ING GROEP N.V. (a public limited liability company with corporate seat in Amsterdam, The Netherlands) UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT DATED: June 6, 2007
ING GROEP N.V.
(a public limited liability company with corporate seat
in Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
(a public limited liability company with corporate seat
in Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
DATED: June 6, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
Section 1. Representations And Warranties By The Company |
4 | |||
Section 2. Sale And Delivery To Underwriters; Closing |
9 | |||
Section 3. Covenants Of The Company |
13 | |||
Section 4. Payment Of Expenses |
18 | |||
Section 5. Conditions Of Underwriters’ Obligations |
19 | |||
Section 6. Indemnification |
23 | |||
Section 7. Contribution |
26 | |||
Section 8. Representations, Warranties And Agreements To Survive Delivery |
28 | |||
Section 9. Termination Of Agreement |
28 | |||
Section 10. Default By One Or More Of The Underwriters |
29 | |||
Section 11. Arm’s Length Relationship; No Fiduciary Duty |
30 | |||
Section 12. Notices |
30 | |||
Section 13. Parties |
30 | |||
Section 14. Governing Law, Submission For Jurisdiction |
31 | |||
Section 15. Judgment Currency |
32 | |||
Section 16. Effect Of Headings |
32 | |||
Schedule A: Names of Underwriters and Number of Initial Underwritten Securities to be Purchases |
35 | |||
Schedule B: Time of Sale Prospectus and Free Writing Prospectuses |
36 | |||
Schedule C: Bloomberg Notice/Term Sheet |
37 | |||
Exhibit A: Form of Opinion of Dutch Counsel to the Company |
A-1 | |||
Exhibit B: Form of Opinion of General Counsel to the Company |
B-1 | |||
Exhibit C: Form of Opinion of U.S. Counsel to the Company |
C-1 | |||
Exhibit D: Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Indenture Trustee |
D-1 | |||
Exhibit E: Form of Opinion of Dutch Tax Counsel to the Company |
E-1 |
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ING GROEP N.V.
(a limited liability company with corporate seat
in Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
(a limited liability company with corporate seat
in Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
6.375% ING Perpetual Hybrid Capital Securities
US$1,000,000,000
US$1,000,000,000
June 6, 2007
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
ING Financial Markets LLC
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
ING Financial Markets LLC
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
ING Groep N.V., a public limited liability company incorporated under the laws of The Netherlands
(the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
(“Citigroup”), ING Financial Markets LLC (“ING Financial”) and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
(“Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the
“Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as provided in Section 10
hereof), for whom ING Financial, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Citigroup are acting as representatives (in
such capacity, hereinafter referred to as the “Representatives”), with respect to the sale by the
Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of (i) the
respective principal amount of the Company’s 6.375% ING Perpetual Hybrid Capital Securities (the
“Initial Underwritten Securities”) set forth opposite their names in Schedule A hereto and (ii) the
granting of an option to the Underwriters to purchase up to an additional $150,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of the Company s Perpetual Hybrid Capital Securities (the “Option Underwritten
Securities”), as provided in Section 2 hereof. As used herein, the term “Securities” shall include
the Initial Underwritten Securities and, to the extent the option described in Section 2 hereof is
exercised, all or any portion of any Option Underwritten Securities.
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The Securities will be issued pursuant to the Subordinated Debt Indenture, dated as of July
18, 2002 (the “Subordinated Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York, as indenture
trustee (the “Indenture Trustee”), as supplemented by the Sixth Supplemental Indenture (the
“Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Subordinated Indenture, the “Indenture”) to be
dated as of the date on which the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(d) hereof occurs (such
date, the “Closing Date”).
The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the
Securities as soon as the Representatives deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and
delivered.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an
automatic shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (No. 333-130040) covering the registration of
various types of securities under the 1933 Act, including the Securities. As used in this
Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:
“1933 Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“1934 Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“1939 Act” means the U.S. Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
“Basic Prospectus” means the basic prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement in
the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date
hereof.
“Broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule
433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person.
“Free Writing Prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act.
“IFRS” means International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International
Accounting Standard Board and as adopted by the European Commission.
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 433 under the 1933 Act.
“PCAOB” means the United States Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
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“Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus specifically relating to the
securities in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act.
“Prospectus” means the Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement
specifically relating to the Securities in the form filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933
Act (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of
purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the 0000 Xxx); and any reference herein to the Basic
Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be
deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the
applicable form under the 1933 Act, as of the date of such Basic Prospectus, Preliminary
Prospectus, Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any
amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall
be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after the date of such Basic Prospectus,
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, under the 1934 Act, and incorporated by
reference in such Basic Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be; and
any reference to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented shall be deemed to refer to the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the Securities in the form in which it is
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission
under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”), including any documents incorporated by reference
therein as of the date of such filing.
“Registration Statement” means collectively the various parts of the “automatic shelf
registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the 1933 Act on Form F-3 (File No. 333-130040)
at the time such parts became effective, including all exhibits thereto and the documents
incorporated by reference in the prospectus contained in the automatic shelf registration
statement, but excluding any Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 and including any prospectus
supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of
Rule 430B to be part of the Registration Statement; any reference to any amendment to the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual or other report of the
Company filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act after the effective date of the
Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
“Time of Sale” means 12:30 p.m. (New York time) on June 6, 2007, which occurred prior to the
first sale of any Securities by any Underwriter.
“Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Preliminary Prospectus dated and filed with the Commission
on June 6, 2007, together with the Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule B hereof.
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Section 1. Representations And Warranties By The Company. The Company represents and
warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Time referred to in
Section 2(d) hereof, and if applicable, as of each Date of Delivery (as defined in Section 2(c)
below), (in each case, a “Representation Date”), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. A Registration Statement in respect of the
Securities has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date
hereof. The Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto filed on or prior to
the date hereof, became effective on filing under the 1933 Act, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act, no proceedings for
that purpose against the Company have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and no notice of objection that the Commission objects
to the use of the Registration Statement as an automatic shelf registration has been received by
the Company. The Securities, since their registration on the Registration Statement, have been and
remain eligible for registration by the Company on an “automatic shelf registration statement” as
defined under Rule 405 of the 1933 Act.
At the respective times the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto
became effective and on each date on which the Prospectus as amended or supplemented is deemed to
be a new effective date of the Registration Statement and at each Representation Date, the
Registration Statement, and any amendments and supplements thereto complied and will comply in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and
the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act (the “1939 Act
Regulations”), as applicable, and did not, and will not, contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements
thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued nor the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at each Representation Date, nor the Time
of Sale Prospectus as of the Time of Sale and at each Representation Date, included or will include
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, or will omit, to state a material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to
statements in, or omissions from, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the
Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for
use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented.
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Each Preliminary Prospectus and the Basic Prospectus filed as part of the Registration
Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424
under the 1933 Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations.
(b) Status under the 1933 Act. The Company is a “well-known seasoned issuer” and is not an
“ineligible issuer”, in each case as defined under Rule 405 under the 1933 Act, in each case at the
times specified in the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations in connection with the offering of the
Securities. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 456(b)(1)
under the 1933 Act or will pay such fees within the time period required by such rule (without
giving effect to the proviso therein).
(c) Free Writing Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and representatives, other
than the Underwriters) has not made, used, prepared, authorized, approved or referred to and will
not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any Free Writing Prospectus other than (i)
any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the 1933 Act; (ii)
the documents listed on Schedule B hereto and other written communications approved in writing in
advance by the Representatives; or (iii) an electronic road show, if any, furnished to the
Representatives for their approval before first use. Any such Free Writing Prospectus as of its
issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the
Securities, complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act
and the 1933 Act Regulations and has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with
the 1933 Act (to the extent required pursuant to Rule 433(d) thereunder).
(d) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the
time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), as applicable,
and, when read together with the other information in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the
Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective, as of the date of the
applicable Time of Sale Prospectus, at the time the Prospectus was issued, and at each Date of
Delivery, if applicable, did not, and will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading. The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to
statements in, or omissions from, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the
Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the
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Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus
or the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented.
(e) Independent Accountants. The independent auditors who certified the financial statements
included in the Registration Statement are independent public accountants as required by the PCAOB,
the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries.
(f) Good Standing of the Company. The Company and each of its subsidiaries classified as a
“significant subsidiary” as defined under Rule 405 of the 1933 Act Regulations (each a “Significant
Subsidiary”) has been duly incorporated under the laws of The Netherlands or its respective
jurisdiction of incorporation, as the case may be, except to the extent that the failure to be duly
incorporated would not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position and
consolidated results of operations of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The Company and each of its Significant Subsidiaries is
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its respective jurisdiction of
incorporation, is duly qualified to do business and in good standing in each other jurisdiction in
which qualification is necessary for the ownership of its respective properties or for the conduct
of its respective businesses, except to the extent that the failure to be validly existing,
qualified or in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
The Company has the power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties, to enter into
this Agreement and the Indenture, to perform its obligations under the Securities, this Agreement
and the Indenture and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged, as described in the Time of
Sale Prospectus, except to the extent that the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(g) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered (if applicable under applicable law) by the Company.
(h) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts; Absence of Further Requirements. None of the Company
or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is in violation of the constituent documents, charter or
by-laws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or
condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or such Significant Subsidiary is a party or by which
any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any such
Significant Subsidiary is subject, except a default in performance or observance of an obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition that does not have and is not likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
6
The execution, delivery (if applicable under applicable law) and performance of the
Securities, this Agreement and the Indenture by the Company and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not conflict with or result in a
breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result
in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the
Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries under any material indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other material agreement or instrument to which the Company or any such
Significant Subsidiary is a party or by which any of them is bound or to which any of their
property or assets is subject, except for any such conflict, breach, violation or default which is
waived or will not have (A) a material adverse effect on the transactions contemplated by the
Securities, this Agreement and the Indenture or (B) a Material Adverse Effect; nor will such
actions result in any violation of the provisions of the Articles of Association of the Company, or
any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any of their properties or
assets, except for a violation that will not have a Material Adverse Effect; and, except such as
have been obtained or are required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act
or the 1934 Act Regulations or state securities laws or Dutch laws or regulations, including those
of the Dutch Central Bank, under the terms of the Securities in certain circumstances, and the
qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act, no consent, approval, authorization or order of,
or filing or registration with, any such court or governmental agency or body or any stock exchange
authorities in The Netherlands or the United States is required to be made or obtained by the
Company in connection with the offering, issuance, and sale of the Securities or the consummation
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the execution, delivery and performance by
the Company of the Securities and the Indenture.
(i) No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein,
(i) there has not been any change in the share capital or long-term debt of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries that is material to the consolidated financial position of the Company and (ii)
there has been no change, or, to the best of the knowledge of the Company, there has been no
development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs,
management, consolidated financial position, consolidated shareholders’ equity or consolidated
results of operations of the Company other than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration
Statement or the Time of Sale Prospectus, that has had, or is likely to have, a Material Adverse
Effect.
(j) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and
sale of the Securities and the application of the net
7
proceeds therefrom as described in the forepart of this Agreement and in the Time of Sale
Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
(k) Absence of Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, there is no
action, suit or proceeding before or by any government, governmental instrumentality or court,
domestic or foreign, now pending to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a
party or of which any property or assets of any of them is the subject which, if determined
adversely to any of them, are likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse
Effect or could adversely affect the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement or the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, and, to the best of the
knowledge of the Company, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated.
(l) Authorization of Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, at
the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, if applicable, will have been executed and delivered
by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of the Indenture by the
Indenture Trustee, the Indenture will at the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, if
applicable, be a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against it in accordance
with its terms, except to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers),
reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and
except to the extent that enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) (the
“Bankruptcy Exceptions”); and at the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, if applicable, the
Indenture will have been duly qualified under the 1939 Act.
(m) Authorization of Securities. At the Closing Time and at each Date of Delivery, if
applicable, the Securities will have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in
accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to the Underwriters against payment
of the consideration set forth in this Agreement, will be entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against it
in accordance with their terms, except to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by the
Bankruptcy Exceptions.
(n) Fair Summary. The statements set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus
under the caption “Description of the ING Perpetual Hybrid Capital Securities” and “Description of
Debt Securities We May Offer” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the
Securities and the Indenture and under the captions “United States Taxation” and
8
“The Netherlands Taxation,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and
documents referred to therein, are accurate in all material respects.
(o) Officer’s Certificate. Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection
with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to
each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate.
(p) Commission Comments. There are no outstanding, unresolved comments made by the staff of
the Commission in connection with a review of the Company’s annual report filings under the 1934
Act, except those which (i) were issued less than 180 days before the end of the fiscal year
covered by such annual report or (ii) are not material to the Company.
(q) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company maintains disclosure controls and
procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the 0000 Xxx) that comply with the
requirements of the 1934 Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure
that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the
Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those
entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
Section 2. Sale And Delivery To Underwriters; Closing.
(a) Securities. The several commitments of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall
be deemed to have been made on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein and
shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein.
(b) Initial Underwritten Securities. The Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter,
severally and not jointly, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from
the Company, at the purchase price set forth below, the aggregate principal amount of Initial
Underwritten Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus
any additional principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to
purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
The purchase price per Initial Underwritten Security to be paid by an Underwriter of the
Initial Underwritten Securities shall be an amount equal to 96.85% of the aggregate principal
amount of Initial Underwritten Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such
Underwriter (being equal to the issue price of 100% less a gross spread of 3.15% representing a
combined sales concession, management commission and underwriting commission), plus accrued
interest, if any, from June 13, 2007; provided that in the case of sales by
9
any Underwriter to certain institutions, the purchase price per Initial Underwritten Security
to be paid by such Underwriter on such sale shall be an amount equal to 98.00% of the principal
amount of the Initial Underwritten Securities so sold (being equal to the issue price of 100% less
a gross spread of 2.00% representing a combined sales concession, management commission and
underwriting commission).
(c) Option Underwritten Securities. The Company hereby grants an option to the several
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount
of the Option Underwritten Securities at a price per Option Underwritten Security equal to the
price per Initial Underwritten Security. The option granted hereunder may only be exercised for the
purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection with the offering and
distribution of the Initial Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters. The option granted
hereunder may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time within 30 days from the date of
this Agreement upon notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth (i) the aggregate
principal amount of Option Underwritten Securities as to which the several Underwriters are
exercising the option, (ii) the names and denominations in which the Option Underwritten Securities
are to be registered and (iii) the time, date and place of payment and delivery for such Option
Underwritten Securities. Any such time and date of payment and delivery (each, a “Date of
Delivery”) shall be determined by the Representatives, but shall not be later than seven full
business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time, unless
otherwise agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company. If the option is exercised as to all
or any portion of the Option Underwritten Securities, each of the Underwriters, severally and not
jointly, agrees to purchase that proportion of the aggregate principal amount of Option
Underwritten Securities then being purchased which the aggregate principal amount of Initial
Underwritten Securities each such Underwriter has severally agreed to purchase as set forth in
Schedule A hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Initial Underwritten Securities,
subject to such adjustments as the Representatives, in their discretion, may make to eliminate any
sales or purchases of a fractional aggregate principal amount of Option Underwritten Securities
plus any additional principal amount of Securities which such Underwriters may become obligated to
purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.
(d) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of, certificates for the Initial
Underwritten Securities shall be made at the London offices of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx or at such
other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at 10:00 a.m. (New York
City time) on the fifth business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the
provisions of Section 10 hereof), or such other time not later than ten business days after such
date as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company (such time and date of payment
and delivery being herein called the
10
“Closing Time”). In addition, in the event that the Underwriters have exercised their option,
if any, to purchase any or all of the Option Underwritten Securities, payment of the purchase price
for, and delivery of such Option Underwritten Securities, shall be made at the above-mentioned
offices of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the
Representatives and the Company, on the relevant Date of Delivery as specified in the notice from
the Representatives to the Company.
Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank
account designated by the Company, against delivery to such persons designated by the
Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of one or more certificates in
global form for the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has
authorized the Representatives, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make
payment of the purchase price for, the Securities which it has agreed to purchase. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx,
individually and not as a representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to)
make payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by any Underwriter whose
funds have not been received by the Closing Time or relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be,
but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.
(e) Denominations; Registration. Certificates for the Securities shall be in such
denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request in writing at least
one business day before the Closing Time or relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be. The
Securities will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representatives in the City
of New York no later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the business day prior to the Closing
Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be.
(f) Foreign Selling Restrictions. (i) UK. Each Underwriter represents and agrees that (i) it
has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the Financial Services and Markets
Xxx 0000 (the “FSMA”) of Great Britain with respect to anything done by it in relation to the
Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom; and (ii) it has only communicated or
caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or
inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) received
by it in connection with the issue or sale of the Securities or any investments representing the
Securities (including without limitation the registration statement registering the Securities, the
accompanying prospectus and the prospectus supplement) in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of
the FSMA does not apply to the Company.
(ii) EU. In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has
implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a
11
“Relevant Member State”), each Underwriter represents and agrees that with effect
from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that
Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) it has not made and will not
make an offer of Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the
publication of a prospectus in relation to the Securities which has been approved by the
competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in
another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant
Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may make an
offer of Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time under the
following exceptions under the Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that
Relevant Member State: (i) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate
in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is
solely to invest in securities; (ii) to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an
average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance
sheet of more than EUR 43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than EUR
50,000,000 as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts; (iii) to fewer than 100
natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus
Directive) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the Underwriters for any such offer;
or (iv) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus
Directive.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of Securities to the public” in
relation to any Securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication to persons in any
form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Securities to be
offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Securities, as the same
may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that
Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any
relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.
(iii) Japan. Each of the Underwriters understands that the Securities have not been
and will not be registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan (the “Securities
and Exchange Law”) and that the Securities may not be offered or sold, directly or
indirectly in, Japan or to, or for the account or benefit of, any resident of Japan (which
term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other
entity organized under the laws of Japan) or for the account or benefit of, any persons,
for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan,
except pursuant to any exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in
12
compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws,
regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.
(iv) General. Each Underwriter represents and agrees that with respect to any other
jurisdiction outside of the United States it has not offered or sold and will not offer or
sell any of the Securities in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that resulted,
or will result, in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of such
jurisdiction and which will not require the publication by the Company of a prospectus or
any registration or filing by the Company with any governmental agency or body or any
stock exchange authority.
(g) Free Writing Prospectus.
(i) Each Underwriter represents and agrees that it shall not use, refer to or
distribute any Free Writing Prospectus except:
(A) a Free Writing Prospectus that (a) is not an Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus, and (b) contains only information describing the preliminary terms
of the Securities or their offering or otherwise permitted under Rule 134 of the
Securities Act;
(B) a Free Writing Prospectus as shall be agreed in writing with the
Company that is not distributed, used or referenced by such Underwriter in a
manner reasonably designed to lead to its broad unrestricted dissemination
unless the Company consents to such dissemination; and
(ii) The Company hereby agrees that the Underwriters may distribute to investors a
Free Writing Prospectus that contains the final terms of the Securities (including, for
the avoidance of doubt, in the format of Bloomberg communications) substantially in the
form set forth in Schedule C hereto and that such Free Writing Prospectus substantially in
the form set forth in Schedule C hereto will be filed by the Company in accordance with
Rule 433(d) and shall be considered an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus for purposes of this
Agreement.
Section 3. Covenants Of The Company.
The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to
Section 3(b) hereof, will:
(i) prepare any Free Writing Prospectus to be included in the Time of Sale Prospectus
and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented
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in relation to the Securities in a form which shall be provided to the
Representatives for their review and comment, with respect to the Free Writing Prospectus,
prior to the Time of Sale, and with respect to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented,
prior to any filing with the Commission under Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act, and file, if
required to do so under the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, such Prospectus
pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act no later than the Commission’s close of business
on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement or, if
applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act;
(ii) during the period when the Underwriters are required to make available to
investors a Prospectus with respect to the Securities, notify the Representatives
immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (A) when any post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement shall have been filed, or any supplement to the Prospectus or
any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (B) of the receipt of any comments from the
Commission, (C) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration
Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information
and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the
suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any
jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any of such
purposes. The Company will make reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop
order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest
possible moment; and
(iii) if required by Rule 430B(h) under the 1933 Act, to prepare a form of prospectus
in a form which shall be provided to the Representatives for their review and comment
prior to any filing and to file such form of prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
1933 Act.
(b) Filing of Amendments. During the period when the Underwriters are required to make
available to investors a Prospectus with respect to the Securities, the Company will give the
Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration
Statement (including any post-effective amendment), or any amendment, supplement or revision to the
Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933
Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise. It will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such
documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and
will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters
shall reasonably object.
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(c) Free Writing Prospectus. Before preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or
filing any Free Writing Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for
the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Free Writing Prospectus. The Company will not use,
authorize, approve, refer to or file any Free Writing Prospectus to which the Underwriters
reasonably object. The Company will not take any action that would result in an Underwriter or the
Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act a
Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise
would not have been required to file thereunder.
(d) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, conformed copies of the
Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed
therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference therein) and conformed copies of all consents and certificates of
experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives upon request, without charge, a conformed
copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without
exhibits) for each of the Underwriters.
(e) Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge,
as many copies of each Prospectus, each Free Writing Prospectus and any other information included
in the Time of Sale Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby
consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will
furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act (or required to be
delivered but for Rule 172 under the 1933 Act), such number of copies of the Prospectus as amended
or supplemented and each Free Writing Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request.
(f) Time of Sale Prospectus. If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers
to buy the Securities at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers
and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or
supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which
the Free Writing Prospectus included as part of the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the
information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel
for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply
with applicable law, the Company shall forthwith prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at
its own expense (unless the amendment or supplement is necessary because of a
15
statement made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in
writing by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein, in which case
this shall be at the expense of the Underwriters), to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon
request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements
therein as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to
a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Free Writing Prospectus which is included as
part of the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the
Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus as amended or supplemented, will
comply with applicable law.
(g) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and
the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the 1939
Act Regulations, as applicable, with respect to the offer of the Securities so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the
Prospectus. If at any time following the first date of the public offering of the Securities the
Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 0000 Xxx) is
required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities, any event
shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of
counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or
supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein
not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time such Prospectus (or in lieu
thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 0000 Xxx) is delivered to a purchaser, or
if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the
Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and
file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, such amendment or supplement as may be
necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such
number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(h) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use all reasonable efforts, in cooperation with
the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities
laws of such states and other domestic or foreign jurisdictions as the Representatives may
reasonably request and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of one year from the
later of the effective date of the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale or, if less, such
other period as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities;
16
provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to
service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing
business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which
the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of
not less than one year from the effective date of the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale.
(i) Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are
necessary in order to make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable an
earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits
contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(j) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use or cause to be used the net proceeds received from
the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Time of Sale Prospectus under “Use of
Proceeds.”
(k) Ratings. The Company shall take all reasonable action necessary to enable Standard &
Poor’s Ratings Service, a division of McGraw Hill, Inc. (“S&P”), and Xxxxx’x Investors Service,
Inc. (“Moody’s”) to provide their respective ratings of the Securities.
(l) Clearance and Settlement. The Company will cooperate with the Underwriters and take all
reasonable action necessary if requested by the Representatives to permit the Securities to be
eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company
(“DTC”), Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”), and
Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, Luxembourg (“Clearstream”).
(m) Restriction on Sale of Securities. Except as contemplated by this Agreement, during a
period of 30 days from the date of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, the Company will not,
without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, sell, offer to
sell, grant any option for sale of, or otherwise dispose of, any Securities or any security
substantially similar to the Securities in the United States.
(n) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to
be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with
the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the
1934 Act Regulations.
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(o) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good
faith, retain copies of each Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in
accordance with Rule 433 under the 1933 Act.
Section 4. Payment Of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the
Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of
each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, copying and delivery to the Underwriters of this
Agreement and the Indenture and such other documents as may be required in connection with the
offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities (other than fees of counsel for
the Underwriters related thereto), (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates
for the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel,
accountants, experts and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities
laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(h) hereof, including filing fees and the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in
connection with the preparation of a Blue Sky survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the filing
fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection with, any review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) of the
terms of the Securities, (vii) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each
Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, if different, and the Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto, (viii) the preparation, printing and filing under the 1933 Act of
any Free Writing Prospectus and the distribution thereof, (ix) the fees and expenses of the
Indenture Trustee, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Indenture
Trustee, (x) any fees payable in connection with the rating of the Securities, (xi) the fees and
expenses incurred in connection with any listing of the Securities on any stock exchange, (xii)
road show expenses, including costs of group presentations, including room rentals, audio/visual
rentals, catering, group transportation, electronic road show costs and travel and lodging of its
employees; provided that the Underwriters shall be responsible for the direct lodging and
transportation of their employees and (xiii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
approval by DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream of the Securities for clearance through their respective
systems.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives in
accordance with the provisions of Section 5(n) and Section 9(a) hereof, the Company shall reimburse
the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and
disbursements of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, U.S. counsel for the Underwriters.
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Section 5. Conditions Of Underwriters’ Obligations.
The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof and in certificates of
any officer of the Company or any affiliate or subsidiary of the Company delivered pursuant to the
provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company in all material respects of its covenants and
other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement and Filings. At the Closing Time no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933
Act or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part
of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. The Prospectus as amended or supplemented and each
Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933
Act, with respect to the Securities shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with
Rule 424(b) or Rule 433(d), as applicable, under the 1933 Act within the applicable time period
prescribed for such filing by the 1933 Act Regulations and in accordance with Section 3(a) hereof.
(b) Opinion of Dutch Counsel for the Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall
have received a written opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
N.V., Dutch counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for
the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other
Underwriters, substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto. Such counsel may also
state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they
deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and certificates of public officials and
the opinion may contain other customary or appropriate assumptions and qualifications reasonably
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
(c) Opinion of Office of General Counsel of the Company. At the Closing Time, the
Representatives shall have received a written opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of the office
of the General Counsel of the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for
the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other
Underwriters, substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto.
(d) Opinion of U.S. Counsel for the Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall
have received a written opinion or opinions, dated as of the Closing Time, of Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx
LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters,
19
together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other Underwriters,
substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto. Such counsel may also state that,
insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper,
upon certificates of officers of the Company and certificates of public officials. Such opinion
also may contain other customary or appropriate assumptions and qualifications reasonably
satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
(e) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representatives shall have
received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, counsel for
the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other
Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters.
(f) Opinion of Counsel for the Indenture Trustee. At the Closing Time, the Representatives
shall have received a written opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of Xxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx LLP,
counsel for the Indenture Trustee, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other
Underwriters, substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit D hereto and to such further effect
as counsel for the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(g) Opinion of Dutch Tax Counsel for the Company. At the Closing Time, the Representatives
shall have received a written opinion, dated as of the Closing Time, of KPMG Meijburg & Co.,
special Dutch tax counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such opinion for each of the other
Underwriters, substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit E hereto and to such further effect
as counsel for the Underwriters may reasonably request. Such counsel may also state that, insofar
as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon
certificates of officers of the Company and certificates of public officials. Such opinion may
also contain other customary appropriate assumptions and qualifications reasonably satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters.
(h) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date
hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Time of Sale
Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as
one enterprise, and the Representatives shall have received certificates of an executive of the
Company, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material
adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1 hereof were true and correct
when made and are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and
as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company
20
shall have complied in all material respects with all agreements and satisfied all conditions
on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and, to such officer’s
knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or are contemplated
by the Commission.
(i) Accountant’s Comfort Letters. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the
Representatives shall have received from each of Ernst & Young Accountants and KPMG Accountants
N.V. a letter, dated as of the date hereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Representatives, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other
Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’
“comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
information contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the
Prospectus, including reports incorporated by reference therein, in each case as specified by
counsel for the Underwriters.
(j) Bring-down Comfort Letters. At the Closing Time, if applicable, the Representatives shall
have received from each of Ernst & Young Accountants and KPMG Accountants N.V. a letter, dated as
of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished
pursuant to subsection (i) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a
date not more than five days prior to Closing Time.
(k) Maintenance of Rating. At the Closing Time, the Securities shall be rated at least “A2”
by Moody’s and “A-” by S&P, and the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives a letter
dated on, or prior to, the Closing Time, from each such rating agency, or other evidence
satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that the Securities have such ratings. Since the
date of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in the rating assigned to any
securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating agency,” as that term is
defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act, and no such
organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, that does not
indicate an improvement, its rating of any securities of the Company.
(l) Over-Allotment Option. In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option to
purchase all or any portion of the Option Underwritten Securities, the representations and
warranties of the Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the
Company or any of its subsidiaries hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Date of Delivery,
and, at the relevant Date of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received:
21
(i) A certificate, dated such Date of Delivery, of an executive of the Company,
confirming that the certificates delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 5(h)
hereof remains true and correct as of such Date of Delivery.
(ii) The written opinion, dated such Date of Delivery, of De Brauw Blackstone
Westbroek N.V., Dutch counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to
counsel for the Underwriters, relating to the Option Underwritten Securities and otherwise
to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b) hereof.
(iii) The written opinion, dated such Date of Delivery, of the office of the General
Counsel of the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the
Underwriters, relating to the Option Underwritten Securities and otherwise to the same
effect as the opinion required by Section 5(c) hereof.
(iv) The written opinion or opinions, dated such Date of Delivery, of Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx LLP, U.S. counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel
for the Underwriters, relating to the Option Underwritten Securities and otherwise to the
same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(d) hereof.
(v) The written opinion, dated such Date of Delivery, of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx,
counsel for the Underwriters, relating to the Option Underwritten Securities and otherwise
to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(e) hereof.
(vi) The written opinion, dated such Date of Delivery, of KPMG Meijburg & Co.,
special Dutch tax counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel
for the Underwriters, relating to the Option Underwritten Securities and otherwise to the
same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(g) hereof.
(vii) A letter, dated such Date of Delivery, from each of Ernst & Young Accountants
and KPMG Accountants N.V., in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives,
substantially in the same form and substance as the letters furnished to the
Representatives pursuant to Section 5(i) hereof, except that the specified date on the
letters furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business
days prior to such Date of Delivery.
(viii) A letter, dated such Date of Delivery, from each of Xxxxx s and S&P, or other
evidence satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that the Securities are rated at
least A2 , by Xxxxx’x and A- by
22
S&P and that since the date of this Agreement, no downgrading in, or withdrawal of,
the rating assigned to the Securities or any other securities of the Company by any
nationally recognized statistical rating agency as that term is defined by the Commission
for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the 1933 Act has occurred, and no such organization
has publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, that does not indicate an
improvement, its rating of the Securities or any other securities of the Company.
(m) Additional Documents. At the Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been
furnished with such documents as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to
pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence
the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the
conditions, herein contained. All proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance
and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and
substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.
(n) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been
fulfilled in all material respects when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement (or with
respect to the Underwriters exercise of any applicable overallotment option for the purchase of
Option Underwritten Securities on a Date of Delivery after the Closing Time, the obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase the Option Underwritten Securities on such Date of Delivery) may be
terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing
Time (or such Date of Delivery, as applicable), and such termination shall be without liability of
any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof and except that Sections 1, 6
and 8 hereof shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
Section 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15
of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act (each an “Indemnified Person”), as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (such
expenses covered by clause (iv) below to be paid as incurred) arising out of any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Basic Prospectus included therein, or
the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required
23
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (such
expenses covered by clause (iv) below to be paid as incurred) arising out of any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary
Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus,
the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(iii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (such
expenses covered by clause (iv) below to be paid as incurred) to the extent of the
aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding
by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever
based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or
omission, provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected
with the written consent of the Company; and
(iv) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including, subject to
Section 6(b) hereof, the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representatives),
reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or
any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or
any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense has not
been previously paid under (i), (ii) or (iii) above;
provided, however, that the indemnity set forth in this Section 9(a) shall not apply to any
loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter directly or through the
Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), any
Preliminary Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus
as amended or supplemented.
(b) Indemnification of the Company, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter, severally in
proportion to its respective purchase obligation and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, its respective
24
directors or Supervisory or Executive Board members, each of the officers of the Company who
signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss,
liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this
Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue
statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Free Writing
Prospectus that the Company has filed or is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933
Act or any Time of Sale Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
(or any amendment or supplement thereto), such Free Writing Prospectus or such Time of Sale
Prospectus.
(c) Actions Against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as
promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in
respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party
shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not
materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability
which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by
the Representatives, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above,
counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company, provided that if it so elects
within a reasonable time after receipt of such notice, an indemnifying party, jointly with any
other indemnifying party receiving such notice, may assume the defense of such action with counsel
chosen by it and approved by the indemnified parties defendant in such action (which approval shall
not be unreasonably withheld), unless such indemnified parties reasonably object to such assumption
on the ground that there may be legal defenses available to them which are different from or in
addition to those available to such indemnifying party. If an indemnifying party assumes the
defense of such action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable for any fees and expenses of
counsel for the indemnified parties incurred thereafter in connection with such action.
An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action;
provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the
indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying
party be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any one firm of
local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any
25
one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of
the same general allegations or circumstances.
No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties,
settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought under this
Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential
parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional
release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation,
proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party
shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees
and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement
of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(iii) hereof effected without its written consent if (i)
such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the
aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such
settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying
party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the
date of such settlement.
Section 7. Contribution.
In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances under which the
indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason held to be unenforceable by an
indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to
therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities pursuant to
this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law,
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in
clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters
on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
26
The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the
Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses but after deducting the total
underwriting commission received by the Underwriters) received by the Company and the total
underwriting commission received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth on the cover of the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the
Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution
pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount
of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred
to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation,
or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities
underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of
any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue
or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
27
the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director
or Supervisory or Executive Board member of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the
Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution
as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7
are several in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Initial Underwritten Securities set
forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.
Section 8. Representations, Warranties And Agreements To Survive Delivery. All
representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of
officers of the Company or any of their subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain
operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive delivery of
the Securities to the Underwriters.
Section 9. Termination Of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Representatives may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the
Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (or with respect to the Underwriters exercise
of any applicable overallotment option for the purchase of Option Underwritten Securities on a Date
of Delivery after the Closing Time, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Option
Underwritten Securities on such Date of Delivery) (i) if there has been, since the time of
execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Time of Sale Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or
in the earnings or business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries,
considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) if
there has occurred any material adverse change in the international financial markets or the
financial markets in the United States or The Netherlands, or any outbreak of hostilities or
escalation thereof affecting the United States or The Netherlands or other calamity or crisis, or
any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political,
financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is, in the judgment of the
Representatives (after a discussion with the Company to the extent practicable), so material and
adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts
for the sale of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale
Prospectus, (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially
limited by the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or Euronext Amsterdam N.V.’s Eurolist by
Euronext, or if trading generally on the American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the
Nasdaq National Market, Euronext Amsterdam N.V.’s Eurolist by
28
Euronext or the London Stock Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum
prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any such
exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. or any other governmental authority, or a material disruption has occurred in
commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (iv) if a
banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal, New York, or Netherlands authorities or (v)
if there has occurred a change or an official announcement by a competent authority of a
forthcoming change in Dutch taxation materially adversely affecting the Company or the imposition
of exchange controls by the United States or The Netherlands.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination
shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof,
and provided that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 hereof shall survive such termination and remain in full
force and effect.
Section 10. Default By One Or More Of The Underwriters.
If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time or the relevant Date of
Delivery, as the case may be, to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase
under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representatives shall have the right, within
24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or
any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such
amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representatives
shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(i) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate
principal amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, each of the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount
thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear
to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(ii) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal
amount of the Securities to be purchased hereunder, this Agreement (or, with respect to
the Underwriters exercise of any applicable over-allotment option for the purchase of
Option Underwritten Securities on a Date of Delivery after the Closing Time, the
obligations of the Underwriters to purchase, and the Company to sell, such Option
Underwritten Securities on such Date of Delivery) shall terminate without liability on the
part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.
29
No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in (i) a termination of this Agreement
or (ii) in the case of a Date of Delivery after the Closing Time, a termination of the obligations
of the Underwriters and the Company with respect to the related Option Underwritten Securities, as
the case may be, either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
Closing Time or the relevant Date of Delivery, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding seven
days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in
any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person
substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.
Section 11. Arm’s Length Relationship; No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges that in
connection with the offering, purchase and sale of the Securities: (i) the Underwriters have acted
at arm’s length, are not agents or advisors of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Company, (ii)
the Underwriters owe the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and
(iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company
waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the
Underwriters that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe
an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with the offering, purchase and
sale of the Securities.
Section 12. Notices. All notices, requests, statements and other communications hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be delivered or sent by mail, messenger or any standard form of
telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives c/o Morgan
Xxxxxxx & Co Incorporated, Attention: Investment Banking Division, Telephone No. x0 000 000 0000,
Facsimile No. x0 000 000 0000; and notices to the Company shall be directed to ING Groep N.V. at
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 000, 0000 XX Xxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, Attention: General Counsel, Facsimile No.
00-00-0000000. Any such notice, request, statement or communication shall be effective upon
receipt thereof.
Section 13. Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in
this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other
than the Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors and the controlling persons
and officers and directors and Supervisory Board members and their heirs and legal representatives,
any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any
provision herein contained. This Agreement and all
30
conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
Underwriters and the Company and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and
officers and directors and Supervisory Board members or the equivalent and their heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of
Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such
purchase.
Section 14 . Governing Law, Submission For Jurisdiction.
(a) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER
TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
(b) Submission to Jurisdiction. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably (i) agrees that any
legal suit, action or proceeding against the Company brought by any Underwriter or by any person
who controls any Underwriter arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby may be instituted in any Federal court located in the State of New York, (ii)
waives, to the fullest extent it may effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter
have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding and (iii) submits to the non-exclusive
jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. The Company irrevocably waives
any immunity to jurisdiction to which it may otherwise be entitled or become entitled (including
sovereign immunity, immunity to pre-judgment attachment, post-judgment attachment and execution) in
any legal suit, action or proceeding against it arising out of or based on this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby which is instituted in any New York court or in any competent
court in The Netherlands. The Company has appointed Corporation Service Company, Albany, New York,
as its authorized agent (the “Authorized Agent”) upon whom process may be served in any such action
arising out of or based on this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby which may be
instituted in any New York court by any Underwriter or by any person who controls any Underwriter,
expressly consent to the jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such action, and waives
any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. The Company
represents and warrants that the Authorized Agent has agreed to act as such agent for service of
process and agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and
instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect as
aforesaid, unless and until a successor has been appointed as the Authorized Agent in the State of
New York. The Company will notify the Representatives of the appointment of a successor Authorized
Agent prior to such appointment taking effect. Service of process upon such Authorized Agent (or
any successor) and
31
written notice of such service to the Company shall be deemed, in every respect, effective
service of process upon the Company.
Section 15. Judgment Currency. In respect of any judgment or order given or made for any
amount due hereunder that is expressed and paid in a currency (the “judgment currency”) other than
United States dollars, the Company will indemnify each Underwriter against any loss incurred by
such Underwriter as a result of any variation as between (i) the rate of exchange at which the
United States dollar amount is converted into the judgment currency for the purpose of such
judgment or order and (ii) the rate of exchange at which an Underwriter is able to purchase United
States dollars with the amount of the judgment currency actually received by such Underwriter. The
foregoing indemnity shall constitute a separate and independent obligation of the Company and shall
continue in full force and effect notwithstanding any such judgment or order as aforesaid. The
term “rate of exchange” shall include any premiums and costs of exchange payable in connection with
the purchase of or conversion into United States dollars. In the event that any such Underwriter,
as a result of any variation as noted in (i) or (ii) above, recovers an amount of United States
dollars on conversion of a sum paid in a judgment currency which amount is in excess of the
judgment or order given or made in United States dollars, such Underwriter shall remit such excess
to the Company.
Section 16. Effect Of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of
Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
32
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and
return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts,
will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its
terms.
Very truly yours, ING GROEP N.V. |
||||
By: | /s/ J. Wolvius | |||
Name: J. Wolvius | ||||
Title: Head of Corporate Treasury | ||||
By: | /s/ R. van der Weerdt | |||
Name: R. van der Weerdt | ||||
Title: Manager Corporate Treasury | ||||
33
Confirmed and Accepted,
as of the date first above written:
as of the date first above written:
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
ING FINANCIAL MARKETS LLC
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
ING FINANCIAL MARKETS LLC
XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
Acting severally on behalf of
themselves and as Representatives of
the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.
By: CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
By: |
/s/ Xxxx X. XxXxxxxxx, Xx. | |||
Name: Xxxx X. XxXxxxxxx, Xx. | ||||
Title: Managing Director |
By: ING FINANCIAL MARKETS LLC
By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxxx XxXxxxx | |||
Name: Xxxxxxxx XxXxxxx | ||||
Title: Managing Director |
By: XXXXXX XXXXXXX & CO. INCORPORATED
By: |
/s/ Yurij Slyz | |||
Name: Yurij Slyz | ||||
Title: Vice President |
34
SCHEDULE A
Principal Amount of | ||||
Underwriter | Securities | |||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
$ | 129,468,750 | ||
ING Financial Markets LLC |
$ | 129,468,750 | ||
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated |
$ | 129,468,750 | ||
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated |
$ | 129,468,750 | ||
UBS Securities LLC |
$ | 129,468,750 | ||
Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC |
$ | 129,468,750 | ||
X.X. Xxxxxxx & Sons, Inc. |
$ | 30,000,000 | ||
RBC Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc. |
$ | 30,000,000 | ||
ABN AMRO Incorporated |
$ | 10,000,000 | ||
Banc of Americas Securities LLC |
$ | 10,000,000 | ||
X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
$ | 10,000,000 | ||
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. |
$ | 10,000,000 | ||
BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Xxxxx &
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
Bear Xxxxxxx & Co. Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co., Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
Fidelity Capital Markets, a division of National
Financial Services LLC |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
Xxxxxxx, Sachs & Co. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
KeyBanc Capital Markets, a division of McDonald
Investments Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
Xxxxxxxxxxx & Co. Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
TD Waterhouse Investor Services, Inc. |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
Xxxxx Fargo Securities, LLC |
$ | 5,000,000 | ||
City Securities Corp. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
XX Xxxx & Associates |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Co. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
X.X. Xxxxxxxx & Co. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxxxxx & Company LLC |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
E* Trade Securities Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Ferris, Baker, Xxxxx Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Fifth Third Securities, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Fixed Income Securities, LP |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Gunnallen Financial Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 |
35
Principal Amount of | ||||
Underwriter | Securities | |||
X.X. Xxxxxxx & Co. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
J.J.B. Xxxxxxxx, X.X. Xxxxx, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx LLC |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxxxx & Co. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
XxXxxx, Xxxxx & Co. Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Mesirow Financial, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Company, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
NatCity Investments, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Pershing LLC |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx & Co. Incorporated |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxx, Xxxx & Co., Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Sandler, X’Xxxxx & Partners L.P. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Southwest Securities, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Stone & Xxxxxxxxx LLC |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
SunTrust Capital Markets, Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxx-Xxxxxx IBG, Limited Partnership |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Management Co. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Wedbush Xxxxxx Securities Inc. |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx & Company, L.L.C |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Xxxxxxx Capital Markets Group |
$ | 1,662,500 | ||
Total |
US$ | 1,000,000,000 |
36
SCHEDULE B
Free Writing Prospectus
Final Term Sheet dated June 6, 2007 containing the final terms of the Securities
substantially as set forth in Schedule C hereto
substantially as set forth in Schedule C hereto
37
SCHEDULE C
FINAL TERM SHEET
ING GROEP N.V.
ISSUER:
|
ING GROEP N.V. | |
SECURITIES:
|
6.375% ING Perpetual Hybrid Capital Securities | |
EXPECTED RATINGS:
|
A1 / A (STABLE/STABLE) | |
FORMAT:
|
SEC REGISTERED (GLOBAL) | |
SIZE:
|
US$1,000,000,000 | |
GREENSHOE:
|
US$150,000,000 | |
TRADE DATE:
|
June 6, 2007 | |
MATURITY:
|
PERPETUAL | |
SETTLEMENT:
|
June 13, 2007 (T+5) | |
PRICE TO PUBLIC:
|
$25.00 (per security plus accrued interest if any from June 13, 2007) | |
PRICE TO PUBLIC:
|
TOTAL $1,000,000,000 | |
COUPON:
|
6.375% (including in respect of optional deferrals of interest and mandatory deferrals of interest) per annum from June 13, 2007 | |
INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:
|
MARCH 15, JUNE 15, SEPTEMBER 15 AND DECEMBER 15 OF EACH YEAR BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 15, 2007, UNLESS THE ISSUER’S OBLIGATION TO PAY SOME OR ALL OF THE INTEREST OTHERWISE PAYABLE IS DEFERRED | |
RECORD DATES:
|
15 DAYS BEFORE THE INTEREST PAYMENT DATE WHETHER OR NOT A BUSINESS DAY | |
REGULAR OPTIONAL FIRST CALL: |
ON JUNE 15, 2012 OR ANY INTEREST PAYMENT DATE THEREAFTER IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART AT PAR PLUS OUTSTANDING AMOUNTS | |
EARLY REDEMPTION DUE TO TAX AND REGULATORY EVENTS (SEE PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS FOR INFORMATION ON EARLY REDEMPTION EVENTS) | ||
DENOMS:
|
$25 X $25 | |
JOINT BOOKRUNNERS:
|
CITIGROUP and XXXXXX XXXXXXX | |
JOINT LEAD MANAGER:
|
ING FINANCIAL MARKETS |
38
CO-MANAGERS:
|
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO, UBS INVESTMENT BANK, WACHOVIA SECURITIES, X.X. XXXXXXX, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, ABN AMRO INCORPORATED, BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC, JPMORGAN AND XXXXXX BROTHERS | |
LISTING:
|
New York Stock Exchange | |
CUSIP:
|
456837 608 | |
ISIN:
|
US4568376085 |
Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be
subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the
offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in
that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete
information about the issuer and this offering.
You may
get these documents for free by visiting XXXXX on the SEC Web site at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange
to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling toll-free:
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.: 1 877 858 5407
XXXXXX XXXXXXX : 1 866 718 1649
39
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF OPINION OF DUTCH COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF OPINION OF OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL
TO THE COMPANY
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF OPINION OF U.S. COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE INDENTURE TRUSTEE
EXHIBIT E
FORM OF OPINION OF DUTCH TAX COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY