Royal Dutch Shell plc Shell International Finance B.V. Debt Securities Ordinary Shares Warrants UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 99.1
Royal Dutch Shell plc
Shell International Finance B.V.
Shell International Finance B.V.
Debt Securities
Ordinary Shares
Warrants
Ordinary Shares
Warrants
[Date]
[Underwriters]
Dear Sirs:
1. Introductory. Royal Dutch Shell plc, a public company limited by shares existing
under the laws of England and Wales (“Company”), proposes to issue and sell from time to time
certain of the Company’s unsecured debt securities (“Debt Securities”), Class A and Class B
ordinary shares (“Ordinary Shares”) and warrants (“Warrants”) and Shell International Finance B.V.,
a private limited liability company organized under the laws of The Netherlands (the “Issuer”)
proposes to issue and sell from time to time certain of the Issuer’s unsecured debt securities to
be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company as to payment of principal, premium (if any)
and interest (“Guaranteed Debt Securities”), registered under the registration statement referred
to in Section 2(a) (collectively the “Registered Securities”). The Registered Securities
constituting Debt Securities will be issued in one or more series under an indenture to be
identified in the Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3 (the “Indenture”), which series may vary
as to interest rates, maturities, redemption provisions, selling prices and other terms. The
Registered Securities constituting Guaranteed Debt Securities will be issued in one or more series
under an indenture to be identified in the Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3. The
Registered Securities
constituting Ordinary Shares may be represented by
American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) to be issued under a Deposit Agreement with JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A. dated May 19, 2005, with respect to the Class A Ordinary Shares or a Deposit
Agreement with The Bank of New York dated May 19, 2005, with respect to the Class B Ordinary Shares
(collectively the “Deposit Agreements” and “Depositaries” and with respect to the deposit agreement
pertaining to the Offered Securities (defined below) the “Deposit Agreement” and “Depositary”).
Particular series or offerings of Registered Securities will be sold pursuant to a Terms Agreement
referred to in Section 3, for resale in accordance with terms of offering determined at the time of
sale.
The Registered Securities involved in any such offering are hereinafter referred to as the
“Offered Securities”. The firm or firms which agree to purchase the Offered Securities are
hereinafter referred to as the “Underwriters” of such securities, and the representative or
representatives of the Underwriters, if any, specified in a Terms Agreement referred to in Section
3 are hereinafter referred to as the “Representatives”; provided, however, that if the Terms
Agreement does not specify any representative of the Underwriters, the term “Representatives”, as
used in this Agreement (other than in Sections 5(c) and 6 and the second sentence of Section 3),
shall mean the Underwriters.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Issuer. The Company, and if
Guaranteed Debt Securities are being offered, the Issuer, as of the date of each Terms Agreement
referred to in Section 3, represent and warrant to, and agree with, each Underwriter that:
(a) A registration statement (No. 333-126726) on Form F-3, including a
prospectus (hereinafter referred to as the “Base Prospectus”), relating to the Registered
Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) and
has become effective. The Company and the Issuer meet the requirements of the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (“Act”) for the use of Form F-3. Such registration
statement, as amended at the time of any Terms Agreement referred to in Section 3 entered
into in connection with a specific offering of the Offered Securities and including any
documents incorporated by reference therein, including exhibits (other than any Form T-1)
and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Offered Securities
that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (“Rule 424(b)”) under the Act and
deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Act, is
hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”. The Base Prospectus, as
supplemented as contemplated by Section 3 to reflect the terms of the Offered Securities
(if they are Debt Securities, Guaranteed Debt Securities or Warrants) and the terms of the
offering of the Offered Securities, as first filed with the Commission pursuant to and in
accordance with Rule 424(b), including all material incorporated by reference therein, is
hereinafter referred to as the “Final Prospectus”. Any preliminary prospectus supplement
to the Base Prospectus which describes the Offered Securities and the offering thereof and
is used prior to filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus, is
hereinafter
referred to as the
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“Preliminary Final Prospectus.” “Free Writing Prospectus” shall
mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 under the Act.
“Applicable Time” shall mean, with respect to a specific offering of the Offered
Securities, each time and date specified as such in the Terms Agreement relating to that
offering of Offered Securities. “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free
writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act. “Disclosure Package” shall mean,
with respect to any specific offering of the Offered Securities, (i) the Preliminary Final
Prospectus, if any, used most recently prior to the Applicable Time, (ii) the Issuer Free
Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule B to the Terms Agreement, (iii) the
final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(c) hereto, if any, and (iv) any
other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in
writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.
(b) On the effective date and each deemed effective date of the registration
statement relating to the Registered Securities, such registration statement, including all
material incorporated therein by reference, conformed in all respects to the requirements
of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (“Trust Indenture Act”) and the rules and
regulations of the Commission (“Rules and Regulations”) and did not include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and at the Applicable
Time and at the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus will
conform in all respects to the requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act and the
Rules and Regulations, and neither of such documents, including all material incorporated
therein by reference, will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
provided, however, that the Company and the Issuer make no representations or warranties as
to (i) that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of
Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or
(ii) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final
Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company or
the Issuer by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for
use therein.
(c) At the Applicable Time, the Disclosure Package will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided, however, that the
Company and the Issuer make no representations or warranties as to the information
contained in or omitted from the Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company or the Issuer by or on behalf of any Underwriter
through the Representatives specifically for use therein.
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(d) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time
of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of
the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed
pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the
time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause
only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Offered Securities in reliance on the
exemption in Rule 163, and (iv) at the Applicable Time (with such date being used as the
determination date for purposes of this clause (iv)), the Company was or is (as the case
may be) a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405).
(e) (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement
that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning
of Rule 164(h)(2)) of any Offered Securities and (ii) as of the Applicable Time (with such
date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company
was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of
any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the
Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.
(f) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, if any, and the final term sheet
prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(c) hereto do not include any information that
conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any
document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a
part thereof that has not been superseded or modified, provided, however, that the Company
and the Issuer make no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or
omitted from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or such final term sheet in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished to the Company or the Issuer by or on behalf
of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein.
(g) If the Offered Securities constitute Debt Securities: the Indentures for
the Offered Securities have been duly authorized and will be validly executed and delivered
by the Company and will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms (subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar
laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general
principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law); and the Offered Securities have been duly authorized and
will be executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the respective
Indenture and when delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement, the Offered Securities will constitute legal,
valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms
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(subject to
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and
other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to
general principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
(h) If the Offered Securities constitute Guaranteed Debt Securities: the
Indentures for the Offered Securities have been duly authorized and will be executed and
delivered by the Company and the Issuer and will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company and the Issuer enforceable against the Company and the Issuer in
accordance with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including,
without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and the Offered
Securities have been duly authorized, and will be executed and authenticated in accordance
with the provisions of the respective Indenture and when delivered to and paid for by the
Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement, the Offered
Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Issuer and the
guarantee of the Offered Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of
the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Issuer
and the Company, respectively, in accordance with their terms (subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar
laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general
principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
(i) If the Offered Securities constitute Warrants: the warrant agreement
will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and will constitute a legal,
valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance
with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time
to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without limitation,
concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and the Offered Securities will be duly
authorized, executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the relevant
warrant agreement and when issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement,
such Offered Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company
entitled to the benefits of the relevant warrant agreement and enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’
rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity,
including, without
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limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(j) If the Offered Securities constitute Ordinary Shares: the Offered
Securities will be authorized and when delivered and paid for in accordance with the Terms
Agreement and the Underwriting Agreement the Offered Securities will be validly issued and
fully paid and no further contributions in respect of such Offered Securities will be
required to be made to the Company by the holders thereof, by reason solely of their being
such holders.
(k) The Company is a public company limited by shares duly incorporated
under the laws of England and Wales; and the Issuer has been incorporated and is existing
as a private company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte
aansprakelijkheid).
(l) No consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or filing with, any
governmental agency or body or any court in the UK, The Netherlands or the United States is
required for the consummation by the Company or the Issuer of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the
Company, except such as have been obtained or made under the Act, the Exchange Act and the
Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required under U.S. state securities laws or the
laws of the UK and the Netherlands relating to the offering and sale of securities if the
Offered Securities are offered and sold in such jurisdictions.
(m) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Issuer of
the Indentures, this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and
compliance with the terms and provisions thereof by the Company and the Issuer will not
result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a
default under, the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, any of the terms or
provisions of the documents constituting it, or any material agreement or instrument to
which it is a party or by which it is bound.
(n) Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Final
Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to
the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened (i) against or affecting the Company or any
of its subsidiaries, (ii) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of, or
property owned or leased by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) relating to
environmental or discrimination matters, where in any such case (A) there is a reasonable
possibility that such action, suit or proceeding might be determined adversely to the
Company or such subsidiary, or any officer or director of, or property owned or leased by,
the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (B) any such action, suit or proceeding, if so
determined adversely, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the
Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or adversely affect the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or the Issuer and delivered to
the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the
Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company or the Issuer, as
the case may be, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
3. Purchase and Offering of Offered Securities. The obligation of the Underwriters
to purchase the Offered Securities will be evidenced by an agreement or exchange of other written
communications (“Terms Agreement”) at the time the Company and/or the Issuer determines to sell the
Offered Securities. The Terms Agreement will incorporate by reference the provisions of this
Agreement, except as otherwise provided therein, and will specify the issuer, and if applicable,
guarantor, of the securities to be sold, the firm or firms which will be Underwriters, the names of
any Representatives, the principal or other amount of securities or number of shares to be
purchased by each Underwriter, the purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters and (if the
Offered Securities are debt securities) the terms of the Offered Securities not already specified
in the Indenture, including, but not limited to, interest rate, maturity, any redemption provisions
and any sinking fund requirements and whether any of the Offered Securities may be sold to
institutional investors pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts (as defined below). The Terms
Agreement will also specify the time and date of delivery and payment (such time and date, or such
other time as the Underwriter first named in the Terms Agreement (the “Lead Underwriter”) and the
Company and/or the Issuer agree as the time for payment and delivery, being herein and in the Terms
Agreement referred to as the “Closing Date”), the place of delivery and payment and any details of
the terms of offering that should be reflected in the prospectus supplement relating to the
offering of the Offered Securities. For purposes of Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), the Closing Date (if later than the otherwise applicable settlement
date) shall be the date for payment of funds and delivery of securities for all the Offered
Securities sold pursuant to the offering, other than Contract Securities (as defined below) for
which payment of funds and delivery of securities shall be as hereinafter provided. The
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Offered Securities will be several and not joint.
It is understood that the Underwriters propose to offer the Offered Securities for sale as set
forth in the Final Prospectus.
If the Terms Agreement provides for sales of Offered Securities pursuant to delayed delivery
contracts, the Company or the Issuer authorize the Underwriters to solicit offers to purchase
Offered Securities pursuant to delayed delivery contracts substantially in the form of Annex I
attached hereto (“Delayed Delivery Contracts”) with such changes therein as the Company or the
Issuer may authorize or approve. Delayed Delivery Contracts are to be with institutional
investors, including commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment
companies and educational and charitable institutions. On the Closing Date the Company and/or the
Issuer will pay, as compensation, to the Representatives for the accounts of the Underwriters, the
fee set forth in such Terms Agreement in respect of the principal amount or number of shares of
Offered Securities to be sold pursuant to Delayed Delivery Contracts (“Contract
Securities”). The Underwriters
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will not have any responsibility in respect of the validity or
the performance of Delayed Delivery Contracts. If the Company or the Issuer executes and delivers
Delayed Delivery Contracts, the Contract Securities will be deducted from the Offered Securities to
be purchased by the several Underwriters from the Company or the Issuer and the aggregate principal
amount or number of shares of Offered Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter from the
Company or the Issuer will be reduced pro rata in proportion to the principal amount or number of
shares of Offered Securities set forth opposite each Underwriter’s name in such Terms Agreement,
except to the extent that the Lead Underwriter determines that such reduction shall be otherwise
than pro rata and so advises the Company or the Issuer. The Company or the Issuer will advise the
Lead Underwriter not later than the business day prior to the Closing Date of the principal amount
or number of shares of Contract Securities.
If the Offered Securities are Warrants and such Offered Securities are issued in certificated
form by the Company, the certificates for the Offered Securities delivered to the Underwriters on
the Closing Date will be in definitive form, if the Offered Securities are Ordinary Shares or
Warrants for Ordinary Shares such Offered Securities will be credited to the CREST accounts or
(with the prior written consent of the Company) to the Euroclear Nederland accounts notified by the
Underwriter to the Company on the Closing Date unless otherwise provided in the Terms Agreement,
and if the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities, the Offered
Securities delivered to the Underwriters on the Closing Date will be in definitive fully registered
form, in each case in such denominations and registered in such names as the Lead Underwriter
requests. Payment for the Offered Securities shall be made by the Underwriters in Federal (same
day) funds by official check or checks or wire transfers to accounts previously designated by the
Company or the Issuer at banks acceptable to the Lead Underwriter at the place of payment specified
in the Terms Agreement on the Closing Date, against delivery of the Offered Securities.
If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities and the Terms
Agreement specifies “Book-Entry Only” settlement or otherwise states that the provisions of this
paragraph shall apply, the Company or the Issuer will deliver against payment of the purchase price
the Offered Securities in the form of one or more permanent global securities in definitive form
(the “Global Securities”) deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company
(“DTC”) and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC and/or deposited with the
common depositary identified in the Terms Agreement (the “Common Depositary”), as custodian for
Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”), and Clearstream
Banking, société anonyme (“Clearstream”), and registered in the name of the Common Depositary, or
its nominee, as nominee for Euroclear and Clearstream. Interests in any permanent global securities
will be held only in book-entry form through DTC and/or Euroclear and Clearstream, except in the
limited circumstances described in the Final Prospectus. Payment for the Offered Securities shall
be made against delivery to the Trustee as custodian for DTC and/or to the Common Depositary as
custodian for Euroclear and Clearstream of the Global Securities representing all the Offered
Securities.
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4. Certain Agreements of the Company and the Issuer. The Company, and if Guaranteed
Debt Securities are being offered, the Issuer, agrees with the several Underwriters that it will
furnish to counsel for the Underwriters, copies of the registration statement relating to the
Registered Securities, including all exhibits as such counsel may reasonably request, in the form
it became effective and of all amendments thereto and that, in connection with each offering of
Offered Securities:
(a) The Company and/or the Issuer will file the Final Prospectus with the
Commission pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 424(b)(2) or (5), if applicable, not
later than the second business day following the execution and delivery of the Terms
Agreement.
(b) During any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is
required to be delivered under the Act in connection with sales by any Underwriter or
dealer (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule
172), the Company and/or the Issuer will advise the Lead Underwriter promptly of any
proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus or to
issue any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus relating to the Offered Securities (other than the
issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus included in Schedule B to the applicable
Terms Agreement) and will afford the Lead Underwriter a reasonable opportunity to comment
on any such proposed amendment or supplement or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; and
the Company and/or the Issuer will also advise the Lead Underwriter promptly of the filing
of any such amendment or supplement or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and of the
institution by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the Registration
Statement or of any part thereof and will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any such stop order and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued; provided,
however, that nothing in this paragraph shall apply to any report to be filed or furnished
to the Commission under the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act except
those periodic reports furnished to the Commission and incorporated by reference into the
Final Prospectus between the date of a Terms Agreement and the Closing Date with respect to
the Securities subject to the Terms Agreement.
(c) The Company and/or the Issuer will prepare a final term sheet
substantially in the form of Annex II hereto, containing solely a description of the
Offered Securities and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act
within the time required by such Rule.
(d) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Offered Securities is
required to be delivered under the Act in connection with sales by any Underwriter or
dealer, any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or
supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the
Registration Statement or supplement the Final
9
Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company and/or the Issuer promptly will notify
the Lead Underwriter of such event and promptly will prepare and file with the Commission,
an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment
which will effect such compliance.
(e) As soon as practicable, but not later than 16 months, after the date of
each Terms Agreement, the Company will make generally available to its securityholders an
earnings statement of the Company covering a period of at least 12 months which will
satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act, including through compliance with Rule
158 under the Act.
(f) The Company and/or the Issuer will furnish to the Representatives copies
of the Registration Statement, including all exhibits, and, for so long as delivery of a
prospectus relating to the Offered Securities by an Underwriter or dealer is required under
the Act in connection with sales by such Underwriter or such dealer (including in
circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), the Base
Prospectus, any related Preliminary Final Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case
promptly after a request and in such quantities as the Lead Underwriter reasonably
requests.
(g) Each of the Company and the Issuer will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this
Agreement), for any filing fees or other expenses (including fees and disbursements of
counsel) in connection with qualification of the Offered Securities for sale and (if the
Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) any determination of
their eligibility for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Lead
Underwriter may reasonably designate and the printing of memoranda relating thereto, for
any fees charged by investment rating agencies for the rating of the Offered Securities (if
the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities), for any
applicable filing fee incident to the review by the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. of the Offered Securities, the fees and expenses of any listing of the
Offered Securities, for any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any
other expenses of the Company and/or the Issuer in connection with attending or hosting
meetings with prospective purchasers of Offered Securities, and for expenses incurred in
distributing the Final Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, supplements to the Final
Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the Underwriters, it being understood
that the Underwriters will pay all of their expenses relating to the offer and sale of the
Offered Securities, including the fees and expenses of their counsel.
(h) The Company and the Issuer will arrange, if necessary, for the
qualification of the Offered Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions in
the United States of America as the Representatives may designate in writing and will
maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the
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distribution of the
Offered Securities; provided, that in no event shall the Company
or the Issuer be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is
not now so qualified, to take any action that would subject it to service of process in
suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Offered Securities, in
any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject or to subject itself to taxation as doing
business in any such jurisdiction.
(i) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees with
the Company that, unless it has obtained or will obtain, as the case may be, the prior
written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the
Offered Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would
otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be
filed by the Company and/or the Issuer with the Commission or retained by the Company
and/or the Issuer under Rule 433, other than the final term sheet prepared and filed
pursuant to Section 4(c) hereto; provided that the prior written consent of the Company
shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any,
included in Schedule B to the applicable Terms Agreement and any electronic road show. Any
such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company is hereinafter referred to as a
“Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”. The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will
treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, and (y) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements
of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in
respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.
(j) Each of the Company and the Issuer consents to the use by any
Underwriter of a Free Writing Prospectus that (a) is not an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
and (b) contains only (A) information describing the preliminary terms of the Offered
Securities or their offering, (B) information required or permitted by Rule 134 under the
Act that is not “issuer information” as defined in Rule 433 or (C) information that
describes the final terms of the Offered Securities or their offering and that is included
in the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(c) hereto.
5. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the several
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Offered Securities will be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Issuer herein, to the accuracy of
the statements of Company officers made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by
the Company and the Issuer of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional
conditions precedent:
(a) On the Closing Date (and if so specified in the Terms Agreement, the
date of the Terms Agreement), the Representatives shall have received a letter (also
addressed to the Board of Directors of the Company and/or the Issuer, as applicable), dated
the date of delivery thereof (and if so specified in the Terms
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Agreement, dated the date of
the Terms Agreement), of the independent auditors
of the Company confirming that they are independent public accountants within the
meaning of the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations
thereunder adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
(United States) and stating to the effect that:
(i) in their opinion the financial statements and any schedules
audited by them and included in the Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package or
incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package comply
as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of
the Act and the Exchange Act and the related published Rules and Regulations;
(ii) they have performed the procedures specified by the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board for a review of interim financial information as
described in Statement of Auditing Standards No. 100, Interim Financial
Information, on any unaudited financial statements incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement;
(iii) on the basis of the review referred to in clause (ii) above
and/or a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the
Company and/or inquiries of officials of the Company who have responsibility for
financial and accounting matters and/or other specified procedures as appropriate
(but not an audit in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards),
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that:
(A) any material modification should be made to the unaudited
condensed financial statements included in the Disclosure Package or the
Final Prospectus, if any, for them to be in conformity with the basis of
presentation as described in the Company’s IFRS financial information
incorporated by reference therein, and that such unaudited condensed
financial statements do not comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the
related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;
(B) at the date of the latest available balance sheet information read
by or available to such accountants, there was any change in balance sheet
items specified in the Terms Agreement of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries as compared with amounts shown on the latest balance sheet
information included in the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus; or
(C) for the period from the closing date of the latest income
statement information included in the Disclosure Package or the Final
12
Prospectus to the closing date of the latest available income
statement read by or available to such accountants there were any
decreases, as compared with the corresponding period of the previous year
and with the period of corresponding length ended the date of the latest
income statement information included in the Disclosure Package or the
Final Prospectus, in the statement of income items specified in the Terms
Agreement;
except in all cases set forth in clauses (B) and (C) above for changes, increases or
decreases which the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus discloses have occurred or
may occur or which are described in such letter;
(iv) they have compared specified dollar amounts (or percentages
derived from such dollar amounts) and other financial information contained in the
Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure Package (in each
case to the extent that such dollar amounts, percentages and other financial
information are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its
subsidiaries subject to the internal controls of the Company’s accounting system or
are derived directly from such records by analysis or computation) with the results
obtained from inquiries, a reading of such general accounting records and other
procedures specified in such letter and have found such dollar amounts, percentages
and other financial information to be in agreement with such results, except as
otherwise specified in such letter; and
(v) if pro forma financial statements are included or incorporated
in the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, on
the basis of a reading of the unaudited pro forma financial statements, carrying
out certain specified procedures, inquiries of certain officials of the Company and
the acquired company(ies) who have responsibility for financial and accounting
matters, and proving the arithmetic accuracy of the application of the pro forma
adjustments to the historical amounts in the pro forma financial statements,
nothing came to their attention which caused them to believe that the pro forma
financial statements do not comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of Rule 11-02 of Regulation S-X or that the pro
forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the
compilation of such statements.
All financial statements and schedules included in material incorporated by reference into the
Final Prospectus or the Disclosure Package shall be deemed included in the Final Prospectus or the
Disclosure Package for purposes of this subsection.
(b) The Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in
accordance with the Rules and Regulations. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or of any part thereof shall have been issued
13
and no proceedings
for that purpose shall have been instituted. The final term
sheet contemplated by Section 4(c) hereto, and any other material required to be filed
by the Company and/or the Issuer pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been
filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by
Rule 433.
(c) Subsequent to the execution of the Terms Agreement, there shall not have
occurred (i) any banking moratorium declared by U.S. Federal, UK or Dutch authorities; (ii)
any major disruption of settlements of securities or clearance services in the United
States, the UK or The Netherlands, (iii) any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities
or other calamity or crisis involving the United States, the UK or The Netherlands, (iv)
any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under
the Securities Act) or a public announcement by such organization that it has under
surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the
Company’s debt securities, or (v) any change, or any development involving a prospective
change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or
properties of the Company or its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth in or
contemplated in the Final Prospectus, which, in the case of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v)
in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, is so material and adverse as to make it
impractical or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the public offering or the sale of
and payment for the Offered Securities.
(d) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing
Date, of Xxxxxxxxx and May, English counsel for the Company, substantially to the effect
that:
(i) The Company is a public limited company duly incorporated under
the laws of England and Wales and is a validly existing company;
(ii) If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed
Debt Securities, or Warrants for Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities: the
Company has the corporate power and authority to (a) sign and deliver the
Indenture, the Terms Agreement and the warrant agreement, if any and (b) to
exercise its rights and perform its obligations under the Indenture, the Terms
Agreement and the warrant agreement, if any.
(iii) If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed
Debt Securities: the signature and delivery of the Indenture by the Company and the
exercise of its rights and the performance of its obligations under the Indenture
are not prohibited by any law or regulation applicable to English companies
generally or by the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the
Company.
14
(iv) No authorization, approval or consent of or registration of or
filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body within the United
Kingdom is required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of the Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement.
(v) The statements made in the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure
Package under the caption “Taxation — United Kingdom Taxation”, insofar as they
purport to summarise the material UK tax consequences for a U.S. holder of an
investment in the Offered Securities, fairly summarize the matters therein
described.
(vi) If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed
Debt Securities, or Warrants for Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities: (a)
the execution and delivery of the Indenture, and if applicable, the warrant
agreement, have been duly authorized by the Company, and the Indenture and if
applicable the warrant agreement have been duly executed and delivered by the
Company; and (b) on the assumption that the Indenture, and if applicable, the
warrant agreement create valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the parties
under New York law, English law will not prevent any provisions of the Indenture or
the warrant agreement (if applicable) from being valid, binding and enforceable
obligations of the Company; and the choice of New York law to govern the Indenture
or the warrant agreement (if applicable) is, under the laws of England, a valid
choice of law.
(vii) If the Offered Securities are Ordinary Shares: (a) all
necessary corporate action has been taken by the Company to authorise the issue of
the Offered Securities; (b) the Offered Securities have been validly issued and
fully paid and no further contributions in respect of such Offered Securities will
be required to be made to the Company by the holders thereof, by reason solely of
their being such holders.
(viii) If the Offered Securities are Warrants (other than Warrants
described in (ii) above): (a) all necessary corporate action has been taken by the
Company to authorise the signing of the warrant agreements relating to the
Warrants; (b) the terms of the Warrants and of their issuance and sale have been
established in conformity with the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association
and so as not to violate English law; (c) the warrant agreements and the Warrants
have been duly executed; (d) if the warrant agreements and the Warrants are
expressed to be governed by English law the warrant agreements and the Warrants
constitute valid and binding obligations of the parties under English law.
(ix) The execution and delivery of the Terms Agreement (including
the provisions of this Agreement) and, if the Offered Securities are debt
15
securities, any Delayed Delivery Contracts have been duly authorized by the
Company, and the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) and,
if the Offered Securities are debt securities, any Delayed Delivery Contracts have
been duly executed and delivered by the Company.
Such opinions shall be subject to customary limitations, reservations and
assumptions.
(e) If the Offered Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities, the
Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing Date, of De Brauw
Blackstone Westbroek N.V., Dutch counsel for the Issuer, substantially to the effect that:
(i) The Issuer has been incorporated and is existing as a private
company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte
aansprakelijkheid) under Dutch law.
(ii) The Issuer has the corporate power to enter into and perform
the Agreements and to issue and perform the Guaranteed Debt Securities.
(iii) The Issuer has taken all necessary corporate action to
authorise its entry into and performance of the Underwriting Agreement, Indenture
and Terms Agreement and its issue and performance of the Guaranteed Debt
Securities.
(iv) The Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement and
the Guaranteed Debt Securities have been validly signed by the Issuer.
(v) Under Dutch law there are no governmental or regulatory
consents, approvals or authorisations required by the Issuer for its entry into and
performance of the Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement or for its
issue and performance of the Guaranteed Debt Securities.
(vi) Under Dutch law there are no registration, filing or similar
formalities required to ensure the validity, binding effect and enforceability
against the Issuer of the Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement and
the Guaranteed Debt Securities.
(vii) The entry into and performance of the Underwriting Agreement,
Indenture and Terms Agreement, and the issue and performance of the Guaranteed Debt
Securities, by the Issuer do not violate Dutch law or the articles of association
of the Issuer.
(viii) The choice of New York law as the governing law of the
Underwriting Agreement, Indenture and Terms Agreement and the
16
Guaranteed Debt
Securities is recognised under Dutch law by the Dutch
courts (provided that the choice of New York law as the law of the Agreements
and the Guaranteed Debt Securities is recognised under New York law as valid and
binding), and accordingly under Dutch law (A) New York law determines the validity
and binding effect of the Agreements and the Guaranteed Debt Securities and (B) the
Dutch courts are legally bound to apply New York law to the Agreements and the
Guaranteed Debt Securities and to determine the validity and binding nature of the
Agreements and Guaranteed Debt Securities by so applying New York law.
(ix) Under Dutch law, in proceedings in the New York Courts, New
York law determines the validity, binding effect and enforceability against the
Issuer.
(x) The statements in the Registration Statement under the heading
“Taxation – Dutch taxation” and “Enforceability of Certain Civil Liabilities”, to
the extent that they are statements as to Dutch law, are correct.
Such opinions shall be subject to customary limitations, reservations and
assumptions.
(f) The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the Closing
Date, of Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx LLP, United States counsel for the Company and the Issuer,
substantially to the effect that:
(i) No authorization, approval or other action by, and no notice to,
consent of, order of, or filing with, any United States Federal or New York
governmental authority is required to be made or obtained by the Company or the
Guarantor for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting
Agreement and Terms Agreement, other than (i) those that have been obtained or made
under the Securities Act or the Trust Indenture Act, (ii) those that may be
required under the Securities Act in connection with the use of a “free writing
prospectus” and (iii) those that may be required under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Offered
Securities by the Underwriters.
(ii) The consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement will not contravene any law, rule or
regulation of the United States of the State of New York that, in our experience,
is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions
of the type contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement.
17
(iii) The statements made in the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure
Package under the caption “Taxation — U.S. Taxation”, insofar as they purport to
describe the material tax consequences of an investment in the Offered Securities,
fairly summarize the matters therein described.
(iv) If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities: (a) assuming
that the Indenture has been duly authorized, and to the extent not a matter of New
York law, executed and delivered by the Company, the Indenture constitutes a legal,
valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in
accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles
of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness,
good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law); (b) the Offered Securities conform in all material respects to
the description thereof contained in the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure
Package; (c) assuming that the Offered Securities have been duly authorized, when
executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and
delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting
Agreement and Terms Agreement, the Offered Securities will constitute legal, valid
and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture
and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms (subject to
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer
and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in
effect and to general principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts
of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and (d) the Indenture has been
duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
(v) If the Offered Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities: (a)
assuming that the Indenture has been duly authorized, and to the extent not a
matter of New York law, executed and delivered by the Company and the Issuer, the
Indenture constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and the
Issuer enforceable against the Company and the Issuer in accordance with its terms
(subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally
from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); (b) the
Offered Securities conform in all material respects to the description thereof
contained in the Final Prospectus and the Disclosure Package; (c) assuming that the
Offered Securities have been duly authorized, when
18
executed and
authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered
to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and
Terms Agreement, the Offered Securities will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Issuer and the guarantee of the Offered Securities will
constitute a legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the
benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Issuer and the Company,
respectively, in accordance with their terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws
affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general
principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law); and (d) the Indenture has been duly qualified
under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
(vi) If the Offered Securities are Ordinary Shares represented by
American Depositary Receipts: (a) assuming that the Deposit Agreement has been duly
authorized, and to the extent not a matter of New York law, executed and delivered
by the Company, the Deposit Agreement constitutes legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its
terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally
from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). Insofar as
provisions in the Deposit Agreement provide for indemnification or a limitation of
liability, the enforceability thereof may be limited by public policy
considerations; (b) the statements set forth under the heading “Description of
Royal Dutch Shell American Depositary Receipts” in the Final Prospectus and the
Disclosure Package, insofar as such statements purport to constitute summaries of
the terms of the ADRs, fairly summarize, in all material respects, the matters
therein described; and (c) assuming that the issuance of the ADRs has been duly
authorized by the Company and the Depositary in accordance with applicable laws and
that the ADRs conform to the form of ADR attached to the Deposit Agreement (which
fact such counsel has not verified by an inspection of the individual ADRs), upon
due issuance by the Depositary of ADRs evidencing ADSs being delivered on the date
hereof against the deposit of Ordinary Shares in respect thereof in accordance with
the provisions of the Deposit Agreement and upon due execution thereof by the
Depositary’s authorized officers, the ADRs evidencing such ADSs will be duly and
validly issued and persons in whose names such ADRs are registered will be entitled
to the rights specified therein and in the Deposit Agreement. In
19
expressing the
foregoing opinion, such counsel may assume that (A) the Ordinary
Shares represented by the ADSs which are in turn evidenced by such ADRs have
been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable
and any preemptive rights with respect to such Ordinary Shares have been validly
waived or exercised, (B) the Company has the full power, authority and legal right
to deposit the Ordinary Shares in accordance with the Deposit Agreement and (C) the
Ordinary Shares have been duly deposited in accordance with the Deposit Agreement,
in each case under and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
(vii) If the Offered Securities are Warrants for Debt Securities or
Guaranteed Debt Securities (“Debt Warrants”): (a) assuming that the debt warrant
agreement has been duly authorized, and to the extent not a matter of New York law,
executed and delivered by the Company, the debt warrant agreement constitutes a
legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company
in accordance with its terms (subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles
of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness,
good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in
equity or at law); and (b) assuming that debt warrant certificates relating to the
Debt Warrants have been duly authorized, and to the extent not a matter of New York
law, executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the relevant
debt warrant agreement and issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration
Statement, such debt warrant certificates will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the relevant debt warrant
agreement and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms
(subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally
from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without
limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(viii) The Registration Statement (and if the Offered Securities are
ADRs, also the Registration Statement on Form F-6 relating to the ADRs (the “ADS
Registration Statement”)) have become effective under the Securities Act, and, to
our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement (or the ADS Registration Statement, if applicable) has been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or contemplated
under the Securities Act.
20
(ix) The Issuer is not required to register as an “investment
company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Cravath, Swaine & Xxxxx LLP will also provide the Representatives with a
statement to the effect that that although such counsel has made certain inquiries
and investigations in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement
(and the ADS Registration Statement, if applicable) and, the Disclosure Package and
the Final Prospectus, the limitations inherent in the role of outside counsel are
such that such counsel cannot and do not assume responsibility for the accuracy or
completeness of the statements made in the Registration Statement (and the ADS
Registration Statement, if applicable) and, the Disclosure Package and the Final
Prospectus, except insofar as such statements relate to such counsel and the
opinions referenced above, as applicable; subject to the foregoing, (a) such
counsel confirms, on the basis of information gained in the course of the
performance of the services rendered above, the Registration Statement (and the ADS
Registration Statement, if applicable), at the time it became effective (or was
last amended or deemed to be amended, as applicable), and the Final Prospectus, as
of the date thereof (in each case except for the financial statements and other
information of a statistical, accounting or financial nature included therein, the
Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1) included as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement and any description of English and Dutch law, as to which such counsel
does not express any view), appeared or appears on its face to be appropriately
responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and the applicable rules and regulations
thereunder; (b) such counsel advises that such counsel’s work in connection with
this matter did not disclose any information that gave such counsel reason to
believe that the Registration Statement (and the ADS Registration Statement, if
applicable), at the time the Registration Statement (and the ADS Registration
Statement, as applicable) became effective (or was last amended or deemed to be
amended, as applicable), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, or that the Final Prospectus, as of its
date, or the Disclosure Package, considered together as of the Applicable Time,
includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case except for
the financial statements and other information of an accounting or financial nature
included therein as to which such counsel does not express any view, and noting
that such counsel assumed the correctness of the descriptions of Dutch law and
English law provided by Dutch and English counsel to the Company).
21
Such opinion and statement shall be subject to customary limitations, reservations
and assumptions.
(g) The Representatives shall have received, if the Offered Securities are
Ordinary Shares represented by ADRs, the opinion of counsel to the Depositary stating that
the Deposit Agreement is a valid and binding obligation of the Depositary and that the ADRs
will be duly and validly issued and will entitle the registered holders the rights
specified in the Deposit Agreement.
(h) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx LLP or such other counsel specified in the Terms Agreement, counsel for the
Underwriters, an opinion incorporating subparagraphs (iii) through (vii), and the final
paragraph in (f) above, dated the Closing Date, and the Company and the Issuer shall have
furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for the purpose of enabling them
to pass upon such matters.
(i) The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing
Date, signed by any one of a director, the Chief Financial Officer, Secretary or Assistant
Secretary of the Company or Group Treasurer or the Head of Financial Markets of the Shell
Group (meaning Royal Dutch Shell plc and those companies in which it either directly or
indirectly has control, by having either a majority of the voting rights or the right to
exercise a controlling influence or to obtain the majority of the benefits and be exposed
to a majority of the risks) (and without personal liability of those persons signing) in
which such officers, to the best of their knowledge after having carefully examined the
Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, the Disclosure Package and this Agreement,
shall state that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company and, if
applicable, the Issuer in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the
Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and each of the
Company and the Issuer has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing
Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted
or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Issuer, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Final Prospectus or Disclosure
Package, there has been no material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
other), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken
as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of
business, except as set forth in or contemplated in
22
the Final Prospectus or
Disclosure Package or as described in such certificate.
The Company and the Issuer will furnish the Representatives with such conformed copies of such
opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Representatives reasonably request. The Lead
Underwriter may in its sole discretion waive on behalf of the Underwriters compliance with any
conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement and the Terms Agreement.
6. Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company, and if the Offered
Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities, the Issuer, will indemnify jointly and severally and
hold harmless each Underwriter and the directors, officers and employees of each Underwriter and
each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter, within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange
Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of
them may become subject under the Act or the Exchange Act or other U.S. federal or state statutory
law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, the Disclosure
Package, Preliminary Final Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each as amended
or supplemented if the Company or Issuer shall have furnished any amendments or supplements
thereto, or caused by the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made not misleading, and will reimburse each such indemnified party for any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending
any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however,
that the Company, and if the Offered Securities are Guaranteed Debt Securities, the Issuer, will
not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises
out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged
omission from any of such documents in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company or the Issuer by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the
Representatives, if any, specifically for use therein.
(b) Each Underwriter will severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company and the Issuer, each of their directors, officers and employees and each person, if
any, who controls the Company and/or the Issuer within the meaning of the Act or the
Exchange Act, to the same extent as the forgoing indemnity from the Company or the Issuer
to each Underwriter but only with reference to written information furnished to the Company
and/or the Issuer by such Underwriter through the Representatives, if any, specifically for
use therein, and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company and the Issuer in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred.
23
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under subsection (a) or (b)
above, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the
failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that
it may have under subsection (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been
materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such
failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not
relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under
subsection (a) or (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified
party and it notifies an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified party (not to be unreasonably withheld), be counsel to the
indemnifying party), and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party
of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party will not be liable
to such indemnified party under this Section for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to
appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party
shall have the right to employ a single separate counsel, in addition to a single separate
local counsel, and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and
expenses of such separate counsel, if the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party
to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest.
It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding
or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. An indemnifying
party shall not, without prior written consent of the indemnified parties (such consent not
to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of
any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in
respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not
the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless
such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected
without its written consent but if settled with such consent or if there be a final
judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified
party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
24
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b)) above, then
each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection
(a) or (b) above (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and/or the Issuer on the one
hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii)
if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law or is
unavailable for any reason, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the
Company and/or the Issuer on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company and the Issuer on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company and/or the Issuer bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The relative fault
shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material
fact relates to information supplied by the Company and/or the Issuer or the Underwriters
and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company, Issuer and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined
by pro rata allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations
referred to above. The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (e)
shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim which
is the subject of this subsection (e). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection
(e), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
which the total price at which the Offered Securities underwritten by it and distributed to
the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(e) The obligations of the Company and the Issuer under this Section shall
be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Issuer may otherwise have and
shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director, officer and employee
of, and each person, if any, who controls, any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act or
the Exchange Act; and the obligations of the
25
Underwriters under this Section shall be in
addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall
extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director, officer and employee of the
Company and the Issuer and to each person, if any, who controls the Company and the Issuer
within the meaning of the Act or the Exchange Act.
7. Default of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters default in their
obligations to purchase Offered Securities under the Terms Agreement and the aggregate principal
amount (if Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or shares (if
Ordinary Shares) of Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed to purchase does not exceed 10% of the total principal amount (if Debt Securities or
Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or shares (if Ordinary Shares) of Offered
Securities the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their
respective commitments under the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement), to
purchase the Offered Securities that such defaulting Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase. If
any Underwriter or Underwriters so default and the aggregate principal amount (if Debt Securities
or Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or shares (if Ordinary Shares) of Offered
Securities with respect to which such default or defaults occur exceeds 10% of the total principal
amount (if Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or shares (if
Ordinary Shares) of Offered Securities and arrangements satisfactory to the Lead Underwriter, the
Company and the Issuer for the purchase of such Offered Securities by other persons are not made
within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without liability on the part of
any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company or the Issuer, except as provided in Section 8. As
used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter
under this Section. Nothing herein will relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability, if any,
for its default. If the Offered Securities are Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities, the
respective commitments of the several Underwriters for the purposes of this Section shall be
determined without regard to reduction in the respective Underwriters’ obligations to purchase the
principal amounts (if Debt Securities or Guaranteed Debt Securities) or number of Warrants or
shares (if Ordinary Shares) of the Offered Securities set forth opposite their names in the Terms
Agreement as a result of Delayed Delivery Contracts entered into by the Company and/or the Issuer.
8. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The respective indemnities,
agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Issuer, the Company or its
officers and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to the Terms Agreement
(including the provisions of this Agreement) will remain in full force and effect, regardless of
any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any Underwriter,
the Issuer, the Company or any of their respective representatives, officers or directors or any
controlling person, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Offered Securities. If the
sale of the Offered Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 5 hereof is not satisfied or because of any
refusal, inability or failure on the part of any party to perform any agreement herein or comply
26
with any provision hereof, each party hereto shall be responsible for all of its own out of pocket
expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred in
connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Offered Securities.
9. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if sent to the
Underwriters, will be mailed, delivered or faxed and confirmed to them at their address
furnished to the Company or the Issuer in writing for the purpose of communications hereunder
or, if sent to the Company or the Issuer, will be mailed, delivered or faxed and confirmed to them
at Carel van Xxxxxxxxxxx 00, 0000 XX The Hague, The Netherlands, telephone: 000 00 00 000 0000,
Attention (for Company): Company Secretary, fax (for Company): 000 00 00 000 0000, Attention (for
Issuer): LSC, fax (for Issuer): 000 00 00 000 0000, with a copy to Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0 0XX,
telephone: x00 000 000 0000, fax: x00 000 000 0000, Attention: Head of Financial Markets (SI-FTF).
10. Successors. The Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement)
will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company, the Issuer and such Underwriters as
are identified in the Terms Agreement and their respective successors and the officers and
directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and no other person will have any right
or obligation hereunder.
11. Representation. Any Representatives will act for the several Underwriters in
connection with the transactions contemplated by the Terms Agreement, and any action under such
Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) taken by the Representatives jointly
or by the Lead Underwriter will be binding upon all the Underwriters.
12. Counterparts. The Terms Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall
together constitute one and the same Agreement.
13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company and the Issuer each acknowledge and agree that
(a) the purchase and sale of the Offered Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length
commercial transaction between the Company and the Issuer, on the one hand, and the several
Underwriters, on the other, (b) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such
transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the
Company or the Issuer, (c) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in
favor of the Company or the Issuer with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process
leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the
Company or the Issuer on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or the Issuer except
the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (d) each of the Company and the Issuer
have consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The
Company and the Issuer each agree that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has
rendered advisory services of any nature or respect,
27
or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the
Company or the Issuer, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral)
between the Company and the Issuer and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the
subject matter hereof.
14. Applicable Law. This Agreement and the Terms Agreement shall be governed by,
and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles
of conflicts of laws.
The Company and the Issuer hereby submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal and
state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising
out of or relating to the Terms Agreement (including the provisions of this Agreement) or the
transactions contemplated thereby.
The Company and the Underwriters irrevocably agree to waive trial by jury in any action,
proceeding, claim or counterclaim brought by or on behalf of any party related to or arising out of
this agreement, any terms agreement or any delayed delivery contract.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
28
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and
return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement
between the Company, the Issuer and the Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
Royal Dutch Shell plc | ||||||
By | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Shell International Finance B.V., in The Hague | ||||||
By | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
By | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: |
[Signature Page of Underwriting Agreement]
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby
accepted and agreed to as of the date first above
written.
[UNDERWRITERS]
By | ||||||
Title: |
[Signature Page of Underwriting Agreement]
[
ANNEX I
(Three copies of this Delayed Delivery Contract should be signed and returned
to the address shown below so as to arrive not later than 9:00 A.M.,
New York time, on , ____(1))
to the address shown below so as to arrive not later than 9:00 A.M.,
New York time, on , ____(1))
DELAYED DELIVERY CONTRACT
[Insert date of initial public offering]
Gentlemen:
The undersigned hereby agrees to purchase from [Royal Dutch Shell plc, a public company
limited by shares existing under the laws of England and Wales / Shell International Finance B.V.,
a private limited liability company organized under the laws of The Netherlands] (the “Company”),
and the Company agrees to sell to the undersigned, [If one delayed closing, insert—as of the date
hereof, for delivery on , (“Delivery Date”),]
[$] [shares]
—principal amount—of the Company’s [Insert title of securities] (“Securities”), offered by the
Company’s Prospectus dated , and a Prospectus Supplement dated , relating thereto,
receipt of copies of which is hereby acknowledged, at— % of the
principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any,—$ per share plus accrued dividends, if
any,—and on the further terms and conditions set forth in this Delayed Delivery Contract
(“Contract”).
[If two or more delayed closings, insert the following:
(1) | Insert date which is third full business day prior to Closing Date under the Terms Agreement. |
31
The undersigned will purchase from the Company as of the date hereof, for delivery on the
dates set forth below, Securities in the—principal—amounts set forth below:
Principal Amount | ||||
Number | ||||
Delivery Date | of Shares | |||
Each of such delivery dates is hereinafter referred to as a Delivery Date.]
Payment for the Securities that the undersigned has agreed to purchase for delivery
on—the—each—Delivery Date shall be made to the Company or its order in Federal (same day) funds by
certified or official bank check or wire transfer to an account designated by the Company, at the
office of at A.M. on—the—such—Delivery Date upon delivery to the
undersigned of the Securities to be purchased by the undersigned—for delivery on such Delivery
Date—in definitive [If debt issue, insert—fully registered] form and in such denominations and
registered in such names as the undersigned may designate by written or telegraphic communication
addressed to the Company not less than five full business days prior to—the—such—Delivery Date.
It is expressly agreed that the provisions for delayed delivery and payment are for the sole
convenience of the undersigned; that the purchase hereunder of Securities is to be regarded in all
respects as a purchase as of the date of this Contract; that the obligation of the Company to make
delivery of and accept payment for, and the obligation of the undersigned to take delivery of and
make payment for, Securities on—the—each—Delivery Date shall be subject only to the conditions that
(1) investment in the Securities shall not at—the—such—Delivery Date be prohibited under the laws
of any jurisdiction in the United States to which the undersigned is subject and (2) the Company
shall have sold to the Underwriters the total—principal amount—number of shares—of the Securities
less the—principal amount—-number of shares—thereof covered by this and other similar Contracts.
The undersigned represents that its investment in the Securities is not, as of the date hereof,
prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction to which the undersigned is subject and which governs
such investment.
Promptly after completion of the sale to the Underwriters the Company will mail or deliver to
the undersigned at its address set forth below notice to such effect, accompanied by—a
copy—copies—of the opinion[s] of counsel for the Company delivered to the Underwriters in
connection therewith.
32
This Contract will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their
respective successors, but will not be assignable by either party hereto without the written
consent of the other.
It is understood that the acceptance of any such Contract is in the Company’s sole discretion
and, without limiting the foregoing, need not be on a first-come, first-served basis. If this
Contract is acceptable to the Company, it is requested that the Company sign the form of acceptance
below and mail or deliver one of the counterparts hereof to the undersigned at its address set
forth below. This will become a binding contract between the Company and the undersigned when such
counterpart is so mailed or delivered.
Yours very truly,
(Name of Purchaser) | ||||||
By | ||||||
Accepted, as of the above date.
[Insert Royal Dutch Shell plc / Shell International Finance B.V.]
By | ||||||
[By | ||||||
33
34
ANNEX II
Form of Final Term Sheet
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration No. 333-126726
Registration No. 333-126726
[Name of Securities]
Issuer:
|
Shell International Finance B.V. | |
Guarantor:
|
Royal Dutch Shell plc | |
Title of Securities:
|
[ ] | |
Trade Date:
|
[ ] | |
Settlement Date (T+[3]):
|
[ ] | |
Maturity Date:
|
[ ] | |
Aggregate Principal Amount Offered:
|
[$/€]l | |
Price to Public (Issue Price):
|
l% plus accrued interest, if any, from l, 2006 | |
Interest Rate:
|
l% per annum | |
Interest Payment Dates:
|
l on each l and l, commencing on l, 2006 | |
Optional Redemption:
|
[ ] | |
Joint Bookrunners:
|
[ ] |
The Issuer has filed a Registration Statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and
Exchange Commission for the Offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you
should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission for more complete information about the Issuer and this
Offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting XXXXX on the SEC website at
xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, the Issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in
the Offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling [List
Underwriters contact details].
35
Any disclaimers or other notices that may appear below are not applicable to this communication and
should be disregarded. Such disclaimers or other notices were automatically generated as a result
of this communication being sent via [Bloomberg] or another email system.
36
[Royal Dutch Shell plc / Shell International Finance B.V.]
(“Company”)
(“Company”)
[Guaranteed] Debt Securities
TERMS AGREEMENT
,
To: [Underwriters]
[The [Representative[s] of the] Underwriters identified herein
Dear Sirs:
[Royal Dutch Shell plc, a public company limited by shares existing under the laws of England
and Wales] [Shell International Finance B.V., a private limited liability company organized under
the laws of the Netherlands] (“Company”) agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named
in Schedule A hereto for their respective accounts, on and subject to the terms and conditions of
the Underwriting Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Company’s registration statement on Form F-3
(No. 333-126726) (“Underwriting Agreement”), the following securities (“Offered Securities”) on the
following terms:
Title: [ %] [Floating Rate] [Senior/Subordinated] — Notes — Debentures — Bonds — Due .
Principal Amount : $ [(“Firm Securities”)].
Guarantor: [None.] [Royal Dutch Shell plc.]
Indenture: the indenture dated as of [ ], 2005, among [Royal Dutch Shell plc as
issuer] [Shell International Finance B.V. as issuer, Royal Dutch Shell plc as guarantor] and [ ] as Trustee.
Common Depositary: [none][ ].
1
[Over-allotment: In addition, upon written notice from the Lead Underwriter given to the
Company/Issuer from time to time not more than [ ]1 days subsequent to the date
hereof, the Underwriters may purchase up to $ additional principal amount (the
“Optional Securities”) of the Offered Securities at the same purchase price set forth in this Terms
Agreement for the Firm Securities. The Company/Issuer agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriters
the principal amount of Optional Securities specified in such notice, and the Underwriters agree,
severally and not jointly, to purchase such Optional Securities. Such Optional Securities shall be
purchased for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the principal amount of
Firm Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule A hereto (subject to
adjustment by the Lead Underwriter to eliminate fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters
only for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm
Securities. No Optional Securities shall be issued, sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities
previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the
Optional Securities or any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not
previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Lead
Underwriter to the Company/Issuer. References to “Offered Securities” in this Terms Agreement and
the Underwriting Agreement shall mean the Firm Securities and the Optional Securities. References
to the “Closing Date” in the Underwriting Agreement shall mean the Closing Date for the delivery of
and payment for the Firm Securities and each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional
Securities. Each condition to the Underwriters’ obligations to purchase and pay for the Firm
Securities set forth in Section 5 shall also be a condition to their obligations to purchase and
pay for any Optional Securities (with references to “Offered Securities” in any legal opinion being
changed as appropriate to refer to the Optional Securities being delivered on the date of delivery
of such opinion).]
Interest: [ % per annum, from , , payable semiannually on
and , commencing , , to holders of record on the
preceding or , as the case
may be.] [Zero coupon.]
Right to extend or defer interest payments:
Form and currency of payment:
Additional amounts:
Maturity: , .
Repayment upon acceleration:
Optional Redemption:
1 | To be determined in accordance with U.S. Federal income tax rules governing the fungibility of debt issues. |
2
Redemption:
Sinking Fund:
Defeasance:
Limitation on or additional events of default:
Limitation on or additional covenants:
Restrictions on transfer:
Conversion:
Subordination provisions:
Denominations:
Other terms:
Listing: [None.] [ .]
Delayed Delivery Contracts: [None.] [Delivery Date[s] shall , .
Underwriters’ fee is % of the principal amount of the Contract Securities.]
Purchase Price: % of principal amount, plus accrued interest[, if any,] from , .
Expected Reoffering Price: % of principal amount, subject to change by the
[Representative[s] [Underwriters].
Applicable Time:
Closing [for Firm Securities]: A.M. on , , at ,
in Federal (same day) funds.
Settlement and Trading: [Physical certificated form.] [Book-Entry Only via [DTC / Euroclear
and Clearstream].]
Blackout: Until days after the Closing Date.
Lock-up (if any): [ ]
[Name[s] and Address[es] of the [Representative[s]] [Underwriter[s]]:]
The provisions of the Underwriting Agreement are incorporated herein by reference.
3
The
Offered Securities will be made available for checking and packaging
at the office
of at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and
return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement
between the Company/Issuer and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
[Royal Dutch Shell plc] | ||||||
By | ||||||
[Shell International Finance B.V.] | ||||||
By | ||||||
By | ||||||
The foregoing Terms Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.
|
[lead underwriter]
By | ||||||
[Acting on behalf of itself and as the Representative of the several Underwriters.] |
4
SCHEDULE A
Principal Amount | ||||
of | ||||
[Offered]/[Firm] | ||||
Securities to be | ||||
Underwriter | Purchased | |||
[Underwriters] |
||||
Total |
$ | |||
A-1
SCHEDULE B
Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package
B-1
Royal Dutch Shell plc
(“Company”)
(“Company”)
Ordinary Shares
Warrants
Warrants
TERMS AGREEMENT
,
To: [Lead Underwriter]
The [Representative[s] of the] Underwriters identified herein
Dear Sirs:
Royal Dutch Shell plc, a public company limited by shares existing under the laws of England
and Wales (“Company”) agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule A
hereto for their respective accounts, on and subject to the terms and conditions of the
Underwriting Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Company’s registration statement on Form F-3 (No.
333-126726) (“Underwriting Agreement”), the following securities (“Offered Securities”) on the
following terms:
Title:
Number of Shares/Warrants: [(“Firm Securities”)].
[Over-allotment: In addition, upon written notice from the Lead Underwriter given to the
Company from time to time not more than 30 days subsequent to the date hereof, the Underwriters may
purchase up to additional shares/warrants (the “Optional Securities”) of the
Offered Securities at the same purchase price per share set forth in this Terms Agreement for the
Firm Securities. The Company agrees to issue sell to the Underwriters the number of
shares/warrants of Optional Securities specified in such notice, and the Underwriters agree,
severally and not jointly, to purchase such Optional Securities. Such Optional Securities shall be
purchased for the account of each Underwriter in the same proportion as the number of shares of
Firm Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule A hereto (subject to
adjustment by the
Lead Underwriter to eliminate
1
fractions) and may be purchased by the Underwriters only for the
purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the sale of the Firm Securities. No
Optional Securities shall be issued, sold or delivered unless the Firm Securities previously have
been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Optional Securities or
any portion thereof may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised
may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Lead Underwriter to the Company.
References to “Offered Securities” in this Terms Agreement and the Underwriting Agreement shall
mean the Firm Securities and the Optional Securities. References to the “Closing Date” in the
Underwriting Agreement shall mean the Closing Date for the delivery of and payment for the Firm
Securities and each time for the delivery of and payment for the Optional Securities. Each
condition to the Underwriters’ obligations to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities set forth in
Section 5 shall also be a condition to their obligations to purchase and pay for any Optional
Securities (with references to “Offered Securities” in any legal opinion being changed as
appropriate to refer to the Optional Securities being delivered on the date of delivery of such
opinion).]
(1) Exercise Price and currency of payment:
(2) Principal amount or number of securities to be purchase upon exercise:
(2) Terms of securities to be purchased upon exercise:
(2) Dates upon which warrants can be exercised and rights expire:
(2) Terms of securities sold with warrants, number of warrants sold with such
securities and whether warrants are separately transferable:
(2) Form: [Registered] [Bearer].
(2) Other terms:
Purchase Price [and Currency]: $ per share.
Expected Reoffering Price: $ per share, subject to change by the [Representative[s]]
[Underwriters].
Applicable Time:
Closing [for Firm Securities]: A.M. on , , at
,
in Federal (same day) funds.
(2) Underwriter[s’][’s] Compensation: $ payable to the [Representative[s]
for the proportionate accounts of the] Underwriter[s] on the Closing Date.
(1) | To be included only if Terms Agreement relates to warrants. | |
(2) | Include if purchase is at public offering price and compensation payable separately. |
2
Blackout: Until days after the Closing Date.
Lock-up
(if any): [ ]
[Name[s] and Address[es] of the [Representative[s]] [Underwriter[s]]:]
The provisions of the Underwriting Agreement are incorporated herein by reference.
The Offered Securities will be made available for checking and packaging at the office of
at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.
For purposes of Section 6 of the Underwriting Agreement, the only information furnished to the
Company by any Underwriter for use in the Prospectus consists of [l]:
3
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and
return to the Company one of the counterparts hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement
[between]/ [among] the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||||||||
Royal Dutch Shell plc | ||||||||
By | ||||||||
The foregoing Terms Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written. | ||||||||
[Lead Underwriter] | ||||||||
By | ||||||||
[Acting on behalf of itself and as the Representative of the several Underwriters.] |
4
SCHEDULE A
Number of Shares | ||||
of | ||||
[Offered]/[Firm] | ||||
Securities to be | ||||
Underwriter | Purchased | |||
[Underwriters] |
||||
————— | ||||
Total |
========= |
A- 1
SCHEDULE B
Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package
B- 1