Exhibit (a)(i) PROMOTORA DE INFORMACIONES, S.A. AND CITIBANK, N.A., As Depositary, AND ALL HOLDERS AND BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES OUTSTANDING UNDER THE TERMS OF THE CLASS A DEPOSIT AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2010...
Exhibit (a)(i)
PROMOTORA DE INFORMACIONES, S.A.
AND
CITIBANK, N.A.,
As Depositary,
AND
ALL HOLDERS AND BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF
AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
OUTSTANDING UNDER THE TERMS OF THE
CLASS A DEPOSIT AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2010
__________________________
__________________________
Amendment No. 2
to
__________________________
Dated as of May 21, 2015
Table of Contents
Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
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2
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SECTION 1.01
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Definitions
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2
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SECTION 1.02
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Effective Date
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2
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ARTICLE II AMENDMENTS TO CLASS A DEPOSIT AGREEMENT
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2
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SECTION 2.01
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Deposit Agreement
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2
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SECTION 2.02
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Amendments Binding on all Holders and Beneficial Owners
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3
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SECTION 2.03
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Change of Ratio
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3
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SECTION 2.04
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Available Information
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4
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ARTICLE III AMENDMENTS TO THE FORM OF ADR
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4
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SECTION 3.01
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ADR Amendment
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4
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SECTION 3.02
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Change of Ratio
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5
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SECTION 3.03
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Available Information
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5
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ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
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5
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SECTION 4.01
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Representations and Warranties
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5
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ARTICLE V MISCELLANEOUS
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6
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SECTION 5.01
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New ADRs
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6
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SECTION 5.02
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Notice of Amendment to Holders of ADSs
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7
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SECTION 5.03
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Indemnification
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7
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EXHIBIT A
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FORM OF ADR
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A-1
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EXHIBIT B
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NOTICE TO HOLDERS
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B-2
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AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CLASS A DEPOSIT AGREEMENT
AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO CLASS A DEPOSIT AGREEMENT, dated as of May 21, 2015 (the “Amendment”), by and among Promotora de Informaciones, S.A., a company organized and existing under the laws of The Kingdom of Spain (the “Company”), Citibank, N.A., a national banking association organized under the laws of the United States of America (the “Depositary”), and all Holders and Beneficial Owners from time to time of American Depositary Shares outstanding under the Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2010, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of September 22, 2014.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, the Company and the Depositary entered into that certain Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2010, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of September 22, 2014 (as so amended, the “Class A Deposit Agreement”), for the creation of ADSs (as defined in the Class A Deposit Agreement) representing the Shares (as defined in the Class A Deposit Agreement) deposited thereunder and for the execution and delivery of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) in respect of the American Depositary Shares; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to change the Shares-to-ADS ratio from four (4) Shares to one (1) ADS to one (1) Share to one (1) ADS as of May 22, 2015, and desires to (x) amend the Deposit Agreement, the ADRs currently outstanding and the form of ADR annexed as Exhibit A to the Deposit Agreement to reflect such changes, and (y) to give notice thereof to all Holders (as defined in the Deposit Agreement) of ADSs; and
WHEREAS, the Company wishes to reflect in the Deposit Agreement, the ADRs currently outstanding and the form of ADR annexed as Exhibit A to the Class A Deposit Agreement, the current reporting status of the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 6.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Company and the Depositary deem it necessary and desirable to amend the Class A Deposit Agreement, the ADRs currently outstanding and the form of ADR annexed to the Class A Deposit Agreement as Exhibit A for the purposes set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Depositary hereby agree to amend the Class A Deposit Agreement, the ADRs currently outstanding and the form of ADR annexed as Exhibit A to the Class A Deposit Agreement as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01 Definitions. Unless otherwise specified in this Amendment, all capitalized terms used, but not defined, herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Class A Deposit Agreement.
SECTION 1.02 Effective Date. The term “Effective Date” shall mean the date set forth above and as of which this Amendment shall become effective.
ARTICLE II
AMENDMENTS TO CLASS A DEPOSIT AGREEMENT
SECTION 2.01 Deposit Agreement. All references in the Class A Deposit Agreement to the term “Deposit Agreement” shall, as of the Effective Date, refer to the Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2010, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of September 22, 2014, as amended by this Amendment and as further amended and supplemented after the Effective Date.
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SECTION 2.02 Amendments Binding on all Holders and Beneficial Owners. From and after the Effective Date, the amendment to the Class A Deposit Agreement effected hereby shall be binding on all Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs issued and outstanding as of the Effective Date and on all Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs issued after the Effective Date.
SECTION 2.03 Change of Ratio. Section 1.4 of the Class A Deposit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting such section as of the Effective Date and replacing such section with the following in its stead:
“Section 1.4 “American Depositary Share(s)” and “ADS(s)” shall mean the rights and interests in the Deposited Securities granted to the Holders and Beneficial Owners pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement and, if issued as Certificated ADS(s), the ADR(s) issued to evidence such ADSs. ADS(s) may be issued under the terms of the Deposit Agreement in the form of (a) Certificated ADS(s), in which case the ADS(s) are evidenced by ADR(s), or (b) Uncertificated ADS(s), in which case the ADS(s) are not evidenced by ADR(s) but are reflected on the direct registration system maintained by the Depositary for such purposes under the terms of Section 2.13. Unless otherwise specified in the Deposit Agreement or in any applicable ADR, or unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to ADS(s) shall include Certificated ADS(s) and Uncertificated ADS(s), individually or collectively, as the context may require. Each ADS shall represent the right to receive, subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement and the applicable ADR (if issued as a Certificated ADS), one (1) Share until there shall occur a distribution upon Deposited Securities referred to in Section 4.2 or a change in Deposited Securities referred to in Section 4.11 with respect to which additional ADSs are not issued, and thereafter each ADS shall represent the right to receive, subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement and the applicable ADR (if issued as a Certificated ADS), the Deposited Securities determined in accordance with the terms of such Sections.”
3
SECTION 2.04 Available Information. Section 4.12 of the Class A Deposit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting such section as of the Effective Date and replacing such section with the following in its stead:
“The Company publishes the information contemplated in Rule 12g3-2(b)(2)(i) under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on its internet website or through an electronic information delivery system generally available to the public in the Company’s primary trading market. As of the date hereof the Company’s internet website is xxx.xxxxx.xxx. The information so published by the Company may not be in English, except that the Company is required, in order to maintain its exemption from the Exchange Act reporting obligations pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b), to translate such information into English to the extent contemplated in the instructions to Rule 12g3-2(b). The information so published by the Company cannot be retrieved from the Commission’s internet website, and cannot be inspected or copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 000 X Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000.”
ARTICLE III
AMENDMENTS TO THE FORM OF ADR
SECTION 3.01 ADR Amendment. The first sentence of paragraph (1) of the form of ADR attached as Exhibit A to the Class A Deposit Agreement and in each of the ADRs issued and outstanding under the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement is hereby amended as of the Effective Date by deleting such sentence in its entirety and inserting the following in its stead:
“This American Depositary Receipt is one of an issue of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), all issued and to be issued upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2010, as amended by Amendment No.1 to Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of September 22, 2014 and by Amendment No. 2 to Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2015 (as so amended and as further amended and supplemented from time to time, the “Class A Deposit Agreement”), by and among the Company, the Depositary and all Holders and Beneficial Owners from time to time of ADSs issued thereunder.”
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SECTION 3.02 Change of Ratio. All references to the Shares-to-ADS ratio made in the form of ADR attached as Exhibit A to the Class A Deposit Agreement and in each of the ADRs outstanding, as of May 22, 2015, under the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement shall, as of the Effective Date, refer to the Share-to-ADS ratio of “one (1) Share to one (1) ADS.”
SECTION 3.03 Available Information. The first paragraph of section (13) of the form of ADR attached as Exhibit A to the Class A Deposit Agreement and in each of the ADRs issued and outstanding under the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement is hereby amended as of the Effective Date by deleting such paragraph and inserting the following in its stead:
“The Company publishes the information contemplated in Rule 12g3-2(b)(2)(i) under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on its internet website or through an electronic information delivery system generally available to the public in the Company’s primary trading market. As of the date hereof the Company’s internet website is xxx.xxxxx.xxx. The information so published by the Company may not be in English, except that the Company is required, in order to maintain its exemption from the Exchange Act reporting obligations pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b), to translate such information into English to the extent contemplated in the instructions to Rule 12g3-2(b). The information so published by the Company cannot be retrieved from the Commission’s internet website, and cannot be inspected or copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 000 X Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000.”
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
SECTION 4.01 Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Depositary and the Holders and Beneficial Owners, that:
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(a) This Amendment, when executed and delivered by the Company, and the Class A Deposit Agreement and all other documentation executed and delivered by the Company in connection therewith, will be and have been, respectively, duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and
(b) In order to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility into evidence of this Amendment or the Class A Deposit Agreement as amended hereby, and other document furnished hereunder or thereunder, neither of such agreements need to be filed or recorded with any court or other authority in The Kingdom of Spain, nor does any stamp or similar tax need be paid in The Kingdom of Spain on or in respect of such agreements; and
(c) All of the information provided to the Depositary by the Company in connection with this Amendment is true, accurate and correct.
ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 5.01 New ADRs. From and after the Effective Date, the Depositary shall arrange to have new ADRs printed or amended that reflect the changes to the form of ADR effected by this Amendment. All ADRs issued hereunder after the Effective Date, once such new ADRs are available, whether upon the deposit of Shares or other Deposited Securities or upon the transfer, combination or split up of existing ADRs, shall be substantially in the form of the specimen ADR attached as Exhibit A hereto. However, ADRs issued prior or subsequent to the date hereof, which do not reflect the changes to the form of ADR effected hereby, do not need to be called in for exchange and may remain outstanding until such time as the Holders thereof choose to surrender them for any reason under the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary is authorized and directed to take any and all actions deemed necessary to effect the foregoing.
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SECTION 5.02 Notice of Amendment to Holders of ADSs. The Depositary is hereby directed to send notices informing the Holders of ADSs, inter alia, (i) of the terms of this Amendment; (ii) of the Effective Date of this Amendment; and (iii) that the Holder of ADRs are requested to surrender their ADRs in substitution for new ADRs reflecting the changes effected by this Amendment, as provided in Section 5.01 hereof; and (iv) that copies of this Amendment may be retrieved from the Commission’s website at xxx.xxx.xxx and may be obtained from the Depositary and the Company upon request. The notice to Holders of ADSs shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto.
SECTION 5.03 Indemnification. The Depositary agrees to indemnify the Company and its directors, officers, employees, agents and Affiliates against, and hold each of them harmless from, any direct loss, liability, tax, charge or expense of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) which may arise out of acts performed or omitted by the Depositary under the terms of this Amendment and the transactions contemplated herein due to the negligence or bad faith of the Depositary.
The Company agrees to indemnify the Depositary, when acting under the terms of this Amendment and the transactions contemplated herein and any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and Affiliates against, and hold each of them harmless from, any direct loss, liability, tax, charge or expense of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) that may arise under the terms of this Amendment and the transactions contemplated herein, except to the extent such loss, liability, tax, charge or expense is due to the negligence or bad faith of any of the Depositary or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and Affiliates.
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The obligations set forth in this Section shall survive the termination of this Amendment and the succession or substitution of any party hereto.
Any person seeking indemnification hereunder (an “indemnified person”) shall promptly notify the person from whom it is seeking indemnification (the “indemnifying person”) of the commencement of any indemnifiable action or claim promptly after such indemnified person becomes aware of such commencement (provided that the failure to make such notification shall not affect such indemnified person’s rights to seek indemnification except to the extent the indemnifying person is materially prejudiced by such failure) and shall consult in good faith with the indemnifying person as to the conduct of the defense of such action or claim that may give rise to an indemnity hereunder, which defense shall be reasonable in the circumstances. No indemnified person shall compromise or settle any action or claim that may give rise to an indemnity hereunder without the consent of the indemnifying person, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
SECTION 5.04 Ratification. Except as expressly amended hereby, the terms, covenants and conditions of the Class A Deposit Agreement as originally executed shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 5.05 Governing Law. This Amendment shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be wholly performed in the State of New York.
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SECTION 5.06 Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of such counterparts together shall be deemed an original, and all such counterparts together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Depositary have caused this Amendment to be executed by representatives thereunto duly authorized as of the date set forth above.
PROMOTORA DE INFORMACIONES, S.A.
By: ____________________________
Name:
Title:
CITIBANK, N.A., as Depositary
By: ____________________________
Name:
Title:
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10
EXHIBIT A
[FORM OF ADR]
Number
_____________
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CUSIP NUMBER: |
American Depositary Shares (each American Depositary Share representing the right to receive one (1) Class A ordinary share)
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AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPT
FOR
AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
representing
CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES
of
Promotora de Informaciones, S.A.
(Incorporated under the laws of the Kingdom of Spain)
CITIBANK, N.A., a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America (the “Depositary”), as depositary, hereby certifies that _____________is the owner of ______________ American Depositary Shares (hereinafter “ADS”) representing deposited Class A ordinary shares, including evidence of rights to receive such Class A ordinary shares (the “Shares”), of Promotora de Informaciones, S.A. a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Kingdom of Spain (the “Company”). As of the date of the Class A Deposit Agreement (as hereinafter defined), each ADS represents the right to receive one (1) Share deposited under the Class A Deposit Agreement with the Custodian, which at the date of execution of the Class A Deposit Agreement is Santander Investment S.A. (the “Custodian”). The ADS(s)-to-Share(s) ratio is subject to amendment as provided in Articles IV and VI of the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary’s Principal Office is located at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, X.X.X.
A-1
(1) The Deposit Agreement. This American Depositary Receipt is one of an issue of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), all issued and to be issued upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2010, as amended by Amendment No.1 to Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of September 22, 2014 and by Amendment No. 2 to Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2015 (as so amended and as further amended and supplemented from time to time, the “Class A Deposit Agreement”), by and among the Company, the Depositary and all Holders and Beneficial Owners from time to time of ADSs issued thereunder. The Class A Deposit Agreement sets forth the rights and obligations of Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs and the rights and duties of the Depositary in respect of the Shares deposited thereunder and any and all other securities, property and cash from time to time received in respect of such Shares and held thereunder (such Shares, securities, property and cash are herein called “Deposited Securities”). Copies of the Class A Deposit Agreement are on file at the Principal Office of the Depositary and with the Custodian. Each Holder and each Beneficial Owner, upon acceptance of any ADSs (or any interest therein) issued in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Class A Deposit Agreement, shall be deemed for all purposes to (a) be a party to and bound by the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement and applicable ADR(s), and (b) appoint the Depositary its attorney-in-fact, with full power to delegate, to act on its behalf and to take any and all actions contemplated in the Class A Deposit Agreement and the applicable ADR(s), to adopt any and all procedures necessary to comply with applicable law and to take such action as the Depositary in its sole discretion may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Class A Deposit Agreement and the applicable ADR(s), the taking of such actions to be the conclusive determinant of the necessity and appropriateness thereof.
The statements made on the face and reverse of this ADR are summaries of certain provisions of the Class A Deposit Agreement and the Bylaws of the Company (as in effect on the date of the signing of the Class A Deposit Agreement) and are qualified by and subject to the detailed provisions of the Class A Deposit Agreement and the Bylaws, to which reference is hereby made. All capitalized terms used herein which are not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary makes no representation or warranty as to the validity or worth of the Deposited Securities. The Depositary has made arrangements for the acceptance of the ADSs into DTC. Each Beneficial Owner of ADSs held through DTC must rely on the procedures of DTC and the DTC Participants to exercise and be entitled to any rights attributable to such ADSs. The Depositary may issue Uncertificated ADSs, subject, however, to the terms and conditions of Section 2.13 of the Class A Deposit Agreement.
(2) Withdrawal of Deposited Securities. The Holder of this ADR (and of the ADSs evidenced hereby) shall be entitled to Delivery (at the Custodian’s designated office) of the Deposited Securities at the time represented by the ADSs evidenced hereby upon satisfaction of each of the following conditions: (i) the Holder (or a duly authorized attorney of the Holder) has duly Delivered ADSs to the Depositary at its Principal Office the ADSs evidenced hereby (and, if applicable, this ADR evidencing such ADSs) for the purpose of withdrawal of the Deposited Securities represented thereby, (ii) if applicable and so required by the Depositary, this ADR evidencing the Delivered ADSs to the Depositary for such purpose has been properly endorsed in blank or is accompanied by proper instruments of transfer in blank (including signature guarantees in accordance with standard securities industry practice), (iii) if so required by the Depositary, the Holder of the ADSs has executed and delivered to the Depositary a written order directing the Depositary to cause the Deposited Securities being withdrawn to be Delivered to or upon the written order of the person(s) designated in such order, and (iv) all applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and all applicable taxes and governmental charges (as are set forth in Section 5.9 of, and Exhibit B to, the Class A Deposit Agreement) have been paid, subject, however, in each case, to the terms and conditions of this ADR evidencing the surrendered ADSs, of the Class A Deposit Agreement, of the Company’s Bylaws, and of any applicable laws and the rules of Iberclear, and to any provisions of or governing the Deposited Securities, in each case as in effect at the time thereof.
A-2
Upon satisfaction of each of the conditions specified above, the Depositary (i) shall cancel the ADSs Delivered to it (and, if applicable, the ADRs evidencing the ADSs so Delivered), (ii) shall direct the Registrar to record the cancellation of the ADSs so Delivered on the books maintained for such purpose, and (iii) shall direct the Custodian to Deliver, or cause the Delivery of, in each case, without unreasonable delay, the Deposited Securities represented by the ADSs so canceled together with any certificate or other document of title for the Deposited Securities, or evidence of the electronic transfer thereof (if available), as the case may be, to or upon the written order of the person(s) designated in the order delivered to the Depositary for such purpose, subject, however, in each case, to the terms and conditions of the Class A Deposit Agreement, of this ADR evidencing the ADS so cancelled, of the By-laws of the Company, of any applicable laws and of the rules of Iberclear, and to the terms and conditions of or governing the Deposited Securities, in each case as in effect at the time thereof.
The Depositary shall not accept for surrender ADSs representing less than one (1) Share. In the case of Delivery to it of ADSs representing a number other than a whole number of Shares, the Depositary shall cause the appropriate whole number of Shares to be Delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, and shall, at the discretion of the Depositary, either (i) return to the person surrendering such ADSs the number of ADSs representing any remaining fractional Share, or (ii) sell or cause to be sold the fractional Share represented by the ADSs so surrendered and remit the proceeds of such sale (net of (a) applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and (b) taxes required by applicable law to be withheld) to the person surrendering the ADSs. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary contained in this ADR or the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may make delivery at the Principal Office of the Depositary of (i) any cash dividends or cash distributions, or (ii) any proceeds from the sale of any distributions of shares or rights, which are at the time held by the Depositary in respect of the Deposited Securities represented by the ADSs surrendered for cancellation and withdrawal. At the request, risk and expense of any Holder so surrendering ADSs represented by this ADR, and for the account of such Holder, the Depositary shall direct the Custodian to forward (to the extent permitted by law) any cash or other property (other than securities) held by the Custodian in respect of the Deposited Securities represented by such ADSs to the Depositary for delivery at the Principal Office of the Depositary. Such direction shall be given by letter or, at the request, risk and expense of such Holder, by cable, telex or facsimile transmission.
(3) Transfer, Combination and Split-Up of ADRs. The Registrar shall as soon as reasonably practicable register the transfer of this ADR (and of the ADSs represented hereby) on the books maintained for such purpose and the Depositary shall as soon as reasonably practicable (x) cancel this ADR and execute new ADRs evidencing the same aggregate number of ADSs as those evidenced by this ADR cancelled by the Depositary, (y) cause the Registrar to countersign such new ADRs, and (z) Deliver such new ADRs to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto, if each of the following conditions has been satisfied: (i) the ADSs evidenced by this ADR have been duly Delivered by the Holder (or by a duly authorized attorney of the Holder) to the Depositary at its Principal Office for the purpose of effecting a transfer thereof, (ii) this surrendered ADR has been properly endorsed or is accompanied by proper instruments of transfer (including signature guarantees in accordance with standard securities industry practice), (iii) this surrendered ADR has been duly stamped (if required by the laws of the State of New York or of the United States), and (iv) all applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and all applicable taxes and governmental charges (as are set forth in Section 5.9 of, and Exhibit B to, the Class A Deposit Agreement) have been paid, subject, however, in each case, to the terms and conditions of this ADR, of the Class A Deposit Agreement and of applicable law, in each case as in effect at the time thereof.
A-3
The Registrar shall as soon as reasonably practicable register the split-up or combination of this ADR (and of the ADSs represented hereby) on the books maintained for such purpose and the Depositary shall as soon as reasonably practicable (x) cancel this ADR and execute new ADRs for the number of ADSs requested, but in the aggregate not exceeding the number of ADSs evidenced by this ADR cancelled by the Depositary, (y) cause the Registrar to countersign such new ADRs, and (z) deliver such new ADRs to or upon the order of the Holder thereof, if each of the following conditions has been satisfied: (i) the ADSs evidenced by this ADR have been duly Delivered by the Holder (or by a duly authorized attorney of the Holder) to the Depositary at its Principal Office for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination hereof, and (ii) all applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and all applicable taxes and government charges (as are set forth in Section 5.9 of, and Exhibit B to, the Class A Deposit Agreement) have been paid, subject, however, in each case, to the terms and conditions of this ADR, of the Class A Deposit Agreement and of applicable law, in each case as in effect at the time thereof.
The Depositary may appoint, upon consultation with the Company, one or more co-transfer agents for the purpose of effecting transfers, combinations and split-ups of this ADR at designated transfer offices on behalf of the Depositary. In carrying out its functions, a co-transfer agent may require evidence of authority and compliance with applicable laws and other requirements by Holders or persons entitled to this ADR and will be entitled to protection and indemnity to the same extent as the Depositary. Such co-transfer agents may be removed and substitutes appointed by the Depositary, and the Depositary shall notify the Company of any such removal or substitution. Each co-transfer agent appointed under Section 2.6 of the Class A Deposit Agreement (other than the Depositary) shall give notice in writing to the Depositary accepting such appointment and agreeing to be bound by the applicable terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement.
(4) Pre-Conditions to Registration, Transfer, Etc. As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery of this ADR, the Delivery, registration of issuance, transfer, split-up, combination or surrender, of any ADS, the Delivery of any distribution thereon, or the withdrawal of any Deposited Securities, the Depositary or the Custodian may require (i) payment from the depositor of Shares or presenter of ADSs or of an ADR of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any tax or other governmental charge with respect thereto and any stock transfer or registration fee with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge and fee with respect to Shares being deposited or withdrawn) and payment of any applicable fees and charges of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9 and Exhibit B to the Class A Deposit Agreement and in this ADR, (ii) the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature or any other matters contemplated in Section 3.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, and (iii) compliance with (A) any laws or governmental regulations relating to the execution and delivery of ADRs or Delivery of ADSs or to the withdrawal of Deposited Securities and (B) such reasonable regulations as the Depositary and the Company may establish consistent with the provisions of this ADR, if applicable, the Class A Deposit Agreement and applicable law.
A-4
The issuance of ADSs against deposits of Shares generally or against deposits of particular Shares may be suspended, or the deposit of particular Shares may be refused, or the registration of transfer of ADSs in particular instances may be refused, or the registration of transfers of ADSs generally may be suspended, during any period when the transfer books of the Company, the Depositary, a Registrar or the Share Registrar are closed or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the Depositary or the Company, in good faith, at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law or regulation, any government or governmental body or commission or any securities exchange on which the Shares or ADSs are listed, or under any provision of the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR, or under any provision of, or governing, the Deposited Securities, or because of a meeting of shareholders of the Company or for any other reason, subject, in all cases to paragraph (24) of this ADR and Section 7.8 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. Notwithstanding any provision of the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR to the contrary, Holders are entitled to surrender outstanding ADSs to withdraw the Deposited Securities associated therewith at any time subject only to (i) temporary delays caused by closing the transfer books of the Depositary or the Company or the deposit of Shares in connection with voting at a shareholders’ meeting or the payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges, (iii) compliance with any U.S. or foreign laws or governmental regulations relating to the ADSs or the withdrawal of the Deposited Securities, and (iv) other circumstances specifically contemplated by Instruction I.A.(l) of the General Instructions to Form F-6 (as such General Instructions may be amended from time to time).
(5) Compliance With Information Requests. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR, each Holder and Beneficial Owner of ADSs represented hereby agrees to comply with requests from the Company pursuant to applicable law, the rules and requirements of any stock exchange on which Shares or ADSs are, or will be, registered, traded or listed, or the Bylaws of the Company, which are made to provide information, inter alia, as to the capacity in which such Holder or Beneficial Owner owns ADSs (and Shares, as the case may be) and regarding the identity of any other person(s) interested in such ADSs and the nature of such interest and various other matters, whether or not they are Holders and/or Beneficial Owners at the time of such request. The Depositary agrees to use its reasonable efforts to forward, upon the request of the Company and at the Company's expense, any such request from the Company to the Holders and to forward to the Company any such responses to such requests received by the Depositary.
(6) Ownership Restrictions and Reporting Obligations. Notwithstanding any provision of this ADR or of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Company may restrict transfers of the Shares where such transfer might result in ownership of Shares exceeding limits imposed by applicable law or the Bylaws of the Company. The Company may also restrict, in such manner as it deems appropriate, transfers of the ADSs where such transfer may result in the total number of Shares represented by the ADSs owned by a single Holder or Beneficial Owner of ADSs or Group of Holders or Beneficial Owners of ADSs exceeding any such limits. The Company may, in its sole discretion but subject to applicable law, instruct the Depositary to take action with respect to the ownership interest of any Holder or Beneficial Owner of ADSs in excess of any such limits, including but not limited to, the imposition of restrictions on the transfer of ADSs, the removal or limitation of voting rights or mandatory sale or disposition on behalf of a Holder or Beneficial Owner or Group of Holders of Beneficial Owners of the Shares represented by the ADSs held by such Holder or Beneficial Owner or Group of Holders or Beneficial Owners in excess of such limitations, if and to the extent such disposition is permitted by applicable law and the By-laws of the Company. Nothing herein or in the Class A Deposit Agreement shall be interpreted as obligating the Depositary or the Company to ensure compliance with any applicable ownership restrictions described herein or in Section 3.5 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. In determining any ownership restrictions, the Company may consider a Holder’s or Beneficial Owner’s holdings or a Group of Holders’ or Beneficial Owners’ holdings of both ADSs and Shares.
A-5
Applicable laws and regulations may require holders and beneficial owners of Shares, including the Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs, to satisfy reporting requirements and obtain regulatory approvals in certain circumstances. Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs are solely responsible for determining and complying with such reporting requirements and obtaining such approvals. Each Holder and each Beneficial Owner of ADSs hereby agrees to make such determination, file such reports, and obtain such approvals to the extent and in the form required by applicable laws and regulations as in effect from time to time. Neither the Depositary, the Custodian, the Company or any of their respective agents or Affiliates shall be required to take any actions whatsoever on behalf of Holders or Beneficial Owners of ADSs to determine or satisfy such reporting requirements or obtain such regulatory approvals under applicable laws and regulations. In satisfying any required reporting obligations or obtaining any required regulatory approvals, unless otherwise permitted by applicable law or regulation, a Holder’s or Beneficial Owner’s holdings or a Group of Holders’ or Beneficial Owners’ holdings shall include both ADSs and Shares. Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs hereby acknowledge that the failure to satisfy any required reporting requirement and obtain any required regulatory approval may result in adverse consequences to such Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs.
(7) Liability of Holder for Taxes and Other Charges. Any tax or other governmental charge payable by the Custodian or by the Depositary with respect to any Deposited Securities, ADSs or this ADR shall be payable to the Depositary by the Holders and Beneficial Owners of the related ADSs. In accordance with applicable laws and regulations, the Company, the Custodian and/or the Depositary may withhold or deduct from any distributions made in respect of Deposited Securities, and the Depositary may sell for the account of any Holder and/or Beneficial Owner of ADSs any or all of the Deposited Securities related to such ADSs and apply such distributions and sale proceeds in payment of, any taxes (including applicable interest and penalties) or charges that are or may be payable by such Holders or Beneficial Owners in respect of the ADSs, Deposited Securities and this ADR, the Holder and the Beneficial Owner remaining liable for any deficiency. The Depositary and its agents shall withhold and report in respect of any payments or distributions made in respect of the Deposited Securities such amounts as may be required to be withheld or reported under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”) or any applicable provision of foreign, state or local tax law with respect to the making of such payments or distributions. The Custodian may refuse the deposit of Shares and the Depositary may refuse to issue ADSs, to Deliver ADRs, register the transfer of ADSs, register the split-up or combination of ADRs and (subject to Section 7.8 of the Class A Deposit Agreement) the withdrawal of Deposited Securities until payment in full of such tax, charge, penalty or interest is received. Every Holder and Beneficial Owner of ADSs agrees to indemnify the Depositary, the Company, the Custodian, and any of their agents, officers, employees and Affiliates for, and to hold each of them harmless from, any claims with respect to taxes (including applicable interest and penalties thereon) arising from any tax benefit obtained for such Holder and/or Beneficial Owner.
A-6
(8) Representations and Warranties of Depositors. Each person depositing Shares under the Class A Deposit Agreement shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant that (i) such Shares and the certificates therefor are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, non-assessable and legally obtained by such person, (ii) all preemptive (and similar) rights, if any, with respect to such Shares have been validly waived or exercised, (iii) the person making such deposit is duly authorized so to do, (iv) the Shares presented for deposit are free and clear of any lien, encumbrance, security interest, charge, mortgage or adverse claim, (v) the Shares presented for deposit are not, and the ADSs issuable upon such deposit will not be, Restricted Securities (except as contemplated in Section 2.14 of the Class A Deposit Agreement) and (vi) the Shares presented for deposit have not been stripped of any rights or entitlements. Such representations and warranties shall survive the deposit and withdrawal of Shares, the issuance and cancellation of ADSs in respect thereof and the transfer of such ADSs. If any such representations or warranties are false in any way, the Company and the Depositary shall be authorized, at the cost and expense of the person depositing Shares, to take any and all actions necessary to correct the consequences thereof.
(9) Proofs, Certificates and Other Information. Any person or entity presenting Shares for deposit, any Holder of ADSs and any Beneficial Owner of ADSs may be required, and every such Holder and Beneficial Owner agrees, from time to time to provide to the Depositary and the Custodian such proof of citizenship or residence, taxpayer status, payment of all applicable taxes or other governmental charges, exchange control approval, legal or beneficial ownership of ADSs and Deposited Securities, compliance with applicable laws, the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement or the ADRs evidencing the ADSs and the provisions of, or governing, the Deposited Securities, to execute such certifications and to make such representations and warranties, and to provide such other information and documentation (or, in the case of Shares in registered form presented for deposit, such information relating to the registration on the books of the Company or of the Shares Registrar) as the Depositary or the Custodian may deem necessary or proper or as the Company may reasonably require by written request to the Depositary consistent with its obligations under the Class A Deposit Agreement and the applicable ADR(s). The Depositary and the Registrar, as applicable, may withhold the execution or delivery or registration of transfer of this ADR or the ADSs it represents or the distribution or sale of any dividend or distribution of rights or of the proceeds thereof or, to the extent not limited by paragraph (24) of this ADR and Section 7.8 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the delivery of any Deposited Securities until such proof or other information is filed or such certifications are executed, or such representations and warranties are made or such other information or documentation are provided, in each case to the Depositary’s, the Registrar’s and the Company’s satisfaction. The Depositary shall provide the Company, in a timely manner, with copies or originals if necessary and appropriate of (i) any such proofs of citizenship or residence, taxpayer status, or exchange control approval or copies of written representations and warranties which it receives from Holders and Beneficial Owners, and (ii) any other information or documents which the Company may reasonably request and which the Depositary shall request and receive from any Holder or Beneficial Owner of ADSs or any person presenting Shares for deposit or ADSs for cancellation, transfer or withdrawal. Nothing herein shall obligate the Depositary to (i) obtain any information for the Company if not provided by the Holders or Beneficial Owners of ADSs, or (ii) verify or vouch for the accuracy of the information so provided by the Holders or Beneficial Owners of ADSs.
A-7
(10) Charges of Depositary. The Depositary shall charge the following fees:
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(i)
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Issuance Fee: to any person depositing Shares or to whom ADSs are issued upon the deposit of Shares (excluding issuances as a result of distributions described in paragraph (iv) below), a fee not in excess of U.S. $5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) so issued under the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement;
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(ii)
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Cancellation Fee: to any person surrendering ADSs for cancellation and withdrawal of Deposited Securities or to any person to whom Deposited Securities are Delivered, a fee not in excess of U.S. $5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) surrendered;
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(iii)
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Cash Distribution Fee: to any Holder of ADSs, a fee not in excess of U.S. $5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) held for the distribution of cash dividends or other cash distributions (i.e., sale of rights and other entitlements);
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(iv)
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Stock Distribution /Rights Exercise Fee: to any Holder of ADS(s), a fee not in excess of U.S. $5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) held for (i) stock dividends or other free stock distributions or (ii) exercise of rights to purchase additional ADSs;
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(v)
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Other Distribution Fee: to any Holder of ADS(s), a fee not in excess of U.S. $5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) held for the distribution of securities other than ADSs or rights to purchase additional ADSs (i.e., spin-off shares); and
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(vi)
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Depositary Services Fee: to any Holder of ADS(s), a fee not in excess of U.S. $5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) held on the applicable record date(s) established by the Depositary.
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Holders, Beneficial Owners, persons depositing Shares and persons surrendering ADSs for cancellation and for the purpose of withdrawing Deposited Securities shall be responsible for the following charges:
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(a)
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taxes (including applicable interest and penalties) and other governmental charges;
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A-8
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(b)
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such registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of Shares or other Deposited Securities on the share register and applicable to transfers of Shares or other Deposited Securities to or from the name of the Custodian, the Depositary or any nominees upon the making of deposits and withdrawals, respectively;
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(c)
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such cable, telex and facsimile transmission and Delivery expenses as are expressly provided in the Class A Deposit Agreement to be at the expense of the person depositing or withdrawing Shares or Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs;
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(d)
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the expenses and charges incurred by the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency;
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(e)
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such fees and expenses as are incurred by the Depositary in connection with compliance with exchange control regulations and other regulatory requirements applicable to Shares, Deposited Securities, ADSs and ADRs; and
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(f)
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the fees and expenses incurred by the Depositary, the Custodian, or any nominee in connection with the Delivery or servicing of Deposited Securities.
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All fees and charges may, at any time and from time to time, be changed by agreement between the Depositary and Company but, in the case of fees and charges payable by Holders or Beneficial Owners, only in the manner contemplated by paragraph (22) of this ADR and as contemplated in the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary will provide, without charge, a copy of its latest fee schedule to anyone upon request.
Depositary Fees payable upon (i) deposit of Shares against issuance of ADSs and (ii) surrender of ADSs for cancellation and withdrawal of Deposited Securities will be charged by the Depositary to the person to whom the ADSs so issued are Delivered (in the case of ADS issuances) and to the person who Delivers the ADSs for cancellation to the Depositary (in the case of ADS cancellations). In the case of ADSs issued by the Depositary into DTC or presented to the Depositary via DTC, the ADS issuance and cancellation fees will be payable to the Depositary by the DTC Participant(s) receiving the ADSs from the Depositary or the DTC Participant(s) surrendering the ADSs to the Depositary for cancellation, as the case may be, on behalf of the Beneficial Owner(s) and will be charged by the DTC Participant(s) to the account(s) of the applicable Beneficial Owner(s) in accordance with the procedures and practices of the DTC Participant(s) as in effect at the time. Depositary fees in respect of distributions and the Depositary services fee are payable to the Depositary by Holders as of the applicable ADS Record Date established by the Depositary. In the case of distributions of cash, the amount of the applicable Depositary fees is deducted by the Depositary from the funds being distributed. In the case of distributions other than cash and the Depositary service fee, the Depositary will invoice the applicable Holders as of the ADS Record Date established by the Depositary. For ADSs held through DTC, the Depositary fees for distributions other than cash and the Depositary service fee are charged by the Depositary to the DTC Participants in accordance with the procedures and practices prescribed by DTC from time to time and the DTC Participants in turn charge the amount of such fees to the Beneficial Owners for whom they hold ADSs.
A-9
The Depositary may reimburse the Company for certain expenses incurred by the Company in respect of the ADR program established pursuant to the Class A Deposit Agreement, by making available a portion of the Depositary fees charged in respect of the ADR program or otherwise, upon such terms and conditions as the Company and the Depositary agree from time to time. The Company shall pay to the Depositary such fees and charges and reimburse the Depositary for such out-of-pocket expenses as the Depositary and the Company may agree from time to time. Responsibility for payment of such charges and reimbursements may from time to time be changed by agreement between the Company and the Depositary. Unless otherwise agreed, the Depositary shall present its statement for such expenses and fees or charges to the Company once every three months. The charges and expenses of the Custodian are for the sole account of the Depositary.
The right of the Depositary to receive payment of fees, charges and expenses as provided above shall survive the termination of the Class A Deposit Agreement. As to any Depositary, upon the resignation or removal of such Depositary as described in Section 5.4 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, such right shall extend for those fees, charges and expenses incurred prior to the effectiveness of such resignation or removal.
(11) Title to ADRs. It is a condition of this ADR, and every successive Holder of this ADR by accepting or holding the same consents and agrees, that title to this ADR (and to each ADS evidenced hereby) shall be transferable upon the same terms as a certificated security under the laws of the State of New York, provided that, in the case of Certificated ADSs, such ADR has been properly endorsed or is accompanied by proper instruments of transfer. Notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, the Depositary and the Company may deem and treat the Holder of this ADR (that is, the person in whose name this ADR is registered on the books of the Depositary) as the absolute owner thereof for all purposes. Neither the Depositary nor the Company shall have any obligation nor be subject to any liability under the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR to any holder of this ADR or any Beneficial Owner of ADSs unless, in the case of a holder of ADSs, such holder is the Holder of this ADR registered on the books of the Depositary or, in the case of a Beneficial Owner, such Beneficial Owner or the Beneficial Owner’s representative is the Holder registered on the books of the Depositary.
(12) Validity of ADR. The Holder(s) of this ADR (and the ADSs represented hereby) shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Class A Deposit Agreement or be valid or enforceable for any purpose against the Depositary or the Company unless this ADR has been (i) dated, (ii) signed by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary, (iii) countersigned by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Registrar, and (iv) registered in the books maintained by the Registrar for the registration of issuances and transfers of ADRs. An ADR bearing the facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary or the Registrar, who at the time of signature was a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary or the Registrar, as the case may be, shall bind the Depositary, notwithstanding the fact that such signatory has ceased to be so authorized prior to the Delivery of such ADR by the Depositary.
A-10
(13) Available Information; Reports; Inspection of Transfer Books.
The Company publishes the information contemplated in Rule 12g3-2(b)(2)(i) under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on its internet website or through an electronic information delivery system generally available to the public in the Company’s primary trading market. As of the date hereof the Company’s internet website is xxx.xxxxx.xxx. The information so published by the Company may not be in English, except that the Company is required, in order to maintain its exemption from the Exchange Act reporting obligations pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b), to translate such information into English to the extent contemplated in the instructions to Rule 12g3-2(b). The information so published by the Company cannot be retrieved from the Commission’s internet website, and cannot be inspected or copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 000 X Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000.
The Registrar shall keep books for the registration of ADSs which at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the Company and by the Holders of such ADSs, provided that such inspection shall not be, to the Registrar’s knowledge, for the purpose of communicating with Holders of such ADSs in the interest of a business or object other than the business of the Company or other than a matter related to the Class A Deposit Agreement or the ADSs.
The Registrar may close the transfer books with respect to the ADSs, at any time or from time to time, when deemed necessary or advisable by it in good faith in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder, or at the reasonable written request of the Company subject, in all cases, to paragraph (24) of this ADR and Section 7.8 of the Class A Deposit Agreement.
Dated:
CITIBANK, N.A.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
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CITIBANK, N.A.
as Depositary
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By: _____________________________
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By: _____________________________
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Authorized Signatory
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Authorized Signatory
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The address of the Principal Office of the Depositary is 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, X.X.X.
A-11
[FORM OF REVERSE OF ADR]
SUMMARY OF CERTAIN ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
OF THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT
(14) Dividends and Distributions in Cash, Shares, etc. Whenever the Company intends to make a distribution of a cash dividend or other cash distribution, the Company shall to the extent practicable give notice thereof to the Depositary at least twenty (20) days (or such other period as may be reasonably agreed from time to time between the Company and the Depositary) prior to the proposed distribution specifying, inter alia, the record date applicable for determining the holders of Deposited Securities entitled to receive such distribution. Upon the receipt of such notice, the Depositary shall establish an ADS Record Date upon the terms described in Section 4.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. Upon receipt of confirmation from the Custodian of the receipt of any cash dividend or other cash distribution on any Deposited Securities, or upon receipt of proceeds from the sale of any Deposited Securities or of any entitlements held in respect of Deposited Securities under the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Depositary will (i) if at the time of receipt thereof any amounts received in a Foreign Currency can, in the judgment of the Depositary (upon the terms of Section 4.8 of the Class A Deposit Agreement), be converted on a practicable basis into Dollars transferable to the United States, promptly convert or cause to be converted such cash dividend, distribution or proceeds into Dollars (upon the terms of Section 4.8 of the Class A Deposit Agreement), (ii) if applicable and unless previously established, establish the ADS Record Date upon the terms described in Section 4.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, and (iii) distribute promptly the amount thus received (net of (a) applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and (b) taxes required by applicable law to be withheld) to the Holders of ADSs entitled thereto as of the ADS Record Date in proportion to the number of ADSs held as of the ADS Record Date. The Depositary shall distribute only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to any Holder a fraction of one cent, and any balance not so distributed shall be held by the Depositary (without liability for interest thereon) and shall be added to and become part of the next sum received by the Depositary for distribution to Holders of ADSs outstanding at the time of the next distribution. If the Company, the Custodian or the Depositary is required by applicable law to withhold and does withhold from any cash dividend or other cash distribution in respect of any Deposited Securities an amount on account of taxes, duties or other governmental charges, the amount distributed to Holders on the ADSs representing such Deposited Securities shall be reduced accordingly. Such withheld amounts shall be forwarded by the Company, the Custodian or the Depositary, as applicable, to the relevant governmental authority. Evidence of payment thereof by the Company shall be forwarded by the Company to the Depositary upon request. Notwithstanding anything contained herein or in the Class A Deposit Agreement to the contrary, in the event the Company fails to give the Depositary at least twenty (20) days (or such other period as agreed pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement) prior written notice of the proposed distribution provided for above, the Depositary agrees to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts necessary to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, and the Company acknowledges that the Depositary shall have no liability for the Depositary's failure to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, other than for its failure to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts, as provided for therein.
A-12
Whenever the Company intends to make a distribution that consists of a dividend in, or free distribution of, Shares, the Company shall to the extent practicable give notice thereof to the Depositary at least twenty (20) days (or such other period as may be reasonably agreed from time to time between the Company and the Depositary) prior to the proposed distribution, specifying, inter alia, the record date applicable to holders of Deposited Securities entitled to receive such distribution. Upon the receipt of such notice from the Company, the Depositary shall establish the ADS Record Date upon the terms described in Section 4.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. Upon receipt of confirmation from the Custodian of the receipt of the Shares so distributed by the Company, the Depositary shall either (i) subject to Section 5.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, distribute to the Holders of ADSs as of the ADS Record Date in proportion to the number of ADSs held as of the ADS Record Date, additional ADSs, which represent in the aggregate the number of Shares received as such dividend, or free distribution, subject to the other terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement (including, without limitation, (a) the applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and (b) taxes required by applicable law to be withheld), or (ii) if additional ADSs are not so distributed, take all actions necessary so that each ADS issued and outstanding after the ADS Record Date shall, to the extent permissible by law, thenceforth also represent rights and interest in the additional integral number of Shares distributed upon the Deposited Securities represented thereby (net of (a) the applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary, and (b) taxes required by applicable law to be withheld). In lieu of Delivering fractional ADSs, the Depositary shall sell the number of Shares or ADSs, as the case may be, represented by the aggregate of such fractions and distribute the net proceeds upon the terms set forth in Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement.
In the event that the Depositary determines that any distribution in property (including Shares) is subject to any tax or other governmental charges which the Depositary is obligated by applicable law to withhold, or, if the Company in the fulfillment of its obligations under Section 5.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, has furnished an opinion of U.S. counsel determining that Shares must be registered under the Securities Act or other laws in order to be distributed to Holders of ADSs (and no such registration statement has been declared effective), the Depositary may dispose of all or a portion of such property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) in such amounts and in such manner, including by public or private sale, as the Depositary deems necessary and practicable, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale (after deduction of (a) taxes and (b) fees and charges of, and the expenses incurred by, the Depositary) to Holders entitled thereto upon the terms of Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary shall hold and/or distribute any unsold balance of such property in accordance with the provisions of the Class A Deposit Agreement. Notwithstanding anything contained herein or in the Class A Deposit Agreement to the contrary, in the event the Company fails to give the Depositary at least twenty (20) days (or such other period as agreed pursuant to Section 4.2 of the Class A Deposit Agreement) prior written notice of the proposed distribution as provided for above, the Depositary agrees to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts necessary to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.2 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and the Company acknowledges that the Depositary shall have no liability for the Depositary's failure to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.2 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, other than for its failure to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts, as provided for therein.
A-13
Whenever the Company intends to make a distribution payable at the election of the holders of Shares in cash or in additional Shares, the Company shall to the extent practicable give notice thereof to the Depositary at least sixty (60) days (or such other period as may be reasonably agreed from time to time between the Company and the Depositary) prior to the proposed distribution specifying, inter alia, the record date applicable to holders of Deposited Securities entitled to receive such elective distribution and whether or not it wishes such elective distribution to be made available to Holders of ADSs. Upon the timely receipt of a notice indicating that the Company wishes such elective distribution to be made available to Holders of ADSs, the Depositary shall consult with the Company to determine, and the Company shall assist the Depositary in its determination, whether it is lawful and reasonably practicable to make such elective distribution available to the Holders of ADSs. The Depositary shall make such elective distribution available to Holders of ADSs only if (i) the Company shall have requested that the elective distribution be made available to Holders, (ii) the Depositary shall have determined after consultation with the Company that such distribution is reasonably practicable and (iii) the Depositary shall have received reasonably satisfactory documentation within the terms of Section 5.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. If the above conditions are not satisfied, the Depositary shall establish an ADS Record Date on the terms described in Section 4.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and, to the extent permitted by law, distribute to the Holders, on the basis of the same determination as is made in Spain in respect of the Shares for which no election is made, either (X) cash upon the terms described in Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement or (Y) additional ADSs representing such additional Shares upon the terms described in Section 4.2 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. If the above conditions are satisfied, the Depositary shall establish an ADS Record Date on the terms described in Section 4.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and establish procedures to enable Holders of ADSs to elect the receipt of the proposed distribution in cash or in additional ADSs. The Company shall assist the Depositary in establishing such procedures to the extent necessary. If a Holder elects to receive the proposed distribution (X) in cash, the distribution shall be made upon the terms described in Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, or (Y) in ADSs, the distribution shall be made upon the terms described in Section 4.2 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. Nothing herein or in the Class A Deposit Agreement shall obligate the Depositary to make available to Holders of ADSs a method to receive the elective distribution in Shares (rather than ADSs). There can be no assurance that Holders generally, or any Holder in particular, will be given the opportunity to receive elective distributions on the same terms and conditions as the holders of Shares. Notwithstanding anything contained herein or in the Class A Deposit Agreement to the contrary, in the event the Company fails to give the Depositary at least sixty (60) days (or such other period as agreed pursuant to Section 4.3 of the Class A Deposit Agreement) prior written notice of the proposed distribution as provided for above, the Depositary agrees to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts necessary to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.3 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and the Company acknowledges that the Depositary shall have no liability for the Depositary's failure to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.3 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, other than for its failure to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts, as provided for therein.
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Whenever the Company intends to distribute to the holders of the Deposited Securities rights to subscribe for additional Shares, the Company shall to the extent practicable give notice thereof to the Depositary at least sixty (60) days (or such other period as may be reasonably agreed from time to time between the Company and the Depositary) prior to the proposed distribution specifying, inter alia, the record date applicable to holders of Deposited Securities entitled to receive such distribution and whether or not it wishes such rights to be made available to Holders of ADSs. Upon the receipt of a notice indicating that the Company wishes such rights to be made available to Holders of ADSs, the Depositary shall consult with the Company to determine, and the Company shall assist the Depositary in its determination, whether it is lawful and reasonably practicable to make such rights available to the Holders. The Depositary shall make such rights available to Holders only if (i) the Company shall have requested that such rights be made available to Holders, (ii) the Depositary shall have received reasonably satisfactory documentation within the terms of Section 5.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, and (iii) the Depositary shall have determined that such distribution of rights is reasonably practicable. In the event any of the conditions set forth above are not satisfied or if the Company requests that the rights not be made available to Holders of ADSs, the Depositary shall proceed with the sale of the rights as contemplated in Section 4.4(b) of the Class A Deposit Agreement. In the event all conditions set forth above are satisfied, the Depositary shall establish an ADS Record Date (upon the terms described in Section 4.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement) and establish procedures to (x) distribute rights to purchase additional ADSs (by means of warrants or otherwise), (y) to enable the Holders of ADSs to exercise such rights (upon payment of the subscription price and of the applicable (a) fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and (b) applicable taxes in connection with the exercise of such rights), and (z) to Deliver ADSs upon the valid exercise of such rights. The Company shall assist the Depositary to the extent necessary in establishing such procedures. Nothing herein or in the Class A Deposit Agreement shall obligate the Depositary to make available to the Holders of ADSs a method to exercise rights to subscribe for Shares (rather than ADSs). Notwithstanding anything contained herein or in the Class A Deposit Agreement to the contrary, in the event the Company fails to give the Depositary at least sixty (60) days prior written notice of the proposed distribution as provided for above, the Depositary agrees to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts necessary to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.4 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and the Company acknowledges that the Depositary shall have no liability for the Depositary's failure to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.4 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, other than for its failure to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts, as provided for therein.
If (i) the Company does not timely request the Depositary to make the rights available to Holders of ADSs or requests that the rights not be made available to Holders of ADSs, (ii) the Depositary fails to receive reasonably satisfactory documentation within the terms of Section 5.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement or determines, upon consultation with the Company, that it is not reasonably practicable to make the rights available to Holders of ADSs, or (iii) any rights made available are not exercised and appear to be about to lapse, the Depositary shall determine whether it is lawful and reasonably practicable to sell such rights, in a riskless principal capacity, at such place and upon such terms (including public or private sale) as it may deem practicable. The Company shall assist the Depositary to the extent necessary to determine such legality and practicability. The Depositary shall, upon such sale, convert and distribute proceeds of such sale (net of applicable (a) fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and (b) taxes required by applicable law to be deducted and withheld) upon the terms set forth in Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement.
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If the Depositary is unable to make any rights available to Holders of ADSs upon the terms described in Section 4.4(a) of the Class A Deposit Agreement or to arrange for the sale of the rights upon the terms described in Section 4.4(b) of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall allow such rights to lapse.
Neither the Company nor the Depositary shall be responsible for (i) any failure to determine that it may be lawful or practicable to make such rights available to Holders in general or any Holders in particular, or (ii) any foreign exchange exposure or loss incurred in connection with such sale, or exercise. The Depositary shall not be responsible for the content of any materials forwarded to the Holders on behalf of the Company in connection with the rights distribution.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in Section 4.4 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, if registration (under the Securities Act or any other applicable law) of the rights or the securities to which any rights relate may be required in order for the Company to offer such rights or such securities to Holders and to sell the securities represented by such rights, the Depositary will not distribute such rights to the Holders (i) unless and until a registration statement under the Securities Act (or other applicable law) covering such offering is in effect or (ii) unless the Company furnishes the Depositary opinion(s) of counsel for the Company in the United States and counsel to the Company in any other applicable country in which rights would be distributed, in each case reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary, to the effect that the offering and sale of such securities to Holders and Beneficial Owners are exempt from, or do not require registration under, the provisions of the Securities Act or any other applicable laws.
In the event that the Company, the Depositary or the Custodian shall be required by applicable law to withhold and does withhold from any distribution of property (including rights) an amount on account of taxes or other governmental charges, the amount distributed to the Holders of ADSs representing such Deposited Securities shall be reduced accordingly. In the event that the Depositary determines that any distribution in property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) is subject to any tax or other governmental charges which the Depositary is obligated by applicable law to withhold, the Depositary may dispose of all or a portion of such property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) in such amounts and in such manner, including by public or private sale, as the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay any such taxes or charges.
There can be no assurance that Holders generally, or any Holder in particular, will be given the opportunity to receive or exercise rights on the same terms and conditions as the holders of Shares or be able to exercise such rights. Nothing herein shall obligate the Company to file any registration statement in respect of any rights or Shares or other securities to be acquired upon the exercise of such rights.
Whenever the Company intends to distribute to the holders of Deposited Securities property, to the extent legally permissible, other than cash, Shares or rights to purchase additional Shares, the Company shall give timely notice thereof to the Depositary and shall indicate whether or not it wishes such distribution to be made to Holders of ADSs. Upon receipt of a notice indicating that the Company wishes such distribution be made to Holders of ADSs, the Depositary shall consult with the Company, and the Company shall assist the Depositary, to determine whether such distribution to Holders is lawful and reasonably practicable. The Depositary shall not make such distribution unless (i) the Company shall have requested the Depositary to make such distribution to Holders, (ii) the Depositary shall have received satisfactory documentation within the terms of Section 5.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, and (iii) the Depositary shall have determined that such distribution is reasonably practicable.
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Upon receipt of satisfactory documentation and the request of the Company to distribute property to Holders of ADSs and after making the requisite determinations set forth in (a) above, the Depositary shall distribute the property so received to the Holders of record, as of the ADS Record Date, in proportion to the number of ADSs held by them respectively and in such manner as the Depositary may deem practicable for accomplishing such distribution (i) upon receipt of payment or net of the applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary, and (ii) net of any taxes required by applicable law to be withheld. The Depositary may dispose of all or a portion of the property so distributed and deposited, in such amounts and in such manner (including public or private sale) as the Depositary may deem practicable or necessary to satisfy any such taxes (including applicable interest and penalties) or other governmental charges applicable to the distribution.
If (i) the Company does not request the Depositary to make such distribution to Holders or requests not to make such distribution to Holders, (ii) the Depositary does not receive satisfactory documentation within the terms of Section 5.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, or (iii) the Depositary determines that all or a portion of such distribution is not reasonably practicable, the Depositary shall sell or cause such property to be sold in a public or private sale, at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem practicable and shall (i) cause the proceeds of such sale, if any, to be converted into Dollars and (ii) distribute the proceeds of such conversion received by the Depositary (net of applicable (a) fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and (b) taxes required by applicable law to withheld) to the Holders as of the ADS Record Date upon the terms of Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. If the Depositary is unable to sell such property, the Depositary may dispose of such property for the account of the Holders in any way it deems reasonably practicable under the circumstances.
Neither the Depositary nor the Company shall be responsible for (i) any failure to determine whether it is lawful or practicable to make the property described herein available to Holders in general or any Holder in particular, nor (ii) any foreign exchange exposure or loss incurred in connection with the sale or disposal of such property. The Depositary shall not be responsible for the content of any materials forwarded to the Holders on behalf of the Company in connection with the distribution or sale of such property.
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(15) Redemption. If, to the extent legally permissible, the Company intends to exercise any right of redemption in respect of any of the Deposited Securities, the Company shall to the extent practicable give notice thereof to the Depositary at least forty-five (45) days prior to the intended date of redemption which notice shall set forth the particulars of the proposed redemption. Upon receipt of (i) such notice and (ii) satisfactory documentation given by the Company to the Depositary within the terms of Section 5.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, and only if the Depositary shall have determined that such proposed redemption is practicable, the Depositary shall provide to each Holder of ADSs a notice setting forth the intended exercise by the Company of the redemption rights and any other particulars set forth in the Company’s notice to the Depositary. The Depositary shall instruct the Custodian to present to the Company the Deposited Securities in respect of which redemption rights are being exercised against payment of the applicable redemption price. Upon receipt of confirmation from the Custodian that the redemption has taken place and that funds representing the redemption price have been received, the Depositary shall convert, transfer, and distribute the proceeds (net of applicable (a) fees and charges of, and the expenses incurred by, the Depositary, and (b) taxes required by applicable law to be withheld), retire ADSs and cancel ADRs, if applicable, upon Delivery of such ADSs by Holders thereof and the terms set forth in Sections 4.1 and 6.2 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. If less than all outstanding Deposited Securities are redeemed, the ADSs to be retired will be selected by lot or on a pro rata basis, as may be determined by the Depositary in accordance with United States and Spanish law. The redemption price per ADS shall be the dollar equivalent of the per share amount received by the Depositary (adjusted to reflect the ADS(s)-to-Share(s) ratio) upon the redemption of the Deposited Securities represented by ADSs (subject to the terms of Section 4.8 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and the applicable fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary, and taxes) multiplied by the number of Deposited Securities represented by each ADS redeemed. Notwithstanding anything contained herein or in the Class A Deposit Agreement to the contrary, in the event the Company fails to give the Depositary at least forty-five (45) days prior written notice of the intended date of redemption as provided for above, the Depositary agrees to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts necessary to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and the Company acknowledges that the Depositary shall have no liability for the Depositary's failure to perform the actions contemplated in Section 4.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, other than for its failure to exercise all commercially reasonable efforts, as provided for therein.
(16) Fixing of ADS Record Date. Whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of the fixing of a record date by the Company for the determination of holders of Deposited Securities entitled to receive any distribution (whether in cash, Shares, rights or other distribution), or whenever for any reason the Depositary causes a change in the number of Shares that are represented by each ADS, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of any meeting of, or solicitation of consents or proxies of, holders of Shares or other Deposited Securities, or whenever the Depositary shall find it necessary or convenient in connection with the giving of any notice, solicitation of any consent or any other matter, the Depositary shall fix the ADS Record Date for the determination of the Holders of ADSs who shall be entitled to receive such distribution, to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting, to give or withhold such consent, to receive such notice or solicitation or to otherwise take action, or to exercise the rights of Holders with respect to such changed number of Shares represented by each ADS. The Depositary shall make reasonable efforts to establish the ADS Record Date as closely as possible to the applicable record date for the Deposited Securities (if any) set by the Company in Spain. Subject to applicable law and the terms and conditions of this ADR and Sections 4.1 through 4.8 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and to the other terms and conditions of the Class A Deposit Agreement, only the Holders of ADSs at the close of business in New York on such ADS Record Date shall be entitled to receive such distribution, to give such instructions, to receive such notice or solicitation, or otherwise take action.
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(17) Voting of Deposited Securities. As soon as practicable after receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of Deposited Securities are entitled to vote, or of solicitation of consents or proxies from holders of Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall fix the ADS Record Date in respect of such meeting or solicitation of such consent or proxy in accordance with Section 4.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary shall, if requested by the Company in writing in a timely manner (the Depositary having no obligation to take any further action only that is commercially reasonable if the request shall not have been received by the Depositary at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of such vote or meeting), at the Company’s expense and provided no U.S. legal prohibitions exist, distribute to Holders as of the ADS Record Date: (a) such notice of meeting or solicitation of consent or proxy, (b) a statement that the Holders at the close of business on the ADS Record Date will be entitled, subject to any applicable law, the provisions of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Bylaws of the Company and the provisions of or governing the Deposited Securities (which provisions, if any, shall be summarized in pertinent part by the Company), to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights, if any, pertaining to the Deposited Securities represented by such Holder’s ADSs and (c) a brief statement as to the manner in which such voting instructions may be given.
Notwithstanding anything contained in the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR, the Depositary may, to the extent not prohibited by law or regulations, or by the requirements of the stock exchange on which the ADSs are listed, in lieu of distribution of the materials provided to the Depositary in connection with any meeting of, or solicitation of consents or proxies from, holders of Deposited Securities, distribute to the Holders of ADSs a notice that provides such Holders with, or otherwise publicizes to such Holders, instructions on how to retrieve such materials or receive such materials upon request (i.e., by reference to a website containing the materials for retrieval or a contact for requesting copies of the materials).
Voting instructions may be given only in respect of a number of ADSs representing an integral number of Deposited Securities. Upon the timely receipt from a Holder of ADSs as of the ADS Record Date of voting instructions in the manner specified by the Depositary, the Depositary shall endeavor, insofar as practicable and permitted under applicable law, the provisions of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Bylaws of the Company and the provisions of the Deposited Securities, to vote, or cause the Custodian to vote, the Deposited Securities (in person or by proxy) represented by such Holder’s ADSs in accordance with such voting instructions.
Neither the Depositary nor the Custodian shall under any circumstances exercise any discretion as to voting and neither the Depositary nor the Custodian shall vote, attempt to exercise the right to vote, or in any way make use of, for purposes of establishing a quorum or otherwise the Deposited Securities represented by ADSs, except pursuant to and in accordance with the voting instructions timely received from Holders or as otherwise contemplated herein. If the Depositary timely receives voting instructions from a Holder which fail to specify the manner in which the Depositary is to vote the Deposited Securities represented by such Holder’s ADSs, the Depositary will deem such Holder to have instructed the Depositary to vote in accordance with the proxy voting provisions set forth in the Company's Regulations of the General Shareholder Meeting. Deposited Securities represented by ADSs for which no timely voting instructions are received by the Depositary from the Holder shall not be voted. Notwithstanding anything else contained in the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR, the Depositary shall not have any obligation to take any action with respect to any meeting, or solicitation of consents or proxies, of holders of Deposited Securities if the taking of such action would violate U.S. laws. The Company agrees to take any and all actions reasonably necessary to enable Holders and Beneficial Owners to exercise the voting rights accruing to the Deposited Securities and to Deliver to the Depositary an opinion of U.S. counsel addressing any actions requested to be taken if so reasonably requested by the Depositary. There can be no assurance that Holders generally or any Holder in particular will receive the notice described above with sufficient time to enable the Holder to return voting instructions to the Depositary in a timely manner.
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(18) Changes Affecting Deposited Securities. Upon any change in nominal or par value, split-up, cancellation, consolidation or any other reclassification of Deposited Securities, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of assets affecting the Company or to which it is a party, any securities which shall be received by the Depositary or the Custodian in exchange for, or in conversion of or replacement of or otherwise in respect of, such Deposited Securities shall, to the extent permitted by law, be treated as new Deposited Securities under the Class A Deposit Agreement, and the ADRs shall, subject to the provisions of the Class A Deposit Agreement and applicable law, evidence ADSs representing the right to receive such additional or replacement securities, as applicable. In giving effect to such change, split-up, cancellation, consolidation or other reclassification of Deposited Securities, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of assets, the Depositary may, with the Company’s approval, and shall, if the Company shall so request, subject to the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement and receipt of an opinion of counsel to the Company satisfactory to the Depositary that such actions are not in violation of any applicable laws or regulations, (i) issue and Deliver additional ADSs as in the case of a stock dividend on the Shares, (ii) amend the Class A Deposit Agreement and the applicable ADRs, (iii) amend the applicable Registration Statement(s) on Form F-6 as filed with the Commission in respect of the ADSs, (iv) call for the surrender of outstanding ADRs to be exchanged for new ADRs, and (v) take such other actions as are appropriate to reflect the transaction with respect to the ADSs. The Company agrees to, jointly with the Depositary, amend the Registration Statement on Form F-6 as filed with the Commission to permit the issuance of such new form of ADRs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any security so received may not be lawfully distributed to some or all Holders of ADSs, the Depositary may, with the Company’s approval, and shall, if the Company requests, subject to receipt of an opinion of Company’s counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary that such action is not in violation of any applicable laws or regulations, sell such securities at public or private sale, at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper and may allocate the net proceeds of such sales (net of (a) fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary and (b) taxes required by applicable law to be withheld) for the account of the Holders of ADSs otherwise entitled to such securities upon an averaged or other practicable basis without regard to any distinctions among such Holders and distribute the net proceeds so allocated to the extent practicable as in the case of a distribution received in cash pursuant to Section 4.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary shall not be responsible for (i) any failure to determine that it may be lawful or practicable to make such securities available to Holders in general or any Holder in particular, (ii) any foreign exchange exposure or loss incurred in connection with such sale, or (iii) any liability to the purchaser of such securities.
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(19) Exoneration. Neither the Depositary nor the Company, nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or Affiliates, shall be obligated to do or perform any act which is inconsistent with the provisions of the Class A Deposit Agreement or incur any liability (i) if the Depositary or the Company shall be prevented or forbidden from, or delayed in, doing or performing any act or thing required by the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement and this ADR, by reason of any provision of any present or future law or regulation of the United States, Spain or any other country, or of any other governmental authority or regulatory authority or stock exchange, or on account of the possible criminal or civil penalties or restraint, or by reason of any provision, present or future, of the Bylaws of the Company or any provision of or governing any Deposited Securities, or by reason of any act of God or war or other circumstances beyond its control (including, without limitation, nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions, work stoppage, strikes, civil unrest, acts of terrorism, revolutions, rebellions, explosions and computer failure), (ii) by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in the Class A Deposit Agreement or in the Bylaws of the Company or provisions of or governing Deposited Securities, (iii) for any action or inaction in reliance upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting Shares for deposit, any Holder, any Beneficial Owner of ADSs or authorized representative thereof, or any other person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information, (iv) for the inability by a Holder or Beneficial Owner of ADSs to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit which is made available to holders of Deposited Securities but is not, under the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement, made available to Holders of ADSs or (v) for any consequential or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary, its controlling persons, its agents, any Custodian and the Company, its controlling persons and its agents may rely and shall be protected in acting upon any written notice, request or other document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties. No disclaimer of liability under the Securities Act is intended by any provision of the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR.
(20) Standard of Care. The Company and the Depositary and their respective Affiliates assume no obligation and shall not be subject to any liability under the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR to any Holder(s) or Beneficial Owner(s), except that the Company and Depositary agree to perform their respective obligations specifically set forth in the Class A Deposit Agreement and this ADR without negligence or bad faith. Without limitation of the foregoing, neither the Depositary, nor the Company, nor any of their respective Affiliates, controlling persons, or agents, shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any Deposited Securities or in respect of the ADSs, which in its opinion may involve it in expense or liability, unless indemnity satisfactory to it against all expense (including fees and disbursements of counsel) and liability be furnished as often as may be required (and no Custodian shall be under any obligation whatsoever with respect to such proceedings, the responsibility of the Custodian being solely to the Depositary).
None of the Depositary, the Company, their respective Affiliates or their agents shall be liable for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote any of the Deposited Securities, or for the manner in which any vote is cast or the effect of any vote, provided that any such action or omission is in good faith and in accordance with the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement. Neither the Depositary nor the Company shall incur any liability for any failure to determine that any distribution or action may be lawful or reasonably practicable for any investment risk associated with acquiring an interest in the Deposited Securities, for the validity or worth of the Deposited Securities or for any tax consequences that may result from the ownership of ADSs, Shares or Deposited Securities, for the credit-worthiness of any third party, for allowing any rights to lapse upon the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement, for the failure or timeliness of any notice from the Company, or for any action of or failure to act by, or any information provided or not provided by, DTC or any DTC Participant. The Depositary shall not incur any liability, for the content of any information submitted to it by the Company for distribution to the Holders or for any inaccuracy of any translation thereof or for the failure or timeliness of any notice from the Company.
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(21) Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary. The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary under the Class A Deposit Agreement by written notice of resignation delivered to the Company, such resignation to be effective on the earlier of (i) the 60th day after delivery thereof to the Company (whereupon the Depositary shall be entitled to take the actions contemplated in Section 6.2 of the Class A Deposit Agreement), or (ii) the appointment by the Company of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as provided in the Class A Deposit Agreement. The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by written notice of such removal, which removal shall be effective on the later of (i) the 60th day after delivery thereof to the Depositary (whereupon the Depositary shall be entitled to take the actions contemplated in Section 6.2 of the Class A Deposit Agreement), or (ii) upon the appointment by the Company of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as provided in the Class A Deposit Agreement. In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall resign or be removed, the Company shall use its best efforts to appoint a successor depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having an office in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York. Every successor depositary shall be required by the Company to execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Company an instrument in writing accepting its appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor depositary, without any further act or deed (except as required by applicable law), shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor (other than as contemplated in Sections 5.8 and 5.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement). The predecessor depositary, upon payment of all sums due it and on the written request of the Company, shall (i) execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of such predecessor hereunder (other than as contemplated in Sections 5.8 and 5.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement), (ii) duly assign, transfer and deliver all right, title and interest to the Deposited Securities to such successor, and (iii) deliver to such successor a list of the Holders of all outstanding ADSs and such other information relating to ADSs and Holders thereof as the successor may reasonably request. Any such successor depositary shall promptly provide notice of its appointment to such Holders. Any corporation into or with which the Depositary may be merged or consolidated shall be the successor of the Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act.
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(22) Amendment/Supplement. Subject to the terms and conditions of this paragraph 22 and Section 6.1 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and applicable law, this ADR and any provisions of the Class A Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended or supplemented by written agreement between the Company and the Depositary in any respect which they may deem necessary or desirable without the prior written consent of the Holders or Beneficial Owners of ADSs. Any amendment or supplement which shall impose or increase any fees or charges (other than charges in connection with foreign exchange control regulations, and taxes and other governmental charges, delivery and other such expenses), or which shall otherwise materially prejudice any substantial existing right of Holders or Beneficial Owners, shall not, however, become effective as to outstanding ADSs until the expiration of thirty (30) days after notice of such amendment or supplement shall have been given to the Holders of outstanding ADSs. Notice of any amendment to the Class A Deposit Agreement or this ADR shall not need to describe in detail the specific amendments effectuated thereby, and failure to describe the specific amendments in any such notice shall not render such notice invalid, provided, however, that, in each such case, the notice given to the Holders identifies a means for Holders and Beneficial Owners to retrieve or receive the text of such amendment (i.e., upon retrieval from the Commission’s, the Depositary’s or the Company’s website or upon request from the Depositary). The parties hereto agree that any amendments or supplements which (i) are reasonably necessary (as agreed by the Company and the Depositary) in order for (a) the ADSs to be registered on Form F-6 under the Securities Act or (b) the ADSs to be settled solely in electronic book-entry form and (ii) do not in either such case impose or increase any fees or charges to be borne by Holders, shall be deemed not to materially prejudice any substantial rights of Holders or Beneficial Owners. Every Holder and Beneficial Owner at the time any amendment or supplement so becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such ADSs, to consent and agree to such amendment or supplement and to be bound by the Class A Deposit Agreement and this ADR, if applicable, as amended or supplemented thereby. In no event shall any amendment or supplement impair the right of the Holder to surrender such ADS and receive therefor the Deposited Securities represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any governmental body should adopt new laws, rules or regulations which would require an amendment of, or supplement to, the Class A Deposit Agreement to ensure compliance therewith, the Company and the Depositary may amend or supplement the Class A Deposit Agreement and this ADR at any time in accordance with such changed laws, rules or regulations. Such amendment or supplement to the Class A Deposit Agreement and this ADR in such circumstances may become effective before a notice of such amendment or supplement is given to Holders or within any other period of time as required for compliance with such laws, rules or regulations.
(23) Termination. The Depositary shall, at any time at the written direction of the Company, terminate the Class A Deposit Agreement by distributing notice of such termination to the Holders of all ADSs then outstanding at least thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination. If sixty (60) days shall have expired after (i) the Depositary shall have delivered to the Company a written notice of its election to resign, or (ii) the Company shall have delivered to the Depositary a written notice of the removal of the Depositary, and, in either case, a successor depositary shall not have been appointed and accepted its appointment as provided in Section 5.4 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may terminate the Class A Deposit Agreement by distributing notice of such termination to the Holders of all ADSs then outstanding at least thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination. The date so fixed for termination of the Class A Deposit Agreement in any termination notice so distributed by the Depositary to the Holders of ADSs is referred to as the “Termination Date”. Until the Termination Date, the Depositary shall continue to perform all of its obligations under the Class A Deposit Agreement, and the Holders and Beneficial Owners will be entitled to all of their rights under the Class A Deposit Agreement. If any ADSs shall remain outstanding after the Termination Date, the Registrar and the Depositary shall not, after the Termination Date, have any obligation to perform any further acts under the Class A Deposit Agreement, except that the Depositary shall, subject, in each case, to the terms and conditions of the Class A Deposit Agreement, continue to (i) collect dividends and other distributions pertaining to Deposited Securities, (ii) sell securities and other property received in respect of Deposited Securities, (iii) Deliver Deposited Securities, together with any dividends or other distributions received with respect thereto and the net proceeds of the sale of any securities or other property, in exchange for ADSs surrendered to the Depositary (after deducting, or charging, as the case may be, in each case, the fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary, and all applicable taxes or governmental charges for the account of the Holders and Beneficial Owners, in each case upon the terms set forth in Section 5.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement), and (iv) take such actions as may be required under applicable law in connection with its role as Depositary under the Class A Deposit Agreement. At any time after the Termination Date, the Depositary may sell the Deposited Securities then held under the Class A Deposit Agreement and shall after such sale hold un-invested the net proceeds of such sale, together with any other cash then held by it under the Class A Deposit Agreement, in an un-segregated account and without liability for interest, for the pro rata benefit of the Holders whose ADSs have not theretofore been surrendered. After making such sale, the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under the Class A Deposit Agreement except (i) to account for such net proceeds and other cash (after deducting, or charging, as the case may be, in each case, the fees and charges of, and expenses incurred by, the Depositary, and all applicable taxes or governmental charges for the account of the Holders and Beneficial Owners, in each case upon the terms set forth in Section 5.9 of the Class A Deposit Agreement), and (ii) as may be required at law in connection with the termination of the Class A Deposit Agreement. After the Termination Date, the Company shall be discharged from all obligations under the Class A Deposit Agreement, except for its obligations to the Depositary under Sections 5.8, 5.9 and 7.6 of the Class A Deposit Agreement. The obligations under the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement of Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs outstanding as of the Termination Date shall survive the Termination Date and shall be discharged only when the applicable ADSs are presented by their Holders to the Depositary for cancellation under the terms of the Class A Deposit Agreement.
A-23
(24) Compliance with U.S. Securities Laws. Notwithstanding any provisions in this ADR or the Class A Deposit Agreement to the contrary, the withdrawal or Delivery of Deposited Securities will not be suspended by the Company or the Depositary except as would be permitted by Instruction I.A.(1) of the General Instructions to the Form F-6 Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, under the Securities Act.
(25) Certain Rights of the Depositary; Limitations. Subject to the further terms and provisions of this paragraph (25) and Section 5.10 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, the Depositary, its Affiliates and their agents, on their own behalf, may own and deal in any class of securities of the Company and its Affiliates and in ADSs. In its capacity as Depositary, the Depositary shall not lend Shares or ADSs; provided, however, that the Depositary may (i) issue ADSs prior to the receipt of Shares pursuant to Section 2.3 of the Class A Deposit Agreement and (ii) Deliver Shares prior to the receipt of ADSs for withdrawal of Deposited Securities pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Class A Deposit Agreement, including ADSs which were issued under (i) above but for which Shares may not have been received (each such transaction a “Pre-Release Transaction”). The Depositary may receive ADSs in lieu of Shares under (i) above and receive Shares in lieu of ADSs under (ii) above. Each such Pre-Release Transaction will be (a) subject to a written agreement whereby the person or entity (the “Applicant”) to whom ADSs or Shares are to be Delivered (w) represents that at the time of the Pre-Release Transaction the Applicant or its customer owns the Shares or ADSs that are to be Delivered by the Applicant under such Pre-Release Transaction, (x) agrees to indicate the Depositary as owner of such Shares or ADSs in its records and to hold such Shares or ADSs in trust for the Depositary until such Shares or ADSs are Delivered to the Depositary or the Custodian, (y) unconditionally guarantees to Deliver to the Depositary or the Custodian, as applicable, such Shares or ADSs and (z) agrees to any additional restrictions or requirements that the Depositary deems appropriate, (b) at all times fully collateralized with cash, U.S. government securities or such other collateral as the Depositary deems appropriate, (c) terminable by the Depositary on not more than five (5) business days’ notice and (d) subject to such further indemnities and credit regulations as the Depositary deems appropriate. The Depositary will normally limit the number of ADSs and Shares involved in such Pre-Release Transactions at any one time to thirty percent (30%) of the ADSs outstanding (without giving effect to ADSs outstanding under (i) above), provided, however, that the Depositary reserves the right to change or disregard such limit from time to time as it deems appropriate. The Depositary may also set limits with respect to the number of ADSs and Shares involved in Pre-Release Transactions with any one person on a case-by-case basis as it deems appropriate. The Depositary may retain for its own account any compensation received by it in conjunction with the foregoing. Collateral provided pursuant to (b) above, but not earnings thereon, shall be held for the benefit of the Holders (other than the Applicant).
A-24
(ASSIGNMENT AND TRANSFER SIGNATURE LINES)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned Holder hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto ______________________________ whose taxpayer identification number is _______________________ and whose address including postal zip code is ________________, the within ADS and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing ________________________ attorney-in-fact to transfer said ADS on the books of the Depositary with full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated: | Name: ________________________________ |
By:
Title:
NOTICE: The signature of the Holder to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.
If the endorsement be executed by an attorney, executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, the person executing the endorsement must give his/her full title in such capacity and proper evidence of authority to act in such capacity, if not on file with the Depositary, must be forwarded with this ADR.
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__________________________
SIGNATURE GUARANTEED
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All endorsements or assignments of ADRs must be guaranteed by a member of a Medallion Signature Program approved by the Securities Transfer Association, Inc.
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A-25
EXHIBIT B
NOTICE OF REVERSE SHARE SPLIT AND ADS RATIO CHANGE
To Holders of American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”)
of Promotora de Informaciones, S.A.
Company:
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Promotora de Informaciones, S.A., a company organized under the laws of the Kingdom of Spain.
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Depositary:
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Citibank, N.A.
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Custodian:
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Santander Investment S.A.
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Existing ADS - to - Share Ratio:
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Each ADS represents four (4) Class A Ordinary Shares of the Company (the “Shares”).
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Deposit Agreement:
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Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2010, by and among the Company, the Depositary and all Holders and Beneficial Owners of ADSs, as supplemented by Letter Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2010, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Class A Deposit Agreement, dated as of September 22, 2014, and by Amendment No. 2 to Class A Deposit Agreement, to be dated as of May 22, 2015 (the “Amendment No. 2 to Deposit Agreement”).
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Effective Date:
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May 22, 2015.
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Please be advised that the Company has informed the Depositary of a reverse split of the Shares - 1 Share for every 30 Shares held as of May 22, 2015 (the “Reverse Share Split”). In addition, the Company and the Depositary have agreed to change the existing ADS - to - Share ratio (the “ADS Ratio Change”) as follows:
Existing Ratio (before the Reverse Share Split): One (1) ADS to four (4) Shares
New Ratio (after the Reverse Share Split): One (1) ADS to one (1) Share
Following the Effective Date for the Reverse Share Split and the ADS Ratio Change, each ADS will represent one (1) Share and the holders of existing ADSs will receive 0.13333333 new ADSs for each outstanding ADS surrendered to the Depositary, which is the equivalent of one (1) new ADS for every 7.5 existing ADSs surrendered.
As a result of the Reverse Share Split, the CUSIP number for the ADSs will change as follows:
Existing ADS CUSIP: 00000X000
New ADS CUSIP: 00000X000
B-1
Each existing ADS will, on the Effective Date for the Reverse Share Split and the ADS Ratio Change, be automatically surrendered, cancelled and mandatorily exchanged for 0.13333333 new ADS, which is the equivalent of one (1) new ADS for every 7.5 existing ADSs automatically surrendered. You do not need to take any action for the existing ADS surrender, cancellation and mandatory exchange. The new ADSs will be issued as “uncertificated ADSs” via the Direct Registration System (the “DRS”), and will be credited to an account in the name of the existing ADS holders on the books of the Depositary. The DRS statements reflecting the surrender, cancellation and mandatory exchange of existing ADSs for new ADSs will be mailed to ADS holders promptly after the Effective Date.
No fractional new ADSs will be issued. Cash in lieu of fractional entitlements to new ADSs will be paid at a rate based upon the net proceeds received by the Depositary for the sale of the aggregate of the fractional new ADS entitlements.
The Depositary will file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a form of the Amendment No. 2 to Deposit Agreement and of the form of ADR that reflects the new ADS-to-Share ratio under cover of Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement on Form F-6 (Reg. No. 333-169920). A copy of such filing will be available from the SEC’s website at xxx.xxx.xxx under Registration Number 333-169920.
If you have any questions about the above amendment and exchange, please call Citibank ADR Shareholder Services at 0-000-000-0000. Copies of the Deposit Agreement are available at the principal offices of the Depositary at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000 and can be retrieved from the SEC’s website at xxx.xxx.xxx under Registration Number 333-169920.
Citibank, N.A. as Depositary
Date: May 13, 2015