KRONOS TITAN GMBH KRONOS EUROPE S.A./N.V. KRONOS TITAN AS KRONOS NORGE AS TITANIA AS AND KRONOS DENMARK APS AS BORROWERS KRONOS TITAN GMBH KRONOS EUROPE S.A./N.V. KRONOS NORGE AS AND KRONOS DENMARK APS AS GUARANTORS WITH DEUTSCHE BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A....
Execution
Copy
DATED
15 SEPTEMBER 2009
KRONOS
TITAN GMBH
KRONOS
EUROPE S.A./N.V.
KRONOS
TITAN AS
KRONOS
NORGE AS
TITANIA
AS
AND
KRONOS
DENMARK APS
AS
BORROWERS
KRONOS
TITAN GMBH
KRONOS
EUROPE S.A./N.V.
KRONOS
NORGE AS
AND
KRONOS
DENMARK APS
AS
GUARANTORS
WITH
DEUTSCHE
BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.
ACTING AS
AGENT
FOURTH
AMENDMENT AGREEMENT
RELATING
TO A
DATED 25
JUNE 2002
(as
amended by a first amendment agreement
dated 3
September 2004, by a second amendment agreement
dated 14
June 2005 and by a third amendment agreement
dated 26
May 2008)
CONTENTS
CLAUSE
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PAGE
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1.
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Definitions
and Interpretation
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2
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2.
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Amendment
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3
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3.
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Representations
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3
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4.
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Undertakings
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3
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5.
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Continuity
and further Assurance
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4
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6.
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Fees,
Costs and Expenses
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4
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7.
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Miscellaneous
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5
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8.
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Conclusion
of this Agreement (Vertragsschluss)
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5
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SCHEDULE
1.
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Conditions
Precedent
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7
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SCHEDULE
2.
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Amended
Facility Agreement
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9
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THIS FOURTH AMENDMENT AGREEMENT
is dated 15 September 2009
(the
"Agreement") and is made
between:
(1)
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Kronos Titan GmbH
(formerly known as Kronos Titan GmbH & Co. oHG), a limited
liability company (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter
Haftung) organised under the laws of the Federal Republic of
Germany, having its business address at Xxxxxxxxxxxx 0, 00000 Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx of Germany, which is registered in the commercial
register (Handelsregister) of the
local court (Amtsgericht) of Köln
under HRB 52058 (the "German
Borrower");
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(2)
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Kronos Europe S.A./N.V.,
a Belgian company with its registered office
at
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Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
00, 0000 Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, registered nationally under RPR 0449.103.862 (the
"Belgian
Borrower");
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(3)
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Kronos Titan AS, a
Norwegian company with registered office at Xxxxxxx.
0,
|
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0000
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, registered under no. 948 616 491 (the "Norwegian Borrower
1");
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(4)
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Titania AS, a Norwegian
company with registered office at 4380 Xxxxx
i
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Dalane,
Norway, registered under no. 916 769 318 (the "Norwegian Borrower
2");
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(5)
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Kronos Norge AS, a
Norwegian company with registered office at Xxxxxxx.
0,
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0000
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, registered under no. 816 769 132 (the "Norwegian Borrower 3"
and together with the Norwegian Borrower 1 and the Norwegian Xxxxxxxx 0,
xxxxxxxxxxxx xxx "Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx");
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(0)
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Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx ApS, a
Danish company with registered office at x/x Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, X.X. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx 00, 0000 Xxxxxxxxx X, Xxxxxxx, with
registration number CVR. no. 24 24 27 81 (the "Danish
Borrower");
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(7)
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Deutsche Bank AG as
mandated lead arranger;
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(8)
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THE LENDERS as specified
on the signature page (the "Lenders");
and
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(9)
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Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A.
as agent for the Finance Parties (as defined
in
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the
Original Facility Agreement) (the "Agent") and as security
agent for the Secured Parties (as defined in the Original Facility
Agreement).
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RECITALS:
(A)
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The
Lenders made a facility available to the German Borrower, the Belgian
Borrower, the Norwegian Borrowers and the Danish Borrower pursuant to the
terms and conditions under the Original Facility Agreement (as defined
below).
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(B)
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The
parties hereto have agreed to amend the Original Facility Agreement
pursuant to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
|
IT IS AGREED as
follows:
1. DEFINITIONS AND
INTERPRETATION
1.1 Definitions
In this
Agreement:
"Amended Facility Agreement"
means the Original Facility Agreement, as amended by this
Agreement.
"Effective Date" means the date
on which the Agent confirms to the Lenders and the German Borrower in writing
that it has received each of the documents listed in Schedule 1 (Conditions Precedent) in a
form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.
"Original Facility Agreement"
means the EUR 80,000,000 multicurrency revolving facility agreement dated 25
June 2002 (as amended by a first amendment agreement dated 3 September 2004, by
a second amendment agreement dated 14 June 2005 and by a third amendment
agreement dated 26 May 2008) between, inter alia, Kronos Titan GmbH
(formerly known as Kronos Titan GmbH & Co. oHG), Kronos Europe S.A./N.V. and
others as borrowers, Kronos Titan GmbH (formerly known as Kronos Titan GmbH
& Co. oHG), Kronos Europe S.A./N.V. and others as guarantors, Deutsche Bank
AG as mandated lead arranger, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. as agent and
security agent and others.
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1.2
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Unless
a contrary indication appears, terms used in the Original
Facility
|
Agreement
shall, when used in this Agreement have the same meaning as in the Original
Facility Agreement.
1.3Any reference in this Agreement to
a "Clause" or a "sub-clause" shall, subject to
any
contrary indication, be construed as a reference to a clause or a sub-clause
hereof.
2. AMENDMENT
2.1 Amendment
of the Original Facility Agreement
As of the
Effective Date, the Original Facility Agreement shall be amended so that it
shall be read and construed for all purposes as set out in Schedule 2 (Amended Facility
Agreement).
2.2 Security
Confirmation
(a)
|
The
German Borrower hereby confirms that the Security Documents entered into
by it continue in full force and effect and also shall secure its
obligations and the obligations of any of the other Obligors under the
Amended Facility Agreement.
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(b)
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The
Belgian Borrower hereby confirms that the Security Documents entered into
by it continue in full force and effect and also shall secure its
obligations and the obligations of any of the other Obligors under the
Amended Facility Agreement.
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(c)
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Kronos
Denmark ApS hereby confirms that the Security Documents entered into by it
continue in full force and effect and also shall secure its obligations
and the obligations of any of the other Obligors under the Amended
Facility Agreement
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(d)
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Each
of the Norwegian Borrowers hereby confirms that the Security Documents
entered into by it continue in full force and effect and also shall secure
its obligations and the obligations of any of the other Norwegian
Borrowers under the Amended Facility Agreement, in each case to the extent
as permitted under the Norwegian Companies Xxx 0000 Section 8-7 and
8-10.
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3. REPRESENTATIONS
As of the
Effective Date, the Obligors make the representations set out in Clause 22
(Representations)
(other than Clause 22.10) of the Original Facility Agreement as if each
reference in those representations to "this Agreement" or "the Finance
Documents" includes a reference to (a) this Agreement and (b) the Amended
Facility Agreement.
4. UNDERTAKINGS
The
German Borrower undertakes to agree to take all necessary steps to effect
amendments of the Security Documents granted by it in relation to (i) an
extension of the Security to its entire stock (Warenbestand) of titanium
dioxide which is located on premises of the German Borrower or on premises of
certain third party warehouse
keepers
and to deliver all information reasonably requested by the Security Agent, (ii)
an extension of the Security to certain present and future receivables acquired
by the the German Borrower from members of the Group and certain insurance
receivables and (iii) certain amendments to the reporting requirements in
relation to the Charged Property and certain other assets of the
Group.
5. CONTINUITY
AND FURTHER ASSURANCE
5.1 Continuing
obligations
The
provisions of the Original Facility Agreement shall, save as amended in this
Agreement, continue in full force and effect.
5.2Further assurance
Each of
the Obligors shall, at the request of the Agent and at its own expense, do all
such acts and things necessary or desirable to give effect to the amendments
effected or to be effected pursuant to this Agreement.
6. FEES,
COSTS AND EXPENSES
6.1
Amendment fee
Each
Borrower jointly and severally agrees to pay an amendment fee in an aggregate
amount of EUR 300,000 to the Agent within five Business Days after the Effective
Date for the account of each Lender pro rata to each Lender's Commitment under
the Amended Facilities Agreement, provided that the Norwegian Borrowers shall
only be liable to the extent which is permitted under the Norwegian Companies
Xxx 0000 Section 8-7.
6.2Transaction expenses
Each of
the Borrowers shall within three Business Days of demand, pay the Agent the
amount of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including reasonable
legal fees of outside counsel) reasonably incurred by the Agent in connection
with the negotiation, preparation, printing and execution of this Agreement and
any other documents referred to in this Agreement.
6.3Enforcement costs
Each of
the Borrowers shall, within three Business Days of demand, pay to each Secured
Party and the Mandated Lead Arranger the amount of all reasonable out- of-pocket
costs and expenses (including legal fees) reasonably incurred by that Secured
Party or the Mandated Lead Arranger in connection with the enforcement of, or
the preservation of any rights, powers and remedies under this
Agreement.
6.4 Stamp
taxes
The
Borrowers shall pay and, within three Business Days of demand, indemnify each
Finance Party against any cost, loss or liability that Finance Party incurs in
relation to all stamp duty, registration and other similar Taxes payable in
respect of this Agreement.
7. MISCELLANEOUS
7.1 Incorporation
of terms
The
provisions of Clause 16 (Tax
Gross Up and Indemnities), Clause 37 (Partial Invalidity), Clause
38 (Remedies and waivers),
Clause 40 (Governing
Law) and Clause 41.1 (Jurisdiction of German
Courts) of the Original Facility Agreement shall be incorporated into
this Agreement as if set out in full in this Agreement and as if references in
those clauses to "this Agreement" or "the Finance Documents" are references to
this Agreement.
7.2
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Designation
as Finance Document
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The
German Borrower and the Agent designate this Agreement as a Finance Document by
execution of this Agreement for the purposes of the definition of Finance
Document in the Original Facility Agreement.
8. CONCLUSION
OF THIS AGREEMENT (VERTRAGSSCHLUSS)
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8.1
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The
Parties to this Agreement may choose to conclude this Agreement by
an
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exchange
of signed signature page(s), transmitted by means of telecommunication
(telekommunikative Übermittlung) by way of fax or attached as an electronic
photocopy (pdf., tif., etc.) to electronic mail.
8.2If the Parties to this Agreement
choose to conclude this Agreement in accordance
with
sub-clause 8.1 above, they will transmit the signed signature page(s) of this
Agreement to Mrs. Xxxxxxx Xxx / Xx. Xxxxxxx Kropatscheck of Xxxxxxxx Chance
Partnerschaftsgesellschaft (each a "Recipient"). The Agreement
will be considered concluded once a Recipient has actually received the signed
signature page(s) (Zugang der
Unterschriftsseite(n)) from all Parties to this
Agreement and at the time of the receipt of the last outstanding signature
page(s).
8.3For the purposes of this Clause 8
only, the Parties to this Agreement appoint each
Recipient
individually as agent of receipt (Empfangsvertreter) and
expressly allow (gestatten) the Recipients to
collect the signed signature page(s) from all and for all Parties to this
Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, no Recipient will have any further duties
connected with its position as Recipient. In particular, each Recipient may
assume the conformity to the authentic original(s) of the signature page(s)
transmitted to it by means of telecommunication, the genuineness of all
signatures on the original signature page(s) and the signing authority of the
signatories.
THIS AGREEMENT has been
entered into on the date stated at the beginning of this Agreement.
SCHEDULE
1
Conditions
Precedent
1. Obligors
(a)A copy
of the constitutional documents of each Obligor.
(b)A copy
of a resolution of the board of directors of the Belgian Borrower,
each
Norwegian Borrower and the Danish Borrower:
(i)
|
approving
the terms of, and the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement and
resolving that it executes this
Agreement;
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(ii)
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authorising
a specified person or persons to execute this Agreement on its behalf;
and
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(iii)
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authorising
a specified person or persons, on its behalf, to sign and/or despatch all
documents and notices to be signed and/or despatched by it under or in
connection with this Agreement.
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(c)A copy
of a resolution signed by all the holders of the issued shares in
the
German
Borrower, approving the terms of, and the transactions contemplated by, this
Agreement.
(d) A
specimen of the signature of each person authorised to sign this
Agreement.
(e)A
certificate validly signed on behalf of the relevant Obligor
confirming
that
borrowing and/or guaranteeing and/or securing the Total Commitments would not
cause any borrowing and/or guaranteeing and/or security limit binding on it to
be exceeded.
(f)A
certificate of an authorised signatory of the relevant Obligor
certifying
that each
copy document relating to it specified in this Schedule 1 is correct, complete
and in full force and effect as at a date no earlier than the date of this
Agreement.
(g) Copies
of the Original Financial Statements (as defined in the Amended
Facility
Agreement) of each Obligor.
2. Legal Opinions
(a)
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A
legal opinion of Xxxxxxxx Chance Partnerschaftsgesellschaft, legal
advisers to the Agent in Germany, substantially in the form distributed to
the Lenders prior to signing this
Agreement.
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(b)
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A
legal opinion of Xxxxxxxx Chance, legal advisers to the Agent in Belgium,
substantially in the form distributed to the Lenders prior to signing this
Agreement.
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(c)
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A
legal opinion of Xxxxx, Xxxxxx-Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, legal advisers to
the Agent in Norway, substantially in the form distributed to the Lenders
prior to signing this Agreement.
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(d)
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A
legal opinion of Gorissen Xxxxxxxxxx Kierkegaard, legal advisers to the
Agent in Denmark, substantially in the form distributed to the Lenders
prior to signing this Agreement.
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(e)
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A
legal opinion of Xxxxxxxx Chance LLP, legal advisers to the Agent in the
United States of America, substantially in the form distributed to the
Lenders prior to signing this
Agreement.
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3. Other documents and
evidence
(a)
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A
copy of a confirmation and amendment agreement relating to the
Subordination Agreement, duly executed by the Parent and the German
Borrower.
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(b)
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A
copy of a confirmation and amendment agreement relating to the global
assignment agreement and to the security transfer agreement each dated 25
June 2002 and entered into between the German Borrower and the Security
Agent.
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(c)
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A
copy of the Structure Chart as of recent
date.
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(d)
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A
copy of any other Authorisation or other document, opinion or assurance
which the Agent considers to be necessary or desirable in connection with
the entry into and performance of the transaction contemplated by this
Agreement or for the validity and enforceability of this
Agreement.
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SCHEDULE
2
Amended
Facility Agreement
See below for
Schedule 2
SIGNATURES
The
Borrowers
Kronos
Titan GmbH
By: /s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
/s/
Ulfert Fiand
Kronos
Europe S.A./N.V.
By: /s/
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Kronos
Titan AS
By: /s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Titania
AS
By: /s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Kronos
Norge AS
By: /s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Kronos
Denmark ApS
By: /s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
The
Guarantors
Kronos
Titan GmbH
By: /s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
/s/
Ulfert Fiand
Kronos
Europe S.A./N.V.
By: /s/
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Kronos
Norge AS
By: /s/
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Kronos
Denmark ApS
By: /s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
The Mandated Lead
Arranger
Deutsche
Bank AG
By: /s/
Authorized Representative
The Agent and Security
Agent
Deutsche
Bank Luxembourg S.A.
By: /s/
Authorized Representative
The
Lenders
Deutsche
Bank Luxembourg S.A.
By: /s/
Authorized Representative
DnBNOR
Bank ASA
/s/ Authorized
Representative
KBC Bank
N.V.
By: /s/
Authorized Representative
DATED 25
June 2002
as
amended by an amendment agreement dated 3 September 2004, a second
amendment
agreement
dated 14 June 2005, a third amendment agreement dated 26 May 2008 and
a
fourth
amendment agreement dated 15 September 2009
KRONOS
TITAN GMBH
KRONOS
EUROPE S.A./N.V.
KRONOS
TITAN AS
TITANIA
AS
KRONOS
NORGE AS
AND
KRONOS
DENMARK APS
as
Borrowers
KRONOS
TITAN GMBH & CO. OHG
KRONOS
EUROPE S.A./N.V.
KRONOS
NORGE AS
AND
KRONOS
DENMARK APS
as
Guarantors
DEUTSCHE
BANK AG
as
Mandated Lead Arranger
DEUTSCHE
BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.
as Agent
and Security Agent
and
KBC
BANK NV
as
Fronting Bank
and
Others
EUR
80,000,000
FACILITY
AGREEMENT
CONTENTS
CLAUSE
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PAGE
|
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1.
|
Definitions
And Interpretation
|
|
2.
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The
Facility
|
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3.
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Purpose
|
|
4.
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Conditions
Of Utilisation
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5.
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Utilisation
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6.
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Optional
Currencies
|
|
7.
|
Letters
of Credit
|
|
8.
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Repayment
|
|
9.
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Borrower's
Liabilities In Relation To Letters Of Credit
|
|
10.
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Prepayment
And Cancellation
|
|
11.
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Interest
|
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12.
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Default
Interest
|
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13.
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Interest
Periods and Terms
|
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14.
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Changes
To The Calculation Of Interest
|
|
15.
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Fees
|
|
16.
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Tax
Gross Up And Indemnities
|
|
17.
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Increased
Costs
|
|
18.
|
Other
Indemnities
|
|
19.
|
Mitigation
By The Lenders
|
|
20.
|
Costs
And Expenses
|
|
21.
|
Guarantee
And Indemnity
|
|
22.
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Representations
|
|
23.
|
Information
Undertakings
|
|
24.
|
Financial
Covenants
|
|
25.
|
General
Undertakings
|
|
26.
|
Events
Of Default
|
|
27.
|
Changes
To The Lenders
|
|
28.
|
Changes
To The Obligors
|
|
29.
|
Role
Of The Agent, the Security Agent And The Mandated Lead
Arranger
|
|
30.
|
Conduct
Of Business By The Finance Parties
|
|
31.
|
Sharing
Among The Finance Parties
|
|
32.
|
The
Lenders and the Fronting Bank
|
|
33.
|
Payment
Mechanics
|
|
34.
|
Set-Off
|
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35.
|
Notices
|
|
36.
|
Calculations
And Certificates
|
|
37.
|
Partial
Invalidity
|
|
38.
|
Remedies
And Waivers
|
|
39.
|
Amendments
And Waivers
|
|
40.
|
Governing
Law
|
|
41.
|
Enforcement
|
|
Schedule
1
|
The
Original Lenders
|
|
Schedule
2
|
Conditions
Precedent
|
|
Schedule
3
|
Utilisation
Request
|
|
Schedule
4
|
Mandatory
Cost Formulae
|
|
Schedule
5
|
Form
of Transfer Certificate
|
|
Schedule
6
|
Form
of Compliance Certificate
|
|
Schedule
7
|
Existing
Security
|
|
Schedule
8
|
Existing
Financial Indebtedness
|
|
Schedule
9
|
Timetables
|
|
Schedule
10
|
Form
of Combining Schedule
|
|
Schedule
11
|
Form
of Confidentiality Undertaking
|
|
Schedule
12
|
Form
of Letter of Credit
|
|
Schedule
13
|
Form
of Auditor's Report
|
|
THIS AGREEMENT is dated 25
June 2002 (as amended by an amendment agreement dated 3 September 2004, a second
amendment agreement dated 14 June 2005, a third amendment agreement dated 26 May
2008 and a fourth amendment agreement dated 15 September 2009) and made
between:
(1)
|
KRONOS TITAN GMBH
(formerly known as Kronos Titan GmbH, & Co. oHG, the "German Borrower"), KRONOS EUROPE S.A./N.V.
(the "Belgian
Borrower"), KRONOS
TITAN AS (the "Norwegian Borrower 1"),
TITANIA AS
(the "Norwegian
Borrower 2"), KRONOS NORGE AS (the
"Norwegian Borrower
3" and together with the Norwegian Borrower 1 and the Norwegian
Borrower 2, collectively the “Norwegian Borrowers”)
and KRONOS DENMARK APS
(the "Danish
Borrower"), as borrowers (each a "Borrower" and together
the "Borrowers");
|
(2)
|
KRONOS TITAN GMBH
(formerly known as Kronos Titan GmbH, & Co. oHG), KRONOS EUROPE S.A./N.V.
(the "Belgian
Guarantor"), KRONOS NORGE AS (the
"Norwegian
Guarantor") and KRONOS DEMARK APS (the
"Danish
Guarantor"), as guarantors (each a "Guarantor" and together
the "Guarantors");
|
(3)
|
DEUTSCHE BANK AG as
mandated lead arranger (the "Mandated Lead
Arranger");
|
(4)
|
KBC BANK NV as fronting
bank (the "Fronting
Bank");
|
(5)
|
THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
listed in Schedule 1 (The Original
Lenders) as lenders (the "Original Lenders");
and
|
(6)
|
DEUTSCHE BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.
as agent of the other Finance Parties (the "Agent") and as Security
Agent for the Secured Parties (the "Security
Agent").
|
IT IS AGREED as
follows:
SECTION
1
INTERPRETATION
1. DEFINITIONS AND
INTERPRETATION
1.1 Definitions
In this
Agreement:
"Additional Cost Rate" has the
meaning given to it in Schedule 4 (Mandatory Cost
formulae).
"Affiliate" means, in relation
to any person, a Subsidiary of that person or a Holding Company of that person
or any other Subsidiary of that Holding Company.
"Agent's Spot Rate of Exchange"
means the Agent's spot rate of exchange for the purchase of the relevant
currency with the Base Currency in the European foreign exchange market at or
about 11:00 a.m. on a particular day.
"Applicable GAAP"
means:
(b)
|
in
relation to any Obligor whose jurisdiction of incorporation is the
Federal Republic of Germany, generally accepted accounting principles
in the Federal Republic of Germany;
|
(c)
|
in
relation to any Obligor whose jurisdiction of incorporation is Belgium,
generally accepted accounting principles in
Belgium;
|
(d)
|
in
relation to any Obligor whose jurisdiction of incorporation is Norway,
generally accepted accounting principles in Norway;
and
|
(e)
|
in
relation to the Danish Borrower, generally accepted accounting
principles in Denmark; and
|
(f)
|
in
relation to the Parent, US GAAP.
|
"Authorisation" means an
authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption, filing,
notarisation or registration.
"Availability Period" means the
period from and including the date of this Agreement to and including the
Business Day falling immediately before the Termination Date.
"Available Commitment" means a
Lender's Commitment minus:
(a)
|
the
Base Currency Amount of its participation in any outstanding Loans and
Letters of Credit; and
|
(b)
|
in
relation to any proposed Utilisation, the Base Currency Amount of its
participation in any Loans and Letters of Credit that are due to be made
on or before the proposed Utilisation
Date,
|
other
than that Lender's participation in any Loans and Letters of Credit that are due
to be repaid, prepaid or expire on or before the proposed Utilisation
Date.
"Available Facility" means the
aggregate for the time being of each Lender's Available
Commitment.
"Base Currency" means
euros.
"Base Currency Amount" means,
in relation to a Loan or a Letter of Credit, the amount specified in the
Utilisation Request delivered by a Borrower for that Loan or a Letter of Credit
(or, in the case of a Loan only, if the amount requested is not denominated
in the Base Currency, that amount converted into the Base Currency at the
Agent's Spot Rate of Exchange on the date which is three Business Days before
the Utilisation Date adjusted to reflect any repayment or prepayment of the
Loan).
"Break Costs" means the amount
(if any) by which:
(a)
|
the
interest which a Lender should have received for the period from the date
of receipt of all or any part of its participation in a Loan or Unpaid Sum
to the last day of the current Interest Period in respect of that Loan or
Unpaid Sum, had the principal amount or Unpaid Sum received been paid on
the last day of that Interest Period;
exceeds:
|
(b)
|
the
amount which that Lender would be able to obtain by placing an amount
equal to the principal amount or Unpaid Sum received by it on deposit with
a leading bank in the Relevant Interbank Market for a period starting on
the Business Day following receipt or recovery and ending on the last day
of the current Interest Period.
|
"Business Day"
means:
(a)
|
(in
relation to any day other than a date for the payment, purchase of, or
rate fixing relating to euro) a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, on
which banks are open for general business in Luxembourg, (in relation to
the Letter of Credit) the principal financial centre of the country of the
Facility Office of the Fronting Bank and (in relation to any date for
payment or purchase of, or rate fixing relating to, a sum denominated
in a currency other than euro) the principal financial centre of the
country of that currency; or
|
(b)
|
(in
relation to any date for payment, purchase of, or rate fixing relating to
euro) any TARGET Day.
|
"Capital Lease" means any lease
or hire purchase contract which would, in accordance with Applicable GAAP,
be treated as a finance or capital lease.
"Cash Collateral" means, in
relation to any Letter of Credit or L/C Proportion
of a
Letter of Credit, a deposit in an interest-bearing account or accounts with the
Fronting Bank as the Agent (with the consent of the Fronting Bank) may specify,
that deposit and account to be secured in favour of, and on terms and conditions
acceptable to, the Agent and the Fronting Bank.
"Cash Collateral Documents"
means any documents as the Agent may specify, to be entered into in relation to
the Cash Collateral.
"Cash Equivalent Investments"
means:
(a)
|
marketable
debt securities for which a recognised trading market exists (including
money market funds that invest substantially all of their assets in debt
securities accessible within 30 days) maturing within one year after
the relevant date of calculation, denominated in euros, sterling or
dollars or kroner ("Accepted Currency")
issued by any member state of the European Union, Norway and the United
States of America which are not convertible into any other form of
security;
|
(b)
|
marketable
debt securities for which a recognised trading market exists (including
money market funds that invest substantially all of their assets in debt
securities accessible within 30 days) maturing within one year after
the relevant date of calculation, denominated in any Accepted
Currency which are not convertible into any other form of security,
rated P-1 (Xxxxx'x Investor Services Inc.) or A-1 (Standard & Poors'
Corporation);
|
(c)
|
certificates
of deposit and time deposits maturing within one year after the relevant
date of calculation, denominated in any Accepted Currency issued by, and
acceptances by, banking institutions authorised under applicable
legislation of any member state of the European Union, the United States
of America or Norway which at the time of making such issue or
acceptances, have outstanding debt securities rated as provided in
paragraph (b) above or which have minimum capital of EUR 250,000,000;
and
|
(d)
|
such
other securities (if any) as are approved in writing by the Agent, in each
case to which any member of the Group is beneficially entitled at that
time and which are not issued or guaranteed by any member of the
Group.
|
"Charged Property" means all
the assets of the Borrowers which from time to time are, or are expressed to be,
the subject of the Transaction Security.
"Combining Schedule" means a
schedule substantially in the form set out in part I of
Schedule 10 (Form of Combining
Schedule) when delivered pursuant to Clause
23.3(a)(i) and part II of Schedule 10 (Form of Combining
Schedule)
when
delivered pursuant to Clause 23.3(a)(ii), in each case combining the
financial information of the Parent including each of the Obligors and its
Subsidiaries (on a legal entity basis) which is used to prepare and corresponds
with the Parent's (audited, in the case of a financial year) consolidated
balance sheet and statements of income and cash flows for the relevant financial
year or financial quarter (as the case may be), in each case prepared using US
GAAP.
"Commitment"
means:
(a)
|
in
relation to an Original Lender, the amount in the Base Currency set
opposite its name under the heading "Commitment" in Schedule 1 (The Original Lenders)
and the amount of any other Commitment transferred to it under this
Agreement; and
|
(b)
|
in
relation to any other Lender, the amount in the Base Currency of any
Commitment transferred to it under this
Agreement,
|
to the
extent not cancelled, reduced or transferred by it under this
Agreement.
"Compliance Certificate" means
a certificate substantially in the form set out in part I of Schedule 6 (Form of Compliance
Certificate).
"Confidentiality Undertaking"
means a confidentiality undertaking substantially as set out in Schedule 11
(Form of Confidentiality
Undertaking) or in any other form agreed between the German Borrower and
the Agent.
"Default" means an Event of
Default or any event or circumstance specified in Clause 26 (Events of Default) which
would (with the expiry of a grace period, the giving of notice, the making of
any determination under the Finance Documents or any combination of any of
the foregoing) be an Event of Default.
"Environmental Claim" means any
claim, proceeding or investigation by any person in respect of any Environmental
Law.
"Environmental Law" means any
applicable law in any jurisdiction in which any member of the Group conducts
business which relates to the pollution or protection of the environment or harm
to or the protection of human health or the health of animals or
plants.
"Environmental Permits" means
any permit, licence, consent, approval and other authorisation and the filing of
any notification, report or assessment required under any Environmental Law
for the operation of the business of any member of the Group conducted on or
from the properties owned or used by the relevant member of the
Group.
"EURIBOR" means, in relation to
any Loan in euro:
(a)
|
the
applicable Screen Rate; or
|
(b)
|
(if
no Screen Rate is available for the Interest Period of that Loan) the
arithmetic mean of the rates (rounded upwards to four decimal places) as
supplied to the Agent at its request quoted by the Reference Banks to
leading banks in the European interbank
market,
|
as of the
Specified Time on the Quotation Day for the offering of deposits in euro for a
period comparable to the Interest Period of the relevant Loan.
"Event of Default" means any
event or circumstance specified as such in Clause 26 (Events
ofDefault).
"Expiry Date" means, in
relation to any Letter of Credit, the date on which the maximum aggregate
liability under that Letter of Credit is to be reduced to zero provided that any such date
will end on or before the Termination Date.
"Facility" means the revolving
loan and letter of credit facility made available under this Agreement as
described in Clause 2 (The
Facility).
"Facility Office" means the
office or offices notified by a Lender to the Agent in writing on or before the
date it becomes a Lender (or, following that date, by not less than five
Business Days' written notice) as the office or offices through which it will
perform its obligations under this Agreement.
"Fee Letter" means any letter
or letters dated on or about the date of this Agreement or on or about the date
of the Third Amendment Agreement, or on or about the date of the Fourth
Amendment Agreement between the Mandated Lead Arranger and the German Borrower
(or the Agent and the German Borrower or the Fronting Bank and the relevant
Borrower) setting out any of the fees referred to in Clause 15 (Fees) or any other fees
agreed between the parties to such letter or letters.
"Finance Document" means this
Agreement, the First Amendment Agreement, the Second Amendment Agreement, the
Third Amendment Agreement, the Fourth Amendment Agreement, the Security
Documents, the Subordination Agreement, any Fee Letter and any other document
designated as such by the Agent and the German Borrower.
"Finance Party" means the
Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger, the Fronting Bank, the Security Agent or a
Lender.
"Financial Indebtedness" means
any indebtedness for or in respect of: (a) moneys borrowed;
(b)
|
any
amount raised by acceptance under any acceptance credit
facility;
|
(c)
|
any
amount raised pursuant to any note purchase facility or the issue of
bonds, notes, debentures, loan stock or any similar
instrument;
|
(d)
|
the
amount of any liability in respect of any Capital
Lease;
|
(e)
|
receivables
sold or discounted (other than any receivables to the extent they are sold
on a non-recourse basis);
|
(f)
|
any
amount under any other transaction (including any forward sale or purchase
agreement) having the commercial effect of a borrowing as defined in
paragraphs (a) or (c) above (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not
include deferred payment obligations which are standard within the
industry and in the ordinary course of
business);
|
(g)
|
any
derivative transaction and the resulting net liability as determined from
time to time, if any, entered into in connection with protection against
or benefit from fluctuation in any rate or price (and, when
calculating the value of any derivative transaction, only the marked
to market value shall be taken into
account);
|
(h)
|
any
counter-indemnity obligation in respect of a guarantee, indemnity, bond,
standby or documentary letter of credit or any other instrument
issued by a bank or financial institution;
and
|
(i)
|
the
amount of any liability in respect of any guarantee or indemnity for any
of the items referred to in paragraphs (a) to (h)
above.
|
"First Amendment Agreement"
means the amendment agreement dated 3 September 2004 relating to this
Agreement.
"Fourth Amendment Agreement"
means the amendment agreement dated on or about 15 September 2009 relating to
this Agreement.
"Fourth Amendment Agreement Effective
Date" means the Effective Date as defined in the Fourth Amendment
Agreement.
"Fronting Bank" means KBC Bank
NV.
"Group" means each of the
Obligors and their Subsidiaries.
"Holding Company" means, in
relation to a company or corporation, any other company or corporation in
respect of which it is a Subsidiary.
"Intellectual Property" means
all patents, trade marks, service marks, trade
names,
design rights, copyright (including rights in computer software and
moral
rights
and in published and unpublished work), titles, rights to know-how and other
intellectual property rights, in each case whether registered or unregistered
and including applications for the grant of any of the foregoing and all rights
or forms of protection having equivalent or similar effect to any of the
foregoing which may subsist anywhere in the world.
"Interest Period" means, in
relation to a Loan, each period determined in accordance with Clause 13
(Interest Periods) and,
in relation to an Unpaid Sum, each period determined in accordance with Clause
12.1 (Default interest
periods).
"Intra-group Loan" means a
borrowing of money as defined in paragraphs (a),
(c) and (f)
of the definition of Financial Indebtedness from the Parent or any other member
of the Kronos Group by any member of the Group.
"Kronos Group" means Kronos
Worldwide, Inc. and its Subsidiaries (other than any such Subsidiaries which
form part of the Group).
"L/C Amount"
means:
(a)
|
each
sum paid or due and payable by the Fronting Bank to the beneficiary
of a Letter of Credit pursuant to the terms of that Letter of Credit;
and
|
(b)
|
all
liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, any costs incurred in
funding any amount which falls due from the Fronting Bank under a
Letter of Credit), claims, losses and out-of-pocket expenses which
the Fronting Bank incurs or sustains in connection with a Letter of
Credit,
|
in each
case which has not been reimbursed pursuant to Clause 9 (Borrower's liabilities in
relation to Letters of Credit).
"L/C Commission Rate" means a
letter of credit commission rate of 1.75 per cent. per annum.
"L/C Proportion" means, in
relation to a Lender in respect of any Letter of Credit and save as otherwise
provided in this Agreement, the proportion (expressed as a percentage)
borne by that Lender's Available Commitment to the Available Facility
immediately prior to the issue of that Letter of Credit.
"Legal Opinions" means the
legal opinions delivered to the Agent pursuant to Clause 4.1 (Initial conditions
precedent).
"Legal Reservations"
means:
(a)
|
the
principle that equitable remedies may be granted or refused at the
discretion of a court, the limitation of enforcement by laws relating to
insolvency, reorganisation and other laws generally affecting the
rights of creditors; and
|
(b)
|
the
time bearing of claims, defences of set-off or counterclaim and
similar principles which are set out in the Legal Opinions as
qualifications as to matters of
law.
|
"Lender" means:
(a)
|
any
Original Lender; and
|
(b)
|
any
bank, financial institution, trust, fund or other entity which has
become a Party in accordance with Clause 27 (Changes to the
Lenders),
|
which in
each case has not ceased to be a Party in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
"Letter of Credit" means a
letter of credit issued or to be issued by the Fronting Bank under the Facility
substantially in the form set out in Schedule 12 (Form of Letter of Credit) or
in such other form requested by the Borrower which is acceptable to the
Agent and the Fronting Bank.
"LIBOR" means:
(a)
|
in
relation to any Loan (other than a Loan denominated or to be
denominated in sterling), the applicable Screen Rate;
or
|
(b)
|
in
relation to (i) any Loan denominated in or to be denominated in
sterling or (ii) any other Loan if no Screen Rate is available for
the currency or Interest Period of that other Loan, the arithmetic mean of
the rates (rounded upwards to four decimal places) as supplied to the
Agent at its request quoted by the Reference Banks to leading banks in the
London interbank market,
|
as of the
Specified Time on the Quotation Day for the offering of deposits in the currency
of that Loan and for a period comparable to the Interest Period for that
Loan.
"Loan" means a loan made or to
be made under the Facility or the principal amount outstanding for the time
being of that loan.
"LMA" means the Loan Market
Association.
"Majority Lenders"
means:
(a)
|
until
the Total Commitments have been reduced to zero, a Lender or Lenders whose
Commitments aggregate more than 51% of the Total Commitments (or, if the
Total Commitments have been reduced to zero and there are no Loans or
Letters of Credit then outstanding, aggregated more than 51% of the Total
Commitments immediately prior to the reduction);
or
|
(b)
|
at
any other time, a Lender or Lenders whose participations in the
Outstandings aggregate more than 51% of all the
Outstanding.
|
"Mandatory Cost" means the
percentage rate per annum calculated by the Agent in accordance with Schedule 4
(Mandatory Cost
formulae).
"Margin" means
(a) until
and including the Original Leverage Test Compliance Date
(i)
|
3.00
per cent. per annum while the Outstandings are less than 33. 1/3 % of the
Total Commitments;
|
(ii)
|
3.50
per cent. per annum while the Outstandings are equal to or higher than 33.
1/3 % of the Total Commitments but less than 66. 2/3 % of the Total
Commitments;
|
(iii)
|
4.00
per cent. per annum while the Outstandings are equal to or higher than 66.
2/3 % of the Total Commitments;
|
provided that any increase or
decrease in the Margin pursuant to this paragraph (a) shall take effect in
relation to a Loan only after the last day of the Interest Period for that Loan;
and
(b) thereafter
1.75 per cent. per annum.
However,
the decrease in the Margin for a Loan following the Original Leverage Test
Compliance Date shall take effect on the date which is the first day of the next
Interest Period for that Loan following receipt by the Agent of the
Compliance Certificate for that Relevant Period pursuant to Clause 23.4
(Compliance Certificate).
"Material Adverse Effect" means
a material adverse effect on the business, assets or financial condition of
the German Borrower, the Belgian Borrower or the Group taken as a
whole.
"Material Contracts" means any
agreements including licence agreements en-
tered
into by any member of the Group which is reasonably likely to be
material
to the
business or financial condition of any Obligor or the Group taken as a
whole.
"Material Subsidiary" means
Unterstützungskasse Kronos Titan GmbH and any other Subsidiary of any
Obligor:
(a)
|
whose
total assets represent 5 per cent. or more of the consolidated
total
|
|
assets
of the Group; or
|
(b)
|
whose
total operating income represents 5 per cent. or more of the
con-
|
|
solidated
total operating income of the
Group,
|
all as
shown (in the case of any Subsidiary) in its most recent annual or half yearly
accounts (consolidated, as the case may be, if it has Subsidiaries) and (in the
case of the Group) the most recent annual or, as the case may be, half yearly
Combining Schedules of the Group, provided that:
(i)if any
Material Subsidiary sells, transfers or otherwise disposes of
the
majority of its undertaking or assets (whether by a single transaction or a
number of related transactions) to any other member of the Group:
(1)
|
that
other member of the Group shall be deemed to
be-
|
|
come
a Material Subsidiary on the date of the relevant sale, transfer or
disposal; and
|
(2)
|
any
Material Subsidiary which sells, transfers or
other-
|
|
wise
disposes of the majority of its undertaking or assets (whether by a single
transaction or a number of related transactions) shall no longer be a
Material Subsidiary on the date of the relevant sale, transfer or
disposal, until the Material Subsidiaries are next determined from the
annual or half yearly accounts referred to
above;
|
(ii)if
any Material Subsidiary does not satisfy either of the tests set
out in
paragraphs (a) and (b) above for reasons other than those referred to under
paragraph (i) above, then such Material Subsidiary shall cease to be a
Material Subsidiary from the point of time that the non-satisfaction of such
tests can be determined from the annual audited accounts or the half yearly
unaudited accounts referred to above; and
|
(iii)
if a Subsidiary has been acquired since the date as of which the latest
consolidated annual or half yearly accounts of the
Group
|
were
prepared, such accounts shall be adjusted in order to take into account the
acquisition of such Subsidiary.
"Month" means a period starting
on one day in a calendar month and ending on the numerically corresponding day
in the next calendar month, except that:
(a)
|
if
the numerically corresponding day is not a Business Day, that period shall
end on the next Business Day in that calendar month in which that period
is to end if there is one, or if there is not, on the immediately
preceding Business Day; and
|
(b)
|
if
there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month in which
that period is to end, that period shall end on the last Business Day in
that calendar month.
|
The above
exceptions will only apply to the last Month of any period.
"Obligor" means a Borrower or a
Guarantor.
"Optional Currency" means a
currency (other than the Base Currency) which complies with the conditions set
out in Clause 4.3 (Conditions
relating to Optional Currencies).
"Original Financial Statements"
means:
(a)
|
in
relation to the Norwegian Guarantor, its audited consolidated financial
statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2008 prepared
using Applicable GAAP;
|
(b)
|
in
relation to each Obligor, its audited unconsolidated financial
statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2008 prepared
using Applicable GAAP; and
|
(c)
|
in
relation to the Group, a Combining Schedule for the financial year ended
31 December 2008 prepared using US
GAAP.
|
"Original Leverage Test Compliance
Date" means the first date following the Fourth Amendment Agreement
Effective Date on which a Compliance Certificate is delivered to the Agent
in accordance with Clause 23.4 (Compliance Certificate)
evidencing compliance with each paragraph of Clause 24.2 (Financial condition)
(including, for the avoidance of doubt, paragraph (a) of Clause 24.2 (Financial condition), even
though the Borrowers are not required to maintain compliance with paragraph (a)
of Clause 24.2 (Financial
condition) until the Relevant Period to which such Compliance Certificate
relates).
"Outstandings" means at any
time, the aggregate of the Base Currency Amounts of the outstanding Loans and
the amount of the maximum actual and contingent liabilities of the Lenders in
respect of each outstanding Letter of Credit.
"Parent" means Kronos
International, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
"Participating Member State"
means any member state of the European Communities that adopts or has adopted
the euro as its lawful currency in accordance with legislation of the
European Community relating to Economic and Monetary Union.
"Party" means a party to this
Agreement.
"Permitted Affiliate
Transactions" means any transaction entered into between any member of
the Group and the Parent or any other member of the Kronos Group either (i)
which is necessary to accommodate legal or regulatory requirements of such
member of the Group, or (ii) following the Original Leverage Test Compliance
Date in the ordinary course of trading or business and in accordance with past
practice.
"Permitted Financial
Indebtedness" means Financial Indebtedness, without
duplication:
(a)
|
arising
under or permitted pursuant to the Finance
Documents;
|
(b)
|
incurred
with the prior written consent of the Majority Lenders and any Refinancing
thereof;
|
(c)
|
existing
on the date of this Agreement and listed in Schedule 8 (Existing Financial
Indebtedness) and any Refinancing thereof, provided that the
Financial Indebtedness referred to in item 1 of Schedule 8 (Existing Financial
Indebtedness) (or any Refinancing thereof) is repaid upon the first
Utilisation Date and the Financial Indebtedness referred to in item 7 of
Schedule 8 (Existing
Financial Indebtedness) (or any Refinancing thereof) is repaid no
later than 120 days from the date of this Agreement and provided further that
any Refinancing of the Financial Indebtedness referred to in
items 2 and 3 of Schedule 8 (Existing Financial
Indebtedness) is subject to a subordination agreement between
the debtor, the creditor and the Security Agent on substantially the same
terms as in the Subordination
Agreement;
|
(d)
|
arising
under any derivative transaction entered into by any member of the Group
in respect of Financial Indebtedness of such members of the Group and any
Refinancing thereof provided that such
derivative transactions are (i) entered into to protect members of the
Group from fluctuations in interest rates on outstanding Financial
Indebtedness to the extent the notional principal amount of such
derivative transactions does not, at the time of the incurrence thereof,
exceed the principal amount of the Financial Indebtedness to which
such derivative transaction relates and (ii) entered into in the ordinary
course of business of such members of the Group and not for investment or
speculative purposes;
|
(e)
|
arising
under any commodity agreements or currency agreements entered into by any
member of the Group provided that (i) in the
case of any such currency agreements which relate to Financial
Indebtedness or trade payables of any member of the Group, such currency
agreements do not increase the outstanding Financial Indebtedness or trade
payables of such member of the Group (other than as a result of
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates or by reason of fees,
indemnities and compensation payable thereunder) and (ii) in the case
of any such commodity agreements or currency agreements, such agreements
are entered into in the ordinary course of business of such members of the
Group and not for investment or speculative
purposes;
|
(f)
|
owed
by any Obligor to any other
Obligor;
|
(g)
|
owed
by any member of the Group which is not an Obligor to any other member of
the Group which is not an Obligor or to an Obligor, unless incurred in
violation of this Agreement;
|
(h)
|
arising
under any Intra-group Loans provided that the
payment claims of the Parent or any other member of the Kronos Group in
respect of any such Intra-group Loans have been subordinated to the claims
of the Finance Parties pursuant to the Subordination Agreement;
and
|
(i)
|
arising
from the honouring by a Lender or other financial institution of a cheque,
draft or similar instrument inadvertently (except in the case of daylight
overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of
business, provided that
such Financial Indebtedness is extinguished within two
Business Days of incurrence;
|
(j)
|
consisting
of guarantees, indemnities or obligations in respect of customary
purchase price adjustments in connection with the acquisition of or
disposal over assets up to an aggregate amount of EUR 2,000,000 (or its
equivalent in another currency or
currencies);
|
(k)
|
incurred
by the Norwegian Borrower 2 in the ordinary course of business to finance
the purchase price for the acquisition of heavy earth moving equipment or
other similar equipment related to mining by it or any
Re-
|
financing
thereof up to an aggregate amount of EUR 10,000,000 (or its equivalent in
another currency or currencies);
(l) incurred
by any member of the Group the principal amount of which
(when
aggregated with the principal amount of all other Financial Indebtedness
incurred by the members of the Group other than any Financial Indebtedness
permitted under paragraphs (a) to (k) above) does not exceed EUR 5,000,000 (or
its equivalent in another currency or currencies).
"Permitted Loans and
Guarantees" means:
(a)
|
any
guarantee or indemnity granted by any member of the Group or any
assumption of liability in respect of any obligation of any other person
made by any member of the Group in the ordinary course of its trading or
business and upon terms usual for such trading or
business;
|
(b)
|
any
guarantee or indemnity required under any of the Finance
Documents;
|
(c)
|
any
loan, grant of credit, guarantee or indemnity or assumption of any
liability in respect of any other person which is granted or made by
any member of the Group who is not an Obligor to or for the benefit of an
Obligor;
|
(d)
|
any
loan, grant of credit, guarantee or indemnity or assumption of any
liability in respect of any other person which is granted or made by
any Obligor to or for the benefit of any other Obligor;
and
|
(e)
|
any
loan granted by any Obligor to any wholly-owned subsidiary being a member
of the Group which is not an Obligor (including the sale or
discounting of receivables by any member of the Group to the German
Borrower) up to an aggregate amount of EUR
5,000,000.
|
"Permitted Profit and Loss Transfer
Agreement" has the meaning ascribed to such term in Clause
25.16.
"Quotation Day" means, in
relation to any period for which an interest rate is to be
determined:
(a)
|
(if
the currency is euro) two TARGET Days before the first day of that period;
or
|
(b)
|
(for
any other currency) two Business Days before the first day of that
period,
|
unless
market practice differs in the Relevant Interbank Market for a currency, in
which case the Quotation Day for that currency will be determined by the Agent
in accordance with market practice in the Relevant Interbank Market (and if
quotations would normally be given by leading banks in the Relevant
Interbank Market on more than one day, the Quotation Day will be the last
of those days).
"Reference Banks" means
Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. and the principal offices of KBC Bank N.V. and
DnBNOR Bank ASA or such other bank or banks as may from time to time be agreed
between the German Borrower and the Agent acting on the instructions of the
Majority Lenders.
"Refinance" means, in respect
of any Financial Indebtedness, to refinance in whole or in part the amount of
such Financial Indebtedness on arms' length terms and in accordance with market
standards and the terms "Refinanced" and "Refinancing" shall be construed
accordingly.
"Relevant Interbank Market"
means in relation to euro, the European inter-
bank
market and, in relation to any other currency, the London interbank
market.
"Relevant Jurisdiction"
means:
(a)
|
the
jurisdiction of incorporation of each member of the Group;
and
|
(b)
|
the
jurisdiction where any asset subject to or intended to be subject to the
Transaction Security is situated.
|
"Repeating Representations"
means each of the representations set out in Clauses 22.1 (Status) to 22.6 (Governing law and
enforcement), Clause 22.9 (No default), Clause 22.13
(No proceedings pending or
threatened), Clause 22.19 (Legal and beneficial owner)
and Clause 22.20 (No winding
up).
"Rollover Loan" means one or
more Loans:
(a)made
or to be made on the same day that a:
(i) maturing
Loan is due to be repaid; or
(ii) demand in
respect of a Letter of Credit is due to be met;
(b)the
aggregate amount of which is equal to or less than the maturing
Loan
or Letter
of Credit;
(c) in
the same currency as the maturing Loan (unless it arose as a result
of
the
operation of Clause 6.2 (Unavailability of a
currency)) or Letter of Credit; and
(d)made
or to be made to the same Borrower for the purpose of:
(i)
|
refinancing
a maturing Loan; or
|
(ii)
|
satisfying
any demand made by the Fronting Bank through the Agent pursuant to a
drawing under a Letter of Credit.
|
"Screen Rate"
means:
(a)
|
in
relation to any amount to be advanced or owing in euro, the
percentage rate per annum determined by the Banking Federation of the
European Union for the relevant period;
and
|
(b)
|
in
all other respects, the British Bankers Association Interest Settlement
Rate for the relevant currency and
period,
|
displayed
on the appropriate page of the Reuters screen. If the agreed page is replaced or
service ceases to be available, the Agent may specify another page or service
displaying the appropriate rate in the Agent's reasonable discretion with the
approval of the German Borrower (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed) and after consultation with the Lenders.
"Second Amendment Agreement"
means the amendment agreement dated 14 June 2005 relating to this
Agreement.
"Secured Parties" means the
Security Agent, the Agent, the Fronting Bank and each Lender from time to time
party to this Agreement.
"Security" means a mortgage,
charge, pledge, lien or other security interest securing any obligation of
any person or any other agreement or arrangement having a similar
effect.
"Security Document" means each
of the documents delivered to the Agent listed in Section 4 of Schedule 2 (Conditions Precedent)
together with any other document entered into by a Borrower creating or
expressed to create Security over all or any part of its assets in respect of
the obligations of any of the Obligors under any of the Finance
Documents.
"Specified Time" means a time
determined in accordance with Schedule 9 (Timetables).
"Structure Chart" means a chart
showing the Parent and its Subsidiaries and any direct shareholders of any
member of the Group and the relationship between all such
entities.
"Subordination Agreement" means
the subordination agreement entered into between the Security Agent, the Parent
and the German Borrower.
"Subsidiary" means in relation
to any company or corporation, a company or corporation:
(a)
|
which
is controlled, directly or indirectly, by the first mentioned company
or corporation;
|
(b)
|
more
than half the issued share capital of which is beneficially owned,
directly or indirectly by the first mentioned company or corporation;
or
|
(c)
|
which
is a Subsidiary of another Subsidiary of the first mentioned company
or corporation,
|
and for
this purpose, a company or corporation shall be treated as being controlled
by another if that other company or corporation is able to direct its affairs
and/or to control the composition of its board of directors or equivalent
body.
"TARGET" means Trans-European
Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer payment
system.
"TARGET2" means the
Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer payment
system which utilises a single shared platform and which was launched on 19
November 2007.
"TARGET Day"
means:
(a)
|
until
such time as TARGET is permanently closed down and ceases operations,
any day on which both TARGET and TARGET2 are;
and
|
(b)
|
following
such time as TARGET is permanently closed down and ceases operations, any
day on which TARGET2 is,
|
open for
the settlement of payments in euro.
"Tax" means any tax, levy,
impost, duty or other charge or withholding of a similar nature (including any
penalty or interest payable in connection with any failure to pay or any delay
in paying any of the same).
"Term" means, in relation to
any Letter of Credit, the period from its Utilisation Date until its Expiry
Date.
"Termination Date" means the
date falling 36 Months after the date of the Third Amendment
Agreement.
"Third Amendment Agreement"
means the amendment agreement dated on or about 26 May 2008 relating to this
Agreement.
"Total Commitments" means the
aggregate of the Commitments, being EUR 80,000,000 at the date of this
Agreement.
"Transaction Security" means
the Security created or expressed to be created in favour of the Security Agent
and/or the Secured Parties pursuant to the Security Documents or this
Agreement.
"Transfer Certificate" means a
certificate substantially in one of the forms set out in Schedule 5 (Form of Transfer Certificate)
or any other form agreed between the Agent and the German
Borrower.
"Transfer Date" means, in
relation to a transfer, the later of:
(a) the
proposed Transfer Date specified in the Transfer Certificate; and
(b) the date
on which the Agent executes the Transfer Certificate.
"Unpaid Sum" means any sum due
and payable but unpaid by an Obligor under the Finance Documents.
"US GAAP" means generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
"Utilisation" means a
utilisation of the Facility, whether by way of Loan or Letter of
Credit.
"Utilisation Date" means the
date of a Utilisation, being the date on which a Loan is to be made or the
relevant Letter of Credit is to be issued.
"Utilisation Request" means a
notice substantially in the form set out in Schedule 3 (Utilisation
Request).
1.2 Construction
(a)Unless
a contrary indication appears, any reference in this Agreement to:
(i)
|
the
"Agent", the
"Mandated Lead
Arranger", the "Security Agent", any
"Finance Party",
any "Lender", the
"Parent", any
"Obligor" or any
"Party" shall be
construed so as to include its successors in title, permitted assigns and
permitted transferees;
|
(ii)
|
"assets" includes present
and future properties, revenues and rights of every
description;
|
(iii)
|
the
"European interbank
market" means the interbank market for euro operating in
Participating Member States;
|
(iv)
|
a
"Finance Document"
or any other agreement or instrument is a reference to that Finance
Document or other agreement or instrument as amended or
novated;
|
(v)
|
"indebtedness" includes
any obligation (whether incurred as principal or as surety) for the
payment or repayment of money, whether present or future, actual or
contingent;
|
(vi)
|
a
Lender's "participation", in
relation to a Letter of Credit, shall be construed as a reference to the
rights and obligations of that Lender in relation to that Letter of Credit
as are expressly set out in this
Agreement;
|
(vii)
|
a
"person" includes
any individual, person, firm, company, corporation, unincorporated
organisation, government, state or agency of a state or any association,
trust, joint venture or partnership (whether or not having separate
legal personality) or two or more of the
foregoing;
|
(viii)
|
a
"regulation"
includes any regulation, rule, official directive, request or guideline
(whether or not having the force of law) of any governmental,
intergovernmental or supranational body, agency, department or regulatory,
self-regulatory or other authority or
organisation;
|
(ix)
|
a
provision of law is a reference to that provision as amended or
re-enacted; and
|
(x)
|
a
time of day is a reference to Luxembourg
time.
|
(b)
|
Section,
Clause and Schedule headings are for ease of reference
only.
|
(c)
|
Unless
a contrary indication appears, a term used in any other Finance Document
or in any notice given under or in connection with any Finance
Document has the same meaning in that Finance Document or notice as
in this Agreement.
|
(d)
|
A
Default (other than an Event of Default) is "continuing" if it has
not been remedied or waived and an Event of Default is "continuing" if it has
not been waived.
|
1.3Currency Symbols and
Definitions
"$", "dollars" and "USD" denote lawful currency of
the United States of America, "£" and "sterling" denote lawful
currency of the United Kingdom, "NOK" and "kroner" denote lawful currency
of Norway and "EUR" and
"euro" means the single
currency unit of the Participating Member States.
SECTION
2
THE
FACILITY
2. THE FACILITY
2.1 The Facility
Subject
to the terms of this Agreement, the Lenders make available to the Borrowers
a multicurrency revolving loan and letter of credit facility in an aggregate
amount equal to the Total Commitments.
2.2Finance Parties' rights and
obligations
(a)
|
The
obligations of each Finance Party under the Finance Documents are several.
Failure by a Finance Party to perform its obligations under the Finance
Documents does not affect the obligations of any other Party under the
Finance Documents. No Finance Party is responsible for the obligations of
any other Finance Party under the Finance
Documents.
|
(b)
|
The
rights of each Finance Party under or in connection with the Finance
Documents are separate and independent rights and any debt arising
under the Finance Documents to a Finance Party from an Obligor shall
be a separate and independent debt.
|
(c)
|
A
Finance Party may, except as otherwise stated in the Finance
Documents, separately enforce its rights under the Finance
Documents.
|
3. PURPOSE
3.1 Purpose
Each
Borrower shall apply all amounts borrowed by it under the Facility towards its
general corporate purposes, including its working capital requirements and
refinancing its existing indebtedness.
3.2 Monitoring
No
Finance Party is bound to monitor or verify the application of any amount
borrowed pursuant to this Agreement.
4. CONDITIONS OF
UTILISATION
4.1 Initial conditions
precedent
No
Borrower may deliver a Utilisation Request unless the Agent has received all of
the documents and other evidence listed in Schedule 2 (Conditions precedent) in form
and substance satisfactory to the Agent, except for the evidence referred to in
paragraph 3 (a) of Schedule 2 (Conditions precedent),
provided that such evidence must be received by the Agent no later than on the
Utilisation Date and prior to the first Utilisation. The Agent shall notify the
German Borrower and the Lenders promptly upon being so satisfied.
4.2 Further conditions
precedent
The
Lenders and the Fronting Bank will only be obliged to comply with Clause 5.4
(Lenders' and Fronting Bank
participation) if on the date of the Utilisation Request and on the
proposed Utilisation Date:
(a)
|
no
Default is continuing or would result from the proposed Loan or
Letter of Credit, as the case may be;
and
|
(b)
|
the
Repeating Representations to be made by each Obligor are true in all
material respects.
|
4.3Conditions relating to Optional
Currencies
(a)A
currency will constitute an Optional Currency in relation to a Loan
if:
(i)
|
it
is readily available in the amount required and freely convertible
into the Base Currency in the Relevant Interbank Market on the Quotation
Day and the Utilisation Date for that Loan;
and
|
(ii)
|
it
is either (y) dollars or kroner or (z) some other currency that has been
approved by the Agent (acting on the instructions of all the Lenders) on
or prior to receipt by the Agent of the relevant Utilisation Request for
that Loan.
|
(b) If
the Agent has received a written request from a Borrower for a cur-
rency to
be approved under paragraph (a)(ii) above, the Agent will confirm to that
Borrower by the Specified Time:
(i)
|
whether
or not the Lenders have granted their approval;
and
|
(ii)
|
if
approval has been granted, the minimum amount (and, if required,
integral multiples) for any subsequent Utilisation in that
currency.
|
4.4 Maximum number of Loans and amount of
Outstandings
(a)
|
A
Borrower may not deliver a Utilisation Request if as a result of the
proposed Utilisation 8 or more Loans and/or 6 or more Letters of Credit
would be outstanding.
|
(b)
|
Any
Loan made by a single Lender under Clause 6.2 (Unavailability of a
currency) shall not be taken into account in this Clause
4.
|
(c)
|
A
Borrower may not deliver a Utilisation request if as a result of the
proposed Utilisation the aggregate amount of all Outstandings would
exceed EUR 51,000,000, unless
|
(i)
|
the
Borrowers have complied with paragraphs (b), (c) and 0 of Clause 24.2
(Financial
conditions) in relation to the Quarter Dates 30 September 2009, 31
December 2009 and 31 March 2010 as evidenced in each case by the relevant
Compliance Certificates delivered pursuant to Clause 23.4 (Compliance
certificate) in relation to such Quarter Dates;
and
|
(ii)
|
the
Agent has received evidence reasonably satisfactory to it (acting on
the instructions of the Majority Lenders) that the loss before tax of
the Group as shown in the Combining Schedule relating to the
financial year ending 31 December 2009 does not exceed USD
56,000,000.
|
SECTION
3 UTILISATION
5. UTILISATION
5.1Delivery of a Utilisation
Request
A
Borrower may utilise the Facility by delivery to the Agent of a duly completed
Utilisation Request not later than the Specified Time.
5.2Completion of a Utilisation
Request
(a) Each
Utilisation Request is irrevocable and will not be regarded as hav-
ing been
duly completed unless:
(i)
|
the
proposed Utilisation Date is a Business Day within the Availability
Period;
|
(ii)
|
the
currency and amount of the Utilisation comply with Clause 5.3 (Currency and amount);
and
|
(iii)
|
the
proposed Interest Period or Term, as the case may be, complies with
Clause 13 (Interest
Periods and Terms).
|
(b)Only
one Loan or Letter of Credit may be requested in each Utilisation
Request.
5.3 Currency and
amount
(a)
|
The
currency specified in a Utilisation Request must be the Base Currency
or, in the case of Loans only, an Optional
Currency.
|
(b)
|
The
amount of the proposed Loan or Letter of Credit must
be:
|
(i)
|
(in
respect of a Loan) if the currency selected is the Base Currency, a
minimum of EUR 5,000,000 or, if less, the Available Facility;
or
|
(ii)
|
if
the currency selected is dollars, a minimum of $ 5,000,000 or, if less,
the Available Facility; or
|
(iii)
|
if
the currency selected is kroner, a minimum of NOK 50,000,000, or, if less,
the Available Facility; or
|
(iv)
|
if
the currency selected is an Optional Currency other than dollars or
kroner, the minimum amount (and, if required, integral multiple)
specified by the Agent pursuant to paragraph (b)(ii) of Clause 4.3 (Conditions relating to
Optional Currencies) or, if less, the Available Facility provided that the
minimum amount
|
|
so
specified by the Agent does not materially exceed the
mini-
|
|
mum
amount set out in sub-paragraphs (i) of paragraph (b)
above;
|
(v)
|
(in
respect of a Letter of Credit) an amount which, when aggregated with
the amount of Outstandings in respect of Letters of Credit at such time,
does not exceed EUR 5,000,000; and
|
(vi)
|
in
any event such that its Base Currency Amount is less than or equal to the
Available Facility.
|
5.4Lenders' and Fronting Bank
participation
(a)
|
If
the conditions set out in this Agreement have been met, (i) each Lender
shall make its participation in each Loan available by the
Utilisation Date through its Facility Office, and (ii) the Fronting
Bank shall issue each Letter of Credit through its Facility
Office.
|
(b)
|
The
amount of each Lender's participation in each Loan and each Letter of
Credit will be equal to the proportion borne by its Available
Commitment to the Available Facility immediately prior to making the
Loan or issuing the Letter of
Credit.
|
(c)
|
The
Agent shall determine the Base Currency Amount of each Loan which is to be
made in an Optional Currency and shall notify each Lender of the amount,
currency and the Base Currency Amount of each Loan and the amount of its
participation in that Loan, in each case by the Specified
Time.
|
6. OPTIONAL
CURRENCIES
6.1 Selection of
currency
A
Borrower shall select the currency of a Loan in a Utilisation
Request.
6.2 Unavailability of a
currency
If before
the Specified Time on any Quotation Day:
(a)
|
a
Lender notifies the Agent that the Optional Currency (other than an
Optional Currency which is dollars or kroner) requested is not readily
available to it in the amount required;
or
|
(b)
|
a
Lender notifies the Agent that compliance with its obligation to
participate in a Loan in the proposed Optional Currency would
contravene a law or regulation applicable to it, the Agent will give
notice to the relevant Borrower to that effect by the Specified Time
on that day. In this event, any Lender that gives notice pursuant to this
Clause 6.2 will be required to participate in the Loan in the Base
Currency (in an amount equal to that Lender's proportion of the Base
Currency Amount or, in respect of a Rollover Loan, an amount equal to that
Lender's proportion of the Base Currency Amount of the maturing Loan that
is due to be made) and its participation will be treated as a separate
Loan denominated in the Base Currency during that Interest
Period.
|
6.3 Participation in a
Loan
Each
Lender's participation in a Loan will be determined in accordance with paragraph
(b) of Clause 5.4 (Lenders'
and Fronting Bank participation).
7. LETTERS OF CREDIT
7.1 Completion of Letters of
Credit
The
Fronting Bank is authorised to issue any Letter of Credit pursuant to Clause 5
(Utilisation)
by:
(a)
|
completing
the issue date and the proposed Expiry Date of that Letter of Credit;
and
|
(b)
|
executing
and delivering that Letter of Credit to the relevant recipient on the
Utilisation Date.
|
7.2 Renewal of a Letter of
Credit
(a)
|
Not
less than three Business Days before the Expiry Date of a Letter of Credit
the Borrower may, by written notice to the Agent, request that the Term of
that Letter of Credit be extended.
|
(b)
|
The
Finance Parties shall treat the request in the same way as a
Utilisation Request for a Letter of Credit in the amount and maturity
of the Letter of Credit (as to be
extended).
|
(c)
|
The
terms of each renewed Letter of Credit shall be the same as those of the
relevant Letter of Credit immediately prior to its renewal, save that its
Term shall commence on the date which was the Expiry Date of that Letter
of Credit immediately prior to its renewal and shall end on the proposed
Expiry Date specified in the
request.
|
(d)
|
The
Fronting Bank is authorised to amend any Letter of Credit pursuant to a
request if the conditions set out in this Agreement have been
complied with.
|
7.3Restrictions on participation in
Letters of Credit
If at any
time prior to the issue of a Letter of Credit any Lender is prohibited by law or
pursuant to any request from or requirement of any central bank or other fiscal,
monetary or other authority from having any right or obligation under this
Agreement in respect of a Letter of Credit, that Lender shall notify the Agent
on or before the Business Day prior to the proposed Utilisation Date
and:
(a)
|
the
maximum actual and contingent liabilities of the Fronting Bank under
that Letter of Credit shall be reduced by an amount equal to an amount
which would have been the amount of that Lender's L/C Proportion of
that Letter of Credit if the prohibition had not
occurred;
|
(b)
|
the
L/C Proportion of that Lender in relation to that Letter of Credit shall
be nil; and
|
(c)
|
that
Lender's Available Commitment shall be reduced by an amount equal to an
amount which would have been the amount of that Lender's L/C Proportion of
the Letter of Credit if the prohibition had not
occurred.
|
SECTION
4
REPAYMENT,
PREPAYMENT AND CANCELLATION
8.
|
REPAYMENT
|
8.1 Repayment of
Loans
Each
Borrower which has drawn a Loan shall repay that Loan on the last day of its
Interest Period.
9.
|
BORROWER'S
LIABILITIES IN RELATION TO LETTERS OF
CREDIT
|
9.1Demands under Letters of
Credit
If a
demand is made under a Letter of Credit or the Fronting Bank incurs in
connection with a Letter of Credit any other liability, cost, claim, loss
or expense which is to be reimbursed pursuant to this Agreement, the Fronting
Bank shall promptly notify the Agent of the amount of such demand or such
liability, cost, claim, loss or expense and the Letter of Credit to which it
relates and the Agent shall promptly make demand upon the relevant Borrower in
accordance with this Agreement and notify the Lenders.
9.2Borrowers' indemnity to Fronting
Banks
The
relevant Borrower shall irrevocably and unconditionally as a primary
obligation indemnify (within three Business Days of demand of the Agent)
the Fronting Bank at its request against:
(a)
|
any
sum paid or due and payable by the Fronting Bank under the Letter of
Credit; and
|
(b)
|
all
liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, any costs incurred in
funding any amount which falls due from the Fronting Bank under any Letter
of Credit or in connection with any such Letter of Credit), claims, losses
and out-of-pocket expenses which the Fronting Bank may at any time incur
or sustain in connection with or arising out of any such Letter of
Credit.
|
9.3Borrowers' indemnity to
Lenders
The
relevant Borrower shall irrevocably and unconditionally as a primary
obligation indemnify (within three Business Days of demand of the Agent)
each Lender against:
(a) any
sum paid or due and payable by that Lender (whether under
Clause
32.1 (Lenders'
Indemnity) or otherwise) in connection with that Letter of Credit;
and
(b) all
liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, any costs incurred
in
funding
any amount which falls due from that Lender in connection with that Letter of
Credit), claims, losses and expenses which that Lender may at any time incur or
sustain in connection with any Letter of Credit.
9.4 Preservation of
rights
Neither
the obligations of the relevant Borrower set out in this Clause 9 nor the
rights, powers and remedies conferred on the Fronting Bank or Lender by this
Agreement or by law shall be discharged, impaired or otherwise affected
by:
(a)
|
the
winding-up, dissolution, administration or re-organisation of the Fronting
Bank, any Lender or any other person or any change in its status,
function, control or ownership;
|
(b)
|
any
of the obligations of the Fronting Bank, any Lender or any other
person under this Agreement or under any Letter of Credit or under
any other security taken in respect of its obligations under this
Agreement or otherwise in connection with a Letter of Credit being or
becoming illegal, invalid, unenforceable or ineffective in any
respect;
|
(c)
|
time
or other indulgence being granted or agreed to be granted to the Fronting
Bank, any Lender or any other person in respect of its obligations
under this Agreement or under or in connection with a Letter of Credit or
under any other security;
|
(d)
|
any
amendment to, or any variation, waiver or release of, any obligation of
the Fronting Bank, any Lender or any other person under a Letter of Credit
or this Agreement;
|
(e)
|
any
other act, event or omission which, but for this Clause 9 (,might
operate to discharge, impair or otherwise affect any of the
obligations of the relevant Borrower set out in this Clause 9 or any of
the rights, powers or remedies conferred upon that Fronting Bank or any
Lender by this Agreement or by law.
|
The
obligations of the relevant Borrower set out in this Clause 9 shall be in
addition to and independent of every other security which the Fronting Bank
or any Lender may at any time hold in respect of the Borrower's obligations
under this Agreement.
9.5 Settlement
conditional
Any
settlement or discharge between the relevant Borrower and the Fronting Bank or a
Lender shall be conditional upon no security or payment to the Fronting
Bank or Lender by the Borrower, or any other person on behalf of the
Borrower, being avoided or reduced by virtue of any laws relating to
bankruptcy, in-
solvency,
liquidation or similar laws of general application and, if any such
security or payment is so avoided or reduced, the Fronting Bank or Lender
shall be entitled to recover the value or amount of such security or payment
from the Borrower subsequently as if such settlement or discharge had not
occurred.
9.6Right to make payments under Letters
of Credit
The
Fronting Bank shall be entitled to make any payment in accordance with the terms
of the relevant Letter of Credit without any reference to or further
authority from the relevant Borrower or any other investigation or enquiry.
The relevant Borrower irrevocably authorises the Fronting Bank to comply
with any demand under a Letter of Credit which is valid on its
face.
10. PREPAYMENT AND
CANCELLATION
10.1 Illegality
If it
becomes unlawful after the date of this Agreement in any applicable
jurisdiction for a Lender or the Fronting Bank to perform any of its
obligations as contemplated by this Agreement or to fund, issue or participate
in any Loan or Letter of Credit and without prejudice to its rights and
obligations under Clause 19 (Mitigation by the
Lenders):
(a)
|
that
Lender or the Fronting Bank, as the case may be, shall promptly
notify the Agent upon becoming aware of that
event;
|
(b)
|
upon
the Agent notifying the German Borrower (on behalf of the Borrowers),
the Commitment of that Lender will be immediately cancelled;
and
|
(c)
|
upon
cancellation of such Lender's Commitment, each Borrower
shall:
|
(i)
|
repay
that Lender's participation in the Loans made to that Borrower;
and
|
(ii)
|
ensure
that the liabilities of that Lender or the Fronting Bank under or in
respect of each Letter of Credit are reduced to zero or otherwise secured
by providing Cash Collateral in an amount equal to such Lender's L/C
Proportion of those Letters of Credit or the Fronting Bank's maximum
actual and contingent liabilities under that Letter of Credit in the
currency of those Letters of Credit
|
on the
last day of the Interest Period for each Loan or Term for each Letter of
Credit, as the case may be, outstanding as at the date upon which the Agent has
so notified the German Borrower or, if earlier, the date specified by the Lender
in the notice delivered to the Agent (being no earlier than the last day of any
applicable grace period permitted by law).
10.2
Voluntary
cancellation
(a)
|
The
German Borrower may, if it gives the Agent not less than ten (10) days'
(or such shorter period as the Majority Lenders may agree) prior written
notice, cancel the whole or any part (being a minimum amount of EUR
10,000,000) of the Available Facility. Any cancellation under this Clause
10.2 shall reduce the Commitments of the Lenders
rateably.
|
(b)
|
The
relevant Borrower may give the Agent not less than ten Business Days'
prior notice of its intention to procure that the Fronting Bank's
liability under a Letter of Credit is reduced to zero (whereupon it
shall do so)
|
10.3
Right of repayment and
cancellation in relation to a single Lender
(a) If:
(i)
|
any
sum payable to any Lender or the Fronting Bank by an Obligor is
required to be increased under Clause 16.2 (Tax gross-up);
or
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(ii)
|
any
Lender or the Fronting Bank claims indemnification from the Borrowers
under Clause 16.3 (Tax
indemnity) or Clause 17.1 (Increased costs);
or
|
(iii)
|
any
Lender or Fronting Bank notifies the Agent of its Additional Cost Rate
under paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 (Mandatory Cost
formulae),
|
the
German Borrower may, whilst (in the case of paragraphs (i) and (ii) above) the
circumstance giving rise to the requirement or indemnification continues or
(in the case of paragraph (iii) above) that the Additional Cost Rate is greater
than zero, give the Agent notice:
(1)
|
of
cancellation of the Commitment of that Lender and its intention to
procure the repayment of that Lender's participation in the Loans;
or
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(2)
|
(if
such circumstance relates to the Fronting Bank) of cancellation of
the Letters of Credit or of the Borrower's intention to provide Cash
Collateral in respect of the Fronting Bank's liability under such Letters
of Credit.
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(b) On
receipt of a notice from the German Borrower referred to in para-
graph (a)
above, the Commitment of that Lender shall immediately be reduced to
zero.
(c) On
the last day of each Interest Period or Term, as the case may be,
which
ends after the German Borrower has given notice under paragraph (a) above (or,
if earlier, the date specified by the German Borrower in that notice), each
Borrower to which a Loan or Letter of Credit is outstanding shall repay
that Lender's participation in that Loan and shall procure either that such
Lender's L/C Proportion of each relevant Letter of Credit be reduced to zero (by
reduction of the amount of that Letter of Credit in an amount equal to that
Lender's L/C Proportion) or that Cash Collateral be provided to the Agent in an
amount equal to such Lender's L/C Proportion of that Letter of Credit); and (if
the circumstance relates to the Fronting Bank) the Borrower shall procure that
the Fronting Bank's liability under any Letters of Credit issued by it shall
either be reduced to zero or otherwise secured by the Borrower providing
Cash Collateral in an amount equal to the Fronting Bank's maximum actual
and contingent liabilities under those Letters of Credit.
10.4
Restrictions
(a)
|
Any
notice of cancellation or prepayment given by any Party under this Clause
10 (Prepayment and
Cancellation) shall be irrevocable and, unless a contrary
indication appears in this Agreement, shall specify the date or dates upon
which the relevant cancellation or prepayment is to be made and the amount
of that cancellation or prepayment.
|
(b)
|
Any
prepayment under this Agreement shall be made together with accrued
interest on the amount prepaid and, subject to any Break Costs, without
premium or penalty.
|
(c)
|
Unless
a contrary indication appears in this Agreement, any part of the Facility
which is prepaid may be reborrowed in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
|
(d)
|
The
Borrowers shall not repay or prepay all or any part of the
Outstandings or cancel all or any part of the Commitments except at
the times and in the manner expressly provided for in this
Agreement.
|
(e)
|
No
amount of the Total Commitments cancelled under this Agreement may be
subsequently reinstated.
|
(f)
|
If
the Agent receives a notice under this Clause 10 (Prepayment and
Cancellation) it shall promptly forward a copy of that notice to
either the German Borrower or the affected Lender, as
appropriate.
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SECTION
5
COSTS
OF UTILISATIONS
11. INTEREST
11.1
Calculation of
interest
The rate
of interest on each Loan for each Interest Period is the percentage rate per
annum which is the aggregate of the applicable:
(a) Margin;
(b) LIBOR or,
in relation to any Loan in euro, EURIBOR; and
(c) Mandatory
Cost, if any.
11.2
Payment of
interest
The
Borrower to which a Loan has been made shall pay accrued interest on that Loan
on the last day of each Interest Period (and, if the Interest Period is longer
than six Months, on the dates falling at six monthly intervals after the first
day of the Interest Period).
12. DEFAULT INTEREST
12.1
Default interest
periods
If any
sum due and payable by an Obligor hereunder is not paid on the due date therefor
in accordance with Clause 33.1 (Payments to the Agent) or if
any sum due and payable by an Obligor under any judgment of any court in
connection herewith is not paid on the date of such judgment, the period
beginning on such due date or, as the case may be, the date of such judgment and
ending on the date upon which the obligation of such Obligor to pay such sum is
discharged shall be divided into successive periods, each of which (other than
the first) shall start on the last day of the preceding such period and the
duration of each of which shall (except as otherwise provided in this Clause 12
(Default Interest)) be
selected by the Agent.
12.2
Default
interest
An Unpaid
Sum shall bear interest, or, insofar as it relates to unpaid interest, shall
give rise to a claim for lump sum damages, during each Interest Period in
respect thereof at the rate per annum which is one per cent. per annum above the
percentage rate which would apply if it had been a Loan in the amount and
currency of such Unpaid Sum and for the same Interest Period (provided that in the case of
lump sum damages, the Obligor shall be free to prove that no damage has arisen
or that damage has not arisen in the asserted amount, whereas in the case of
lump sum damages and default interest the Finance Party shall be entitled
to assert further damages), provided that if such Unpaid
Sum relates to a
Loan
which became due and payable on a day other than the last day of an
Interest Period relating thereto:
|
12.2.1
the first Interest Period applicable to such Unpaid Sum shall be of a
duration equal to the unexpired portion of the current Interest Period
relating to that Loan; and
|
|
12.2.2
the percentage rate of interest applicable thereto from time to time
during such period shall be that which exceeds by one per cent. the rate
which would have been applicable to it had it not so fallen
due.
|
12.3
Payment of default
interest
Any
interest which shall have accrued under Clause 12.2 (Default Interest) in
respect of an Unpaid Sum shall be due and payable and shall be paid by the
Obligor owing such Unpaid Sum on the last day of each Interest Period in
respect thereof or on such other dates as the Agent may specify by notice to
such Obligor.
12.4
Notification of rates of
interest
The Agent
shall promptly notify the Lenders and the relevant Borrower of the determination
of a rate of interest under this Agreement.
13. INTEREST PERIODS AND
TERMS
13.1
Selection of Interest Periods
and Terms
(a)
|
A
Borrower may select an Interest Period for a Loan and a Term for a Letter
of Credit in the Utilisation Request for that Loan or Letter of Credit, as
the case may be.
|
(b)
|
Subject
to this Clause 13 (Interest Periods and
Terms), a Borrower may select an Interest Period of one, two, three
or six Months or any other period not exceeding twelve Months agreed
between such Borrower and the Agent (acting on the instructions of all the
Lenders).
|
(c)
|
The
Borrower may select a Term for a Letter of Credit of a period not
exceeding twelve months, ending on or before the Termination
Date.
|
(d)
|
An
Interest Period for a Loan and a Term for a Letter of Credit shall not
extend beyond the Termination Date.
|
(e)
|
Each
Interest Period for a Loan and each Term for a Letter of Credit shall
start on the Utilisation Date.
|
(f)
|
A
Loan has one Interest Period
only.
|
13.2
Non-Business
Days
If an
Interest Period or Term would otherwise end on a day which is not a
Business Day, that Interest Period or Term, as the case may be, will
instead end on the next Business Day in that calendar month (if there is one) or
the preceding Business Day (if there is not).
14. CHANGES TO THE CALCULATION OF
INTEREST
14.1
Absence of
quotations
Subject
to Clause 14.2 (Market
disruption), if LIBOR or, if applicable, EURIBOR is to be determined
by reference to the Reference Banks but a Reference Bank does not supply a
quotation by the Specified Time on the Quotation Day, the applicable LIBOR or
EURIBOR shall be determined on the basis of the quotations of the remaining
Reference Banks.
14.2
Market
disruption
(a)If a
Market Disruption Event occurs in relation to a Loan for any
Interest
Period,
then the rate of interest on each Lender's share of that Loan for the Interest
Period shall be the rate per annum which is the sum of:
(i)
|
the
Margin;
|
(ii)
|
the
rate notified to the Agent by that Lender as soon as practicable and
in any event before interest is due to be paid in respect of that Interest
Period, to be that which expresses as a percentage rate per annum the cost
to that Lender of funding its participation in that Loan from whatever
source it may reasonably select;
and
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(iii)
|
the
Mandatory Cost, if any, applicable to that Lender's participation in
the Loan.
|
(b)In
this Agreement "Market
Disruption Event" means:
(i)
|
at
or about noon on the Quotation Day for the relevant Interest Period the
Screen Rate is not available and none or only one of the Reference Banks
supplies a rate to the Agent to determine LIBOR or, if applicable, EURIBOR
for the relevant currency and Interest Period;
or
|
(ii)
|
before
close of business in Luxembourg on the Quotation Day for the relevant
Interest Period, the Agent receives notifications from a Lender or Lenders
(whose participations in a Loan exceed 35 per cent. of that Loan) that the
cost to it of obtaining matching deposits in the Relevant Interbank Market
would be in excess of LIBOR or, if applicable,
EURIBOR.
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14.3
Alternative basis of interest
or funding
(a)
|
If
a Market Disruption Event occurs and the Agent or the German Borrower
so requires, the Agent and the German Borrower shall enter into
negotiations (for a period of not more than thirty days) with a view to
agreeing a substitute basis for determining the rate of
interest.
|
(b)
|
Any
alternative basis agreed pursuant to paragraph (a) above shall, with the
prior consent of all the Lenders and the German Borrower, be binding
on all Parties.
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14.4
Break Costs
Each
Borrower shall, within three Business Days of demand by a Finance Party (which
demand shall be accompanied by a certificate showing, in reasonable detail,
the calculation of the Break Costs incurred by such Finance Party in respect of
the relevant Interest Period), pay to that Finance Party its Break Costs
attributable to all or any part of a Loan or Unpaid Sum being paid by that
Borrower on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period for that Loan or
Unpaid Sum.
15. FEES
15.1
Commitment
fee
(a)
|
Each
of the Borrowers shall jointly and severally pay to the Agent (for the
account of each Lender) a fee in the Base Currency computed at the rate of
0.70 per cent. per annum on that Lender's Available Commitment for the
Availability Period, provided that the
Norwegian Borrowers shall only be liable to the extent which is permitted
under the Norwegian Companies Xxx 0000 Section
8-7.
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(b)
|
The
accrued commitment fee is payable on the last day of each successive
period of three Months which ends during the Availability Period, on the
last day of the Availability Period and, if cancelled in full, on the
cancelled amount of the relevant Lender's Commitment at the time the
cancellation is effective.
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15.2
Utilisation
fee
(a)If at
any time the total amount of the Loans exceeds 50 per cent. of the
Total
Commitments then the Borrowers shall pay to the Agent (for the account of each
Lender) a utilisation fee in the Base Currency computed at the rate of 0.15 per
cent. per annum of the total amount of such Loans calculated on a daily
basis.
(b)The
fee referred to in sub-clause (a) above shall be payable jointly
and
severally
by each of the Borrowers in the Base Currency on the last day of each successive
period of three Months and on the Termination Date, provided that the Norwegian
Borrowers shall only be liable to the extent which is permitted under the
Norwegian Companies Xxx 0000 Section 8-7.
15.3
Agency and security handling
fee
Each of
the Borrowers shall jointly and severally pay to Deutsche Bank Luxembourg
S.A. for its own account in its capacity as Agent and Security Agent an agency
and security handling fee in the amount and at the times agreed in a Fee Letter
provided that the
Norwegian Borrowers shall only be liable to the extent which is permitted under
the Norwegian Companies Xxx 0000 Section 8-7.
15.4
Letter of Credit
Commission
(a)
|
The
relevant Borrower shall, in respect of each Letter of Credit, pay to the
Agent (for the account of each Lender) (for distribution in proportion to
each Lender's L/C Proportion of that Letter of Credit) a letter of credit
commission at the L/C Commission Rate on the maximum actual and contingent
liabilities of the Fronting Bank under the relevant Letter of
Credit.
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(b)
|
The
letter of credit commission shall be paid in advance in respect of each
successive period of three Months (or such shorter period as shall end on
the relevant Expiry Date) which begins during the Term of the relevant
Letter of Credit, the first payment to be made on the Utilisation Date for
that Letter of Credit and after that on the first day of each such
period.
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15.5
Fronting Bank
Fee
The
relevant Borrower shall, in respect of each Letter of Credit, pay to the
Fronting Bank a fee in the amounts and at the times agreed between such
Fronting Bank and the Borrower.
15.6
Arrangement and Participation
Fee
Each of
the Borrowers shall jointly and severally pay to Deutsche Bank AG for its own
account in its capacity as Mandated Lead Arranger an arrangement and
participation fee in the amount and at the times agreed in a Fee Letter, provided that the Norwegian
Borrowers shall only be liable to the extent which is permitted under the
Norwegian Companies Xxx 0000 Section 8-7.
SECTION
6
ADDITIONAL
PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS
16. TAX GROSS UP AND
INDEMNITIES
16.1
Definitions
In this
Agreement:
"Qualifying Lender" means any
Lender which is a bank or financial institution and which is incorporated or
resident or acting out of a Facility Office in a member state of the European
Union (but excluding the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland),
provided that with
regard to any Original Lender, Qualifying Lender means any Original Lender which
is a bank or financial institution and is a resident for tax purposes in
either Germany, Norway, Luxembourg or the Netherlands or is acting out of a
Facility Office, registered with the Belgian Banking and Finance Commission, in
Belgium.
16.2
Tax
gross-up
All
payments to be made by an Obligor to any Finance Party hereunder shall be made
free and clear of and without deduction for or on account of Tax unless such
Obligor is required to make such a payment subject to the deduction or
withholding of Tax, in which case the sum payable by such Obligor (in respect of
which such deduction or withholding is required to be made) shall be
increased to the extent necessary to ensure that such Finance Party
receives a sum net of any withholding or deduction equal to the sum which it
would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made or
required to be made.
16.3
Tax
indemnity
Without
prejudice to Clause 16.2 (Tax
Gross-up), if any Finance Party is required to make any payment of
or on account of Tax on or in relation to any sum received or receivable
hereunder (including any sum deemed for the purposes of Tax to be received or
receivable by such Finance Party whether or not actually received or receivable)
or if any liability in respect of any such payment is asserted, imposed,
levied or assessed against any Finance Party, the Borrowers shall, upon demand
of the Agent, promptly indemnify the Finance Party which suffers a loss or
liability as a result against such payment or liability together with any
interest, penalties, costs and expenses payable or incurred in connection
therewith, provided that
this Clause 16.3 (Tax
indemnity) shall not apply to:
(a) any
Tax imposed on and calculated by reference to the net income actu-
ally
received or receivable by such Finance Party (but, for the
avoidance
of doubt,
not including any sum deemed for purposes of Tax to be re-
ceived or
receivable by such Finance Party but not actually receivable)
by the
jurisdiction in which such Finance Party is incorporated and any other
jurisdiction where such Finance Party is subject to such tax; or
(b)any
Tax imposed on and calculated by reference to the net income of the
Facility
Office of such Finance Party actually received or receivable by such Finance
Party (but, for the avoidance of doubt, not including any sum deemed for
purposes of Tax to be received or receivable by such Finance party but not
actually receivable) by the jurisdiction in which its Facility Office is located
and any other jurisdiction where such Finance Party is subject to such
tax.
16.4
Claims by Finance
Parties
|
16.4.1
A Finance Party intending to make a claim pursuant to Clause 16.3 (Tax indemnity)
shall notify the Agent of the event giving rise to the claim, whereupon
the Agent shall notify the Borrowers
thereof.
|
|
16.4.2
A Lender and each Obligor which makes a payment or would be required to
make a payment under this Clause 16 (Tax Gross-Up and
Indemnities) shall cooperate in completing any procedural
formalities necessary for that Obligor to (i) obtain authorisation to make
that payment without a deduction or withholding, and (ii) provide any
relevant information which would be required by any relevant taxation
authority from the Obligor or the Lender in order to justify a
payment made without a deduction or
withholding.
|
16.5
Notification of requirement to
deduct Tax
If, at
any time, an Obligor is required by law to make any deduction or
withholding from any sum payable by it hereunder (or if thereafter there is
any change in the rates at which or the manner in which such deductions or
withholdings are calculated), such Obligor shall promptly notify the
Agent.
16.6
Evidence of payment of
Tax
If an
Obligor makes any payment hereunder in respect of which it is required to make
any deduction or withholding, it shall pay the full amount required to be
deducted or withheld to the relevant taxation or other authority within the time
allowed for such payment under applicable law and shall deliver to the Agent for
each Lender, within sixty days after it has made such payment to the applicable
authority, an original receipt (or a certified copy thereof) issued by such
authority evidencing the payment to such authority of all amounts so
required to be deducted or withheld in respect of that Lender's share of
such payment.
16.7
Excluded
Claims
If any
Lender is not or ceases to be a Qualifying Lender, or if the
circumstances
set out
in Clause 27.2(g) apply or if any Lender fails to cooperate as
required
under
Clause 16.4.2 , no Obligor shall be liable to pay to that Lender
under
Clause
16.2 (Tax gross-up) or
Clause 16.3 (Tax
indemnity) any amount in respect of Taxes asserted, assessed, levied
or imposed in excess of the amount it would have been obliged to pay if that
Lender had been or had not ceased to be a Qualifying Lender or had cooperated
provided that this
Clause 16.7 (Excluded
claims) shall not apply (and each Obligor shall be obliged to comply with
its obligations under Clause 16.2 (Tax gross-up) or Clause 16.3
(Tax indemnity))
if:
(a)
|
after
the date hereof and after the date when such Lender first becomes a Lender
for the purposes of this Agreement, there shall have been any
introduction of, change in, or change in the interpretation,
administration or application of, any law or regulation or order or
governmental rule or treaty or any published practice or published
concession of any relevant tax authority and it is as a result thereof
that such Lender was not or ceased to be a Qualifying Lender;
or
|
(b)
|
such
Lender is not or ceases to be a Qualifying Lender but would have been or
would not have ceased to be, a Qualifying Lender, had all
representations, confirmations and other documents and information
provided by each Obligor to any Finance Party been true and
accurate.
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16.8
Tax credit
payment
If an
additional payment is made under Clause 16 (Tax gross-up and
indemnities) by an Obligor for the benefit of any Finance Party,
including for the avoidance of doubt any payment in respect of any
deduction or withholding, and such Finance Party, in its reasonable discretion,
determines that it has obtained a credit against, a relief or remission for, or
repayment of, any tax, then, if and to the extent that such Finance Party, in
its sole opinion, determines that:
|
16.8.1
such credit, relief, remission or repayment is in respect of or calculated
with reference to the additional payment made pursuant to Clause 16
(Tax gross-up and
indemnities); and
|
|
16.8.2
its tax affairs for its year in respect of which such credit, relief,
remission or repayment was obtained have been finally
settled,
|
such
Finance Party shall, to the extent that it can do so without prejudice to the
retention of the amount of such credit, relief, remission or repayment, pay to
such Obligor such amount as such Finance Party shall, in its reasonable opinion,
determine to be the amount which will leave such Finance Party (after such
payment) in no worse after-tax position than it would have been in had the
additional payment in question not been required to be made by such
Obligor.
16.9
Tax credit
clawback
If any
Finance Party makes any payment to an Obligor pursuant to Clause
16.8
(Tax credit payment) and such
Finance Party subsequently determines, in its rea-
sonable
opinion, that the credit, relief, remission or repayment in respect of which
such payment was made was not available or has been withdrawn or that it was
unable to use such credit, relief, remission or repayment in full, such
Obligor shall reimburse such Finance Party such amount as such Finance
Party determines, in its reasonable opinion, is necessary to place it in
the same after-tax position as it would have been in if such credit, relief,
remission or repayment had been obtained and fully used and retained by such
Finance Party.
16.10
Tax and other
affairs
Subject
to the provisions of Clause 19 (Mitigation by the Lenders) no
provision of this Agreement shall interfere with the right of any Finance Party
to arrange its tax or any other affairs in whatever manner it thinks fit, oblige
any Finance Party to claim any credit, relief, remission or repayment in respect
of any payment under Clause 16 (Tax gross-up and indemnities)
in priority to any other credit, relief, remission or repayment available to it
nor oblige any Finance Party to disclose any information relating to its tax or
other affairs or any computations in respect thereof.
16.11
Stamp taxes
The
Borrowers shall pay and, within three Business Days of demand, indemnify each
Finance Party against any cost, loss or liability that Finance Party incurs in
relation to all stamp duty, registration and other similar Taxes payable in
respect of any Finance Document.
16.12
Value added
tax
(a)
|
All
consideration expressed to be payable under a Finance Document by any
Party to a Finance Party shall be deemed to be exclusive of any VAT. If
VAT is chargeable on any supply made by any Finance Party to any Party in
connection with a Finance Document, that Party shall pay to the Finance
Party (in addition to and at the same time as paying the
consideration) an amount equal to the amount of the
VAT.
|
(b)
|
Where
a Finance Document requires any Party to reimburse a Finance Party for any
costs or expenses, that Party shall also at the same time pay and
indemnify the Finance Party against all VAT incurred by the Finance Party
in respect of the costs or expenses to the extent that the Finance Party
reasonably determines that it is not entitled to credit or repayment of
the VAT.
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17. INCREASED COSTS
17.1
Increased
costs
(a)
|
Subject
to Clause 17.3 (Exceptions) the
Borrowers shall, within three Business Days of a demand by the Agent, pay
for the account of a Finance Party the amount of any Increased Costs
incurred by that Finance Party or any of its Affiliates as a result of (i)
the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation,
administration or application of) any law or regulation or (ii) compliance
with any law or regulation made after the date of this
Agreement.
|
(b)
|
In
this Agreement "Increased
Costs" means:
|
(i)
|
a
reduction in the rate of return from the Facility or on a Finance Party's
(or its Affiliate's) overall
capital;
|
(ii)
|
an
additional or increased cost; or
|
(iii)
|
a
reduction of any amount due and payable under any Finance
Document,
|
which is
incurred or suffered by a Finance Party or any of its Affiliates to the extent
that it is attributable to that Finance Party having entered into its Commitment
or funding or performing its obligations under any Finance Document or
Letter of Credit.
17.2
Increased cost
claims
(a)
|
A
Finance Party intending to make a claim pursuant to Clause 17.1 (Increased costs)
shall notify the Agent of the event giving rise to the claim, following
which the Agent shall promptly notify the
Borrowers.
|
(b)
|
Each
Finance Party shall, as soon as practicable after a demand by the Agent,
provide a certificate confirming the amount of and basis for its Increased
Costs and showing in reasonable detail the calculation
thereof.
|
In
determining such Increased Costs, each Finance Party will act rea-
sonably
and in good faith and on a non-discretionary basis.
17.3
Exceptions
(a)Clause
17.1 (Increased costs)
does not apply to the extent any Increased
Cost
is:
(i)attributable
to a Tax Deduction required by law to be made by an
Obligor;
(ii)
|
compensated
for by Clause 16.3 (Tax
indemnity) (or would have been compensated for under Clause 16.3
(Tax indemnity)
but was not so compensated solely because the exclusion in paragraphs (a)
and (b) of Clause 16.3 (Tax indemnity)
applied);
|
(iii)
|
compensated
for by the payment of the Mandatory Cost;
or
|
(iv)
|
attributable
to the wilful breach by the relevant Finance Party or its Affiliates of
any law or regulation.
|
(b) In
this Clause 17.3 (Exceptions), a reference to a
"Tax
Deduction"
means any
deduction or withholding for or on account of Tax from a payment under a Finance
Document
18. OTHER INDEMNITIES
18.1
Currency
indemnity
(a) If
any sum due from an Obligor under the Finance Documents (a
"Sum"), or any order, judgment
or award given or made in relation to a Sum, has to be converted from the
currency (the "First
Currency") in which that Sum is payable into another currency (the "Second Currency") for the
purpose of:
(i)
|
making
or filing a claim or proof against that
Obligor;
|
(ii)
|
obtaining
or enforcing an order, judgment or award in relation to any litigation or
arbitration proceedings,
|
that
Obligor shall as an independent obligation, within three Business Days of
demand, indemnify each Finance Party to whom that Sum is due against any cost,
loss or liability arising out of or as a result of the conversion including
any discrepancy between (A) the rate of exchange used to convert that Sum from
the First Currency into the Second Currency and (B) the rate or rates of
exchange available to that person at the time of its receipt of that
Sum.
(b)To the
extent permitted by applicable law, each Obligor waives any right
it may
have in any jurisdiction to pay any amount under the Finance Documents in a
currency or currency unit other than that in which it is expressed to be
payable.
18.2
Other
indemnities
The
Borrowers shall, within three Business Days of demand, indemnify each
Finance Party against any cost, loss or liability incurred by that Finance
Party as a result of:
(a)
|
the
occurrence of any Event of Default;
|
(b)
|
a
failure by an Obligor to pay any amount due under a Finance Document
on its due date, including without limitation, any cost, loss or
liability arising as a result of Clause 31 (Sharing among the Finance
Parties);
|
(c)
|
funding,
or making arrangements to fund, its participation in a Loan requested
by a Borrower in a Utilisation Request but not made by reason of the
operation of any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement (other
than by reason of default or negligence by that Finance Party
alone);
|
(d)
|
issuing
or making arrangements to issue a Letter of Credit requested by the
Borrower in a Utilisation Request but not issued by reason of the
operation of any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement;
or
|
(e)
|
a
Loan (or part of a Loan) not being prepaid in accordance with a notice of
prepayment given by a Borrower.
|
18.3
Indemnity to the
Agent
The
Borrowers shall promptly indemnify the Agent against any cost, loss or
liability incurred by the Agent (acting reasonably) as a result
of:
(a)
|
investigating
any event which it reasonably believes is a Default;
or
|
(b)
|
acting
or relying on any notice, request or instruction which it reasonably
believes to be genuine, correct and appropriately
authorised.
|
19. MITIGATION BY THE LENDERS
19.1
Mitigation
(a)
|
Each
Finance Party shall, in consultation with the relevant Borrower, take all
reasonable steps to mitigate any circumstances which arise and which would
result in any amount becoming payable under or pursuant to, or cancelled
pursuant to, any of Clause 10.1 (Illegality), Clause 16
(Tax gross-up and
indemnities), Clause 17 (Increased costs) or
paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 (Mandatory Cost
formulae) including (but not limited to) transferring its
rights and obligations under the Finance Documents to another
Affiliate or Facility Office or to another Lender which is willing to
accept such transfer.
|
(b)
|
Paragraph
(a) above does not in any way limit the obligations of any Obligor
under the Finance Documents.
|
19.2
Limitation of
liability
(a)
|
Prior
to taking any of the steps referred to in Clause 19.1 (Mitigation) the
relevant Finance Party will consult with the relevant Borrower and
following a request from such Borrower will provide the relevant
Borrower with an estimate of any costs and expenses which are likely to be
incurred by it as a result of it taking such steps. The Borrower
shall then be entitled to request that the relevant Finance Party does not
take those steps.
|
(b)
|
The
relevant Borrower shall indemnify each Finance Party for all costs and
expenses reasonably incurred by that Finance Party as a result of steps
taken by it under Clause 19.1 (Mitigation).
|
(c)
|
A
Finance Party is not obliged to take any steps under Clause 19.1 (Mitigation) if, in
the opinion of that Finance Party (acting reasonably), to do so might be
prejudicial to it. The incurring of minor costs and expenses of an
administrative nature will not be regarded as prejudicial to such
Finance Party.
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20. COSTS AND
EXPENSES
20.1
Transaction
expenses
Each of
the Borrowers shall promptly on demand pay the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger
and the Security Agent the amount of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and
expenses (including legal fees of outside counsel) reasonably incurred by
any of them in connection with the negotiation, preparation, printing, execution
and syndication and perfection of:
(a)
|
this
Agreement, the Security Documents and any other documents referred to
in this Agreement and the Transaction Security;
and
|
(b)
|
any
other Finance Documents executed after the date of this
Agreement.
|
20.2
Amendment
costs
If (a) an
Obligor requests an amendment, waiver or consent or (b) an amendment is required
pursuant to Clause 33.9 (Change of currency), each of
the Borrowers shall, within three Business Days of demand, reimburse the Agent
for the amount of all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including
reasonable legal fees of outside counsel) reasonably incurred by the Agent in
responding to, evaluating, negotiating or complying with that request or
requirement.
20.3
Enforcement
costs
Each of
the Borrowers shall, within three Business Days of demand, pay to
each
Secured
Party and the Mandated Lead Arranger the amount of all reasonable
out-of-pocket
costs and expenses (including legal fees) reasonably incurred
by
that
Secured Party or the Mandated Lead Arranger in connection with the
enforcement of, or the preservation of any rights, powers and remedies
under any Finance Document and the Transaction Security and any proceedings
instituted by or against the Security Agent as a consequence of taking or
holding the Transaction Security or enforcing those rights, powers and
remedies.
20.4
Limitation
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in any Finance Document, the Borrower shall not be
obliged to pay any losses, costs or expenses under any Finance Document
arising from or relating to disputes solely among the Agent and the Lenders, or
losses, costs or expenses of the Agent or any Lender resulting from its gross
negligence or wilful misconduct.
SECTION
7
GUARANTEE
ON FIRST DEMAND (GARANTIE AUF ERSTES AN-
FORDERN)
21. GUARANTEE AND
INDEMNITY
21.1
Guarantee and
indemnity
Each
Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally jointly and severally:
(a)
|
guarantees
(garantiert) to
each Finance Party punctual performance by each Borrower of all that
Borrower's obligations under the Finance
Documents;
|
(b)
|
undertakes
with each Finance Party that whenever a Borrower does not pay any amount
when due under or in connection with any Finance Document, that Guarantor
shall immediately on demand pay that amount as if it was the principal
obligor (Garantie auf
erstes Anfordern); and
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(c)
|
indemnifies
each Finance Party immediately on demand against any cost, loss or
liability suffered by that Finance Party if any obligation guaranteed
by it is or becomes unenforceable, invalid or illegal. The amount of the
cost, loss or liability shall be equal to the amount which that Finance
Party would otherwise have been entitled to
recover.
|
21.2
Continuing
guarantee
This
guarantee is a continuing guarantee and will extend to the ultimate balance of
sums payable by any Obligor under the Finance Documents, regardless of any
intermediate payment or discharge in whole or in part.
21.3
Reinstatement
If any
payment by an Obligor or any discharge given by a Finance Party (whether in
respect of the obligations of any Obligor or any security for those obligations
or otherwise) is avoided or reduced as a result of insolvency or any similar
event:
(a)
|
the
liability of each Obligor shall continue as if the payment, discharge,
avoidance or reduction had not occurred;
and
|
(b)
|
each
Finance Party shall be entitled to recover the value or amount of that
security or payment from each Obligor, as if the payment, discharge,
avoidance or reduction had not
occurred.
|
21.4
Waiver of
defences
The
obligations of each Guarantor under this Clause 21 (Guarantee and Indemnity)
will not be affected by an act, omission, matter or thing which, but for this
Clause, would reduce, release or prejudice any of its obligations under this
Clause 21 (Guarantee and
Indemnity) (without limitation and whether or not known to it or any
Finance Party) including:
(a)
|
any
time, waiver or consent granted to, or composition with, any Obligor or
other person;
|
(b)
|
the
release of any other Obligor or any other person under the terms of any
composition or arrangement with any creditor of any member of the
Group;
|
(c)
|
the
taking, variation, compromise, exchange, renewal or release of, or
refusal or neglect to perfect, take up or enforce, any rights
against, or security over assets of, any Obligor or other person or
any non-presentation or non-observance of any formality or other
requirement in respect of any instrument or any failure to realise the
full value of any security;
|
(d)
|
any
incapacity or lack of power, authority or legal personality of or
dissolution or change in the members or status of an Obligor or any
other person;
|
(e)
|
any
amendment (however fundamental) or replacement of a Finance Document or
any other document or security;
|
(f)
|
any
unenforceability, illegality or invalidity of any obligation of any
person under any Finance Document or any other document or security;
or
|
(g)
|
any
insolvency or similar proceedings.
|
21.5
Immediate
recourse
Each
Guarantor waives any right it may have of first requiring any Finance Party (or
any trustee or agent on its behalf) to proceed against or enforce any other
rights or security or claim payment from any person before claiming from that
Guarantor under this Clause 21 (Guarantee and Indemnity).
This waiver applies irrespective of any law or any provision of a Finance
Document to the contrary.
21.6
Appropriations
Until all
amounts which may be or become payable by the Obligors under or in connection
with the Finance Documents have been irrevocably paid in full, each Finance
Party (or any trustee or agent on its behalf) may after the occurrence of a
Default:
(a)
|
refrain
from applying or enforcing any other moneys, security or rights held or
received by that Finance Party (or any trustee or agent on its
behalf) in respect of those amounts, or apply and enforce the same in
such manner and order as it sees fit (whether against those amounts or
otherwise) and no Guarantor shall be entitled to the benefit of the
same; and
|
(b)
|
hold
in an interest-bearing suspense account any moneys received from any
Guarantor or on account of any Guarantor's liability under this Clause 21
(Guarantee and
Indemnity).
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21.7
Deferral of Guarantors'
rights
Until all
amounts which may be or become payable by the Obligors under or in connection
with the Finance Documents have been irrevocably paid in full and unless the
Agent otherwise directs, no Guarantor will exercise any rights which it may have
by reason of performance by it of its obligations under the Finance
Documents:
(a)
|
to
be indemnified by an Obligor;
|
(b)
|
to
claim any contribution from any other guarantor of any Obligor's
obligations under the Finance Documents;
and/or
|
(c)
|
to
take the benefit (in whole or in part and whether by way of
subrogation or otherwise) of any rights of the Finance Parties under
the Finance Documents or of any other guarantee or security taken pursuant
to, or in connection with, the Finance Documents by any Finance
Party.
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21.8
Additional
security
This
guarantee is in addition to and is not in any way prejudiced by any other
guarantee or security now or subsequently held by any Finance
Party.
21.9
Guarantee Limitation
Norway
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Clause 21 (Guarantee and
Indemnity), the obligation of the Norwegian Guarantor under this Clause
21 (Guarantee and
Indemnity)in respect of the obligations of any Borrower other than a
Norwegian Borrower shall be deemed to be granted and incurred by the
Norwegian Guarantor only to the extent which is permitted under the Norwegian
Companies Xxx 0000 Section 8-7.
SECTION
8
REPRESENTATIONS,
UNDERTAKINGS AND EVENTS OF DEFAULT
22. REPRESENTATIONS
Each
Obligor makes the representations and warranties set out in this Clause 22 as to
itself and its Subsidiaries (in each case to the extent applicable) to each
Finance Party on the date of this Agreement.
22.1
Status
(a)
|
It
is a corporation, duly incorporated and validly existing under the law of
its jurisdiction of incorporation.
|
(b)
|
It
and each of its Subsidiaries has the power to own its assets and carry on
its business as it is being
conducted.
|
22.2
Binding
obligations
The
obligations expressed to be assumed by it in each Finance Document to which it
is a party are, subject to any general principles of law limiting its
obligations which are specifically referred to in any legal opinion
delivered pursuant to Clause 4 (Conditions of Utilisation),
legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations.
22.3
Non-conflict with other
obligations
The entry
into and performance by it of, and the transactions contemplated by, the Finance
Documents to which it is a party and the granting of the Security under the
Security Documents to which it is a party do not and will not conflict
with:
(a)
|
any
law or regulation applicable to it;
|
(b) its and
each of its Subsidiaries' constitutional documents; or
(c)
|
any
agreement or instrument binding upon it or any of its Subsidiaries or any
of its or any of its Subsidiaries' assets the violation of which would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
|
22.4
Power and
authority
It has
the power to enter into, perform and deliver, and has taken all necessary action
to authorise its entry into, performance and delivery of, the Finance Documents
to which it is a party and the transactions contemplated by those Finance
Documents.
22.5
Validity and
admissibility in evidence All Authorisations required or
desirable:
|
(a)
|
to
enable it lawfully to enter into, exercise its rights and comply with its
obligations in the Finance Documents to which it is a party;
and
|
(b)
|
to
make the Finance Documents to which it is a party admissible in
evidence in each Relevant
Jurisdiction,
|
have been
obtained or effected and are in full force and effect.
22.6 Governing
law and enforcement
(a)
|
Subject
to any general principles of law affecting the choice of the
governing law which are specifically referred to in any legal opinion
delivered pursuant to Clause 4 (Conditions of
Utilisation), the choice of the governing law specified in each of
the Finance Documents to which it is a party will be recognised and
enforced in each Relevant
Jurisdiction.
|
(b)
|
Subject
to any general principles of law affecting the recognition and
enforcement of judgments which are specifically referred to in any
legal opinion delivered pursuant to Clause 4 (Conditions of
Utilisation), any judgment obtained in Germany in relation to a
Finance Document to which it is a party will be recognised and enforced in
each Relevant Jurisdiction.
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22.7
Deduction of
Tax
Subject
to the Legal Reservations, it is not required under the law of each
Relevant Jurisdiction to make any deduction for or on account of Tax from
any payment it may make under any Finance Document.
22.8
No filing or stamp
taxes
Under the
law of each Relevant Jurisdiction it is not necessary that the Finance Documents
to which it is a party be filed, recorded or enrolled with any court or other
authority in that jurisdiction or that any stamp, registration or similar tax be
paid on or in relation to the Finance Documents to which it is a party or the
transactions contemplated by such Finance Documents except for Belgian stamp
duties of EUR 0.15 payable on any original loan or credit agreement and any
original pledge agreement executed in Belgium, subject to the conditions of the
Belgian Stamp Duties Code ( Wetboek Zegelrechten) of 26
June 1947 and Belgian registration, stamp and other duties payable in
respect of any Belgian law floating charge.
22.9
No default
(a)No
Default is continuing or would reasonably be expected to result
from
the
making of any Utilisation.
(b)No
other event or circumstance is outstanding which constitutes a
default
under any
other agreement or instrument which is binding on it or any of its Subsidiaries
or to which its (or its Subsidiaries') assets are subject which would reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
22.10
No misleading
information
Any
factual information heretofore or contemporaneously furnished by or on behalf of
the Parent or any member of the Group in writing to any Finance Party for
purposes of or in connection with the Finance Documents or any transaction
contemplated therein is true and accurate in all material respects on the date
as of which such information is dated or certified and not incomplete by
omitting to state any fact necessary to make such information not misleading in
any material respect at such time.
22.11
Financial
statements
(a)
|
Its
Original Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with
Applicable GAAP consistently
applied.
|
(b)
|
Its
Original Financial Statements fairly represent its financial condition and
operations (consolidated in the case of the Norwegian Guarantor) during
the relevant financial year.
|
(c)
|
There
has been no material adverse change in the business, assets or
financial condition of the German Borrower, the Belgian Borrower or
the Group taken as a whole since the date of the Original Financial
Statements.
|
22.12
Pari passu
ranking
Save as
provided in Clause 22.17 (Ranking), its payment
obligations under the Finance Documents to which it is a party rank at least
pari passu with the
claims of all its other unsecured and unsubordinated creditors, except for
obligations mandatorily preferred by law applying to companies
generally.
22.13
No proceedings pending or
threatened
No
litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings of or before any court,
arbitral body or agency which, if adversely determined, would reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect have been started or (to the
best of its knowledge and belief) threatened in writing against it or any of its
Subsidiaries.
22.14
Environmental
compliance
Each
member of the Group has performed and observed in all material respects all
Environmental Law, Environmental Permits and all other material covenants,
conditions, restrictions or agreements directly or indirectly concerned with any
contamination, pollution or waste or the release or discharge of any toxic or
haz-
ardous
substance in connection with any real property which is or was at any time
owned, leased or occupied by any member of the Group or on which any member of
the Group has conducted any activity where failure to do so would reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
22.15
Environmental
Claims
No
Environmental Claim has been commenced or (to the best of its knowledge and
belief) is threatened in writing against any member of the Group where that
claim would be reasonably likely, if determined against that member of the
Group, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
22.16
No Security
No
Security exists over all or any of the present or future assets of any Obligor
other than any Security permitted under Clause 25.3 (Negative
pledge).
22.17
Ranking
Subject
to the Legal Reservations, each Security Document to which it is a party has or
will have first ranking priority and it is not subject to any prior ranking or
pari passu ranking
Security.
22.18
Transaction
Security
Subject
to the Legal Reservations, each Security Document to which it is a party validly
creates the Security which is expressed to be created by that Security Document
and evidences the Security it is expressed to evidence.
22.19
Legal and beneficial
owner
It is the
absolute legal and beneficial owner of the assets subject to the
Transaction Security created or expressed to be created pursuant to the
Security Documents to which it is a party.
22.20
No
winding-up
None of
the events described in Clause 26.6 (Insolvency) and Clause 26.7
(Insolvency
proceedings) have occurred in relation to any Obligor.
22.21
Structure
Chart
The
Structure Chart dated on or about the date of the Fourth Amendment Agreement
provided by the Obligors prior to the date of the Fourth Amendment Agreement is
true, complete and accurate in all material respects as at the date hereof and
nothing has occurred or been omitted as at the date hereof that renders the
information contained in the Structure Chart untrue or misleading in any
material respect.
22.22
Repetition
The
Repeating Representations are to be made by each Obligor by reference to the
facts and circumstances then existing on the date of each Utilisation Request
and the first day of each Interest Period by delivery of a Certificate to that
effect.
23. INFORMATION
UNDERTAKINGS
The
undertakings in this Clause 23 remain in force from the date of this
Agreement for so long as any amount is outstanding under the Finance
Documents or any Commitment is in force.
23.1
Financial statements of the
Obligors
(a)
|
Each
Obligor shall supply to the Agent in sufficient copies for all the Lenders
as soon as the same become available, but in any event within 150 days
after the end of each of its financial years (i) its audited
consolidated financial statements for that financial year (if any)
and (ii) its audited unconsolidated financial statements for that
financial year.
|
(b)
|
Any
financial statements to be delivered pursuant to paragraph (a) above shall
(i) be prepared using Applicable GAAP, (ii) be certified by the Chief
Executive Officer and/or the Chief Financial Officer (or equivalent
position) of the relevant Obligor, together with one of its authorised
signatories, as fairly representing its financial condition as at the
date as at which those financial statements were drawn up and (iii) be
certified by the relevant Obligor's external
auditors.
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23.2
Financial statements of the
Parent
(a)The
Borrowers shall supply to the Agent in sufficient copies for all
the
Lenders:
(i)
|
as
soon as the same become available, but in any event within 100 days after
the end of each financial year of the Parent the audited consolidated
financial statements of the Parent for that financial year;
and
|
(ii)
|
as
soon as the same become available, but in any event within 55 days after
the end of each quarter of each financial year of the Parent the unaudited
consolidated financial statements of the Parent for that
period.
|
(b)Any
financial statements to be delivered pursuant to paragraph (a)
above
shall be
prepared using Applicable GAAP.
23.3
Combining financial
information
(a)The
Borrowers shall supply to the Agent in sufficient copies for all
the
Lenders:
(i)
|
as
soon as they become available, but in any event within 120 days after the
end of each financial year of the Parent an unaudited Combining
Schedule for that financial year;
|
(ii)
|
as
soon as they become available, but in any event within 60 days after the
end of each quarter of each financial year of the Parent, an unaudited
Combining Schedule for the period as of the beginning of the
financial year and ending on such
quarter.
|
(b)Each
of the Obligors shall procure that each of the Combining Schedules
delivered
pursuant to paragraph (a) above are prepared by the Parent and the Obligors
using US GAAP.
(c) Any
Combining Schedule to be delivered pursuant to paragraph (a)
above
shall (i) be prepared using US GAAP, (ii) be certified by the Chief Executive
Officer and/or Chief Financial Officer (or equivalent position) of the Parent,
together with one of its authorised signatories, as fairly representing the
financial condition of the Group as at the date as at which those Combining
Schedules were drawn up and (iii) in the case of the Combining Schedule to be
delivered pursuant to Clause 23.3(a)(i) above, be accompanied by a report from
the Parent's external auditors in the form of Schedule 13 (Form ofAuditor's
Report).
23.4
Compliance
Certificate
(a)
|
The
Borrowers shall supply to the Agent, with each Combining Schedule
delivered pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of Clause 23.3 (Combining financial
information), a Compliance Certificate setting out (in
reasonable detail) computations as to compliance with Clause 24
(Financial
covenants) as at the date as at which those Combining Schedules
were prepared.
|
(b)
|
Each
Compliance Certificate shall be signed by the Chief Executive
Officer, Chief Financial Officer or any other executive officer,
together with one authorised signatory of the German Borrower, who in each
case will sign on behalf of all Borrowers which hereby authorise the
aforementioned persons to do so, and, (in the case of a Compliance
Certificate delivered pursuant to Clause 23.3 (a) (i)), accompanied by a
letter from the Parent's external auditors in the form set out in part II
of Schedule 6 (Form of
Compliance Certificate).
|
23.5
Information:
miscellaneous
The
Obligors shall (through the German Borrower) supply to the Agent (in
sufficient copies for all the Lenders, if the Agent so
requests):
(a)
|
all
documents dispatched by any of the Obligors or the Parent to its creditors
generally at the same time as they are
dispatched;
|
(b)
|
promptly
upon becoming aware of them, the details of any litigation,
arbitration or administrative proceedings which are current,
threatened or pending against any member of the Group, and which, if
adversely determined, would reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect; and
|
(c)
|
promptly,
such further information regarding the financial condition, business and
operations of any member of the Group as any Finance Party (through the
Agent) may reasonably request.
|
23.6
Notification of
default
(a)
|
Each
Obligor shall notify the Agent of any Default (and the steps, if any,
being taken to remedy it) promptly upon becoming aware of its
occurrence (unless that Obligor is aware that a notification has
already been provided by another
Obligor).
|
(b)
|
Promptly
upon a request by the Agent, the Borrower shall supply to the Agent a
certificate signed by two of its directors or senior officers on its
behalf certifying that no Default is continuing (or if a Default is
continuing, specifying the Default and the steps, if any, being taken
to remedy it).
|
24. FINANCIAL
COVENANTS
|
24.1
Financial definitions
In this Clause 24:
|
"EBITDA" means, for any
Relevant Period the income of the Group before Net Interest, before any
provision on account of taxation and before any amount attributable to the
amortisation of intangible assets and depreciation of tangible
assets.
"Equity" means at any time the
aggregate amount of the total assets of the Group less (i) the total liabilities
of the Group but excluding changes due to foreign currency translation or
any other item of other comprehensive income as defined by US GAAP after 31
December 2004 and (ii) any intangible assets of the Group as defined by US GAAP
(including for the avoidance of doubt any goodwill). Equity shall be reduced by
(x) the aggregate amount of all loans
made by
any member of the Group (other than (a) loans to another member of the Group,
(b) loans resulting from transactions permitted by Clause 25.4 (Disposals) paragraph (b)
sub-paragraph (ii) and (ix) provided that such loan or the respective disposal
is not otherwise prohibited by this Agreement and the amount of such loan does
not exceed the fair market value of the respective assets disposed and (c)
loans resulting from any conversion of accounts receivables into notes up
to an aggregate amount of EUR 5,000,000 (or its equivalent in another currency
or currencies)) that are outstanding as of such time to the extent such
loans have been included in the total assets of the Group as of such time, and
(y) the aggregate nominal amount of any indebtedness in respect of which any
guarantee or indemnity has been granted by any member of the Group (other than a
guarantee or indemnity permitted pursuant to the definition of Permitted Loans
and Guarantees).
"Financial Quarter" means the
period commencing on the day after one Quarter Date and ending on the next
Quarter Date.
"Net Financial Debt" means at
any time, without duplication, the aggregate amount of all obligations of the
Group for or in respect of Financial Indebtedness less any cash or Cash
Equivalent Investments of the Group (except for any such Cash Equivalent
Investments that are subject to any Security securing Financial
Indebtedness other than Financial Indebtedness outstanding with respect to the
Finance Documents).
"Net Interest" means in respect
of any Relevant Period, the aggregate amount of the interest (including the
interest element of leasing and hire purchase payments and capitalised
interest), commission, fees, discounts and other finance payments payable by any
member of the Group on a Combining Schedule (including any commission,
fees, discounts and other finance payments payable by any member of the Group
under any interest rate hedging arrangement but deducting any commission,
fees, discounts and other finance payments receivable by any member of the Group
under any interest rate hedging instrument) but deducting any other
interest receivable by any member of the Group on any deposit or bank
account.
"Net Secured Debt" means at any
time the aggregate amount of all obligations of the Group for or in respect of
Net Financial Debt which is secured by any Security (and so that no amount
shall be included more than once).
"Net Working Capital" means at
any time the aggregate amount of net accounts receivables and net
inventories of the Group less any accounts payable and accrued liabilities of
the Group.
"Quarter Date" means each of 31
March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December.
"Quarterly EBITDA" means for
any Financial Quarter the income of the Group before Net Interest, before any
provision on account of taxation and before any amount attributable to the
amortisation of intangible assets and depreciation of tangible
assets.
"Relevant Period" means each
period of twelve months ending on the last day of the Group's financial year and
each period of twelve months ending on the last day of each of the first, second
and third Financial Quarter of the Group's financial year.
"Rolling Basis" means the
calculation of a ratio or an amount made at the end of a Financial Quarter in
respect of that Financial Quarter and each of the preceding three Financial
Quarters.
24.2
Financial
condition
Each
Borrower shall ensure that:
(a)
|
For
each Relevant Period ending on a Quarter Date following the Original
Leverage Test Compliance Date the ratio of (i) Net Secured Debt of the
Group at the end of the applicable Relevant Period to (ii) EBITDA of the
Group, calculated on a Rolling Basis, shall not in respect of any Relevant
Period be more than 0.70:1.
|
(b)
|
The
ratio of (i) Net Financial Debt of the Group at the end of the
applicable Relevant Period to (ii) the consolidated Equity of the
Group at the end of the applicable Relevant Period shall not in respect of
any Relevant Period be more than
0.5:1.
|
(c)
|
For
each Financial Quarter until the Original Leverage Test Compliance Date
either
|
|
(i)
the Quarterly EBITDA shall at each Quarter Date set out in the table below
be not less than the amount as set opposite such Quarter Date in the table
below:
|
Quarter
Date
|
Minimum
Quarterly EBITDA in dollar
|
30
September 2009
|
6,000,000
|
31
December 2009
|
7,400,000
|
31
March 2010
|
8,000,000
|
30
June 2010
|
11,000,000
|
30
September 2010
|
13,500,000
|
31
December 2010
|
14,500,000
|
31
March2011
|
21,500,000
|
or
alternatively
(ii) the
sum of each Quarterly EBITDA for each Financial Quarter
within
the period set out in the left column below shall not be less than the amount in
dollars set out in the right column opposite such period:
period
|
Minimum
cumulative Quarterly EBITDA
|
1
July 2009- 30 September 2009
|
6,000,000
|
1
July 2009- 31 December 2009
|
13,400,000
|
1
July 2009- 31 March 2010
|
21,400,000
|
1
July 2009- 30 June 2010
|
32,400,000
|
1
October 2009 - 30 September 2010
|
39,900,000
|
1
January 2010 - 31 December 2010
|
47,000,000
|
1
April 2010-31 March 2011
|
60,500,000
|
(d) For
each Relevant Period ending on a Quarter Date until the Original
Leverage
Test Compliance Date the ratio of (i) Net Working Capital to (ii) Net Financial
Debt shall for the Relevant Period ending on 30 September 2009 be not less
than 3.0:1 and for each Relevant Period thereafter be not less than
4.0:1.
24.3
Financial
testing
The
financial covenants set out in Clause 24.2 (Financial condition)
(including, for the avoidance of doubt, paragraph (a) of Clause 24.2 (Financial condition), even
though the Borrowers are not required to maintain compliance with paragraph
(a) of Clause 24.2 (Financial
condition) prior to the Original Leverage Test Compliance Date) shall be
tested quarterly in accordance with US GAAP by reference to each of the
Combining Schedules as evidenced by each Compliance Certificate delivered
pursuant to Clause 23.4 (Compliance
certificate).
25. GENERAL
UNDERTAKINGS
The
undertakings in this Clause 25 remain in force from the date of this
Agreement for so long as any amount is outstanding under the Finance
Documents or any Commitment is in force.
25.1
Authorisations
Each
Obligor shall promptly:
(a)
|
obtain,
comply with and do all that is necessary to maintain in full force and
effect; and
|
(b)
|
supply
certified copies to the Agent of,
|
any
Authorisation required under any law or regulation of the Relevant
Jurisdictions to enable it to perform its obligations under the Finance
Documents to which it is a party and to ensure the legality, validity,
enforceability or admissibility in evidence in each Relevant Jurisdiction
of incorporation of any Finance Document.
25.2
Compliance with
laws
Each
Obligor shall comply in all material respects with all laws to which it may be
subject, if failure so to comply would materially impair its ability to perform
its obligations under the Finance Documents.
25.3
Negative
pledge
(a) No
Obligor shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that none of its
Subsidi-
aries
will) create or permit to subsist any Security over any of its
assets.
(b) No
Obligor shall (and each Obligors shall ensure that no of its
Subsidiar-
ies
will):
(i)
|
sell,
transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its assets on terms whereby they
are or may be leased to or re-acquired by an Obligor or any other
member of the Group;
|
(ii)
|
sell,
transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its receivables on recourse
terms other than to the German Borrower and where such transaction is not
otherwise prohibited by this
Agreement;
|
(iii)
|
enter
into any arrangement under which money or the benefit of a bank or other
account may be applied, set-off or made subject to a combination of
accounts; or
|
(iv)
|
enter
into any other preferential arrangement having a similar
effect,
|
in
circumstances where the arrangement or transaction is entered into primarily as
a method of raising Financial Indebtedness or of financing the acquisition of an
asset.
(c)Paragraphs
(a) and (b) above do not apply to:
(i) any
Security listed in Schedule 7 (Existing Security)
(including
any
Security which has been Refinanced provided that the assets
subject to such Security have not materially changed in any way) except to the
extent the principal amount secured by that Security exceeds the amount stated
in that Schedule;
(ii)any
netting or set-off arrangement entered into by any member of
the Group
in the ordinary course of its banking arrangements for the purpose of netting
debit and credit balances;
(iii)any
Security entered into in the ordinary course of business under
customary
general business conditions;
(iv)any
lien arising by operation of law or regulatory requirement and
in the
ordinary course of business and not as a result of a default howsoever
described;
(v) any
Security arising by operation of law in favour of any gov-
ernment,
state or local authority in respect of Taxes which are either (a) not yet
due and unpaid or (b) being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
and for which adequate reserves have been made;
|
(vi)
any Security over or affecting any asset acquired by a member of the Group
after the date of this Agreement
if:
|
(1)
|
the
Security was not created in contemplation of the acquisition of that
asset by a member of the Group; and
|
(2)
|
the
principal amount secured has not been increased in contemplation of, or
since the acquisition of that asset by a member of the
Group;
|
|
(vii)
any Security over or affecting any asset of any company which becomes a
member of the Group after the date of this Agreement, where the Security
is created prior to the date on which that company becomes a member
of the Group, if:
|
(1)
|
the
Security was not created in contemplation of the acquisition of that
company; and
|
(2)
|
the
principal amount secured has not increased in contemplation of or
since the acquisition of that
company;
|
(viii)
the Transaction Security;
(ix)
|
any
Security which has been approved in writing by the Majority
Lenders;
|
(x)
|
any
Security incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in
connection with workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and
other types of social security, including any Security securing letters of
credit issued in the ordinary course of business in accordance with past
practice;
|
(xi)
|
any
Security over assets of the Norwegian Borrower 2 acquired with Financial
Indebtedness permitted under paragraph (k) of the definition of Permitted
Financial Indebtedness provided that such Security is removed upon the
full discharge of the relevant Permitted Financial Indebtedness
incurred to finance the payment of the purchase price for such asset;
or
|
(xii)
|
any
Security securing indebtedness the principal amount of which (when
aggregated with the principal amount of any other indebtedness which
has the benefit of Security given by any member of the Group other than
any permitted under paragraphs (i) to (ix) above) does not exceed EUR
5,000,000 its equivalent in another currency or
currencies).
|
25.4
Disposals
(a)
|
No
Obligor shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that none of its
Subsidiaries will), enter into a single transaction or a series of
transactions (whether related or not) and whether voluntary or involuntary
to sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any
asset.
|
(b)
|
Paragraph
(a) above does not apply to any sale, lease, transfer or other
disposal:
|
(i)
|
which
is made on arm's length terms and for fair market value in the ordinary
course of trading or business of the disposing
entity;
|
(ii)
|
of
assets which are obsolete;
|
(iii)
|
which
is made from any Obligor to another
Obligor;
|
(iv)
|
which
is made from any Obligor to a wholly-owned subsidiary being a member of
the Group which is not an Obligor, provided that the fair
market value of the assets to be disposed of does not, when aggregated
with the fair market value of all other assets disposed of pursuant to
this paragraph (b)(iv) exceed
|
EUR
5,000,000 (or its equivalent in any other currency or
currencies);
(v)
|
of
assets in exchange for other assets comparable or superior as to type,
value and quality;
|
(vi)
|
which
is a Permitted Affiliate
Transaction;
|
(vii)
|
made
in connection with the granting of a non-exclusive licence to use any
Intellectual Property owned by members of the Group provided that any such
licences do not prohibit any of the member of the Group from using
any Intellectual Property which is material to its
business;
|
(viii)
|
made
with the prior written consent of the Majority
Lenders;
|
(ix)
|
of
non-core assets which is made on arm's length terms and for fair market
value provided that
the consideration receivable (when aggregated with the
consideration receivable for any other sale, lease, transfer or other
disposal, other than any permitted under paragraphs (i) to (viii) above)
does not exceed EUR 5,000,000 (or its equivalent in another currency or
currencies) in any financial year;
|
(x)
|
of
cash other than by way of a payment to any member of the Group which is
not an Obligor as equity payment, it being understood, however, that
payments to Unterstützungskasse Kronos Titan GmbH up to an aggregate
amount of EUR 1,000,000 (or its equivalent in another currency or
currencies) shall be permitted, and provided that such disposal is not
otherwise prohibited by this Agreement;
or
|
(xi)
|
of
Cash Equivalent Investments on arms' length
terms.
|
25.5
Disposals of
Plant
No
Obligor shall sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of its respective
manufacturing plant at Langerbrugge, Leverkusen, Nordenham and Frederikstad
to any other Obligor unless it has received the prior written consent of the
Majority Lenders.
25.6
Indebtedness
Each
Obligor shall ensure that neither it nor any of its Subsidiaries shall incur or
permit to subsist any Financial Indebtedness other than Permitted Financial
Indebtedness.
25.7
Merger
No
Obligor shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that none of its Subsidiaries will)
enter into any amalgamation, demerger, merger or corporate reconstruction other
than (a) a solvent reorganisation between members of the Group (other than any
Obligor) and (b) a solvent reorganisation between members of the Group and a
Borrower provided that the Borrower is the surviving entity.
25.8
Change of
business
The
Obligors shall procure that no substantial change is made to the general
nature of the business of any of the Borrowers or the Group from that
carried on at the date of this Agreement and that there shall be no cessation of
any substantial part of such business.
25.9
Insurance
Each
Obligor shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that each of its Subsidiaries will)
maintain insurances on and in relation to its business and assets with
reputable underwriters or insurance companies against those risks and to
the extent as is usual for companies carrying on the same or substantially
similar business.
25.10
Environmental
compliance
Each
Obligor (and each Obligor shall ensure that each of its Subsidiaries will)
comply in all material respects with all Environmental Laws and obtain and
maintain any Environmental Permits and take all reasonable steps in anticipation
of known or expected future changes to or obligations under the same where
failure to do so would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
25.11
Environmental
Claims
The
Obligors shall inform the Agent in writing as soon as reasonably practicable
upon becoming aware of the same:
(a)
|
if
any Environmental Claim has been commenced or is threatened in writing
against any member of the Group; or
|
(b)
|
of
any facts or circumstances which will or are reasonably likely to result
in any Environmental Claim being commenced or threatened against any
member of the Group,
|
where the
claim would be reasonably likely, if determined against that member of the
Group, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
25.12
Acquisition
No
Obligor shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that none of its Subsidiaries
will):
(a)
|
purchase,
subscribe for or otherwise acquire any shares (or other securities
(but excluding Cash Equivalent Investments) or interests) in, or
incorporate, any other company, including any additional shares or
other interests in any member of the Group who is not an Obligor but
excluding Unterstützungskasse Kronos Titan GmbH or agree to do any of
the foregoing; or
|
(b)
|
purchase
or otherwise acquire all or substantially all of the assets of a company
or a business unit or agree to do so;
or
|
(c)
|
form,
or enter into, any partnership, consortium, joint venture or other like
arrangement or agree to do so,
|
in each
case other than: (i) any such investment made between two or more Obligors,
or (ii) if the aggregate amount of any such investments made by members of the
Group would not exceed EUR 5,000,000 (or its equivalent in another currency
or currencies, as measured at the time of such investment).
This
Clause 25.12 does not apply to any acquisitions resulting from settlements or
compromises of accounts receivable or trade payables, acquisitions in
securities of trade creditors or customers received pursuant to any plan of
reorganisation or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of
such trade creditors or customers or in good faith settlements of delinquent
obligations of such trade creditors or customers, in each case in the ordinary
course of business and provided
that the aggregate face value of accounts receivables and/or trade
payables and/or delinquent obligations shall in aggregate not exceed EUR
5,000,000 (or its equivalent in another currency or currencies).
25.13
Pari passu
Each
Obligor shall ensure that at all times the claims of the Finance Parties against
it under this Agreement rank at least pari passu with the claims of
all of its other unsecured and unsubordinated creditors save those whose claims
are preferred solely by any bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation or other similar
laws of general application.
25.14
Loans and
Guarantees
(a)Following
the Original Leverage Test Compliance Date no Obligor shall
(and each
Obligor shall ensure that none of its Subsidiaries will) make any loans or grant
any credit (in each case of the type described in paragraphs (a), (c) and
(f) of the definition of Financial Indebtedness) or give any guarantee or
indemnity to or for the benefit of any person or otherwise voluntarily
assume any liability, whether actual or contingent, in respect of any
obligation of any person other than (i) Permitted Loans and
Guarantees
and (ii) any loan, credit, guarantee, indemnity or assumption of such liability
in respect of any member of the Kronos Group.
(b)Until
and including the Original Leverage Test Compliance Date no Ob-
ligor
shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that none of its Subsidiaries
will)
(i)
|
make
any loans or grant any credit (in each case of the type described in
the definition of Financial Indebtedness) or allow any Financial
Indebtedness owed by the members of the Kronos Group to the members of the
Group to be outstanding;
|
(ii)
|
give
any guarantee or indemnity to or for the benefit of the Parent or any
other member of the Kronos Group;
|
(iii)
|
otherwise
voluntarily assume any liability, whether actual or contingent, in
respect of any obligation of the Parent or any other member of the Kronos
Group; or
|
(iv)
|
make
any loans or grant any credit (in each case of the type described in
paragraphs (a), (c) and (f) of the definition of Financial Indebtedness)
or give any guarantee or indemnity to or for the benefit of any person or
otherwise voluntarily assume any liability, whether actual or
contingent, in respect of any obligation of any person other than
Permitted Loans and Guarantees.
|
25.15
Transactions with members of
the Kronos Group
No
Obligor shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that none of its Subsidiaries will)
enter into any transaction with a member of the Kronos Group unless (i) such
transaction is a Permitted Affiliate Transaction, (ii) such transaction is
concluded on arm's length terms and for fair market value or on terms more
favourable to the members of the Group or (iii) such transaction is
expressly permitted by (x) Clause 25.6 (Indebtedness) as it
constitutes Permitted Financial Indebtedness under paragraphs (c) and (h)
of the definition of Permitted Financial Indebtedness under Clause 1.1
(Definitions) or (y)
Clause 25.14 (Loans and
Guarantees) of this Agreement, provided that in each case and
with respect to the payment of cash, such payment will not, whether directly or
indirectly, result in the occurrence of a Default.
25.16
Profit and loss transfer
agreements
No
Obligor shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that none of its Subsidiaries will)
enter into a profit and loss transfer agreement (Ergebnis
abführungsvertrag), any partnership agreements (stille Beteiligungen), any
other intercompany agreement (Unternehmensvertrag) or any
other similar arrangement resulting in any person not being a member of the
Group being entitled to share in the profits
of any
member of the Group or being entitled to exercise control over any member
of the Group provided that
the German Borrower shall be permitted to operate a profit and loss
transfer agreement with the Parent for the purpose of sharing Taxes (the
"Permitted Profit and Loss
Transfer Agreement") in accordance with the terms of the
Subordination Agreement.
25.17
Intellectual
Property
Each
Obligor shall (and the Obligors shall ensure that each of its Subsidiaries
will):
(a)
|
observe
and comply with all material obligations and laws to which it in its
capacity as registered proprietor, beneficial owner, user, licensor or
licensee of the Intellectual Property required to conduct its
business or any part of it is subject where failure to do so would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect;
|
(b)
|
do
all acts as are necessary to maintain, protect and safeguard such
Intellectual Property where failure to do so would reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and not discontinue the use of
any of such Intellectual Property nor allow it to be used in such a way
that it is put at risk by becoming generic or by being identified as
disreputable if in each case to do so would reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect; and
|
(c)
|
(save
where a licence is granted to terminate or prevent litigation) not
after the date of this Agreement grant any licence to any person to
use the Intellectual Property required to conduct the business of any
member of the Group if to do so would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
|
25.18
Compliance with Material
Contracts
Each
Obligor shall (and each Obligor shall ensure that each of its Subsidiaries
will):
(a)
|
comply
in all material respects with its obligations under each Material Contract
to which it is party and take all action necessary to ensure the continued
validity and enforceability of its rights
thereunder;
|
(b)
|
not
amend, vary, novate or supplement any such Material Contract in any
material respect;
|
(c)
|
not
terminate, revoke, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of its rights and
obligations under any such Material Contract during the term of this
Agreement,
|
if such
non-compliance, failure to take action, amendment, variation, novation,
supplement, termination, revocation, transfer, assignment or other disposal, as
the case may be, would be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
|
25.19
Payments to members of
the Kronos Group and payments owed by members of the Kronos
Group
|
Until the
Original Leverage Test Compliance Date and notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Agreement or any other Finance Document no Obligor shall (and
each Obligor shall ensure that none of its Subsidiaries will):
(a)make
any payments to the Parent (including, for the avoidance of doubt,
any
dividends or advance payments in respect of dividends or distributable
profits and payments under the Permitted Profit and Loss Transfer Agreement) or
to any other member of the Kronos Group other than
(i)
|
in
relation to trade payables on their due date for payment arising from
contracts entered into on market conform terms and conditions, provided that the
aggregate amount of all such trade payables shall at no time fall
below the amount of USD 54,000,000 in
aggregate;
|
(ii)
|
payments
that constitute a Permitted Affiliate
Transaction;
|
(iii)
|
payments
owed under the Permitted Profit and Loss Transfer Agreement which are made
in accordance with the terms of the Subordination Agreement;
or
|
(iv)
|
payments
by the German Borrower to the Parent up to an amount equal to the amount
of VAT (Umsatzsteuer)
attributable to the German Borrower but payable to tax authorities in
Germany by the Parent in a financial year minus the amount of input VAT
(Vorsteuer) paid
by the German Borrower in that financial
year.
|
(b) allow
trade payables owed by the Parent or any other member of the
Kronos
Group to the members of the Group in excess of an amount of
USD
35,000,000 in aggregate to be outstanding at any time.
26. EVENTS OF DEFAULT
Each of
the events or circumstances set out in Clause 26 is an Event of
Default.
26.1
Non-payment
An
Obligor does not pay on the due date any amount due and payable pursuant to a
Finance Document to which it is a party at the place at and in the currency in
which it is expressed to be payable unless:
(a)
|
in
the case of principal or interest due under a Finance Document, its
failure to pay is caused by administrative or technical error and payment
is made within 3 Business Days of its due date;
and
|
(b)
|
in
the case of any amount due under a Finance Document other than principal
or interest, payment is made within 3 Business Days after written
notice of such non-payment has been given to the German
Borrower.
|
26.2
Financial covenants and certain
other obligations
(a)
|
Any
requirement of Clause 24 (Financial covenants) is
not satisfied.
|
(b)
|
If
applicable, an Obligor does not comply with the provisions of
paragraphs (b)(i), (b)(ii) and (b)(iii) of Clause 25.14 (Loans and Guarantees),
or 25.19 (Payments to
members of the Kronos Group and payments owed by members of the Kronos
Group).
|
26.3
Other
obligations
(a)
|
An
Obligor does not comply with any provision of the Finance Documents
to which it is a party (other than those referred to in Clause 26.1 (Non-payment) and Clause
26.2 (Financial
covenants and certain other
obligations)).
|
(b)
|
No
Event of Default under paragraph (a) above will occur if such breach is
capable of remedy and is remedied within thirty (30)
days.
|
26.4
Misrepresentation
(a)
|
Any
representation or statement made by an Obligor in the Finance Documents or
any other document delivered by or on behalf of any Obligor under or
in connection with any Finance Document is or proves to have been
incorrect or misleading in any material respect when
made.
|
(b)
|
No
Event of Default under paragraph (a) above will occur if such
misrepresentation is capable of remedy and is remedied within 15
Business Days.
|
26.5
Cross
default
(a)Any
Financial Indebtedness of the Parent or any member of the Group is
not paid
at maturity, whether by acceleration or otherwise.
(b)
|
Any
Financial Indebtedness of the Parent or any member of the Group is
declared to be or otherwise becomes due and payable prior to its
specified maturity as a result of an event of default (however
described).
|
(c)
|
Any
commitment for any Financial Indebtedness of the Parent or any member of
the Group is cancelled or suspended by a creditor of the Parent or
any member of the Group as a result of an event of default (however
described).
|
(d)
|
Any
creditor of the Parent or any member of the Group becomes entitled to
declare any Financial Indebtedness of the Parent or any member of the
Group due and payable prior to its specified maturity as a result of an
event of default (however
described).
|
(e)
|
No
Event of Default will occur under this Clause 26.5 if the aggregate amount
of Financial Indebtedness or commitment for Financial Indebtedness
falling within paragraphs (a) to (d) above is less than EUR 5,000,000 (or
its equivalent in any other currency or
currencies).
|
26.6
Insolvency
(a)
|
Any
Obligor, Material Subsidiary or the Parent is unable or admits
inability to pay its debts which have fallen due or its debts which
will fall due in the future, suspends making payments on any of its debts
or, in the case of the German Borrower or any Material Subsidiary whose
jurisdiction of incorporation is Germany, is overindebted (Überschuldung).
|
(b)
|
A
moratorium is declared in respect of any indebtedness of any Obligor,
Material Subsidiary or the Parent in excess of EUR
5,000,000.
|
26.7
Insolvency
proceedings
Any
corporate action, legal proceedings or other procedure or step is taken in
relation to:
(a)
|
the
suspension of payments, the opening of insolvency proceedings, winding-up,
dissolution, administration or reorganisation (by way of voluntary
arrangement, scheme of arrangement or otherwise) of any Obligor,
Material Subsidiary or the Parent other than a solvent liquidation or
reorganisation of any member of the Group which is not an
Obligor;
|
(b)
|
a
composition, assignment or arrangement with any creditor involving
indebtedness in excess of EUR 5,000,000 of any Obligor, Material
Subsidiary or the Parent;
|
(c)
|
the
appointment of a liquidator (other than in respect of a solvent
liquidation of a member of the Group which is not an Obligor
permitted under this Agreement), receiver, administrator including an
insolvency administrator, administrative receiver, compulsory manager
or other similar officer in respect of any Obligor, Material
Subsidiary or the Parent or any of its assets where such asset have an
aggregated fair market value in excess of EUR 5,000,000;
or
|
(d)
|
enforcement
of any Security over any assets of any Obligor, Material Subsidiary or the
Parent where such assets have an aggregated fair market value in
excess of EUR 5,000,000,
|
or any
analogous procedure or step is taken in any jurisdiction.
26.8
Creditors'
process
Any
expropriation, attachment, sequestration, distress, enforcement or execution
affects any asset or assets of the Parent, any Obligor or any Material
Subsidiary having an aggregate value of EUR 5,000,000 and is not discharged
within 45 days.
26.9
Ownership of the
Obligors
An
Obligor is not or ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Parent.
26.10
Unlawfulness
It is or
becomes unlawful for an Obligor to perform any of its obligations under the
Finance Documents if the effect thereof would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
26.11
Transaction
Security
(a)
|
Any
Obligor fails duly to perform or comply with any of the obligations
assumed by it in the Security Documents, provided that no Event
of Default under this paragraph (a) will occur if such breach is
capable of remedy and is remedied within fifteen (15) Business Days
after written notice of such breach has been given to the German
Borrower by the Agent or the relevant Obligor, as the case may be, has
obtained actual knowledge of such breach, whichever is the
earlier.
|
(b)
|
At
any time of the Transaction Security is or becomes unlawful or is not, or
ceases to be legal, valid, binding or enforceable or otherwise ceases to
be effective if the effect thereof would reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect.
|
26.12
Repudiation
An
Obligor repudiates a Finance Document or any of the Transaction Security or
evidences an intention to repudiate a Finance Document or any of the
Transaction Security.
26.13
Material
Contracts
Any
Material Contract is not or ceases to be in full force and effect if this would
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
26.14
Material adverse
change
There
occurs a material adverse change in the business, assets or financial
condition of any of the German Borrower, the Belgian Borrower or of the
Group taken as a whole.
26.15
Acceleration
On and at
any time after the occurrence of an Event of Default which is continuing
the Agent may, and shall if so directed by the Majority Lenders, by notice to
the Borrowers:
(a)
|
cancel
the Total Commitments whereupon they shall immediately be
cancelled;
|
(b)
|
declare
that all or part of the Loans, together with accrued interest, and all
other amounts accrued or outstanding under the Finance Documents be
immediately due and payable, whereupon they shall become immediately
due and payable;
|
(c)
|
declare
that all or part of the Loans be payable on demand, whereupon they shall
immediately become payable on demand by the Agent on the instructions of
the Majority Lenders; and/or
|
(d)
|
require
the relevant Borrower to procure that the liabilities of each of the
Lenders and the Fronting Bank under each Letter of Credit are promptly
reduced to zero; and/or
|
(e)
|
require
the relevant Borrower to provide Cash Collateral for each Letter of Credit
in an amount specified by the Agent and in the currency of that Letter of
Credit;
|
(f)
|
exercise,
or direct the Security Agent to exercise, any or all of its rights,
remedies, powers or discretions under any of the Finance
Documents.
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SECTION
9
CHANGES
TO PARTIES
27. CHANGES TO THE
LENDERS
27.1
Assignments and transfers by
the Lenders
(a)Subject
to this Clause 27, a Lender (the "Existing Lender")
may:
(i)
|
assign
(Abtretung) any
of its rights; or
|
(ii)
|
transfer
by way of assignment and assumption of debt (Vertragsübernahme)
any of its rights and obligations,
|
to
another bank or financial institution or to a trust, fund or other entity which
is regularly engaged in or established for the purpose of making, purchasing or
investing in loans, securities or other financial assets (the "New Lender").
27.2
Conditions of assignment or
transfer
(a)
|
Any
such assignment or transfer shall be in a minimum amount of EUR 4,000,000
except in the case of an assignment or transfer which has the effect of
reducing the participation of the relevant Lender to
zero.
|
(b)
|
The
consent of the German Borrower is required for an assignment or transfer
by a Lender, unless the assignment or transfer is to another Lender or an
Affiliate of a Lender or unless a Default has occurred which is
continuing.
|
(c)
|
The
consent of the German Borrower to an assignment or transfer must not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed. The German Borrower will be deemed to
have given its consent five Business Days after the Lender has requested
it unless consent is expressly refused by the German Borrower within that
time.
|
(d)
|
The
consent of the Fronting Bank is required for an assignment or
transfer by a Lender in relation to a Letter of
Credit.
|
(e)
|
An
assignment will only be effective on receipt by the Agent of written
confirmation from the New Lender (in form and substance satisfactory to
the Agent) that the New Lender will assume the same obligations to the
other Finance Parties and the other Secured Parties as it would have been
under if it was an Original Lender.
|
(f)
|
A
transfer will only be effective if the procedure set out in Clause 27.5
(Procedure for
transfer) is complied with.
|
(g) If:
(i)
|
a
Lender assigns or transfers any of its rights or obligations under the
Finance Documents or changes its Facility Office;
and
|
(ii)
|
as
a result of circumstances existing at the date the assignment, transfer or
change occurs, an Obligor would be obliged to make a payment to the New
Lender or Lender acting through its new Facility Office under Clause
16 (Tax gross-up and
indemnities) or Clause 17 (Increased
Costs),
|
then the
New Lender or Lender acting through its new Facility Office is only entitled to
receive payment under those Clauses to the same extent as the Existing Lender or
Lender acting through its previous Facility Office would have been if the
assignment, transfer or change had not occurred.
27.3
Assignment or transfer
fee
The New
Lender shall, on the date upon which an assignment or transfer takes effect, pay
to the Agent (for its own account) a fee of EUR 3,500.
27.4
Limitation of responsibility of
Existing Lenders
(a) Unless
expressly agreed to the contrary, an Existing Lender makes no
representation
or warranty and assumes no responsibility to a New Lender for:
(i)
|
the
legality, validity, effectiveness, adequacy or enforceability of the
Finance Documents, the Transaction Security or any other
documents;
|
(ii)
|
the
financial condition of any Obligor;
|
(iii)
|
the
performance and observance by any Obligor of its obligations under the
Finance Documents or any other documents;
or
|
(iv)
|
the
accuracy of any statements (whether written or oral) made in or in
connection with any Finance Document or any other
document,
|
and any
representations or warranties implied by law are excluded.
(b)Each
New Lender confirms to the Existing Lender and the other Finance
Parties
that it:
(i)
|
has
made (and shall continue to make) its own independent investigation
and assessment of the financial condition and affairs of each Obligor and
its related entities in connection with its participation in this
Agreement and has not relied exclusively on any information provided
to it by the Existing Lender in connection with any Finance Document;
and
|
(ii)
|
will
continue to make its own independent appraisal of the
creditworthiness of each Obligor and its related entities whilst any
amount is or may be outstanding under the Finance Documents or any
Commitment is in force.
|
(c)Nothing
in any Finance Document obliges an Existing Lender to:
(i)
|
accept
a re-transfer from a New Lender of any of the rights and obligations
assigned or transferred under this Clause 27;
or
|
(ii)
|
support
any losses directly or indirectly incurred by the New Lender by reason of
the non-performance by any Obligor of its obligations under the Finance
Documents or otherwise.
|
27.5
Procedure for
transfer
(a) Subject
to the conditions set out in Clause 27.2 (Conditions of
assign-
ment or transfer) a transfer
is effected in accordance with paragraph (b) below when the Agent executes an
otherwise duly completed Transfer Certificate delivered to it by the Existing
Lender and the New Lender. The Agent shall, as soon as reasonably practicable
after receipt by it of a duly completed Transfer Certificate appearing on its
face to comply with the terms of this Agreement and delivered in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement, execute that Transfer Certificate.
(b) On
the Transfer Date:
(i)
|
to
the extent that in the Transfer Certificate the Existing Lender seeks to
transfer by assignment and assumption its rights (the "Transferred Rights") and
obligations (the "Transferred
Obligations") under the Finance Documents and in respect of
the Transaction Security each of the Obligors and the Existing Lender
shall be released from further obligations towards one another under
the Finance Documents and in respect of the Transaction
Security;
|
(ii)
|
the
Transferred Rights of the Existing Lender shall be transferred to the New
Lender and the Transferred Obligations of the
Exist-
|
ing
Lender shall be assumed by the New Lender so that each of the Obligors and the
New Lender shall have those obligations and/ or rights towards one
another;
(iii)
|
the
Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger, the Security Agent, the New Lender, the
other Lenders and the Fronting Bank shall have the same rights and the
same obligations between themselves and in respect of the Transaction
Security as they would have had, had the New Lender been an Original
Lender with the rights and/or obligations transferred to or assumed by it
as a result of the transfer and to that extent the Agent, the Mandated
Lead Arranger, the Existing Lender and the Fronting Bank shall each
be released from further obligations to each other under this
Agreement; and
|
(iv)
|
the
New Lender shall become a Party as a "Lender".
|
For the
avoidance of doubt it is hereby agreed that the benefit of the guarantees and
indemnities granted pursuant to Clause 21 (Guarantee and Indemnity) and
the benefit of each of the Security Documents shall be transferred to the New
Lender following a transfer pursuant to this Clause 27.
27.6
Disclosure of
information
Any
Lender may disclose to any of its Affiliates and any other person:
(a)
|
to
(or through) whom that Lender assigns or transfers (or may potentially
assign or transfer) all or any of its rights and obligations under this
Agreement;
|
(b)
|
with
(or through) whom that Lender enters into (or may potentially enter into)
any sub-participation in relation to, or any other transaction under which
payments are to be made by reference to, this Agreement or any Obligor;
or
|
(c)
|
to
whom, and to the extent that, information is required to be disclosed by
any applicable law or regulation,
|
any
information about any Obligor, the Group and the Finance Documents as that
Lender shall consider appropriate if, in relation to paragraphs (a) and (b)
above, the person to whom the information is to be given has entered into a
Confidentiality Undertaking.
28. CHANGES TO THE
OBLIGORS
No
Obligor may assign any of its rights or transfer any of its rights or
obligations under the Finance Documents.
SECTION
10
THE
FINANCE PARTIES
29.
ROLE OF THE AGENT, THE
SECURITY AGENT AND THE MANDATED LEAD
ARRANGER
|
29.1
Appointment of the Agent and
the Security Agent
(a)
|
Each
other Finance Party appoints the Agent to act as its agent and the
Security Agent to act as its trustee and administrator under and in
connection with the Finance Documents (provided that, in the
case of any Transaction Security which is accessory in nature and which is
granted pursuant to any Security Document which is governed by German law,
the Security Agent shall act as administrator
only).
|
(b)
|
Each
other Finance Party authorises the Agent and the Security Agent to
exercise the rights, powers, authorities and discretions specifically
given to the Agent and the Security Agent under or in connection with the
Finance Documents together with any other incidental rights, powers,
authorities and discretions. The Agent and the Security Agent shall
be released from the restrictions set out in section 181 of the
German Civil Code. The Agent and the Security Agent can grant substitute
power of attorney and release any sub-agents from the restrictions set out
in section 181 of the German Civil Code and revoke such power of
attorney.
|
29.2
Definitions: For the
purposes of Section 10 (The
Finance Parties):
"Agent's and Security Agent's
Liabilities" means all liabilities (including any liability in respect of
tax), to which the Agent, the Security Agent or any person appointed by any of
them under any Finance Document becomes subject by reason of it acting as
agent or holding the Transaction Security under the Finance
Document;
"German Security" means any
security assumed and accepted by or through the Security Agent or the Finance
Parties, as the case may be, pursuant to any Security Document governed by
German law and held or administered by the Security Agent on behalf of or
in trust for the Finance Parties hereunder and any addition or replacement
or substitution thereof.
29.3
Administering of Transaction
Security:
The
Security Agent shall hold and administer the Transaction Security. Each Lender
hereby authorises the Security Agent to accept as its representative (Stellvertreter) any security
created in favour of such Lender.
29.4
Administration of German
Security
The
Security Agent shall in relation to the German Security
(a)
|
hold
and administer any German Security which is security assigned (Sicherungseigentum/Sicherungsabtretung)
or otherwise transferred under a non-accessory security right (nicht akzessorische
Sicherheit) to it as trustee (Treuhänder) for the
benefit of the Secured Parties;
|
(b)
|
administer
any German Security which is pledged (Verpfändung) or
otherwise transferred to a Secured Party under an accessory security
right (akzessorische
Sicherheit) as agent.
|
29.5
Acts of Agent and Security
Agent:
In
additional to Clause 29.3 (Administering of Transaction
Security):
(a)
|
each
of the Security Agent and the Agent shall be at liberty to place any
Finance Document and any other documents delivered to it in connection
therewith in any safe or receptacle or with any bank, any company whose
business includes undertaking the safe custody of documents or any firm of
lawyers of good repute and shall not be responsible for any loss thereby
incurred;
|
(b)
|
the
Security Agent, whenever it thinks fit, may delegate by power of
attorney or otherwise to any person or persons all or any of the
rights, trusts, powers, authorities and discretions vested in it by a
Finance Document and such delegation may be made upon such terms and
subject to such conditions and subject to such regulations as the
Security Agent may think fit;
|
(c)
|
each
of the Security Agent and the Agent may refrain from doing or do anything
which would or might in its opinion be contrary to or necessary to comply
with any relevant law of any
jurisdiction;
|
(d)
|
each
of the Security Agent and the Agent and every attorney, agent or other
person appointed by it under any Finance Document may indemnify
itself or himself out of the Charged Property against all the Agent's and
Security Agent's Liabilities, subject to the provisions of the Security
Document; and
|
(e)
|
the
Security Agent shall have the rights to, but shall not be under any
obligation to, insure any of the Charged Property and shall not be
responsible for any loss which may be suffered by any person as a
result of the lack of or inadequacy or insufficiency of any such
insurance.
|
29.6
Parallel
Debt
|
29.6.1
Each of the Obligors hereby agrees and covenants with the Security Agent
by way of an abstract acknowledgement of debt (abstraktes
Schuldanerkenntnis) that each of them shall pay to the Security
Agent sums equal to, and in the currency of, any sums owing by it to
a Secured Party (other than the Security Agent) under any Finance Document
(the Principal
Obligations ) as and when the same fall due for payment under the
relevant Finance Document (the Parallel
Obligations ).
|
|
29.6.2
The Security Agent shall have its own independent right to demand payment
of the Parallel Obligations by the Obligors. The rights of the Secured
Parties to receive payment of the Principal Obligations are several
from the rights of the Security Agent to receive the Parallel
Obligations.
|
|
29.6.3
The payment by an Obligor of its Parallel Obligations to the Security
Agent in accordance with this Clause 29.6 shall be a good discharge of the
corresponding Principal Obligations and the payment by an Obligor of its
corresponding Principal Obligations in accordance with the provisions
of the Finance Documents shall be a good discharge of the relevant
Parallel Obligations.
|
|
29.6.4
Despite the foregoing, any such payment shall be made to the Agent, unless
the Agent directs such payment to be made to the Security
Agent.
|
29.7
Duties of the Agent and the
Security Agent
(a)
|
The
Agent and the Security Agent shall promptly forward to a Party the
original or a copy of any document which is delivered to the Agent or the
Security Agent for that Party by any other
Party.
|
(b)
|
Except
where a Finance Document specifically provides otherwise, the Agent is not
obliged to review or check the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of
any document it forwards to another
Party.
|
(c)
|
If
the Agent or the Security Agent receives notice from a Party referring to
this Agreement, describing a Default and stating that the circumstance
described is a Default, it shall promptly notify the Finance
Parties.
|
(d)
|
If
the Agent or the Security Agent is aware of the non-payment of any
principal, interest, commitment fee or other fee payable to a Finance
Party (other than the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger or the Security
Agent) under this Agreement it shall promptly notify the other Finance
Parties.
|
(e) The
Agent's and the Security Agent's duties under the Finance Docu-
ments are
solely mechanical and administrative in nature.
29.8
Role of the Mandated Lead
Arranger
Except as
specifically provided in the Finance Documents, the Mandated Lead Arranger has
no obligations of any kind to any other Party under or in connection with
any Finance Document.
29.9
No fiduciary
duties
(a)
|
Except
where a Finance Document specifically provides otherwise, nothing in
this Agreement constitutes the Agent, the Security Agent or the Mandated
Lead Arranger as a trustee or fiduciary of any other
person.
|
(b)
|
Neither
the Agent, the Security Agent nor the Mandated Lead Arranger shall be
bound to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of
any sum received by it for its own
account.
|
29.10
Business with the
Group
The
Agent, the Security Agent and the Mandated Lead Arranger may accept
deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of banking or
other business with any member of the Group.
29.11
Rights and discretions of the
Agent and the Security Agent
(a)The
Agent and the Security Agent may rely on:
(i)
|
any
representation, notice or document believed by it to be genuine,
correct and appropriately authorised;
and
|
(ii)
|
any
statement made by a director, authorised signatory or employee of any
person regarding any matters which may reasonably be assumed to be
within his knowledge or within his power to
verify.
|
(b) The
Agent and the Security Agent may assume (unless it has received
notice to
the contrary in its capacity as agent for the Lenders) that:
(i)
|
no
Default has occurred (unless it has actual knowledge of a Default
arising under Clause 26.1 (Non-payment));
|
(ii)
|
any
right, power, authority or discretion vested in any Party or the Majority
Lenders has not been exercised;
and
|
|
(iii)
any notice or request made by the German Borrower (other than a
Utilisation Request) is made on behalf of and with the consent and
knowledge of all the Obligors.
|
(c)
|
The
Agent and the Security Agent may engage, pay for and rely on the advice or
services of any lawyers, accountants, surveyors or other
experts.
|
(d)
|
The
Agent and the Security Agent may act in relation to the Finance Documents
through its personnel and agents.
|
(e)
|
The
Agent may disclose to any other Party any information it reasonably
believes it has received as agent under this
Agreement.
|
(f)
|
The
Security Agent may, upon a disposal of any property the subject of the
Security Document by any receiver, or by any of the Obligors or where the
Security Agent has consented to the disposal, to any third party, release
such property from the Security
Document.
|
(g)
|
Notwithstanding
any other provision of any Finance Document to the contrary, neither the
Agent nor the Mandated Lead Arranger is obliged to do or omit to do
anything if it would or might in its reasonable opinion constitute a
breach of any law or a breach of a fiduciary duty or duty of
confidentiality.
|
29.12
Majority Lenders'
instructions
(a)
|
Unless
a contrary indication appears in a Finance Document, the Agent and the
Security Agent shall (i) exercise any right, power, authority or
discretion vested in it as Agent or Security Agent in accordance with any
instructions given to it by the Majority Lenders (or, if so instructed by
the Majority Lenders, refrain from exercising any right, power, authority
or discretion vested in it as Agent or Security Agent) and (ii) not be
liable for any act (or omission) if it acts (or refrains from taking
any action) in accordance with an instruction of the Majority
Lenders.
|
(b)
|
Unless
a contrary indication appears in a Finance Document, any instructions
given by the Majority Lenders will be binding on all the Finance
Parties.
|
(c)
|
The
Agent and the Security Agent may refrain from acting in accordance with
the instructions of the Majority Lenders (or, if appropriate, the Lenders)
(i) if in the reasonable opinion of the Agent or the Security Agent, as
the case may be, such instructions are contrary to applicable law or (ii)
until it has received such security as it may require for
any
|
cost,
loss or liability (together with any associated VAT) which it may incur in
complying with the instructions.
(d)
|
In
the absence of instructions from the Majority Lenders, (or, if
appropriate, the Lenders) the Agent and the Security Agent may act
(or refrain from taking action) as it considers to be in the best interest
of the Lenders.
|
(e)
|
The
Agent and the Security Agent is not authorised to act on behalf of a
Lender (without first obtaining that Lender's consent) in any legal or
arbitration proceedings relating to any Finance
Document.
|
29.13
Responsibility for
documentation
None of
the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger and the Security Agent:
(a)
|
is
responsible for the adequacy, accuracy and/or completeness of any
information (whether oral or written) supplied by the Agent, the
Mandated Lead Arranger, the Security Agent, an Obligor or any other person
given in or in connection with any Finance Document or the transactions
contemplated in the Finance Documents;
or
|
(b)
|
is
responsible for the legality, validity, effectiveness, adequacy or
enforceability of any Finance Document or the Transaction Security or
any other agreement, arrangement or document entered into, made or
executed in anticipation of or in connection with any Finance
Document or the Transaction
Security.
|
29.14
Exclusion of
liability
(a)
|
Without
limiting paragraph (b) below, neither the Agent nor the Security Agent
will be liable for any action taken by it under or in connection with any
Finance Document or the Transaction Security, unless directly caused by
its gross negligence or wilful
misconduct.
|
(b)
|
No
Party may take any proceedings against any officer, employee or agent of
the Agent or the Security Agent in respect of any claim it might have
against the Agent or the Security Agent in respect of any act or omission
of any kind by that officer, employee or agent in relation to any Finance
Document and any officer, employee or agent of the Agent or the Security
Agent may rely on this Clause.
|
(c)
|
Neither
the Agent nor the Security Agent will be liable for any delay (or any
related consequences) in crediting an account with an amount required
under the Finance Documents to be paid by the Agent or the Security
Agent if the Agent or the Security Agent has taken all
necessary
|
steps as
soon as reasonably practicable to comply with the regulations or operating
procedures of any recognised clearing or settlement system used by the Agent or
the Security Agent for that purpose.
29.15
Lenders' indemnity to the Agent
and the Security Agent
Each
Lender shall (in proportion to its share of the Total Commitments or, if the
Total Commitments are then zero, to its share of the Total Commitments
immediately prior to their reduction to zero) indemnify each of the Agent
and the Security Agent, within three Business Days of demand, against any
cost, loss or liability incurred by the Agent or the Security Agent
(otherwise than by reason of the Agent's or the Security Agent's gross
negligence or wilful misconduct) in acting as Agent or as Security Agent under
the Finance Documents (unless the Agent or the Security Agent has been
reimbursed by an Obligor pursuant to a Finance Document).
29.16
Resignation of the Agent and
the Security Agent
(a)
|
The
Agent and the Security Agent may resign and appoint one of its
Affiliates acting through an office in one of the Participating
Member States as successor by giving notice to the other Finance Parties
and the Borrowers.
|
(b)
|
Alternatively
the Agent and the Security Agent may resign by giving notice to the
other Finance Parties and the Borrowers, in which case the Majority
Lenders (after consultation with the German Borrower) may appoint a
successor Agent or Security Agent.
|
(c)
|
If
the Majority Lenders have not appointed a successor Agent or Security
Agent in accordance with paragraph (b) above within 30 days after
notice of resignation was given, the Agent or the Security Agent
(after consultation with the German Borrower) may appoint a successor
Agent or Security Agent (acting through an office in one of the
Participating Member States).
|
(d)
|
The
retiring Agent or Security Agent shall, at its own cost, make
available to the successor Agent or Security Agent such documents and
records and provide such assistance as the successor Agent or the
Security Agent may reasonably request for the purposes of performing its
functions as Agent under the Finance
Documents.
|
(e)
|
The
Agent's or the Security Agent's resignation notice shall only take
effect upon the appointment of a
successor.
|
(f)
|
Upon
the appointment of a successor, the retiring Agent or the Security Agent
shall be discharged from any further obligation in respect of
the
|
Finance
Documents but shall remain entitled to the benefit of this Clause 29. Its
successor and each of the other Parties shall have the same rights and
obligations amongst themselves as they would have had if such successor had been
an original Party.
(g) After
consultation with the German Borrower, the Majority Lenders
may, by
notice to the Agent or the Security Agent, require it to resign in accordance
with paragraph (b) above. In this event, the Agent or the Security Agent
shall resign in accordance with paragraph (b) above.
29.17
Confidentiality
(a)
|
In
acting as agent for the Finance Parties or as security agent for the
Secured Parties, as the case may be, the Agent and the Security Agent
shall be regarded as acting through its agency division which shall be
treated as a separate entity from any other of its divisions or
departments.
|
(b)
|
If
information is received by another division or department of the Agent or
the Security Agent, it may be treated as confidential to that division or
department and neither the Agent nor the Security Agent shall not be
deemed to have notice of it.
|
29.18
Relationship with the
Lenders
(a)
|
The
Agent and the Security Agent may treat each Lender as a Lender, entitled
to payments under this Agreement and acting through its Facility Office
unless it has received not less than five Business Days prior notice from
that Lender to the contrary in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
|
(b)
|
Each
Lender shall supply the Agent with any information required by the Agent
in order to calculate the Mandatory Cost in accordance with Schedule 4
(Mandatory Cost
formulae).
|
(c)
|
Each
Secured Party shall supply the Agent with any information that the
Security Agent may reasonably specify (through the Agent) as being
necessary or desirable to enable the Security Agent to perform its
functions as security agent. Each Lender shall deal with the Security
Agent exclusively through the Agent and shall not deal directly with the
Security Agent
|
29.19
Credit appraisal by the Secured
Parties
Without
affecting the responsibility of any Obligor for information supplied
by
it or on
its behalf in connection with any Finance Document, each Secured
Party
confirms
to the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger and the Security Agent
that
it has
been, and will continue to be, solely responsible for making its own
independent appraisal and investigation of all risks arising under or in
connection with any Finance Document including but not limited to:
(a)
|
the
financial condition, status and nature of each member of the
Group;
|
(b)
|
the
legality, validity, effectiveness, adequacy or enforceability of any
Finance Document and the Transaction Security and any other
agreement, arrangement or document entered into, made or executed in
anticipation of, under or in connection with any Finance Document or the
Transaction Security;
|
(c)
|
whether
that Secured Party has recourse, and the nature and extent of that
recourse, against any Party or any of its respective assets under or in
connection with any Finance Document, the Transaction Security, the
transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents or any other agreement,
arrangement or document entered into, made or executed in anticipation of,
under or in connection with any Finance
Document;
|
(d)
|
the
adequacy, accuracy and/or completeness of any information provided by the
Agent, the Security Agent, any Party or by any other person under or in
connection with any Finance Document, the transactions contemplated
by the Finance Documents or any other agreement, arrangement or document
entered into, made or executed in anticipation of, under or in connection
with any Finance Document; and
|
(e)
|
the
right or title of any person in or to, or the value or sufficiency of any
part of the Charged Property, the priority of any of the Transaction
Security or the existence of any Security affecting the Charged
Property.
|
29.20
Application of
proceeds
To the
extent that the Agent or the Security Agent receives monies pursuant to or as a
result of any breach of any Finance Document to be applied in discharging
any obligation (whether actual or contingent, present or future) of any
Obligor under any Finance Document, such monies shall be applied in the
order set out in Clause 33.5 (Partial
Payments).
29.21
Release of Transaction
Security
If the
Security Agent, with the approval of the Majority Lenders, shall determine that
all obligations the discharge of which is secured by the Security Documents have
been full and finally discharged and none of the Lenders is under any
commitment, obligation or liability (whether actual or contingent) to make
advances or provide other financial accommodation to the Borrowers under
this Agreement the Security Agent shall release all of the security then held by
it, whereupon each of the Security Agent, the Agent, the Mandated Lead
Arranger,
the
Lenders and the Obligors shall be released from its obligations hereunder or
under the other Finance Documents (save for those which arose prior to such
winding-up) shall be released from its obligations under the Finance
Documents.
29.22
Reference
Banks
If a
Reference Bank (or, if a Reference Bank is not a Lender, the Lender of which it
is an Affiliate) ceases to be a Lender, the Agent shall (with the approval of
the German Borrower which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed) appoint another Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender to replace that
Reference Bank.
29.23
Deduction from amounts payable
by the Agent
If any
Party owes an amount to the Agent under the Finance Documents the Agent may,
after giving notice to that Party, deduct an amount not exceeding that amount
from any payment to that Party which the Agent would otherwise be obliged to
make under the Finance Documents and apply the amount deducted in or towards
satisfaction of the amount owed. For the purposes of the Finance Documents that
Party shall be regarded as having received any amount so
deducted.
30. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY THE FINANCE
PARTIES
Subject
to the provisions of Clause 19 (Mitigation by the Lenders) no
provision of this Agreement will:
(a)
|
interfere
with the right of any Finance Party to arrange its affairs (tax or
otherwise) in whatever manner it thinks
fit;
|
(b)
|
oblige
any Finance Party to investigate or claim any credit, relief,
remission or repayment available to it or the extent, order and
manner of any claim; or
|
(c)
|
oblige
any Finance Party to disclose any information relating to its affairs
(tax or otherwise) or any computations in respect of
Tax.
|
31. SHARING AMONG THE FINANCE
PARTIES
31.1
Payments to Finance
Parties
If a
Finance Party (a "Recovering
Finance Party") receives or recovers any amount from an Obligor other
than in accordance with Clause 33 (Payment mechanics) or
Clause 29.20 (Application
ofproceeds) and applies that amount to a payment due under the Finance
Documents then:
(a)the
Recovering Finance Party shall, within three Business Days, notify
details
of the receipt or recovery, to the Agent;
(b)
|
the
Agent shall determine whether the receipt or recovery is in excess of the
amount the Recovering Finance Party would have been paid had the receipt
or recovery been received or made by the Agent and distributed in
accordance with Clause 33 (Payment mechanics),
without taking account of any Tax which would be imposed on the Agent
in relation to the receipt, recovery or distribution;
and
|
(c)
|
the
Recovering Finance Party shall, within three Business Days of demand
by the Agent, pay to the Agent an amount (the "Sharing Payment")
equal to such receipt or recovery less any amount which the Agent
determines may be retained by the Recovering Finance Party as its share of
any payment to be made, in accordance with Clause 33.5 (Partial
payments).
|
31.2
Redistribution of
payments
The Agent
shall treat the Sharing Payment as if it had been paid by the relevant Obligor
and distribute it between the Finance Parties (other than the Recovering Finance
Party) in accordance with Clause 33.5 (Partial
payments).
31.3
Recovering Finance Party's
rights
The
Recovering Finance Party will be assigned the claims (or the part thereof) to
which the Sharing Payment is allocated (and the relevant Obligor shall be liable
to the Recovering Finance Party in an amount equal to the Sharing
Payment).
31.4
Reversal of
redistribution
If any
part of the Sharing Payment received or recovered by a Recovering Finance
Party becomes repayable and is repaid by that Recovering Finance Party,
then:
(a)
|
each
Finance Party which has received a share of the relevant Sharing Payment
pursuant to Clause 31.2 (Redistribution of
payments) shall, upon request of the Agent, pay to the Agent for
account of that Recovering Finance Party an amount equal to the
appropriate part of its share of the Sharing Payment (together with an
amount as is necessary to reimburse that Recovering Finance Party for
its proportion of any interest on the Sharing Payment which that
Recovering Finance Party is required to pay);
and
|
(b)
|
such
Recovering Finance Party's rights to an assignment in respect of any
reimbursement shall be cancelled and the relevant Obligor will be liable
to the reimbursing party for the amount so reimbursed and such
Recovering Finance Party shall re-assign to the relevant Finance
Party any amount assigned to it by such Finance Party pursuant to Clause
31.3 (Recovering
Finance Party's rights).
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31.5
Exceptions
(a)
|
This
Clause 31 (Sharing among
the Finance Parties) shall not apply to the extent that the
Recovering Finance Party would not, after making any payment pursuant to
this Clause, have a valid and enforceable claim against the relevant
Obligor.
|
(b)
|
A
Recovering Finance Party is not obliged to share with any other
Finance Party any amount which the Recovering Finance Party has
received or recovered as a result of taking legal or arbitration
proceedings, if:
|
(i)
|
it
notified that other Finance Party of the legal or arbitration
proceedings; and
|
(ii)
|
that
other Finance Party had an opportunity to participate in those legal or
arbitration proceedings but did not do so as soon as reasonably
practicable having received notice and did not take separate legal or
arbitration proceedings.
|
32. THE LENDERS AND THE FRONTING
BANK
32.1
Lenders'
Indemnity
If any
Borrower fails to comply with its obligations under Clause 9.2 (Borrowers' Indemnity to
Fronting Banks) the Agent shall make demand on each Lender for its share
of that L/C Amount and, subject to Clause 32.2 (Direct Participation),
each Lender shall indemnify the Fronting Bank for that Lender's L/C
Proportion of the L/C Amount.
32.2
Direct
Participation
If any
Lender is not permitted (by its constitutional documents or any applicable law)
to comply with Clause 32.1 (Lenders' Indemnity) then that
Lender will not be obliged to comply with Clause 32.1 (Lenders'Indemnity) and shall
instead be deemed to have taken, on the date the Letter of Credit is issued (or
if later, on the date that L/C Proportion is transferred or assigned to such
Lender in accordance with the terms of this Agreement), an undivided
interest and participation in that Letter of Credit in an amount equal to that
Lender's L/C Proportion of that Letter of Credit. On receipt of demand by the
Agent in accordance with Clause 32.1 (Lenders' Indemnity), each
such Lender shall pay to the Agent (for the account of the Fronting Bank) its
L/C Proportion of any L/C Amount.
32.3
Obligations not
Discharged
Neither
the obligations of each Lender in this Clause 32 (The Lenders and
the
Fronting Bank) nor the
rights, powers and remedies conferred upon the Fronting
Bank by
this Agreement or by law shall be discharged, impaired or otherwise
affected by:
(a)
|
the
winding-up, dissolution, administration or re-organisation of the Fronting
Bank, the Borrower or any other person or any change in its status,
function, control or ownership;
|
(b)
|
any
of the obligations of the Fronting Bank, the Borrower or any other person
under this Agreement, under a Letter of Credit or under any other security
taken in respect of its obligations under this Agreement or under a Letter
of Credit being or becoming illegal, invalid, unenforceable or
ineffective in any respect;
|
(c)
|
time
or other indulgence being granted or agreed to be granted to the Fronting
Bank, the Borrower or any other person in respect of its obligations
under this Agreement, under a Letter of Credit or under any other
security;
|
(d)
|
any
amendment to, or any variation, waiver or release of, any obligation of
the Fronting Bank, the Borrower or any other person under this Agreement,
under a Letter of Credit or under any other security;
and
|
(e)
|
any
other act, event or omission which, but for this Clause 32.3 (Obligations and
Discharged), might operate to discharge, impair or otherwise affect
any of the obligations of each Lender in this Agreement contained or any
of the rights, powers or remedies conferred upon any Fronting Bank by this
Agreement or by law.
|
The
obligations of each Lender in this Agreement contained shall be in addition to
and independent of every other security which the Fronting Bank may at any time
hold in respect of any Letter of Credit.
32.4
Settlement
Conditional
Any
settlement or discharge between a Lender and the Fronting Bank shall be
conditional upon no security or payment to the Fronting Bank by a Lender or any
other person on behalf of a Lender being avoided or reduced by virtue of any
laws relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation or similar laws of
general application and, if any such security or payment is so avoided or
reduced, the Fronting Bank shall be entitled to recover the value or amount of
such security or payment from such Lender subsequently as if such
settlement or discharge had not occurred.
32.5
Exercise of
Rights
The
Fronting Bank shall not be obliged before exercising any of the rights,
powers or remedies conferred upon them in respect of any Lender by this
Agreement or by law:
(a)
|
to
take any action or obtain judgment in any court against the
Borrower;
|
(b)
|
to
make or file any claim or proof in a winding-up or dissolution of the
Borrower; or
|
(c)
|
to
enforce or seek to enforce any other security taken in respect of any of
the obligations of the Borrower under this
Agreement.
|
SECTION
11
ADMINISTRATION
33. PAYMENT MECHANICS
33.1
Payments to the
Agent
(a)
|
On
each date on which an Obligor or a Lender is required to make a payment
under a Finance Document, that Obligor or Lender shall make the same
available to the Agent (unless a contrary indication appears in a Finance
Document) for value on the due date at the time and in such funds
specified by the Agent as being customary at the time for settlement
of transactions in the relevant currency in the place of
payment.
|
(b)
|
Payment
shall be made to such account in the principal financial centre of the
country of that currency (or, in relation to euro, in a principal
financial centre in a Participating Member State or London) with such
bank as the Agent specifies.
|
33.2
Distributions by the
Agent
Each
payment received by the Agent under the Finance Documents for another Party
shall, subject to Clause 33.3 (Distributions to an Obligor)
and Clause 33.4 (Clawback) and Clause 29.23
(Deduction from amounts
payable by the Agent) be made available by the Agent as soon as
practicable after receipt to the Party entitled to receive payment in accordance
with this Agreement (in the case of a Lender, for the account of its Facility
Office), to such account as that Party may notify to the Agent by not less than
five Business Days' notice with a bank in the principal financial centre of the
country of that currency (or, in relation to euro, in the principal financial
centre of a Participating Member State or London).
33.3
Distributions to an
Obligor
The Agent
may (with the consent of the Obligor or in accordance with Clause 34 (Set-off)) apply any amount
received by it for that Obligor in or towards payment (on the date and in
the currency and funds of receipt) of any amount due from that Obligor under the
Finance Documents or in or towards purchase of any amount of any currency to be
so applied.
33.4
Clawback
(a)Where
a sum is to be paid to the Agent under the Finance Documents for
another
Party, the Agent is not obliged to pay that sum to that other Party (or to enter
into or perform any related exchange contract) until it has been able to
establish to its satisfaction that it has actually received that
sum.
(b)If the
Agent pays an amount to another Party and it proves to be the case
that the
Agent had not actually received that amount, then the Party to whom that amount
(or the proceeds of any related exchange contract) was paid by the Agent shall
on demand refund the same to the Agent together with interest on that
amount from the date of payment to the date of receipt by the Agent, calculated
by the Agent to reflect its cost of funds.
33.5
Partial
payments
(a) If
the Agent receives a payment that is insufficient to discharge all
the
amounts
then due and payable by an Obligor under the Finance Documents, the Agent
shall apply that payment towards the obligations of that Obligor under the
Finance Documents in the following order:
(i)
|
first, in or towards
payment pro rata
of any unpaid fees, costs and expenses of the Agent and the
Security Agent under the Finance
Documents;
|
(ii)
|
secondly, in or towards
payment of any demand made by the Fronting Bank in respect of a payment
made or to be made by it under a Letter of
Credit;
|
(iii)
|
thirdly, in or towards
payment pro rata
of any accrued interest, commission or Fronting Bank Fee due but
unpaid under this Agreement;
|
(iv)
|
fourthly, in or towards
payment pro rata
of any Outstandings due but unpaid under this Agreement;
and
|
(v)
|
fifthly, in or towards
payment pro rata
of any other sum due but unpaid under the Finance
Documents.
|
(b) The
Agent shall, if so directed by the Majority Lenders, vary the order
set out
in paragraphs (a)(ii) to (v) above.
(c)Paragraphs
(a) and (b) above will override any appropriation made by an
Obligor.
33.6
No set-off by
Obligors
All
payments to be made by an Obligor under the Finance Documents shall be
calculated and be made without (and free and clear of any deduction for) set-off
or counterclaim.
33.7
Business
Days
(a)
|
Any
payment which is due to be made on a day that is not a Business Day shall
be made on the next Business Day in the same calendar month (if there is
one) or the preceding Business Day (if there is
not).
|
(b)
|
During
any extension of the due date for payment of any principal or Unpaid Sum
under this Agreement interest is payable on the principal or Unpaid Sum at
the rate payable on the original due
date.
|
33.8
Currency of
account
(a)
|
Subject
to paragraphs (b) to (f) below, the Base Currency is the currency of
account and payment for any sum due from an Obligor under any Finance
Document.
|
(b)
|
A
repayment of a Loan or Unpaid Sum or a part of a Loan or Unpaid Sum shall
be made in the currency in which that Loan or Unpaid Sum is denominated on
its due date.
|
(c)
|
Each
payment in respect of a Letter of Credit (including any Cash
Collateral in respect of a Letter of Credit) shall be made in the
Base Currency.
|
(d)
|
Each
payment of interest shall be made in the currency in which the sum in
respect of which the interest is payable was denominated when that
interest accrued.
|
(e)
|
Each
payment in respect of costs, expenses or Taxes shall be made in the
currency in which the costs, expenses or Taxes are
incurred.
|
(f)
|
Any
amount expressed to be payable in a currency other than the Base Currency
shall be paid in that other
currency.
|
33.9
Change of
currency
(a) Unless
otherwise prohibited by law, if more than one currency or cur-
rency
unit are at the same time recognised by the central bank of any country as the
lawful currency of that country, then:
(i) any
reference in the Finance Documents to, and any obligations
arising
under the Finance Documents in, the currency of that country shall be translated
into, or paid in, the currency or currency unit of that country designated
by the Agent (after consultation with the German Borrower);
and
(ii) any
translation from one currency or currency unit to another
shall be
at the official rate of exchange recognised by the central bank for the
conversion of that currency or currency unit into the other, rounded up or down
by the Agent (acting reasonably).
(b)If a
change in any currency of a country occurs, this Agreement will, to
the
extent the Agent (acting reasonably and after consultation with the German
Borrower) specifies to be necessary, be amended to comply with any generally
accepted conventions and market practice in the Relevant Interbank Market and
otherwise to reflect the change in currency.
34. SET-OFF
A Finance
Party may set off any matured obligation due from an Obligor under the Finance
Documents (to the extent beneficially owned by that Finance Party) against any
matured obligation owed by that Finance Party to that Obligor, regardless
of the place of payment, booking branch or currency of either obligation.
If the obligations are in different currencies, the Finance Party may convert
either obligation at a market rate of exchange in its usual course of business
for the purpose of the set-off.
35. NOTICES
35.1
Communications in
writing
(a)
|
Any
communication to be made under or in connection with the Finance Documents
shall be made in writing and, unless otherwise stated, may be made by fax,
letter or telex.
|
(b)
|
Any
document to be delivered pursuant to Clause 4.1 (Initial conditions
precedent) shall be delivered in original form or a certified copy,
certified as a true and up-to-date copy by an authorised
signatory.
|
(c)
|
Any
Utilisation Request shall be confirmed by letter, although failure to do
so shall not invalidate the original
request.
|
35.2
Addresses
The
address, fax number and telex number (and the department or officer, if any, for
whose attention the communication is to be made) of each Party for any
communication or document to be made or delivered under or in connection with
the Finance Documents is:
(a)
|
in
the case of each Obligor, that identified with its name
below;
|
(b)
|
in
the case of each Lender and the Fronting Bank, that notified in writing to
the Agent on or prior to the date on which it becomes a Party;
and
|
(c) in
the case of the Agent and the Security Agent, that identified with
its
name
below,
or any
substitute address, fax number, telex number or department or officer as the
Party may notify to the Agent (or the Agent may notify to the other Parties, if
a change is made by the Agent) by not less than five Business Days'
notice.
35.3
Delivery
(a) Any
communication or document made or delivered by one person to
another
under or in connection with the Finance Documents will only be
effective:
(i)
|
if
by way of fax, when received in legible form;
or
|
(ii)
|
if
by way of letter, when it has been left at the relevant address or five
Business Days after being deposited in the post postage prepaid in an
envelope addressed to it at that address;
or
|
(iii)
|
if
by way of telex, when despatched, but only if, at the time of
transmission, the correct answerback appears at the start and at the end
of the sender's copy of the notice;
|
and, if a
particular department or officer is specified as part of its address details
provided under Clause 35.2 (Addresses), if addressed to
that department or officer.
(b)Any
communication or document to be made or delivered to the Agent or
the
Security Agent will be effective only when actually received by the Agent or the
Security Agent and then only if it is expressly marked for the attention of the
department or officer identified with the Agent's or the Security Agent's
signature below (or any substitute department or officer as the Agent shall
specify in writing for this purpose).
(c)All
notices from or to an Obligor shall be sent through the Agent.
(d) Any
communication or document made or delivered to the German Bor-
rower in
accordance with this Clause will be deemed to have been made or delivered to
each of the Obligors.
(e) All
notices to a Lender or the Fronting Bank from the Security Agent
shall be
sent through the Agent.
35.4
Notification of address, fax
number and telex number
Promptly
upon receipt of notification of an address, fax number and telex
num-
ber or
change of address, fax number or telex number pursuant to Clause 35.2 (Addresses) or changing its
own address, fax number or telex number, the Agent shall notify the other
Parties.
35.5
Electronic
communication
(a)Any
communication to be made between the Agent or the Security Agent
and a
Lender under or in connection with the Finance Documents may be made by
electronic mail or other electronic means, if the Agent, the Security
Agent, the Fronting Bank and the relevant Lender:
(i)
|
agree
that, unless and until notified to the contrary, this is to be an accepted
form of communication;
|
(ii)
|
notify
each other in writing of their electronic mail address and/or any other
information required to enable the sending and receipt of information by
that means; and
|
(iii)
|
notify
each other of any change to their address or any other such information
supplied by them.
|
(b)Any
electronic communication made between the Agent or the Security
Agent and
a Lender and/or the Fronting Bank will be effective only when actually received
in readable form and in the case of any electronic communication made by a
Lender or the Fronting Bank to the Agent or the Security Agent only if it is
addressed in such a manner as the Agent or the Security Agent shall specify for
this purpose.
35.6
English
language
(a)
|
Any
notice given under or in connection with any Finance Document must be in
English.
|
(b)
|
All
other documents provided under or in connection with any Finance Document
must be:
|
(i)
|
in
English; or
|
(ii)
|
if
not in English, and if so required by the Agent, accompanied by a
certified English translation and, in this case, the English translation
will prevail unless the document is a constitutional, statutory or other
official document.
|
36. CALCULATIONS
AND CERTIFICATES
36.1
Accounts
In any
litigation or arbitration proceedings arising out of or in connection with a
Finance Document, the entries made in the accounts maintained by a Finance Party
are prima facie evidence of the matters to which they relate.
36.2
Certificates and
Determinations
Any
certification or determination by a Finance Party of a rate or amount under any
Finance Document shall contain reasonable details of the relevant
calculation and is, in the absence of manifest error, prima facie evidence
of the matters to which it relates.
36.3
Day count
convention
Any
interest, commission or fee accruing under a Finance Document will accrue from
day to day and is calculated on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed
and a year of 360 days or, in any case where the practice in the Relevant
Interbank Market differs, in accordance with that market practice.
37. PARTIAL
INVALIDITY
If, at
any time, any provision of the Finance Documents is or becomes illegal, invalid
or unenforceable in any respect under any law of any jurisdiction, neither the
legality, validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions nor the
legality, validity or enforceability of such provision under the law of any
other jurisdiction will in any way be affected or impaired.
38. REMEDIES
AND WAIVERS
No
failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of any Secured
Party or the Mandated Lead Arranger, any right or remedy under the Finance
Documents shall operate as a waiver, nor shall any single or partial exercise of
any right or remedy prevent any further or other exercise or the exercise of any
other right or remedy. The rights and remedies provided in this Agreement are
cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by
law.
39. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
39.1 Required consents
(a) Subject
to Clause 39.2 (Exceptions) and Clause 29.21
(Release of
Trans-
action Security) any term of
the Finance Documents may be amended or waived only with the consent of the
Majority Lenders and the Obligors and any such amendment or waiver will be
binding on all Parties.
(b)The
Agent, or in respect of the Security Documents the Security Agent
may
effect, on behalf of any Finance Party, any amendment or waiver permitted by
this Clause.
39.2
Exceptions
(a)An
amendment or waiver that has the effect of changing or which
relates
to:
(i)
|
the
definition of "Majority Lenders" in Clause 1.1 (Definitions);
|
(ii) the
definition of "Availability Period";
(iii)
|
an
extension to the date of payment of any amount of principal, interest,
fees or commission under the Finance
Documents;
|
(iv)
|
a
reduction in the Margin, the L/C Commission Rate or a reduction in
the amount of any payment of principal, interest, fees or commission
payable;
|
(v)
|
an
increase in or an extension of any
Commitment;
|
(vi)
|
a
change to the Borrowers or
Guarantors;
|
(vii)
|
any
provision which expressly requires the consent of all the
Lenders;
|
(viii)
|
Clause
2.2 (Finance Parties'
rights and obligations), Clause 21 (Guarantee and
indemnity), Clause 27 (Changes to the Lenders)
or this Clause 39 (Amendments And
Waivers);
|
(ix)
|
the
nature or scope of the Charged Property or the manner in which the
proceeds of enforcement of the Transaction Security are
distributed,
|
shall not
be made without the prior consent of all the Lenders.
(b)An
amendment or waiver which relates to the rights or obligations of
the
Agent,
the Security Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger or the Fronting Bank may not be
effected without the consent of the Agent, the Security Agent, the Mandated Lead
Arranger or the Fronting Bank.
SECTION
12
GOVERNING
LAW AND ENFORCEMENT
40. GOVERNING
LAW
This
Agreement is governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of
Germany.
41. ENFORCEMENT
41.1
Jurisdiction of German
courts
(a)
|
The
courts of Frankfurt am Main have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any
dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement (including a
dispute regarding the existence, validity or termination of this
Agreement) (a "Dispute").
|
(b)
|
The
Parties agree that the courts of Frankfurt am Main are the most
appropriate and convenient courts to settle Disputes and accordingly
no Party will argue to the
contrary.
|
(c)
|
This
Clause 41.1 is for the benefit of the Finance Parties only. As a
result, no Finance Party shall be prevented from taking proceedings
relating to a Dispute in any other courts with jurisdiction. To the
extent allowed by law, the Finance Parties may take concurrent
proceedings in any number of
jurisdictions.
|
41.2
Service of
process
Without
prejudice to any other mode of service allowed under any relevant law, each
Obligor:
(a)
|
irrevocably
appoints the German Borrower as its agent for service of process in
relation to any proceedings before the German courts in connection
with any Finance Document; and
|
(b)
|
agrees
that failure by a process agent to notify the relevant Obligor of the
process will not invalidate the proceedings
concerned.
|
This
Agreement has been entered into on the date stated at the beginning of this
Agreement.
SCHEDULE
1
THE
ORIGINAL LENDERS
Name
of Original Lender
|
Commitment
|
Deutsche
Bank Luxembourg S.A.
|
EUR
14,000,000.00
|
Commerzbank
Aktiengesellschaft, Filiale Köln
|
EUR
14,000,000.00
|
Den
norske Bank ASA, Filiale Deutschland
|
EUR
14,000,000.00
|
Dexia
Bank Belgium NV/SA
|
EUR
14,000,000.00
|
KBC
Bank NV
|
EUR
14,000,000.00
|
Dresdner
Bank AG in Köln
|
EUR 10,000,000.00
|
EUR 80,000,000.00
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
2
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
1.
|
Corporate
documents
|
(a)
|
A
copy of the constitutional documents of each
Obligor.
|
(b)
|
A
copy of a resolution of the board of directors or the shareholders of each
Obligor (as applicable):
|
(iii)
|
approving
the terms of, and the transactions contemplated by, the Finance Documents
to which it is a party and resolving that it execute the Finance Documents
to which it is a party;
|
(iv)
|
authorising
a specified person or persons to execute the Finance Documents to which it
is a party on its behalf; and
|
(v)
|
authorising
a specified person or persons, on its behalf, to sign and/or despatch all
documents and notices (including, if relevant, any Utilisation Request) to
be signed and/or despatched by it under or in connection with the Finance
Documents to which it is a party.
|
(c)
|
A
specimen of the signature of each person authorised by the resolution
referred to in paragraph (b) above.
|
(d)
|
A
copy of a resolution signed by all the holders of the issued shares in
each Guarantor, approving the terms of, and the transactions contemplated
by, the Finance Documents to which the Guarantor is a party provided that the
resolution signed by all the holders of the issued shares in the Belgian
Guarantor shall be limited to the provisions to be approved pursuant to
article 556 of the Belgian Companies
Code.
|
(e)
|
A
certificate of each Obligor (signed by a director) confirming that
borrowing or guaranteeing, as appropriate, the Total Commitments would not
cause any borrowing, guaranteeing or similar limit binding on such Obligor
to be exceeded.
|
(f)
|
A
certificate of an authorised signatory of the relevant Obligor certifying
that each copy document relating to it specified in this Schedule
2 is correct, complete and in full force and effect as at a date no
earlier than the date of this
Agreement.
|
2.
|
Accounts
and Reports
|
(a)
|
The
Original Financial Statements of each
Obligor.
|
(b)
|
The
Structure Chart
|
3.
|
Other
financing documents
|
(a)
|
Evidence
that the Senior Notes have been issued and that provision has been made
for the net proceeds of such notes to be used, inter alia, for the
redemption by an Affiliate of the Parent of its outstanding 11.75 per
cent. notes with the effect that, following such redemption, the
second-tier mirror note of the Parent will be deemed repaid in
full.
|
(b)
|
Evidence
that all existing Financial Indebtedness of the Group (other than
Permitted Financial Indebtedness) has been or will be repaid prior to or
upon the first Utilisation Date.
|
(c)
|
Evidence
that all cash management systems which were provided by or through the
Parent on behalf of the members of Group have been terminated and that any
new cash management systems which are required in respect of the members
of the Group are now provided by or through the German
Borrower.
|
4.
|
Security
and priority documents
|
(a)
|
The
duly executed Security Documents granting, evidencing or pursuant to which
the Transaction Security will be granted,
including:
|
(i)
|
global
assignment agreements or the equivalent thereto relating to trade and
intra-group receivables by the German Borrower, the Belgian Borrower and
the Norwegian Borrowers which assignment agreements shall in the case of
the German Borrower and the Belgian Borrower secure the obligations of
each of the Obligors and shall in the case of the Norwegian Borrowers
secure (i) the obligations of the two Norwegian Borrowers and (ii) the
obligations of those Obligors other than the Norwegian Borrowers but only
to the extent which is permitted under the Companies Xxx 0000 Section
8-7;
|
(ii)
|
security
transfer agreements or the equivalent thereto relating to stock in trade
by the German Borrower, the Belgian Borrower and the Norwegian Borrowers
which security transfer agreements shall in the case of the German
Borrower and the Belgian Borrower secure the obligations of each of the
Obligors and shall in the case of the Norwegian Borrower secure (i) the
obligations of the two Norwegian Borrowers and (ii) the obligations of
those Obligors other than the Norwegian Borrowers but only to the extent
which is permitted under the Companies Xxx 0000 Section
8-7;
|
(iii)
|
a
pledge agreement or the equivalent thereto in respect of all of the shares
in the Norwegian Guarantor held by Kronos Denmark from time to time;
and
|
(b)
|
A
duly executed copy of the Subordination Agreement in respect of the
liabilities of the German Borrower to the Parent under a promissory note
and any other Intra-Group Loan.
|
5.
|
Legal
opinions
|
(a)
|
A
legal opinion of Xxxxxxxx Chance Pünder, legal advisers to the Mandated
Lead Arranger and the Agent in Germany, substantially in the form
distributed to the Original Lenders prior to signing this
Agreement.
|
(b)
|
A
legal opinion of Xxxxx, Xxxxxx-Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, advisers to the
Mandated Lead Arranger and the Agent in Norway, substantially in the form
distributed to the Original Lenders prior to signing this
Agreement.
|
(c)
|
A
legal opinion of Xxxxxxxx Chance Pünder, advisers to the Mandated Lead
Arranger and the Agent in Belgium, substantially in the form distributed
to the Original Lenders prior to signing this
Agreement.
|
(d)
|
A
legal opinion of Gorrissen Xxxxxxxxxx Kierkegaard, advisers to the
Mandated Lead Arranger and the Agent in Denmark, substantially in the form
distributed to the Original Lenders prior to signing this
Agreement.
|
(e)
|
A
legal opinion of Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Partner, advisers to the Obligors
in Germany, substantially in the form distributed to the Original Lenders
prior to signing this Agreement.
|
6.
|
Other
documents and evidence
|
(a)
|
A
copy of any other Authorisation or other document, opinion or assurance
which the Agent considers to be necessary or desirable (if it has notified
the German Borrower accordingly) in connection with the entry into and
performance of the transactions contemplated by any Finance Document or
for the validity and enforceability in the Relevant Jurisdiction of any
Finance Document.
|
(b)
|
Evidence
that the Belgian Borrower has provided Xxxxxxxx Chance Pünder, advisers to
the Mandated Lead Arranger and the Agent in Belgium, with the funds
necessary to pay the registration costs in respect of the floating charge
to be executed by the Belgian
Borrower.
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
3
UTILISATION
REQUEST
From: [Borrower]
To: [Agent]
Dated:
Dear
Sirs
[Borrowers]
–
[ ]
Facility Agreement
dated
[ ]
(the "Agreement")
1.
|
We
refer to the Agreement. This is a Utilisation
Request. Terms defined in the Agreement have the same meaning
in this Utilisation Request unless given a different meaning in this
Utilisation Request.
|
2.
|
We
wish [to borrow a Loan/the Fronting Bank to issue a Letter of Credit] on
the following terms:
|
|
Proposed
Utilisation Date:
|
[·] (or, if that
is not a Business Day, the next Business
Day)
|
Currency
of
Loan: [·]
[Currency
of Letter of Credit: Euro]
Amount:
[·] or,
if less, the Available Facility
Interest
Period: [·]
[Expiry
Date]: [·]
3.
|
We
confirm that each condition specified in Clause 4.2
(Further conditions
precedent) is satisfied on the date of this Utilisation
Request.
|
4.
|
[The
proceeds of this Loan should be credited to [account]./The Letter of
Credit should be issued in favour of [name of recipient] in
the form attached and delivered to the recipient at [address of
recipient]. The purpose of its issue is [·].]
|
5.
|
We
confirm that the Repeating Representations are
true.
|
6.
|
This
Utilisation Request is irrevocable.
|
Yours
faithfully
…………………………………
authorised
signatory for
[name of relevant
Borrower]
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
4
MANDATORY
COST FORMULAE
1.
|
The
Mandatory Cost is an addition to the interest rate to compensate Lenders
for the cost of compliance with (a) the requirements of the Bank of
England and/or the Financial Services Authority (or, in either case, any
other authority which replaces all or any of its functions) or (b) the
requirements of the European Central
Bank.
|
2.
|
On
the first day of each Interest Period (or as soon as possible thereafter)
the Agent shall calculate, as a percentage rate, a rate (the "Additional Cost Rate")
for each Lender, in accordance with the paragraphs set out
below. The Mandatory Cost will be calculated by the Agent as a
weighted average of the Lenders' Additional Cost Rates (weighted in
proportion to the percentage participation of each Lender in the relevant
Loan) and will be expressed as a percentage rate per
annum.
|
3.
|
The
Additional Cost Rate for any Lender lending from a Facility Office in a
Participating Member State will be the percentage notified by that Lender
to the Agent. This percentage will be certified by that Lender
in its notice to the Agent to be its reasonable determination of the cost
(expressed as a percentage of that Lender's participation in all Loans
made from that Facility Office) of complying with the minimum reserve
requirements of the European Central Bank in respect of loans made from
that Facility Office.
|
4.
|
The
Additional Cost Rate for any Lender lending from a Facility Office in the
United Kingdom will be calculated by the Agent as
follows:
|
(c)
|
in
relation to a sterling Loan:
|
AB
+ C (B-D) +E x 0.01 per
cent. per annum
100 - (A+C)
(d)
|
in
relation to a Loan in any currency other than
sterling:
|
E x 0.01
per cent. per annum
300
Where:
|
A
|
is
the percentage of Eligible Liabilities (assuming these to be in excess of
any stated minimum) which that Lender is from time to time required to
maintain as an interest free cash ratio deposit with the Bank of England
to comply with cash ratio
requirements.
|
|
B
|
|
C
|
is
the percentage (if any) of Eligible Liabilities which that Lender is
required from time to time to maintain as interest bearing Special
Deposits with the Bank of England.
|
|
D
|
is
the percentage rate per annum payable by the Bank of England to the Agent
on interest bearing Special
Deposits.
|
|
E
|
is
designed to compensate Lenders for amounts payable under the Fees Rules
and is calculated by the Agent as being the average of the most recent
rates of charge supplied by the Reference Banks to the Agent pursuant to
paragraph 7 below and expressed in pounds per
£1,000,000.
|
5.
|
For
the purposes of this Schedule:
|
(a)
|
"Eligible Liabilities"
and "Special
Deposits" have the meanings given to them from time to time under
or pursuant to the Bank of England Act 1998 or (as may be appropriate) by
the Bank of England;
|
(b)
|
"Fees Rules" means the
rules on periodic fees contained in the FSA Supervision Manual or such
other law or regulation as may be in force from time to time in respect of
the payment of fees for the acceptance of
deposits;
|
(c)
|
"Fee Tariffs" means the
fee tariffs specified in the Fees Rules under the activity group A.1
Deposit acceptors (ignoring any minimum fee or zero rated fee required
pursuant to the Fees Rules but taking into account any applicable discount
rate); and
|
(d)
|
"Tariff Base" has the
meaning given to it in, and will be calculated in accordance with, the
Fees Rules.
|
6.
|
In
application of the above formulae, A, B, C and D will be included in the
formulae as percentages (i.e. 5 per cent. will be included in the formula
as 5 and not as 0.05). A negative result obtained by
subtracting D from B shall be taken as zero. The resulting
figures shall be rounded to four decimal
places.
|
7.
|
If
requested by the Agent, each Reference Bank shall, as soon as practicable
after publication by the Financial Services Authority, supply to the
Agent, the rate of charge payable by that Reference Bank to the Financial
Services Authority pursuant to the Fees Rules in respect of the relevant
financial year of the Financial Services Authority (calculated for this
purpose by that Reference Bank as being the average of the Fee Tariffs
applicable to that Reference Bank for that financial year) and expressed
in pounds per £1,000,000 of the Tariff Base of that Reference
Bank.
|
8.
|
Each
Lender shall supply any information required by the Agent for the purpose
of calculating its Additional Cost Rate. In particular, but
without limitation, each Lender shall supply the following information on
or prior to the date on which it becomes a
Lender:
|
(a)
|
the
jurisdiction of its Facility Office;
and
|
(b)
|
any
other information that the Agent may reasonably require for such
purpose.
|
Each
Lender shall promptly notify the Agent of any change to the information provided
by it pursuant to this paragraph.
9.
|
The
percentages of each Lender for the purpose of A and C above and the rates
of charge of each Reference Bank for the purpose of E above shall be
determined by the Agent based upon the information supplied to it pursuant
to paragraphs 7
and 8
above and on the assumption that, unless a Lender notifies the Agent to
the contrary, each Lender's obligations in relation to cash ratio deposits
and Special Deposits are the same as those of a typical bank from its
jurisdiction of incorporation with a Facility Office in the same
jurisdiction as its Facility
Office.
|
10.
|
The
Agent shall have no liability to any person if such determination results
in an Additional Cost Rate which over or under compensates any Lender and
shall be entitled to assume that the information provided by any Lender or
Reference Bank pursuant to paragraphs 3,
7
and 8
above is true and correct in all
respects.
|
11.
|
12.
|
Any
determination by the Agent pursuant to this Schedule in relation to a
formula, the Mandatory Cost, an Additional Cost Rate or any amount payable
to a Lender shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive and
binding on all Parties.
|
13.
|
The
Agent may from time to time, after consultation with the German Borrower
and the Lenders, determine and notify to all Parties any amendments which
are required to be made to this Schedule in order to comply with any
change in law, regulation or any requirements from time to time imposed by
the Bank of England, the Financial Services Authority or the European
Central Bank (or, in any case, any other authority which replaces all or
any of its functions) and any such determination shall, in the absence of
manifest error, be conclusive and binding on all
Parties.
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
5
FORM
OF TRANSFER CERTIFICATE
To: [Agent] and [Security
Trustee]
From:
|
[Existing Lender] (the
"Existing Lender")
and [New Lender]
(the "New
Lender")
|
Date: [ ]
[Borrowers]
– [●] Facility Agreement
dated
[●] (the "Agreement")
1.
|
We
refer to the Agreement. This is a Transfer Certificate. Terms
defined in the Agreement have the same meaning in this Transfer
Certificate unless given another meaning in this Transfer
Certificate.
|
2.
|
The
Existing Lender (i) confirms that the details in the schedule hereto under
the heading "Existing
Lender's Participation in the Facility" and
"Loans" accurately
summarises its participation in the Agreement and the Interest Period of
any existing Loans and (ii) requests the New Lender to accept and procure
the transfer by assignment and assumption to the New Lender of the Portion
Transferred (specified in the schedule hereto) of its Commitment and/or
its participation in such Loan(s) by counter-signing and delivering this
Transfer Certificate to the Agent at its address for the service of
notices specified in the Agreement.
|
3.
|
The
New Lender hereby requests the Agent to accept this Transfer Certificate
as being delivered to the Agent pursuant to and for the purposes of
Clause 27
(Changes to the
Lenders) of the Agreement so as to take effect in accordance with
the terms thereof on the Transfer Date or on such later date as may be
determined in accordance with the terms
thereof.
|
4.
|
The
New Lender confirms that it has received a copy of the Agreement together
with such other information as it has required in connection with this
transaction and that it has not relied and will not hereafter rely on the
Existing Lender to check or enquire on its behalf into the legality,
validity, effectiveness, adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any such
information and further agrees that it has not relied and will not rely on
the Existing Lender to assess or keep under review on its behalf the
financial condition, creditworthiness, condition, affairs, status or
nature of the Obligors.
|
5.
|
The
New Lender hereby undertakes with the Existing Lender and each of the
other parties to the Agreement that it will perform in accordance with
their terms all those obligations which by the terms of the Agreement will
be assumed by it after delivery of this Transfer Certificate to the Agent
and satisfaction of the conditions (if any) subject to which this Transfer
Certificate is expressed to take effect. The New Lender further undertakes
to promptly and duly execute an accession document to any Finance Document
if so contemplated by such Finance
Document.
|
6.
|
The
Existing Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no
responsibility with respect to the legality, validity, effectiveness,
adequacy or enforceability of the Agreement, the other Finance Documents
or, in any case, any document relating thereto and assumes no
responsibility for the financial condition of the Obligors or for the
performance and observance by the Obligors of any of its obligations under
the Agreement, the other Finance Documents or, in any case, any document
relating thereto and any and all such conditions and warranties, whether
express or implied by law or, in any case, otherwise, are hereby
excluded.
|
7.
|
The
Existing Lender hereby gives notice that nothing herein or in the
Agreement or the other Finance Documents (or, in any case, any document
relating thereto) shall oblige the Existing Lender to (a) accept a
re-transfer from the New Lender of the whole or any part of its rights,
benefits and/or obligations under the Facilities Agreement or the other
Finance Documents transferred pursuant hereto or (b) support any
losses directly or indirectly sustained or incurred by the New Lender for
any reason whatsoever including the non-performance by an Obligor or any
other party to the Agreement or the other Finance Documents (or, in any
case, any document relating thereto) of its obligations under any such
document. The New Lender hereby acknowledges the absence of any such
obligation as is referred to in (a) or (b)
above.
|
8.
|
The
Existing Lender and the New Lender hereby agree that the benefit of the
guarantees and indemnities granted pursuant to Clause 21
(Guarantee and
Indemnity) of the Agreement and the benefit of each of the Security
Documents shall be transferred to the New Lender following a transfer
pursuant to this Transfer
Certificate.
|
9.
|
The
New Lender hereby expressly consents to the declarations of the Security
Agent made on behalf and in the name of the New Lender as Future Pledgee
(as such term is defined in the Security Documents, being pledges which
are governed by German law) in such Security Documents. The New
Lender confirms that it is aware of the content of such Security
Documents.
|
10.
|
This
Transfer Certificate and the rights, benefits and obligations of the
parties hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
German law.
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
THE
SCHEDULE
1.
Existing Lender:
|
||
2.
New Lender:
|
||
3.
Transfer Date:
|
||
4.
New Lender’s Participation in the Facility:
|
||
Existing
Lender’s Commitment
|
Portion
Transferred
|
|
5.
Loans:
|
||
Amount
of Existing Lender’s Participation
|
Interest
Period
|
Portion
Transferred
|
[Existing
Lender]
|
[New
Lender]
|
|
By:
|
By:
|
|
Date:
|
Date:
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
Administrative
Details of New Lender
Address:
Contact
Name:
Account
for Payments:
Fax:
Telephone:
e-mail
address:
______________________________________________________________________
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
6
FORM
OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
Part
I
To: [·] as
Agent
From: [Parent/Obligor]
Dated:
Dear
Sirs
[Borrowers]
– [·] Facility
Agreement
dated
[·] (the
"Agreement")
1.
|
We
refer to the Agreement. This is a Compliance
Certificate. Terms defined in the Agreement have the same
meaning when used in this Compliance Certificate unless given a different
meaning in this Compliance
Certificate.
|
2.
|
The
German Borrower, also on behalf of the other Borrowers, confirms that the
financial conditions as set out in Clause 24
(Financial
Covenants) have been complied
with.
|
3.
|
The
German Borrower, also on behalf of the other Borrowers, confirms that no
Default is continuing. *
|
Signed: …............ …............
Chief
Executive Director
Officer/Chief
Financial of
Officer German
Borrower
|
*
If this statement cannot be made, the certificate should identify any
Default this is continuing and the steps, if any, being taken to remedy
it.
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
Part
II of Schedule 6
Illustrative
Report on Compliance with Contractual Provisions Based Solely on
Audit
- No Knowledge of Default
|
[PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP Office Letterhead]
|
Report
of Independent Accountants
To
Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. as Agent on its own behalf and on behalf of the
Finance Parties.
We have
audited, in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United
States of America, the consolidated balance sheet of Kronos International, Inc.
and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 200_ and the related consolidated statements
of income, comprehensive income, redeemable preferred stock, profit
participation certificates, common stockholder’s equity and cash flows for the
year then ended, and have issued our report thereon dated ______.
In
connection with our audit, nothing came to our attention that caused us to
believe that the terms, covenants, provisions, or conditions of Section 24.2 of
the Facility Agreement dated [ ] between, inter alios, Kronos Titan
GmbH & Co. OHG as borrower and Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. as Agent and
Security Agent (“the Agreement”), insofar as they relate to accounting matters,
have not been complied with. However, our audit was not directed primarily
toward obtaining knowledge of such noncompliance.
This
report is intended solely for the information and use of the board of directors
and management of the Company and Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. as Agent on its
own behalf and on behalf of the Finance Parties (as defined in the Agreement)
and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these
specified parties.
[PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP (signed)]
[Date of
Report on Audited Financial Statements]
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
- -
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
7
EXISTING
SECURITY
Name
of Obligor
|
Security
|
Total
Principal Amount of Indebtedness Secured
|
Kronos
Europe S.A./N.V.
|
Cash
deposit
|
Fortis
Bank €2,060,787 Line of Credit with €1,569,582.66 outstanding under
letters of guaranty
|
Titania
A/S
|
Front-end
wheel loader Le Tourneau L 1100
|
Capital
lease agreement dated November 7, 2000 with Elcon. Current
balance is NOK9,731,000
|
Titania
A/S
|
Caterpillar
Truck 789C
|
Capital
lease agreement dated April 17, 2001 with Elcon. Current
balance is NOK8,932,000
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
8
EXISTING
FINANCIAL INDEBTEDNESS
1.
|
Note
payable by Kronos Norge A/S to Den norske Bank in the amount of
NOK200,000,000. Current balance
is NOK200,000,000.
|
2.
|
Note
payable by Kronos Titan GmbH & Co. OHG to Kronos International, Inc.
dated December 30, 1998 in the amount of
DEM350,000,000. Current balance
is €59,112,425
|
3.
|
Note
payable by Kronos Titan GmbH & Co. OHG to Kronos International, Inc.
dated December 29, 1999 in the amount of DEM50,222,500. Current balance
is €25,678,357
|
4.
|
Non-current
payable by Kronos Titan GmbH & Co. OHG to Kronos Titan
Unterstützungskasse GmbH (Support Fund). Current balance is
€1,073,713.
|
5.
|
Titania
A/S capital lease agreement dated November 7, 2000 with Elcon
for front-end wheel loader Le Tourneau L 1100. Current balance
is NOK9,731,000.
|
6.
|
Titania
A/S capital lease agreement dated April 17, 2001 with Elcon for
Caterpillar Truck 789C. Current balance
is NOK8,932,000.
|
7.
|
€2,060,787
line of credit from Fortis Bank extended to Kronos Europe S.A./N.V.
secured by a proxy for a floating charge agreement. Two letters of
guaranty are issued and outstanding under the line of credit to OVAM
(Openbare Afvalstoffenmaatschappij voor het Vlaamse Gewest) in the amount
of €804,288.65 and €765,294.01.
|
8.
|
NOK10,000,000
overdraft line of credit from Den norske Bank for the benefit of Kronos
Norge A/S, Titania A/S and Kronos Titan
A/S.
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
9
TIMETABLES
Part
I
Loans
Loans
in euro
|
Loans
in sterling
|
Loans
in other currencies
|
|
Agent
notifies the relevant Borrower if a currency is approved as an Optional
Currency in accordance with Clause 4.3
(Conditions relating to
Optional Currencies)
|
-
|
U –
4
|
U –
4
|
Delivery
of a duly completed Utilisation Request (Clause 5.1
(Delivery of a
Utilisation Request)
|
10.00
am
|
U –
4
10.00
am
|
U –
4
10.00
am
|
-
|
U –
3
11.00
am
|
U –
3
11.00
am
|
|
Agent
receives a notification from a Lender under Clause 6.2
(Unavailability of a
currency)
|
-
|
U –
2
10.00
am
|
U –
2
10.00
am
|
Agent
gives notice in accordance with Clause 6.2
(Unavailability of a
currency)
|
-
|
U -
2
11.00
am
|
U -
2
11.00
am
|
LIBOR
or EURIBOR is fixed
|
Quotation
Day as of 11:00 a.m. London time in respect of LIBOR and as of 11.00 a.m.
Brussels time in respect of EURIBOR
|
Quotation
Day as of 11:00 a.m. London time
|
Quotation
Day as of 11:00 a.m. London time
|
Part
II
Letters
of Credit
Letters
of Credit
|
|
Delivery
of a duly completed Utilisation Request Clause 5.1
(Delivery of a
Utilisation Request)
|
U-3
9.30am
|
Agent
notifies the Lenders of the Letter of Credit in accordance with
Clause 5.4
(Lenders' and Fronting
Bank participation).
|
U-2
noon
|
"U" =
date of utilisation
"U - X" =
X Business Days prior to date of utilisation
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
10
FORM OF COMBINING
SCHEDULE
Schedule 10 outlines the form in which the combining
financial information of the Parent is to be presented.
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
11
FORM
OF CONFIDENTIALITY UNDERTAKING
[Letterhead
of Potential Purchaser/Purchaser's agent/broker]
To:
|
[insert
name of Potential Seller/Seller's
agent/broker]
|
Re: The Agreement
Borrowers:
Date:
Amount:
Agent:
|
|
Dear
Sirs
We are
considering [acquiring]1
/[arranging the acquisition of]2
an interest in the Agreement (the "Acquisition"). In
consideration of you agreeing to make available to us certain information, by
our signature of this letter we agree as follows (acknowledged and agreed by you
by your signature of a copy of this letter):
1.
|
Confidentiality
Undertaking We undertake (a) to keep the Confidential
Information confidential and not to disclose it to anyone except as
provided for by paragraph 2 below and to ensure that the Confidential
Information is protected with security measures and a degree of care that
would apply to our own confidential information, (b) to use the
Confidential Information only for the Permitted Purpose, (c) to use all
reasonable endeavours to ensure that any person to whom we pass any
Confidential Information (unless disclosed under paragraph 2[(c)/(d)]3
below) acknowledges and complies with the provisions of this letter as if
that person were also a party to it, and (d) not to make enquiries of any
member of the Group or any of their officers, directors, employees or
professional advisers relating directly or indirectly to the
Acquisition.
|
2.
|
Permitted
Disclosure You agree that we may disclose Confidential
Information:
|
(a)
|
to
members of the Purchaser Group and their officers, directors, employees
and professional advisers to the extent necessary for the Permitted
Purpose and to any auditors of members of the Purchaser
Group;
|
|
[(b)
|
subject
to the requirements of the Agreement, in accordance with the Permitted
Purpose so long as any prospective purchaser has delivered a letter to us
in equivalent form to this letter;] 2
|
|
[(b/c)] 3subject
to the requirements of the Agreement, to any person to (or through) whom
we assign or transfer (or may potentially assign or transfer) all or any
of the rights, benefits and obligations which we may acquire under the
Agreement or with (or through) whom we enter into (or may potentially
enter into) any sub-participation in relation to, or any other transaction
under which payments are to be made by reference to, the Agreement or any
Borrower or any member of the Group so long as that person has delivered a
letter to us in equivalent form to this letter;
and
|
|
[(c/d)] 3(i)
where requested or required by any court of competent jurisdiction or any
competent judicial, governmental, supervisory or regulatory body, (ii)
where required by the rules of any stock exchange on which the shares or
other securities of any member of the Purchaser Group are listed or (iii)
where required by the laws or regulations of any country with jurisdiction
over the affairs of any member of the Purchaser
Group.
|
3.
|
Notification of Required or
Unauthorised Disclosure We agree (to the extent permitted by law)
to inform you of the full circumstances of any disclosure under paragraph
2[(c)/(d)]3
or upon becoming aware that Confidential Information has been disclosed in
breach of this letter.
|
4.
|
Return of
Copies If you so request in writing, we shall return all
Confidential Information supplied by you to us and destroy or permanently
erase all copies of Confidential Information made by us and use all
reasonable endeavours to ensure that anyone to whom we have supplied any
Confidential Information destroys or permanently erases such Confidential
Information and any copies made by them, in each case save to the extent
that we or the recipients are required to retain any such Confidential
Information by any applicable law, rule or regulation or by any competent
judicial, governmental, supervisory or regulatory body or in accordance
with internal policy, or where the Confidential Information has been
disclosed under paragraph 2[(c)/(d)] 3
above.
|
5.
|
Continuing
Obligations The obligations in this letter are
continuing and, in particular, shall survive the termination of any
discussions or negotiations between you and us. Notwithstanding
the previous sentence, the obligations in this letter shall cease (a) if
we become a party to or otherwise acquire (by assignment or
sub-participation) an interest, direct or indirect, in the Agreement or
(b) twelve months after we have returned all Confidential Information
supplied to us by you and destroyed or permanently erased all copies of
Confidential Information made by us (other than any such Confidential
Information or copies which have been disclosed under paragraph 2 above
(other than sub-paragraph 2(a)) or which, pursuant to paragraph 4 above,
are not required to be returned or
destroyed).
|
6.
|
No Representation;
Consequences of Breach, etc We acknowledge and agree
that:
|
(a)
|
neither
you, [nor your principal]4
nor any member of the Group nor any of your or their respective officers,
employees or advisers (each a "Relevant Person") (i)
make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to, or assume
any responsibility for, the accuracy, reliability or completeness of any
of the Confidential Information or any other information supplied by you
or the assumptions on which it is based or (ii) shall be under any
obligation to update or correct any inaccuracy in the Confidential
Information or any other information supplied by you or be otherwise
liable to us or any other person in respect to the Confidential
Information or any such
information;
|
(a)
|
you
[or your principal]4 or
members of the Group may be irreparably harmed by the breach of the terms
hereof and damages may not be an adequate remedy; each Relevant Person may
be granted an injunction or specific performance for any threatened or
actual breach of the provisions of this letter by
us;
|
(b)
|
you
or members of the Group shall be entitled to exercise any rights at law or
in equity in respect of any breach of the terms
hereof;and
|
(c)
|
the
members of the Group are expressly made third party beneficiaries of this
letter, may enforce its terms and recover damages for any
breach.
|
7.
|
No Waiver; Amendments,
etc This letter sets out the full extent of our
obligations of confidentiality owed to you in relation to the information
the subject of this letter. No failure or delay in exercising
any right, power or privilege hereunder will operate as a waiver thereof
nor will any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege
preclude any further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right,
power or privileges hereunder. The terms of this letter and our
obligations hereunder may only be amended or modified by written agreement
between us.
|
8.
|
Inside
Information We acknowledge that some or all of the
Confidential Information is or may be price-sensitive information and that
the use of such information may be regulated or prohibited by applicable
legislation relating to insider dealing and we undertake not to use any
Confidential Information for any unlawful
purpose.
|
9.
|
Nature of
Undertakings The undertakings given by us under this
letter are given to you and (without implying any fiduciary obligations on
your part) are also given for the benefit of [your principal,]1 any Borrower and each other member of
the Group.
|
10.
|
Governing Law and
Jurisdiction This letter (including the agreement
constituted by your acknowledgment of its terms) shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany
and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of
Frankfurt am Main.
|
11.
|
Definitions In
this letter (including the acknowledgement set out below) terms defined in
the Agreement shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the same
meaning and:
|
"Confidential Information"
means any information relating to any Borrower, the Group, the Agreement and/or
the Acquisition provided to us by you or any of our affiliates or advisers, in
whatever form, and includes information given orally and any document,
electronic file or any other way of representing or recording information which
contains or is derived or copied from such information but excludes information
that (a) is or becomes public knowledge other than as a direct or indirect
result of any breach of this letter or (b) is known by us before the date the
information is disclosed to us by you or any of your affiliates or advisers or
is lawfully obtained by us thereafter, other than from a source which is
connected with the Group and which, in either case, as far as we are aware, has
not been obtained in violation of, and is not otherwise subject to, any
obligation of confidentiality;
"Group" means any Borrower and
each of its holding companies and subsidiaries and each subsidiary of each of
its holding companies;
"Permitted Purpose" means
[subject to the terms of this letter, passing on information to a prospective
purchaser for the purpose of]2
considering and evaluating whether to enter into the Acquisition;
and
"Purchaser Group" means us,
each of our holding companies and subsidiaries and each subsidiary of each of
our holding companies.
Please
acknowledge your agreement to the above by signing and returning the enclosed
copy.
Yours
faithfully
.................................
For and
on behalf of
[Potential
Purchaser/Purchaser's agent/broker]
To: [Potential
Purchaser/Purchaser's agent/broker]
We
acknowledge and agree to the above:
...................................
For and
on behalf of
[Seller/Seller's
agent/broker]
|
1delete
if purchaser is acting as broker or
agent.
|
2
|
delete
if potential purchaser is acting as
principal.
|
3
|
delete
as applicable
|
|
4delete
if letter is addressed to the Seller rather than the Seller's broker or
agent.
|
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
12
FORM
OF LETTER OF CREDIT
From: [insert name of Fronting
Bank]
Beneficiary: [insert name of
beneficiary]
Letter of
Credit No.:
Gentlemen:
By order
and for the account of our client, [insert name of applicant]
(hereinafter referred to as the "Client"), we hereby open our
irrevocable Letter of Credit No. [·], (the "Letter of Credit") in favour
of [insert name of
beneficiary] (the "Beneficiary") for an amount
not to exceed the amount set out below:
EUR
[·]*
effective
immediately and expiring at the counters of [insert name and address of Fronting
Bank] or such other office as may we advise you from time to time (the
"Office"), on [·], but not later
than [insert date and
time] (the "Expiration
Date").
Funds
under this Letter of Credit are available to you [two] Business Days after
presentation of a sight draft, drawn on us, accompanied by written and dated
statement, purportedly signed by the authorised officer of the Beneficiary,
stating:
"We are
drawing the amount of [EUR] [·]*
because (i) such amount is due and payable under [·] dated [·] from the Client to
the Beneficiary and (ii) the Client has failed to pay such amount when
due."
We agree
to honour any drawing demand, which, on the face of the documents submitted to
us, complies with the requirements contained herein and agree that we shall not
be entitled or required to independently determine or investigate the accuracy
or existence of any of the facts or circumstances set forth in the Beneficiary’s
drawing demand as submitted to us.
This
letter of credit shall not be transferable.
Only one
drawing is allowed under this Letter of Credit.
The
available amount under this Letter of Credit will be automatically reduced,
without amendment, upon our receipt of written instructions, jointly signed by
both the Beneficiary and the applicant of this Letter of Credit, indicating the
approved amount of reduction.
We hereby
agree to honour the drawing demand under and in compliance with the terms and
conditions of this Letter of Credit if presented, as specified, at our Office on
or before the Expiration Date.
Should
you have occasion to communicate with us regarding this Letter of Credit, please
direct your correspondence to [insert name and address of Fronting
Bank], making specific mention of the Letter of Credit number indicated
above.
Except as
far as otherwise expressly stated herein, this Letter of Credit is subject to
[the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (1993 Revision) (the
"UCP"), International
Chamber of Commerce, Publication No. 500, and as to matters not governed by the
UCP, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of [·]].
[insert name of Fronting
Bank]
_________________________
Authorised
Signatory
_________________________
Authorised
Signatory
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
SCHEDULE
13
FORM
OF AUDITOR'S REPORT
ILLUSTRATIVE
REPORT ON CONSOLIDATING INFORMATION ACCOMPANYING
the
Consolidated Financial Statements
Separate
Report Accompanying Standard Audit Report
|
[PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP Office Letterhead]
|
Report
of Independent Accountants
on
Accompanying Consolidating Information
To Board
of Directors and Common Stockholder of Kronos International, Inc.:
The
report on our audit of the consolidated financial statements of Kronos
International, Inc. and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 200_ and for the year
then ended appears on page __ of this document. That audit was
conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the consolidated financial
statements taken as a whole. The consolidating information as set out
in the attached schedule is presented for purposes of additional analysis of the
consolidated financial statements rather than to present the financial position,
results of operations and cash flows of the individual companies. Accordingly,
we do not express an opinion on the financial position, results of operations
and cash flows of the individual companies. However, the consolidating
information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit
of the consolidated financial statements and, in our opinion, is fairly stated
in all material respects in relation to the consolidated financial statements
taken as a whole.
[PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP (signed)]
[Date]
GERMANY-1019466-v14
|
|
41-40364741
|
EXECUTION
PAGE
The
Borrowers
KRONOS
TITAN GMBH & CO. OHG
By: Xx.
Xxxxxx Fiand Xxxxxx
Xxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxxxx
0
00000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Tel: x00
000 0000000
Fax: x0000000000
E-mail: xxxxxx.xxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxxx Xxxx - Financial Controller
KRONOS EUROPE S.A./N.V.
By: Xxxx
van der Auwera
Address: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
00
X 0000
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
Tel: x00
000 00000
Fax: x00
000 00000
E-mail: Xxxx.XxxxxxXxxxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxx Van Der Auwera
KRONOS TITAN AS
By: Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxxx
0
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Tel: x00
00 00 0000
Fax: x00
00 00 0000
E-mail: Xxxxx.Xxxxxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx,
Xxxxx.Xxxxxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx - Financial Controller / Xxxxx Xxxxxxx - Manager
TITANIA
AS
By: Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxxx
0
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Tel: x00
00 00 0000
Fax: x00
00 00 0000
E-mail: Xxxxx.Xxxxxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx,
Xxxxx.Xxxxxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx - Financial Controller / Xxxxx Xxxxxxx - Manager
The
Guarantors
KRONOS TITAN GMBH & CO. OHG
By: Xx.
Xxxxxx
Fiand Xxxxxx
Xxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxxxx
0
00000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Tel: x00
000 0000000
Fax: x0000000000
E-mail: xxxxxx.xxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxxx Xxxx - Financial Controller
KRONOS EUROPE S.A./N.V.
By: Xxxx
van der Auwera
Address: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
00
X 0000
Xxxx
Xxxxxxx
Tel: x00
000 00000
Fax: x00
000 00000
E-mail: Xxxx.XxxxxxXxxxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxx Van Der Auwera
KRONOS NORGE AS
By: Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxxx
0
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Tel: x00
00 00 0000
Fax: x00
00 00 0000
E-mail: Xxxxx.Xxxxxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx,
Xxxxx.Xxxxxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx - Financial Controller / Xxxxx Xxxxxxx - Manager
Kronos
Denmark
KRONOS DENMARK APS
By:
Xxxxxx Xxxx
Address: Hanne
Xxxxxxxx Xxx 00
0000
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Tel: x00
00 000 000 0000
Fax: x0000000
000
E-mail: xxxxxx.xxxx@xxx-xxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxxx Xxxx
The
Mandated Lead Arranger
DEUTSCHE
BANK AG
By:
Olivier Xxxxxxxx Xxxx van den
Xxxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxxxxx
00
00000
Xxxxxxxxx
Xxx: x00
00 000 00000/32423
Fax: x00
00 000 0 0000/32427
E-mail: xxxx-xxx-xxx.xxxxx@xx.xxx;
xxxxx-xxxxxx.xxxxx@xx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxx van den Xxxxx; Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Xxxxx
The
Agent
DEUTSCHE BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: 0,
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
X-0000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Tel: x000
000 00000/329
Fax: x000
000 00000
E-mail: xxxxxxxxx.xxxx@xx.xxx;
xxxx.xxxxxx@xx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx; Xxxx Xxxxxx
The
Security Agent
DEUTSCHE
BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: 0,
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
X-0000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Tel: x000
000 00 00 0/329
Fax: x000
000 00 000
E-mail: xxxxxxxxx.xxxx@xx.xxx;
xxxx.xxxxxx@xx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx/Xxxx Xxxxxx
The
Lenders
DEUTSCHE BANK LUXEMBOURG S.A.
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: 0,
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
X-0000
Xxxxxxxxxx
Tel: x000
000 00 00 0/329
Fax: x000
000 00 000
E-mail: xxxxxxxxx.xxxx@xx.xxx;
xxxx.xxxxxx@xx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx/Xxxx Xxxxxx
COMMERZBANK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT,
FILIALE KÖLN
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: Unter
Sachsenhausen 21-27
X-00000
Xxxx
Tel: x00
000 000 0000/2444
Fax: x00
000 0000000
E-mail:xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx;
xxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Attention
of: Xxxxx Xxxxxx/Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Abteilung für Firmenkunden (AFK)
DEN NORSKE BANK ASA, FILIALE
DEUTSCHLAND
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
00
X-00000
Xxxxxxx
Tel: x0000
00 00 0000
Fax: x0000
00 00 0000
E-mail: xxxxxx.xxxxxxxx@xxx.xx
Attention
of: Holger Gräflich
DEXIA BANK BELGIUM NV/SA
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxxxx
00
X-0000
Xxxxxxxx
Tel: x000000
0000
Fax: x000
0000000
E-mail: xxxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxx.xx
Attention
of: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
KBC BANK NV
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxx
0
X-0000
Xxxxxxxx
Tel: x0000000000
Fax: x0000000000
E-mail: xxxxxxx.xxxx@xxx.xx
Attention
of: KBC Corporate Branch Gent; Xxxxxxx Xxxx
DRESDNER BANK AG IN KÖLN
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: Unter
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 0-00
X-00000
Xxxx
Tel: x00
000 0000000
Fax: x00
000 0000000
E-mail: Xxxxxx.Xxxxx@Xxxxxxxx-Xxxx.xxx
Attention
of: Unternehmenskunden Köln Ost, Xx Xxxxx
THE
FRONTING BANK KBC BANK NV
By:
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Address: Xxxxxxxxx
0
X-0000
Xxxxxxxx
Tel: x0000000000
Fax: x0000000000
E-mail: xxxxxxx.xxxx@xxx.xx
Attention
of: KBC Corporate Branch Gent; Xxxxxxx Xxxx