payment to
an
individual and which is required to be made pursuant to any European Union
Directive on the taxation of savings or any law implementing or complying with,
or introduced in order to conform to, such Directive.
26
(f)
Other
Additional Amounts.
In the case of Notes issued by an Additional Issuer acceding to this Agreement
pursuant to Section 19 hereof, all payments of principal and interest in
respect of Notes issued by such Issuer and any interest coupons appertaining
thereto will be made without withholding of or deduction for, or on account
of,
any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of
whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of the jurisdiction of
organization of such Issuer or any political subdivision thereof or any
authority or agency therein or thereof having power to tax unless the
withholding or deduction of such taxes, duties, assessments or charges is
required by law or the application, administration or interpretation thereof.
In
the event that such withholding or deduction is so required, such Issuer or
the
Guarantor (if the Guarantor is required to make payments under the Guarantee)
shall pay such additional amounts (the ?Other Additional Amounts") as may be
necessary in order that the net amounts received by the holders of Notes and
coupons appertaining thereto after such withholding or deduction shall equal
the
respective amounts of principal and interest which otherwise would have been
received by them in respect of the Notes or coupons, as the case may be, in
the
absence of such withholding or deduction, except that no Other Additional
Amounts shall be payable with respect to any Note or coupon as are provided
in
the form of Notes certified to the Fiscal and Paying Agent in accordance with
Section 2(b) hereof or otherwise provided in such applicable Corporate
Order under which a Series of Notes is issued by such Additional Issuer as
contemplated by Section 2(c) hereof; provided, however, that the form of
Notes certified to the Fiscal and Paying Agent in accordance with
Section 2(b) hereof or the applicable Corporate Order under which a Series
of Notes is issued by an Additional Issuer as contemplated by Section 2(c)
hereof may amend, modify or replace these provisions, as necessary to conform
such Issuer's obligation to pay additional amounts on such Notes to applicable
laws, rules or regulations of the country of incorporation or organization
of
such Issuer or any political subdivision thereof or any authority or agency
therein or thereof having power to tax, or to comply with any official position
regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, rules or regulations,
including any guidance from an official source.
(g)
Tax
Redemption - General.
All Notes of the same Series may be redeemed in whole but not in part, at the
option of the relevant Issuer at any time prior to maturity, upon the giving
of
a notice of redemption, if the relevant Issuer or (in the case of Notes issued
by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor determines that, as a result
of any change in or amendment to the laws (or any regulations or ruling
promulgated thereunder) of the United States or of any political subdivision
or
taxing authority thereof or therein affecting taxation, or any change in
official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws,
regulations or ruling, which change or amendment becomes effective on or after
the date of issuance of the first Tranche of Notes of such Series (if sold
on an
agency basis) or the date on which an Agent acting as principal agreed to
purchase such Tranche of Notes, the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the
case may be, has or will become obligated to pay U.S. Additional Amounts with
respect to such Notes as described under Section 9(a) hereof. The
redemption price (except as otherwise specified herein or in the applicable
Final Terms or Securities Note (each as defined in the Distribution Agreement)
(as the case may be)) shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof,
together with accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption, or in the
case
of Discount Notes, at 100% of the portion of the face amount thereof that has
accreted on a straight-line basis to the date of redemption, or in the case
of
Notes issued at a premium, at 100% of the issue price less the amount of the
premium amortized on a straight-line basis to the date of redemption. Prior
to
the giving of any notice of redemption pursuant to this paragraph, the relevant
Issuer shall deliver to the Fiscal and Paying Agent, (i) a certificate
stating that the relevant Issuer is entitled to effect such redemption and
setting forth a statement of facts showing that the conditions precedent to
the
right of such Issuer to so redeem have occurred (the date on which such
certificate is delivered to the Fiscal and Paying Agent is herein called the
?Redemption Determination Date"), and (ii) an opinion of counsel
satisfactory to the Fiscal Agent to such effect based
27
on
such statement of facts; provided
that no such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than 90 days prior
to
the earliest date on which the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case
may
be, would be obligated to pay such U.S. Additional Amounts if a payment in
respect of such Notes were then due.
Notice
of redemption will be given
not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption,
which date and the applicable redemption price will be specified in the notice.
If
any date fixed for redemption is
a date prior to the Exchange Date for a temporary global Bearer Note, payment
on
such redemption date will be made subject to receipt of a certificate
substantially in the form set forth in (i) Exhibit B-1 provided by the
holder of such Note or (ii) Exhibit B-2, delivery of which is a condition
to payment of such Note.
(h)
Tax
Redemption: Notes Issued
by GEC Australia Funding. All Notes of the same Series issued by GEC
Australia Funding may be redeemed, at the option of such GEC Australia Funding
in whole but not in part, at any time prior to maturity, upon the giving of
a
notice of redemption as described under Section 9(g) hereof, if GEC
Australia Funding or the Guarantor, as the case may be, determines that, as
a
result of any change in or amendment to the laws (or any regulations or rulings
promulgated thereunder) of Australia or of any political subdivision or taxing
authority thereof or therein affecting taxation, or any change in official
position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations
or rulings, including any change effected by guidance in any form from an
official source, which change or amendment becomes effective on or after the
date of issuance of the first Tranche of Notes of such Series (if sold on an
agency basis) or the date on which an Agent acting as principal agrees to
purchase such Tranche of Notes GEC Australia Funding or the Guarantor, as the
case may be, has or will become obligated to pay Australian Additional Amounts
with respect to the Notes as described under Section 9(b) hereof. The
redemption price (except as otherwise specified herein or in the applicable
Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be)) shall be equal to 100%
of
the principal amount thereof, together with accrued interest to the date fixed
for redemption, or in the case of Discount Notes, at 100% of the portion of
the
face amount thereof that has accreted on a straight-line basis to the date
of
redemption, or in the case of Notes issued at a premium, at 100% of the issue
price less the amount of the premium amortized on a straight-line basis to
the
date of redemption. Prior to the giving of any notice of redemption pursuant
to
this paragraph GEC Australia Funding or the Guarantor, as the case may be,
shall
deliver to the Fiscal Agent (i) a certificate stating that GEC Australia
Funding is entitled to effect redemption and setting forth a statement of facts
showing that the conditions precedent to the right of GEC Australia Funding
to
so redeem have occurred and (ii) an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the
Fiscal Agent to such effect based on such statement of facts; provided that
no
such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than 90 days prior to the
earliest date on which GEC Australia Funding or the Guarantor, as the case
may
be, would be obligated to pay such Australian Additional Amounts if a payment
in
respect of such Notes were then due.
(i)
Tax
Redemption: Notes Issued
by GEC Canada Funding. All Notes of the same Series issued by GEC Canada
Funding may be redeemed, at the option of GEC Canada Funding (in the case of
Notes issued by GEC Canada Funding) in whole but not in part, at any time prior
to maturity, upon the giving of a notice of redemption as described under
Section 9(g) hereof, if GEC Canada Funding or the Guarantor, as the case
may be, determines that, as a result of any change in or amendment to the laws
(or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder) of Canada or of any
province or territory or political subdivision thereof or any authority or
agency therein or thereof having power to tax, or any change in official
position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations
or rulings, including any change effected by guidance in any form from an
official source, which change or amendment
28
becomes
effective on or after the
date of issuance of the first Tranche of Notes of such Series (if sold on an
agency basis) or the date on which an Agent acting as principal agreed to
purchase such Tranche of Notes, GEC Canada Funding or the Guarantor, as the
case
may be, has or will become obligated to pay Canadian Additional Amounts with
respect to the Notes as described under Section 9(c) hereof. The redemption
price (except as otherwise specified herein or in the applicable Final Terms
or
Securities Note (as the case may be)) shall be equal to 100% of the principal
amount thereof, together with accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption,
or in the case of Discount Notes, at 100% of the portion of the face amount
thereof that has accreted on a straight-line basis to the date of redemption,
or
in the case of Notes issued at a premium, at 100% of the issue price less the
amount of the premium amortized on a straight-line basis to the date of
redemption. Prior to the giving of any notice of redemption pursuant to this
paragraph, GEC Canada Funding or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall
deliver to the Fiscal Agent (i) a certificate stating that GEC Canada
Funding is entitled to effect such redemption and setting forth a statement
of
facts showing that the conditions precedent to the right of GEC Canada Funding,
to so redeem have occurred and (ii) an opinion of counsel satisfactory to
the Fiscal Agent to such effect based on such statement of facts; provided
that
no such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than 90 days prior to the
earliest date on which GEC Canada Funding or the Guarantor, as the case may
be,
would be obligated to pay such Canadian Additional Amounts if a payment in
respect of such Notes were then due.
(j)
Tax
Redemption: Notes Issued
by an Irish Issuer. All Notes of the same Series issued by an Irish Issuer
may be redeemed, at the option of such Irish Issuer (in the case of Notes issued
by such Irish Issuer) in whole but not in part, at any time prior to maturity,
upon the giving of a notice of redemption as described under Section 9(g)
hereof, if such Irish Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, determines
that, as a result of any change in or amendment to the laws (or any regulations
or rulings promulgated thereunder) of Ireland or of any province or territory
or
political subdivision thereof or any authority or agency therein or thereof
having power to tax, or any change in official position regarding the
application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings, including
any change effected by guidance in any form from an official source, which
change or amendment becomes effective on or after the date of issuance of the
first Tranche of Notes of such Series (if sold on an agency basis) or the date
on which an Agent acting as principal agreed to purchase such Tranche of Notes,
such Irish Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has or will become
obligated to pay Irish Additional Amounts with respect to the Notes as described
under Section 9(d) hereof. The redemption price (except as otherwise
specified herein or in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the
case may be)) shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together
with accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption, or in the case of
Discount Notes, at 100% of the portion of the face amount thereof that has
accreted on a straight-line basis to the date of redemption, or in the case
of
Notes issued at a premium, at 100% of the issue price less the amount of the
premium amortized on a straight-line basis to the date of redemption. Prior
to
the giving of any notice of redemption pursuant to this paragraph, the relevant
Irish Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall deliver to the Fiscal
Agent (i) a certificate stating that such Irish Issuer is entitled to
effect such redemption and setting forth a statement of facts showing that
the
conditions precedent to the right of such Irish Issuer, to so redeem have
occurred and (ii) an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Fiscal Agent to
such effect based on such statement of facts; provided that no such notice
of
redemption shall be given earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on
which such Irish Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, would be obligated
to pay such Irish Additional Amounts if a payment in respect of such Notes
were
then due.
(k)
Tax
Redemption: Notes Issued
by Additional Issuers. All Notes of the same Series issued by an Additional
Issuer acceding to this Agreement pursuant to Section 19 hereof may be
29
redeemed,
at the option of such
Issuer, in whole but not in part, at any time prior to maturity, upon the giving
of a notice of redemption as described under Section 9(g) hereof, if such
Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, determines that, as a result of
any
change in or amendment to the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated
thereunder) of the jurisdiction of such Issuer's organization or of any
political subdivision thereof or any authority or agency therein or thereof
having power to tax, or any change in official position regarding the
application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings, including
any change effected by guidance in any form from an official source, which
change or amendment becomes effective on or after the date of issuance of the
first Tranche of Notes of such Series (if sold on an agency basis) or the date
on which an Agent acting as principal agreed to purchase such Tranche of Notes,
such Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has or will become obligated
to pay Other Additional Amounts with respect to the Notes as described under
Section 9(f) hereof. The redemption price (except as otherwise specified
herein or in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may
be))
shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued
interest to the date fixed for redemption, or in the case of Discount Notes,
at
100% of the portion of the face amount thereof that has accreted on a
straight-line basis to the date of redemption, or in the case of Notes issued
at
a premium, at 100% of the issue price less the amount of the premium amortized
on a straight-line basis to the date of redemption. Prior to the giving of
any
notice of redemption pursuant to this paragraph, such Issuer or the Guarantor,
as the case may be, shall deliver to the Fiscal Agent (i) a certificate
stating that such Issuer is entitled to effect such redemption and setting
forth
a statement of facts showing that the conditions precedent to the right of
such
Issuer to so redeem have occurred and (ii) an opinion of counsel
satisfactory to the Fiscal Agent to such effect based on such statement of
facts; provided that no such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than
90
days prior to the earliest date on which such Issuer or the Guarantor, as the
case may be, would be obligated to pay such Other Additional Amounts if a
payment in respect of such Notes were then due; provided, however, that the
form
of Notes certified to the Fiscal and Paying Agent in accordance with
Section 2(b) hereof or the applicable Corporate Order under which a Series
of Notes is issued by such Additional Issuer as contemplated by
Section 2(c) hereof may amend, modify or replace these provisions, as
necessary to conform such Issuer's right to redeem the Notes to applicable
laws,
rules or regulations of the country or organization of such Issuer or any
political subdivisions thereof or any authority or agency therein or thereof
having power to tax, or to comply with any official position regarding the
application or interpretation of such laws, rules or regulations, including
any
guidance from an official source.
(l)
Special
Tax Redemption of
Bearer Notes. If the relevant Issuer or (in the case of Notes issued by an
Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor shall determine that any payment
made outside the United States by such Issuer, the Guarantor (if the Guarantor
is required to make payments under the relevant Guarantee) or any Paying Agent
of principal or interest, including original discount, due in respect of any
Bearer Notes of any Series would, under any present or future laws or
regulations of the United States, be subject to any certification,
identification or other information reporting requirement of any kind, the
effect of which requirement is the disclosure to such Issuer, the Guarantor,
any
Paying Agent or any governmental authority of the nationality, residence or
identity of a beneficial owner of such Bearer Note or coupon who is a United
States Alien (other than such a requirement (a) which would not be
applicable to a payment made by such Issuer, the Guarantor or any Paying Agent
(i) directly to the beneficial owner or (ii) to a custodian, nominee
or other agent of the beneficial owner, or (b) which can be satisfied by
such custodian, nominee or other agent certifying to the effect that such
beneficial owner is a United States Alien, provided that in each case referred
to in clauses (a)(ii) and (b) payment by such custodian, nominee or agent
to such beneficial owner is not otherwise subject to any such requirement),
the
relevant Issuer shall (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than
GEC
Canada Funding) or may (in the case of Notes issued by GEC Canada Funding)
redeem the Bearer Notes of such Series, in whole,
30
or
if the conditions of the next
paragraph are satisfied, pay the additional amounts specified in such paragraph.
The redemption price (except as otherwise specified herein or in the applicable
Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be)) shall be equal to 100%
of
the principal amount thereof, together with accrued interest to the date fixed
for redemption, or in the case of Discount Notes, at 100% of the portion of
the
face amount thereof that has accreted on a straight-line basis to the date
of
redemption, or in the case of Notes issued at a premium, at 100% of the issue
price less the amount of the premium amortized on a straight-line basis to
the
date of redemption. The relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be,
shall make such determination and election as soon as practicable and publish
prompt notice thereof (the ?Determination Notice") stating the effective date
of
such certification, identification or other information reporting requirements,
whether such Issuer will redeem the Bearer Notes of such Series, or whether
such
Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, has elected to pay the U.S.
Additional Amounts specified in the next paragraph, and (if applicable) the
last
date by which the redemption of the Bearer Notes of such Series must take place,
as provided in the next succeeding sentence. If the relevant Issuer redeems
the
Bearer Notes of such Series, such redemption shall take place on such date,
not
later than one year after the publication of the Determination Notice, as the
relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall elect by notice
to
the Fiscal and Paying Agent at least 60 days prior to the date fixed for
redemption. Notice of such redemption of the Bearer Notes of such Series will
be
given to the holders of such Bearer Notes not more than 60 nor less than 30
days
prior to the date fixed for redemption. Such redemption notice shall include
a
statement as to the last date by which the Bearer Notes of such Series to be
redeemed may be exchanged for Registered Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the relevant Issuer shall not so redeem such Bearer Notes if such Issuer or
the
Guarantor shall subsequently determine, not less than 30 days prior to the
date
fixed for redemption, that subsequent payments would not be subject to any
such
requirement, in which case such Issuer or the Guarantor shall publish prompt
notice of such determination and any earlier redemption notice shall be revoked
and of no further effect. The right of the holders of Bearer Notes called for
redemption pursuant to this paragraph to exchange such Bearer Notes for
Registered Notes will terminate at the close of business of the Principal Paying
Agent on the fifteenth day prior to the date fixed for redemption, and no
further exchanges of such Series of Bearer Notes for Registered Notes shall
be
permitted.
If
and so long as the certification,
identification or other information reporting requirements referred to above
in
the preceding paragraph would be fully satisfied by payment of a backup
withholding tax or similar charge, the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as
the
case may be, may elect to pay as U.S. Additional Amounts such amounts as may
be
necessary so that every net payment made outside the United States following
the
effective date of such requirements by such Issuer, the Guarantor or any Paying
Agent of principal or interest, including original issue discount, due in
respect of any Bearer Note or any coupon of which the beneficial owner is a
United States Alien (but without any requirement that the nationality residence
of identity of such beneficial owner be disclosed to such Issuer, the Guarantor,
any Paying Agent or any governmental authority, with respect to the payment
of
such additional amounts), after deduction or withholding for or on account
of
such backup withholding tax or similar charge (other than a backup withholding
tax or similar charge which (i) would not be applicable in the
circumstances referred to in the third parenthetical clause of the first
sentence of the preceding paragraph, or (ii) is imposed as a result of
presentation of such Bearer Note or coupon for payment more than 15 days after
the date on which such payment becomes due and payable or on which payment
thereof is duly provided for, whichever occurs later), will not be less than
the
amount provided for in such Bearer Note or coupon to be then due and payable.
In
the event the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, elects
to
pay any U.S. Additional Amounts pursuant to this paragraph, such Issuer shall
have the right to redeem the Bearer Notes of such Series in whole at any time
pursuant to the applicable provisions of the preceding paragraph and the
redemption price of such Bearer Notes shall not be reduced for
31
applicable
withholding taxes. If
such Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, elects to pay U.S. Additional
Amounts pursuant to this paragraph and the condition specified in the first
sentence of this paragraph should no longer be satisfied, then such Issuer
shall
(in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GEC Canada Funding) or
may
(in the case of Notes issued by GEC Canada Funding) redeem the Bearer Notes
of
such Series in whole, pursuant to the applicable provisions of the preceding
paragraph.
10.
Covenant
of the Issuers and
the Guarantor.
(a)
Each Issuer and (in the case of
Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor covenant and
agree for the benefit of holders of all Notes issued hereunder that they will
duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal of, premium, if any,
and interest, if any, on all such Notes (together with any Additional Amounts)
at the places, at the respective times and in the manner provided in such Notes,
in the coupons, if any appertaining thereto, and in this Agreement. The interest
on Notes issued with coupons (together with any Additional Amounts) shall be
payable only upon presentation and surrender of the several coupons for such
interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they severally mature. If
any
temporary Bearer Note provides that interest thereon may be paid while such
Note
is in temporary form, the interest on any such temporary Bearer Note (together
with any Additional Amounts) shall be paid, as to the installments of interest
only, (i) in the case of a CGN, upon presentation and surrender thereof,
and, as to the other installments of interest, if any, only upon presentation
of
such Notes for notation thereon of the payment of such interest, or (ii) in
the case of any temporary global Note which is a NGN, upon the Fiscal and Paying
Agent instructing Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg to make appropriate
entries in their records to reflect such payments, in each case subject to
the
restrictions set forth in Section 5.
11.
Obligations
of the Fiscal and
Paying Agent. The Fiscal and Paying Agent accepts its obligations set forth
herein and in the Notes upon the terms and conditions hereof and thereof,
including the following, to all of which each Issuer and (in the case of Notes
issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor agree and to all of
which the rights of the holders from time to time of the Notes of each Series
shall be subject:
(a)
The Fiscal and Paying Agent
shall be entitled to the compensation to be agreed upon with the relevant Issuer
and the Guarantor for all services rendered by it, and such Issuer and the
Guarantor agree promptly to pay such compensation and to reimburse the Fiscal
and Paying Agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including fees
and
expenses of counsel) incurred by it in connection with the services rendered
by
it hereunder. The relevant Issuer and the Guarantor also agree to indemnify
the
Fiscal and Paying Agent and each paying agent of such Issuer and the Guarantor
for, and to hold each of them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense
incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in
connection with their acting as Fiscal and Paying Agent or paying agent of
such
Issuer and the Guarantor hereunder. The obligations of such Issuer and the
Guarantor under this subsection (a) shall survive the payment of the Notes
and the resignation or removal of the Fiscal and Paying Agent and each paying
agent of such Issuer and the Guarantor, as the case may be.
(b)
In acting under this Agreement
and in connection with the Notes, the Fiscal and Paying Agent and each paying
agent of the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor are acting solely as agents
of
such Issuer and the Guarantor and do not assume any obligation towards or
relationship of agency or trust for or with any of the beneficial owners or
holders of the Notes except that all funds held by the Fiscal and Paying Agent
or any other paying agent of such Issuer and the Guarantor for the payment
of
principal, of
32
premium
and of interest on (and
Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to) the Notes shall be held in trust
by
them and applied as set forth herein and in the Notes, but need not be
segregated from other funds held by them, except as required by law; provided
that moneys paid by the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor to the Fiscal and
Paying Agent or any other paying agent of such Issuer or the Guarantor for
the
payment of the principal of, premium and interest on (and Additional Amounts,
if
any, with respect to) any of the Notes and remaining unclaimed at the end of
three years after the date on which such principal, premium or interest (or
Additional Amounts, if any) shall have become due and payable shall be repaid
to
the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, as provided and in
the
manner set forth in Section 5, whereupon the aforesaid trust shall
terminate and all liability of the Fiscal and Paying Agent or any other paying
agent of the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor to such Issuer and the Guarantor
with respect to such moneys shall cease.
(c)
The Fiscal and Paying Agent may
consult with counsel and any advice or written opinion of such counsel shall
be
full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance
with such advice or opinion.
(d)
The Fiscal and Paying Agent and
each paying agent of the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor shall be protected
and shall incur no liability for or in respect of any action taken or omitted
to
be taken or thing suffered by them in reliance upon any Note, coupon, notice,
direction, consent, certificate, affidavit, statement or other paper or document
reasonably believed by them to be genuine and to have been presented or signed
by the proper party or parties.
(e)
The Fiscal and Paying Agent or
any paying agent of the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor may, in its individual
capacity or any other capacity, become the owner of, or acquire any interest
in,
any Notes or other obligations of such Issuer or the Guarantor with the same
rights that it would have if it were not the Fiscal and Paying Agent or such
paying agent of such Issuer or the Guarantor, and may engage or be interested
in
any financial or other transaction with such Issuer or the Guarantor and may
act
on, or as depositary, trustee or agent for, any committee or body of beneficial
owners or holders of Notes or other obligations of such Issuer or the Guarantor
as freely as if it were not the Fiscal and Paying Agent or such paying agent
of
such Issuer or the Guarantor.
(f)
Neither the Fiscal and Paying
Agent nor any other paying agent of the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor shall
be under any liability for interest on any moneys received by it pursuant to
any
of the provisions of this Agreement or the Notes.
(g)
The recitals contained herein
and in the Notes (except in the Fiscal and Paying Agent's certificate of
authentication) shall be taken as the statements of the relevant Issuer and
the
Guarantor, and the Fiscal and Paying Agent assumes no responsibility for the
correctness of the same. The Fiscal and Paying Agent does not make any
representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Agreement or the Notes.
Neither the Fiscal and Paying Agent nor any paying agent of the relevant Issuer
and the Guarantor shall be accountable for the use or application by such Issuer
of any of the Notes or the proceeds thereof.
(h)
The Fiscal and Paying Agent and
each paying agent of the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor shall be obligated
to
perform such duties and only such duties as are herein and in the Notes
specifically set forth (including Appendix 1 (New Global Note Provisions)
in the case of the Fiscal and Paying Agent), and no implied duties or
obligations shall be read into this Agreement or the Notes against the Fiscal
and Paying Agent or any such paying agent. Each paying agent of the relevant
Issuer (other
33
than
the Fiscal and Paying Agent)
agrees that if any information that is required by the paying agent to perform
the duties set out in Appendix 1 (New Global Note Provisions) becomes
known to it, it will promptly provide such information to the Fiscal and Paying
Agent. The Fiscal and Paying Agent shall not be under any obligation to take
any
action hereunder which may tend to involve it in any expense or liability,
the
payment of which within a reasonable time is not, in its reasonable opinion,
assured to it.
(i)
Unless otherwise specifically
provided herein or in the Notes, any order, certificate, notice, request,
direction or other communication from the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor
made
or given under any provision of this Agreement shall be sufficient if signed
by
the President, the Chief Executive Officer, any Senior Vice President or Vice
President, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary or any duly authorized
attorney-in-fact of the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be.
(j)
The Fiscal and Paying Agent and
each paying agent of the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor shall be obligated
to
collect IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form required by the United States
Internal Revenue code of 1986, as amended.
12.
Maintenance
and Resignation
of Fiscal and Paying Agent.
(a)
The relevant Issuer and (in the
case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor agree,
for the benefit of the beneficial owners from time to time of the Notes, that,
until all of the Notes and coupons are no longer outstanding or until moneys
for
the payment of all of the principal of, premium and interest on all outstanding
Notes (and Additional Amounts, if any) shall have been made available at the
principal office of the Fiscal and Paying Agent, and shall have been returned
to
the relevant Issuer or (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than
GE
Capital) the Guarantor as provided in Section 11(b), whichever occurs
earlier, there shall at all times be a Fiscal and Paying Agent hereunder. The
Fiscal and Paying Agent shall at all times maintain a place of business in,
or
in lieu thereof maintain an agent for service of process located in, London,
England.
(b)
Each Issuer and the Guarantor
further agrees that (i) so long as any Notes are listed and/or admitted to
trading on or by a stock exchange, competent authority and/or market, there
will
at all times be a Paying Agent (or the Fiscal and Paying Agent) having a
specified office in each location required by the relevant rules of such stock
exchange, competent authority and/or market; (ii) there will at all times
be a Paying Agent (or the Fiscal and Paying Agent) with a specified office
in a
city in a member state of the European Union; and (iii) they will ensure
that to the extent practicable it maintains a Paying Agent (or the Fiscal and
Paying Agent) in a Member State of the European Union that will not be obliged
to withhold or deduct tax from payment in respect of the Notes pursuant to
European Council Directive 2003/48/EC or any law implementing or complying
with,
or introduced in order to conform to, such Directive.
(c)
The Fiscal and Paying Agent may
at any time resign by giving written notice of its resignation mailed to the
relevant Issuer and the Guarantor specifying the date on which its resignation
shall become effective; provided that such date shall be at least 90 days after
the date on which such notice is given unless such Issuer and the Guarantor
agree to accept less notice. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the
relevant Issuer and the Guarantor shall promptly appoint a successor fiscal
and
paying agent, qualified as aforesaid, by written instrument in duplicate signed
on behalf of such Issuer and the Guarantor, one copy of which shall be delivered
to the resigning Fiscal and Paying Agent and one copy to the successor fiscal
and paying agent. Such resignation shall become effective upon the earlier
of
(i) the effective date of such resignation or (ii) the acceptance of
appointment by the successor fiscal and
34
paying
agent as provided in
subsection (c). The relevant Issuer and the Guarantor may, at any time and
for
any reason, and shall, upon any event set forth in the next succeeding sentence,
remove the Fiscal and Paying Agent and appoint a successor fiscal and paying
agent, qualified as aforesaid, by written instrument in duplicate signed on
behalf of such Issuer and the Guarantor, one copy of which shall be delivered
to
the Fiscal and Paying Agent being removed and one copy to the successor fiscal
and paying agent. The Fiscal and Paying Agent shall be removed as aforesaid
if
it shall become incapable of acting, or shall be adjudged bankrupt or insolvent,
or a receiver of the Fiscal and Paying Agent or of its property shall be
appointed, or any public officer shall take charge or control of it or of its
property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or
liquidation. Any removal of the Fiscal and Paying Agent and any appointment
of a
successor fiscal and paying agent shall become effective upon acceptance of
appointment by the successor fiscal and paying agent as provided in subsection
(c). Upon its resignation or removal, the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall be
entitled to the payment by the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor of its
compensation for the services rendered hereunder and to the reimbursement of
all
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the services
rendered by it hereunder (including any resignation expenses of the Fiscal
and
Paying Agent and fees and expenses of counsel).
(d)
Any successor fiscal and paying
agent appointed as provided in subsection (b) shall execute and deliver to
its predecessor and to the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor an instrument
accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor fiscal and
paying agent, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested
with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor
hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as Fiscal and Paying Agent
hereunder, and such predecessor, upon payment of its compensation and
out-of-pocket expenses then unpaid, shall pay over to such successor agent
all
moneys or other property at the time held by it hereunder.
(e)
Any corporation or bank into
which the Fiscal and Paying Agent may be merged or converted, or with which
the
Fiscal and Paying Agent may be consolidated, or any corporation or bank
resulting from any merger, conversion, banking business transfer or
consolidation to which the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall be a party, or any
corporation or bank succeeding to the fiscal agency business of the Fiscal
and
Paying Agent shall be the successor to the Fiscal and Paying Agent hereunder
(provided that such corporation or bank shall be qualified as aforesaid) without
the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any
of
the parties hereto.
13.
Paying
Agency. Each
Issuer and the Guarantor shall cause each Paying Agent appointed by such Issuer
and the Guarantor to execute and deliver to the Fiscal and Paying Agent an
instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Fiscal and Paying Agent,
subject to the provisions of this Section,
(1)
that it will hold all sums held
by it as such agent for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or
interest, if any, on such Notes (whether such sums have been paid to it by
the
Issuer or the Guarantor or by any other obligor on such Notes) in trust for
the
benefit of the holders of such Notes, or the coupons appertaining thereto,
if
any;
(2)
that it will give the Fiscal and
Paying Agent notice of any failure by any such Issuer or the Guarantor (or
by
any other obligor on such Notes) to make any payment of the principal of,
premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Notes when the same shall be
due
and payable; and
(3)
that at any time during the
continuance of any failure by any such Issuer or the Guarantor (or by any other
obligor on such Notes) specified in the preceding paragraph (2), such paying
agent will, upon the written request of the Fiscal and Paying Agent, forthwith
pay to the Fiscal and Paying Agent all sums so held in trust by it.
35
The
Fiscal and Paying Agent shall
arrange with all such paying agencies for the payment, from funds furnished
by
each Issuer and the Guarantor to the Fiscal and Paying Agent pursuant to this
Agreement, of the principal of, premium and interest on the Notes (and
Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the Notes).
14.
Merger,
Consolidation, Sale
or Conveyance.
(a)
Each Issuer and (in the case of
Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor covenant that
they will not merge or consolidate with any other corporation or sell, convey,
transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of their respective
assets to any corporation, unless (i) either such Issuer or the Guarantor,
as the case may be, shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor
corporation (if other than such Issuer or the Guarantor) shall be (a) with
respect to GE Capital, a corporation organized and existing under the laws
of
the United States of America or a state thereof, (b) with respect to GEC
Australia Funding, a corporation incorporated under the laws of Australia or
any
political subdivision thereof, (c) with respect to GEC Canada Funding, a
corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada or any province of territory
thereof, (d) with respect to any Irish Issuer, a company incorporated under
the Companies Acts of Ireland, 1963-2003 and (e) with respect to each
Additional Issuer, a corporation incorporated under the laws of the country
of
incorporation or organization of such Issuer, and in each case such successor
corporation shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of the principal
of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all the Notes and coupons,
if
any, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and
observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Agreement, the Notes
and the Guarantee to be performed by such Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case
may be, executed and delivered to the Fiscal and Paying Agent by such
corporation, and (ii) such Issuer or the Guarantor or such successor
corporation, as the case may be, shall not, immediately after such merger or
consolidation, or such sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, be
in
default in the performance of any such covenants or conditions.
(b)
In case of any such
consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance (other than by way of lease), transfer
or other disposition, and upon any such assumption by the successor corporation,
such successor corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for the relevant
Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, with the same effect as if it
had
been named herein as such Issuer or the Guarantor, and such Issuer or the
Guarantor shall be relieved of any further obligation under this Agreement
and
under the Notes and coupons, if any, and may be dissolved, wound up and
liquidated at any time thereafter. Such successor corporation thereupon may
cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of
the
relevant Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, any or all of the Notes
issuable hereunder together with any coupons appertaining thereto which
theretofore shall not have been signed by such Issuer or the Guarantor and
delivered to the Fiscal and Paying Agent; and, upon the order of such successor
corporation, instead of such Issuer or the Guarantor and subject to all the
terms, conditions and limitations in this Agreement prescribed, the Fiscal
and
Paying Agent shall authenticate and shall deliver any Notes together with any
coupons appertaining thereto which previously shall have been signed and
delivered to the Fiscal and Paying Agent for that purpose. All Notes
appertaining thereto shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit
under this Agreement as the Notes theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement as though all or such Notes had been issued
at
the date of the execution hereof.
36
In
case of any such consolidation,
merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, such changes in
phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Notes and coupons
thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.
15.
Meetings
of Holders of the
Notes.
(a)
Each Issuer or (in the case of
Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor may at any time
call a meeting of the holders of the Notes of any or all Series, such meeting
to
be held at such time and at such place as such Issuer or the Guarantor shall
determine, for the purpose of obtaining a waiver of or an amendment to any
provision of this Agreement or the Notes of any Series (to the extent permitted
in Section 18 hereof). For purposes of this Section, ?holders of a global
Bearer Note" shall be those persons shown on the records of Euroclear,
Clearstream, Luxembourg, or another clearance system in which such Notes are
held, as the case may be, as having interests in such global Bearer Note
credited to their respective securities clearance accounts on the date on which
notice of the meeting is given. Notice of any meeting of Noteholders, setting
forth the time and place of such meeting and in general terms the action
proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be (i) if any Bearer Notes of a
Series affected are then outstanding, published prior to the date fixed for
the
meeting at least once a week for three successive weeks in one leading English
language daily newspaper with general circulation in London, England, or, if
publication in London is not practical, elsewhere in Western Europe and
(ii) if any Registered Notes of a Series affected are then outstanding,
mailed to the holders of then outstanding Registered Notes of each Series
affected at their addresses as they shall appear on the books of the Registrar.
The first publication or mailing of notice, in the case of Registered Notes,
shall be made not less than 20 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed
for such meeting. Such publication is expected to be made in the Financial
Times. Notice of any meeting of holders of Bearer Notes that have been listed
and/or admitted to trading on any stock exchange, competent authority and/or
market shall be published in accordance with the applicable rules and
regulations promulgated by such exchange, competent authority and/or market.
To
be entitled to vote at any meeting of holders of Notes a person shall be
(i) a holder of one of more Notes of the relevant Series with respect to
which such meeting is being held or (ii) a person appointed by an
instrument in writing as proxy by the holder of one or more such Notes. The
only
persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of the
holders of the Notes of any Series shall be the persons entitled to vote at
such
meeting and their counsel and any representatives of the relevant Issuer, the
Guarantor and their counsel.
(b)
The persons entitled to vote a
majority in principal amount of the Notes of the relevant Series at the time
outstanding shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of obtaining any such
waiver or amendment. No business shall be transacted in the absence of a quorum,
unless a quorum is present when the meeting is called to order. In the absence
of a quorum within 30 minutes of the time appointed for any such meeting, the
meeting shall be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 calendar days as
determined by the chairman of the meeting. In the absence of a quorum within
30
minutes of the time appointed for any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned
meeting shall be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 calendar
days as determined by the chairman of the meeting. Notice of the reconvening
of
any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided above except that such notice
need be published only once, but must be mailed or published not less than
five
days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened.
Subject to the foregoing, at the reconvening of any meeting further adjourned
for lack of a quorum, the persons entitled to vote 25% in principal amount
of
the Notes of the relevant Series at the time outstanding shall constitute a
quorum for the taking of any action set forth in the notice of the original
meeting. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly
the percentage of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of
the
relevant Series which shall constitute a quorum.
37
(c)
At a meeting or an adjourned
meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid, any
resolution with respect to such waiver or amendment shall be effectively passed
and decided if passed and decided by the favorable vote of persons entitled
to
vote the lesser of (i) a majority in the principal amount of the Notes of
the relevant Series then outstanding or (ii) 75% in principal amount of
such Notes represented and voting at the meeting. Any Noteholder who has
executed an instrument in writing appointing a person as proxy shall be deemed
to be present for the purposes of determining a quorum and be deemed to have
voted; provided that such Noteholder shall be considered as present and voting
only with respect to the matters covered by such instrument in writing (which
may include authorization to vote on any other matters as may come before the
meeting). Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Noteholders
duly held in accordance with this Section shall be conclusive and binding on
all
the Noteholders of the relevant Series whether or not present or represented
at
the meeting.
(d)
The holding of definitive Bearer
Notes of the relevant Series for purposes of this Section shall be proved by
the
production of such Notes or by a certificate executed by any trust company,
bank, banker or recognized securities dealer satisfactory to the relevant Issuer
and the Guarantor, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by
such Issuer and the Guarantor to be satisfactory. Each such certificate shall
be
dated and shall state that on the date thereof a Note of the relevant Series
bearing a specified identifying number was deposited with or exhibited to such
trust company, bank, banker or recognized securities dealer by the person named
in such certificate. Any such certificate may be issued in respect of one or
more such Bearer Notes specified therein. The holding of an interest in any
global Bearer Note of the relevant Series shall be proved by a certificate
of
Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or another clearance system in which such
Notes are held, as the case may be. The holding by the person named in any
such
certificate of any such Bearer Note or interest in a global Bearer Note
specified therein shall be presumed to continue for a period of one year from
the date of such certificate unless at the time of any determination of such
holding (i) another certificate bearing a later date issued in respect of
the same Bearer Note or interest in a global Bearer Note shall be produced,
(ii) such Bearer Note specified in such certificate shall be produced by
some other person or (iii) such Bearer Note specified in such certificate
shall have ceased to be outstanding. The appointment of any proxy shall be
proved by having the signature of the person executing the proxy witnessed
or
guaranteed by any bank, banker, trust company or New York Stock Exchange member
firm satisfactory to the relevant Issuer and the Guarantor.
(e)
Each Issuer and the Guarantor
shall appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting. A permanent chairman and
a
permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the holders
of a
majority in principal amount of the Notes of the relevant Series represented
at
the meeting. At any meeting each Noteholder of the relevant Series or proxy
shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 (or the equivalent thereof in
any
foreign or composite currency) of principal amount (in the case of Original
Issue Discount Notes of the relevant Series, such principal amount thereof
that
would be due and payable as of the date of such meeting upon a declaration
of
acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 8) of such Notes
held or represented by such Noteholder or proxy; provided, however, that no
vote
shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Note of the relevant
Series challenged as not outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting
to
be not outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote
except as a Noteholder or proxy. Any meeting of Noteholders duly called at
which
a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time, and the meeting may
be
held as so adjourned without further notice.
38
(f)
The vote upon any resolution
submitted to any meeting of Noteholders shall be by written ballot on which
shall be subscribed the signatures of such Noteholders or proxies and on which
shall be inscribed the principal amount (in the case of Original Issue Discount
Notes of the relevant Series, such principal amount thereof that would be due
and payable as of the date of such vote upon a declaration of acceleration
of
the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 8) and the identifying number or
numbers of the Notes of such Series held or represented by them. The permanent
chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count
all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make
and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in
duplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record in duplicate of the
proceedings of each meeting of Noteholders shall be prepared by the secretary
of
the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports
of
the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits
by
one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the
notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was published as provided
above. The record will show the principal amount of the Notes (in the case
of
Original Issue Discount Notes, such principal amount thereof that would be
due
and payable as of the date of such vote upon a declaration of acceleration
of
the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 8) voting in favor of or against
any resolution. The record shall be signed and verified by the permanent
chairman and secretary of the meeting and one of the duplicates shall be
delivered to the relevant Issuer or the Guarantor and the other to the Fiscal
and Paying Agent to be preserved by the Fiscal and Paying Agent, the latter
to
have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed
and
verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.
16.
Consent
of Holders.
(a)
Any authorization, direction,
notice, consent, waiver, amendment or other action provided by the provisions
of
this Agreement or the Notes of any Series to be given or taken by holders (which
term as used in this Section shall mean with respect to any global Bearer Note
those persons shown on the records of Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or
another clearance system, as the case may be, as having interests in such global
Bearer Note credited to their respective securities clearance accounts) of
Notes
of such Series may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments
of
substantially similar tenor, listing the serial number of the Note or Notes
of
such Series in respect of which each such instrument is submitted, signed by
the
requisite number of such holders in person or by their agent duly appointed
in
writing; and, except as herein or therein expressly provided, any such
instrument shall become irrevocable when delivered, and such action shall become
effective when such instrument signed by such holders is delivered to the Fiscal
and Paying Agent or other paying agency of the relevant Issuer and (in the
case
of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor. Proof of
execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent
by
the holder of any such Note shall be sufficient for any such purpose of this
Agreement or such Notes and conclusive in favor of (i) the Fiscal and
Paying Agent or other paying agency of such Issuer and the Guarantor and
(ii) such Issuer and the Guarantor if made in the manner provided in this
Section.
(b)
The fact and date of execution
of any such instrument and the fact that any person is the holder of the Note
or
Notes of any Series of which the serial numbers are listed in such instrument
may be proved by the certificate of a financial institution of recognized
standing to such effect, or in any other manner which the relevant Issuer and
the Guarantor deem sufficient.
39
(c)
Any authorization, direction,
notice, consent, waiver or other action by the holder of any Note shall bind
every future holder of such Note in respect of anything done, omitted or
suffered to be done in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action
is made upon such Note.
17.
Stamp
Taxes. The relevant
Issuer or the Guarantor will pay all stamp or other documentary taxes or duties,
if any, to which the execution or delivery of this Agreement or the issuance
of
the Notes of any Series or any coupons appertaining thereto may be subject.
18.
Modifications
and
Amendments.
(a)
This Agreement may be amended by
the parties hereto, without the consent of the holder (which term as used in
this Section shall mean with respect to any global Bearer Note those persons
shown on the records of Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or another clearance
system, as the case may be, as having interests in such global Bearer Note
credited to their respective securities clearance accounts) of any Note, for
the
purposes of (i) providing for the issuance of Notes pursuant to
Section 2 hereof; (ii) curing any ambiguity or correcting or
supplementing any provision contained herein which may be defective or
inconsistent with any other provision contained herein; (iii) adding to the
covenants of the relevant Issuer or (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer
other than GE Capital) the Guarantor for the protection of the holders of all
or
any Series of the Notes; (iv) effecting any assumption of the relevant
Issuer's or the Guarantor's obligations hereunder and under the Notes or the
Guarantee by a successor corporation pursuant to Section 14(a) of this
Agreement; (v) evidencing and providing for the acceptance of appointment
hereunder by a successor Fiscal and Paying Agent with respect to the Notes
of
one or more Series; or (vi) amending this Agreement in any other manner
which the parties may mutually deem necessary or desirable and which shall
not
adversely affect the interests of the holders of the Notes of any Series
outstanding on the date of such amendment. Nothing in this Agreement prevents
the Issuers, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent from amending this
Agreement in such a manner as to only have a prospective effect on Notes issued
on or after the date of such amendment.
(b)
Modifications and amendments to
this Agreement or the Notes of any Series or the Guarantee may also be made,
and
future compliance therewith or past Event of Default by the relevant Issuer
or
the Guarantor may be waived, by holders of not less than a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Notes of such Series (or, in each case, such lesser
amount as shall have acted at a meeting of holders of such Notes, pursuant
to
Section 15 of this Agreement); provided, however, that no such modification
or amendment to this Agreement or the Notes may, without the consent of the
holders of each such Note of such Series affected thereby, (i) change the
stated maturity of the principal of any such Note of such Series or extend
the
time for payment of interest thereon; (ii) change the amount of the
principal of an Original Issue Discount Note of such Series that would be due
and payable upon an acceleration of the maturity thereof; (iii) reduce the
amount of interest payable thereon or the amount payable thereon in the event
of
redemption or acceleration; (iv) change the currency of payment of
principal of or any other amounts payable on any such Note; (v) impair the
right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or with
respect to any such Note or the Guarantee; (vi) reduce the above-stated
percentage of the principal amount of Notes of such Series the consent of whose
holders is necessary to modify or amend this Agreement or the Notes of such
Series or reduce the percentage of Note of such Series required for the taking
of action or the quorum required at any such meeting of holders of Notes of
such
Series; or (vii) modify the foregoing requirements to reduce the percentage
of outstanding Notes of such Series necessary to waive any future compliance
or
past default.
40
(c)
Any such modification or
amendments will be conclusive and binding on all holders of Notes of the
relevant Series and on all future holders of such Notes, whether or not they
have consented to such modifications or amendments and whether or not notation
of such modifications or amendments is made upon the Notes of such Series.
19.
Accession
of Additional
Issuers. Each of the Issuers, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent
acknowledge and agree that one or more additional Issuers (each, an ?Additional
Issuer") may from time to time accede to this Agreement upon the terms and
conditions set forth below. On and after the Accession Date (as defined below)
with respect to an Additional Issuer, such Additional Issuer shall be bound
by
the terms of this Agreement and shall be entitled to all rights and benefits,
and subject to all duties and obligations, of an Issuer hereunder.
(a)
Requirements as to Additional
Issuers. Each Additional Issuer shall (i) be a Subsidiary (as hereinafter
defined) of GE Capital and (ii) only issue Notes which are unconditionally
and irrevocably guaranteed by GE Capital. As used herein, ?Subsidiary" shall
have the meaning as set forth in Rule 1-02(x) of Regulation S-X under the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(b)
Conditions Precedent to
Accession. On or prior to the date on which an Additional Issuer shall accede
as
a party to this Agreement (the ?Accession Date"), each of the following
conditions precedents must be fulfilled:
(i) | such Additional Issuer, the Guarantor and the Fiscal and Paying Agent shall have executed and delivered an Issuer Accession Letter, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E (each, an ?Issuer Accession Letter"), together with the attachments described therein; |
(ii) | such Additional Issuer and the Guarantor shall certify to the Fiscal and Paying Agent the form of Notes to be executed and authenticated from time to time for each Series of Notes issued by such Additional Issuer as provided in Section 2(b) hereof, including the form of the Guarantee to appear thereon which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit D-1 hereto, modified as appropriate to refer to such Additional Issuer; |
(iii) | such Additional Issuer shall confirm that the Notes are being issued pursuant to authority granted by its Board of Directors or similar governing body, including any duly authorized committee thereof, and certify the persons who are Issuer Authorized Representatives of such Additional Issuer as provided in Section 3(a) hereof; and |
(iv) | such Additional Issuer shall confirm that it has sent to each Agent under the Distribution Agreement an Issuer Accession Notice (as defined in the Distribution Agreement) and provide a copy of such Issuer Accession Notice to the Fiscal and Paying Agent together with such attachments as are described therein. |
20.
Notices
to Parties. All
notices hereunder to the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given
when
sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, or by facsimile
transmission, addressed to any party hereto as follows:
41
GE
Capital:
General
Electric Capital Corporation
000
Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000 X.X.X.
Attention:
Senior Vice
President-Corporate Treasury and Global Funding Operation
Facsimile:
0-000-000-0000
Telephone:
0-000-000-0000
GEC
Australia Funding:
GE
Capital Australia Funding Pty.
Ltd. (A.B.N. 67 085 675 467)
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxx
Attention:
Vice President
Facsimile:
000-0000-0000
Telephone:
000-0000-0000
in
each case with a copy to GE
Capital in its capacity as Guarantor delivered in accordance with this
Section 20;
GEC
Canada Funding:
GE
Capital Canada Funding Company
c/o
General Electric Capital Canada
Inc.
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
X0X 0X0
Attention:
General Counsel
Facsimile:
0-000-000-0000
Telephone:
0-000-000-0000
in
each case with a copy to GE
Capital in its capacity as Guarantor delivered in accordance with this
Section 20;
GE
Capital European Funding:
GE
Capital UK Funding:
WIL
House
Xxxxxxx
Business Xxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Co. Xxxxx
Ireland
Attention:
Company Secretary
Facsimile:
000-00-000-000
Telephone:
000-00-000000
in
each case with a copy to GE
Capital in its capacity as Guarantor delivered in accordance with this
Section 20;
42
Fiscal
and Paying Agent:
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A.
Trinity
Tower
9
Xxxxxx Xxxx Street
London
E1W 1YT, England
Attention:
Manager, Worldwide
Securities Services
Facsimile:
00-0000-00-0000
Telephone:
00-0000-00-0000
Registrar
and Transfer Agent:
X.X.
Xxxxxx Bank Luxembourg S.A.
6
route de Tr?ves
L-2633
Senningberg
Grand
Duchy of Luxembourg
Attention:
Manager, Manager,
Worldwide Securities Services
Facsimile:
352 4626 85380
or
at any other address of which
either of the foregoing shall have notified the other in writing.
Any
notice, direction, request or
demand by any holder of Notes or coupons to or upon the Fiscal and Paying Agent
shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes,
if
given or made in writing at the principal London office of the Fiscal and Paying
Agent, addressed to the attention of its corporate trust office.
21.
Notices
to and by Holders of
the Notes. Each Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other
than GE Capital) the Guarantor will give notice promptly to the holders of
the
Notes of the termination of appointment of any paying agent of such Issuer
and
the Guarantor. Such notice shall be published in one leading English language
daily newspaper with general circulation in London, England, or, if publication
in London is not practical, elsewhere in Western Europe. Such publication is
expected to be made in the Financial Times. Notice of termination of appointment
of any paying agent to the holders of Notes that have been listed or admitted
to
trading on any stock exchange, competent authority and/or market shall be
published in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations promulgated
by
such exchange, competent authority and/or market. Any notice to the holders
of
Notes by publication shall be deemed to have been given on the date of such
publication, or if published in newspapers on different dates, on the date
of
the first such publication.
So
long as no definitive Notes are
in issue in respect of a particular Series, there may, so long as the global
Note(s) for such Series is or are held in its or their entirety on behalf of
Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or another clearance system, as the
case
may be, and the Notes for such Series are not listed and/or admitted to trading
on a stock exchange, competent authority and/or market (or, if so listed or
admitted to trading, for so long as the relevant stock exchange, competent
authority and/or market so permits), be substituted for such publication in
such
newspaper(s) the delivery of the relevant notice to Euroclear, Clearstream,
Luxembourg and/or such other clearance system for communication by them to
the
holders of the Notes. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given to
the
holders of the Notes on the seventh day after the day on which the said notice
was given to Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or such other clearance
system.
43
Notices
to be given by a Noteholder
shall be in writing and given by lodging the same, together with the relative
Note or Notes, with the Agent. Whilst any Notes are represented by a global
Note, such notice may be given by a Noteholder to the Fiscal and Paying Agent
via Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or another clearance system, as
the
case may be, in such manner as the Agent and Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg
and/or such other clearance system may approve for this purpose.
22.
Business
Day. For the
purposes of this Agreement, ?Business Day" shall mean, unless otherwise
specified in the form of Notes certified to the Fiscal and Paying Agent pursuant
to Section 2(b) hereof or contained in the Corporate Order delivered
pursuant to Section 2(c) hereof with respect to a particular Series of
Notes, any day other than a Saturday or Sunday or any other day on which banking
institutions are generally authorized or obligated by law or regulation to
close
in (i) the principal financial center of the country in which the relevant
Issuer is incorporated, (ii) the principal financial center of the country
of the currency in which the Notes are denominated, (iii) London, England,
and (iv) any additional financial center specified in the applicable Final
Terms or Securities Note (as the case my be); provided, however, that with
respect to Notes denominated in Euro, such day is a day on which the
Trans-European Automated Real-Time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET)
System is open. For purposes of this definition, the principal financial center
of the United States is New York, the principal financial center of Australia
is
Sydney and Melbourne and the principal financial center of Canada is Toronto,
Ontario.
23.
Central
Bank Reporting
Requirements. In addition to its other duties set forth in this Agreement,
the Fiscal and Paying Agent is hereby designated as the relevant Issuer's and
(in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor's
agent for the purpose of complying with notification, reporting or other
applicable requirements of the various central banks or similar monetary
authorities regulating Notes issued in Specified Currencies other than U.S.
dollars. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, at the date hereof
such duties shall include the information reporting requirements of the Bank
of
England with respect to any Series of Notes where the Specified Currency is
Pounds Sterling.
24.
Governing
Law. THIS
AGREEMENT, THE NOTES AND ANY COUPONS APPERTAINING THERETO SHALL BE CONSTRUED
IN
ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, U.S.A.
25.
Consent
to Service. Each
Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital)
the
Guarantor has designated the Senior Vice President-Corporate Treasury and Global
Funding Operation of each Issuer and the Guarantor as authorized agent for
service of process in any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating
this Agreement, the Notes or the Guarantees brought in any federal or state
court in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, State of New York
and
irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts for such
purposes (and only for such purposes) as long as there are any outstanding
Notes.
26.
Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall
be an
original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were
upon
the same instrument. Such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the
same instrument.
27.
Inspection
of Agreement.
A copy of this Agreement shall be made available by the Fiscal and Paying Agent
for inspection at all reasonable times at its office as stated in
Section 20 and at the offices of the paying agents specified in the Notes.
44
28.
Descriptive
Headings. The
descriptive headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only
and
shall not define or limit the provisions of this Agreement.
29.
Provisions
Binding on
Successors. All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this
Agreement contained by the relevant Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued
by
an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor shall bind its successors and
assigns whether so expressed or not.
30.
Official
Acts by Successor
Corporation. Any act or proceeding by any provision of this Agreement
authorized or required to be done or performed by any board, committee or
officer of the relevant Issuer or (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer
other than GE Capital) the Guarantor shall and may be done and performed with
like force and effect by the like board, committee or officer of any corporation
that shall at the time be the lawful sole successor of such Issuer or the
Guarantor.
31.
Severability.
In case any
provision in this Agreement or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provision shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties
hereto, including GE Capital in its capacity both as Issuer and as Guarantor
of
Notes to be issued by Issuers other than GE Capital, have caused this Eighth
Amended and Restated Fiscal and Paying Agency Agreement to be duly executed
as
of the day and year first above written.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION | ||
By: |
/s/
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title: | Senior Vice President, Corporate Treasury | |
and Global Funding Operation | ||
GE CAPITAL AUSTRALIA FUNDING PTY. LTD | ||
By: |
/s/
Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
GE CAPITAL CANADA FUNDING COMPANY | ||
By: |
/s/
Xxxx X.
Xxxxxx
|
|
Name: | Xxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Title: | Vice President |
45
GE CAPITAL EUROPEAN FUNDING. | ||
By: |
/s/
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |
Title: | Director | |
GE CAPITAL UK FUNDING | ||
By: |
/s/
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |
Title: | Director | |
JPMORGAN
CHASE
BANK, N.A.
as
Fiscal and Paying
Agent
|
||
By: |
/s/
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
X.X.
XXXXXX BANK
LUXEMBOURG S.A.
as
Registrar and Transfer
Agent
|
||
By: |
/s/
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
|
|
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
46
APPENDIX
1
NEW
GLOBAL NOTE PROVISIONS
In
relation to each Series of Notes
that are NGNs, the Fiscal and Paying Agent will comply with the following
provisions:
1. | The Fiscal and Paying Agent will inform each of Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg (the ?ICSDs?), through the common service provider appointed by the ICSDs to service the Notes (the ?CSP?), of the initial issue outstanding amount (?IOA?) for each Tranche on or prior to the relevant original issue date. |
2. | If any event occurs that requires a xxxx up or xxxx down of the records which an ICSD holds for its customers to reflect such customers? interest in the Notes, the Fiscal and Paying Agent will (to the extent known to it) promptly provide details of the amount of such xxxx up or xxxx down, together with a description of the event that requires it, to the ICSDs (through the CSP) to ensure that the IOA of the Notes remains at all times accurate. |
3. | The Fiscal and Paying Agent will regularly reconcile its record of the IOA of the Notes with information received from the ICSDs (through the CSP) with respect to the IOA maintained by the ICSDs for the Notes and will promptly inform the ICSDs (through the CSP) of any discrepancies. |
4. | The Fiscal and Paying Agent will promptly assist the ICSDs (through the CSP) in resolving any discrepancy identified in the IOA of the Notes. |
5. | The Fiscal and Paying Agent will promptly provide to the ICSDs (through the CSP) details of all amounts paid by it under the Notes (or, where the Notes provide for delivery of assets other than cash, of the assets so delivered). |
6. | The Fiscal and Paying Agent will (to the extent known to it) promptly provide to the ICSDs (through the CSP) notice of any changes to the Notes that will affect the amount of, or date for, any payment due under the Notes. |
7. | The Fiscal and Paying Agent will (to the extent known to it) promptly provide to the ICSDs (through the CSP) copies of all information that is given to the holders of the Notes. |
8. | The Fiscal and Paying Agent will promptly pass on to the relevant Issuer all communications it receives from the ICSDs directly or through the CSP relating to the Notes. |
9. | The Fiscal and Paying Agent will (to the extent known to it) promptly notify the ICSDs (through the CSP) of any failure by the relevant Issuer to make any payment or delivery due under the Notes when due. |
EXHIBIT
A
GENERAL
ELECTRIC CAPITAL
CORPORATION
AND
AFFILIATES
EURO
MEDIUM-TERM NOTES AND
OTHER DEBT SECURITIES
ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCEDURES
May 12,
2006
Reference
is made to
Section 2(c) of the Eighth Amended and Restated Euro Medium-Term Note
Distribution Agreement, dated May 12, 2006 (as the same may be further
amended or supplemented from time to time, the ?Distribution Agreement")
pursuant to which Euro Medium-Term Notes and other debt securities (the ?Notes")
are to be offered on a continuous basis by General Electric Capital Corporation
(?GE Capital"), and each of the other Issuers named therein or made a party
thereto from time to time (together with GE Capital, each an ?Issuer"). Notes
issued by each Issuer other than GE Capital will be unconditionally and
irrevocably guaranteed by GE Capital (the ?Guarantor"). Each of the Dealers
named in the Distribution Agreement (each a ?Dealer") has agreed to use it
best
efforts to solicit offers to purchase the Notes. Each Dealer, as principal,
may
also purchase Notes for its own account and if it does so, the relevant Issuer,
the Guarantor and such Dealer will enter into a terms agreement, as contemplated
by the Distribution Agreement. Each Issuer and the Guarantor has reserved the
right in the Distribution Agreement from time to time to appoint one or more
additional persons either to solicit purchases of Notes from the relevant Issuer
by others or to purchase Notes directly from the relevant Issuer as principal
for resale to others, and any reference herein to ?Dealer" shall include each
such additional persons.
The
Notes will be issued under an
Eighth Amended and Restated Fiscal and Paying Agency Agreement dated as of
May 12, 2006, among each Issuer (including GE Capital in its capacity as
Guarantor of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital), JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A., as fiscal agent (in such capacity, the ?Fiscal Agent") and principal
paying agent (in such capacity, the ?Principal Paying Agent"), X.X. Xxxxxx
Bank
Luxembourg S.A., as initial registrar and transfer agent, as further amended
or
supplemented from time to time (the ?Fiscal Agency Agreement"). Unless otherwise
specified with respect to a particular series of Notes, the Fiscal Agent will
also act as the authenticating agent (the ?Authenticating Agent") for the Notes.
X.X. Xxxxxx Bank Luxembourg S.A. will be the Registrar for the Registered Notes
(as defined below) and will also perform the duties specified herein and in
the
Fiscal Agency Agreement. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. will also act as Calculation
Agent with respect to the Notes unless a different Calculation Agent is
appointed by an Issuer or the Guarantor with respect to a specific series of
Notes. If the relevant Issuer issues any Notes denominated in Hong Kong dollars,
the Principal Paying Agent will act through one of its branches or agencies
located outside of Hong Kong and will request of Euroclear and Clearstream,
Luxembourg (each as defined below) that the common depositary or, as the case
may be, the common safekeeper, act through an office outside of Hong Kong,
or as
may otherwise be required by applicable laws or regulations.
A-1
Series
of Notes may be issued that
will not be listed on any stock exchange. As used herein, the term ?series
of
Notes" shall refer to all Notes having identical terms but for authentication
date and public offering price, and the term ?tranche of Notes" shall refer
to
all Notes having identical terms, including authentication date and public
offering price.
Notes
will bear interest at a fixed
rate per annum (the ?Fixed Rate Notes"), which may be zero in the case of
certain original issue discount notes (the ?OID Notes"), or at floating rates
per annum (the ?Floating Rate Notes"). Notes may be denominated in any currency,
subject to any applicable laws and regulations (the ?Specified Currency").
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note
(as
the case may be) (each as defined below), the Notes of each tranche will be
in
bearer form (?Bearer Notes") and will initially be represented by one or more
temporary global Notes (each, a ?Temporary Global Note"), without interest
coupons attached, and will (i) if the Global Note (as defined below) is
intended to be issued in new global note (?NGN") form, as stated in the
applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), be delivered
on
or prior to the original issue date of the tranche of Notes to a common
safekeeper (the ?Common Safekeeper") for Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator
of the Euroclear System (?Euroclear") and Cleamstream Banking, Soci?t? anonyme
(?Clearstream, Luxembourg"); and (ii) if the Global Note is to be issued in
classic global note (?CGN") form, be delivered to a common depositary located
outside the United States (the ?Common Depositary") for Euroclear and
Clearstream, Luxembourg and subsequently by a permanent global Note (each,
a
?Permanent Global Note") and/or one or more definitive Bearer Notes (each,
a
?Definitive Bearer Note"), with coupons, if any, attached. References to ?Global
Note" shall mean the Temporary Global Note or Permanent Global Note and
references to ?Bearer Notes" shall, except where otherwise indicated, include
interests in a Temporary Global Note or Permanent Global Note as well as
Definitive Bearer Notes and any coupons attached thereto. If specified in the
applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), Notes may also
be issued in fully registered form (?Registered Notes"). If so specified in
the
applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), a tranche or
series of Notes may also be held in alternative clearance systems.
The
Notes may be described in an
Offering Document prepared by each Issuer (including GE Capital in its capacity
as Guarantor of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital), which may
be
amended from time to time (the ?Offering Document"). The terms of each tranche
of Notes issued under the Fiscal Agency Agreement will be described in either:
1. | a supplement to the Prospectus (each such supplement hereinafter referred to as the ?Final Terms"). The term ?Prospectus" is used herein to describe the Prospectus together with the applicable Final Terms unless the context otherwise requires; or |
2. | a supplement to the Registration Document (each supplement hereinafter referred to as the ?Securities Note"). The term ?Registration Document" is used herein to describe the Registration Document together with the applicable Securities Note unless the context otherwise requires. |
In
case of any conflict between
these Administrative Procedures and either the Distribution Agreement or the
Fiscal Agency Agreement, the terms of the Distribution Agreement or the Fiscal
Agency Agreement, respectively, shall govern. Capitalized terms used but not
defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the
Distribution Agreement or in the Fiscal Agency Agreement.
A-2
ADMINISTRATIVE
PROCEDURES
Issuance: | Bearer Notes. Each Bearer Note in global form which is intended to be issued in CGN form will be dated and issued as of the date of authentication by the Fiscal Agent. Each Bearer Note in global form which is intended to be issued in NGN form and is intended to be Eurosystem-eligible collateral (a ?Eurosystem-eligible NGN") will be dated and issued as of the date of both authentication by the Fiscal Agent and effectuation by the Common Safekeeper. Each Note will bear an original issue date, which will be (i) with respect to a Temporary Global Note (or any portion thereof), the date of its original issue as specified in such Temporary Global Note or (ii) with respect to any Permanent Global Note or Definitive Bearer Note (or portion thereof) issued subsequently upon transfer or exchange of a Bearer Note or in lieu of a destroyed, lost or stolen Bearer Note, the original issue date of the predecessor Bearer Note, regardless of the date of authentication (and effectuation, as applicable) of such subsequently issued Bearer Note. | |
Each Bearer Note issued by an Irish Issuer with a maturity of less than one year shall carry the title ?Commercial Paper", include a statement to the effect that it is guaranteed and identify the Guarantor by name and bear the following legend: | ||
?This Note is issued in accordance with an exemption granted by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority as a constituent part of the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (?IFSRA") under section 8(2) of the Central Bank Act, 1971 of Ireland, as inserted by section 31 of the Central Bank Act, 1989 of Ireland, as amended by section 70(d) of the Central Bank Act, 1997 of Ireland. [Insert name of relevant Irish Issuer] is not regulated by IFSRA arising from the issue of Notes. An investment in Notes issued by [insert name of relevant Irish Issuer] with a maturity of less than one year does not have the status of a bank deposit and is not within the scope of the Deposit Protection Scheme operated by IFSRA." | ||
Registered Notes. Except as described below, each Registered Note will be dated and issued as of the date of its authentication by the Authenticating Agent. Each Registered Note will bear an original issue date, which will be (i) with respect to an original Registered Note (or any portion thereof), its original issuance date (which will be the settlement date), (ii) with respect to any Registered Note (or portion thereof) issued subsequently upon |
A-3
transfer or exchange of a Registered Note or in lieu of a destroyed, lost or stolen Registered Note, the original issuance date of the predecessor Registered Note, regardless of the date of authentication of such subsequently issued Registered Note and (iii) with respect to any Registered Note (or portion thereof) issued in exchange for an interest in a Permanent Global Note, the last date on which interest was paid on such Permanent Global Note or any predecessor Note. | ||
Each Registered Note issued by an Irish Issuer with a maturity of less than one year shall carry the title ?Commercial Paper", include a statement to the effect that it is guaranteed and identify the Guarantor by name and bear the following legend: | ||
?This Note is issued in accordance with an exemption granted by IFSRA under section 8(2) of the Central Bank Act, 1971 of Ireland, as inserted by section 31 of the Central Bank Act, 1989 of Ireland, as amended by section 70(d) of the Central Bank Act, 1997 of Ireland. [Insert name of relevant Irish Issuer] is not regulated by IFSRA arising from the issue of Notes. An investment in Notes issued by [insert name of relevant Irish Issuer] with a maturity of less than one year does not have the status of a bank deposit and is not within the scope of the Deposit Protection Scheme operated by IFSRA." | ||
Registration: | Registered Notes will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons. | |
Guarantee: | Each Note issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital will have the Guarantee of the Guarantor endorsed thereon. | |
Transfers and Exchanges: | Bearer Notes. For so long as any of the Notes are represented by a global Note, each person who is for the time being shown in the records of Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg as the holder of a particular principal amount of Notes (in which regard any certificate or other document issued by Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg as to the principal amount of such Notes standing to the account of any person shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes except in the case of manifest error) shall be treated as the holder of such principal amount of such Notes for all purposes other than with respect to the payment of principal or interest on the Notes, the right to which shall be vested, as against the Issuers, the Fiscal Agent and any Paying Agent solely in the bearer of the relevant global Note in accordance with and subject to its terms. Transfers of interests in a Temporary or Permanent Global Note will be made by Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg in accordance with its customary operating procedures. Title to definitive Bearer Notes and coupons will |
A-4
pass by physical delivery. The bearer of each coupon, whether or not attached to a definitive Bearer Note, shall be subject to and bound by all the provisions contained in the definitive Bearer Note to which such coupon relates. The bearer of any definitive Bearer Note and any coupon may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be treated at all times, by all persons and for all purposes as the absolute owner of such definitive Bearer Note or coupon, as the case may be, regardless of any notice of ownership, theft or loss or of any writing thereon. Bearer Notes may be exchanged, if so provided in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), for Registered Notes. | ||
Registered Notes. A Registered Note may be presented for transfer or exchange at the corporate trust office of the Registrar or any Transfer Agent appointed under the Fiscal Agency Agreement. Registered Notes will be exchangeable for other Registered Notes having identical terms but different denominations without service charge. Registered Notes will not be exchangeable for Bearer Notes. | ||
Maturities: | Each Note will mature on a date from nine months or more from its date of issue; provided, however, Notes denominated in Specified Currencies other than US dollars may be subject to restrictions on maturities as provided for in the Distribution Agreement or as otherwise may be required by regulations of the applicable central bank or similar monetary authority of the country issuing the Specified Currency. | |
Specified Currency: | The currency denomination with respect to any Note and the payment of interest and the repayment of principal with respect to any such Note shall be as set forth therein and in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be). | |
Denominations: | Notes will be issued in such denominations as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer(s) and as indicated in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be) provided always that (i) the minimum denomination of each Note will be such as may be allowed or required from time to time by the relevant central bank (or equivalent body) or any laws or regulations applicable to the relevant Specified Currency; and (ii) Notes issued by an Irish Issuer will be subject to a minimum denomination of ?1,000 (or the equivalent in another Specified Currency). | |
Global Notes and Definitive Bearer and Registered Notes: | Until the 40th day following the date of issuance of any tranche of Bearer Notes or such other date as may be required to comply with the terms of Regulation S ("Regulation S") under the U.S. |
A-5
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as described in the Distribution Agreement (the ?Exchange Date"), and until Final Certification (as defined below) in accordance with TEFRA D as described in the Distribution Agreement, such tranche of Bearer Notes will be represented by one or more Temporary Global Notes in bearer form without interest coupons. The relevant Issuer shall execute, and upon the instructions of the relevant Issuer the Authenticating Agent shall complete and authenticate, and with respect to a Eurosystem-eligible NGN the Authenticating Agent shall also instruct the Common Safekeeper to effectuate, such Temporary Global Note upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with the same effect, as an individual definitive Bearer Note. On or prior to the settlement date (which will normally be the original issue date) with respect to such Notes, the Authenticating Agent shall (i) with respect to a Temporary Global Note which is intended to be issued in NGN form, deposit the authenticated and effectuated Temporary Global Note with the Common Safekeeper and (ii) with respect to a Temporary Global Note which is intended to be issued in CGN form deposit the Temporary Global Note with the Common Depositary, in each case, in the manner specified below under ?Settlement Procedures; Bearer Notes". The interest of each beneficial owner of Bearer Notes represented by such Temporary Global Note will be credited to the appropriate account with Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as specified below under ?Interest ? General; Bearer Notes". | ||
On or after the Exchange Date and provided that Final Certification (as described below) has occurred, the interest of the beneficial owners of the Notes represented by the Temporary Global Note shall be cancelled and such interests shall thereafter be represented by a Permanent Global Note or Definitive Bearer Notes or, if provided in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), by definitive Registered Notes. The interest of each beneficial owner of Bearer Notes represented by a Permanent Global Note will be credited to the appropriate account with Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg. | ||
The beneficial owner of an interest in a Permanent Global Note may, at any time, upon 30 days' written notice to the Fiscal Agent as provided in the Fiscal Agency Agreement given by such beneficial owner through either Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, exchange its beneficial interest in such Permanent Global Note for one or more Definitive Bearer Notes (or, if provided in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), a Registered Note) equal in aggregate principal amount to such beneficial interest. Upon receipt by the Fiscal Agent of an initial request to exchange an interest in a |
A-6
Permanent Global Note for a Definitive Bearer Note or Notes, all other interests in such Permanent Global Note shall, so long as Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg shall so require, be exchanged for Definitive Bearer Notes. Such exchange shall occur at no expense to the beneficial owners as soon as practicable after the receipt of the initial request for Definitive Bearer Notes. After such exchange has occurred, all remaining interests in the Temporary Global Note will be exchangeable only for definitive Bearer Notes or (if so provided in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be)) for definitive Registered Notes. | ||
In all events, Bearer Notes will be delivered by the Fiscal Agent only outside the United States to non-US persons. | ||
Final Certification: | Final Certification with respect to a Temporary Global Note shall mean the delivery by Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, to the Fiscal Agent of a signed certificate (a ?Clearance System Certificate") in substantially the form set forth in Exhibit B-1 to the Fiscal Agency Agreement with respect to the Notes being exchanged, dated no earlier than the Exchange Date for such Notes, to the effect that Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, has received certificates (?Certificates of Non-U.S. Beneficial Ownership") in the form substantially set forth in Exhibit B-2 to the Fiscal Agency Agreement with respect to each of such Notes, which Certificates of Non-U.S. Beneficial Ownership shall be dated no earlier than ten days before the Exchange Date and shall be delivered by the account holders appearing on its records as entitled to such Notes. | |
Interest: | The following is a summary of terms of the Notes with respect to interest and is for informational purposes only; the terms of each Note as described in the applicable Final Terms and the Prospectus (in the case of Notes issued by way of the Prospectus) or the applicable Securities Note and Registration Document (in the case of Notes issued by way of the Registration Document) shall govern in the case of any conflict with the provisions set forth below. Terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Offering Document. | |
General: Bearer Notes. Interest on each Bearer Note will accrue from and including the original issue date of such Note for the first interest period and from and including the most recent date to which interest has been paid for all subsequent interest periods. Each payment of interest on a Bearer Note will include interest accrued from and including the next preceding Interest Payment Date in respect of which interest has been paid (or from and |
A-7
including the date of issue, if no interest has been paid) to but excluding the Interest Payment Date; provided, however, that in the case of Floating Rate Notes on which the interest rate is reset daily or weekly, each interest payment will include interest accrued from and including the date of issue or from but excluding the fifteenth calendar day preceding the next preceding Interest Payment Date (whether or not such fifteenth calendar day is a Business Day), unless otherwise specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be); and provided, further, that interest in respect of any Interest Payment Date on any interest in a Temporary Global Note for which Final Certification has not been made shall not be paid until the occurrence of the earlier of (1) Final Certification with respect to such interest in such Temporary Global Note and (2) in the case of an Interest Payment Date occurring between the original issue date and the Exchange Date, delivery by Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, to the Fiscal Agent of a Clearing System Certificate dated no earlier than such Interest Payment Date to the effect that Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, has received Certificates of Non-U.S. Beneficial Ownership with respect to such interests in the Temporary Global Note, which Certificates of Non-U.S. Beneficial Ownership shall have been dated no earlier than ten days before such Interest Payment Date and shall be signed by the account holders appearing on its records as entitled to such Notes. | ||
Fixed Rate Bearer Notes. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), interest payments on Fixed Rate Bearer Notes will be made on the dates specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be) and at maturity or upon any earlier redemption or repayment. | ||
Floating Rate Bearer Notes. Interest payments will be made on Floating Rate Bearer Notes monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. Except as provided below or as specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), interest will be payable, in the case of Floating Rate Bearer Notes with a daily, weekly or monthly Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of each month or on the third Wednesday of March, June, September and December, as specified pursuant to ?A? under ?Settlement Procedures; Bearer Notes? below (?Settlement Procedure ?A??); in the case of Notes with a quarterly Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of March, June, September and December of each year; in the case of Notes with a semi-annual Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of the two months specified pursuant to Settlement Procedure ?A? and |
A-8
in the case of Notes with an annual Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of the month specified pursuant to Settlement Procedure ?A? and, in each case, on the Maturity Date. If any such Interest Payment Date is not a Business Day, the provisions set forth under ?Payments of Principal and Interest ? Bearer Notes? shall apply. | ||
General: Registered Notes. Interest on each Registered Note will accrue from and including the original issue date of such Note for the first interest period and from and including the most recent date to which interest has been paid for all subsequent interest periods. Each payment of interest on a Registered Note will include interest accrued from and including the next preceding Interest Payment Date in respect of which interest has been paid (or from and including the date of issue, if no interest has been paid) to but excluding the Interest Payment Date, provided, however, that in the case of Floating Rate Notes which reset daily or weekly, interest payments will include interest from and including the date of issue or from but excluding the last Regular Record Date to which interest has been paid, as the case may be, through and including the Regular Record Date next preceding the Interest Payment Date, unless otherwise specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be); and provided, further, that at the Maturity Date, the interest payable will include interest accrued to but excluding the Maturity Date. | ||
Fixed Rate Registered Notes. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), interest payments on Fixed Rate Registered Notes will be made on the dates specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be) and at the Maturity Date; provided, however, that in the case of Registered Fixed Rate Notes issued between a Regular Record Date and an Interest Payment Date, the first interest payment will be made on the Interest Payment Date following the next succeeding Regular Record Date. | ||
Floating Rate Registered Notes. Interest payments will be made on Floating Rate Registered Notes monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually. Except as provided below or as specified in the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as the case may be), interest will be payable, in the case of Floating Rate Registered Notes with a daily, weekly or monthly Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of each month or on the third Wednesday of March, June, September and December, as specified pursuant to ?AA? below under ?Settlement Procedures; Registered Notes? (?Settlement Procedure ?AA??); in the case of Notes with a quarterly Interest Reset Date, on the third |
A-9
Wednesday of March, June, September and December of each year; in the case of Notes with a semi-annual Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of the two months specified pursuant to Settlement Procedure ?AA?; and in the case of Notes with an annual Interest Reset Date, on the third Wednesday of the month specified pursuant to Settlement Procedure ?AA? and, in each case, on the Maturity Date; provided, however, that in the case of Registered Floating Rate Notes issued between a Regular Record Date and an Interest Payment Date, the first interest payment will be made on the Interest Payment Date following the next succeeding Record Date. If any such Interest Payment Date is not a Business Day, the provisions set forth under ?Payments of Principal and Interest ? Registered Notes? shall apply. | ||
Disclosure under Interest Act (Canada): | In the case of Notes issued by GEC Canada Funding whenever it is necessary to compute any amount of interest in respect of the Notes for a period of less than a full year, such interest shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of 12 months of 30 days each. For purposes only of disclosure under the Interest Act (Canada), the yearly rate of interest to which interest so calculated is equivalent is the interest rate set forth herein multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days in the calendar year in which the same is to be ascertained and the denominator of which is 360. |
|
Calculation of Interest: | The following is a summary of terms of the Notes with respect to the calculation of interest and is for informational purposes only; the terms of each Note as described in the applicable Final Terms and the Prospectus (in the case of Notes issued by way of the Prospectus) or the applicable Securities Note and Registration Document (in the case of Notes issued by way of the Registration Document) shall govern in the case of any conflict with the provisions set forth below. Terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Offering Document. | |
Fixed Rate Notes. Interest will be calculated as specified in either (i) the Prospectus or as modified in the applicable Final Terms or (ii) the Securities Note (as the case may be). | ||
Floating Rate Notes. Interest will be calculated as specified in either (i) the Prospectus or as modified in the applicable Final Terms or (ii) the Securities Note (as the case may be). | ||
Payments of Principal and Interest: | The following is a summary of terms of the Notes with respect to the payment of principal and interest and is for informational purposes only; the terms of each Note (as described in either (i) |
A-10
the Final Terms and the Prospectus or (ii) the Registration Document and the Securities Note (as the case may be)) and the Fiscal Agency Agreement shall govern in the case of any conflict with the provisions set forth below. Terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Fiscal Agency Agreement. | ||
Bearer Notes. Except as otherwise provided in the Bearer Notes, payment of the principal amount of each Bearer Note at the Maturity Date thereof will be made only upon presentation and surrender of such Bearer Note to the Principal Paying Agent or any Paying Agent outside the United States. Such payment, together with payment of interest due at the Maturity Date of such Note, will be made in funds available for immediate use by the Principal Paying Agent or such Paying Agent and in turn by the holder of such Note. Bearer Notes presented to the Principal Paying Agent or a Paying Agent at the Maturity Date for payment will be cancelled or destroyed by such paying agent and delivered to the relevant Issuer with a certificate of cancellation or destruction, as applicable. All interest payments on a Bearer Note (other than interest due at the Maturity Date) will be made by check drawn on the Principal Paying Agent (or another person appointed by the Principal Paying Agent) and delivered to an address outside the United States by the Principal Paying Agent to the person entitled thereto or by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located outside the United States. | ||
Except as specified in ?Interest ? General; Bearer Notes? above, interest on a Global Note shall be payable to the beneficial owner thereof through credit to the account of such owner or of the custodian bank of such owner with Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg. On the occasion of each payment, (i) in the case of a CGN, the Paying Agent to which any Global Note was presented for the purpose of making the payment shall cause the appropriate schedule to the relevant Global Note to be annotated so as to evidence the amounts and dates of the payments of principal and/or interest as applicable or (ii) in the case of any Global Note which is a NGN, the Fiscal Agent shall instruct Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg to make appropriate entries in their records to reflect such payment. Except as otherwise provided in the Bearer Notes, interest on a definitive Bearer Note shall be payable to the holder of the appropriate coupon appertaining thereto only upon presentation and surrender of such coupon at the office of the Principal Paying Agent or any other Paying Agent outside the United States. |
A-11
If any Fixed Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date or redemption or repayment date of a Fixed Rate Bearer Note is not a Business Day, the payment due on such day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the period from and after such Fixed Interest Payment Date or Maturity Date, as the case may be. If any Interest Payment Date (other than the Maturity Date) for any Floating Rate Bearer Note would fall on a day that is not a Business Day with respect to such Note, such Interest Payment Date will be the following day that is a Business Day with respect to such Note at which time the Issuer will pay additional interest that has accrued up to but excluding such following Business Day, except that, in the case of a Bearer LIBOR Note or EURIBOR Note, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar month, such Interest Payment Date shall be the immediately preceding day that is a Business Day with respect to such Bearer LIBOR Note or EURIBOR Note. If the Maturity Date for any Floating Rate Bearer Note would fall on a day that is not a Business Day with respect to such Note, the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, will be made on the following day that is a Business Day with respect to such Note, and no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Maturity Date. | ||
Registered Notes. Except as otherwise provided in a Registered Note, the Principal Paying Agent will pay the principal amount of each Registered Note at the Maturity Date upon presentation and surrender of such Note to its offices. Such payment, together with payment of interest due at the Maturity Date of such Note, will be made in funds available for immediate use by the Principal Paying Agent and in turn by the holder of such Note. Registered Notes presented to the Principal Paying Agent at the Maturity Date for payment will be cancelled or destroyed and delivered to the relevant Issuer with a certificate of cancellation or destruction, as applicable. All interest payments on a Registered Note (other than interest due at the Maturity Date) will be made by check drawn on the Principal Paying Agent (or another person appointed by the Principal Paying Agent) and mailed by the Principal Paying Agent to the person entitled thereto as provided in such Note and the Fiscal Agency Agreement or by wire transfer of immediately available funds. Following each Regular Record Date, the Principal Paying Agent will furnish the relevant Issuer with a list of interest payments to be made on the following Interest Payment Date for each Registered Note and in total for all Registered Notes. Interest at the Maturity Date will be payable to the person to whom the payment of principal is payable. The Principal Paying Agent will provide monthly to the relevant Issuer lists of principal and |
A-12
interest, to the extent ascertainable, to be paid on Registered Notes maturing or to be redeemed in the next month. The Principal Paying Agent will be responsible for withholding taxes on interest paid on Registered Notes as required by applicable law. | ||
If any Fixed Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date of a Fixed Rate Registered Note is not a Business Day, the payment due on such day shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the period from and after such Fixed Interest Payment Date or Maturity Date, as the case may be. If any Interest Payment Date (other than the Maturity Date) for any Floating Rate Registered Note would fall on a day that is not a Business Day with respect to such Note, such Interest Payment Date will be the following day that is a Business Day with respect to such Note at which time the Issuer will pay additional interest that has accrued up to but excluding such following Business Day, except that, in the case of a Registered LIBOR Note, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar month, such Interest Payment Date shall be the immediately preceding day that is a Business Day with respect to such Registered LIBOR Note. If the Maturity Date for any Floating Rate Registered Note would fall on a day that is not a Business Day with respect to such Note, the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, will be made on the following day that is a Business Day with respect to such Note, and no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Maturity Date. | ||
Preparation
of
Final
Terms:
|
If any offer to purchase a tranche of Notes is accepted by or on behalf of the relevant Issuer, and the tranche of Notes is to be issued and documented by way of the Prospectus, the relevant Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor will prepare the final terms (the ?Final Terms?) reflecting the terms of such tranche of Note and will deliver a copy of such Final Terms to the relevant Dealer as such Dealer shall request as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 5 Business Days following the date such offer to purchase Notes is accepted. The relevant Dealer will cause such Final Terms together with the Prospectus to be delivered to each purchaser of such tranche of Note. In addition, the relevant Issuer shall forward the Final Terms to the Fiscal Agent as soon as it becomes available but in no event later than the issue date. |
|
In each instance that Final Terms are prepared, the Dealers receiving such Final Terms will affix the Final Terms to the Prospectus prior to their use. Outdated Final Terms, and the Prospectus to which they are attached (other than those retained for files), will be destroyed. |
A-13
Preparation
of
Securities
Note:
|
If any offer to purchase a tranche of Notes is accepted by or on behalf of the relevant Issuer, and the tranche of Notes is to be issued by way of the Registration Document and documented in a securities note supplemental to the Registration Docuement, the relevant Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer other than GE Capital) the Guarantor will prepare such securities note (the ?Securities Note?) reflecting the terms of such tranche of Note and will deliver a copy of such Securities Note to the relevant Dealer as such Dealer shall request as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 5 Business Days following the date such offer to purchase Notes is accepted. The relevant Dealer will cause such Securities Note together with the Prospectus to be delivered to each purchaser of such tranche of Note. In addition, the relevant Issuer shall forward the Securities Note to the Fiscal Agent as soon as it becomes available but in no event later than the issue date. |
|
In each instance that a Securities Note is prepared, the Dealers receiving such Securities Note will affix the Securities Note to the Registration Document prior to their use. Outdated Securities Notes, and the Registration Document to which they are attached (other than those retained for files), will be destroyed. | ||
Settlement: | The receipt by the relevant Issuer of immediately available funds in exchange for (i) in the case of a Global Note issued in CGN form, the delivery of an authenticated Temporary Global Note to the Common Depositary or (ii) in the case of a Global Note issued in NGN form, the delivery of an authenticated Temporary Global Note to, and which is then effectuated by, the Common Safekeeper, in each case, in the manner described in ?Settlement Procedures; Bearer Notes? below or an authenticated Registered Note delivered to the relevant Dealer and such Dealer's delivery of such Note against receipt of immediately available funds shall constitute ?settlement? with respect to such Note. All orders accepted by the relevant Issuer will be settled on such date as the relevant Issuer and the purchaser shall agree upon. | |
Settlement
Procedures;
Bearer
Notes:
|
Settlement Procedures with regard to each Bearer Note sold by each Issuer to or through a Dealer shall be as follows: |
|
A. The
relevant Dealer will advise the
relevant Issuer by telephone that such Note is initially a Bearer
Note and
of the following settlement information:
|
||
1. Principal
amount.
|
A-14
2. Maturity
Date.
|
||
3. In
the case of a Fixed Rate
Bearer Note, the Fixed Interest Rate, the Interest Payment Period,
the
Fixed Interest Payment Dates, the Determination Dates, the Interest
Commencement Date, the Fixed Day Count Fraction, and whether such
Note is
an Amortizing Note and, if so, the amortization
schedule.
|
||
In
the case of a Floating Rate Bearer Note, the Initial Interest
Rate (if known at such time), the Interest Payment Dates, the Interest
Payment Period, the Calculation Agent, the Base Rate, the Index Maturity,
the Interest Reset Period, the Interest Determination Date, the Interest
Reset Dates, the Spread or Spread Multiplier (if any), the Minimum
Interest Rate (if any), the Maximum Interest Rate (if any), the Alternate
Rate Event Spread (if any) and the Floating Day Count
Fraction.
|
||
4. Redemption
or repayment
provisions, if any.
|
||
5. Settlement
date and
time.
|
||
6. Issue
Price.
|
||
7. Denominations.
|
||
8. Specified
Currency.
|
||
9. Ranking.
|
||
10. Dealer's
commission, if any, determined
as provided in the Distribution Agreement.
|
||
11. Dealer's
account number at Clearstream
or the Euroclear Operator.
|
||
12. Whether
the Global Note constituting the
Notes will be issued in CGN form or NGN form.
|
||
13. Whether
the Note is an Indexed Note, and
if it is an Indexed Note, the Indexed Currency, the Currency Base
Rate and
the Determination Agent.
|
A-15
14. Whether
the Note is a Dual Currency
Note, and if it is a Dual Currency Note, the Face Amount Currency,
the
Optional Payment Currency, the Designated Exchange Rate, the Option
Election Dates and the Option Value Calculation Agent.
|
||
15. Whether
the Note is an Extendible Note,
and if it is an Extendible Note, the Initial Maturity Date, the Election
Date and the Final Maturity Date.
|
||
16. If
applicable, wire transfer instructions including name of banking
institution where transfer is to be made and account
number.
|
||
17. Whether
such Note is to be listed on the
Official List of the UK Listing Authority (the ?UKLA?) and admitted
to
trading by the London Stock Exchange, the Singapore Exchange Securities
Trading Limited or on or by any other stock exchange, competent authority
and/or market.
|
||
18. Any
other applicable terms.
|
||
B. The
relevant Issuer will advise the
Fiscal Agent by telephone or electronic transmission confirmed in
writing
at any time on the sale date of the information set forth in Settlement
Procedure A above. The relevant Issuer will also give the Fiscal
Agent
written instructions regarding the transfer of funds. The relevant
Issuer
will send a copy of such instructions to the relevant Dealer or
Dealers.
|
||
The
Fiscal Agent shall telephone each of Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg with a request for a security code for each tranche agreed
to
be issued, which security code or codes will be notified by the Fiscal
Agent to the relevant Issuer and the relevant Dealer or
Dealers.
|
||
The
relevant Issuer and (in the case of Notes issued by an Issuer
other than GE Capital) the Guarantor shall prepare and cause to be
delivered to the Fiscal Agent either (i) the applicable Final Terms
supplemental to the Prospectus or (ii) the Securities Note
supplemental to the Registration Document (as the case may be) describing
the terms of the particular tranche of Notes.
|
||
C. In
accordance with the written
instructions and the applicable Final Terms or Securities Note (as
the
case may be), the Fiscal Agent
shall:
|
A-16
(i)
with respect to Global Notes in CGN form, prepare and
authenticate a Temporary Global Note for each tranche which the relevant
Issuer has agreed to sell, the settlement for which tranche is to
occur on
the settlement date. The Temporary Global Note will then be delivered
to
the Common Depositary. The Fiscal Agent will also give instructions
to
Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg to credit the Notes represented
by
such Temporary Global Notes delivered to such Common Depositary to
the
Fiscal Agent's distribution account at Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg, as the case may be; or
|
||
(ii)
with respect to Global Notes in NGN form, prepare and
authenticate a Temporary Global Note for each tranche which the relevant
Issuer has agreed to sell, the settlement for which tranche is to
occur on
the settlement date. The Temporary Global Note will then be delivered
to
the specified Common Safekeeper and, in the case of an NGN which
is a
Eurosystem eligible NGN, the Fiscal Agent will instruct the Common
Safekeeper to effectuate the same. The Fiscal Agent will also give
instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg to make the
appropriate entries in their records to reflect the initial outstanding
aggregate principal amount of the relevant tranche of Notes and to
credit
the Notes represented by such Temporary Global Note delivered to
such
Common Safekeeper to the Fiscal Agent's distribution account at Euroclear
or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be.
|
||
In
each case, the Fiscal Agent will instruct Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg to debit, on the settlement date, from the
distribution account of the Fiscal Agent the number of Notes of each
Tranche with respect to which the relevant Dealer has solicited an
offer
to purchase and to credit, on the settlement date, such Notes to
the
account of such Dealer with Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg
against
payment of the issue price of such Notes. Each relevant Dealer shall
give
corresponding instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg.
|
||
D. Euroclear
and Clearstream,
Luxembourg shall debit and credit accounts in accordance with instructions
received by them. The Fiscal Agent shall pay the relevant Issuer
the
aggregate net proceeds received by it in immediately available funds
via a
transfer of funds to the account of the relevant Issuer with a bank
selected by such Issuer notified to the Fiscal Agent from time to
time in
writing.
|
A-17
Settlement Procedures Timetable; Bearer Notes: | For sales by each Issuer of Bearer Notes to or through a Dealer, Bearer Settlement Procedures ?A? through ?D? above shall be completed on or before the respective times set forth below: | |
Settlement Procedure | ||
Bearer Notes Time | ||
A 12:00
P.M. (NYC time) three
days before settlement date
|
||
B 9:00
A.M. (London time) two
days before settlement date
|
||
C 3:45
P.M. (London time) on day
before settlement date
|
||
D 5:00
P.M. (NYC time) on
settlement date
|
||
Settlement
Procedures;
Registered
Notes:
|
Settlement Procedures with regard to each Registered Note sold by each Issuer to or through a Dealer shall be as follows: |
|
AA. The
relevant Dealer
will advise the relevant Issuer by telephone that such Note is a
Registered Note and of the following settlement
information:
|
||
1. Name
in which such Note is to
be registered (?Registered Owner?).
|
||
2. Address
of the Registered
Owner and address for payment of principal and
interest.
|
||
3. Taxpayer
identification
number of the Registered Owner (if available); the Dealer shall request
that the purchasers of the Notes prepare a Form W-8BEN or other applicable
form required by the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as
amended (the ?Code?) and cause such form to be delivered to the Fiscal
and
Paying Agent on or prior to the settlement date.
|
||
4. Principal
amount.
|
||
5. Maturity
Date.
|
||
6. In
the case of a Fixed Rate
Registered Note, the Fixed Interest Rate, the Interest Payment Period,
the
Fixed Interest Payment Dates, the
|
A-18
Determination
Dates, the Interest Commencement Date, the Fixed Day
Count Fraction, and whether such Note is an Amortizing Note and,
if so,
the amortization schedule.
|
||
In
the case of a Floating Rate Registered Note, the Initial
Interest Rate (if known at such time), the Interest Payment Dates,
the
Interest Payment Period, the Calculation Agent, the Base Rate, the
Index
Maturity, the Interest Reset Period, the Interest Determination Date,
the
Interest Reset Dates, the Spread or Spread Multiplier (if any), the
Minimum Interest Rate (if any), the Maximum Interest Rate (if any),
the
Alternate Rate Event Spread (if any), the Floating Day Count Fraction
and
the Regular Record Dates.
|
||
7. Redemption
or repayment
provisions, if any.
|
||
8. Settlement
date and
time.
|
||
9. Issue
Price.
|
||
10. Denominations.
|
||
11. Specified
Currency.
|
||
12. Ranking.
|
||
13. Dealer's
commission, if any, determined
as provided in the Distribution Agreement.
|
||
14. Whether
the Note is issued with more
than a de minimis amount of discount.
|
||
15. Whether
the Note is an Indexed Note, and
if it is an Indexed Note, the Indexed Currency, the Currency Base
Rate and
the Determination Agent.
|
||
16. Whether
the Note is a Dual Currency
Note, and if it is a Dual Currency Note, the Face Amount Currency,
the
Optional Payment Currency, the Designated Exchange Rate, the Option
Election Dates and the Option Value Calculation
Agent.
|
A-19
17. Whether
the Note is an Extendible Note,
and if it is an Extendible Note, the Initial Maturity Date, the Election
Date and the Final Maturity Date.
|
||
18. If
applicable, wire transfer instructions, including name of banking
institution where transfer is to be made and account
number.
|
||
19. Whether
such Note is to be listed on the
Official List of the UKLA and admitted to trading by the London Stock
Exchange, the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited or on
or by
any other stock exchange, competent authority and/or
market.
|
||
20. Any
other applicable terms.
|
||
BB. The
relevant
Issuer will advise the Fiscal Agent by telephone or electronic
transmission (confirmed in writing at any time on the sale date)
of the
information set forth in Settlement Procedure ?AA?
above.
|
||
CC. The
relevant
Issuer will have delivered to the Authenticating Agent an executed
Note.
The Authenticating Agent will complete such Note and authenticate
such
Note and deliver it through the Fiscal Agent (with the confirmation)
to
the relevant Dealer, and such Dealer will acknowledge receipt of
the Note.
Such delivery will be made only against such acknowledgment of receipt
and
evidence that instructions have been given by such Dealer for payment
to
the account of the relevant Issuer, in funds available for immediate
use,
of an amount equal to the price of such Note less such Dealer's
commission, if any; provided however, the relevant Issuer and the
Fiscal
Agent may agree on different delivery procedures for definitive Registered
Notes denominated in Specified Currencies other than U.S. dollars.
In the
event that the instructions given by such Agent for payment to the
account
of such Issuer are revoked, such Issuer will as promptly as possible
wire
transfer to the account of such Dealer an amount of immediately available
funds equal to the amount of such payment made.
|
||
The
Principal Paying Agent shall pay the relevant Issuer the
aggregate net proceeds received by it in immediately available funds
via a
transfer of funds to the account of the relevant Issuer maintained
at a
bank selected by such Issuer notified to the Principal Paying Agent
from
time to time in writing.
|
A-20
DD. Unless
the relevant Dealer
purchased such Note for its own account, such Dealer will deliver
such
Note (with confirmation) to the customer against payment in immediately
payable funds. Such Dealer will obtain the acknowledgment of receipt
of
such Note. If the relevant Dealer purchased such Note for its own
account,
such Dealer will accept delivery of such Note against payment in
immediately available funds, and will deliver an acknowledgement
of
receipt of such Note.
|
||
EE. Periodically,
the
Fiscal Agent will send to the relevant Issuer a statement setting
forth
the principal amount of the Registered Notes outstanding as of that
date
under the Fiscal Agency Agreement and setting forth a brief description
of
any sales of which such Issuer has advised the Fiscal Agent but which
have
not yet been settled.
|
||
Settlement
Procedures
Timetable;
Registered
Notes:
|
For sales by the relevant Issuer of Registered Notes to or through a Dealer, Registered Settlement Procedures ?AA? through ?DD? set forth above shall be completed on or before the respective times (London Time) set forth below: |
|
Settlement
Procedure;
Registered
|
||
Notes Time
|
||
AA 2:00
P.M.
on day before settlement date
|
||
BB 3:00
P.M. on day before settlement date
|
||
CC 2:15
P.M. on settlement date
|
||
DD 3:00
P.M.
on settlement date
|
||
Failure to Settle: | Bearer Notes. If any Dealer shall have advanced its own funds for payment against subsequent receipt of funds from the purchaser and if a purchaser shall fail to make payment for a Note, such Dealer will promptly notify the relevant Issuer, the Fiscal Agent, the Principal Paying Agent, the Common Depositary or Common Service Provider appointed by the relevant Issuer and Common Safekeeper (as the case may be) and Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg by telephone, promptly confirmed in writing (but no later than the next Business Day). In such event, the relevant Issuer shall promptly instruct the |
A-21
Fiscal Agent to cancel the purchaser's interest in the appropriate Temporary Global Note representing such Note. Upon (i) confirmation from the Fiscal Agent in writing (which may be given by facsimile) that the Fiscal Agent has cancelled such purchaser's interest in such Temporary Global Note and (ii) confirmation from such Dealer in writing (which may be given by facsimile) that such Dealer has not received payment from the purchaser, the relevant Issuer will promptly pay to such Dealer an amount in immediately available funds equal to the amount previously paid by such Dealer in respect of such Bearer Note. Such payment will be made on the settlement date, if possible, and in any event not later than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the Business Day following the settlement date. The Fiscal Agent and the Common Depositary will make or cause to be made such revisions to such Temporary Global Note (if the Temporary Global Note is a CGN) or the Fiscal Agent will instruct Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg to make the appropriate entries in their records in each case (if the Temporary Global Note is a NGN) as are necessary to reflect the cancellation of such portion of such Temporary Global Note. | ||
If a purchaser shall fail to make payment for the Note for any reason other than the failure of such Dealer to provide the necessary information to the relevant Issuer as described above for settlement or to provide a confirmation to the purchaser within a reasonable period of time as described above, and if such Dealer shall have otherwise complied with its obligations hereunder and in the Distribution Agreement, the relevant Issuer will reimburse such Dealer on an equitable basis for such Dealer's loss of the use of funds during the period when they were credited to account of such Issuer or the Fiscal Agent. | ||
Immediately upon such cancellation, the Fiscal Agent will make appropriate entries in its records to reflect the fact that a settlement did not occur with respect to such Note. | ||
Registered Notes. If a purchaser fails to accept delivery of and make payment for any Registered Note, the relevant Dealer will notify the relevant Issuer and the Fiscal Agent by telephone and return such Note to the Fiscal Agent. Upon receipt of such notice, the relevant Issuer will immediately wire transfer to the account of such Dealer an amount equal to the amount previously credited thereto in respect of such Note. Such wire transfer will be made on the settlement date, if possible, and in any event not later than the Business Day following the settlement date. If a purchaser shall fail to make payment for the Note for any reason other than the failure of such Dealer to provide the necessary information to the relevant Issuer as described above for |
A-22
settlement or to provide a confirmation to the purchaser within a reasonable period of time as described above, and if such Dealer shall have otherwise complied with its obligations hereunder and in the Distribution Agreement, then the relevant Issuer will reimburse such Dealer or the Principal Paying Agent, as appropriate, on an equitable basis for its loss of the use of the funds during the period when they were credited to the account of such Issuer. Immediately upon receipt of the Registered Note in respect of which such failure occurred, the Principal Paying Agent will xxxx such Note ?cancelled?, make appropriate entries in the Principal Paying Agent's records and send such Note to the relevant Issuer. | ||
Notice
of Issuance
to
London
Stock
Exchange:
|
The Fiscal Agent will provide information with respect to each tranche of Notes to be listed on the Official List of UKLA and admitted to trading by the London Stock Exchange to such Exchange and will advise the relevant Issuer and the relevant Dealer in writing as to the effectiveness of the listing of such Notes by the close of business on the related settlement date. To the extent required by the UKLA and/or London Stock Exchange, the Dealers will provide the Fiscal Agent with secondary market information regarding any tranche of Notes listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Fiscal Agent will provide such information to the UKLA and the London Stock Exchange. | |
Notice
of Issuance
to
Any
other stock
exchange,
competent
Authority:
|
The Fiscal Agent will provide information with respect to each tranche of Notes to be listed or admitted to trading on any stock exchange, competent authority and/or market to such stock exchange, competent authority and/or market and will advise the relevant Issuer and the relevant Dealer in writing as to the effectiveness of the listing and or admission to trading of such Notes by the close of business on the related settlement date. | |
Listing: | The Fiscal Agent will, on a regular basis and as applicable, provide the UKLA and the London Stock Exchange and/or any other stock exchange, competent authority and/or market with such information as the UKLA and the London Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange, competent authority and/or market may require regarding any tranches of Notes that are listed on the Official List of the UKLA and admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange or listed or admitted to trading on any other stock exchange, competent authority and/or market and are issued and outstanding. |
X-00
XXXXXXX
X-0
[FORM
OF CERTIFICATE TO BE
GIVEN BY AN ACCOUNT
HOLDER
OF EUROCLEAR,
CLEARSTREAM, LUXEMBOURG]
CERTIFICATE
[General
Electric Capital
Corporation]
[GE
Capital Australia
Funding Pty. Ltd. (A.B.N. 67 085 675 467)]
[GE
Capital Canada Funding
Company]
[GE
Capital European
Funding]
[GE
Capital UK Funding]
Euro
Medium-Term Notes or
Other Debt Securities
[Unconditionally
Guaranteed
by
General
Electric Capital
Corporation]
Represented
by Temporary
Global Note No. .
This
is to certify that as of the
date hereof, and except as set forth below, the above-captioned Notes held
by
you for our account [(A) are beneficially owned by persons that are not
residents of Canada, except residents of Canada to whom the principal amount
of
Notes so beneficially owned has been sold and who acquired the same in
compliance with the securities laws of Canada or of the applicable province
or
territory thereof; and (B)] (i) are owned by person(s) that are not
citizens or residents of the United States, corporations, partnerships or other
entities created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or
any
political subdivision thereof, estates whose income is subject to United States
federal income tax regardless of its source, or trusts if a court within the
United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration
of
the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control
all substantial decisions of the trust or if such trust has a valid election
in
effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United
States person ("United States person(s)"), (ii) are owned by United States
person(s) that (a) are foreign branches of United States financial
institutions (as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations
Section 1.165-12(c)(1)(iv)) ("financial institutions") purchasing for their
own account or for resale, or (b) acquired the Notes through foreign
branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Notes through
such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either
case
(a) or (b), each such United States financial institution hereby agrees, on
its own behalf or through its agent, that you may advise the Issuer or the
Issuer's agent that it will comply with the requirements of
Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder), or (iii) are owned by
United States or foreign financial institution(s) for purposes of resale during
the restricted period (as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations
Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7)), and in addition if the owner of the Notes
is a United States or foreign financial institution described in clause
(iii) above (whether or not also described in clause (i) or (ii)) such
financial institution has not acquired the Notes for purposes of resale directly
or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States
or its possessions.
B-1-1
As
used herein, "United States"
means the United States of America (including the States and the District of
Columbia) and its "possessions" include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.
We
undertake to advise you promptly
by tested telex on or prior to the date on which you intend to submit your
certification relating to the Notes held by you for our account in accordance
with your Operating Procedures if any applicable statement herein is not correct
on such date, and in the absence of any such notification it may be assumed
that
this certification applies as of such date.
This
certification excepts and does
not relate to
$ of
such interest in the above Notes in respect of which we are not able to certify
and as to which we understand exchange and delivery of definitive Notes (or,
if
relevant, exercise of any rights or collection of any interest) cannot be made
until we do so certify.
We
understand that this
certification is required in connection with [certain securities laws of Canada
and] certain tax laws and, if applicable, certain securities laws of the United
States. In connection therewith, if administrative or legal proceedings are
commenced or threatened in connection with which this certification is or would
be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certification to
any
interested party in such proceedings.
Dated:
[To
be dated no earlier than the
10th day before
[insert
date of Interest Payment
Date prior to Exchange Date]
[insert
date of redemption or
acceleration prior to Exchange Date]
[insert
Exchange Date]]
[Name of Account Holder] | ||
By: |
|
|
(Authorized Signatory) | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
X-0
XXXXXXX
X-0
[FORM
OF CERTIFICATE TO BE
GIVEN BY
EUROCLEAR,
CLEARSTREAM,
LUXEMBOURG]
CERTIFICATE
[General
Electric Capital
Corporation]
[GE
Capital Australia
Funding Pty. Ltd. (A.B.N. 67 085 675 467)]
[GE
Capital Canada Funding
Company]
[GE
Capital European
Funding]
[GE
Capital UK Funding]
Euro
Medium-Term Notes or
Other Debt Securities
[Unconditionally
Guaranteed
by
General
Electric Capital
Corporation]
Represented
by Temporary
Global Note No. .
This
is to certify that, based
solely on certifications we have received in writing, by tested telex or by
electronic transmission from member organizations appearing in our records
as
persons being entitled to a portion of the principal amount set forth below
(our
"Member Organizations") substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit B-1
to
the Eighth Amended and Restated Fiscal and Paying Agency Agreement, as of the
date hereof,
principal amount of the above-captioned Notes [(A) is beneficially owned by
persons that are not residents of Canada, except residents of Canada to whom
the
principal amount of Notes so beneficially owned has been sold and who acquired
the same in compliance with the securities laws of Canada or of the applicable
province or territory thereof; and (B)](i) is owned by persons that are not
citizens or residents of the United States, corporations, partnerships or other
entities created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or
any
political subdivision thereof, estates whose income is subject to United States
federal income tax regardless of its source, or trusts if a court within the
United States is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration
of
the trust and one or more United States persons have the authority to control
all substantial decisions of the trust or if such trust has a valid election
in
effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United
States person ("United States persons"), (ii) is owned by United States
persons that (a) are foreign branches of United States financial
institutions (as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations
Section 1.165-12(c)(1)(iv) ("financial institutions") purchasing for their
own account or for resale, or (b) acquired the Notes through foreign
branches of United States financial institutions and who hold the Notes through
such United States financial institutions on the date hereof (and in either
case
(a) or (b), each such United States financial institution has agreed, on
its own behalf or through its agent, that we may advise the Issuer or the
Issuer's agent that it will comply with the requirements of
Section 165(j)(3)(A), (B) or (C) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, and the regulations thereunder), or (iii) is owned by
United States or foreign financial institutions for purposes of resale during
the restricted period (as defined in U.S. Treasury Regulations
Section 1.163-5(c)(2)(i)(D)(7), and to the further effect that United
States or foreign financial institutions described in clause (iii) above
(whether or not also described in
B-2-1
clause
(i) or (ii)) have
certified that they have not acquired the Notes for purposes of resale directly
or indirectly to a United States person or to a person within the United States
or its possessions. As used herein, "United States" means the United States
of
America (including the States and the District of Columbia) and its
"possessions" include Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.
We
further certify (i) that we
are not making available herewith for exchange any portion of the temporary
global Note excepted as set forth herein and (ii) that as of the date
hereof we have not received any notification from any of our Member
Organizations to the effect that the statements made by such Member
Organizations with respect to any portion of the part submitted herewith are
no
longer true and cannot be relied upon as the date hereof.
We
understand that this
certification is required in connection with [certain securities laws of Canada
and] certain tax laws and, if applicable, certain securities laws of the United
States. In connection therewith, if administrative or legal proceedings are
commenced or threatened in connection with which this certification is or would
be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certification to
any
interested party in such proceedings.
Dated:
[To
be dated no earlier than
[insert
date of Interest Payment
Date prior to Exchange Date]
[insert
date of redemption or
acceleration prior to Exchange Date]
[insert
Exchange Date]]
[EUROCLEAR BANK S.A./N.V. | ||
as Operator of the Euroclear System] | ||
[CLEARSTREAM BANKING, soci?t? anonyme] | ||
[OTHER CLEARANCE SYSTEM] | ||
By:
|
|
D-1-1
EXHIBIT
C-1-1
[FORM
OF CERTIFICATE TO BE
GIVEN BY AN ACCOUNT
HOLDER
OF EUROCLEAR AND
CLEARSTREAM, LUXEMBOURG]
CERTIFICATE
[General
Electric Capital
Corporation]
[GE
Capital Australia
Funding Pty. Ltd. (A.B.N. 67 085 675 467)]
[GE
Capital Canada Funding
Company]
[GE
Capital European
Funding]
[GE
Capital UK Funding]
Euro
Medium-Term Notes or
Other Debt Securities
[Unconditionally
guaranteed
by
General
Electric Capital
Corporation]
Represented
by Permanent
Global Note No. .
This
is to certify that as of the
date hereof, and except as set forth below, the above-captioned Notes held
by
you for our account (i) are owned by person(s) requesting definitive
[Registered/Bearer] Notes in exchange for their interests in the
above-referenced permanent Global Note and (ii) such persons desire to
exchange
principal amount of the above-captioned Notes for definitive [Registered/Bearer]
Notes.
We
undertake to advise you promptly
by tested telex on or prior to the date on which you intend to submit your
certification relating to the Notes held by you for our account in accordance
with your Operating Procedures if any applicable statement herein is not correct
on such date, and in the absence of any such notification it may be assumed
that
this certification applies as of such date.
This
certification excepts and does
not relate to
$ of
such interest in the above Notes in respect of which we do not desire to
exchange for definitive Notes.
Dated:
[Name of Account Holder] | ||
By:
|
|
|
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
C-1-1
EXHIBIT
C-2
[FORM
OF CERTIFICATE TO BE
GIVEN BY
EUROCLEAR
AND CLEARSTREAM,
LUXEMBOURG]
CERTIFICATE
[General
Electric Capital
Corporation]
[GE
Capital Australia
Funding Pty. Ltd. (A.B.N. 67 085 675 467)]
[GE
Capital Canada Funding
Company]
[GE
Capital European
Funding]
[GE
Capital UK Funding]
Euro
Medium-Term Notes or
Other Debt Securities
[Unconditionally
Guaranteed
by
General
Electric Capital
Corporation]
Represented
by Permanent
Global Note No. .
This
is to certify that, based
solely on certifications we have received in writing, by tested telex or by
electronic transmission from member organizations appearing in our records
as
persons being entitled to a portion of the principal amount set forth below
(our
"Member Organizations") substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit C-1
to
the Eighth Amended and Restated Fiscal and Paying Agency Agreement relating
to
such Notes, as of the date hereof,
principal amount of the above-captioned Notes (i) is owned by person(s)
requesting definitive [Registered/Bearer] Notes in exchange for their interests
in the above-referenced permanent Global Note and (ii) such persons desire
to exchange
principal amount of the above-captioned Notes for definitive [Registered/Bearer]
Notes.
We
further certify (i) that we
are making available herewith for exchange all interests in the permanent global
Note and (ii) that as of the date hereof we have not received any
notification from any of our Member Organizations to the effect that the
statements made by such Member Organizations with respect to any portion of
the
permanent global Note submitted herewith are no longer true and cannot be relied
upon as the date hereof.
Dated:
[EUROCLEAR BANK S.A./N.V. |
as Operator of the Euroclear System] |
[CLEARSTREAM BANKING, soci?t? anonyme] |
[OTHER CLEARANCE SYSTEM] |
X-0-0
XXXXXXX
X-0
[FORM
OF GUARANTEE TO BE
ENDORSED ON NOTES]
1.
FOR
VALUE RECEIVED,
GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the ?Guarantor?),
hereby unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees to the holder of the Note
upon
which this guarantee is endorsed the due and punctual payment of any and all
amounts required to be paid upon said Note according to its terms, when, where
and as the same shall become due and payable, whether on an interest payment
date, at maturity, upon redemption or purchase or otherwise, in accordance
with
the terms thereof. Terms and expressions defined in the Eighth Amended and
Restated Fiscal and Paying Agency Agreement dated as of May 12, 2006, as it
may be further amended or supplemented from time to time, among General Electric
Capital Corporation, GE Capital Australia Funding Pty. Ltd., GE Capital Canada
Funding Company, GE Capital European Funding, GE Capital UK Funding, JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A. and X.X. Xxxxxx Bank Luxembourg S.A. (the ?Fiscal Agency
Agreement?), and the Notes shall have the same meanings herein, except as
otherwise defined herein or unless there is something in the subject matter
or
context inconsistent therewith.
2.(a)
In case of failure by [GE
Capital Australia Funding Pty. Ltd.] [GE Capital Canada Funding Company] [GE
Capital European Funding] [GE Capital UK Funding] [Name of Additional Issuer
acceding to the Fiscal Agency Agreement pursuant to Section 19 thereof] or
its successors or assigns (the ?Issuer?) punctually to pay any such amount,
the
Guarantor hereby agrees to cause such payment to be made punctually when, where
and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, upon
redemption or otherwise, and as if such payment were made by the Issuer. The
Guarantor hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be unconditional,
irrespective of the validity, legality or enforceability of the Note, the
absence of any action to enforce the same, the waiver or consent by the holder
of the Note with respect to any provisions thereof, the recovery of any judgment
against the Issuer or any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance
which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense
of a
guarantor.
(b)
The Guarantor shall be
subrogated to all rights of the holder of the Note against the Issuer in respect
of any amounts paid by the Guarantor pursuant to the provisions of this
Guarantee; provided that the Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce or
receive any payment arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation
until all amounts due on or to become due on or in respect of all of the Notes
shall have been paid in full or duly provided for.
(c)
The Guarantor hereby waives
notice of acceptance of this Guarantee and also waives notice of nonpayment
of
any and all amounts payable or in respect of said Note or any part thereof.
(d)
This Guarantee is unsecured and
ranks equally with all other unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the
Guarantor.
3.(a)
The Guarantor will not merge
or consolidate with any other corporation or sell, convey, transfer or otherwise
dispose of all or substantially all of its properties to any other corporation,
unless (i) either the Guarantor shall be the continuing corporation or the
D-1-1
successor
corporation (if other than
the Guarantor) (the ?successor corporation?) shall be a corporation organized
under the laws of the United States of America or of a state thereof and such
successor corporation shall expressly assume the due and punctual payments
of
all amounts due under this Guarantee and the due and punctual performance of
all
of the covenants and obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee endorsed
on all the Notes, by supplemental agreement satisfactory to the Fiscal and
Paying Agent executed and delivered to such Fiscal and Paying Agent by the
successor corporation and the Guarantor and (ii) the Guarantor or such
successor corporation, as the case may be, shall not, immediately after such
merger or consolidation, or such sale, conveyance, transfer or other
disposition, be in default in the performance of any such covenant or
obligation.
(b)
Upon any such merger or
consolidation, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, such successor
corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for, and may exercise every
right and power of and shall be subject to all the obligations of, the Guarantor
under this Guarantee, with the same effect as if such successor corporation
had
been named as the Guarantor herein, and the Guarantor shall be released from
its
liability as Guarantor under this Guarantee and under the Fiscal Agency
Agreement.
4.
The Guarantor hereby certifies
and warrants that all acts, conditions and things required to be done and
performed and to have happened precedent to the creation and issuance of this
Guarantee, and to constitute the same the legal, valid and binding obligation
of
the Guarantor enforceable in accordance with its terms, except that enforcement
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, reorganization and other
laws of general application relating to or affecting the rights of creditors
or
by general principles of equity, including the limitation that specific
performance, being an equitable remedy, is discretionary and may not be ordered,
have been done and performed and have happened in due and strict compliance
with
all applicable laws.
5.
This Guarantee shall be construed
in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, United
States of America.
6.
This Guarantee is dated the date
of the Note upon which it is endorsed.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Guarantor
has caused this Guarantee to be duly executed.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL | ||
CORPORATION | ||
By:
|
|
D-1-2
EXHIBIT
E
[FORM
OF ISSUER ACCESSION
LETTER]
ISSUER
ACCESSION LETTER
[DATE]
GENERAL
ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION
000
Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Senior Vice President -
Corporate Treasury
and Global Funding Operation
[Name
of Additional Issuer]
[Address]
Attention:
JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK, N.A.
Trinity
Tower
9
Xxxxxx Xxxx Street
Xxxxxx
X0X 0XX
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Attention:
Manager, Institutional
Trust Services
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Reference
is hereby made to the
Eighth Amended and Restated Fiscal and Paying Agency Agreement dated as of
May 12, 2006 (the "Fiscal Agency Agreement") among General Electric Capital
Corporation, as an issuer and as guarantor ("GE Capital"), the other issuers
named therein or acceded thereto (together with GE Capital, each an "Issuer"),
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as fiscal and paying agent (the "Fiscal and Paying
Agent"), X.X. Xxxxxx Bank Luxembourg S.A., as initial registrar and Luxembourg
transfer agent pursuant to which Euro Medium-Term Notes and Other Debt
Securities of each such Issuer are distributed from time to time. Capitalized
terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms
in
the Fiscal Agency Agreement.
1. | Pursuant to Section 19(b)(i) of the Fiscal Agency Agreement, this Issuer Accession Letter is being entered into by GE Capital, [Name of Additional Issuer] (the "Company"), the Fiscal and Paying Agent and the Paying Agent to provide for the accession of the Company as an Additional Issuer party to the Fiscal Agency Agreement as of the date hereof (the "Accession Date"). |
2. | In accordance with Section 19(a) of the Fiscal Agency Agreement, GE Capital and the Company hereby confirm that the Company is a Subsidiary of GE Capital and that each Note issued by the Company shall be irrevocably and unconditionally guaranteed by GE Capital. |
3. |
In
accordance with Section 19(b)(ii) and 19(b)(iii) of the Fiscal Agency
Agreement, GE Capital and the Company hereby certify to the Fiscal
and
Paying Agent that each of the persons signing this Issuer Accession
Letter
on behalf of the GE Capital and the Company is an Issuer Authorized
Representative as defined in Section 3(a) of the Fiscal Agency
|
E-1
Agreement
and that
each of the forms of Notes, including the form of the Guarantee appearing
thereon, attached hereto as Annex A-1 through
A-[ ] has been approved pursuant to the
authority delegated to such Issuer Authorized Representative by the
Board
of Directors of each of GE Capital and the Company. In addition to
the
above, the following persons are Issuer Authorized Representatives
of the
Company: [List each Additional Issuer Authorized Representative,
if any.]
|
4. | In accordance with Section 19(b)(iv) of the Fiscal Agency Agreement, the Company and the Guarantor hereby confirm that an Issuer Accession Notice has been sent to each of the Agents party to the Distribution Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Annex B. |
5. | All notices to the Company under Section 20 of the Fiscal Agency Agreement shall be deemed to have been given when sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, or by facsimile transmission to the Company as follows (in each case with a copy to GE Capital at the address or facsimile number appearing in Section 20 of the Fiscal Agency Agreement): |
[Company
Name]
[Address]
Attention:
Phone:
Fax:
Please
countersign where indicated
below to indicate your acceptance and agreement to the foregoing, whereupon
this
Issuer Accession Letter shall become a valid and binding agreement of the
parties as of the date first above written.
Very truly yours, | ||
GENERAL
ELECTRIC
CAPITAL
CORPORATION
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||
By: |
|
|
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
[NAME OF ADDITIONAL ISSUER] | ||
By: |
|
|
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Accepted and Agreed: | ||
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. | ||
By: |
|
|
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
X.X. XXXXXX BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A. | ||
By: |
|
|
Name: | ||
Title: |
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