AGREEMENT relating to the sale and purchase of the entire issued share capital of Zoo Digital Publishing Limited HARBOTTLE & LEWIS LLP Hanover House 14 Hanover Square London W1S 1HP
DATED
Xxxxx 0, 0000
|
(0)
XXXXX XXXXX and XXX XXXXXXX
(2)
GREEN SCREEN INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE LLC
|
AGREEMENT
relating
to the sale and purchase of
the
entire issued share capital of
Zoo
Digital Publishing Limited
|
XXXXXXXXX
& XXXXX LLP
Hanover
House
00
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
X0X 0XX
|
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
1.
|
Definitions
and Interpretation
|
1
|
|
2.
|
Sale
and Purchase of the Sale Shares
|
9
|
|
3.
|
Consideration
|
9
|
|
4.
|
Net
Working Capital Determination
|
10
|
|
5.
|
Prior
to Completion
|
12
|
|
6.
|
Completion
|
13
|
|
7.
|
Warranties
|
15
|
|
8.
|
Indemnities
|
16
|
|
9.
|
Set
Off
|
16
|
|
10.
|
Restrictive
Covenants
|
18
|
|
11.
|
Confidential
Information
|
19
|
|
12.
|
Notices
|
20
|
|
13.
|
Business
Information
|
21
|
|
14.
|
General
|
21
|
|
15.
|
Tax
on Warranty Payments
|
22
|
|
16.
|
Costs
and Expenses
|
23
|
THIS
AGREEMENT
is made
on the 4th day of
April, 2008.
BETWEEN:
(1)
|
XXXXX
XXXXX of
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx X00 0XX
(“Xx
Xxxxx”);
and
|
XXX
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX of
Xxxxxx
House, Xxxxxx Hill, Grindleford, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 2HQ (“Xx
Xxxxxxx”)
(together,
the “Sellers”
and
each
a“Seller”);
and
(2)
|
GREEN
SCREEN INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE LLC
of
000 Xxxxxxxx XX, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the “Buyer”).
|
WHEREAS
(A)
|
Zoo
Digital Publishing Limited (the “Company”)
is a limited liability company with registered number 5701472 which
was
incorporated in England and Wales on 7 February 2006. The Company
has an
authorised share capital of 100 Ordinary Shares of £1 each of which
100 have been issued and are fully paid. Further details of the
Company
are set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of this
Agreement.
|
(B)
|
The
Sellers are the sole legal and beneficial owners of the entire
issued
share capital of the Company.
|
(C)
|
The
Sellers have agreed to sell and the Buyer has agreed to purchase
the
entire issued share capital of the Company (the “Sale
Shares”)
on the terms and conditions set out in this Agreement.
|
NOW
IT IS AGREED
as
follows:
1.
|
Definitions
and Interpretation
|
1.1 |
In
this Agreement the following words and expressions shall have
the
following meanings:
|
“Acts”
|
means
the Companies Xxx 0000 and the Companies Xxx 0000 together, as in
force from time to time;
|
|
“Accounts”
|
means
the unaudited abbreviated accounts of the Company for the financial
year
ended on the Accounts Date including all documents required by
law to be
annexed to them;
|
|
“Accounts
Date”
|
means
31 March 2007;
|
|
“Auditors”
|
means
PKF (UK) LLP who shall be appointed as auditors of the Company
at
Completion;
|
1
“Bad
Leaver”
|
means
a Seller ceasing to be employed by the Company to perform the duties
referred to in his Service Agreement as a result of: (a) the resignation
of a Seller (other than a Seller resigning as a result of his ill
health
provided that the Buyer is reasonably satisfied that such ill health
will
render such Seller incapable of performing the duties referred
to in his
Service Agreement); or (b) termination of the Service Agreement
by the
Company as a result of conviction (or pleading guilty) of a Seller of
any crime or offence involving money or fraud or other property
of the
Company or of any criminal offence other than a motoring offence;
or (c)
for any reason where such Seller is in breach of his obligations
pursuant
to clause 10.1 of this Agreement; or (d) a material breach by a
Seller of
a material term, covenant or condition of this Agreement or his
Service
Agreement which, if capable of remedy, has not been remedied to
the
reasonable satisfaction of the Buyer within twenty-one days of
written
notice specifying such breach having been delivered by or on behalf
of the
Buyer to the relevant Seller; or (e) a Seller’s dishonesty or gross
negligence; or (f) a material breach by a Seller of any material
obligation to the Company including, without limitation, a breach
of a
fiduciary duty to the Company; or (g) misappropriation of any material
asset or material opportunity of the Company by or on behalf of
a
Seller;
|
|
“Bank
of Scotland”
|
means
the Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland;
|
|
“Business
Day”
|
means
a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are open
for
business in the City of London;
|
|
“Business
Intellectual Property”
|
shall
have the meaning given to that phrase in Paragraph 16.1 of Schedule
2;
|
|
“Buyer’s
Group”
|
any
of the following from time to time: the Buyer, its subsidiaries
and
subsidiary undertakings (including the Company) and any holding
company or
parent undertaking of the Buyer and all other subsidiaries and
subsidiary
undertakings of any holding company or parent undertaking of the
Buyer and
“member
of the Buyer’s Group”
will be construed accordingly;
|
|
“Buyer’s
Operating Agreement”
“Buyer’s
Solicitors”
|
means
the shareholders agreement relating to the Buyer;
means
Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP of Hanover House, 00 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx
X0X 0XX;
|
2
“Buyer’s
Solicitors Bank Account”
|
means
the client account of the Buyer’s Solicitors being that held with XxxXxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx X0X 0XX, Account Number 00000000,
Sort
Code 50-41-06;
|
|
“Cash
Consideration”
|
means
the consideration of USD $1,000,000 (subject to deduction in accordance
with Clause 3.3) to be paid in cash by the Buyer to the Sellers
on 30
April 2008 subject to Clause 5.6;
|
|
“Claim”
|
means
a claim by the Buyer against the Sellers for a breach of a Warranty
or
pursuant to the Tax Covenant;
|
|
“Completion”
|
means
the completion of the performance by the parties of their respective
obligations set out in Clause 6;
|
|
“Confidential
Information”
|
means
all information (whether oral or written) acquired by a party (whether
before or after the date of this Agreement and whether directly
or
indirectly) as a result of negotiating, entering into or performing
this
Agreement which relates to (a) in the case of information acquired
by the
Buyer, the affairs or business of the Sellers which is not related
to the
affairs or businesses of the Company or its products, operations
or
Know-How; and (b) in the case of information acquired by the Sellers,
the
affairs or business of the Buyer;
|
|
“Consideration”
|
shall
have the meaning given to that phrase in Clause 3;
|
|
“Consideration
Shares”
|
means
225,000 common units of the Buyer to be issued to the Sellers on
Completion;
|
|
“Current
Assets”
|
means
the following assets of the Company:
(a)
cash;
(b)
marketable
securities;
(c)
trade
debtors;
(d)
current
prepayments; and
(e) stock;
|
3
“Current
Liabilities”
|
means
the following liabilities of the Company:
(a)
trade
creditors;
(b)
accrued
expenses;
(c) amounts
outstanding pursuant to the Company’s overdraft facility with Bank of
Scotland; and
(d)
amounts
due from the Company pursuant to the invoice discounting facility
with
Bank of Scotland;
|
|
“Data
Protection Legislation”
|
shall
have the meaning given to that phrase in Paragraph 17.1(e) of
Schedule 2;
|
|
“Deferred
Payments”
|
means
any Earn-out Payment and the Third Anniversary Payment;
|
|
“Directors
Personal Guarantees”
|
means
the personal guarantees of the obligations of the Company given
to the
Bank of Scotland by Xx Xxxxxxx;
|
|
“Director’s
Loan”
|
means
the sum of £324,950 which is, at Completion, owed by the Company to the
Trust;
|
|
“Disclosed”
|
means
fairly disclosed to the Buyer in the Disclosure Letter in sufficient
detail to enable the Buyer to assess the impact of the relevant
fact,
matter or circumstance being disclosed;
|
|
“Disclosure
Letter”
|
means
the letter of today’s date from the Sellers to the Buyer (together with
any attachments) disclosing information relating to the
Warranties;
|
|
“Due
Proportion”
|
means
the proportion’s shown in Part 2 of Schedule 1 being the respective
proportions in which the Sale Shares are held by the
Sellers;
|
|
“Earn
Out Payment”
|
means
any payment made by the Buyer to the Sellers in Due Proportion
in
accordance with Clause 3.6 and Schedule 3;
|
|
“Encumbrance”
|
means
any claim, charge, mortgage, security, lien, option, equity, power
of
sale, hypothecation or other third party rights, retention of title,
right
of pre-emption, right of first refusal or security interest of
any kind;
|
|
“Financial
Year”
|
in
relation to a company, has the meaning given in section 223 of
the
Companies Xxx 0000;
|
4
“Games”
|
means
the games listed in Schedule 5 and all other video, mobile and
computer
games and all other interactive entertainment software products
made in
whole or part by, for and on behalf of, the Company or otherwise
assigned
to the Company or in respect of which the Company has
rights;
|
|
“Initial
Consideration”
|
means
the Cash Consideration, the Loan Notes and the Consideration
Shares;
|
|
“Intellectual
Property”
|
means
any and all intellectual property rights or analogous intangible
rights
including all patents, trade marks, service marks, business names,
trade
names, domain names, logos and get-up, emblems, registered designs,
unregistered designs, copyright, rights relating to layout, design
graphics, and text, rights relating to look and feel and formulas
and
rights to any underlying source code and object code, all database
rights,
software programmes and source codes, and other forms of intellectual
or
industrial property (whether or not registered or registerable
and for the
full period thereof and all extensions and renewals thereof and
applications for registration of or otherwise in connection with
the
foregoing), Know-How, inventions, confidential or secret processes
and
information (in each case in any part of the world), unfair competition
rights and rights to xxx for passing off or past infringements,
rights
under licences, consents, order, statutes or otherwise in respect
of any
rights of the nature specified above and rights of the same or
similar
effect or nature as the foregoing in any jurisdiction;
|
|
“Key
Person”
|
means
in respect of each Seller, the other Seller and any other person
with whom
the relevant Seller has personally dealt at any time during the
period of
12 months prior to the date of this Agreement and who is at the
date of
this Agreement employed or engaged as an employee, director or
consultant
of the Company in the capacity of manager, executive or any creative
capacity and who is in possession of confidential and/or commercially
sensitive information relating to the Company and/or its activities
or
whose departure would materially damage the
Company;
|
5
“Know-How”
|
means
all information not publicly known which is owned and/or used by
the
Company in connection with its business existing in any form (including
paper, electronically stored data, magnetic media, film and
microfilm);
|
|
“Lease”
|
means
the lease dated 1 February 2007 between (1) Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
and Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx T/A Tower Investments and (2) the Company in respect
of
Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx
|
|
“Leaver”
“Liabilities”
|
means
a Seller ceasing to be employed by the Company by reason of him
being a
Bad Leaver;
means
all liabilities, duties, commitments and obligations of every description,
whether deriving from contract, common law, statute or otherwise,
whether
present or future, actual or contingent or ascertained or unascertained
and whether owed or incurred severally or jointly or as a principal
or
surety;
|
|
“Licensed
IP”
|
means
all Intellectual Property owned by a third party and that is used
by or
licensed to the Company at the date of this Agreement;
|
|
“Loan
Notes”
|
means
the loan notes in the agreed form in the aggregate nominal amount
of
USD$2,500,000 to be issued by the Buyer to the Sellers pursuant
to the
Loan Note Instrument in accordance with Clause 3.2;
|
|
“Loan
Note Instrument”
|
means
the loan note instrument in the agreed form constituting the Loan
Notes;
|
|
“Management
Accounts”
|
means
the unaudited balance sheet and profit and loss account of the
Company in
respect of the period from the Accounts Date to 29 February 2008
and all
reports, notes and documents attached to such accounts;
|
|
“March
Figures”
“Net
Working Capital”
|
means
the preliminary gross sales figures of the Company in respect of
the
period up to 31 March 2008;
means
the sum of Current Assets minus the sum of Current
Liabilities;
|
|
“Owned
IP”
|
means
all Intellectual Property owned by the Company as at the date of
this
Agreement;
|
|
“Property”
|
means
the office premises at Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx occupied
by
the Company under the terms of the Lease;
|
6
“Restricted
Business”
|
means
the business of the publishing, distribution and/or development
of
interactive entertainment products;
|
|
“Restricted
Customers”
|
means
in respect of each Seller any person who, during the period of
12 months
ending on the date of Completion, is or was a customer or distributor
of
or in the habit of dealing with the Company or with whom the Company
was
involved in negotiations with a view to such person becoming a
customer or
distributor and in each case with whom the relevant Seller has
had
material contact;
|
|
“Restricted
Supplier”
|
means
in respect of each Seller any person who, during the period of
12 months
ending on the date of Completion was a supplier or licensor of
goods or
services and/or rights to the Company or with whom the Company
was
involved in negotiations with a view to such person becoming a
supplier or
licensor of the Company and in each case with whom the relevant
Seller has
had material contact;
|
|
“Restricted
Territory”
|
means
the United Kingdom and the United States of America and any other
country,
state or area in which the Company is operating or planning to
operate any
Restricted Business at the date of this Agreement. A Restricted
Business
will be operating within a Restricted Territory if either any such
Restricted Business is located or to be located within a Restricted
Territory or it is conducted or to be conducted wholly or partly
within a
Restricted Territory;
|
|
“Sellers’
Solicitors”
|
means
Halliwells LLP of Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx X0 0XX;
|
|
“Sellers’
Solicitors Bank Account”
|
means
the client account of the Sellers’ Solicitors being
RBS
Sort
Code
16-00-01
Account
No. 00000000
Branch
RBS,
Xxxxxx St, Manchester;
|
|
“Service
Agreements”
|
means
the service agreements in the agreed form to be entered into between each
of the Sellers and the Company on Completion;
|
|
“Service
Providers”
|
shall
have the meaning given to that phrase in Paragraph 12 of Schedule
2;
|
|
“tax”
|
shall
have the meaning given in the Tax
Covenant;
|
7
“tax
authority”
|
shall
have the meaning given in the Tax Covenant;
|
|
“Tax
Covenant”
|
means
the tax covenant set out in Schedule 4;
|
|
“Third
Anniversary Payment”
|
means
the cash payments of USD $500,000 payable to each of the Sellers
on the
third anniversary of Completion in accordance with Schedule 3;
|
|
“Transaction
Documents”
|
means
this Agreement, the Disclosure Letter, the Service Agreements,
the Loan
Notes, the Loan Note Instrument and any other document entered
into by
either party pursuant to or as anticipated by or in connection
with the
terms of this Agreement; and
|
|
“Trust”
|
means
the I.C Xxxxxxx 2001 Trust;
|
|
“Warranties”
|
means
the warranties given by the Sellers referred to in
Clause 7
and set out in Schedule 2 and “Warranty”
means any one of them.
|
1.2
|
In
this Agreement, unless otherwise specified, references to:
|
(a)
|
any
statute or statutory provision are to that statute or statutory
provision
as from time to time amended extended or re-enacted and any subordinate
legislation made under it, provided that as between the parties
no such
amendment extension, re-enactment or subordinate legislation after
the
date of this Agreement shall apply to the extent that it creates,
extends
or increases any liability of any of the parties to this
Agreement;
|
(b)
|
a
“person”
includes any individual, company, firm, corporation, partnership,
joint
venture, association, institution or government (whether or not
having a
separate legal personality);
|
(c)
|
Recitals,
Clauses and Schedules are references to recitals, Clauses and schedules
of
this Agreement;
|
(d)
|
one
gender include all genders and references to the singular include
the
plural and vice versa;
|
(e)
|
a
document are references to that document as from time to time
varied or
supplemented;
|
(f) |
a
document in the “agreed form” are references to such
document in the terms approved by the Sellers and the Buyer;
such approval
may be evidenced either by the relevant document being entered
into at
Completion or by the final draft of the document being initialled
for the
purposes of identification by or on behalf of the Sellers and
the Buyer on
or before the date of this Agreement;
|
8
(g)
|
a
“subsidiary” or “holding company” shall
be construed in accordance with Section 736 of the Companies Xxx
0000;
|
(h) | references to a person being “connected” to another person shall be construed in accordance with Section 839 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Xxx 0000; and |
(i) | references to a person being “associated” to another person shall be construed in accordance with Section 435 of the Insolvency Xxx 0000; |
1.3
|
The
headings in this Agreement are for guidance only and shall not
affect its
interpretation.
|
1.4
|
Any
phrase in this Agreement introduced by the terms “including”,
“include”,
“in
particular”
or
any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall
not
limit the sense of the words preceding those
terms.
|
1.5
|
Where
expressions such as “the
Sellers are not aware”,
“as
far as the Sellers are aware”
or
“to
the best of the Sellers’ knowledge”
and other references to the knowledge or awareness of the Sellers
are
used, they are to be construed as meaning that the Sellers have
made all
reasonable enquiries of all relevant persons which it would be
reasonable
for the Sellers to make in order to be confident that the Sellers’
knowledge or awareness is complete.
|
1.6
|
The
Schedules form part of this Agreement and will be of full force
and effect
as though they were expressly set out in the body of this
Agreement.
|
1.7 |
Unless
this Agreement specifies a payment method, any payment under
this
Agreement is to be made by bank transfer in same day funds
to the client
account of the recipient’s solicitors, details of which are given in this
Agreement.
|
2.
|
Sale
and Purchase of the Sale Shares
|
2.1
|
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Sellers shall
with full
title guarantee sell and the Buyer shall purchase the Sale Shares
free
from all Encumbrances with effect from Completion together with
all rights
and advantages attaching or accruing to
them.
|
2.2 |
The
Buyer shall not be obliged to complete the purchase of any
of the Sale
Shares unless the sale and purchase of all of the Sale Shares
is completed
simultaneously.
|
2.3 |
The
Sellers hereby irrevocably agree to waive any rights of pre-emption
that
they may have under the articles of association of the Company
or
otherwise in respect of the sale and purchase of any of the
Sale Shares
under the terms of this
Agreement.
|
3.
|
Consideration
|
3.1
|
The
consideration for the sale of the Sale Shares shall be the aggregate
of:
|
(a)
|
the
Initial Consideration (as satisfied in accordance with Clause 3.2
below);
|
(b)
|
the
Tax Relief Payments (if any) (as satisfied in accordance with Schedule
4
and ;
|
9
(c)
|
the
Deferred Payments (if any) (as satisfied in accordance with Clause
3.6
below);
|
(the
“Consideration”)
3.2
|
The
Initial Consideration shall be satisfied as
follows:
|
(a)
|
subject
to Clause 5.6, by the payment by the Buyer to each Seller on 30
April 2008
of that part of the Cash Consideration which is set out opposite
the name
of such Seller in Part 3 of Schedule 1 by way of telegraphic transfer
in
immediately available funds to the account specified by such Seller
for
such purpose;
|
(b)
|
by
the issue by the Buyer to each Seller on Completion of such nominal
amounts of Loan Notes set out opposite the name of such Seller
in Part 3
of Schedule 1; and
|
(c)
|
by
the allotment and issue to each Seller on Completion of the number
of
Consideration Shares set
out opposite the name of such Seller in Part 3 of Schedule 1 conditional
upon the Sellers delivering to the Buyer (or as the Buyer shall
direct) on
Completion an agreement in a form required by the Buyer signifying
their
assent to the Buyer’s Operating
Agreement.
|
3.3
|
There
shall be deducted from the Cash Consideration a sum equal to the
amount
(if any) by which Net Working Capital is less than £800,000. If the Cash
Consideration as adjusted in accordance with this Clause is less
than the
sum paid by the Buyer to the Sellers on 30 April 2008 in accordance
with
Clause 3.2(a) then the Sellers shall pay to the Buyers an aggregate
sum
equal to the amount of any such shortfall within 5 Business Days
after the
date on which the figure for Net Working Capital is agreed or otherwise
determined in accordance with Clause 4.
|
3.4
|
Any
amounts which may be payable by the Sellers in accordance with
Clause 3.3
shall be paid by the Sellers in their Due Proportion and neither
Seller
shall be liable for any amount which exceeds such Seller’s Due Proportion
of the aggregate amount payable in accordance with such
clause.
|
3.5
|
Any
payment made by the Sellers pursuant to clause 3.3 shall be treated
as a
reduction in the Consideration.
|
3.6
|
The
Deferred Payments (if any) shall be payable in accordance with
the
provisions of Schedule 3.
|
3.7
|
The
Buyer warrants that the Consideration Shares shall rank pari passu
in all
material respects with all other common units of the Buyer in issue
at
Completion.
|
4. |
Net
Working Capital
Determination
|
4.1
|
The
parties agree that the day of Completion shall be the last day
of the
financial period beginning on the day after the Accounts Date and
that the
Completion Accounts (as defined below) shall be audited accounts
of the
Company for that period which shall also be used to determine the
Net
Working Capital.
|
10
4.2
|
As
soon as reasonably practicable following Completion (and in any
event
within 40 Business Days from Completion) the Sellers shall procure
that a
draft set of audited accounts of the Company (“Completion
Accounts”)
shall be prepared and sent to the Buyer together with all working
papers
relating to them and a report prepared by the Sellers (the “Report”)
stating the value of the Net Working Capital. The
draft Completion Accounts shall be prepared in accordance with
the
accounting policies, practices and bases which have been used and
adopted
in the preparation of the Accounts (other than any changes that
may be
necessary to comply with United Kingdom generally accepted accounting
principles and any other changes necessary for the Completion Accounts
to
be audited).
|
4.3
|
The
Buyer may at any time within 40 Business Days after it receives
the draft
Completion Accounts and the Report notify the Sellers that it does
not
agree that the figure for Net Working Capital specified in the
draft
Completion Accounts is correct (an“Accounts
Objection Notice”).
Any Accounts Objection Notice shall provide reasonable detail about
the
grounds on which the Buyer believes the Net Working Capital figure
is not
correct and specify a figure for the Net Working
Capital.
|
4.4
|
If
any Accounts Objection Notice is served then the Buyer and the
Sellers
shall use all reasonable endeavours to agree upon the figure for
Net
Working Capital within 15 Business Days following receipt of the
Accounts
Objection Notice by the Sellers.
|
4.5
|
If
the Sellers and the Buyer shall not have agreed the final form
of the
Completion Accounts within the period referred to in Clause 4.3
then
either of them may refer the matter(s) in dispute to an independent
firm
of chartered accountants agreed between them or, in default of
agreement
within 5 Business Days of the expiry of the period referred to
in Clause
4.4, to an independent firm of chartered accountants nominated
by the
President for the time being of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
in
England and Wales (the "Expert")
on the application of either of
them.
|
4.6
|
The
parties shall use all reasonable endeavours to procure the due
and prompt
determination of the matter(s) in dispute by the Expert as soon
as
reasonably practicable. In determining any matter, the Expert shall
act as
an expert and not as an arbitrator. The decision of the Expert
shall (save
in the case of manifest error or fraud) be final and binding on
both
parties and its costs shall be borne as the Expert may determine
(or, in
default of such determination as to costs, as to half by the Sellers
and
half by the Buyer).
|
4.7
|
Each
of the parties shall promptly on request supply to the other parties
and
(if requested or instructed) the Expert all such access, assistance,
documents and information as they may reasonably require for the
purpose
of the preparation of the Completion Accounts and the Report and
for the
Buyer deciding whether to serve an Accounts Objection Notice and
any
determination required pursuant to Clause
4.5.
|
4.8
|
The
figure for Net Working Capital for the purposes of Clause 3.3
may be agreed in writing between the parties at any time but, subject
to
that, will be:
|
(a)
|
the
figure specified in the Report if no Accounts Objection Notice
is served
within the 40 Business Days specified in Clause
4.3;
|
(b)
|
if
an Accounts Objection Notice has been so served, the figure specified
by
the Expert.
|
4.9
|
For
the avoidance of doubt, the Disclosure Letter shall in no way limit
the
liability of the Sellers to make any payment pursuant to this
Clause.
|
11
5.
|
Prior
to Completion
|
5.1
|
The
Sellers undertake and confirm to the Buyer that they have procured
that
prior to the date of this
Agreement:
|
(a) |
all
guarantees, indemnities, mortgages, surety, security and similar
agreements or arrangements given by or binding on the Company
in respect
of any Liabilities or obligations (actual or contingent) of
the Sellers
and/or any person connected to associated with them have been
fully and
effectively released without any provision or consideration
for such
release by the Company;
|
(b)
|
other
than in respect of the Director’s Loan, any sums due to them as employees
and any liability that the Company may incur at any point in the
future as
a result of the enforcement of the Director's Personal Guarantees
against
Xx Xxxxxxx (in each case, provided that complete and accurate details
have
been Disclosed), the Company has been released, without payment
or other
cost to the Sellers, from any debts, Liabilities or obligations
of any
kind owed or outstanding to the Sellers or any person connected
or
associated to them; and
|
(c)
|
all
amounts owing (whether due for payment or not) to the Company by
the
Sellers, any of the other officers of the Company or any person
connected
to an associate of the Sellers or such officer shall have been
paid or
repaid provided that, without prejudice to the Sellers’ procurement
obligation, to the extent that any such amounts owing have not
been paid,
they shall continue to be due and payable on demand on and after
Completion.
|
5.2
|
If
any guarantee, indemnity, mortgage, surety, security or similar
agreement
or arrangement given by or binding on the Company shall not have
been
released prior to Completion in accordance with Clause 5.1
then the Sellers shall use all reasonable endeavours to procure
that as
from Completion the Company shall be so released and pending such
release
the Sellers shall fully and effectively indemnify the Company and
the
Buyer on demand against all liabilities under such guarantees,
indemnities, mortgages, sureties, security and similar agreements
or
arrangements arising in respect of or attributable to the period
on or
after Completion.
|
5.3
|
Subject
to Clause 5.5, the Buyer shall procure that the Company shall repay
the
Director’s Loan in full to the Trust as soon as is reasonably practicable
following Completion (taking into account the working capital requirements
of the Company and the interests of the Buyer’s Group as a whole) but in
any event by no later than 4 April 2009. For the avoidance of doubt,
the
existing interest rate of 1.75% above the official Bank of England
base
rate which applies to the Director’s Loan shall remain in place following
Completion until such time as the Director’s Loan is repaid in
full.
|
5.4
|
The
Buyer shall further procure that as soon as reasonably practicable
after
Completion, the Director's Personal Guarantees are released but
in any
event by no later than 4 April 2009. The Buyer shall until such
time as Xx
Xxxxxxx is fully, irrevocably and unconditionally released from
all
obligations and Liabilities under the Director’s Personal Guarantees
indemnify and keep Xx Xxxxxxx fully and effectively indemnified
against
any and all Liabilities, losses, claims, damages, costs, expenses
and
other liabilities whatsoever which may arise directly as a result
of the
Director’s Personal Guarantees.
|
12
5.5
|
At
any time prior to repayment of the Director’s Loan pursuant to Clause 5.3,
the Trust may, by giving written notice to the Buyer (the “Trust
Notice”),
assign the benefit of all or part of the Director’s Loan to the Buyer (the
“Relevant
Loan”)
and, if this occurs, in consideration of this, the Buyer will issue
to the
Trust (conditional upon the Trust delivering to the Buyer (or as
the Buyer
shall direct) an agreement in a form required by the Buyer signifying
its
assent to the Buyer’s Operating Agreement (the “Assent
Agreement”))
such number of common units in the capital of the Buyer as corresponds
to
the Relevant Loan calculated by dividing the amount of the Relevant
Loan
by the Price (as ascertained below) (the “Trust
Shares”).
The price shall be such price as on the date of issue of the Trust
Shares
represents in the opinion of the Buyer’s accountants the fair market value
of the Trust Shares taking into account all circumstances which
have been
notified to them including without limitation (and applying a discount
to
reflect): (a) the fact that the Trust Shares may represent a minority
interest in the Buyer; and (b) where there is a limited or no market
for
the Trust Shares, the fact that there is a limited or no market
(the
“Price”).
The Trust Notice shall
specify the amount of the Director's Loan which the Trust wishes
to assign
to the Buyer. As
soon as reasonably practicable after the Buyer receives the Trust
Notice,
assuming the Buyer has received the Assent Agreement from the Trust,
the
Buyer shall issue to the Trust the relevant number of Trust
Shares.
Any Trust Shares allotted under this Clause shall rank pari passu
in all
material respects with all other common units of the Buyer in issue
at the
time of issue of the Trust Shares.
|
5.6
|
The
Sellers shall procure that as soon as reasonably practicable after
Completion but in any event by no later than 30 April 2008 any
debts,
Liabilities or obligations of the Company of any kind owed or outstanding
to Destination Software, Inc in respect of the quarter ended 31
March 2008
have been satisfied in full. The Sellers acknowledge that payment
of the
Cash Consideration is entirely conditional on this having
happened.
|
6.
|
Completion
|
6.1
|
Completion
shall take place
immediately following the execution of this Agreement by the parties.
|
6.2
|
On
Completion:
|
(a)
|
the
Sellers shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Buyer or
as the
Buyer shall direct:
|
(i)
|
counterparts
of this Agreement, the Disclosure Letter and the Service Agreements
duly
executed by them;
|
(ii) |
duly
completed and executed stock transfer forms in respect
of the Sale Shares
together with the share certificates relating to the Sale Shares
(or
indemnities in a form satisfactory to the Buyer in the case
of missing
certificates);
|
(iii) |
the
letters of resignation in the agreed form executed by any
officers of the
Company who are resigning as officers on
Completion;
|
(iv) |
the
certificates of incorporation (including any certificates
of incorporation
on change of name) of the Company and statutory and minute
books required
to be kept by the Company pursuant to the Act (in each
case up to date up
to (but not including) Completion), the common seal (if
any) of the
Company and any cheque books and credit cards of the
Company;
|
13
(v)
|
statements
showing the current balances on all bank accounts,
overdraft and loan
facilities held by the Company as at the close
of business on the Business
Day prior to Completion;
|
(vi)
|
evidence
satisfactory to the Buyer that any Encumbrances
affecting the Company have
been unconditionally released (save for
the Encumbrances securing the
existing facilities with Bank of Scotland
(details of which have been
Disclosed));
|
(vii)
|
all
the financial and accounting
books and records of the Company;
|
(viii)
|
counterparts
of the document referred
to in Clause 3.2(c) confirming
the Sellers’
assent to the Buyer’s Operating Agreement;
and
|
(ix) |
a
duly executed power
of attorney in
the agreed form
in favour of the
Buyer
in respect of the
Sale
Shares;
|
(b)
|
the
Sellers shall procure that a board meeting of the Company is held
at which
(amongst other things) the following business shall be
transacted:
|
(i)
|
the
transfer of the Sale Shares, the entry of the name of the Buyer
in the
register of members of the Company and the issue to the Buyer of
share
certificates in respect of the Sale Shares shall be approved, subject
to
stamping;
|
(ii)
|
the
appointment of such people nominated by the Buyer to the board
of
directors shall be approved with immediate effect;
|
(iii)
|
the
resignation of Xxxxxx Xxxxx and the appointment of such person
nominated
by the Buyer as the Company Secretary shall be approved with immediate
effect;
|
(iv)
|
PKF
(UK) LLP shall be appointed as the auditors of the Company;
and
|
(v)
|
the
Service Agreements shall be
approved;
|
(c)
|
the
Buyer shall, following completion of the above
matters:
|
(i)
|
deliver
or cause to be delivered to the Sellers (or as the Sellers shall
direct)
duly executed counterparts of this Agreement and the Disclosure
Letter;
|
(ii)
|
deliver
or cause to be delivered to the Sellers (or as the Sellers shall
direct) a
copy of the duly executed Loan Note Instrument and loan note certificates
thereunder in favour of the Sellers in the Due
Proportion;
|
(iii)
|
issue
the Consideration Shares to the Sellers;
|
(d)
|
the
Tax Covenant shall come into force.
|
6.3
|
As
soon as reasonably practicable after Completion, the Buyer shall
deliver
or cause to be delivered to the Sellers (or as the Sellers shall
direct):
|
14
(a)
|
a
copy of the written consent of the managers of the Buyer approving
the
transaction; and
|
(b)
|
an
opinion of a lawyer in the USA qualified so to give (in a form
reasonably
acceptable to the Sellers) that this Agreement, the Loan Notes
and the
Consideration Shares are properly executed or allotted (as applicable)
and, in the case of this Agreement and the Loan Note Instrument
form
legally binding obligations of the
Buyer.
|
7.
|
Warranties
|
7.1 |
The
Sellers jointly and severally warrant to the Buyer that subject
to those
matters Disclosed each of the Warranties is at Completion true
and
accurate.
|
7.2 |
The
Sellers acknowledge that the Buyer has entered into this Agreement
in
reliance upon the Warranties. Save as expressly otherwise provided,
each
of the Warranties shall be construed as a separate and independent
Warranty and shall not be limited by reference to any other
Warranty or by
anything in this Agreement or any of the other Transaction
Documents.
|
7.3 |
Notwithstanding
any other provision of this
Agreement:
|
(a)
|
the
Warranties contained in Paragraph 1 of Schedule 2 shall not be
or be
capable of being qualified or discharged by the Disclosure Letter
or in
any other way; and
|
(b)
|
the
Warranties will each remain in full force and effect beyond and
notwithstanding Completion and are each made without prejudice
to any of
the others.
|
7.4 |
The
Warranties shall not be or be capable of being qualified or discharged
by
the Disclosure Letter to the extent that any Claim arises as a
consequence
of fraud or wilful or negligent misconduct by the Sellers.
|
7.5
|
Where
any information or documents have been supplied by or on behalf
of the
Company (or any officer, employee, agent or professional advisor
of the
Company) to the Sellers or their advisers the provision of such
information or documents shall not constitute a warranty, representation
or guarantee as to the accuracy of the information or documents
from the
Company (or any officer, employee, agent or professional advisor
of the
Company) to the Sellers or their advisers to the Sellers and the
Sellers
hereby undertake to waive any and all claims which they might otherwise
have against the Company in respect of such
claims.
|
7.6 |
The
amount of any successful Claim against the Sellers under the Warranties
and any amount payable by the Sellers under the Tax Covenant shall
to the
extent permissible by law be deemed to constitute a reduction in
the
Consideration.
|
7.7
|
The
Sellers shall not be liable in respect of any Claim (other than
a claim
under Clause 2.4 of the Tax Covenant)
unless:
|
(a)
|
the
amount of that Claim exceeds
USD$5,000;
|
(b)
|
the
amount of that Claim together with the aggregate amount of all
other
Claims not otherwise excluded pursuant to clause 7.7(a) exceeds
USD$75,000, in which case the Sellers shall be liable for the whole
amount
and not merely the excess.
|
15
8.
|
Indemnities
|
8.1
|
The
Sellers will at all times (on a joint and several basis) indemnify
and
hold the Company and the Buyer fully and effectively indemnified
on demand
against any and all claims, loss, damage or Liabilities (and all
costs,
charges, interest, fees, fines, penalties, taxes and expenses incidental
or relating to or arising in connection with any such claims, loss,
damage
or Liabilities, including without limitation all expenses of
investigations and legal fees and expenses on a solicitor own-client
basis), whether or not reasonable, foreseeable, contemplated or
avoidable
as a result of or in connection
with:
|
(a)
|
any
document delivered by the Sellers under Clause 6
being unauthorised or invalid;
|
(b)
|
any
and all claims which may be made by any person who resigns at Completion
as a director or the Company Secretary of the Company whose claim
arises
out of his or her resignation or the termination of his of her
employment
or office.
|
9.
|
Set
Off
|
9.1 |
Notwithstanding
any other provisions of this Agreement liability of the Sellers
in respect
of each and every Claim shall be limited in accordance with Schedule
6
(save in the case of fraud or wilful or negligent misconduct by
the
Sellers).
|
9.2
|
The
Buyer shall be entitled to set off or (pending determination of
the
relevant amount but subject to this Clause 9) withhold any amounts
payable
by it to the Sellers against any sums owed by the Sellers pursuant
to a
Claim.
|
9.3 |
If
prior to the date on which any sum becomes payable by the Buyer
to the
Sellers under the terms of this Agreement or any of the Transaction
Documents, the Buyer shall have given notice to the Sellers of
a Claim and
(to the extent practicable) in sufficient detail and (where the
loss is
readily ascertainable) specifying the amount claimed to assist
the Sellers
to assess such Claim (such matters being referred to in this Clause
as a
“Relevant
Claim”)
then the following provisions of this Clause 9 shall
apply.
|
9.4 |
The
Buyer shall notify the Sellers in writing whenever it intends to
exercise
its rights of set off or withholding. Where the Sellers fail to
respond in
writing within fifteen Business Days of receipt of notification
of a
Relevant Claim (served in accordance with clause 9.3) or accept
in writing
that this Clause 9 shall apply to a Relevant Claim, that Relevant
Claim is
to be regarded as valid for all purposes and the Buyer may set
off or
withhold in the amount specified in any notice served in accordance
with
Clause 9.3 from any amount payable to the Sellers pursuant to this
Agreement.
|
9.5 |
Where
the Sellers challenge the proposed Relevant Claim in writing within
fifteen Business Days after receipt of notification of the same
(“Challenge
Notice”),
then the Buyer may within a period of a further fifteen Business
Days
after the Buyer’s receipt of such Challenge Notice instruct Counsel of not
less than five years’ standing to advise in respect of such Relevant
Claim.
|
16
9.6 |
Where
such Counsel gives an opinion (a) confirming that the Buyer appears
to
have, prima facie, a bona fide claim (no account however being
taken of
any defence that may be advanced by the Sellers) and (b) estimating
the
monetary amount of the Sellers’ potential liability in respect of such
claim (“the
Estimated Amount”),
then pending Final Determination, the Buyer may, where money is
to be paid
in cash (including, for the avoidance of doubt, by way of principal
of the
Loan Notes to be redeemed pursuant to the Loan Note Instrument),
deduct
the Estimated Amount. If Counsel’s opinion does not confirm that the Buyer
has, prima facie, a bona fide claim, then the Buyer may
pursue such Relevant Claim but it may not set off or withhold in
relation
to the Relevant Claim.
|
9.7 |
If
any sums are set off or withheld pursuant to this Clause then the
Buyer
may pursue the Relevant Claim against the Sellers until the earlier
of:
|
(a)
|
judgment
being obtained;
|
(b)
|
the
claim being settled between the parties;
|
(c)
|
the
Buyer is no longer able to bring or pursue such Relevant Claim
by reason
of the expiration of any time limit set out in paragraph 2 of Schedule
6;
and
|
(d)
|
the
Buyer deciding, in its absolute discretion, not to pursue such
claim
|
(“Final
Determination”).
9.8 |
Upon
a Final Determination of a Relevant Claim:
|
(a) |
to
the extent that the Final Determination results in any sum
equal to, or in
excess of, the Estimated Amount becoming payable to the Buyer
in respect
of the Relevant Claim, the Buyer
may retain the amount deducted in accordance with clause 9.6
above and to
the extent that the Final Determination exceeds the Estimated
Amount may
set off the amount of such excess against any amount payable
by it to the
Sellers by reducing the principal amount of the next following
payment
that the Buyer is due to make to the Sellers under the terms
of this
Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents. Where
following the
application of the foregoing the Sellers’ liability to the Buyer in
respect of the Relevant Claim has not been satisfied in full
the Sellers
shall transfer an amount equal to such shortfall in immediately
available
funds to the Buyer's Solicitors' Bank
Account;
|
(b)
|
to
the extent that the Estimated Amount exceeds the total sum payable
to the
Buyer on the Final Determination, or in the event that the Final
Determination results in any sum becoming payable to the Buyer
in respect
of the Relevant Claim, which sum is less than the Estimated Amount
or
results in no sum becoming payable, the Buyer shall pay to the
Sellers by
telegraphic transfer of immediately available funds to the Sellers’
Solicitors' Bank Account an amount equal to the amount by which
the
Estimated Amount exceeds the sum (if any) payable to the
Buyer.
|
9.9 |
For
the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Clause 9 shall
prejudice
the right of the Buyer to pursue a Claim against the Sellers and
to make
recovery in respect of any such Claim otherwise than in accordance
with
the procedure specified in this
Clause.
|
17
10.
|
Restrictive
Covenants
|
10.1 |
In
order to assure to the Buyer the full benefit of the business and
goodwill
of the Company, each of the Sellers (on a several basis) undertakes
(as a
separate and independent undertaking) to the Buyer that they shall
not,
either alone or by their employees, agents or otherwise howsoever
or in
conjunction with or on behalf of or for any other person, or as
a manager,
agent, partner, director, consultant or employee of any other person,
directly or indirectly do any of the following
things:
|
(a)
|
at
any time after Completion:
|
(i)
|
disclose
to any person or use for any purpose any confidential information
concerning the Company including, without limitation, the business,
accounts or finances of the Company or any of its employees, Restricted
Customers or Restricted Suppliers;
|
(ii)
|
use
any Intellectual Property belonging to the Company including, without
limitation, the words “Zoo” or “Digital Publishing” or any other names or
words similar to or likely to be confused with such words or use
any
distinctive xxxx, style or logo used by the Company whether by
using such
names as part of a corporate name, trade name, product name or
otherwise;
|
(b)
|
for
a period of 3 years after Completion without the prior written
consent of
the Buyer:
|
(i)
|
be
engaged, concerned or interested in any capacity (other than as
a holder
of less than 3 per cent. of any class of shares or debentures listed
on
the Official List of the London Stock Exchange or any other recognised
investment exchange) in any business concern which carries on any
business
that competes with any Restricted Business of the Company in any
Restricted Territory;
|
(ii)
|
solicit,
canvass, interfere with or endeavour to entice away from the Company
(or
procure or assist any persons to do any of the foregoing) any Restricted
Customer or their business or custom with a view to: (I) providing
goods,
services and/or rights to that Restricted Customer in competition
with the
Company; and/or (II) reduce the amount of business or custom between
the
Company and any Restricted Customer; and/or (III) adversely vary
the terms
upon which business is conducted between the Company and the relevant
Restricted Customer; and/or (IV) adversely affecting the provision
or
licensing of goods, services or rights to that Restricted Customer
by the
Company;
|
(iii)
|
solicit,
canvass, interfere with or endeavour to entice away from the Company
(or
procure or assist any persons to do any of the foregoing) any Restricted
Customer or Restricted Supplier or their business or custom with
a view
to: (I) receiving goods, services and/or rights from that Restricted
Supplier in competition with the Company; and/or (II) reduce the
amount of
business or custom and/or adversely vary the terms upon which business
is
conducted between the Company and that Restricted
Supplier;
|
(iv)
|
provide
or offer to provide any goods, services and/or rights to or receive
any
goods, services and/or rights from or otherwise have any business
dealings
with any Restricted Customer or any Restricted Supplier in competition
with the Company;
|
18
(v)
|
offer
employment to or employ or offer or conclude any contract for services
with, canvass or solicit the employment or engagement of or endeavour
to
entice away from either the Company or the Buyer any Key Person;
or
|
(vi)
|
procure
or assist any third party to offer, employ, engage or solicit or
endeavour
to entice away from either the Company or the Buyer any Key Person
(whether or not such person would commit any breach of any contract
with
the Buyer or the Company).
|
10.2 |
None
of the restrictions set out in Clause 10.1 shall apply to restrict
the
Sellers from carrying out work in the proper performance of their
duties
under the terms of the Service Agreements.
|
10.3 |
The
provisions contained in the preceding provisions of this Clause
10
are:
|
(a)
|
considered
reasonable by the parties but in the event that any of them should
be
found to be void but would be valid if some part of such Clauses
were
deleted or the period or area of application reduced, such provisions
shall apply with such modification as may be necessary to make
them valid
and effective; and
|
(b)
|
separate
and severable and shall be enforceable
accordingly.
|
10.4 |
Without
prejudice to any other rights or remedies that the Buyer may
have, the
Sellers acknowledge and agree that damages alone would not
be an adequate
remedy for any breach by the Sellers of the provisions of this
clause and
that, accordingly, the Buyer shall be entitled without proof
of special
damage to the remedies of injunction, specific performance
and other
equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of the
provisions of
this clause by the
Sellers.
|
10.5 |
Each
of the obligations on the Sellers contained in the above provisions
of
this Clause 10 constitutes an entirely separate and independent
restriction on the Sellers notwithstanding that they may be contained
in
the same sub-clause, paragraph, sentence or
phrase.
|
11.
|
Confidential
Information
|
11.1 |
Each
party shall following Completion treat all Confidential Information
as
strictly confidential and:
|
(a)
|
will
take all reasonable steps to prevent its use and/or
disclosure;
|
(b)
|
will
not itself make use of any Confidential Information belonging to
and/or
used by another party for a purpose other than the performance
of its
obligations under this Agreement (save that the Buyer may, following
Completion, use any Confidential Information of the Company for
any
purpose it thinks fit); and
|
(c)
|
will
not disclose Confidential Information to any person (other than
in
accordance with Clauses 11.2 and/or 11.3).
|
19
11.2
|
The
Buyer may disclose Confidential Information to any of its directors,
employees or professional advisers and the Sellers may disclose
Confidential Information to their professional advisers to the
extent that
disclosure is reasonably necessary for the purposes of this Agreement.
|
11.3
|
Each
party may disclose Confidential Information where such disclosure
would
otherwise be prohibited by this Clause 11 if and to the
extent:
|
(a)
|
required
by law or any regulatory body;
|
(b)
|
it
can be shown by that party (to the other party’s reasonable satisfaction)
to have been known by it before disclosure to it by the other party;
|
(c)
|
it
can be shown by that party (to the other party’s reasonable satisfaction)
to have been subsequently lawfully disclosed to that party by a
third
party who did not impose any restrictions on its disclosure and
did not
obtain it (whether directly or indirectly) from the other party;
or
|
(d)
|
the
information was or has entered the public domain (other than by
reason of
a breach of this Clause by that
party).
|
12.
|
Notices
|
12.1
|
Any
notice or other communication given under this Agreement shall
be in
writing and shall be delivered personally or sent by first class
post (or
airmail or international courier if overseas), to the party due
to receive
the notice or communication, at the address set out in Clause 12.2 or
such other address which may from time to time be notified by a
party to
any other in writing as being its usual address.
|
12.2
|
The
addresses of the parties for the purposes of this Agreement
are:
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
Address:
|
00
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx X00
0XX
|
Xxx
Xxxxxxx
Address:
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx X00
0XX
|
The
Buyer
Address:
|
000
Xxxxxxxx XX, Xxx Xxxx 00000
|
Marked
for the attention of:
|
General
Counsel
with
a copy delivered simultaneously to Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxx LLP, Hanover
House, 00 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx X0X 0XX marked for the attention
of Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx.
|
12.3
|
A
notice or other communication shall be deemed
given:
|
(a)
|
if
delivered personally, upon delivery at the relevant address referred
to in
Clause 12.2;
|
20
(b)
|
if
sent by first class post (other than airmail), 2 Business Days after
the date of posting; and
|
(c)
|
if
sent by airmail or international courier, 5 Business Days after the
date of posting
|
provided
that where delivery occurs after 18.00 on a Business Day or on a day which
is not a Business Day, receipt shall be deemed to occur at 09.00 on the
next following Business Day.
12.4
|
In
proving the giving of notice, it shall be sufficient to prove that
the
envelope containing the notice was properly addressed to the relevant
party and delivered either to that address or posted as first class
post
(or registered airmail if
overseas).
|
13.
|
Business
Information
|
13.1
|
During
the period of six years after Completion and without prejudice
to any
other provisions of this Agreement
if
any information relating to the Company which is Required for the
Business
of the Company is not in the possession of the Buyer or the Company
or
readily discoverable by the Buyer or the Company but is in the
possession
or under the control of or available to the Sellers, the Sellers
shall
procure that such information is provided to the Buyer promptly
on
request.
|
13.2
|
For
the purposes of Clause 13.1, the phrase “Required
for the Business”
means any Intellectual Property or information of the Company which
is or
has in the last 6 years been used in the business of the Company and
would be needed by the Company to carry on its business in the
same manner
as it is presently carried on or to fulfil any of its present contracts,
plans or projects or to comply with any law applicable in relation
to it
or if it is vested in the Sellers and its retention by the Sellers
after
Completion would be damaging or detrimental to the business of
the
relevant Company.
|
14.
|
General
|
14.1
|
Save
for any announcement or filing required by law or the regulation
of a
stock exchange, no party shall make, or procure or permit the making
of,
any announcement whether before or after Completion with respect
to this
Agreement or any ancillary matter without the prior written consent
of the
other parties.
|
14.2
|
Each
of the parties shall (and shall use reasonable endeavours to procure
that
any necessary third parties shall) from time to time at the reasonable
request of the other party do all such legal acts and execute all
such
documents as such other party may from time to time reasonably
request on
or after Completion as soon as reasonably practicable in order
to
implement and give full effect to the provisions of this
Agreement.
|
14.3
|
The
Transaction Documents set out the entire agreement and understanding
between the parties and supersede all prior agreements, understandings
or
arrangements (oral or written) in respect of their subject
matter.
|
14.4
|
This
Agreement shall be binding upon and enure for the benefit of the
successors in title of each of the parties but shall not be assignable
by
any party without the prior written consent of the other party
(such
consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).
|
21
14.5
|
If
any provision of this Agreement is or becomes illegal, invalid
or
unenforceable in any respect under the law of any jurisdiction
then the
legality, validity and enforceability in that jurisdiction of the
remaining provisions shall be unaffected and the legality, validity
and
enforceability in any other jurisdiction of that or any other provision
shall be unaffected.
|
14.6
|
No
purported variation of this Agreement shall be effective unless
it is in
writing and signed by or on behalf of each of the
parties.
|
14.7
|
A
failure to exercise or delay in exercising any right, remedy or
power
provided under this Agreement or by law does not constitute a waiver
of
the right, remedy or power or a waiver of any other right, remedy
or
power. No single or partial exercise of any right, remedy or power
prevents any further exercise of it or the exercise of any other
right,
remedy or power. Except where this Agreement provides otherwise,
the
rights, remedies and powers provided by this Agreement are cumulative
and
not exclusive of any rights, remedies or powers provided by law.
Any
waiver of a breach of any of the terms of this Agreement or of
any default
under this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of any other
breach or
default and shall not affect the other terms of this
Agreement.
|
14.8
|
This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by
the parties
on separate counterparts, but shall not be effective until each
party has
executed at least one counterpart. Each counterpart, when executed,
shall
be an original of this Agreement and all counterparts shall together
constitute one instrument.
|
14.9
|
Subject
to Clause 14.10 below, the parties agree that the provisions of
this
Agreement are personal to them and are not intended to confer any
rights
of enforcement on any third party and the Contracts (Rights of
Third
Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to this Agreement or any of its
provisions.
|
14.10
|
The
provisions of Clause 5.3 and 5.5 of this Agreement are intended
to benefit
the Trust and accordingly shall be enforceable by the Trust to
the fullest
extent permitted by law as if the Trust were a party to this
Agreement.
|
14.11
|
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws
of England. Other than in respect of Clause 4 and Schedule 3 the
parties
irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts
of England
in relation to any legal action or proceedings arising out of or
in
connection with this Agreement.
|
14.12
|
Each
party irrevocably waives any objection which it might at any time
have to
the Courts of England being nominated as the forum to decide any
suit,
action or proceedings, and to settle any disputes, which may arise
out of
or in connection with this Agreement and agrees not to claim that
the
Courts of England are not a convenient or appropriate
forum
|
15.
|
Tax
on Warranty Payments
|
15.1
|
If
any tax authority brings into charge to tax any sum paid to the
Buyer or
the Company under this Agreement, then the Sellers shall pay such
additional amount as shall be required to ensure that the total
amount
paid, less the tax chargeable on such amount is equal to the amount
that
would otherwise be payable under this Agreement
unless the liability to taxation arises from the assignment of
the benefit
of this Agreement.
|
22
15.2
|
Clause 15
shall apply in respect of any amount deducted or withheld as contemplated
by clause 15 as it applies to sums paid to the Buyer or the Company
concerned, save to the extent that in computing the tax chargeable
the
Buyer or the Company concerned is able to obtain a credit for the
amount
deducted or withheld.
|
16.
|
Costs
and Expenses
|
16.1
|
Subject
to Clause 16.2, all costs and expenses incurred by or on behalf
of the
parties to this Agreement in connection with this Agreement or
any of the
other Transaction Documents will be borne solely by the party who
incurs
them.
|
16.2
|
The
Sellers shall be responsible for and shall bear the cost of any
and all
applicable sales taxes, transfer taxes and similar charges in connection
with this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents save
for any
stamp duty arising on the acquisition of the Sale Shares which
shall be
payable by the Buyer but subject to a cap of
$45,000.
|
This
document has been entered into on the date stated at the beginning of
it.
23
Schedule
1 –
The
Company
Part
1
Details
of the Company
Name
|
Zoo
Digital Publishing Limited
|
|
Registered
Number
|
5701472
|
|
Date
of Incorporation
|
07/02/2006
|
|
Place
of Incorporation
|
UK
|
|
Former
Name
|
Zoo
Interactive Video Limited
|
|
Registered
Office
|
Arundel
Court, 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx X0
0XX
|
|
Directors
|
Xxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
|
Company
Secretary
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx
|
|
Authorised
Share Capital
|
£100
|
|
Issued
Share Capital and Registered Holders
|
£100
– 50 ordinary shares of £1 each issued to Xxxxx Xxxxx and 50 ordinary
shares of £1 each issued to Xxx Xxxxxxx
|
|
Accounting
Reference Date
|
31/03
|
|
Outstanding
Charges Registered at Company House
|
Debenture
dated 27 December 2006 in favour of Bank of Scotland.
Debenture
dated 10 January 2007 in favour of Bank of
Scotland.
|
Part
2
Details
of the Sellers
Name
|
Address
|
Number of
Shares
|
Due
Proportion
|
|||||||
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
|
00
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx X00 0XX; and
|
50
|
50
|
%
|
||||||
Xxx
Xxxxxxx
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx X00 0XX
|
50
|
50
|
%
|
Part
3
The
Initial Consideration
Name
|
Cash Consideration
|
Loan Notes
|
Consideration Shares
|
|||||||
Xxxxx
Xxxxx
|
USD$500,000
|
USD$1,250,000
|
112,500
|
|||||||
Xxx
Xxxxxxx
|
USD$500,000
|
USD$1,250,000
|
112,500
|
Schedule
2 - Warranties
Part
1: General Warranties
1.
|
Capacity
and Ownership of the Sale
Shares
|
(a)
|
The
Sellers have the necessary power and authority and have taken all
necessary actions to enter into and perform their obligations under
this
Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents to which they
are a
party which will, when executed, become binding and enforceable
obligations upon them.
|
(b)
|
The
execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Sellers of
their
obligations under this Agreement and each of the other Transaction
Documents to which they are a party will
not:
|
(a)
|
result
in a breach of, conflict with, or give rise to an event of default
under,
any agreement or arrangement to which the Sellers are party or by
which
either of them is bound;
|
(b)
|
relieve
any other party to an agreement or arrangement with the Company of
its
obligations or enable it to terminate the agreement or
arrangement;
|
(c)
|
result
in the creation of any Encumbrance on any of the assets of the Company;
or
|
(d)
|
result
in a breach of any licence, permission or consent granted to the
Company
in respect of its business or of any undertaking to or order of any
court,
governmental body or regulatory
body.
|
(c)
|
The
Sellers are the sole legal and beneficial owner of the Sale Shares,
and
are entitled to sell the Sale Shares with full title guarantee on
the
terms set out in this Agreement free from all Encumbrances and without
the
consent of any third party. There are no litigation, arbitration,
prosecution, administrative or other legal proceedings or disputes
in
existence or threatened against the Sellers in respect of the Sale
Shares
or of the Sellers’ entitlement to dispose of the Sale Shares and there are
no facts known to the Sellers which are likely to give rise to any
such
proceedings or any such dispute.
|
(d)
|
Other
than this Agreement, there is no agreement, arrangement or other
obligation requiring the creation, allotment, issue, transfer, redemption
or repayment of, or the grant to any person of the right to require
the
allotment, issue, transfer, redemption or repayment of any shares
in the
capital of the Company (including, without limitation, any option
or right
of pre-emption or conversion).
|
(e)
|
There
is no Encumbrance on, over or affecting the Sale Shares or any unissued
shares in the capital of the
Company.
|
(f)
|
The
Sale Shares has never been the subject of a transaction at an undervalue
within the meaning of Part IX or Part VI of the Insolvency Xxx 0000.
|
2.
|
Corporate
Information
|
(a)
|
The
details of the Company set out in Schedule 1 are true, complete and
accurate in all respects.
|
(b)
|
The
Sale Shares constitute the whole of the Company’s allotted and issued
share capital and are fully paid
up.
|
(c)
|
The
Company does not use and never have used any name for any purpose
other
than its full corporate name.
|
(d)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware, none of the assets of the Company have
ever
been the subject of a transaction at an undervalue within the meaning
of
Part IX or Part VI of the Insolvency
Xxx 0000.
|
(e)
|
The
Company has not at any time:
|
(a)
|
received
any application or notice of any intended application under the provisions
of the Act for the rectification of its register of
members;
|
(b)
|
exercised
nor purported to exercise or claim any lien over the Sale Shares
and no
call on the Sale Shares is
outstanding;
|
(c)
|
given
any financial assistance in connection with the purchase of any shares
as
would fall within the provisions of sections 151 to 157 of the
Act;
|
(d)
|
repaid,
redeemed or purchased or agreed to repay, redeem or purchase any
of its
own shares, debentures, or securities of any kind or reduced or agreed
to
reduce its share capital;
|
(e)
|
capitalised
or agreed or resolved to capitalise any profits or reserves nor advanced
or borrowed any loan or issued any share, debenture or other security
in a
manner giving rise to a distribution or deemed distribution nor made
any
other distribution (whether of income or capital) except dividends
shown
in its accounts;
|
(f)
|
paid
nor (in circumstances in which it may be required to repay all or
part of
the same by virtue of Section 277 of the Act) received any dividend
or other distribution paid in breach of the
Act.
|
(f)
|
The
Company is in all respects duly organised and registered, validly
existing
for an indefinite duration under the laws of England and has all
requisite
corporate power to own, lease and operate its assets and to carry
out its
business as it is now being
conducted.
|
(g)
|
No
person is or has at any time been a shadow director of the Company
within
the meaning of section 741(2) of the
Act.
|
(h)
|
The
Company does not carry on business in partnership with any other
person
and is not a member of any partnership or other unincorporated
association, joint venture or consortium (other than a recognised
trade
association) or party to any other profit or income sharing arrangement
(same for any commission or profit sharing arrangement detailed in
the
contract of employment of any employee which is
Disclosed).
|
(i)
|
The
Company has not or ever has had any branch, agency or place of business
or
permanent establishment outside the United
Kingdom.
|
(j)
|
The
Company has not or has ever owned or agreed to acquire any shares
or any
other interest in any other body
corporate.
|
3.
|
Insolvency
|
In
respect of the Company:
(a)
|
no
resolution has been passed, no petition has been presented and no
order
has been made for administration or winding up or for the appointment
of a
receiver or provisional liquidator and no procedure has been commenced,
by
the Registrar of Companies or any other person, with a view to striking
off under section 652 of the Act;
|
(b)
|
it
has not stopped paying its creditors, is not insolvent, and is not
unable
to pay its debts for the purposes of section 123 of the Insolvency
Xxx 0000 and there is no unsatisfied judgement or order of any court
or tribunal, or award of any arbitrator, against it and no distress,
execution or other process has been levied against any of its
assets;
|
(c)
|
no
meeting of its creditors, or any class of them, has been held or
summoned,
no proposal has been made for a moratorium, composition or arrangement
in
relation to any of its debts, or for a voluntary arrangement under
Part 1 of the Insolvency Xxx 0000;
and
|
(d)
|
no
event analogous to any of the above has occurred in any
jurisdiction.
|
4.
|
Accounts
and Management Accounts
|
(a)
|
The
Accounts have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of
all
relevant statutes and regulations and in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles and practices in the United Kingdom
at the
date of their preparation and give a true and fair view of the assets
and
liabilities and state of affairs of the Company as at the Accounts
Date
and its profits and losses for the relevant period ended on the Accounts
Date.
|
(b)
|
The
Accounts disclose a true and fair view of all the assets and make
adequate
provision or reserve for or, as appropriate, disclose all bad and
doubtful
debts and all accruals and liabilities and to the extent necessary
contain
a note of all capital commitments whether actual or contingent of
the
Company as at the Accounts Date.
|
(c)
|
The
balance sheets and profit and loss accounts of the Company for the
financial year ended on the Accounts Date complied with the requirements
of all relevant laws then in force and with all statements of standard
accounting practice, all financial reporting standards and all applicable
generally accepted accounting principles and practices of the United
Kingdom then in force and which were applicable to
Company.
|
(d)
|
The
rate of depreciation adopted in the balance sheets of the Company
the
financial year ended on the Accounts Date in respect of each of the
fixed
assets of such company has been consistently applied over such period
and
was sufficient for each of the fixed assets of the Company to be
written
down to nil by the end of its useful working
life.
|
(e)
|
No
asset (whether fixed intangible investment or current) has been revalued
upwards in the Accounts and no intangible asset has been brought
into the
Accounts.
|
(f)
|
The
turnover, profits and/or losses of the Company shown by the profit
and
loss accounts of the Company for the financial year ended on the
Accounts
Date have not (except as disclosed therein) been affected by any
unusual,
extraordinary, exceptional, non-recurring or short term item or by
any
other matter which has rendered such turnover, profits or losses
for all
or any of such periods unusually or artificially high or
low.
|
(g)
|
The
Company has no amounts outstanding under any loan, guarantee, acceptance
or other borrowing facilities and arrangements (including, without
limitation, money raised by acceptances or debt factoring) and no
outstanding foreign exchange commitments or exposures.
|
(h)
|
The
Company has not, and will (other than as specifically required under
the
terms of this Agreement) not by virtue of any aspect of the transactions
contemplated pursuant to this Agreement or any of the other Transaction
Documents become bound or liable to be called upon to pay or repay
prematurely any indebtedness or to pay or discharge any obligation
under
any guarantee, indemnity, surety, or security arrangement nor has
failed
to pay or repay any indebtedness or to meet any such obligation in
full on
the due date.
|
(i)
|
Since
the Accounts Date:
|
(a)
|
the
business of the Company has been carried on in the normal and usual
course
so as to maintain it as a going concern;
|
(b)
|
there
has been no material deterioration either in turnover or in the financial
or trading position of the Company compared with the same period
during
the preceding year;
|
(c)
|
there
has not been any material decrease in the assets or any material
increase
in the liabilities (including contingent liabilities) of the Company
as
shown in the Accounts except for changes arising from routine payments
and
from routine supplies of goods or services in the normal course of
trading;
|
(d)
|
The
Company has not acquired, let, licensed, exchanged, sold, transferred
or
otherwise disposed or parted with possession or ownership of or created
any Encumbrance over or agreed to do any of the foregoing things
in
respect of any business or any material asset or assumed or acquired
any
material liability (including a contingent liability) otherwise than
in
the normal and usual course of business and there has been no change
in
the nature and scope of the Company’
business;
|
(e)
|
all
payments, receipts and invoices of the Company have been properly
recorded
or accrued in the books of the
Company;
|
(f)
|
the
Company has maintained in satisfactory working condition and repair
(taking into account their age and subject to ordinary wear and tear)
and
has not suffered the repossession by the owner under any hire purchase,
leasing, rental or similar agreement of any of the plant and machinery,
fixtures, fittings, equipment, vehicles and other assets represented
in
the Accounts or subsequently acquired by the
Company;
|
(g)
|
the
Company has performed in all material respect in accordance with
their
terms all contracts and orders and has not discontinued obtaining
new
contracts and orders in the normal and proper course of
trading;
|
(h)
|
the
Company has not given any guarantee, indemnity, surety or security
or
entered into or incurred or assumed any contract or liability of
a
material or unusual nature or which is not in the normal course of
trading
consistent with past practice or pursuant to which the Company is
required
to make a payment in excess of £10,000 or periodic payments which involved
or may involve total annual expenditure in excess of £10,000 per contract
or commitment (or series or related associated contracts and/or
commitments);
|
(i)
|
the
Company has paid its creditors in accordance with their respective
credit
terms and there are no undisputed amounts owing by the Company which
have
been overdue for more than
30 days;
|
(j)
|
the
book debts shown in the Accounts have realised their nominal amount
less
any reserve for bad or doubtful debts included in the Accounts and
no
debtor has been released by the Company on terms that such debtor
pays
less than the book value of its debt and no debt owing to the Company
has
been deferred, subordinated or written off or has proved to any extent
irrecoverable the Company has not incurred any bad or doubtful debt
or
learned of any circumstances making bad or doubtful any previously
incurred debt;
|
(k)
|
the
Company has not lent or borrowed any amount to or from any person
or
entity or entered into any borrowing, factoring or other financing
or any
lending commitments which are outside the normal course of
trading;
|
(l)
|
the
Company has not paid or accrued or become liable to pay any accounting,
management and consultancy or other fees to or entered into any
transaction with or for the benefit of the Sellers and has not entered
into any transaction with or for the benefit of any of its directors
or
any persons connected with such
directors;
|
(m)
|
the
Company has not paid or made (or made any oral or written commitments
or
representation to pay or make) any bonus, increased or special salary,
remuneration, benefits or gratuitous payment to any director, officer,
employee or consultant or entered into or varied the terms of any
employment, consulting, agency, agreement for personal services,
compensation or severance agreement or arrangement with any such
person,
or paid any severance or termination
pay;
|
(n)
|
the
Company has not changed its accounting reference period;
|
(o)
|
the
Company has not by reason of any default by it in its obligations,
become
bound or liable to be called upon to repay prematurely any loan capital
or
borrowed monies;
|
(p)
|
the
Company has not declared, set aside, or paid any dividend or made
any
distribution;
|
(q)
|
there
has not been any capitalisation of reserves of the Company and the
Company
has not issued or agreed to issue any share or loan capital other
than
that issued at the Accounts Date and has not granted or agreed to
grant
any option in respect of any share or loan capital and the Company
has not
repaid any loan capital in whole or in part nor has it, by reason
of any
default by it in its obligations, become bound or liable to be called
upon
to repay prematurely any loan capital or borrowed
monies;
|
(r)
|
there
has been no resolution of or agreement by the members of the Company
or
any class thereof and in particular there has been no capital
reorganisation or other change in the capital structure of the
Company;
|
(s)
|
the
Company has not incurred or assumed or agreed to incur or assume
any
costs, expenses or other liabilities of any nature other than in
the
normal and usual course of its
business.
|
(j)
|
To
the best of the Sellers’ knowledge, the accounts receivable (net of any
reserves) included as part of the Net Working Capital will be fully
collectable by the Company within 90 days of
Completion.
|
(k)
|
The
Management Accounts have been carefully prepared on a basis consistent
with the previous monthly management accounts of the Company and
in
accordance with the accounting policies applied to the Accounts and
having
regard to the purpose for which they were drawn up fairly represent
the
assets, liabilities, profits, losses and general financial and trading
position of the Company for the period as at and to the date to which
they
were made up to and are not affected by any unusual, extraordinary,
exceptional, non-recurring or short term item or by any other matter
which
has rendered any item appearing in such Management Accounts for any
period
unusually or artificially high or
low.
|
4.12
|
The
March Figures have been carefully prepared on a basis consistent
with the
previous monthly gross sales figures of the Company and in accordance
with
the accounting policies applied to such figures and having regard
to the
purpose for which they were drawn up fairly represent the gross sales
figures of the Company for the period as at and to the date to which
they
were made up to and are not affected by any unusual, extraordinary,
exceptional, non-recurring or short term item or by any other matter
which
has rendered any item appearing in such figures for such period unusually
or artificially high or low.
|
5.
|
Financial
Commitments
and Borrowings
|
(a)
|
Complete
and accurate details of all overdraft, loan and other financial facilities
available to the Company and the amounts outstanding under each of
them at
the close of business on the day preceding the date of this Agreement
are
set out in the Disclosure Letter and the Company has not done or
omitted
to do anything as a result of which the continuance of any of those
facilities might be affected or prejudiced. There have been no payments
out of any such accounts except for routine payments and the aggregate
balance on all current accounts shall not be substantially different
at
Completion from the aggregate balance shown on such
statements.
|
(b)
|
The
Company has no outstanding or any other borrowing or indebtedness
in the
nature of borrowing or any guarantee, indemnity, surety or similar
undertaking or agreement to procure the solvency of any person or
payment
by any person of any sum to a third party or any similar
obligation.
|
(c)
|
The
Company has not at any time factored its debts and has never engaged
in
financing of a type which would not require to be shown in its
accounts.
|
(d)
|
There
is not outstanding any Encumbrance on the whole or any part of the
Company’s undertaking, goodwill, uncalled capital, properties or assets
nor is the Company a party to or subject to any agreement, arrangement
or
commitment to give or create any
Encumbrance.
|
(e)
|
No
floating charge created by the Company has crystallised and, so far
as the
Sellers are aware, there are no circumstances existing which are
likely to
cause such a floating charge to crystallise and no notice has been
received by the Company from any person intimating that such person
will
enforce any security which it may hold over all or any of the assets
of
the Company and, so far as the Seller are aware, there are no
circumstances existing which are likely to give rise to such a
notice.
|
(f)
|
The
Company is not a party to and has never agreed to give, any guarantee,
suretyship, indemnity or similar agreement or any agreement for the
postponement of debt or for lien or set-off in respect of any other
person.
|
(g)
|
The
amounts borrowed by the Company from its bankers do not exceed any
of its
overdraft facilities and the total amount borrowed by the Company
(from
whatever source) does not exceed any limitation on its borrowing
powers
whether contained in its memorandum or articles of association or
in any
debenture or loan stock deed or other deed, document or agreement
executed
by the Company or on its behalf or to which it is
subject.
|
(h)
|
No
event has occurred or been alleged by any person which is, or with
the
passing of time or the giving of notice would become an event of
default
under or breach of any of the terms of any loan capital, borrowing,
debenture or financial facility of the Company or which would entitle
any
person to call for repayment prior to normal maturity.
|
(i)
|
The
Company does not have any outstanding capital commitments nor has
entered
into any leasing or hire purchase or similar commitment involving
any
asset with a capital value in excess of
£5,000.
|
(j)
|
There
are no debts owing by the Company which are overdue for payment by
more
than four weeks.
|
(k)
|
The
Company has not lent any money which has not been repaid nor owns
the
benefit of any debt other than debts accrued to it in the ordinary
course
of business.
|
(l)
|
The
Company has no credit cards in issue in its own name or that of any
officer or employee or any person connected with an officer or
employee.
|
(m)
|
Having
regard to the existing bank and other facilities available to the
Company,
the Company has sufficient working capital for the purposes of continuing
to carry on its business in its present form and at its present level
of
turnover for a period of at least 12 months after
Completion.
|
(n)
|
All
of the borrowings of the Company may be repaid by it at any time
on no
more than one month’s notice and without any premium or penalty (howsoever
called) on repayment.
|
(o)
|
The
Company has not received notice from any lenders of any money requiring
repayment or relating to term loan facilities becoming on demand
or
altering to the disadvantage of the Company the terms of any such
facility
or intimating the enforcement by any such lender of any security
which it
may hold over any assets of the Company and, so far as the Sellers
are
aware, there are no circumstances which would now (or which could
with the
giving of notice or lapse of time or both) give rise to any such
notice.
|
(p)
|
None
of the facilities of the Company are dependent on the guarantee or
support
or indemnity of, or any security provided by, the Sellers or any
other
person.
|
6.
|
Statutory
Books, Documents Filed
and Information Provided
|
(a)
|
The
copy of the memorandum and articles of association of the Company
attached
to the Disclosure Letter is accurate and complete in all respects,
includes copies of all resolutions and documents required to be
incorporated therein and fully sets out the rights and restrictions
attaching to each class of the Company’s share capital.
|
(b)
|
All
documents required to be filed with or delivered to the Registrar
of
Companies in respect of the Company have been duly filed and all
legal
requirements in connection with its conduct and with all issued shares,
debentures and other securities thereof have been complied with in
full.
|
(c)
|
The
register of members and other statutory books of the Company have
been
properly kept and contain an accurate and complete record of the
matters
with which they should deal and no notice or allegation that any
of them
is incorrect or should be rectified has been
received.
|
(d)
|
The
accounting records of the Company comply with the requirements of
sections 221 and 222 of the Companies Xxx 0000. The Company has
maintained its books and records accurately and in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles and standards and such books
and
records accurately reflect in all material respects all transactions
entered into by the relevant company and the Company’s current debtors and
creditors.
|
(e)
|
The
Company is in possession of all books, records, papers, deeds and
documents relating to its business, assets and liabilities and does
not
have any of its records, systems, controls, data or information recorded,
stored, maintained, operated or otherwise wholly or partly dependent
on or
held by any means which (including all means or access thereto and
therefrom) are not under the exclusive ownership and direct control
of the
relevant company.
|
6.6
|
All
statements of fact and other information in relation to the Company
and
its activities contained in the excel spreadsheets given by (or on
behalf
of) the Sellers to the Buyer headed “ZDP Financial Forecast 2008- 2009
March 08 V4 Detail.xls (2MB)” and “ZDP 3 Year P&L Forecast 08-11.xls
(55KB)” (which are attached to this Agreement as Appendix A) were true,
complete and accurate in all respects when given and insofar as they
or
either of them have not been superseded, altered or varied by matters
made
known in writing to the Buyer on or prior to the date of this Agreement
are now true, complete and accurate in all respects and there is
no fact
or matter not Disclosed which renders any such statements or information
untrue or misleading because of any omission or ambiguity or for
any other
reason. To the extent that any such information in such excel documents
consisted of statements of opinion, estimates, forecasts and/or
projections, such information was provided in good faith and based
upon
reasonable assumptions and to the best of the Sellers’ knowledge and
belief at the time.
|
7.
|
Ownership
and Condition of Assets
|
(a)
|
All
the property and assets which are described and included in the Accounts
or the other books and records of the Company and which are primarily
used
in connection with the business of the Company and which are in the
ownership of the Company are:
|
(a)
|
legally
and beneficially owned solely by the
Company;
|
(b)
|
where
capable of possession, in the possession or control of such company
or it
is entitled to take possession or control of such
asset;
|
(c)
|
free
from all Encumbrances (excepting only liens arising by operation
of law in
the normal course of trading) and there is not any agreement or commitment
to give or create, and no claim has been made by any person entitled
to
any Encumbrance; and
|
(d)
|
situated
in the United Kingdom.
|
(b)
|
None
of the assets referred to in Paragraph (a)
of
this Schedule are the subject of any assignment, royalty, overriding
royalty, factoring arrangement, leasing, rental or hiring agreement,
hire
purchase agreement for payment on deferred terms or any similar agreement
or arrangement (excepting any retention of title Clauses in
contracts).
|
(c)
|
The
Company owns all assets which are necessary for the effective operation
of
its business.
|
(d)
|
All
the equipment and vehicles owned or used by the Company are in
satisfactory repair and working order taking into account their age
and
use and have been maintained as appropriate in the circumstances
and no
substantial repairs are in hand or required and none of such equipment
or
vehicles are in need of renewal or replacement.
|
(e)
|
The
Company is not owed and does not owe any third party any sums in
excess of
£1,000, other than trade debts incurred in the normal and usual course
of
business.
|
(f)
|
All
documents which in any way affect the right, title or interest of
the
Company in or to any of its assets and which attract stamp duty (or
would
do so if brought into the United Kingdom) or require to be stamped
with a
particular stamp denoting that no duty is chargeable or that the
document
has been produced to one appropriate authority have been duly stamped
within the requisite period for
stamping.
|
(g)
|
The
Company has not received any sum, property or benefit, the payment
or
transfer of which is liable to be avoided, or which is liable to
be
recovered from it under any rule of law and does not hold any sum,
property or right as trustee or constructive
trustee.
|
8.
|
Contracts
|
(a)
|
The
Disclosure Letter contains:
|
(a)
|
complete
and accurate copies of all material written agreements of whatever
nature
entered into by the Company with any other person and complete and
accurate details of any amendments or variations agreed to be made
to any
of such agreements; and
|
(b)
|
where
the Company is a party to any material agreement or arrangement with
any
third party which has not been recorded in writing sufficient details
of
such agreement or arrangement for the Buyer to understand the rights
and
obligations of the relevant company and the relevant third party
in
relation to the relevant agreement or
arrangement.
|
(b)
|
Save
as Disclosed, the Company is not a party or subject to or under a
Liability in respect of nor has it undertaken (by assignment or otherwise)
or made any offer or tender to enter into
any:
|
(a)
|
contract
of an onerous or long-term nature or to any contract which is known
to be
or which may become unprofitable or which cannot readily be fulfilled
or
performed by the Company on time and/or without undue or unusual
expenditure of money or effort by the Company or to any contract
or
obligation outside the normal course of the Company’s
business;
|
(b)
|
agreement,
arrangement or understanding which is not terminable by the Company
on
less than 3 months’ notice without compensation or which in any
respect is unusual having regard to the usual practice of the Company
or
other persons carrying on businesses similar to the Company’s
business;
|
(c)
|
agreement
or arrangement to which the Consumer Credit Xxx 0000 applies or in
respect of which a direction has been made by or on behalf of the
Director
of Fair Trading;
|
(d)
|
contract
or arrangement which is invalid or which is voidable or can be rescinded
or repudiated by any party (including the Company) and the Company
has not
received or given notice of any intention to terminate any such agreement
or arrangement or itself repudiated or disclaimed any such transaction;
or
|
(e)
|
any
agreement or arrangement (other than any agreement contained in the
contract of employment of any employee which has been Disclosed)
requiring
it to pay any commission, finder’s fee or
royalty.
|
(c)
|
The
Company does not carry on any activities that constitute a regulated
activity for the purposes of the Financial Services and Markets
Xxx 0000 from inside or outside the United Kingdom nor has it ever
carried on such activities.
|
(d)
|
There
is not outstanding in connection with the business of the Company
any
material offer tender or the like which is capable of being converted
into
an obligation of the Company by an acceptance or other act of some
other
person firm or corporation and details of any potential contractual
arrangements which are currently being negotiated or discussed are
set out
in the Disclosure Letter.
|
(e)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware there are no grounds for the invalidity
of or
for rescission, avoidance or repudiation of any agreement to which
the
Company is a party. No threat or claim of default under any agreement
to
which the Company is a party has been made and is outstanding against
the
Company or any contract counter-party. No notice of any intention
to do
any of the foregoing has been received or given by the Company. No
party
to any material agreement to which the Company is a party has given
notice
of its intention to terminate, or has sought to repudiate or disclaim,
such agreement.
|
(f)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware the Company has never defaulted under
any
agreement, trust deed, instrument or any arrangement to which it
is a
party and no claim of any default has been made against the Company
and no
other party is in default under any agreement with the Company and
there
is nothing whereby any such agreement or arrangement may be terminated,
rescinded, avoided or repudiated by any other party or whereby the
terms
of it may be worsened.
|
(g)
|
The
Company has not given any power of attorney or any other authority
(express, implied or ostensible) which is still outstanding or effective
to any person to enter into any contract or commitment or do anything
on
its behalf (other than any authority of directors or employees to
enter
into routine trading contracts or similar agreements or arrangements
in
the normal course of their duties).
|
9.
|
Related
Party Transactions
|
(a)
|
There
are set out in the Disclosure Letter details of all goods and services
provided to the Company by the Sellers (whether provided to the relevant
company free of charge or at any cost) and which are used in the
day to
day operation of the business of the Company at
Completion.
|
(b)
|
There
are no outstanding debts (whether or not due for payment and including
contingent liabilities), unfulfilled obligations (present or future,
actual or contingent), claims or liabilities owing by or to the Company
to
or by the Sellers and there are no circumstances in existence which
are
likely to give rise to any such claim or liability.
|
(c)
|
The
Sellers do not have any direct or indirect interest in any firm,
company
or other entity which is or is likely to be or become, competitive
with
the business of the Company (save as the beneficial owner of any
class of
securities of any company listed on a recognised investment exchange
(as
defined in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) and in respect
of
which a Sellers or such person is beneficially interested in less
than
five per cent of all the issued securities of that
class).
|
(d)
|
There
is not outstanding any contract or arrangement (whether in writing
or not)
to which the Company is a party or by which it is or might be affected
in
any way and in which the Sellers are or has been interested, directly
or
indirectly, and the Company is not a party to nor have its profits
or
financial position been affected by any contract or arrangement which
is
not of an entirely arm’s length
nature.
|
10.
|
Employees
|
(a)
|
Particulars
of the main terms and conditions of employment of all of the officers
and
employees of the Company (including, without limitation, details
of their
respective names, dates of birth, the date of commencement of their
continuous period of employment, all remuneration, incentives, bonuses,
expenses, commissions or profit sharing arrangements and other payments,
share option schemes and other benefits whatsoever payable and where
an
employee has been continuously absent from work for more than one
month,
the reason for the absence) are set out in the Disclosure Letter.
None of
such officers or employees has given or received notice in writing
terminating their employment.
|
(b)
|
There
are no contracts of service with employees (whether or not in writing)
which cannot be terminated by the Company by three months’ notice or less
without giving rise to any claim for damages or compensation (other
than a
statutory redundancy payment or statutory compensation for unfair
dismissal) and the Company has not given or received notice of resignation
from any of its present employees.
|
(c)
|
Save
as set out in the schedule of employees of the Company referred to
in
Paragraph (a)
of
this Schedule and attached to the Disclosure
Letter:
|
(a)
|
the
Company does not have any
employees;
|
(b)
|
there
are no terms and conditions of employment in place for any employee
other
than the Company written standard terms and conditions of employment,
copies of which are attached to the Disclosure
Letter;
|
(c)
|
no
employee receives or is entitled (contingently or otherwise) to receive
any bonus, commission, variable remuneration, insurance, benefit
in kind,
motor vehicle for private use or other reward other than wages or
salary
at a fixed rate.
|
(d)
|
The
Company is not obliged to increase the total annual remuneration
payable
to its officers and employees other than as set out in their terms
and
conditions of employment, copies of each of which are attached to
the
Disclosure Letter. The Company has not offered or agreed to increase
the
present remuneration of, or altered or sought to alter the terms
and
conditions of employment of any of its current
employees.
|
(e)
|
There
is no liability, outstanding or contingent or anticipated, to any
present
or former employee of the Company (including, without limitation
in
respect of any PAYE, national insurance and/or pension contributions)
other than remuneration accrued for the current wage or salary period
or
for reimbursement of normal business expenses and no present or former
employee of the Company has notified the Company of any claim, against
the
Company or right to be indemnified by the Company arising out of
an act or
omission in the course of his office or employment or in relation
to the
termination of that office or employment on or before the date of
this
Agreement (whether under the Employment Rights Xxx 0000, Race
Relations Xxx 0000, Equal Pay Xxx 0000, Sex Discrimination
Xxx 0000, Sex Discrimination Xxx 0000, Disability Discrimination
Xxx 0000, Working Time Regulations 1998, National Minimum Wage
Xxx 0000 and the regulations made under such acts or regulations or
any other act or otherwise).
|
(f)
|
In
relation to each of the present officers or employees of the Company,
the
Company has in all material
aspects:
|
(a)
|
complied
with all obligations imposed on it by articles of the Treaty establishing
the European Community, European Commission regulations and directives
and
all statutes and regulations relevant to the relations between it
and its
employees;
|
(b)
|
maintained
up to date, adequate and suitable records as are required regarding
the
service of each of its employees;
|
(c)
|
maintained
up to date, adequate and suitable records as required by statute
for the
purposes of the Working Time Regulations 1998 and has complied with
all other obligations to its workers (as defined in section 2 of such
Regulations) under such Regulations and there are no claims pending
or
threatened by any present or former officer or employee of the Company
or
the Health and Safety Executive or any local authority Environmental
Health Department or any trade union or employee representative related
to
the Working Time Regulations;
|
(d)
|
complied
with all collective agreements for the time being dealing with such
relations or the conditions of service of its employees;
and
|
(e)
|
complied
with all relevant orders and awards made under any statute affecting
the
conditions of service of its
employees.
|
(g)
|
No
amounts due to or in respect of any of the officers or employees
or former
employees of the Company are in arrears or
unpaid.
|
(h)
|
No
claim for unfair dismissal has been made against the Company by any
former
employee in the last
12 months.
|
(i)
|
No
employment conditions of any employee of the Company nor anything
that has
occurred prior to the date of this Agreement will give rise to any
claim
for sex or age discrimination or equal pay either under domestic,
United
Kingdom or European law or for race
discrimination.
|
(j)
|
No
trade union, works council, staff association or other body representing
employees is recognised in any way for bargaining, information or
consultation purposes in relation to the employees of the Company
and
there are no agreements (whether legally binding or not) with any
such
representative body in relation to the employees and there is no
dispute
with any such representative body pending or
threatened.
|
(k)
|
There
is no plan, scheme, commitment, policy, custom or practice (whether
legally binding or not) relating to redundancy affecting any of the
employees of the Company which is more generous than statutory redundancy
requirements.
|
(l)
|
There
is no agreement or arrangement between the Company and any of its
employees or officers with respect to his or her employment, his
or her
ceasing to be employed or his or her retirement which is not included
in
the written terms of his or her employment and there is no agreement,
arrangement, scheme or obligation for the payment of any pensions,
allowances, lump sums or other like benefits on redundancy on retirement
or on death or during periods of sickness or disablement for the
benefit
of any of the officers or employees of the relevant company or former
officers or employees or for the benefit of dependants of such
persons.
|
(m)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware all plans, schemes, commitments, policies,
custom or practice for the provision of benefits to the Company employees
comply in all respects with all relevant statutes, regulations and
other
laws and all necessary consents in relation to the same have been
obtained
and all governmental filings in relation to the same have been
made.
|
(n)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware all obligations under statute and otherwise
concerning the health and safety at work of the Company’ employees have
been complied with.
|
(o)
|
There
are no current litigation, arbitration or mediation or administrative
or
criminal proceedings against the Company by any current or former
employee
or third party in respect of any accident or
injury.
|
(p)
|
The
Company has not:
|
(a)
|
entered
into any arrangement involving the acquisition of non-cash assets
or
disposal to;
|
(b)
|
granted
any loan or quasi-loan to, entered into any guarantee or credit
transaction with; or
|
(c)
|
provided
any security in connection with any loan, quasi-loan or credit transaction
with,
|
any
current or former director or any person connected with such a person.
(q)
|
Within
the two years preceding Completion, the Company has been a party
to a
relevant transfer (as defined in the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection
of Employment)
Regulations 2006).
|
(r)
|
Save
for the employees who are listed in the Disclosure Letter, details
of any
other persons who have at any time in the last 12 months been
employed by the Company (including details of the role they were
employed
to perform, the date on which their employed terminated and the reason
for
their departure) are disclosed in the Disclosure Letter. There is
not
outstanding any offer of employment or engagement to work for the
relevant
company that has not yet been accepted, or that has been accepted
but the
relevant employment has not yet
commenced.
|
10.19
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware, no person other than the individuals
listed
as employees in the Disclosure Letter would be able to argue that
he or
she has the protections afforded to employees or workers under any
employment legislation.
|
11.
|
Pensions
|
(a)
|
The
Company has never entered into any agreement, sponsored, designated,
participated in or contributed to any arrangement (whether or not
closed,
funded or approved) for providing pension or other benefits on, or
in
anticipation of, the retirement, death, accident or sickness of any
current or former director or employee of the relevant company (for
the
purposes of this Paragraph 11
of
this Schedule, together “Employees”),
nor has it agreed or announced any proposal to enter into or establish
any
such arrangement.
|
(b)
|
The
Company has complied with its duty to facilitate access to a stakeholder
pension scheme under section 3 Welfare Reform and Pensions
Xxx 0000 and, in particular, it
has:
|
(a)
|
after
appropriate consultation, designated one or more stakeholder schemes
for
relevant Employees;
|
(b)
|
supplied
information about the designated scheme to relevant Employees;
and
|
(c)
|
allowed
the scheme representatives reasonable access to relevant
Employees.
|
12.
|
Service
Providers
|
(a)
|
Details
of all consultants, contractors, agents and other persons engaged
by the
Company to provide any services of any nature to it (together the
“Service
Providers”)
are set out in the Disclosure Letter and there is not outstanding
any
offer made by the Company to any such person to provide any services
to
either of them.
|
(b)
|
Copies
of all agreements containing the terms on which any existing Service
Providers are engaged by the Company are attached to the Disclosure
Letter
and there are no material terms applicable to the engagement of any
of
such Service Providers which are not set out in such agreements.
|
13.
|
Litigation
and Disputes
|
(a)
|
The
Company is not in default under any agreement to which it is a party
or in
respect of any other obligation binding upon it and neither it nor
any
person for whose acts or defaults it is vicariously liable is claimant,
defendant or otherwise a party to any litigation, arbitration or
administrative proceedings which are in progress or have been threatened
or are pending by or against or concerning each of them or any of
its
assets and, so far as the Sellers are aware, there are no circumstances
in
existence which may give rise to any of the
foregoing.
|
(b)
|
The
Sale Shares were not purchased or subscribed for by the Sellers with
funds
derived from criminal proceeds.
|
(c)
|
The
Company nor any employee, officer, agent or former officer, agent
or
employee of a member of the Company have not been convicted of any
offence
in relation to either of them, and no employee or officer has to
the
knowledge of the Sellers been convicted of any offence which reflects
upon
his or her suitability to hold his or her position or upon the reputation
of either of them.
|
(d)
|
The
Company is not being or ever has been prosecuted for any criminal
offence
and there are no circumstances in existence likely to lead to any
such
prosecution.
|
14.
|
Property
|
14.1
|
Copies
of all agreements containing the terms on which any freehold or leasehold
property is currently owned, leased or used by the Company are attached
to
the Disclosure Letter and there are no material terms applicable
to the
Property which are not set out in such
agreements.
|
14.2
|
The
Property is the only land and premises (freehold or leasehold) owned,
used
or occupied by the Company and the Company has never been a party
to any
lease or licence in respect of which any actual or contingent obligations
may subsist.
|
14.3
|
The
Company has in its possession all deeds and documents of title necessary
to prove good title to the
Property.
|
14.4
|
There
are no disputes or outstanding notices which
may materially or adversely affect
|
14.5
|
The
Company has not received any notice of breach of any covenants,
restrictions, reservations, conditions, agreements, statutory
requirements, bylaws, orders, building regulations and other stipulations
and regulations affecting the Property and the use of the
Property.
|
14.6
|
All
outgoings payable under the
terms of the Lease have been paid to date including rent, service
charge
and insurance and no notice of any alleged breach or non-observance
of any
of the terms of such Lease has been served on the
Company.
|
14.7
|
The
Company has exclusive vacant possession and occupation of the Property
and
the Property is not subject to any lease, tenancy, licence to occupy
or
agreement to grant any of them nor
are the Sellers aware of any person who has or claims to have any
interest, right or easement of any kind in respect of the Property
adverse
to the interest or title therein of the
Company.
|
14.8
|
The
Company has not received notice of any disputes concerning boundaries,
easements, covenants or other matters relating to the Property or
its use
and occupation and there are no pending or anticipated disputes,
actions,
claims or demands in respect of the
Property.
|
14.9
|
The
written replies given by or on behalf of the Sellers to enquiries
before
contract raised by or on behalf of the Buyer relating in any way
to the
Properties are true and accurate in all
respects.
|
15.
|
Insurances
|
(a)
|
The
Company maintains, and at all material times has maintained the level
of
insurance cover which it is contractually and legally required so
to
do.
|
(b)
|
Copies
of all insurance policies effected by the Company are attached to
the
Disclosure Letter and so far as the Sellers are aware all such insurance
policies are currently in full force and effect and any premiums
due in
respect of such policies have been
paid.
|
(c)
|
The
Company has not done or omitted to do or suffered anything to be
done or
not to be done which has or, so far as the Sellers are aware, is
likely to
render any policies of insurance taken out by it void or voidable
or which
will result in an increase in the rate of premiums on the said policies
and there are no claims outstanding and, so far as the Sellers are
aware,
no circumstances which would give rise to any claim under any policies
of
insurance.
|
(d)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware there are no outstanding claims against
the
Company in respect of any professional negligence, product liability
or of
any accident or injury (whether to property or to person) which is
not
fully covered by insurance.
|
16.
|
Business
Intellectual Property
|
(a)
|
Complete
and accurate particulars of all the intellectual property rights
in
relation to which the Company is the sole unencumbered legal and
beneficial owner and, where registered, the sole registered proprietor
are
set out in the Disclosure Letter.
|
(b)
|
For
the purposes of this Schedule, “Business
Intellectual Property”
means all material Intellectual Property used by the Company in the
business of the Company at any time prior to Completion including,
without
limitation, the Owned IP and the Licensed
IP.
|
(c)
|
Complete
and accurate particulars of all material unregistered Owned IP and
complete and accurate particulars as to ownership and registration
(and
applications therefor) of any registered Owned IP, including priority
and
renewal dates where applicable, are set out in the Disclosure
Letter.
|
(d)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware each and every part of the Owned IP
is valid,
subsisting and enforceable and not subject to any limit as to time
or any
other limitation, right of termination, reassignment or
restriction.
|
(e)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware none of the Business Intellectual Property
is
the subject of any pending or threatened proceedings for opposition,
cancellation, revocation or rectification or claims by any person
(including, without limitation, from the Sellers or any employees
or
former employees of the Company) and, so far as the Sellers are aware,
there are no facts or matters in existence (including but without
limitation acquiescence in the activities of third parties) which
might
give rise to any such proceedings or to any threat to the validity
or
enforceability of the Business Intellectual
Property.
|
(f)
|
All
application and renewal fees and costs and charges regarding the
Owned IP
due on or before Completion have been paid in
full.
|
(g)
|
The
Company has not granted or entered into, and is not obliged to grant
or
enter into, any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether
legally
enforceable or not) for the licensing or otherwise permitting or
authorising the use or exploitation of the Business Intellectual
Property
by third parties or which prevent, restrict or otherwise inhibit
the
Company's freedom to use and fully exploit the Owned IP (whether
now or in
the future).
|
(h)
|
All
Licensed IP is licensed by the Company under the agreements licences,
consents or other documentation appended to the Disclosure Letter
(the
"IP
Licences").
So far as the Sellers are aware all the IP Licences are valid and
subsisting (and will continue to be so notwithstanding Completion).
Neither the Company nor any other party to any of the IP Licences
is in
breach of any of the provisions thereof and there are no circumstances
that may give rise to the early termination of any of the IP
Licences.
|
(i)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware none of the Owned IP is currently being
infringed or has been so infringed in the 12 month period preceding
Completion and no third party has threatened any such infringement
and nor
is it the subject of any claim for ownership or compensation by any
third
party or any criminal investigation or prosecution in relation
thereto.
|
(j)
|
Other
than the IP Licences, the carrying on of the Company's business as
presently constituted does not require any licences or consents from
or
the making of royalty or similar payments to any third
party.
|
(k)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware the Company is not, and has not for
the 12
month period prior to Completion been, engaged in any activities
which,
and none of the Company's activities, processes or products, infringe
any
Intellectual Property or other rights belonging to or vested in any
third
party.
|
(l)
|
There
are no outstanding claims against the Company, and the Sellers are
not
aware of any circumstances that may give rise to any such claim,
for
infringement of any Business Intellectual Property and no such claims
have
been settled by the giving of any undertakings which remain in
force.
|
(m)
|
The
Company does not carry on business or sell any product or service
under
any name other than its corporate name and the trading names, trade
marks,
current product names and other trading styles as disclosed to the
Buyer
in the Disclosure Letter.
|
(n)
|
Save
as Disclosed, the Company has not granted or entered into, nor is
obliged
to grant or enter into, any agreement, arrangement or understanding
(whether legally enforceable or not) for the licensing or otherwise
permitting or authorising the use or exploitation of any Owned IP
by any
third parties. Where the Company has granted or entered into any
such
agreement, arrangement or understanding as Disclosed, it is not in
breach
of any of those agreements, arrangements or understandings prior
to the
date of Completion.
|
(o)
|
The
Company does not use any processes or are engaged in any activities
which
involve the misuse of any confidential information belonging to any
third
party or any alleged misuse and the Sellers nor the Company has received
any notice of any such misuse by any third party. Neither the Company
nor
the Sellers are aware of any actual or alleged misuse by any person
of any
of their confidential information.
|
17. |
Computer
Systems
|
(a)
|
All
the computers and computer systems owned by the Company or used by
or on
behalf of the Company (including software, peripherals, communication
links, storage media):
|
(a)
|
are
in satisfactory operating order and are fulfilling the purposes for
which
they were acquired or established in an efficient manner without
material
failures, downtime or errors;
|
(b)
|
have
adequate capacity for the Company’s present
needs;
|
(c)
|
on
the date of this Agreement, have adequate security, back-up systems,
duplication, hardware and software support and maintenance (including
emergency cover) and trained personnel to ensure that breaches of
security, errors and breakdowns are kept to a minimum and that the
availability, confidentiality and integrity of data held or transmitted
by
the computer systems used by the Company are preserved;
|
(d)
|
are
under the sole control of the Company, are located in premises within
the
United Kingdom occupied by it, are not shared with or used by or
on behalf
of or accessible by any other person;
and
|
(e)
|
comply
with and are used in accordance with the Data Protection Xxx 0000
(the “Data
Protection Legislation”)
and the data protection principles established under the Data Protection
Legislation.
|
(b)
|
The
Company has not suffered any major failures or bugs in or breakdowns
of
any of the computer systems (including hardware and software) which
it
currently uses in its business or in any website which have resulted
in
significant or repeated disruption or loss or interruption in or
to its
use.
|
(c)
|
All
software used on or stored or resident in the Company’s said computers or
computer systems:
|
(a) |
performs
satisfactorily and without any apparent
defect;
|
(b) |
is
lawfully held and used and so far as the Sellers are aware does not
infringe the copyright or other Intellectual Property of any person
and
all copies held have been lawfully made;
and
|
(c) |
as
to the copyright therein, in the case of software written or commissioned
by the Company, is owned exclusively by it, no other person has rights
therein or rights to use or copies of the software or source codes,
and
complete written listings and written copies of the source codes
for the
software are held by it.
|
(d)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware, no person is in a position, by virtue
of his
rights in, knowledge of or access to any of the computer systems
used by
the Company or any part of them (including software) to prevent or
impair
the proper and efficient functioning of the computer
systems.
|
(e)
|
The
Company is the sole registered owner of the domain names Disclosed
in the
Disclosure Letter.
|
18.
|
Data
Protection
|
(a)
|
The
Company has obtained and maintained in force all registrations necessary
under the Data Protection Legislation in relation to its business
including, without limitation, all necessary registrations relating
to the
obtaining, holding, processing, transfer and disclosure of personal
data
effected by it (including, without limitation, to the
Buyer).
|
(b)
|
The
Company has duly complied with and currently complies with all
requirements under the Data Protection Legislation including, without
limitation:
|
(a)
|
the
data protection principles set out under the Data Protection Xxx
0000;
|
(b)
|
requests
from individuals for access to person data held by
it;
|
(c)
|
the
requirements relating to the registration and/or notification of
processing of personal data; and
|
(d)
|
where
necessary, under the Data Protection Xxx 0000, acquiring the consent
of
the data subjects to the processing of personal data relating to
them has
been obtained.
|
(c)
|
The
Company has not received a notice from or any other correspondence
from
the Information Commissioner regarding non-compliance or alleged
non-compliance by it with any provision of the Data Protection
Acts 1984 and 1998 (including, without limitation, the data
protection principles) and, so far as the Sellers are aware, no individual
has alleged that it has failed to comply with the provisions of any
Data
Protection Legislation or claimed compensation from it under such
legislation including for unauthorised disclosure of personal data
and
there are no circumstances existing which might give rise to the
it
receiving such a notice or might give rise to such an allegation
being
made.
|
19.
|
Legal
Matters
|
(a)
|
The
Company has at all times conducted its business in accordance with
its
memorandum and articles of association and all applicable law and
regulations of any jurisdiction in which it carries on business and,
so
far as the Sellers are aware, there has been no violation of, or
default
with respect to, any order or judgement of any court, tribunal,
governmental agency or regulatory authority in any jurisdiction which
has,
or could have, a material adverse effect on its assets or
business.
|
(b)
|
Due
compliance has been made with the provisions of the Act and other
legal
requirements in connection with the formation of the Company, the
allotment and issue, purchase and redemption of shares, debentures
or
other securities, the payment of dividends, any reduction of share
capital
and the conduct of its business and no notice or allegation has been
received that any of the foregoing is incorrect or should be
rectified.
|
(c)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware there is no ongoing governmental, regulatory
or other investigation, enquiry or disciplinary action regarding
the
Company or any of its activities and, in so far as the Sellers are
aware,
none is pending or threatened there are no circumstances known to
the
Sellers which could give rise to such an investigation, enquiry or
action.
|
19.4
|
The
Company has all necessary licences, permissions, authorisations and
consents (together the “Licences”) (full details of which are Disclosed)
required for the proper carrying on of its business in any part of
the
world and each Licence is valid, in force and unconditional or subject
only to a condition that has been fulfilled and under which no further
action is required.
|
20.
|
Competition
and Trade Regulation Law
|
(a)
|
There
are no agreements, arrangements or understandings in force restricting
the
freedom of the Company to provide and take goods or services or to
otherwise conduct its trade and business by such means and from and
to
such persons as it may from time to time think
fit.
|
(b)
|
The
Company is not nor has been party to any agreement, arrangement,
concerted
practice or course of conduct which so far as the Sellers are aware
infringes any competition, anti-restrictive trade practice, anti-trust
law
or legislation applicable in the United Kingdom or
elsewhere.
|
(c)
|
The
Company is not in a dominant position in a market in the European
Community or European Economic Area, or a substantial part of a market
in
the European Community or European Economic Area, for the purposes
of
Article 82 of the Treaty of Rome and Article 54 of the Agreement
on the European Economic Area.
|
(d)
|
The
Company has not received any process, notice or other communication
(whether formal or informal) by or on behalf of the Office of Fair
Trading
or the European Commission or any other authority of any country
or any
political or administrative sub-division thereof having jurisdiction
in
competition, anti-trust or analogous regulatory matters in relation
to any
aspect of its business or any agreement or arrangement to which it
is or
is alleged to be a party and, so far as the Sellers are aware, there
are
no matters which exist which make it likely to receive any such process,
notice or communication.
|
(e)
|
The
Company has never ever received, any aid (as that term is understood
for
the purposes of Articles 87 to 89 of the Treaty of Rome) from a
Member State of the European Community or from State resources and
it is
not aware of any investigation, complaint, action or negative decision
in
relation to the receipt or alleged receipt by it of any aid or alleged
aid
or of any such threatened investigation, complaint, action or negative
decision.
|
21.
|
The
Games
|
(a)
|
The
Company is the sole legal and beneficial owner, registered proprietor
or
licensee of all of the Games, free from any
Encumbrances.
|
(b)
|
Full
and complete details of all Games and copies of any licences and
other
agreements relating to them (including, without limitation, their
Exploitation) are Disclosed.
|
(c)
|
All
royalties and other payments due to any third party by the Company
in
respect of the development and/or Exploitation of the Games prior
to
Completion have been paid in full and in accordance with the terms
of the
relevant contracts. For the purposes of this paragraph 21, “Exploit”
shall mean to reproduce, manufacture, publish, market, distribute,
sell,
licence, disseminate, communicate, make available, diffuse, perform,
display, exhibit, show, play, transmit, re-transmit, download, rent,
hire,
lend, issue to the public and otherwise exploit and authorise any
third
party to do any of the foregoing and “Exploitation”
shall be construed accordingly.
|
(d)
|
The
Company enjoys good relations with all contributors to the Games
and the
Sellers have no knowledge of any disputes or disagreements with any
of
them which would result in them failing to perform their obligations.
No
loans have been made to such persons nor has any agreement been entered
into to pay sums for or on behalf of any of them other than as Disclosed
and the Company does not have the custom of granting perquisites
to any of
them.
|
(e)
|
The
Company has not received any notification from third parties at the
date
hereof of their intention to audit or inspect the books and records
of the
Company pertaining to any of the
Games.
|
(f)
|
Attached
to the Disclosure Letter is an up to date accurate and complete
publication release schedule of all Games developed, in development,
Exploited and/or to be Exploited by the Company. The Sellers have
disclosed all material correspondence relating to the progress of
uncompleted Games. None of the completion dates stated therein have
been
delayed and the Sellers have no reason to believe that any such dates
falling after Completion will be
delayed.
|
(g)
|
All
contributors to the Games (other than Games which have not been produced
by or for the Company or in respect of which the rights have not
been
assigned to the Company) have been either employees of the Company
or have
assigned all Intellectual Property in their work to the
Company.
|
(h)
|
Work-in-progress
in respect of the Games is at its normal level having regard to current
orders and to orders reasonably anticipated from customers of the
Company
and attached to the Disclosure Letter is a true complete list of
all work
in progress.
|
(i)
|
Accurate
copies of all licences or other agreements or arrangements concerning
rights to the Games have been sent to the Buyer and there has been
no
other agreement or arrangement to grant rights to another to exploit
any
of the Games entered into.
|
(j)
|
So
far as the Sellers are aware the Company’s Exploitation of the Games has
not infringed the Intellectual Property of any third party and, after
Completion, the Company will be entitled to continue to Exploit the
Games
and such Exploitation will not infringe the Intellectual Property
of any
third party.
|
Part
2: Tax Warranties
1.
|
Definitions
|
In
this
Part 2 of Schedule 2:
1.1 |
Paragraphs
1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 of the Tax Covenant shall
apply.
|
1.2
|
References
to any provision of an enactment are references to it as from time
to time
amended, consolidated or re-enacted (with or without modification),
and
also include any provision replaced by such provision.
|
2.
|
General/Compliance
|
Accounts
2.1
|
All
liabilities, whether actual, deferred, contingent or disputed, of
each
Company for tax measured by reference to income, profits or gains
earned,
accrued or received on or before the Accounts Date or arising in
respect
of an event occurring or deemed to occur on or before the Accounts
Date
are properly provided for or (as appropriate) disclosed in the Accounts
to
the extent required by UK GAAP. All other warranties relating to
specific
tax matters set out in this Schedule are made without prejudice to
the
generality of this paragraph.
|
Position
since Accounts Date
2.2 |
Since
the Accounts Date:
|
(a)
|
the
Company has not been involved in any transaction which has given
or may
give rise to a liability to tax on the Company (or would have given
or
might give rise to such a liability but for the availability of any
Relief) other than tax in respect of normal trading income or receipts
of
the Company concerned arising from transactions entered into by it
in the
ordinary course of business;
|
(b)
|
no
event has occurred which has or may have the effect of prejudicing
any
Relief taken into account in computing or eliminating the provision
for
deferred tax contained in the Accounts;
and
|
(c)
|
no
accounting period (as defined in section 12 of the Taxes Act) of
the
Company has ended as referred to in section 12(3) of that
Act.
|
Continuing
commitments
2.3
|
All
revenue sums greater than £10,000 payable under any obligation incurred by
the Company prior to Completion and which will continue to bind the
Company after Completion have been deductible for the purposes of
corporation tax (or any corresponding tax on profits in any relevant
foreign jurisdiction), either in computing the profits of the Company
or
in computing the corporation tax or corresponding tax chargeable
on
them.
|
Returns
etc
2.4
|
The
Company has duly, made all returns, given all notices and supplied
all
other information required to be supplied to all relevant tax authorities
in the last six years and maintains all records required to be maintained
for tax purposes; all such information was and remains complete and
accurate in all material respects and all such returns and notices
were
and remain complete and accurate in all material respects and were
made on
the proper basis and do not, and so far as the Sellers are aware
are not
likely to, reveal any transactions which may be the subject of any
dispute
with, or any enquiry raised, by any tax
authority.
|
Disputes,
investigations
2.5
|
The
Company is not involved in any current dispute with any tax authority
or
is or has in the last six years been the subject of any investigation,
enquiry, audit or non-routine visit by any tax authority. So far
as the
Sellers are aware in relation to the Company there is no planned
investigation, enquiry, audit or non-routine visit by any tax authority
and there are no facts which might cause such an investigation, enquiry,
audit or non-routine visit to be
instituted.
|
Penalties,
interest
2.6
|
Within
the past three years, neither the Company nor any director or officer
of
the Company (in his capacity as such) has paid or become liable to
pay,
and there are no circumstances by reason of which it or they may
become
liable to pay to any tax authority, any penalty, fine, surcharge
or
interest in respect of tax (including in respect of any failure to
make
any return, give any notice or supply any information to any relevant
tax
authority, or any failure to keep or preserve any records or to pay
tax on
the due date for payment).
|
Consents,
clearances
2.7
|
No
transaction in respect of which any consent or clearance was required
or
sought from any tax authority has been entered into or carried out
by the
Company without such consent or clearance having first been properly
obtained and all information supplied to any tax authority or other
appropriate authority in connection with any such consent or clearance
fully and accurately disclosed all facts and circumstances material
to the
giving of such consent or clearance. Any transaction for which such
consent or clearance was obtained has been carried out only in accordance
with the terms of such consent or clearance and the application on
which
the consent or clearance was based and at a time when such consent
or
clearance was valid and effective. No facts or circumstances have
arisen
since any such consent or clearance was obtained which would cause
the
consent or clearance to become invalid or
ineffective.
|
Special
arrangements
2.8
|
No
tax authority has operated or agreed to operate any special arrangement
(being an arrangement which is not based on relevant legislation
or any
published practice) in relation to the Company’s affairs which is in force
at Completion.
|
Administration
2.9
|
In
relation to the Company, the Disclosure Letter gives full details
of all
assessments to tax made by any tax authority, and any determinations
or
directions made by any tax authority of or in relation to amounts
of tax
or relevant to the calculation of tax, which are subject to
appeal.
|
Corporation
Tax instalment payments
2.10
|
the
Company is not a large company within the meaning of Regulation 3
of The
Corporation Tax (Instalment Payments) Regulations
1998.
|
Outstanding
rights
2.11
|
The
Disclosure Letter gives details of the rights of the Company which
have
not, at the time of Completion, been exercised, to make any claim
for
Relief and any rights to make an appeal against an assessment of
any
tax.
|
Withdrawal
etc. of Reliefs after Completion
2.12
|
No
Relief has been claimed by and/or given to the Company, or taken
into
account in determining or eliminating any provision for tax or deferred
tax in the Accounts, which could or might be effectively withdrawn,
postponed, restricted or otherwise lost as a result of the sale and
purchase hereunder.
|
Withholdings
2.13
|
The
Company has made all deductions and retentions of or on account of
tax as
it was or is obliged or entitled to make and all such payments of
or on
account of tax as should have been made to any tax authority in respect
of
such deductions or retentions.
|
3. |
Employees/Pensions
|
3.1
|
All
National Insurance contributions and sums payable to HM Revenue &
Customs under the P.A.Y.E. system and any amounts of a corresponding
nature payable to any foreign tax authority due and payable by the
Company
up to the date hereof have been paid and the Company has made all
such
deductions and retentions as should have been made under section
203 to
203J of the Taxes Act and Part 11 of ITEPA and all regulations made
thereunder or under any comparable laws or regulations of any relevant
foreign jurisdiction.
|
3.2
|
The
Company has not adopted nor operates, nor is part of any scheme approved,
or for which approval has been or is to be sought, under section
202 of
the Taxes Act (Charities: Payroll Deduction
Scheme).
|
3.3
|
Since
the Accounts Date, no payment has been made to the Company to which
section 601 of the Taxes Act applies (pension scheme surpluses: payments
to employers).
|
3.4
|
No
tax relief for any contribution made or that may be made to any pension
scheme after the Accounts Date could be restricted under section
112 of
the Finance Xxx 0000 by reference to contributions made in or provisions
for contributions made in respect of any period ending on or prior
to the
Accounts Date.
|
4.
|
Capital
Assets
|
4.1
|
If
the Company disposed of each of its assets (except trading stock
and
work-in-progress) for a consideration equal to the book value of
that
asset as shown in or adopted for the purposes of the Accounts to
a person
not connected with it and by way of bargain at arm's length, no liability
to tax would arise by reference to any actual or deemed profit or
gain and
the Company has not acquired any such asset except by way of bargain
at
arm's length and from an unconnected
person.
|
4.2
|
No
allowable loss which might accrue on the disposal by the Company
of any
asset is liable to be reduced or eliminated and no chargeable gain
is
liable to be created or increased by virtue of any depreciatory
transaction which occurred prior to Completion or reduction in value
of
that or any related asset for the purposes of corporation tax on
chargeable gains or any corresponding tax of any relevant foreign
jurisdiction.
|
4.3
|
The
Company has not made any election under section 171A or 179A of the
TCGA
or paragraph 66 of Schedule 29 to the Finance Xxx
0000.
|
4.4 |
The
implementation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
will not
give rise to any deemed disposal or realisation by the Company
of any
asset for any tax
purpose.
|
4.5 |
No
asset of the Company has any “held-over gain” as referred to in section
154 of the TCGA to which section 154(2) of the TCGA
applies.
|
5.
|
Intangible
Fixed Assets
|
5.1 |
Otherwise
than as provided for in the Accounts, if the Company disposed
of each of
its assets which qualifies for capital allowances, or disposed
of any pool
of such assets (that is to say all those assets expenditure relating
to
which would be taken into account in computing whether a balancing
charge
would arise on a disposal of any of those assets) for a consideration
equal to their book value as shown in or adopted for the purpose
of the
Accounts, no balancing charge would arise in respect of any such
asset or
pool of assets under any legislation relating to capital
allowances.
|
5.2
|
If
the Company realised each of its intangible fixed assets to which
Schedule
29 to the Finance Xxx 0000 applies for a consideration equal to its
book
value as shown in or adopted for the purposes of the Accounts, no
credit
would be required to be brought into
account.
|
5.3
|
All
intangible fixed assets (including goodwill) owned by the Company
and
treated for tax purposes as assets falling within Schedule 29 FA
2002
(gains and losses of a company from intangible fixed assets) are
disclosed.
|
Group
composition
5.4
|
During
the period of six years prior to Completion the Company has not been
treated as a member of a group for tax
purposes.
|
6. |
Close
Companies
|
6.1 |
In
the period of six years prior to
Completion:
|
(a)
|
the
Company has not made any transfers of value within section 94 of
the
Inheritance Tax Xxx 0000;
|
(b)
|
the
Company is not and has not been a close investment-holding company
as
defined in section 13A of the Taxes Act;
or
|
(c)
|
the
Company has not issued a relevant discounted security to which paragraph
18 of Schedule 9 to the Finance Xxx 0000 (Discounted securities of
close
companies) may apply.
|
6.2
|
The
Company has not made a loan to which the provision of section 419
(as
extended by section 422) of the Taxes Act (loans to participators
and
associates) applies which is outstanding at Completion or has been
waived,
released or repaid since the Accounts
Date.
|
7.
|
Distributions
etc.
|
General
7.1 |
The
Company has not in the period of six years prior to
Completion:
|
(a)
|
made
any distribution or deemed distribution within the meanings of section
209, 210 or 418 of the Taxes Act (distributions and deemed distributions)
except as provided for in its audited
accounts;
|
(b)
|
repaid,
redeemed or purchased or agreed to repay, redeem or purchase any
of its
share capital; or
|
(c)
|
capitalised
or agreed to capitalise in the form of shares or debentures any profits
or
reserves of any class or description, or otherwise issued or agreed
to
issue share capital otherwise than wholly for new consideration (as
defined in section 254 of the Taxes
Act).
|
8.
|
Company
Residence etc.
|
Residence/permanent
establishment
8.1
|
The
Company is and has at all times been resident in the United Kingdom
for
tax purposes and is not and has not at any time been treated as resident
in any other jurisdiction for any tax purpose (including any double
Taxation arrangement). The Company is not subject to tax in any
jurisdiction other than its place of incorporation by virtue of having
a
permanent establishment or other place of business in that
jurisdiction.
|
Agency,
permanent establishment
8.2 |
The
Company is not liable for any tax as the agent of any other person
or
business or constitutes a permanent establishment of any other
person,
business or enterprise for any tax
purpose.
|
9.
|
Transfer
Pricing
|
All
transactions that the Company has entered into have been and are on arm's length
terms. There are no circumstances which as far as the Sellers are aware could
cause any tax authority to make any adjustment for tax purposes, or require
any
such adjustment to be made, to the terms on which any such transaction is
treated as taking place, and no such adjustment has been made, threatened or
attempted in fact.
10.
|
Value
Added Tax
|
10.1
|
For
the purposes of this paragraph 11 the expression VAT legislation
shall
include the Value Added Tax Xxx 0000 and all other enactments in
relation
to value added tax and all notices, provisions and conditions made
or
issued thereunder including the terms of any agreement reached with
HM
Revenue & Customs or any concession referred to in the Disclosure
Letter.
|
10.2 |
the
Company:
|
(a)
|
is
registered for the purposes of value added tax, has been so registered
at
all times that it has been required to be registered by VAT legislation,
and such registration is not subject to any conditions imposed by
or
agreed with HM Revenue &
Customs;
|
(b)
|
has
complied fully with and observed in all material respects the terms
of VAT
legislation;
|
(c)
|
maintains
complete, correct and up-to-date records, invoices and other documents
(as
the case may be) appropriate or requisite for the purposes of VAT
legislation and preserves such records, invoices and other documents
in
such form and for such periods as are required by VAT
legislation;
|
(d)
|
obtains
credit for all input tax paid or suffered by
it;
|
(e)
|
is
not and has not been treated as a member of a group for the purposes
of
VAT legislation, and has not applied for such
treatment;
|
(f)
|
is
not required to make payments on account of value added tax for which
it
may become liable in a prescribed accounting period pursuant to the
Value
Added Tax (Payments on Account) Order 1993;
and
|
(g)
|
is
not and has not been subject under VAT legislation to any penalty
liability notice, written warning of failure to comply, surcharge
liability notice or requirement to give security as a condition of
making
Taxable supplies.
|
10.3
|
There
are no assets of the Company which are a capital item for the purpose
of
Part XV of the Value Added Tax Regulations
1995.
|
10.4
|
All
VAT, import duty and other taxes or charges payable by the Company
upon
the supply, acquisition, use or importation of goods or services,
and all
excise duties payable in respect of any assets (including trading
stock)
imported or owned by the Company, have been paid in
full.
|
11.
|
Stamp
Taxes
|
General
11.1
|
All
documents in the possession or under the control of the Company or
to the
production of which the Company is entitled which establish or are
necessary to establish the title of the Company to any asset have
been
duly stamped and any applicable stamp duties or charges in respect
of such
documents have been duly accounted for and paid, and no such documents
which are outside the United Kingdom would attract stamp duty if
they were
brought into the United Kingdom.
|
11.2
|
The
Disclosure Letter contains full details of any Relief or exemption
from
stamp duty, stamp duty land tax that has been claimed or obtained
by the
Company (including details of the parties to the relevant transaction,
its
subject matter and date and the nature of the Relief claimed), being
a
Relief or exemption which will or may be withdrawn or restricted
as a
result of:
|
(a)
|
any
event that is planned to occur prior to Completion; or
|
(b)
|
any
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; or
|
(c)
|
any
event that might occur after Completion.
|
UK
Land
11.3
|
For
the purposes of the remaining provisions of this paragraph 13, the
terms
“land transaction” and “effective date” shall be construed in accordance
with Part 4 of the Finance Xxx
0000.
|
11.4
|
The
Company is not under nor may become subject to any obligation to
deliver
any return or further return in respect of any land transaction,
or to pay
additional stamp duty land tax or to pay stamp duty land tax where
none
was payable before, in respect of any land transaction which has
an
effective date prior to Completion, or in respect of which the date
of the
contract for that land transaction is prior to
Completion.
|
11.5
|
The
Company has not made any application to defer payment of stamp duty
land
tax pursuant to section 90 Finance Xxx
0000.
|
12.
|
Employee
Share Incentives
|
12.1
|
No
person has been granted options in a scheme approved under Schedules
3 or
4 ITEPA or options which qualify as enterprise management incentives
under
Schedule 5 ITEPA or are participants in a share incentive plan approved
under Schedule 2 ITEPA in each case by reason of employment with
the
Company.
|
12.2
|
No
person has been granted a right to acquire shares or securities which
may
give rise to a liability in respect of income tax or national insurance
contributions or similar taxes in other jurisdictions on the Company
upon the exercise of that right or upon the acquisition of those
shares or
securities.
|
12.3
|
No
person has acquired an interest in shares which is only conditional
within
the meaning of Chapter 2, Part 7 ITEPA as originally enacted (conditional
interest in shares) nor acquired shares which are convertible within
the
meaning of Chapter 3, Part 7 ITEPA as originally enacted (convertible
shares) which may give rise to a liability in respect of income or
national insurance contributions on the Company under those
provisions.
|
12.4
|
No
person has acquired any employment related securities (within the
meaning
of Section 421B ITEPA) to which Part 7 ITEPA
applies.
|
13.
|
Tax
avoidance
|
13.1
|
The
Company has not engaged in or been a party to any scheme or arrangement
in
respect of which the main (or one of the main) purpose or purposes
is or
was the avoidance of tax.
|
13.2
|
The
Company has not been a party to any preordained series of transactions
containing one or more steps which have no commercial purpose other
than
avoiding deferring or saving tax or obtaining of a tax
advantage.
|
Schedule
3 – Earn-Out
Interpretation
|
The
definitions in this paragraph apply in this Agreement.
"Earn-out
Period"
the
period of three Financial Years commencing on 4th
April
2008 and ending on 31st
March
2011.
"Expert"
a
person
appointed in accordance with paragraph 4
of this
Schedule to resolve a dispute arising in relation to the calculation of Relevant
Turnover and any Earn-out Payment.
"Lower Turnover
Target"
the
lower
Turnover target of the Company in each Financial Year (“Relevant
Financial Year”)
during
the Earn-out Period being:
a)
|
£5,000,000
for the Financial Year 4th
April 2008 to 31st
March 2009
|
b)
|
£6,000,000
for the Financial Year 1st
April 2009 to 31st
March 2010; and
|
c)
|
£7,000,000
for the Financial Year 1st
April 2010 to 31st
March 2011
|
"Relevant
Turnover"
in
relation to any Financial Year within the Earn-out Period, the aggregate
Turnover of the Company as shown in the audited accounts of the Company for
that
period.
“Turnover”
the
audited revenue of the Company net of all sales, excise, import or export,
value
added or similar tax or duty or other adjustments made in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles and practices in the United Kingdom
then in force
"Upper Turnover
Target"
the
upper
Turnover target of the Company in each Financial Year during the Earn-out Period
being:
a)
|
£12,600,000
for the Financial Year 4th
April 2008 to 31st March 2009
|
b)
|
£14,000,000
for the Financial Year 1st April 2009 to 31st March 2010;
and
|
c)
|
£15,600,000
for the Financial Year 1st April 2010 to 31st March
2011
|
Amount
of Deferred Payment
|
2.1
|
Subject
to paragraph 2.2 below, the Buyer shall pay to each Seller, in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement and in Due Proportion, such
amounts
to form part of the Consideration:
|
2.1.1
|
by
way of Earn-out Payment, in respect of each Relevant Financial Year
during
the Earn-out Period such amount as is equal
to:
|
where:
A –
B
X
USD$250,000
C – B
A= the
Relevant Turnover in respect of such Relevant Financial Year;
B=
the
Lower
Turnover Target in respect of such Relevant Financial Year; and
C= the
Upper
Turnover Target in respect of such Relevant Financial Year
Provided
that the Earn-out Payment in respect of any Relevant Financial Year during
the
Earn-out Period shall not exceed USD$250,000; and
2.1.2
|
the
Third Anniversary Payment provided the Company has in aggregate throughout
the Earn-Out Period at least £1 of profit on ordinary activities after
taxation (as shown in its audited accounts for each Financial
Year).
|
2.2
|
The
Buyer shall not be obliged to make:
|
2.2.1
|
an
Earn-out Payment, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph
2.1.1
above, in relation to a Seller, if such Seller is a Leaver during
the
Relevant Financial Year to which such Earn-out Payment relates; and
|
2.2.2
|
the
Third Anniversary Payment, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph
2.1.2 above, in relation to a Seller, if such Seller is a Leaver
at any
time on or before 31 March 2011.
|
2.3
|
For
the avoidance of doubt nothing in paragraph 2.2 above shall prejudice
the
right of either Seller who remains employed by the Company at such
time or
who is a leaver in any circumstances other than being a Bad Leaver
to
receive any payments under this Schedule notwithstanding the fact
that the
other Seller may not be entitled to any such payments as a result
of the
foregoing provisions.
|
2.4
|
For
the avoidance of doubt, the Sellers shall not be required to make
any
payment to the Buyer if the Relevant Turnover in any Financial Year
falls
below the Lower Turnover Target for such
year.
|
2.5
|
In
the event that the Company terminates a Seller’s Services Agreement other
than in circumstances where such Seller is a Bad Leaver then the
Buyer
shall make any Deferred Payment or payment of principal under the
Loan
Notes due to a Seller pursuant to this Agreement or the Loan Note
Instrument (save to the extent that such payments have already been
made
to a Seller) to a Seller in his Due Proportion within twelve months
of the
date of such termination.
|
3
|
Procedure
for making deferred
payments
|
3.1
|
The
Buyer shall use its reasonable endeavours to ensure that the accounts
of
the Company are audited by the Auditors within 3 months of the last
day of
each Financial Year within the Earn-out Period.
|
The
Buyer shall, within 15 Business Days of receiving the audited accounts
of
the Company for each Financial Year within the Earn-out Period, send
to
each of the Sellers:
|
3.2.1
|
a
copy of the audited accounts of the Company;
and
|
3.2.2
|
a
certificate issued by the Auditors stating the amounts which are,
in their
opinion:
|
a) |
the
Relevant Turnover for such Financial
Year;
|
b)
|
the
amount of the Earn-out Payment (if any) payable in respect of that
year
.
|
Unless
the Sellers shall serve written notice (a “Review
Notice”)
on the Buyer disputing the certificate prior to the day which falls
20
Business Days after receipt of such certificate, the amounts stated
in
such certificate shall be final and binding upon the parties for
the
purposes of this Agreement.
Any such Review Notice must state the amounts in dispute and the
reasons
for the dispute and any adjustments which the Sellers would like
to make
to the certificate.
|
3.4
|
In
the event of service of a Review Notice, the parties have 10 Business
Days, starting with the expiry of the period referred to in paragraph
3.3
above, within which to resolve any disagreement relating to the
certificate. The parties shall use their best endeavours to resolve
the
disagreement within that period.
|
3.5
|
Where
the parties are unable to resolve their disagreement within the 10
Business Day period, the calculation of the Relevant Turnover and
Earn-out
Payment for the relevant Financial Year shall be referred to an
Expert.
|
3.6
|
The
Buyer shall, subject to Clause 9 of this Agreement, make the relevant
Deferred Payment due to the Sellers in such year in the Due Proportion
within a period of 5 Business Days starting with the day on which
the
amount of such payment has been agreed or determined pursuant to
this
Schedule.
|
3.7
|
Any
Deferred Payment payable under this Schedule shall be satisfied by
the
payment by the Buyer to the relevant Seller by telegraphic transfer
of
immediately available funds to the account nominated to the Buyer
by the
relevant Seller for such purpose of an amount equal to such Deferred
Payment.
|
3.8
|
Save
as otherwise provided in this Schedule, the parties shall each bear
their
own costs incurred in the preparation of the certificate and the
agreement
of the Relevant Turnover and any Earn-out
Payment.
|
Expert
|
4.1
|
An
Expert is a person appointed in accordance with this
paragraph 4
to
resolve a dispute arising in relation to the calculation of Relevant
Turnover and any Earn-out Payment.
|
4.2
|
The
parties shall agree on the appointment of an independent firm of
accountants to act as Expert.
|
4.3
|
If
the parties are unable to agree on an Expert within seven days of
either
party serving details of a suggested expert on the other, either
party may
request the President for the time being of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants in England and Wales to appoint an Expert.
|
The
Expert is required to prepare a written decision and give notice
(including a copy) of the decision to the parties within a maximum
of
three months of the matter being referred to the
Expert.
|
4.5
|
If
the Expert dies or becomes unwilling or incapable of acting, or does
not
deliver the decision within the time required by paragraph 4.4,
then:
|
(a)
|
either
party may apply to President for the time being of the Institute
of
Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to discharge the Expert
and to
appoint a replacement Expert with the required expertise;
and
|
(b)
|
this
paragraph 4
applies in relation to the new Expert as if he were the first Expert
appointed.
|
4.6
|
All
matters under this paragraph 4
shall be conducted, and the Expert's decision shall be written, in
the
English language.
|
4.7
|
The
parties are entitled to make submissions to the Expert and shall
provide
(or procure that others provide) the Expert with such assistance
and
documents as the Expert reasonably requires for the purpose of reaching
a
decision.
|
4.8
|
To
the extent not provided for by this paragraph, the Expert may, in
his
reasonable discretion, determine such other procedures to assist
with the
conduct of the determination as he considers just or appropriate,
including (to the extent he considers necessary) instructing professional
advisers to assist him in reaching his
determination.
|
4.9
|
Each
party shall, with reasonable promptness, supply each other party
with all
information and give each other party access to all documentation
and
personnel as each other party reasonably requires to make a submission
under this paragraph 4.
|
4.10
|
The
Expert shall act as an expert and not as an arbitrator. The Expert
shall
determine the amount of Relevant Turnover and any Earn-out Payments,
which
may include any issue involving the interpretation of any provision
of
this Agreement, his jurisdiction to determine the matters and issues
referred to him or his terms of reference. The Expert's written decision
on the matters referred to him shall be final and binding on the
parties
in the absence of manifest error or
fraud.
|
4.11
|
Each
party shall bear its own costs in relation to the Expert. The Expert's
fees and any costs properly incurred by him in arriving at his
determination (including any fees and costs of any advisers appointed
by
the Expert) shall be borne by the parties equally or in such other
proportions as the Expert directs.
|
5
|
Buyer
Covenants
|
5.1
|
The
Buyer undertakes with the Sellers to procure (so far as it is lawfully
able and to the extent it is within its power and control) that (save
with
the prior consent of the Sellers not to be unreasonably withheld
or
delayed) during the Earn-out
Period:
|
5.1.1
|
no
avoidable change is made to the business of the Company an intention
of
which is to reduce the Relevant Turnover of the Company provided
that if
the effect of any such change is, for example, that the Company is
no
longer responsible for the publishing, distribution and/or development
of
interactive entertainment products in Europe (or there is a similar
effect
which would reduce the Relevant Turnover of the Company) then the
parties
shall discuss in good faith an appropriate adjustment of the relevant
Lower Turnover Target and Upper Turnover Target ;
and
|
5.1.2
|
nothing
shall be done between the Company and the Buyer or any member of
the
Buyer’s Group with an intention of artificially reducing or distorting
the
turnover of the Company.
|
5.2
|
In
order to further protect and safeguard the Sellers' potential entitlement
to any Earn-out Payment, the Buyer hereby agrees and undertakes with
the
Sellers that during the Earn-out
Period:
|
5.2.1
|
the
business of the Company will be under the day to day management of
the
Sellers for so long as they are employed pursuant to their Service
Agreements (subject always to the business of the Company being under
the
ultimate control and direction of the Buyer);
|
5.2.2
|
it
will not do any act an intention of which is to materially adversely
affect the ability or power of the Company to carry on its business
in the
same manner in which such business has been conducted prior to the
date
hereof;
|
5.2.3
|
the
Buyer will use reasonable endeavours where reasonably practicable
and in
the interest of the Buyer’s Group to promote and support the business and
interests of the Company, will act in good faith towards the Sellers
having regard to the Sellers' interests hereunder, will procure that
the
Company's business is conducted on sound commercial principles and
the
Company shall not (unless there are commercial reasons or it is in
the
interests of the Company):
|
a)
|
enter
into any contract or agreement other than on arm's length commercial
terms; or
|
b)
|
part
with or dispose of or licence or otherwise alienate the whole or
any
substantial part of its undertaking, property, assets, revenues or
any
interest therein by a single transaction or a series of transactions
otherwise than in the normal and ordinary course of trading;
or
|
c)
|
make
any gift or enter into any material transaction at a material undervalue
without receiving a commensurate benefit;
|
5.2.4
|
no
resolution will be passed to wind up the Company or cause the Company
to
cease carrying on any part of its business, and no receiver,
administrative receiver or administrator shall be appointed over
the whole
or any part of the assets or undertaking of the Company (save where
the
Company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due or pursuant to
a bona
fide reorganisation of the Buyer’s
Group);
|
5.2.5
|
(other
than where the Sellers are no longer employed by the Company) the
Buyer
will not require the Sellers to employ any person with a salary in
excess
of £50,000 or (other than in accordance with their terms and conditions
or
their employment contract) to terminate the employment of any employee
with a salary in excess of £50,000, save where the Buyer reasonably
considers that such appointment or removal is in the best interests
of the
Company;
|
5.2.6
|
the
Buyer will not do any act an intention of which is to: (a) prevent
the
Company from supplying goods or services in the ordinary course of
its
business; or (b) divert any custom from the
Company;
|
5.2.7
|
if
Transcap agrees to help fund the Company’s working capital, the Buyer will
use reasonable endeavours to procure that the Company is able to
participate in the Transcap funding available to other members of
the
Buyer’s Group and the Buyer may consider extending the payment terms of
royalty payments due by the Company to other members of the Buyer’s Group.
However, in making any working capital available to the Company,
the Buyer
will take into account the interests of the Buyer’s Group as a whole
(albeit that it will treat the Company no more prejudicially than
any
other member of the Buyer’s Group);
|
5.2.8
|
the
Buyer will not impose management charges on the Company (other than
on
normal arms length commercial terms and at levels which would be
consistent with levels of equivalent charges imposed on other members
of
the Buyer’s Group).
|
6.
|
Seller
Covenants
|
Each
of
the Sellers undertakes to and covenants with the Buyer that he will (so far
as
he is lawfully able and to the extent it is within his power and control) during
the Earn-Out Period:
not
do
anything to prejudice the Buyer’s ability to comply with its covenants set out
in paragraph 5 above;
procure
that the Company will comply with the Buyer’s requirements for participation in
the Buyer’s Group banking arrangements and treasury procedures;
procure
that the Company will comply with the Buyer’s requirements for participation in
the finance arrangements of the Buyer, including without limitation, financial
reporting requirements and budgeting compliance;
procure
that the Company will not to do anything which results in costs or expenses
which should properly have arisen or been included in a Financial Year being
deferred or excluded from that year or any income due to the Company which
should properly have arisen or been included in a later Financial Year being
recognised in an earlier Financial Year;
(for
so
long as the business is under the day to day management of the Sellers) procure
that the Company will continue to be run on sound long term commercial
principles and in the best interests of the Company and the Buyer’s
Group;
not
waive
any salary, bonus or other emoluments due to him as an employee of the
Company;
consult
with the Buyer in respect of all matters concerning strategic development and
procure that the Company will not make any acquisition of any business or
company or other undertaking or enter into any joint venture or partnership
with
any third party;
procure
that the Company will not, without the prior consent of the Buyer (such consent
not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), in any Financial Year incur capital
expenditure above £20,000;
procure
that the Company will not employ or engage any employee or consultant whose
aggregate gross remuneration (including benefits) is in excess of
£75,000;
Each
of
the Sellers undertakes to and covenants with the Buyer that, during the Earn-Out
Period, he will procure (so far as is lawfully able and to the extent it is
within his power and control) that notice of termination by the Company shall
not be given in respect of any service arrangements with any senior employee
of
the Company without the prior written consent of the Buyer.
Schedule
4 – Tax Covenant
1. |
Interpretation
|
1.1 |
In
this Schedule, the following definitions shall have the following
meanings:
|
"Buyer’s
Group"
|
means
the Buyer and any other company or companies which either are or
become
after Completion, or have within the six years ending at Completion
been,
treated as members of the same group as, or otherwise connected
or
associated in any way with, the Buyer for any tax
purpose;
|
|
|
||
"Buyer’s
relief"
|
means:
(a)
any relief arising to the Company (other than the Losses) in respect
of an event occurring or period ending on or before Completion
which was
taken into account in computing the provision for deferred tax
in the
Completion Accounts or in eliminating such provision, or was included
as
an asset or otherwise taken into account in the Completion
Accounts
(b)
any relief arising to the Company in respect of an event occurring
or period ending after Completion; and
(c)
any relief arising to any member of the Buyer’s Group (other than the
Company);
|
|
|
||
“Corresponding
Relief”
|
(a)
any relief arising as a result of a tax liability in respect of
which the Sellers have made a payment under paragraph 2 of this
Schedule 4
or for breach of any Taxation Warranty; or
(b)
any relief which:
(i)
was claimed in respect of any period prior to
Completion;
(ii)
was disallowed by a tax authority in respect of such pre-Completion
period so as to give rise to a tax liability in respect of which
the
Sellers have made a payment under paragraph 2 of this Schedule
4 or for
breach of any Taxation Warranty; and
(iii)
is subsequently allowed by such tax authority and utilised in an
accounting period of the Company after Completion; or
(c)
any relief arising as a result of or in connection with any
deduction, withholding or tax referred to in paragraphs 5.2 and
6.1;
|
“Costs”
|
means
obligations, liabilities, losses, costs (including reasonable legal
costs
but excluding internal management costs) and expenses (including
tax) in
each case of any nature whatsoever;
|
|
"event"
|
includes
(without limitation) the death or the winding up or dissolution
of any
person, and any act, transaction or omission whatsoever, and any
reference
to an event occurring on or before a particular date shall include
events
which for tax purposes are deemed to have, or are treated or regarded
as
having, occurred on or before that date;
|
|
“Losses”
|
means
the trading losses of the Company which arise in respect of an
event
occurring or period ending before Completion and which remain available
at
Completion;
|
|
“Over
Provision”
|
means,
applying the accounting policies, principles and practices in relation
to
the Completion Accounts
(i)
the amount by which any provision for Taxation in the Completion
Accounts
proves to be an over provision; and
(ii)
the amount by which any repayment of Taxation which is treated
(or
which could have been treated) as an asset in the Completion Accounts
proves to be understated;
|
|
"relief"
|
includes,
unless the context otherwise requires, any allowance, credit, deduction,
exemption or set-off in respect of any tax or relevant to the computation
of any income, profits or gains for the purposes of any tax, or
any
repayment of or saving of tax (including any repayment supplement
or
interest in respect of tax), and:
(a)
any reference to the use or set off of relief shall be
construed accordingly and shall include use or set off in part;
and
(b)
any reference to the loss of a relief shall include the absence,
non-existence or cancellation of any such relief, or to such relief
being
available only in a reduced amount;
|
“Saving”
|
the
reduction or elimination of any liability of any member of the
Buyer’s
Group to make an actual payment of corporation tax in respect of
which the
Sellers would not have been liable under paragraph 2, by the use of
any Sellers’ Relief or Corresponding Relief;
|
|
“Sellers’
relief”
|
any
Relief other than a Buyer’s relief;
|
|
"tax"
|
includes
(without limitation) corporation tax, income tax (including income
tax or
amounts on account of income tax required to be deducted or withheld
from
or accounted for in respect of any payment), capital gains tax,
inheritance tax, value added tax, national insurance contributions,
capital duty, stamp duty, stamp duty reserve tax, stamp duty land
tax,
duties of customs and excise, petroleum revenue tax, rates, all
taxes,
duties or charges replaced by or replacing any of them, and all
other
taxes on gross or net income, profits or gains, distributions,
receipts,
sales, use, occupation, franchise, value added, and personal property,
and
all levies, imposts, duties, charges or withholdings in the nature
of
taxation, and any payment whatsoever which the relevant person
may be or
become bound to make to any person as a result of the discharge
by that
person of any tax which the relevant person has failed to discharge,
together with all penalties, charges and interest relating to any
of the
foregoing or to any late or incorrect return in respect of any
of them,
and regardless of whether any such taxes, levies, duties, imposts,
charges, withholdings, penalties and interest are chargeable directly
or
primarily against or attributable directly or primarily to the
relevant
person or any other person and of whether any amount in respect
of any of
them is recoverable from any other person;
|
|
"tax
authority"
|
means
any taxing or other authority (whether within or outside the United
Kingdom) competent to impose any tax liability;
|
|
"tax
claim"
|
means:
(a)
the issue of any notice, demand, assessment, letter or other
document by or on behalf of any tax authority or the imposition
of any
withholding of or on account of tax; or
(b)
the preparation or submission of any notice, return, assessment,
letter or other document by the Buyer, the Company or any other
person,
from
which it appears that a tax liability has been incurred by or will
be
imposed on the Company;
|
"tax
liability"
|
means
both a liability of the Company to make or suffer an actual payment
of tax
(or an amount in respect of tax) and also:
(a)
the loss of any relief falling within paragraph (a) of the definition
of
Buyer’s relief; and
(b)
the use or set off of any Buyer’s relief in circumstances where, but
for such use or set off, the Company would have had an actual tax
liability in respect of which the Buyer would have been able to
make a
claim against the Sellers under this Schedule,
and,
where paragraph (a) or (b) above applies, the amount that is to
be treated
for the purposes of this Schedule as a tax liability of the Company
shall
be determined as follows:
(i)
where the relief that is the subject of the loss or which is used
or set off as mentioned in those paragraphs is a deduction from
or offset
against tax, the tax liability shall be the amount of that relief
so lost,
used or set off;
(ii)
where the relief that is the subject of the loss or which is used
or
set off as mentioned in those paragraphs is a deduction from or
offset
against income, profits or gains, the tax liability shall be, in
the case
of a relief which is used or set off, the amount of tax saved thereby
and,
in the case of a relief which is lost, the amount of tax which
but for
such loss would have been saved by virtue of the relief so lost,
ignoring
for this purpose the effect of reliefs (other than deductions in
computing
profits for the purpose of tax) arising in respect of an event
occurring
or period ending after Completion; and
(iii) where
the relief that is the subject of the loss or setting off is a
repayment
of tax, the tax liability shall be the amount of the repayment
that would
have been obtained but for the loss, use or setting
off;
|
|
“Tax
Payment Date”
|
means,
in relation to any Losses, nine months after the end of the accounting
period of the relevant member of the Buyer’s Group in which such Losses
are Utilised.
|
“Tax
Relief Payment”
|
means
a payment (if any) to the Sellers in Due Proportion in respect
of the
Losses which are Utilised by any member of the Buyer’s Group in any period
following Completion and calculated in accordance with paragraph
14.
|
|
“Taxation
Warranty”
|
a
Warranty in Part 2 of Schedule 2
|
|
"Taxes
Act"
|
means
the Income and Corporation Taxes Xxx 0000.
|
|
Utilised
|
means
used by the Buyer, the Company or any member of the Buyer’s Group to
reduce their respective liability to Tax or obtain a repayment
in respect
of Tax.
|
1.2
|
Any
reference to income, profits or gains earned, accrued or received
on or
before a particular date or in respect of a particular period shall
include income, profits or gains which for tax purposes are deemed
to have
been or are treated or regarded as earned, accrued or received on
or
before that date or in respect of that
period.
|
1.3
|
Any
reference to an event occurring on or before Completion shall be
deemed to
include a series or combination of events the first of which occurred
on
or before Completion within the ordinary course of business of the
Company
as carried on at Completion, and the second of which occurred after
Completion outside the ordinary course of business of the Company
as
carried on at Completion.
|
1.4
|
Persons
shall be treated as connected for the purposes of this Schedule if
they
are connected within the meaning of section 839 of the Taxes
Act.
|
1.5
|
Any
stamp duty which is charged or chargeable on any document executed
prior
to Completion which is necessary to establish the title of the Company
to
the asset or in the enforcement or production of which the Company
is
interested shall be deemed, together with any interest, fines or
penalties
relating to such stamp duty, to be a liability of the Company to
make an
actual payment of tax.
|
1.6
|
The
rule known as the ejusdem generis rule shall not apply and
accordingly:
|
a)
|
general
words shall not be given a restrictive meaning by reason of the fact
that
they are preceded by words indicating a particular class of acts,
matters
or things; and
|
b)
|
general
words shall not be given a restrictive meaning by reason of the fact
that
they are followed by particular examples intended to be embraced
by the
general words.
|
1.7
|
In
this Schedule, unless the context otherwise
requires:
|
a)
|
references
to persons include individuals, bodies corporate (wherever incorporated),
unincorporated associations and
partnerships;
|
b)
|
the
headings are inserted for convenience only and do not affect the
construction of this Schedule;
|
c)
|
references
to one gender include all genders;
|
d)
|
any
reference to an enactment or statutory provision is a reference to
it as
it may have been, or may from time to time be, amended, modified,
consolidated or re-enacted; and
|
e)
|
references
to any English legal term for any action, remedy, method of judicial
proceeding, legal document, legal status, court official or any other
legal concept is, in respect of any jurisdiction other than England,
deemed to include the legal concept or term which most nearly approximates
in that jurisdiction to the English legal
term.
|
1.8
|
All
payments made by the Sellers to the Buyer or by the Buyer to the
Sellers
under this Schedule, other than payments of interest, shall so far
as
possible be made by way of adjustment to the consideration for the
sale of
the Shares.
|
2
|
Covenant
to pay
|
The
Sellers hereby jointly and severally covenant with the Buyer (for itself and
as
trustee for its successors in title) to pay to the Buyer an amount equivalent
to:
2.1
|
any
tax liability arising in respect of, by reference to or in consequence
of:
|
a)
|
any
income, profits or gains earned, accrued or received on or before
Completion;
|
b)
|
any
event which occurs or occurred on or before Completion;
and
|
c)
|
any
failure to discharge or default in discharging any of the Sellers’
obligations under this schedule, including any failure to meet any
relevant time limit;
|
2.2
|
any
tax liability arising in respect of any inheritance tax
which:
|
a)
|
is
at Completion a charge on any of the shares or assets of the Company
or
gives rise to a power to sell, mortgage or charge any of the shares
or
assets of the Company; or
|
b)
|
after
Completion becomes a charge on or gives rise to a power to sell,
mortgage
or charge any of the shares or assets of the Company, being a liability
in
respect of additional inheritance tax payable on the death of any
person
within seven years after a transfer of value if a charge on or power
to
sell, mortgage or charge any such shares or assets existed at Completion
or would, if death had occurred immediately before Completion and
the
inheritance tax payable as a result of such death had not been paid,
have
existed at Completion; or
|
c)
|
arises
as a result of a transfer of value occurring on or before Completion
(whether or not in conjunction with the death of any person whenever
occurring) which increased or decreased the value of the estate of
any
participator in the Company;
|
2.3
|
any
Costs reasonably and properly suffered or incurred by the Company
as a
result of, or in connection with, any claim being made against the
Company
in respect of or relating to tax under the terms of any agreement
for the
sale and purchase of shares or a business or part of a business entered
into by the Company prior to Completion;
or
|
2.4
|
any
tax liability which is a liability to account for amounts in respect
of
income tax or National Insurance Contributions as a consequence of
the
Consideration or any part thereof paid to the Sellers pursuant to
this
Agreement being treated as
remuneration.
|
3
|
Exclusions
|
The
covenant contained in paragraph 2.1 shall not cover any tax liability nor shall
the Sellers be liable for a breach of a Taxation Warranty to the extent
that:
a)
|
provision
in respect of that tax liability has been made in the Completion
Accounts
or the tax liability was paid or discharged before the Completion;
or
|
b)
|
the
tax liability arises or is increased as a result only of any increase
in
rates of tax, any change in legislation, any change in the judicial
interpretation of any legislation or any change in the published
practice
of a tax authority in all cases which is announced and comes into
force
after Completion with retrospective effect;
or
|
c)
|
the
tax liability would not have arisen but for a voluntary transaction,
action or omission carried out or effected by the Company concerned
at any
time after Completion, except that this exclusion shall not apply
where
any such transaction, action or
omission:
|
(i)
|
is
carried out or effected pursuant to a legally binding commitment
created
on or before Completion, or which for some other reason could not
reasonably have been avoided; or
|
(ii)
|
is
carried out or effected in the ordinary course of business;
or
|
d)
|
such
tax liability would not have arisen or would have been reduced or
eliminated but for a failure or omission on the part of any member
of the
Buyer’s Group Company after Completion to make any claim or election or
to
give any notice or consent or to do any other thing in relation to
Taxation which was taken into account in the Completion Accounts in
circumstances where the Sellers have notified the Buyer in advance
and in
writing of all claims, elections, notices, consents, or any other
things,
the making, giving or doing of which will be or are assumed to have
been
taken into account in the Completion Accounts;
or
|
e)
|
such
tax liability would not have arisen but for a change in the accounting
reference date of or of any accounting policies of any member of
the
Buyer’s Group Company other than any changes required to comply with UK
generally accepted accounting principles in force at Completion;
or
|
f)
|
such
tax liability is in respect of the actual as opposed to the deemed
earning, receipt or accrual for any Taxation purpose of any income,
profit
or gain which is not recognised in the Completion Accounts;
or
|
g)
|
such
tax liability or other liability would not have arisen but for the
Company
ceasing to carry on any trade or business after Completion or effecting
a
major change after Completion in the nature or conduct of any trade
or
business carried on by it; or
|
h)
|
such
tax liability would not have arisen but for the withdrawal or amendment
by
the Company after Completion of any claim election, surrender, disclaimer,
notice or consent made by the Company on or before Completion or
in
respect of any accounting period ending on or before Completion;
or
|
i)
|
such
tax liability would not have arisen but for the withdrawal or amendment
by
the Company after Completion of any claim, election, surrender,
disclaimer, notice or consent made by the Company on or before Completion
or in respect of any accounting period ending on or before Completion
in
circumstances where the relevant claims, elections, surrenders,
disclaimers, notices or consents which have been made given or done
by the
Company in respect of such periods are apparent from the documents
provided to the Buyer in the Disclosure Letter;
or
|
j)
|
such
tax liability would not have arisen but for any failure by the Buyer
or
the Company to comply with its obligations under this Schedule 4;
or
|
k)
|
such
tax liability would not have arisen but for any failure or delay
by the
Buyer in paying over to any taxation authority any payment previously
made
by the Sellers under this Schedule 4;
or
|
l)
|
such
tax liability is increased as a result of the average rate of corporation
tax of the Company increasing as a result of becoming associated
with the
Buyer; or
|
m)
|
a
Sellers’ relief is available (or is made available) at no cost to the
Company to be used against the liability in
question.
|
4
|
Costs
and expenses
|
The
covenant contained in this Schedule shall extend to all Costs incurred by the
Buyer or the Company in connection with a claim for which the Sellers are liable
under this Schedule or in connection with the subject matter of any such claim,
including in connection with any action taken as referred to in paragraph 7
and
any satisfaction or settlement of a tax liability in accordance with that
paragraph.
5
|
Withholdings/deductions
from covenant payments
|
5.1
|
All
sums payable by the Sellers under this Schedule (other than interest
payable under paragraph 8.6) shall be paid without set-off or
counterclaim.
|
5.2
|
All
sums payable by the Sellers under this Schedule (other than interest
payable under paragraph 8.6) shall be paid free and clear of all
deductions or withholdings unless the deduction or withholding is
required
by law, in which event the Sellers shall pay such additional amount
as
shall be required to ensure that the net amount received by the Buyer
under this Schedule will equal the full amount which would have been
received by it had no such deduction or withholding been required
to be
made.
|
6
|
Tax
on covenant payments
|
6.1
|
If
any tax authority brings into charge to tax any sum paid to the Buyer
under this Schedule (other than interest payable under paragraph
8.6)
including in circumstances where any relief is available in respect
of
such charge to tax), then the Sellers shall pay such additional amount
as
shall be required to ensure that the total amount paid, less the
tax
chargeable on such amount (or that would be so chargeable but for
such
relief), is equal to the amount that would otherwise be payable under
this
Schedule save to the extent that any such amounts are increased solely
as
a result of the Buyer assigning the benefit of this
Schedule.
|
6.2
|
Paragraph
6.1 shall apply in respect of any amount deducted or withheld as
contemplated by paragraph 5.2 as it applies to sums paid to the Buyer,
save to the extent that in computing the tax chargeable the Buyer
is able
to obtain a credit for the amount deducted or
withheld.
|
7
|
Notification
of claims and conduct of
disputes
|
7.1
|
If
the Buyer becomes aware of any tax claim relevant for the purposes
of this
Schedule, the Buyer shall give, or shall procure that notice of that
tax
claim is given, to the Sellers as soon as reasonably practicable
and in
any event within 15 Business Days of the Buyer so becoming aware
and shall
(subject to paragraphs 7.2 and 7.3) take (or shall procure that the
Company shall take) such action as the Sellers may reasonably request
to
dispute, resist, appeal, compromise or defend the tax claim and any
adjudication in respect thereof including applying to postpone (so
far as
legally possible) the payment of any taxation. The written notice
of the
tax claim given to the Sellers will, in reasonable detail, explain
the tax
claim and the tax liability to which the tax claim relates (including,
without limitation, an explanation as to how such tax liability may
give
rise to a claim under this Schedule 4), where possible, give an estimate
of the amount thereof and show how the estimate was
calculated.
|
7.2
|
The
Buyer shall not be required to take any action pursuant to paragraph
7.1:
|
(a) |
unless
the Buyer and the Company is each promptly indemnified to the Buyer’s
reasonable satisfaction by the Sellers against all Costs and additional
tax that may be thereby incurred;
or
|
(b) |
if,
in the Buyer's reasonable opinion, the action is likely to affect
adversely either the future liability of the Buyer, the Company to
tax or
the relation of any of them or of any person connected with any of
them
with a tax authority; or
|
(c) |
which
involves contesting a tax claim beyond the first appellate body (excluding
the tax authority which has made the tax claim) in the jurisdiction
concerned unless the Sellers obtain (at the Sellers’ Cost) the opinion of
tax counsel of at least ten years’ call that it is reasonable in all
circumstances to make such an
appeal.
|
7.3
|
If
the Sellers do not request the Buyer to take any appropriate action
within
twenty eight days of notice to the Sellers, or no action is required
to be
taken by virtue of any of the provisions of paragraph 7.2, the Buyer
shall
be free to satisfy or settle (or to allow the Company to satisfy
or
settle) the relevant tax liability on such terms as it may in its
absolute
discretion, exercised in good faith, think
fit.
|
8
|
Due
date of payment and
interest
|
8.1
|
Where
a claim under this Schedule relates to a liability to make or suffer
an
actual payment or increased payment of tax or an amount in respect
thereof, the Sellers shall pay to the Buyer the amount claimed under
this
Schedule in respect thereof on or before the date which is the later
of
the date ten Business Days after demand is made therefor under this
Schedule and the third Business Day prior
to:
|
(a) |
in
the case of tax in respect of which there is no provision for payment
by
instalments, the latest date on which the tax in question can be
paid to
the relevant tax authority in order to avoid a liability to interest
or
penalties accruing; or
|
(b) |
in
the case of tax in respect of which there is provision for payment
by
instalments, each date on which an instalment of such tax becomes
payable
(and so that on each such date an appropriate proportion of the amount
claimed shall be paid, such proportion to be notified by the Buyer
to the
Sellers at least five Business Days prior to each such date);
|
Provided
that, if the date on which tax to which this paragraph applies can be recovered
is deferred following application to the appropriate authority and the Sellers
indemnify the Buyer, the Company to the Buyer’s reasonable satisfaction in
accordance with paragraph 7.2, the date for payment by the Sellers shall be
the
earlier of the date on which the tax becomes recoverable by the relevant tax
authority (notwithstanding any initial deferral) and such date when the amount
of tax is finally and conclusively determined. For this purpose, an amount
of
tax shall be deemed to be finally determined when, in respect of such amount,
an
agreement under section 54 of the Taxes Management Xxx 0000 or any legislative
provision corresponding to that section is made, or a decision of a court or
tribunal is given or any binding agreement or determination is made from which
either no appeal lies or in respect of which no appeal is made within the
prescribed time limit.
8.2
|
Where
a claim under this Schedule relates to the loss or set off of a repayment
of tax, the Sellers shall pay to the Buyer the amount claimed under
this
Schedule in respect thereof on or before the date which is the later
of
the date ten Business Days after demand is made therefor under this
Schedule and the date when such repayment would have been due were
it not
for such loss or setting off.
|
8.3
|
Where
a claim under this Schedule relates to the loss, use or set off of
any
Buyer’s relief other than a repayment of tax, the Sellers shall pay to
the
Buyer the amount claimed under this Schedule in respect thereof on
or
before the date which is the later of the date ten Business Days
after
demand is made therefor under this Schedule,
and:
|
(a) |
in
the case of a relief which is used or set off, the date or dates
referred
to in paragraph 8.1(a) or 8.1(b) that would have applied to the tax
saved
by the use or set off of the relief if that tax had been payable;
or
|
(b) |
in
the case of a relief which is lost, the date or dates referred to
in
paragraph 8.1(a) or 8.1(b) that apply to the tax which but for such
loss
would have been saved by virtue of such relief, ignoring for this
purpose
the effect of reliefs (other than deductions in computing profits
for the
purposes of tax) arising in respect of an event occurring or period
ending
after Completion.
|
8.4
|
Where
a claim under this Schedule relates to Costs of the type referred
to in
paragraph 2.3 above, the Sellers shall pay to the Buyer the amount
claimed
under this Schedule in respect thereof on or before the date which
is the
later of the date ten Business Days after demand is made therefor
under
this Schedule and the fifth Business Day prior to the date when the
Company becomes liable to pay or incur such Costs under the relevant
sale
and purchase agreement.
|
8.5
|
Paragraphs
8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4 shall apply to any additional amount payable
under
paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 so that such amount shall be paid on the later
of
the date ten Business Days after demand is made therefor by or on
behalf
of the claimant and such other date or dates determined under paragraphs
8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4 in relation to the tax, relief or Costs to
which the
claim under paragraph 2 in respect of which such additional amount
is due,
relates.
|
8.6
|
Any
sum not paid by the Sellers on the due date for payment specified
in this
paragraph 8 shall bear interest (which shall accrue from day to day
after
as well as before any judgment for the same) at the rate of 3 per
cent.
per annum over the base rate of Barclays Bank Plc (or in the absence
of
such rate at such similar rate as the Buyer shall select) from the
due
date to and including the day of actual payment of such sum. Such
interest
shall be paid on the demand of the
Buyer.
|
9
|
Recovery
from third parties
|
9.1
|
If
any payment is made by the Sellers under this Schedule in full discharge
of a liability which arises under this Schedule in respect of a tax
liability and the Buyer or the Company subsequently receives from
any
person other than the Buyer, the Company or any person connected
with any
of them a payment or relief in respect of the tax liability in question
(which payment or relief is received by virtue of a legal right),
the
Buyer shall pay to the Sellers an amount equal to the amount received
or
the amount that the Buyer or the Company will save by virtue of the
receipt of the relief (less the amount of all Costs incurred in obtaining
such payment or relief, and net of any tax payable on the amount
received)
to the extent that the payment to the Sellers does not exceed the
payment
originally made by the Sellers (net of any tax suffered thereon),
and to
the extent that the right to such payment or relief is not prejudiced
thereby.
|
9.2
|
Where
the Buyer or the Company receives a relief as referred to in paragraph
9.1, a payment shall be made to the Sellers within 10 Business Days
of the
date on which the tax that would have been payable but for the relief
would have become recoverable by the appropriate tax authority. Such
payment shall not be made to the extent that, but for the use of
such
relief, the Company would have had an actual tax liability in respect
of
which the Buyer would have been able to make a claim against the
Sellers
under this Schedule.
|
9.3
|
The
provisions of paragraph 8.6 shall apply to payments under this paragraph
9
as if references to the Buyer were substituted with references to
the
Sellers and vice versa and subject to any other necessary
modifications.
|
10
|
Secondary
liabilities
|
10.1
|
The
Sellers covenant with the Buyer to pay to the Buyer an amount equivalent
to any tax or any amount on account of tax which the Company, or
any other
member of the Buyer’s Group, is required to pay as a result of a failure
by any member of the Sellers to discharge that
tax.
|
10.2
|
The
Buyer covenants with the Sellers to pay to the Sellers an amount
equivalent to any tax or any amount on account of tax which the Sellers
are required to pay as a result of a failure by the Company, or any
other
member of the Buyer’s Group, to discharge that tax.
|
10.3
|
The
covenants contained in paragraphs 10.1 and 10.2
shall:
|
(a) |
extend
to any Costs incurred in connection with such tax or a claim under
paragraphs 10.1 or 10.2 as the case may
be;
|
(b) |
(in
the case of paragraph 10.2) not apply to tax to the extent that the
Buyer
could claim payment in respect of it under paragraph 2, except to
the
extent a payment has been made pursuant to paragraph 2 and the tax
to
which it relates was not paid by the Company;
and
|
(c) |
not
apply to tax to the extent it has been recovered under any relevant
statutory provision (and the Buyer or the Sellers as the case may
be shall
procure that no such recovery is sought to the extent that payment
is made
hereunder).
|
10.4
|
Paragraphs
6, 7 and 8 (tax on covenant payments, conduct of disputes and due
date for
payment) shall apply to the covenants contained in paragraphs 10.1
and
10.2 as they apply to the covenants contained in paragraph 2, replacing
references to the Sellers by the Buyer (and vice versa) where appropriate,
and making any other necessary
modifications.
|
11
|
Management
of pre-completion tax affairs
|
Interpretation
11.1
|
In
this paragraph 11 and in paragraph
12:
|
"accounting
period"
|
means
any period by reference to which any income, profits or gains, or any
other amounts relevant for the purposes of tax, are measured or
determined;
|
|
"pre-Completion
tax affairs"
|
means
the tax affairs of the Company for which the Sellers are responsible
under
this paragraph 11;
|
|
"tax
documents"
|
means
the tax returns, claims and other documents which the Sellers are
required
to prepare on behalf of the Company under paragraphs 11.2(a) and
11.2(b);
|
|
"tax
return"
|
means
any return required to be made to any tax authority of income,
profits or
gains or of any other amounts or information relevant for the purposes
of
tax, including any related Completion Accounts, computations and
attachments; and
|
|
"time
limit"
|
means
the latest date on which a tax document can be executed or delivered
to a
relevant tax authority either without incurring interest or a penalty,
or
in order to ensure that such tax document is
effective.
|
Rights
and Obligations of the Sellers
11.2
|
Subject
to and in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph the Sellers
or
their duly authorised agents shall, in respect of all accounting
periods
ending on or before Completion, and at the Company’s
cost:
|
(a) |
prepare
the tax returns of the Company;
|
(b) |
prepare
on behalf of the Company all claims, elections, surrenders, disclaimers,
notices and consents for the purposes of tax;
and
|
(c) |
(subject
to paragraph 7) deal with all matters relating to tax which concern
or
affect the Company, including the conduct of all negotiations and
correspondence and the reaching of all agreements relating thereto
or to
any tax documents.
|
11.3
|
Except
with the Buyer's written consent, the Sellers shall not, and shall
procure
that its duly authorised agents do not, prepare any tax document
(or any
similar document relating to the tax affairs of the Sellers or any
company
under its control) which comprises or includes a claim, election,
surrender, disclaimer, notice or consent, or withdraw any such item
unless
the making, giving or withdrawal of it (as the case may be) either
has
been taken into account in preparing the Completion Accounts, or
could not
have any adverse effect on the liability to tax of the
Company.
|
11.4
|
The
Sellers or their duly authorised agents shall deliver all tax documents
to
the Buyer for authorisation, signing and submission to the relevant
tax
authority. If a time limit applies in relation to any tax document,
the
Sellers shall ensure that the Buyer receives the tax document no
later
than 10 Business Days before the expiry of the time
limit.
|
11.5
|
If
the Sellers or their duly authorised agent fails to deliver a tax
document
to which a time limit applies to the Buyer within the period specified
in
paragraph 11.4, and such tax document is a tax return or is otherwise
material to the tax position of the Company,
then:
|
(a) |
the
Sellers shall notify the Buyer of such failure as soon as is
practicable;
|
(b) |
the
Buyer shall be permitted to arrange for the preparation and submission
of
the tax document (but shall not be liable for any failure to do so);
and
|
(c) |
(for
the avoidance of doubt) paragraph 2.1(c) shall apply in respect of
such
failure.
|
11.6
|
The
Sellers shall procure that:
|
(a) |
the
Buyer is kept fully informed of the progress of all matters relating
to
the pre-Completion tax affairs;
|
(b) |
the
Buyer promptly receives copies of all written correspondence with
any tax
authority insofar as it is relevant to the pre-Completion tax
affairs;
|
(c) |
no
tax document is submitted to any tax authority which is not, so far
as the
Sellers are aware, complete, true and accurate in all respects, and
not
misleading; and
|
(d) |
no
Material Correspondence is submitted to, or any Material Agreement
reached
with, any tax authority without the prior approval of the Buyer (such
approval not to be unreasonably withheld or
delayed).
|
For
the
purposes of sub-paragraph 11.6(d) above, Material Correspondence and Material
Agreements are tax documents, other correspondence and agreements which the
Sellers consider or ought reasonably to consider may be of material importance
to the Buyer as regards either the future relationship with the tax authority
concerned, or the future liability to tax, of the Buyer or the
Company.
11.7
|
The
Sellers agree to devote reasonable resources to dealing with
pre-Completion tax affairs, and shall use reasonable endeavours to
ensure
that they are finalised as soon as reasonably practicable. Following
such
date the Sellers and their agents shall cease to be responsible for,
or to
have power or authority to deal with, pre-Completion tax affairs
on behalf
of the Company but shall pay to the Buyer the amount of any reasonable
costs and expenses thereafter incurred in conducting such
affairs.
|
Obligations
of the Buyer
11.8
|
The
Buyer shall procure that:
|
(a) |
the
Sellers and their duly authorised agents are afforded such access
(including the taking of copies) to the books, Completion Accounts
and
records of the Company and such other assistance as it or they reasonably
require to enable the Sellers to discharge their obligations under
paragraph 11.2 and to enable the Sellers to comply with their own
tax
obligations; and
|
(b) |
the
Sellers are sent a copy of any communication from any tax authority
insofar as it relates to the pre-Completion tax
affairs.
|
11.9
|
The
Buyer shall (subject to paragraph 11.10 below and to compliance by
the
Sellers with the other provisions of this paragraph 11) be obliged
to
procure that the Company shall cause any tax document delivered to
it
under paragraph 11.4 to be authorised, signed and submitted to the
appropriate tax authority.
|
Rights
of the Buyer
11.10
|
The
Buyer shall be under no obligation to procure the authorisation,
signing,
or submission to a tax authority of any tax document delivered to
it under
paragraph 11.4 which it considers in its reasonable opinion to be
false,
misleading, incomplete or inaccurate in any respect, but for the
avoidance
of doubt shall be under no obligation to make any enquiry as to the
completeness or accuracy thereof and shall be entitled to rely entirely
on
the Sellers and its agents.
|
11.11
|
If
the Buyer considers in its reasonable opinion
that:
|
(a) |
any
tax document prepared by or on behalf of the Sellers pursuant to
paragraph
11.2 is false, misleading, incomplete or inaccurate in any material
respect (otherwise than as a result of the non-disclosure of information
by the Buyer or the Company to the Sellers);
or
|
(b) |
the
way in which the Sellers or their duly authorised agents are conducting
or
are proposing to conduct the pre-Completion tax affairs is improper
or
negligent or is likely to:
|
(i)
|
involve
unreasonable delay in reaching agreement with a relevant tax authority;
or
|
(ii)
|
prejudice
the future relationship with the tax authority of the Buyer or the
Company,
|
then,
without prejudice to any rights or remedies available to the Buyer under this
Schedule, the Buyer shall be entitled to serve notice on the Sellers terminating
their authority to deal with pre-Completion tax affairs, whereupon the
provisions of paragraph 10.7 shall apply as if the date referred to in that
paragraph had passed.
12
|
Conduct
of other tax affairs
|
12.1
|
Subject
to paragraph 7, the Buyer or its duly authorised agents shall have
sole
conduct of all tax affairs of the Company which are not pre-Completion
tax
affairs and shall be entitled to deal with such tax affairs in any
way in
which it, in its absolute discretion, considers
fit.
|
12.2
|
In
respect of any accounting period commencing prior to Completion and
ending
after Completion (the "Straddle Period") the Buyer shall procure
that the
tax returns of the Company shall be prepared on a basis which is
consistent with the manner in which the tax returns of the Company
were
prepared for all accounting periods ending prior to
Completion.
|
12.3
|
The
Buyer shall procure that the Company provide to the Sellers all tax
returns relating to the Straddle Period no later than 20 Business
Days
before the date on which such tax returns are required to be filed
with
the appropriate tax authority without incurring interest or penalties.
The
Buyer shall further procure that the Company shall take the Sellers’
reasonable comments into account before those tax returns are submitted
to
the appropriate tax authority.
|
12.4
|
The
Sellers shall provide such assistance as the Buyer shall reasonably
request in preparing all tax returns relating to the Straddle
Period.
|
13
|
Savings
and Over Provisions
|
13.1
|
If
any member of the Buyer’s Group obtains a Saving or it becomes apparent
that an Over Provision has been made, the Saving or Over Provision
(as the
case may be) will be applied as
follows:
|
a)
|
first,
the amount of the Saving or Over Provision will be set off against
any
payment then due from the Sellers under this Schedule
4;
|
b)
|
secondly,
to the extent that there is an excess, the Buyer will, within ten
Business
Days of a member of the Buyer’s Group obtaining a Saving or it becoming
apparent that there is an Over Provision, as the case may be, pay
to the
Sellers the lesser of:
|
(i)
|
the
amount of the excess; and
|
(ii)
|
any
amount previously paid by the Sellers under this Schedule 4 (including
for
any breach of any Taxation
Warranty);
|
c)
|
thirdly,
and in the case of a Saving only where the Saving arises from the
use of a
Corresponding Relief, to the extent that the excess referred to in
paragraph 13.1(b) is not exhausted, the remainder of that excess
will
carried forward and set off against any future liability of the Sellers
under this Schedule 4 (including for any breach of any Taxation Warranty).
For the avoidance of doubt, the Buyer shall have no obligation to
make,
and the Sellers shall have no right to receive any payment in excess
of
any amounts paid by the Sellers under this Tax
Covenant.
|
13.2
|
The
Buyer will procure that the Company uses any Sellers’ relief available to
it which would give rise to a Saving as soon as it is reasonably
practicable for the Company to do
so.
|
13.3
|
The
Buyer will inform the Sellers as soon as reasonably practicable after
it
or the Company becomes aware that the Company may obtain a Saving
or that
there may be an Over Provision.
|
13.4
|
If
the parties cannot agree as to the existence and/or the quantum of
any
Saving or Over Provision or the date on which any Saving is obtained,
such
disagreement may be referred by either party to the Auditors for
determination and, in making such determination, the Auditors will
act as
experts and not as arbitrators and their determination will (in the
absence of manifest error) be conclusive and binding on the parties.
The
costs of the Auditors shall be borne as the Auditors shall determine
having regard to the relative merits of the parties in respect of
the
disagreement and such determination as to costs will be conclusive
and
binding on the parties.
|
13.5
|
The
provisions of paragraph 8.6 will apply to paragraph 13.1(b) as if
references to the Buyer were substituted with references to the Sellers
and vice versa and subject to any other necessary
modifications.
|
14
|
Tax
Relief Payments
|
14.1
|
The
Buyer will inform the Sellers as soon as reasonably practicable after
it
or the Company becomes aware that any Losses may be
Utilised.
|
14.2
|
If
any member of the Buyer’s Group is able to Utilise Losses, the Buyer shall
make a Tax Relief Payment to the
Sellers.
|
14.3
|
The
amount of such Tax Relief Payment shall be an amount equal to 80%
of any
relevant Losses which have been Utilised, multiplied by the rate
of
Corporation Tax payable by the relevant member of the Buyer’s Group on the
taxable amounts against which such Losses have been
Utilised.
|
14.4
|
Each
Tax Relief Payment shall become payable on the Tax Payment Date which
relates to the Losses in question.
|
14.5
|
If
any Losses which have been Utilised are subsequently disallowed by
HM
Revenue & Customs (for whatever reason) the Sellers will repay to the
Buyer the amount of any Tax Relief Payment made by the Buyer in respect
of
the amount of the relevant Losses which are disallowed. Such repayment
shall be made by the Sellers within 15 Business Days of receipt of
written
notice from the Buyer that such Losses have been
disallowed.
|
14.6
|
For
the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the existence of any Losses
at
Completion, the Buyer shall be under no obligation to make any Tax
Relief
Payments unless (and only to the extent that) such Losses are
Utilised.
|
14.7
|
The
provisions of paragraph 8.6 will apply to paragraph 14.4 as if references
to the Buyer were substituted with references to the Sellers and
vice
versa and subject to any other necessary modifications.
|
14.8
|
The
Buyer shall provide the Sellers with copies of the tax returns
and computations of the Company (or any company in the Buyer's Group
which acquires the Company's business and assets) for all the accounting
periods ending after Completion until the Losses are
utilised.
|
14.9
|
To
the extent permitted by law, the Buyer shall use the Losses in priority
to
any other reliefs which arise to the Company after
Completion.
|
15
|
Illegality
|
If
at any
time any provision of this Schedule is or becomes illegal, invalid or
unenforceable in any respect under the law of any jurisdiction, neither the
legality, validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof nor
the
legality, validity or enforceability of such provision under the law of any
other jurisdiction shall in any way be affected or impaired
thereby.
16
|
Waiver
|
16.1
|
Subject
to the foregoing provisions of this Schedule, no delay or omission
of the
Buyer in exercising any right or power under or pursuant to this
Schedule
shall impair such right or power or be construed as a waiver or variation
thereof or preclude its exercise at any subsequent time and no single
or
partial exercise of any such right or power shall preclude any other
or
further exercise of it or any other right or power. The rights and
remedies of the Buyer provided in this Schedule are cumulative, may
be
exercised as often as such party considers appropriate, and are in
addition to its rights and remedies under general
law.
|
16.2
|
The
rights and remedies of the Buyer under this Schedule shall not be
affected, and the Sellers’ liabilities under this Schedule shall not,
subject to compliance with the notice requirements in this Schedule
and in
this Agreement, be released, discharged or impaired, by the expiry
of any
limitation period prescribed by
law.
|
17
|
Assignment
|
17.1
|
The
Sellers agree and acknowledge that the Buyer shall be entitled at
any time
to assign, transfer or charge all or any of its rights under this
Schedule.
|
17.2
|
If
the Buyer assigns or transfers or charges any of its rights under
this
Schedule the Buyer will notify the Sellers as soon as practicable
after
such assignment, transfer or charge together with particulars of
the
assignee, transferee or chargee.
|
17.3
|
The
Sellers shall from time to time upon request from the Buyer execute
any
agreements or other instruments (including, without limitation, any
supplement or amendment to this Schedule) which may be required in
order
to give effect to or perfect any assignment, transfer or charge referred
to in paragraph 15.1.
|
17.4
|
The
Sellers shall not nor shall it purport to assign, transfer, charge
or
otherwise deal with all or any of its rights under this Schedule
nor
grant, declare, create or dispose of any right or interest in it
without
the prior written consent of the Buyer, such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld or delayed.
|
Schedule
5 - Games
Playstation
Titles
|
Actua
Soccer 3
|
Actua
Golf 3
|
Actua
Tennis
|
Actua
Pool/Pool Shark
|
Actua
Ice Hockey
|
Loaded
|
Re-Loaded
|
Hardcore
4x4
|
Buggy
|
Premier
Manager 2000
|
N20
|
Motorhead
|
PC
Titles
Casino
Poker
|
Casino
Blackjack
|
Fragile
Allegiance
|
Hardwar
|
Litil
Divil
|
Motorhead
|
Normality
|
Realms
of the Haunting
|
Slipstream
5000
|
Fatal
Racing
|
Wild
Metal Country
|
Prem
Man 98
|
Xxxxxxxxxxx
|
Buggy
|
Pool
Shark
|
Hardcore
4x4
|
Sand
Warriors
|
Actua
Golf
|
Actua
Soccer 3
|
Actua
Ice Hockey
|
Actua
Tennis
|
Zool
|
Zool
2
|
K240
Gun
Metal
|
Home
Creative Studio
|
Schedule
6 – Limitations on the liability
of the Sellers
1
|
Financial
limits
|
The
aggregate liability of the Sellers for all Claims, shall not exceed the
aggregate amount of the Consideration actually received by the Sellers pursuant
to this Agreement from time to time. For the avoidance of doubt, for the
purposes of this paragraph, the value of the Consideration Shares is an amount
equal to USD$20.00 per share.
2
|
Time
limits
|
2.1
|
The
Sellers shall not be liable for a Claim unless the Buyer gives each
of the
Sellers notice of such Claim (stating in reasonable detail the matter
which gives rise to the Claim, the nature of the Claim and (so far
as
possible) a reasonable estimate of the amount
claimed):
|
a)
|
in
the case of a Claim for breach of any of the Warranties in part 2
of
schedule 2 or under the Tax Covenant, within a period ending 28 days
following the sixth anniversary of the accounting period in which
Completion occurs; or
|
b)
|
in
the case of any other Claim, on or before date which is 2 years from
Completion.
|
2.2
|
A
Claim notified in accordance with paragraph 2.1, which is not previously
satisfied, settled or withdrawn, shall be deemed to have been withdrawn
and waived in full by the Buyer unless a letter of claim in respect
of
such Claim compliant with the pre-action protocol has been sent to
the
Sellers within the period of 9 months starting on the day such claim
was
notified to the Sellers.
|
3
|
General
limits
|
The
Seller shall not be liable in respect of a Claim (other than a claim under
the
Tax Covenant) and accordingly no such Claim may be brought:
3.1
|
to
the extent that the matter, fact or circumstance giving rise to the
Claim:
|
a)
|
is
Disclosed;
|
b)
|
would
not have arisen or occurred but for an act, omission or transaction
done,
made or carried out:
|
(i)
|
by
the Sellers or the Company, or any of their employees or agents prior
to
Completion at the specific written request of or with the specific
written
consent of the Buyer and with actual knowledge that such act, omission
or
transaction would give rise to the relevant Claim;
or
|
(ii)
|
by
the Buyer or any of its directors, employees or agents at any time
with
actual knowledge that such act, omission or transaction would give
rise to
the relevant Claim;
|
other
than where any such act, omission or transaction is carried out (i) in the
ordinary course of the business of the Company, (ii) pursuant to a legally
binding obligation to which the Company, the Buyer and/or any member of the
Buyer’s Group is bound or (iii) to avoid or reduce any potential liability
arising from any facts, matters or circumstances which would otherwise give
rise
to a Claim or increase the amount of any Claim;
c)
|
would
not have arisen or occurred but for the passing of, or a change in,
a law,
rule, regulation, interpretation of the law or administrative practice
of
a government, governmental department, agency or regulatory body,
or a
judgment passed, after the date of this Agreement and which takes
effect
retrospectively; or
|
d)
|
is
specifically provided or reserved for in the Accounts or the Completion
Accounts (and then only as to the amount of the specific provision
or
reserve).
|
3.2
|
where
the matter giving rise to the Claim is capable of remedy without
any
damage, loss, liability, expense or prejudice to the Company, the
Buyer or
any member of the Buyer’s Group, until after notice of the breach is given
to each of the Sellers and the matter is not remedied to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Buyer (without any damage, loss, liability, expense
or
prejudice to the Company, the Buyer or any member of the Buyer’s Group
arising as a result) within 20 days after the date on which such
notice is
served;
|
3.3
|
where
the matter giving rise to the Claim is one for which the Buyer or
the
Company has a right of recovery under any policy of insurance (and
only to
the extent that the Buyer or the Company makes such a recovery and
provided such recovery does not result in or increase any damage,
loss,
liability, expense or prejudice to the Company, the Buyer or any
member of
the Buyer’s Group or any material increase in any future insurance
premiums);
|
3.4
|
where
the loss or liability resulting from the Claim has been or is made
good or
otherwise compensated for at no expense to the Buyer or the
Company;
|
3.5
|
which
is contingent or unquantifiable unless and until either such contingent
liability becomes an actual liability or such unquantifiable liability
becomes quantifiable and, in either case, such liability is due and
payable provided that this paragraph shall not operate to avoid a
Claim in
respect of any contingent liability made before the expiry of the
period
referred to in paragraph 2.1 of this Schedule if reasonable details
of the
Claim have been sent to the Sellers before the expiry of such period
even
if such liability shall not become an actual liability until after
the
expiry of the relevant period and in the case of a Claim based upon
a
contingent liability, the 9 month period referred to in paragraph
2.2
shall start on the date such liability becomes an actual
liability;
|
4
|
Conduct
of Claims
and Recovery from Third Parties
|
4.1
|
This
paragraph does not apply to regulate the conduct of Claims in relation
to
tax but it applies to regulate the conduct of all other Claims as
set out
below. All Claims or potential Claims in relation to tax shall be
conducted in accordance with the Tax
Covenant.
|
4.2
|
Without
prejudice to the Buyer’s right to bring any Claim against the Sellers, the
Sellers may require the Buyer at the expense of the Sellers to take
and to
procure that the Company takes all such reasonable steps or proceedings
as
the Sellers may in good faith consider reasonably necessary in order
to
avoid, resist, mitigate, compromise, defend or appeal against any
Third
Party Claim or to enforce any Third Party Recovery Right provided
that:
|
(a)
|
the
Buyer shall not be obliged to take nor procure that the Company take
any
such steps or proceedings if or to the extent that they would, in
the
reasonable opinion of the Buyer:
|
(i) |
damage
or prejudice the Company, the Buyer or any member of the Buyer’s Group or
their business interests, goodwill or connections ; or
|
(ii) |
adversely
prejudice the relevant Third Party Claim or Third Party Recovery
Right;
|
(b) |
the
Sellers shall indemnify the Company and the Buyer on demand against
any
and all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the taking
of those
steps or proceedings and provide the Buyer with such security as
to
payment of such sums as the Buyer may reasonably require;
and
|
(c)
|
the
Sellers shall discuss and use all reasonable endeavours to agree
any such
proposed course of action with the Buyer prior to requiring the Buyer
or
the Company to undertake the same.
|
(d)
|
If
the Sellers do not take any action or fail to indemnify and give
security
as aforesaid within 14 days of notice being given to them, the Buyer
and
the Company shall be free to avoid, resist, mitigate, compromise,
defend
or appeal against any Third Party Claim or enforce any Third Party
Recovery Right as they wish.
|
4.3
|
If
any sum is recovered by the Buyer or any member of the Buyer’s Group from
a third party under a Third Party Recovery Right, unless the Buyer
has
paid any amount pursuant to this Schedule in respect of the same,
any
Claim by the Buyer or any member of the Buyer’s Group in respect of any
loss, damage or liability to which that sum relates shall be reduced
(without prejudice to any other limitations on the liability of the
Sellers referred to in this Schedule 6) by the amount of the sum
recovered
from the third party which is directly attributable to the subject
matter
of the relevant Claim after deducting from it all costs, charges
and
expenses incurred and not recovered by the Buyer or any member of
the
Buyer’s Group (as the case may be) in recovering that sum from the third
party.
|
4.4
|
Notwithstanding
the preceding provisions of this paragraph
4:
|
(a)
|
no
failure by the Purchaser to give any notice required under this paragraph
4 shall relieve the Sellers of any liability under this Agreement;
and
|
(b)
|
the
Sellers may not exercise any right pursuant to paragraph 4.2 of this
Schedule unless they first admit in writing that the relevant Claim
is one
in respect of which the Buyer is entitled to be compensated under
the
terms of this Agreement.
|
4.5
|
For
the purposes of this paragraph 4:
|
(a)
|
“Third
Party Claim”
means any claim by a third party against the Company and/or the Buyer’s
Group which will or is likely to give rise to a Claim;
and
|
(b)
|
“Third
Party Recovery Right”
means any right to which the Buyer or a member of the Buyer’s Group is or
becomes entitled (whether under any insurance or by way of payment,
discount, credit, set off, counterclaim or otherwise) to recover
from any
third party any material sum in respect of any loss, damage or liability
which is or is likely to be the subject of a
Claim.
|
5
|
Remedies
and rescission
|
5.1
|
The
Buyer acknowledges that, save in the case of
fraud:
|
a)
|
its
sole remedy for any Claim (other than a claim under the Tax Covenant)
or
any other claim under this Agreement shall be damages (subject to
the
provisions of this Schedule 6) and the Buyer waives any other right,
power
or remedy which it might otherwise have relating to any such claim;
and
|
b)
|
no
breach of any provision of this Agreement shall entitle the Buyer
to
rescind this Agreement or treat it as having been terminated and,
save as
aforesaid and to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Buyer waives
all
such rights of rescission and termination in respect of this Agreement
howsoever arising.
|
6
|
No
double claim
|
The
Buyer
is not entitled to recover damages or otherwise obtain payment, reimbursement
or
restitution (whether under the Warranties, Tax Covenant or otherwise) more
than
once in respect of the same liability or loss.
7
|
Duty
to mitigate
|
Nothing
in this schedule restricts or limits the Buyer's general obligation at law
to
mitigate any loss or damage which it may incur in consequence of a matter giving
rise to a Claim (other than a claim under the Tax Covenant).
SIGNED
by
XXXXX
XXXXX
|
)
)
|
SIGNED
by
XXX
XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX
|
)
)
|
SIGNED
by
duly
authorised for and on behalf of
GREEN
SCREEN INTERACTIVE
SOFTWARE LLC
|
)
)
)
)
|
Appendix
A
“ZDP
Financial Forecast 2008- 2009 March 08 V4 Detail.xls (2MB)”
“ZDP
3
Year P&L Forecast 08-11.xls (55KB)”