NOTICE OF AN ADJOURNED SECURITYHOLDER
MEETING TO THE HOLDERS OF THE U.S.$100,000,000 CMS LINKED PERPETUAL
DEBT SECURITIES (ISIN: XS0215294512) (THE "SECURITIES") OF NIBC
BANK N.V. PRESENTLY OUTSTANDING.
Press Release -
5 February 2024
THIS NOTICE IS IMPORTANT AND
REQUIRES THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF
SECURITYHOLDERS.
If Securityholders are in any
doubt about any aspect of the proposals in this notice and/or the
action they should take, they are recommended to seek their own
financial advice immediately from their broker, bank manager,
solicitor, accountant or other another appropriately authorised
independent financial adviser and such other professional advisers
as they deem necessary.
FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING
THE MATTERS REFERRED TO IN THIS NOTICE IS AVAILABLE IN THE CONSENT
SOLICITATION MEMORANDUM (AS DEFINED BELOW), AND ELIGIBLE
SECURITYHOLDERS (AS DEFINED BELOW) ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ THIS
NOTICE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SAME.
NIBC BANK
N.V.
(formerly known as NIB
Capital Bank N.V.,
incorporated with limited
liability under the laws of The Netherlands
and having its corporate
seat in The Hague)
(the
"Issuer")
NOTICE OF AN ADJOURNED
SECURITYHOLDER MEETING
to the
holders of the
U.S.$100,000,000 CMS Linked Perpetual Debt Securities
(ISIN: XS0215294512)
(the
"Securities")
of the
Issuer presently outstanding.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, following the adjournment of the
meeting of Securityholders convened on 5 February 2024 which was
adjourned for want of quorum, an adjourned meeting (the
"Meeting") of the holders
of the Securities convened by the Issuer will be held at the
offices of Clifford Chance LLP at Droogbak 1A, 1013 GE Amsterdam,
The Netherlands on 21 February 2024 for the purpose of considering
and, if thought fit, passing the resolution set out below, with the
implementation of that resolution being subject to satisfaction of
the condition set out in paragraph 5(b) thereof (the "Eligibility Condition") and which
resolution will be proposed as an extraordinary resolution of the
Securityholders (the "Extraordinary Resolution") in
accordance with the provisions of the Trust Deed dated 24 March
2005 (, the "Trust Deed"),
made between the Issuer and The Law Debenture Trust Corporation
p.l.c. (the "Trustee").
The Meeting will commence at 9:00
a.m. (London time) / 10:00 a.m. (CET).
For the avoidance of doubt,
Securityholders who have already submitted Consent Instructions or
Ineligible Holder Instructions prior to the date of this Notice
have the option to leave such instructions unchanged or revoke such
instructions. In the event that a Securityholder elects to revoke a
previously submitted Consent Instruction or Ineligible Holder
Instruction, nothing shall prevent the relevant Securityholder from
submitting a further Consent Instruction or Ineligible Holder
Instruction prior to the extended expiration deadline occurring as
at 4:00 p.m. (London time) / 5:00 p.m. (CET) on 16 February 2024 -
see "Voting and Quorum"
below.
In accordance with normal practice,
the Trustee, the Principal Paying Agent and Kroll Issuer Services
Limited (the "Tabulation
Agent") have not been involved in the formulation of the
Securityholder Proposal (as defined below). The Trustee, the
Tabulation Agent and NatWest Markets N.V. (the "Sole Solicitation Agent") express no opinion
on, and make no representations as to the merits of, the
Securityholder Proposal, the Extraordinary Resolution or the
proposed amendments referred to in the Extraordinary Resolution set
out below.
None of the Tabulation Agent, the
Sole Solicitation Agent and the Trustee makes any representation
that all relevant information has been disclosed to Securityholders
in or pursuant to this Notice, the Consent Solicitation Memorandum
or otherwise. None of the Tabulation Agent, the Sole Solicitation
Agent and the Trustee has approved the draft Supplemental Trust
Deed referred to in the Extraordinary Resolution set out below and
Securityholders are recommended to arrange to inspect and review
such draft Supplemental Trust Deed as provided below in this
Notice. Accordingly, Securityholders should take their own
independent legal, financial, tax or other advice on the merits and
the consequences of voting in favour of the Extraordinary
Resolution, including any tax consequences, and on the impact of
the implementation of the Extraordinary Resolution.
None of the Tabulation Agent, the
Sole Solicitation Agent and the Trustee are responsible for the
accuracy, completeness, validity or correctness of the statements
made in the Consent Solicitation Memorandum or this Notice, or
omissions therefrom.
Neither this Notice nor the Consent
Solicitation Memorandum constitutes or forms part of, or should be
construed as, an offer for sale, exchange or subscription of, or a
solicitation of any offer to buy, exchange or subscribe for, any
securities of the Issuer or any other entity. The distribution of
the Consent Solicitation Memorandum may nonetheless be restricted
by law in certain jurisdictions. Persons into whose possession the
Consent Solicitation Memorandum comes are required to inform
themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.
BACKGROUND
Status of LIBOR
In July 2017, the UK Financial
Conduct Authority (the "FCA") announced that it would no longer
persuade or compel banks to submit rates for the calculation of the
LIBOR benchmark after the end of 2021 and explained they expected
that some panel banks would cease contributing to LIBOR panels at
such time.
On 5 March 2021, the administrator
of LIBOR, ICE Benchmark Administration Limited ("IBA") announced its intention to cease
the publication of all 35 LIBOR settings, the majority on 31
December 2021, and for certain USD LIBOR settings, on 30 June 2023,
subject to the rights of the FCA to compel continued publication.
The IBA notified the FCA of its intention and, on the same date,
the FCA published an announcement stating that all 35 LIBOR
settings would either cease to be provided by any administrator or
no longer be representative of the underlying market and economic
reality (and that representativeness would not be restored)
immediately after: (i) 31 December 2021, in the case of all
sterling, euro, Japanese Yen and Swiss Franc, and certain U.S.
Dollar settings; or (ii) 30 June 2023, in the case of the remaining
U.S. Dollar settings.
The Alternative Reference Rates
Committee ("ARRC") was
convened by the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York to help ensure a successful transition from U.S. Dollar
LIBOR to a more robust reference rate and to this end the ARRC has
published a number of reports and guiding principles concerning its
recommendations for spread-adjusted fallbacks for contracts
referencing U.S. Dollar LIBOR. Following extensive consultations
and discussion of potential candidates, the ARRC identified SOFR as
the rate that represents best practice for use in certain new U.S.
dollar derivatives and other financial contracts. The Federal
Reserve began to publish SOFR in April 2018.
U.S. Dollar swap rates based on USD
LIBOR swap transactions are determined by reference to the USD
LIBOR ICE Swap Rate (available in various tenors) calculated and
administrated by the IBA (for swaps referencing 3-month USD LIBOR)
("USD LIBOR ICE Swap
Rate").
In March 2021, the ARRC proposed a
suggested fallback formula for the USD LIBOR ICE Swap Rate which
instead references the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate (launched on 8
November 2021), adds The International Swaps and Derivatives
Association, Inc. ("ISDA")
fallback spread adjustment for 3-month USD LIBOR (26.161 bps) and
applies technical adjustments to account for differences in payment
frequency and day count conventions between the USD LIBOR and USD
SOFR swaps (the "ARRC
Recommended
Methodology").
In June 2021, ISDA launched a
consultation to seek feedback on the incorporation in the ISDA
definitions of a fallback formula for, amongst other things, the
USD LIBOR ICE Swap Rate (using the ARRC Recommended Methodology).
In July 2021, ISDA announced the results of this consultation,
which indicated that a significant majority of respondents agreed
with such fallback formula and that the conditions were satisfied
for them to be incorporated in the ISDA definitions. As a result of
this, on 10 November 2021, ISDA published Supplement 88 to the 2006
ISDA Definitions which updated provisions in the 2006 ISDA
Definitions that referred or related to the USD LIBOR ICE Swap Rate
to refer to a fallback rate calculated on the basis of ARRC
Recommended Methodology.
On 8 November 2021, the IBA launched
the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate® for use in financial contracts and
instruments. On 30 August 2022, the IBA announced its intention to
cease the publication of all USD LIBOR ICE Swap Rate® benchmark
settings for all tenors immediately after the cessation of
publication of USD LIBOR on 30 June 2023 subject to a consultation
with market participants. Subsequently, on 14 November 2022, the
IBA published a feedback statement from this consultation in which
it stated that it would cease the publication of all USD LIBOR ICE
Swap Rate® benchmark settings for all tenors immediately after
publication on 30 June 2023.
Proposed
Amendments
On the basis that the Conditions of
the Securities currently envisage that, for the period from (and
including) the Interest Payment Date falling in March 2024
(expected to be 24 March 2024), the Rate of Interest will, in part,
be determined by reference to the applicable 10-year USD LIBOR ICE Swap Rate (which is determined on the
basis of USD LIBOR swap rates) and such period commences after the
discontinuation of such USD LIBOR ICE Swap Rate on 30 June 2023 (as
described in "Status of
LIBOR" above), the Issuer has convened the Meeting for the
purposes of enabling Securityholders to consider, and if they think
fit, approve the Proposed Amendments, being:
(a) an amendment to
the Conditions in respect of the Rate of Interest applicable to the
Securities from (and including) the Interest Payment Date falling
in March 2024 (expected to be 24 March 2024) such that the Rate of
Interest shall cease to be determined by reference to a USD LIBOR
swap rate, and the relevant Rate of Interest shall instead be the
lower of:
(i) the sum
of:
(a) the USD SOFR
Spread Adjusted Swap Rate calculated in accordance with the ARRC
Recommended Methodology on the basis of the following formula (the
"ARRC Recommended Formula")
on the relevant Interest Determination Date:
where:
"SOFR SA SR" is the USD SOFR Spread
Adjusted Swap Rate (expressed as a percentage) with a maturity of
10-years commencing on the first day of the relevant Interest
Period (the "Designated
Maturity");
"SOFR SR" is the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate
(expressed as a percentage) in respect of the day falling two U.S.
Government Securities Business Days prior to the first day of the
relevant Interest Period (the "Interest Determination Date") with a
maturity of the Designed Maturity; and
"ISDA Spread (3m LIBOR)" is 0.26161 per
cent.; and
(b) the Margin
(which shall remain unaltered by these amendments); and
(ii) 8.25 per
cent.;
(b) the inclusion of
new fallback provisions relating to the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate (or
any component thereof) for the purposes of calculating the USD SOFR
Spread Adjusted Swap Rate (including fallback provisions in case a
Benchmark Transition Event occurs with respect to the USD SOFR ICE
Swap Rate (or any component thereof)) in the Conditions of the
Securities and consequential amendments to Clause 19.2
(Modification) of the
Trust Deed in respect of any future modifications to the Conditions
to give effect to any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes;
and
(c) the inclusion of
a Contractual Recognition of Bail-in Clause in the
Conditions,
as more fully described in this
Consent Solicitation Memorandum and the Notice (the "Proposed Amendments")
The Proposed Amendments will be
implemented as soon as reasonably practicable following the
conclusion of the Meeting at which the Extraordinary Resolution is
passed (and the Eligibility Condition satisfied). Provided the
Extraordinary Resolution is passed (and the Eligibility Condition
satisfied) at the Meeting, implementation of the Proposed
Amendments is expected to occur on 28 February 2024 (the
"Implementation
Date").
Rationale for the proposed
amendments to the Rate of Interest
As noted above: (i) the USD SOFR
Spread Adjusted Swap Rate is calculated in accordance with the ARRC
Recommended Methodology and on the basis of the ARRC Recommended
Formula included therein; and (ii) ISDA's consultation in June 2021
(which sought feedback from market participants on the use of the
ARRC Recommended Methodology as a fallback for the USD LIBOR ICE
Swap Rate) concluded that a majority of respondents agreed with the
use of the ARRC Recommended Methodology. As such, the Proposed
Amendments seek to align with the industry approved methodologies
recommended by the ARRC and ISDA as fallbacks to the USD LIBOR ICE
Swap Rate.
If the Extraordinary Resolution is not passed, the ultimate
contractual fallback under the terms of the Securities is that the
Rate of Interest will be the same as the rate determined in
relation to the preceding Interest Determination Date.
Rationale for addition of
contractual recognition of bail-in clause
The directive providing for the
establishment of an EU-wide framework for the recovery and
resolution of credit institutions and investment firms (Directive
2014/59/EU) (known as the "Bank Recovery and Resolution
Directive" or "BRRD") entered into force on 2
July 2014 and was subsequently implemented in The Netherlands
through the BRRD Implementation Act (Implementatiewet Europees
kader voor herstel en afwikkeling van banken en
beleggingsondernemingen) which
amended the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel
toezicht) with effect from 26
November 2015.
Article 55(1) of the BRRD requires
institutions to include "a
contractual term by which the creditor or party to the agreement or
instrument creating the liability recognises that the liability may
be subject to the write-down and conversion powers and agrees to be
bound by any reduction of the principal or outstanding amount due,
conversion or cancellation that is effected by the exercise of
those powers by a resolution authority" (a
"Contractual Recognition of Bail-in
Clause") where, inter alia, such liability is governed
by the law of a third country and is "issued or entered into" after the date
on which the transposition of the BRRD into national law became
applicable.
Pursuant to Article 43(2)(b) of
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1075 of 23 March 2016, as
amended (the "Delegated
Regulation"), Article 55(1) of the BRRD is applicable to
liabilities created before such date of transposition of the BRRD
into national law where they are subject to "material amendment" which is defined
in Article 42(1) of the Delegated Regulation as being "an amendment, including an automatic
amendment, made after that date and affecting the substantive
rights and obligations of a party to a relevant
agreement".
Following the UK's withdrawal from
the European Union and the end of the transitional period, English
law has now become a third country law. As a result, the Issuer
would be required to include a Contractual Recognition of Bail-in
Clause at the same time as the other Proposed
Amendments.
Securityholders should note that
Article 55(2) of the BRRD specifies that, in any event, the failure
to include a Contractual Recognition of Bail-in Clause
"shall
not prevent the resolution authority from exercising the write down
and conversion powers in relation to that
liability".
As of the date hereof, applicable
authorities have communicated that the preferred resolution
strategy for the Issuer is normal insolvency, which means that,
should it fail, the plan is that the Issuer would be liquidated
under normal insolvency law and so resolution would not be
triggered (and the bail-in tool not used). There is no guarantee,
however, that such plan will be followed in a liquidation or
resolution scenario, and on 18 April 2023 the European Commission
adopted a proposal to promote the use of resolution tools for small
and medium sized banks.
On this basis, and as a consequence
of the amendments proposed to the Conditions in respect of the
determination of the Rate of Interest (as set out herein) and the
Securities being governed by English law, the Issuer is required to
include a Contractual Recognition of Bail-in Clause in the
Conditions pursuant to Article 55(2) of the BRRD and in accordance
with customary market practice following the UK's withdrawal from
the European Union and the end of the transitional
period.
Risk
Factors
Blocking of Securities held through Euroclear and/or
Clearstream, Luxembourg
Following the submission of a
Consent Instruction through Euroclear and/or Clearstream,
Luxembourg, the Securities which are the subject of such Consent
Instruction will be blocked from trading by the relevant Clearing
System until the earliest of the date on which the Extraordinary
Resolution is duly passed, the conclusion of the Meeting and the
date upon which the Securityholder becomes entitled to withdraw,
and does withdraw, its Consent Instruction in the circumstances set
out under "Section 4 - Procedures
in Connection with the Consent Solicitation - Withdrawal
Rights" of the Consent Solicitation Memorandum. Following
the expiry of the Expiration Deadline, a Securityholder will only
be able to withdraw its Consent Instruction in the limited
circumstances set out under "Section 5 - Amendment and Termination"
of the Consent Solicitation Memorandum.
Responsibility for complying with the procedures relating to
the Consent Solicitation and the Meeting
Securityholders are solely
responsible for complying with all of the procedures for submitting
Consent Instructions or otherwise making arrangements to vote or be
represented at the Meeting. None of the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Trustee and the Tabulation Agent assumes
any responsibility for informing Securityholders of irregularities
with respect to Consent Instructions or any voting
instructions.
Responsibility to Consult Advisers
Securityholders should consult their
own tax, accounting, financial and legal advisers regarding the
consequences (tax, accounting or otherwise) of participating in the
Consent Solicitation.
None of the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation Agent, the Trustee or the
Principal Paying Agent nor any director, officer, employee, agent
or affiliate of any such person, is acting for any Securityholder,
or will be responsible to any Securityholder for providing any
protections which would be afforded to its clients or for providing
advice in relation to the Consent Solicitation, and accordingly
none of the Issuer, the Sole Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation
Agent, the Trustee or the Principal Paying Agent, nor any director,
officer, employee, agent or affiliate of, any such person makes any
recommendation whether Securityholders should participate in the
Consent Solicitation.
Submission of instructions by Sanctions Restricted
Persons
A Securityholder or a beneficial
owner of the Securities who is, or who is believed by the Issuer to
be, a Sanctions Restricted Person (as defined herein) may not
participate in the Consent Solicitation. No steps taken by a
Sanctions Restricted Person to vote in respect of the Proposed
Amendments or deliver instructions pursuant to the Consent
Solicitation will be accepted by the Issuer and such Sanctions
Restricted Person will not be eligible to receive the Consent Fee
or the Ineligible Holder Instruction Fee.
USD SOFR differs from USD LIBOR
in a number of material respects and the market continues to
develop in relation to USD SOFR as a reference rate for securities
which incorporate a floating rate interest basis
If the Extraordinary Resolution is
passed and implemented, the applicable USD LIBOR linked swap rate
for the Securities for the period commencing from (and including)
the Interest Payment Date in March 2024 (expected to be 24 March
2024) will be replaced by a reference to the USD SOFR Spread
Adjusted Swap Rate.
USD SOFR differs from USD LIBOR in a
number of material respects, including (without limitation) that
USD SOFR is a backwards-looking, compounded, risk-free overnight
rate, whereas USD LIBOR is expressed on the basis of a
forward-looking term and includes a risk-element based on
inter-bank lending. As such, investors should be aware that USD
LIBOR and USD SOFR may behave materially differently as reference
rates.
The use of USD SOFR as a reference
rate for eurobonds is relatively recent, and is subject to change
and development, both in terms of the substance of the calculation
and in the development and adoption of market infrastructure for
the issuance and trading of bonds referencing (either directly or
indirectly) USD SOFR. Accordingly, Securityholders should be aware
that the market continues to develop in relation to USD SOFR as a
reference rate in the capital markets and its adoption as an
alternative to USD LIBOR. The market or a significant part thereof
may adopt an application of USD SOFR that differs significantly
from the current methodology used in the determination of the USD
SOFR Spread Adjusted Swap Rate. In addition, as SOFR is published
by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Issuer has no control
over its determination, calculation or publication. USD SOFR may be
discontinued or fundamentally altered in a manner that is
materially adverse to the interests of Securityholders.
Investors should consider these
matters when considering the Consent Solicitation and the Proposed
Amendments.
Regulatory reforms and changes may cause a benchmark to
perform differently than it has done in the past or to be
discontinued
Benchmarks have, in recent years,
been the subject of political and regulatory scrutiny as to how
they are created and operated. This has resulted in regulatory
reform and changes to existing benchmarks, with further changes
anticipated. These reforms and changes may cause a benchmark like
the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate (which references USD SOFR) to perform
differently than it has done in the past or to be discontinued. Any
change in the performance of the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate (or any
component thereof, including USD SOFR) or its discontinuation,
could have a material adverse effect on the Securities, including
possible adverse tax consequences for Securityholders.
Any of the reforms, or the general
increase in regulatory scrutiny of benchmarks, could increase the
costs and risks of administering or participating in the setting of
a benchmark and complying with any such regulations or
requirements. Such factors may have the effect of discouraging
market participants from continuing to administer or contribute to
certain benchmarks (or rates referencing such benchmarks), trigger
changes in the rules or methodologies used in certain benchmarks
(or rates referencing such benchmarks) or lead to the
discontinuation or unavailability of quotes of certain
benchmarks.
Any changes to the administration
of, or the methodology used to obtain, a benchmark or the emergence
of alternatives to a benchmark as a result of these reforms, may
cause the relevant benchmark to perform differently than in the
past or to be discontinued, or there could be other consequences
which cannot be predicted. The potential discontinuation of a
benchmark or changes to its administration could require changes to
the way in which the USD SOFR Spread Adjusted Swap Rate is
calculated. The development of alternatives to a benchmark may
result in the Securities performing differently than would
otherwise have been the case if such alternatives to such benchmark
had not developed. Any such consequence could have a material
adverse effect on the value of, and return on, the
Securities.
Furthermore, even prior to the
implementation of any changes, uncertainty as to the nature of
alternative reference rates and as to potential changes to such
benchmark may adversely affect such benchmark during the term of
the Securities, the return on the Securities and the trading market
for securities based on the same benchmark.
In accordance with the Conditions,
the Securities may be subject to the adjustment of the interest
provisions in certain circumstances. The circumstances which could
trigger such adjustments are beyond the Issuer's control and the
subsequent use of a replacement benchmark may result in changes to
the Conditions (which could be extensive) and/or interest payments
that are lower than or that do not otherwise correlate over time
with the payments that could have been made on the Securities if
the relevant benchmark remained available in its current form.
Although pursuant to the Conditions, spread adjustments may be
applied to such replacement benchmark (including with the intention
of partially or wholly reducing or eliminating any economic
prejudice or benefit (as applicable) to investors arising out of
the replacement of the relevant benchmark), the application of such
adjustments to the Securities may not achieve this objective. Any
such changes may result in the Securities performing differently
(which may include payment of a lower interest rate) than if the
original benchmark continued to apply. There is no assurance that
the characteristics of any replacement benchmark would be similar
to the affected benchmark, that any replacement benchmark would
produce the economic equivalent of the affected benchmark or would
be a suitable replacement for the affected benchmark. The choice of
replacement benchmark is uncertain and could result in the
replacement benchmark being unavailable or indeterminable. In
certain circumstances, the ultimate fallback provisions may result
in the effective application of a fixed interest rate to the
Securities.
Furthermore, if the Issuer
determines that it is not able to follow the prescribed steps set
out in the Conditions, the relevant fallback provisions may not
operate as intended at the relevant time. Any such consequence
could have a material adverse effect on the trading markets for the
Securities, the liquidity of the Securities and/or the value of and
return on the Securities.
The Conditions may require the
exercise of discretion by an independent adviser and the making of
potentially subjective judgments (including as to the occurrence or
not of any events which may trigger amendments to the Conditions)
and/or the amendment of the Conditions without the consent of
Securityholders. The interests of the independent adviser in making
such determinations or amendments may be adverse to the interests
of the Securityholders.
Moreover, any of the above matters
or any other significant change to the setting or existence of any
relevant reference rate could affect the ability of the Issuer to
meet its obligations under the Securities if linked to a benchmark
or could have a material adverse effect on the market value or
liquidity of, and the amount payable under the
Securities.
Investors should consider all of
these matters when considering the Consent Solicitation and the
Proposed Amendments.
Extraordinary
Resolution binding
If the Extraordinary Resolution is passed, it
will be binding on all Securityholders (subject to the satisfaction
of the Eligibility Condition), whether or not they choose to, or
are able to, participate in the Consent Solicitation or otherwise
vote at the relevant Meeting.
SECURITYHOLDER PROPOSAL
Pursuant to this Notice, the Issuer
has convened the Meeting to request that the holders of the
Securities consider and agree by Extraordinary Resolution to the
matters contained in the Extraordinary Resolution set out
below.
The Issuer, under the Securityholder
Proposal, is requesting that the Securityholders consider and if
thought fit, pass the Extraordinary Resolution. If the
Extraordinary Resolution is passed by the Securityholders, and if
the Eligibility Condition is satisfied, the Extraordinary
Resolution will be binding on all Securityholders, whether present
or not at the Meeting and whether or not voting.
The Securityholder Proposal is being
put to Securityholders for the reasons set out in "Background" above.
Eligible Securityholders are also
referred to the Consent Solicitation Memorandum which provides
further background to the Securityholder Proposal and the reasons
therefor.
Consent Solicitation
Securityholders are further given
notice that the Issuer has invited Eligible Securityholders (as
defined below) of the Securities (such invitation, the
"Consent Solicitation") to
consent to the approval, by Extraordinary Resolution at the
Meeting, of the modification of the terms and conditions (the
"Conditions") of the
Securities and the Trust Deed and execution of the Supplemental
Trust Deed as described in paragraph 1 of the Extraordinary
Resolution as set out below, all as further described in the
Consent Solicitation Memorandum dated 12 January 2024 (the
"Consent Solicitation
Memorandum"), which is available to Eligible Securityholders
(as defined below) from the Tabulation Agent (including on the
website of the Tabulation Agent (https://deals.is.kroll.com/nibc))
(see "Documents Available for
Inspection" below).
The Consent Solicitation Memorandum
and any other documents or materials relating to the Consent
Solicitation are only for distribution or to be made available to
persons who are (i) located and resident outside the United States
and not U.S. persons or acting for the account or benefit of a U.S.
person (in each case, as defined in Regulation S under the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act")), (ii) not retail
investors (as defined in the Extraordinary Resolution below) and,
if applicable and acting on a non-discretionary basis, who are
acting on behalf of beneficial owners that are not retail
investors, and (iii) otherwise persons to whom the Consent
Solicitation can be lawfully made and that may lawfully participate
in the Consent Solicitation (all such persons, "Eligible Securityholders").
Subject to the restrictions
described in the previous paragraph, Securityholders may obtain
from the date of this Notice a copy of the Consent Solicitation
Memorandum from the Tabulation Agent, the contact details for which
are set out below. In order to receive a copy of the Consent
Solicitation Memorandum, a Securityholder will be required to
provide confirmation as to their status as an Eligible
Securityholder. Ineligibility to participate in the Consent
Solicitation does not affect a Securityholder's right to attend and
vote at the Meeting - see "Voting
and Quorum" below.
Consent Fee
Securityholders may be eligible, to
the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, to receive
an amount equal to the Consent Fee by delivering, or arranging to
have delivered on their behalf, a valid Consent Instruction, that
is received by the Tabulation Agent by the Expiration Deadline and
not subsequently revoked (in the limited circumstances in which
revocation is permitted).
Only Securityholders who (i)
deliver, or arrange to have delivered on their behalf, valid
Consent Instruction by the Expiration Deadline, and do not
subsequently revoke (in the limited circumstances in which
revocation is permitted) such instructions, and (ii) do not seek to
attend the Meeting (or any adjourned Meeting) in person or make any
other arrangements to be represented at the Meeting (or any
adjourned Meeting), will be eligible for the applicable Consent
Fee. Any Securityholder that separately seeks to appoint a proxy to
vote at the Meeting (or any adjourned Meeting) on its behalf or
attends the Meeting (or any adjourned such Meeting) in person or
makes other arrangements to be represented at the Meeting (or any
adjourned Meeting) will not be eligible for the Consent Fee,
irrespective of whether such Securityholder has delivered a valid
Consent Instruction.
If the Extraordinary Resolution is
passed (subject to the satisfaction of the Eligibility Condition),
any Consent Fee payable to Securityholders will be paid on the Fee
Payment Date in immediately available funds delivered to the
Clearing Systems for payment to the cash accounts of the relevant
Securityholders in the Clearing Systems. As of the date hereof, the
Fee Payment Date is expected to be 28 February 2024. The deposit of
such funds with the Clearing Systems will discharge the obligation
of the Issuer to all Securityholders in respect of the above
amounts represented by such funds.
In order to be eligible to receive
the applicable Consent Fee, Securityholders will be required to
submit instructions in accordance with the procedures set out
herein. For the avoidance of doubt, Eligible Securityholders shall
not be eligible to receive any Ineligible Holder Instruction
Fee.
Ineligible Holder Instruction Fee
Ineligible Securityholders may be
eligible, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and
regulations, to receive the Ineligible Holder Instruction Fee for
delivering, or arranging to have delivered on their behalf, an
Ineligible Holder Instruction waiving their
right to attend and vote (or be represented) at the Meeting that is
received by the Tabulation Agent by the Expiration Deadline and not
subsequently revoked (in the limited circumstances in which
revocation is permitted).
Only Ineligible Securityholders who
deliver, or arrange to have delivered on their behalf, valid
Ineligible Holder Instructions by the Expiration Deadline, and do
not subsequently revoke (in the limited circumstances in which
revocation is permitted) such instructions will be eligible for the
applicable Ineligible Holder Instruction Fee.
If the Extraordinary Resolution is
passed (subject to the satisfaction of the Eligibility Condition),
any Ineligible Holder Instruction Fee payable to Securityholders
will be paid on the Fee Payment Date in immediately available funds
delivered to the Clearing Systems for payment to the cash accounts
of the relevant Securityholders in the Clearing Systems. As of the
date hereof, the Fee Payment Date is expected to be 28 February
2024. The deposit of such funds with the Clearing Systems will
discharge the obligation of the Issuer to all Securityholders in
respect of the above amounts represented by such funds.
In order to be eligible to receive
the applicable Ineligible Holder Instruction Fee, Securityholders
will be required to submit instructions in accordance with the
procedures set out herein. For the avoidance of doubt, Ineligible
Securityholders shall not be eligible to receive any Consent
Fee.
EXTRAORDINARY RESOLUTION
"THAT this Meeting of the holders
(together, the "Securityholders") of the presently
outstanding U.S.$100,000,000 CMS Linked Perpetual Debt Securities
(ISIN: XS0215294512) (the "Securities") of NIBC Bank N.V. (the
"Issuer"), issued with the
benefit of the Trust Deed dated 24 March 2005 (the "Trust Deed") made between the Issuer
and The Law Debenture Trust Corporation p.l.c. (the "Trustee"):
1. (subject to
paragraph 5 of this Extraordinary Resolution) assents to the modification
of the terms and conditions of the Securities (the "Conditions") and the Trust Deed, and
the execution of a Supplemental Trust Deed to effect such
modifications, such that:
(a) for the purposes
of any Interest Period beginning on or after the Interest Payment
Date in March 2024 (expected to be 24 March 2024) the relevant Rate
of Interest shall instead be the lower of:
(i) the sum
of:
(A) the USD SOFR Spread
Adjusted Swap Rate calculated on the basis of the following formula
(the "ARRC Recommended
Formula") on the relevant Interest Determination
Date:
where:
"SOFR SA SR" is the USD SOFR Spread
Adjusted Swap Rate (expressed as a percentage) with a maturity of
10-years commencing on the first day of the relevant Interest
Period (the "Designated
Maturity");
"SOFR SR" is the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate
(expressed as a percentage) in respect of the day falling two U.S.
Government Securities Business Days prior to the first day of the
relevant Interest Period (the "Interest Determination Date") with a
maturity of the Designed Maturity; and
"ISDA Spread (3m LIBOR)" is 0.26161 per
cent.; and
(B) the Margin (which
shall remain unaltered by these amendments); and
(ii) 8.25 per
cent.;
(b) new fallback
provisions relating to the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate (or any component
thereof)for the purposes of calculating the USD SOFR Spread
Adjusted Swap Rate (including fallback provisions in case a
Benchmark Transition Event occurs with respect to the USD SOFR ICE
Swap Rate (or any component thereof)) are included in the
Conditions of the Securities and consequential amendments to Clause
19.2 (Modification) of the
Trust Deed in respect of any future modifications to the Conditions
to give effect to any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes are
included; and
(c) a Contractual
Recognition of Bail-in Clause is included in the
Conditions.
2. (subject to
paragraph 5 of this Extraordinary Resolution) authorises, directs,
requests and empowers:
(a) the Issuer and
the Trustee to execute a supplemental trust deed (the "Supplemental Trust Deed") to effect the
modifications referred to in paragraph 1 of this Extraordinary
Resolution, in the form or substantially in the form of the draft
produced to this Meeting, with such amendments thereto (if any) as
the Issuer and/or the Trustee shall deem necessary to effect such
modifications; and
(b) the Issuer and
the Trustee to execute and to do all such other deeds, instruments,
acts and things as may be necessary, desirable or expedient in its
sole opinion to carry out and to give effect to this Extraordinary
Resolution and the implementation of the modifications referred to
in paragraph 1 of this Extraordinary Resolution;
3. (subject to
paragraph 5 of this Extraordinary Resolution) sanctions and assents
to every abrogation, modification, compromise or arrangement in
respect of the rights of the Securityholders appertaining to the
Securities against the Issuer, whether or not such rights arise
under the Trust Deed, the Conditions or otherwise, involved in,
resulting from or to be effected by the amendments referred to in
paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Extraordinary Resolution and their
implementation;
4. (subject to
paragraph 5 of this Extraordinary Resolution) discharges and
exonerates the Trustee from all liability for which it may have
become or may become responsible under the Trust Deed, the
Securities or any document related thereto in respect of any act or
omission in connection with the passing of this Extraordinary
Resolution or the executing of any deeds, agreements, documents or
instructions, the performance of any acts, matters or things to be
done to carry out and give effect to the matters contemplated in
the Supplemental Trust Deed, the Original Meeting Notice, the
Adjourned Meeting Notice or this Extraordinary
Resolution;
5. declares
that the implementation of this Extraordinary Resolution shall be
conditional on:
(a) the passing of
this Extraordinary Resolution; and
(b) the quorum
required for, and the requisite majority of votes cast at, this
Meeting being satisfied by Eligible Securityholders only,
irrespective of any participation at this Meeting by Ineligible
Securityholders (and would also have been so satisfied if any
Ineligible Securityholders who provide confirmation of their status
as Ineligible Securityholders and waive their right to attend and
vote (or be represented) at the Meeting had actually participated
at the Meeting) and further resolves that, if the Extraordinary
Resolution is passed at this Meeting but such condition is not
satisfied, the chairman of this Meeting and the Trustee are hereby
authorised, directed, requested and empowered to adjourn this
Meeting until such date, not less than 13 Clear Days nor more than
42 Clear Days later, and time and place as may be appointed by the
chairman of this Meeting and approved by the Trustee, for the
purpose of reconsidering resolutions 1 to 7 of this Extraordinary
Resolution with the exception of resolution
5(b) of this
Extraordinary Resolution, and in place of the provisions of
resolution 5(b) the relevant condition will be satisfied if the
quorum required for, and the requisite majority of votes cast at,
the adjourned Meeting are satisfied by Eligible Securityholders
only, irrespective of any participation at the adjourned Meeting by
Ineligible Securityholders (and would also have been so satisfied
if any Ineligible Securityholders who provide confirmation of their
status as Ineligible Securityholders and waive their right to
attend and vote (or be represented) at the adjourned Meeting had
actually participated at the adjourned Meeting);
6.
acknowledges that the following terms, as used in this
Extraordinary Resolution, shall have the meanings given
below:
"Adjourned Meeting Notice" means the
notice given by the Issuer to Securityholders on or around 5
February 2024 convening this Meeting;
"Consent Solicitation in respect of the
Securities" means the invitation by the Issuer to all
Eligible Securityholders to consent to the modification of the
Conditions and Trust Deed relating to the Securities and the
execution of the Supplemental Trust Deed, as described in the
Consent Solicitation Memorandum and as the same may be amended in
accordance with its terms;
"Consent Solicitation Memorandum" means
the consent solicitation memorandum dated 12 January 2024 prepared
by the Issuer in relation to the Consent Solicitation in respect of
the Securities;
"Eligible Securityholder" means each
Securityholder who is (a) located and resident outside the United
States and not a U.S. person or acting for the account or benefit
of a U.S. person (in each case, as defined in Regulation S under
the Securities Act), (b) not a retail investor and, if applicable
and acting on a non-discretionary basis, who is acting on behalf of
a beneficial owner that is not a retail investor, and (c) otherwise
a person to whom the Consent Solicitation in respect of the
Securities can be lawfully made and that may lawfully participate
in the Consent Solicitation in respect of the
Securities;
"Ineligible Securityholder" means each
Securityholder who is not an Eligible Securityholder;
"Original Meeting Notice" means the notice given by the
Issuer to Securityholders on or around 12 January 2024 convening
the Meeting of Securityholders on 5 February 2024;
"retail investor" means a person who is
one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of
Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended or superseded,
"MiFID II"), (ii) a
customer within the meaning of Directive 2016/97 (as amended, the
"Insurance Distribution
Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a
professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of
MiFID II, (iii) a retail client, as defined in point (8) of Article
2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of UK domestic
law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as
amended, the "EUWA"), or
(iv) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, the
"FSMA") and any rules or
regulations made under the FSMA which were relied on immediately
before exit day to implement the Insurance Distribution Directive,
where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as
defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014
as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the
EUWA;
"Securities Act" means the U.S.
Securities Act of 1933, as amended; and
"U.S. Government Securities Business
Days" means any day except for a Saturday, a Sunday or a day
on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be
closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in U.S.
government securities.
7. agrees that
capitalised terms in this document where not defined herein shall
have the meanings given to them in the Trust Deed, the Original
Meeting Notice or the Adjourned Meeting Notice, as
applicable."
INELIGIBLE SECURITYHOLDERS
Submission of Ineligible Holder Instructions
Any Securityholder that is not an
Eligible Securityholder may not participate in the Consent
Solicitation and will not be eligible to receive the Consent Fee.
However, any Ineligible Securityholder may deliver, or arrange to
have delivered on its behalf, a valid Ineligible Holder Instruction
(as defined below) and may be entitled to receive an Ineligible
Holder Instruction Fee (as defined below). Ineligibility to
participate in the Consent Solicitation does not affect a
Securityholder's right to attend and vote at the Meeting - see
"Voting and Quorum"
below.
In respect of any Securities held
through Euroclear Bank SA/NV ("Euroclear") or Clearstream Banking S.A.
("Clearstream, Luxembourg"
and, together with Euroclear, the "Clearing Systems"), the submission of
Ineligible Holder Instructions will have occurred upon receipt by
the Tabulation Agent from Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as
applicable, of a valid instruction (an "Ineligible Holder Instruction")
submitted in accordance with the requirements of Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg, as applicable. Each such Ineligible Holder
Instruction must specify, among other things, the aggregate
principal amount of the Securities which are subject to such
Ineligible Holder Instruction, and the securities account number at
the relevant Clearing System in which the relevant Securities are
held. The receipt of such Ineligible Holder Instruction by the
relevant Clearing System will be acknowledged in accordance with
the standard practices of such Clearing System and will result in
the blocking of the relevant Securities in the relevant Ineligible
Securityholder's account with such Clearing System so that no
transfers may be effected in relation to such Securities until the
earlier of (i) the date on which the relevant Ineligible Holder
Instruction is validly revoked (in the limited circumstances in
which revocation is permitted, including the automatic revocation
of such Ineligible Holder Instruction on the termination of the
Consent Solicitation in accordance with the terms of the Consent
Solicitation) and (ii) the conclusion of the Meeting (or, if
applicable, any adjourned Meeting).
Ineligible Securityholders who have
submitted a valid Ineligible Holder Instruction waiving their right
to attend and vote (or be represented) at the Meeting by the
Expiration Deadline that has not subsequently been revoked (in the
limited circumstances in which revocation is permitted) will be
eligible to receive an amount equal to 0.50 per cent. of the
principal amount of the relevant Securities (the "Ineligible Holder Instruction Fee"),
subject to the successful passing of the Extraordinary Resolution
and the satisfaction of the Eligibility Condition.
A Securityholder or a beneficial
owner of the Securities who is, or who is believed by the Issuer to
be, a Sanctions Restricted Person (as defined herein) may not
participate in the Consent Solicitation and will not be eligible to
receive the Ineligible Holder Instruction Fee.
Only Direct Participants (as defined
under "Voting and Quorum"
below) may submit Ineligible Holder Instructions. Each beneficial
owner of Securities who is an Ineligible Securityholder and is not
a Direct Participant, must arrange for the Direct Participant
through which such beneficial owner of Securities who is an
Ineligible Securityholder holds its Securities to submit an
Ineligible Holder Instruction on its behalf to the relevant
Clearing System before the deadlines specified by the relevant
Clearing System.
By delivering, or arranging for the
delivery on its behalf, of an Ineligible Holder Instruction in
accordance with the procedures described below, a Securityholder
shall (A) waive its right to attend and vote (or be represented) at
the Meeting (as the consequence of the eligibility condition set
out in paragraph 5(b) of the Extraordinary Resolution is that the
Extraordinary Resolution will only be implemented where it is
passed irrespective of any participation at the Meeting by
Ineligible Securityholders, such that the attendance and voting at
the Meeting by an Ineligible Securityholder will be of no
consequence for such implementation) and (B) agree, acknowledge,
represent, warrant and undertake to the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation Agent, the Trustee or the
Principal Paying Agent at (i) the time of submission of such
Ineligible Holder Instruction, (ii) the Expiration Deadline, (iii)
the time of the Meeting and (if applicable) at the time of the
adjourned Meeting, (iv) the Implementation Date and (v) the Fee
Payment Date (and if a Securityholder or Direct Participant (as
defined below) on behalf of any Securityholder is unable to make
any such agreement or acknowledgement or give any such
representation, warranty or undertaking, such Securityholder or
Direct Participant should contact the Tabulation Agent immediately)
that:
(a) It is an
Ineligible Securityholder.
(b) It is not a
"Sanctions Restricted
Person", being a person or entity (a "Person"): (A) that is, or is directly
or indirectly owned or controlled by a Person that is, described or
designated in (i) the most current "Specially Designated Nationals
and Blocked Persons" list (which as of the date hereof can be found
at: https://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/sdnlist.pdf)
or (ii) the most current Foreign Sanctions Evaders List (which as
of the date hereof can be found at: http://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/fse/fselist.pdf)
or (iii) the most current "Consolidated list of persons, groups and
entities subject to EU financial sanctions" (which as of the date
hereof can be found at:
https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets/consolidated-list-of-persons-groups-and-entities-subject-to-eu-financial-sanctions?locale=en)
or (iv) the most current consolidated list of UK financial
sanctions targets(which as of the date hereof can be found
at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-sanctions-consolidated-list-of-targets/consolidated-list-of-targets);
or (B) that is otherwise the subject of any sanctions administered
or enforced by any Sanctions Authority, other than solely by virtue
of their inclusion in any of the following lists (and not other
lists): (i) the most current "Sectoral Sanctions Identifications"
list (which as of the date hereof can be found at:
http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/ssi_list.aspx)
(the "SSI List"), (ii)
Annexes III, IV, V, VI, XII and XIII of Council Regulation No.
833/2014, as amended by Council Regulation No. 960/2014 (the
"EU Annexes"), (iii)
Schedule 2 of the UK Sanctions (Russia) (EU Exit)
Regulations 2019 (which as at the date hereof can be found
at:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1063155/InvBan.pdf),
or (iv) any other list maintained by a
Sanctions Authority, with similar effect to the SSI List or the EU
Annexes. For these purposes "Sanctions Authority" means each of: (i)
the United States government; (ii) the United Nations; (iii) the
European Union (or any of its member states); (iv) the United
Kingdom; (v) any other equivalent governmental or regulatory
authority, institution or agency which administers economic,
financial or trade sanctions; and (vi) the respective governmental
institutions and agencies of any of the foregoing including,
without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US
Department of the Treasury, the United States Department of State,
the United States Department of Commerce and His Majesty's
Treasury.
(c) It has
undertaken all appropriate analysis of the implications of the
Consent Solicitation without reliance on the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation Agent, the Trustee or the
Principal Paying Agent.
(d) It has observed the
laws of all relevant jurisdictions, obtained all requisite
governmental, exchange control or other required consents, complied
with all requisite formalities and paid any issue, transfer or
other taxes or requisite payments due from it in each respect in
connection with its Ineligible Holder Instruction and/or the
Extraordinary Resolution in any jurisdiction and that it has not
taken or omitted to take any action in breach of the
representations or which will or may result in the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation Agent or any other person acting
in breach of the legal or regulatory requirements of any such
jurisdiction in connection with the Extraordinary
Resolution.
(e) Its Ineligible
Holder Instruction is made on the terms and conditions set out in
this Notice and therein.
(f) Its Ineligible
Holder Instruction is being submitted in compliance with the
applicable laws or regulations of the jurisdiction in which the
Securityholder is located or in which it is resident or located and
no registration, approval or filing with any regulatory authority
of such jurisdiction is required in connection with such Ineligible
Holder Instruction.
(g) It holds and
will hold, until the earlier of (i) the date on which its
Ineligible Holder Instruction is validly revoked (in the limited
circumstances in which revocation is permitted), and (ii)
conclusion of the Meeting or (if applicable) the adjourned Meeting,
as the case may be, the Securities the subject of the Ineligible
Holder Instruction, in the relevant Clearing System and in
accordance with the requirements of the relevant Clearing System
and by the deadline required by the relevant Clearing System, it
has submitted, or has caused to be submitted, an Ineligible Holder
Instruction to the relevant Clearing System, as the case may be, to
authorise the blocking of such Securities with effect on and from
the date thereof so that no transfers of such Securities may be
effected until the occurrence of any of the events listed in (i) or
(ii) above.
(h) It acknowledges
that none of the Issuer, the Sole Solicitation Agent, the
Tabulation Agent, the Trustee and the Principal Paying Agent or any
of their respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees,
representatives or agents has made any recommendation as to whether
to vote on the Extraordinary Resolution and it represents that it
has made its own decision with regard to the Extraordinary
Resolution based on any independent legal, financial, tax or other
advice that it has deemed necessary to seek.
(i) It
acknowledges that all authority conferred or agreed to be conferred
pursuant to these acknowledgements, representations, warranties and
undertakings and every obligation of the Securityholder offering to
waive its right to vote on the Extraordinary Resolution shall to
the extent permitted by applicable law be binding upon the
successors, assigns, heirs, executors, trustees in bankruptcy and
legal representatives of the Securityholder waiving its right to
vote on the Extraordinary Resolution and shall not be affected by,
and shall survive, the death or incapacity of the Securityholder
waiving its right to vote on the Extraordinary Resolution, as the
case may be.
(j) It
acknowledges that the Securities have not been and will not be
registered under the Securities Act, or the securities laws of any
state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be
offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or
benefit of, U.S. persons, unless an exemption from the registration
requirements of the Securities Act is available (terms used in this
paragraph that are, unless otherwise specified, defined in
Regulation S under the Securities Act are used as defined in
Regulation S).
(k) The information
given by or on behalf of such Securityholder in the Ineligible
Holder Instruction is true and will be true in all respects at the
time of the Meeting (and, if applicable, at the time of the
adjourned Meeting).
(l) No
information has been provided to it by the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation Agent, the Trustee or the
Principal Paying Agent or any of their respective affiliates,
directors, officers, employees, representatives or agents, with
regard to the tax consequences for Securityholders arising from the
participation in the Meeting or the implementation of the
Extraordinary Resolution, and it acknowledges that it is solely
liable for any taxes and similar or related payments imposed on it
under the laws of any applicable jurisdiction as a result of its
submission of the Ineligible Holder Instruction, and agrees that it
will not and does not have any right of recourse (whether by way of
reimbursement, indemnity or otherwise) against the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation Agent, the Trustee or the
Principal Paying Agent or any of their respective affiliates,
directors, officers, employees, representatives or agents, or any
other person, in respect of such taxes and payments.
The representation set out in
paragraph (b) above shall not be sought or given at any time after
such representation is first made if and to the extent that it is
or would result in a violation of Council Regulation (EC) No
2271/1996, as amended, including as it forms part of UK domestic
law by virtue of the EUWA (the "Blocking Regulation"), or any
applicable national law, instrument or regulation implementing the
Blocking Regulation or imposing penalties for breach
thereof.
If
the relevant Ineligible Securityholder is unable to give any of the
representations and warranties described above, such Ineligible
Securityholder should contact the Tabulation
Agent.
Each Ineligible Securityholder
submitting an Ineligible Holder Instruction in accordance with its
terms shall have agreed to indemnify the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation Agent, the Trustee, the
Principal Paying Agent and each of their respective affiliates,
directors, officers, employees, representatives or agents against
all and any losses, costs, fees, claims, liabilities, expenses,
charges, actions or demands which any of them may incur or which
may be made against any of them as a result of any breach of any of
the terms of, or any of the representations, warranties and/or
undertakings given pursuant to, such instruction by such
Securityholder.
All questions as to the validity,
form and eligibility (including the time of receipt) of any
Ineligible Holder Instructions or revocation (in the limited
circumstances in which revocation is permitted) or revision thereof
or delivery of Ineligible Holder Instructions will be determined by
the Issuer in its sole discretion, which determination will be
final and binding. The Issuer reserves the absolute right to reject
any and all Ineligible Holder Instructions not in a form which is,
in the opinion of the Issuer, lawful. The Issuer also reserves the
absolute right to waive defects in Ineligible Holder Instructions
with regard to any Securities. None of the Issuer, the Sole
Solicitation Agent, the Tabulation Agent, the Trustee or the
Principal Paying Agent shall be under any duty to give notice to
Securityholders or beneficial owners of Securities of any
irregularities in Ineligible Holder Instructions; nor shall any of
them incur any liability for failure to give notification of any
material amendments to the terms and conditions of the Consent
Solicitation.
REQUIREMENTS OF U.S.
SECURITIES LAWS
In the event the Extraordinary
Resolution is passed and implemented, the Supplemental Trust Deed
will contain a statement that, until the expiry of the period of 40
days after the date of the Supplemental Trust Deed, sales of the
Securities may not be made in the United States or to U.S. persons
unless made outside the United States pursuant to Rules 903 and 904
of Regulation S under the Securities Act.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The
attention of Securityholders is particularly drawn to the quorum
required for the Meeting and for any other adjourned Meeting which
is set out in paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of
"Voting and Quorum" below. Having regard to
such requirements, Securityholders are strongly urged either to
attend the Meeting or to take steps to be represented at the
Meeting (including by way of submitting a valid electronic voting
instruction to the relevant Clearing System (a
"Consent
Instruction") or Ineligible
Holder Instruction) as soon as possible.
Voting and Quorum
Securityholders who have submitted and not revoked (in the
limited circumstances in which revocation is permitted) a valid
Consent Instruction or Ineligible Holder Instruction in respect of
the Extraordinary Resolution by 4:00 p.m. (London time) / 5:00 p.m.
(CET) on 16 February 2024 (the "Expiration Deadline"), by which they
will (i) (in the case of Consent Instructions) have given
instructions to the Tabulation Agent for the appointment by the
Principal Paying Agent of one or more representatives of the
Tabulation Agent as its proxy to vote in the manner specified or
identified in such Consent Instruction at the Meeting (or any
adjourned such Meeting) or (ii) (in the case of Ineligible Holder
Instructions) waived such rights, need take no further action to be
represented at the Meeting (or any such adjourned such
Meeting).
Securityholders who have not submitted, or who have submitted
and revoked (in the limited circumstances in which revocation is
permitted), a Consent Instruction or Ineligible Holder Instruction
in respect of the Extraordinary Resolution by the Expiration
Deadline should take note of the provisions set out below detailing
how such Securityholders can attend or take steps to be represented
at the Meeting (references to which, for the purposes of such
provisions, include, unless the context otherwise requires, any
adjourned such Meeting).
For the avoidance of doubt, Securityholders who have already
submitted Consent Instructions or Ineligible Holder Instructions
prior to the date of this Notice have the option to leave such
instructions unchanged or revoke such instructions. In the event
that a Securityholder elects to revoke a previously submitted
Consent Instruction or Ineligible Holder Instruction, nothing shall
prevent the relevant Securityholder from submitting a further
Consent Instruction or Ineligible Holder Instruction prior to the
Expiration Deadline referred to above.
1. Subject as
set out below, the provisions governing the convening and holding
of the Meeting are set out in Schedule 3 (Provisions for Meetings of
Securityholders) to the Trust Deed, a copy of which is
available for inspection by the Securityholders during normal
business hours at the specified offices of the Trustee on any
weekday (public holidays excepted).
All of the Securities are
represented by a global security and are held by a common
depositary for Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg. For the
purpose of the Meeting, a "Direct
Participant" shall mean each person who is for the time
being shown in the records of Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg
as the holder of a particular principal amount outstanding of the
Securities.
Each person (a "beneficial owner") who is the owner of
a particular principal amount of the Securities through Euroclear,
Clearstream, Luxembourg or a Direct Participant, should note that a
beneficial owner will only be entitled to attend and vote at the
Meeting in accordance with the procedures set out below and where a
beneficial owner is not a Direct Participant it will need to make
the necessary arrangements, either directly or with the
intermediary through which it holds its Securities, for the Direct
Participant to complete these procedures on its behalf by all
applicable deadlines.
A Direct Participant or beneficial
owner of Securities wishing to attend the Meeting in person must
produce at the Meeting a valid voting certificate issued by the
Principal Paying Agent relating to the Securities in respect of
which such Direct Participant or beneficial owner wishes to
vote.
A Direct Participant not wishing to
attend the Meeting in person may (or the beneficial owner of the
relevant Securities may arrange for the relevant Direct Participant
on its behalf to) give a voting instruction to the Tabulation Agent
(by giving an electronic instruction to block its Securities and to
vote in respect of the Meeting to Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg in accordance with the procedures of Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg, as applicable) requiring the Principal
Paying Agent to include the votes attributable to its Securities in
a block voting instruction issued by the Principal Paying Agent for
the Meeting or any adjourned such Meeting, and the Principal Paying
Agent shall appoint one or more representatives of the Tabulation
Agent as its proxy to attend and vote at the Meeting in accordance
with such Direct Participant's instructions. A Direct Participant
holding Securities and not wishing to attend the Meeting in person
may alternatively deliver its voting certificate to the person whom
it wishes to attend the Meeting on its behalf.
Securities may be blocked in the
Clearing Systems for the purposes of appointing proxies under block
voting instructions or obtaining voting certificates until 48 Hours
before the time fixed for the Meeting.
Accordingly, beneficial owners or
their Direct Participants must have made arrangements to vote with
the relevant Clearing System by not later than 48 Hours before the
time fixed for the Meeting (or any adjourned such Meeting) and
within the relevant time limit specified by the relevant Clearing
System (who may set a significantly earlier deadline) and request
or make arrangements for the relevant Clearing System to block the
Securities in the relevant Direct Participant's account and to hold
the same to the order or under the control of the Tabulation
Agent.
Securities blocked as set out above
will not be released until the earlier of (i) the date on which the
relevant electronic voting and blocking instruction is validly
revoked (in the limited circumstances in which revocation is
permitted, including its automatic revocation on the termination of
the Consent Solicitation); (ii) the conclusion of the Meeting (or,
if applicable, any adjourned such Meeting); and (iii) not less than
48 Hours before the time for which the Meeting (or, if applicable,
any adjourned such Meeting) is convened, the notification in
writing of any revocation of a Direct Participant's previous
instructions to the Tabulation Agent.
Securityholders should note that the
timings and procedures set out in this notice reflect the
requirements for Securityholders' Meetings set out in the Trust
Deed, but that the Clearing Systems and the relevant intermediaries
may have their own additional requirements as to timings and
procedures for voting on the Extraordinary Resolution. Accordingly,
Securityholders wishing to vote in respect of the Extraordinary
Resolution are strongly urged either to contact their custodian (in
the case of a beneficial owner whose Securities are held in
book-entry form by a custodian) or the relevant Clearing System (in
the case of a Securityholder whose Securities are held in
book-entry form directly in the relevant Clearing System), as soon
as possible.
2. At the
Meeting (or any adjourned Meeting thereafter), one or more eligible
persons present and holding or representing in the aggregate not
less than one-third of the principal amount of the Securities for
the time being outstanding shall (subject as provided below) form a
quorum and shall have the power to pass the Extraordinary
Resolution.
3. To be
passed at the Meeting, the Extraordinary Resolution requires a
majority in favour consisting of not less than three-fourths of the
votes cast at the Meeting.
The question submitted to the
Meeting shall be decided in the first instance by a show of hands
unless there is only one voter or unless a poll is (before, or on
the declaration of the result of, the show of hands) demanded by
the chairman of the Meeting, the Issuer or by one or more persons
present holding Securities or voting certificates or being proxies
(whatever the principal amount of the Securities so held by them).
Unless a poll is validly demanded before or at the time that the
result is declared, the Chairman's declaration that on a show of
hands a resolution has been passed, passed by a particular
majority, rejected or rejected by a particular majority shall be
conclusive, without proof of the number of votes cast for, or
against, the resolution.
At the Meeting, (A) on a show of
hands every person who is present in person and who produces a form
of proxy or is otherwise a proxy or representative has one vote and
(B) on a poll every such person has one vote in respect of each
U.S.$1.00 of principal amount of Securities so represented by the
voting certificate so produced or for which he is otherwise a proxy
or representative.
4. The
implementation of the Consent Solicitation and the Extraordinary
Resolution will be conditional on:
(a) the passing of
the Extraordinary Resolution; and
(b) the quorum
required for, and the requisite majority of votes cast at, the
Meeting being satisfied by Eligible Securityholders only,
irrespective of any participation at the Meeting by Ineligible
Securityholders (and would also have been so satisfied if any
Ineligible Securityholders who provide confirmation only of their
status as Ineligible Securityholders and waive their right to
attend and vote (or be represented) at the Meeting had actually
participated at such Meeting), including, if applicable, the
satisfaction of such condition at an adjourned Meeting (the
"Eligibility
Condition"),
(together, the "Consent Conditions").
5. If passed,
the Extraordinary Resolution passed at the Meeting will be binding
upon all the Securityholders, whether present or not at the Meeting
and whether or not voting.
Documents Available for
Inspection
Copies of items (a) to (c)
below (together, the "Securityholder Information") will be
available from the date of this Notice, for inspection during
normal business hours at the specified offices of the Trustee on
any weekday (public holidays excepted) and on the website of the
Tabulation Agent (https://deals.is.kroll.com/nibc).
(a) this
Notice;
(b) the current
draft of the Supplemental Trust Deed, being the Supplemental Trust
Deed as referred to in the Extraordinary Resolution set out above
(the "Supplemental Trust
Deed"); and
(c) such other
ancillary documents as may be approved by the Trustee and/or such
other relevant party as are necessary or desirable to give effect
to the Securityholder Proposal in full.
This Notice should be read in
conjunction with the Securityholder Information.
The Securityholder Information may
be supplemented from time to time. Securityholders should note that
the Supplemental Trust Deed may be subject to amendment (where such
amendments are in line with the Proposed Amendments) up until 7
days prior to the date fixed for the Meeting. Should such
amendments be made, blacklined copies (showing the changes from the
originally available Supplemental Trust Deed) and clean versions
will be available from the Tabulation Agent (including on the
website of the Tabulation Agent (https://deals.is.kroll.com/nibc)).
Securityholders will be informed of
any such amendments to the Supplemental Trust Deed by announcements
released via the website of Euronext Amsterdam.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Further information relating to the
Proposed Amendments can be obtained from the Sole Solicitation
Agent directly:
THE SOLE SOLICITATION
AGENT
NatWest Markets
N.V.
Claude
Debussylaan 94
1082 MD
Amsterdam
The
Netherlands
Attention: Liability
Management
Telephone: +44 20 7085
6124
Email:
NWMLiabilityManagement@natwestmarkets.com
|
The contact details for the
Tabulation Agent and the Trustee are set out below:
THE TABULATION
AGENT
Kroll Issuer Services
Limited
The Shard
32 London Bridge
Street
London SE1
9SG
United
Kingdom
Telephone: +44 207
704 0880
Attention: Arlind
Bytyqi / Paul Kamminga
Email:
nibc@is.kroll.com
Website: https://deals.is.kroll.com/nibc
|
THE TRUSTEE
The Law Debenture Trust Corporation
p.l.c.
8th Floor
100
Bishopsgate
London EC2N
4AG
United
Kingdom
|
The Deal Roadshow login details in
respect of this Consent Solicitation are set out below:
DEAL ROADSHOW INVESTOR LOGIN
DETAILS
URL: https://dealroadshow.com
Entry
Code: NIBCBank2024
Direct
Link: https://dealroadshow.com/e/NIBCBank2024
Securityholders whose Securities are
held by Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg should contact the
Tabulation Agent at the address details above for further
information on the process for voting at the Meeting.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
If the Issuer is required to make an
announcement relating to matters set out in this Notice, any such
announcement will be made in accordance with all applicable rules
and regulations via notices to the Clearing Systems for
communication to Direct Participants and an announcement published
via the website of Euronext Amsterdam.
This Notice is given by:
NIBC Bank N.V.
Dated: 5 February 2024
Annex to the Notice of ADJOURNED
Securityholder Meeting
AMENDMENTS TO THE
CONDITIONS
The following amendments will be
made to the Conditions of the Securities:
1.
Amendments to preamble
The preamble to the Conditions shall
be amended by the deletion in full of the first paragraph thereof
and the insertion of the following text in its place (where the
reference to "[DATE]" shall be replaced with the final
Implementation Date):
"The U.S.$100,000,000 CMS Linked
Perpetual Debt Securities (the Securities, which expression shall in
these Conditions, unless the context otherwise requires, include
any further Securities issued pursuant to Condition 17 and forming
a single series with the Securities) of NIBC Bank N.V. (the
Bank) are constituted by a
Trust Deed dated 24th March, 2005 as supplemented by the
Supplemental Trust Deed dated [DATE] (together, the Trust Deed) made between the Bank and
The Law Debenture Trust Corporation p.l.c. (the Trustee, which expression shall include
its successor(s)) as trustee for the holders of the Securities (the
Securityholders) and the
holders of the interest coupons appertaining to the Securities (the
Couponholders and the
Coupons respectively, which
expressions shall, unless the context otherwise requires, include
the talons for further interest coupons (the Talons) and the holders of the
Talons)."
2.
Amendments to Condition 3.3
Condition 3.3 shall, with effect from the Interest Payment Date
(and related Interest Determination Date) falling in March 2024, be
deleted and replaced with the following:
"The
rate of interest payable from time to time in respect of the
Securities (the Rate of
Interest) will be determined on the basis of the following
provisions:
(a) On each Interest
Determination Date, Citibank, N.A., London Branch or its duly
appointed successor (in such capacity, the Agent Bank) will determine the USD SOFR
Spread Adjusted Swap Rate on that Interest Determination Date in
accordance with the following formula:
where:
SOFR SA SR is the USD SOFR
Spread Adjusted Swap Rate (expressed as a percentage) with a
maturity of 10-years commencing on the first day of the relevant
Interest Period (the Designated
Maturity);
SOFR SR is the USD SOFR ICE
Swap Rate (expressed as a percentage) in respect of the Interest
Determination Date with a maturity of the Designed Maturity;
and
ISDA Spread (3m LIBOR) is
0.26161 per cent.
(b) In no event shall the Rate
of Interest be more than 8.25 per cent. per annum.
(c) The Rate of Interest for
the Interest Period shall the lower of: (i) the sum of the USD SOFR
Spread Adjusted Swap Rate plus the Margin; and (ii) 8.25 per
cent.
(d) Subject to the operation of
Condition 3.9, if the Rate of Interest cannot be determined in
accordance with the above provisions, the Rate of Interest shall be
determined as at the last preceding Interest Determination
Date."
3.
Insertion of new Condition 3.9
A new Condition 3.9 shall be
inserted immediately after Condition 3.8, as follows:
"3.9 Benchmark
Discontinuation
(a) Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary in these Conditions, if the Issuer determines at
any time that a Benchmark Transition Event has occurred in relation
to the Relevant Benchmark or any component thereof when any Rate of
Interest remains to be determined by reference to the Relevant
Benchmark, the Issuer will use reasonable endeavours to appoint an
Independent Adviser to determine, or to advise the Issuer in
determining, a Benchmark Replacement and the applicable Benchmark
Replacement Adjustment and any other amendments to the terms of the
Securities (including, without limitation, any Benchmark
Replacement Conforming Changes).
(b) In making such
determination, the Issuer shall act in good faith and a
commercially reasonable manner as an expert. In the absence of
fraud, the Issuer and the Independent Adviser, as applicable, shall
have no liability whatsoever to the Issuer, the Trustee, the Agent
Bank, the Securityholders or the Couponholders for any
determination made by it, any variation of these Conditions or for
any advice given to the Issuer in connection with any determination
made by the Issuer, pursuant to this Condition 3.9.
(c) If the Issuer is unable to
appoint an Independent Adviser in accordance with this Condition
3.9, the Issuer, acting in good faith, may still make any
determinations and/or any amendments contemplated by and in
accordance with this Condition 3.9 (with the relevant provisions in
this Condition 3.9 applying mutatis mutandis to allow such
determinations or amendments to be made by the Issuer without
consultation with an Independent Adviser).
(d) Where this Condition 3.9
applies, without prejudice to the definitions set out herein, for
the purposes of making any determination contemplated by this
Condition 3.9, the Issuer will take into account any relevant and
applicable market precedents and customary market usage as well as
any published guidance from relevant associations involved in the
establishment of market standards and/or protocols in the
international debt capital markets.
(e) None of the Trustee, the
Principal Paying Agent, the Agent Bank or the Paying Agents shall
be responsible or liable for any determinations, decisions or
elections made by the Issuer or the Independent Adviser pursuant to
this Condition 3.9 including, without limitation, with respect to
any waivers or consequential amendments to be effected pursuant to
this Condition 3.9 and shall be entitled to rely conclusively on
any determination notified to each of them in this
regard.
(f) If a Benchmark Transition
Event occurs in relation to the Relevant Benchmark (or any
component thereof) when any Rate of Interest remains to be
determined by reference to the Relevant Benchmark, then the
following provisions shall apply:
(i) subject to Condition
3.9(f)(ii), if the Independent Adviser or the Issuer, following
consultation with its Independent Adviser, no later than five
Business Days prior to the Interest Determination Date relating to
the next Interest Period (the Determination Cut-Off
Date) determines the Benchmark
Replacement for the purposes of determining the Rate of Interest
applicable to the Securities for all future Interest Periods
(subject to the subsequent operation of this Condition 3.9(f)
during any other future Interest Period(s)), then such Benchmark
Replacement shall be the Relevant Benchmark for all future Interest
Periods (subject to the subsequent operation of this Condition
3.9(f) during any other future Interest Period(s)); and
(ii) notwithstanding Condition
3.9(f)(i), if the Independent Adviser or the Issuer, following
consultation with its Independent Adviser, determines prior to the
Determination Cut-Off Date that no Benchmark Replacement exists
then the relevant Rate of Interest shall be determined using the
Relevant Benchmark (or component parts thereof) last displayed on
the relevant screen prior to the relevant Interest Determination
Date, as applicable. This Condition 3.9(f)(ii) shall apply to the
relevant Interest Period only. Any subsequent Interest Period(s)
shall be subject to the subsequent operation of, and adjustment as
provided in, this Condition 3.9(f).
(g) The Independent Adviser or
the Issuer, in consultation with the Independent Adviser, (as
applicable) (acting in good faith and in a commercially reasonable
manner) may in its discretion specify:
(i) changes to these
Conditions in order to follow market practice in relation to such
Benchmark Replacement (as applicable), including, but not limited
to, the method for determining the fallback to the Relevant
Benchmark in respect of the calculation of the Rate of Interest in
relation to the Securities if such Benchmark Replacement is not
available; and
(ii) any other changes which
the Independent Adviser or the Issuer, in consultation with the
Independent Adviser, (as applicable) determines are reasonably
necessary to ensure the proper operation and comparability to the
Relevant Benchmark of such Benchmark Replacement (as
applicable),
(the Benchmark Replacement
Conforming Changes) which changes
shall apply to the Securities for all future Interest Periods
(subject to the subsequent operation of this Condition 3.9 during
any other future Interest Period(s)).
(h) Promptly following the
determination of (i) any Benchmark Replacement and (ii) if
applicable, any Benchmark Replacement Adjustment, but in any event
not later than the Determination Cut-Off Date, the Issuer shall
give notice thereof, and of any variation of the Conditions to give
effect to any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes pursuant to
Condition 3.9(g) (and the effective date thereof), to the Trustee,
the Principal Paying Agent, the Agent Bank and the Securityholders
in accordance with Condition 14.
(i) No consent of the
Securityholders, holders of Talons or Couponholders shall be
required in connection with effecting the relevant Benchmark
Replacement or Benchmark Replacement Adjustment (as applicable) as
described in this Condition 3.9 or such variation of the Conditions
to give effect to any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Change
pursuant to Condition 3.9(g) including for the execution of
any documents or the taking of other steps by the Issuer, and the
Trustee shall be obliged, without the consent or sanction of the
Securityholders (including without the requirement to provide to
Securityholders an opportunity to object), to concur with the
Issuer or the Independent Adviser (as applicable) in making any
modification (other than in respect of a matter contemplated in
paragraph 7 of Schedule 3 (Provisions for Meetings of
Securityholders) to the Trust Deed (a Reserved Matter),
provided that neither
replacing the Relevant Benchmark with the Benchmark Replacement nor
any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes shall constitute a
Reserved Matter) to the Conditions or the Trust Deed that the
Issuer or the Independent Adviser (as applicable) certifies to the
Trustee is necessary or appropriate to give effect to the
provisions set forth under this Condition 3.9 (and the Trustee
shall be entitled to rely on such certificate without further
enquiry or liability to any person, and for the avoidance of doubt,
the Trustee shall not be liable to the Securityholders, the holders
of any Talons or Coupons or any other person for so acting or
relying on such certificate, irrespective of whether any such
modification is or may be materially prejudicial to the interests
of any such person), provided
that the Trustee shall not be obliged to effect any such
modification if, in the sole opinion of the Trustee, doing so would
impose more onerous obligations upon it or expose it to any
additional duties, responsibilities or liabilities or reduce or
amend the protective provisions afforded to the Trustee in these
Conditions, the Trust Deed and/or the Agency Agreement in any
way.
(j) For the avoidance of
doubt, the Principal Paying Agent, the Agent Bank and the Paying
Agents shall, at the direction and expense of the Issuer, effect
such waivers and consequential amendments to the Agency Agreement
and these Conditions as may be required to give effect to this
Condition 3.9 provided that the Principal Paying Agent, the Agent
Bank and the Paying Agents shall not be obliged to effect any
Benchmark Replacement Adjustments if in the sole opinion of any of
the Principal Paying Agent, the Agent Bank and the Paying Agents
and the Paying Agents doing so would impose more onerous
obligations upon it or expose it to any additional duties,
responsibilities or liabilities or reduce or amend the protective
provisions afforded to the relevant Principal Paying Agent, the
Agent Bank and the Paying Agents in these Conditions and/or the
Agency Agreement in any way.
(k) In no event shall the
Agent Bank be responsible for determining any Benchmark Transition
Event or Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. The Agent Bank
shall be entitled to conclusively rely on any determinations made
by the Issuer or the Independent Adviser and will have no liability
for such actions taken at the direction of the Issuer or the
Independent Adviser. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Condition 3.9, if in the Agent Bank's opinion there is any
uncertainty in making any determination or calculation under this
Condition 3.9, the Agent Bank shall promptly notify the Issuer
thereof and the Issuer shall direct the Agent Bank in writing as to
which course of action to adopt. If the Agent Bank is not promptly
provided with such direction, or is otherwise unable to make such
calculation or determination for any reason, it shall notify the
Issuer thereof and the Agent Bank shall be under no obligation to
make such calculation or determination and shall not incur any
liability for not doing so."
4.
Amendments to Condition 15.2
A new paragraph shall be inserted
after the first paragraph of Condition 15.2 as follows:
"The Trustee shall be obliged,
without the consent or sanction of the Securityholders (including
without the requirement to provide to Securityholders an
opportunity to object), to concur with the Issuer or the
Independent Adviser (as applicable) in making any modification to
the Conditions or the Trust Deed in connection with effecting the
relevant Benchmark Replacement or Benchmark Replacement Adjustment
(as applicable) as described in Condition 3.9 or such variation of
the Conditions to give effect to any Benchmark Replacement
Conforming Change pursuant to Condition 3.9(g) (other than in
respect of a matter contemplated in paragraph 7 of Schedule 3
(Provisions for Meetings of
Securityholders) to the Trust Deed (a Reserved
Matter), provided that neither replacing the
Relevant Benchmark with the Benchmark Replacement nor any Benchmark
Replacement Conforming Changes shall constitute a Reserved Matter)
to the Conditions or the Trust Deed that the Issuer or the
Independent Adviser (as applicable) certifies to the Trustee is
necessary or appropriate to give effect to the provisions set forth
under this Condition 3.9 (and the Trustee shall be entitled to rely
on such certificate without further enquiry or liability to any
person, and for the avoidance of doubt, the Trustee shall not be
liable to the Securityholders, the holders of any Talons or Coupons
or any other person for so acting or relying on such certificate,
irrespective of whether any such modification is or may be
materially prejudicial to the interests of any such person),
provided that the Trustee
shall not be obliged to effect any such modification if, in the
sole opinion of the Trustee, doing so would impose more onerous
obligations upon it or expose it to any additional duties,
responsibilities or liabilities or reduce or amend the protective
provisions afforded to the Trustee in these Conditions, the Trust
Deed and/or the Agency Agreement in any way."
5.
Amendments to Condition 20
Condition 20 shall be amended as
follows (with any new definitions included in the appropriate
places in alphabetical order):
(i) the
deletion of the definition of "Fallback CMS Rate" in its
entirety;
(ii) the deletion of
the definition of "Mid-market
annual swap rate" in its entirety;
(iii) the deletion of the
definition of "Reference
Banks" in its entirety;
(iv) the deletion of the
definition of "Screen Rate"
in its entirety;
(v) the amendment of
the definition of "Interest
Determination Date" as follows:
Interest Determination Date means, in respect of any Interest Period, the day that is two
U.S. Government Securities Business Days preceding the first day of
such Interest Period.
(vi) the inclusion of the
following definition:
2006 ISDA Definitions means the
2006 ISDA Definitions as published by ISDA (copies of which may be
obtained from ISDA at www.isda.org).
(vii)
the inclusion of the following definition:
Benchmark Replacement means the
first alternative set forth in the order below that can be
determined by the Issuer, following consultation with its
Independent Adviser:
(i) the sum of (A) the
alternate benchmark that has been selected or recommended by the
Relevant Governmental Body as the replacement for the then-current
Relevant Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding Tenor and (B)
the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;
(ii) the sum of (A) the ISDA
Fallback Rate and (B) the Benchmark Replacement Adjustment;
or
(iii) the sum of (A) the alternate
benchmark that has been selected by the Issuer, in consultation
with the Independent Adviser, as the replacement for the
then-current Relevant Benchmark for the applicable Corresponding
Tenor giving due consideration to any industry-accepted benchmark
as a replacement for the then-current Relevant Benchmark for U.S.
dollar denominated floating rate notes at such time and (B) the
Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
(viii) the
inclusion of the following definition:
Benchmark Replacement Adjustment means the first alternative set forth in the order below that
can be determined by the Issuer, following consultation with its
Independent Adviser:
(i) the spread
adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread
adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that
has been selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body
for the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement;
(ii) if the applicable
Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement is equivalent to the ISDA Fallback
Rate, then the ISDA Spread Adjustment; or
(iii) the spread adjustment (which
may be a positive or negative value or zero) determined by the
Issuer, following consultation with its Independent Adviser, giving
due consideration to any industry accepted spread adjustment, or
method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for
the replacement of the then-current Relevant Benchmark with the
applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for U.S. dollar
denominated floating rate notes at such time.
(ix) the inclusion of the
following definition:
Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes
has the meaning given thereto in Condition
3.9.
(x) the inclusion of
the following definition:
Benchmark Transition Event means the occurrence of one or more of the following events
with respect to the then-current Relevant Benchmark (or any
component part thereof):
(i) a public statement
or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator
of the Relevant Benchmark (or such component) announcing that such
administrator has ceased or will cease to provide the Relevant
Benchmark (or such component), permanently or indefinitely,
provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there
is no successor administrator that will continue to provide the
Relevant Benchmark (or such component);
(ii) a public statement or
publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the
administrator of the Relevant Benchmark (or such component), the
central bank for the currency of the Relevant Benchmark (or such
component), an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the
administrator for the Relevant Benchmark (or such component), a
resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for
the Relevant Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity
with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the
administrator for the Relevant Benchmark (or such component), which
states that the administrator of the Relevant Benchmark (or such
component) has ceased or will cease to provide the Relevant
Benchmark (or such component) permanently or indefinitely, provided
that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no
successor administrator that will continue to provide the Relevant
Benchmark (or such component); or
(iii) a public statement or
publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the
administrator of the Relevant Benchmark (or such component)
announcing that the Relevant Benchmark (or such component) is no
longer representative,
provided that the Benchmark
Transition Event shall be deemed to occur (A) in the case of
subparagraphs (i) and (ii) above, on the later of (x) the date of
the public statement or publication of information referenced
therein and (y) the date on which the administrator of the Relevant
Benchmark (or such component) permanently or indefinitely ceases to
provide the Relevant Benchmark (or such component), or (B) in the
case of sub-paragraph (iii) above, on the date of the public
statement or publication of information referenced therein (each
such date, a Benchmark Replacement
Date).
(xi) the inclusion of the
following definition:
Corresponding Tenor with
respect to a Benchmark Replacement means a tenor (including
overnight) having approximately the same length (disregarding
business day adjustment) as the applicable tenor for the
then-current Relevant Benchmark.
(xii)
the inclusion of the following definition:
Designated Maturity has the
meaning given in Condition 3.3.
(xiii) the
inclusion of the following definition:
Independent Adviser means an
independent financial institution of international repute or other
independent financial adviser experienced in the international debt
capital markets, in each case appointed by the Issuer at its own
expense.
(xiv) the
inclusion of the following definition:
ISDA means the International
Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. (or any
successor).
(xv)
the inclusion of the following definition:
ISDA Fallback Adjustment means
the spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value or
zero) that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the
2006 ISDA Definitions to be determined upon the occurrence of an
index cessation event with respect to the Relevant
Benchmark.
(xvi) the
inclusion of the following definition:
ISDA Fallback Rate means the
rate that would apply for derivatives transactions referencing the
2006 ISDA Definitions to be effective upon the occurrence of an
index cessation date with respect to the Relevant Benchmark for the
applicable tenor excluding the applicable ISDA Fallback
Adjustment.
(xvii) the
inclusion of the following definition:
ISDA Spread Adjustment means
the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining
such spread adjustment (which may be a positive or negative value
or zero) that shall have been selected by ISDA as the spread
adjustment that would apply to the ISDA Fallback Rate.
(xviii) the inclusion of
the following definition:
Relevant Benchmark means,
initially, the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate, provided that if a Benchmark
Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have
occurred with respect to the USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate or the then
current Relevant Benchmark, then Relevant Benchmark means the applicable
Benchmark Replacement.
(xix) the
inclusion of the following definition:
Relevant Governmental Body means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
and/or the NY Federal Reserve or a committee officially endorsed or
convened by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
and/or the NY Federal Reserve, or any successor.
(xx)
the inclusion of the following definition:
SOFR means the Secured
Overnight Financing Rate administered by the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York (or any successor administrator).
(xxi) the
inclusion of the following definition:
Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement means the Benchmark Replacement excluding the applicable
Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
(xxii) the
inclusion of the following definition:
USD
SOFR ICE Swap Rate means the
benchmark for the mid-price for the fixed leg of a
fixed-for-floating U.S. Dollar swap transaction where the floating
leg references SOFR and both the fixed leg and floating leg are
paid annually, as provided by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited
as the administrator of the benchmark (or a successor
administrator).
(xxiii) the inclusion of
the following definition:
USD
SOFR Spread Adjusted Swap Rate means
the rate determined by the Agent Bank in accordance with Condition
3.3.
(xxiv) the inclusion of
the following definition:
U.S. Government Securities Business Day
means any day except for a Saturday, a Sunday or a
day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets
Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its
members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in
U.S. government securities.
6.
Insertion of new Condition 19
A new Condition 19 shall be inserted
immediately after Condition 18.3 as follows and the numbering of
the existing Condition 19 (Rights
of Third Parties) and Condition 20 (Definitions) shall be deemed updated
accordingly:
"19. Agreement and Acknowledgement
with respect to the exercise of Bail-in Power
19.1 Notwithstanding and to the exclusion of
any other term of the Securities or any other agreements,
arrangements, or understandings between the Issuer and any
Securityholder, by its acquisition of the Securities, each
Securityholder (which, for the purposes of this clause, includes
each holder of a beneficial interest in the Securities),
acknowledges and accepts that the Amounts Due arising under these
Securities may be subject to the exercise of Bail-in Powers by the
Resolution Authority, and acknowledges, accepts, consents and
agrees to be bound by:
(a) the effect of the exercise
of Bail-in Power by the Resolution Authority, that may include and
result in any of the following, or some combination
thereof:
(i) the reduction of
all, or a portion, of the Amounts Due;
(ii) the conversion of all, or
a portion, of the Amounts Due on the Securities into shares, other
securities or other obligations of the Issuer or another person
(and the issue to or conferral on the Securityholder of such
shares, securities or obligations), including by means of an
amendment, modification or variation of the terms of the
Securities;
(iii) the cancellation of the
Securities; and/or
(iv) the amendment or alteration of
the maturity of the Securities or amendment of the amount of
interest payable on the Securities, or the date on which the
interest becomes payable, including by suspending payment for a
temporary period; and
(b) the variation of the terms
of the Securities, if necessary, to give effect to the exercise of
Bail-in Power by the Resolution Authority.
19.2 No repayment or payment of
Amounts Due on the Securities
will become due and payable or be paid after the
exercise of any Bail-in Power by the Resolution Authority if and to
the extent such amounts have been reduced, converted, cancelled,
amended or altered as a result of such exercise.
19.3 Neither a reduction or
cancellation, in part or in full, of the Amounts Due, the
conversion thereof into another security or obligation of the
Issuer or another person, as a result of the exercise of the
Bail-in Power by the Resolution Authority with respect to the
Issuer, nor the exercise of the Bail-in Power by the Resolution
Authority with respect to the Securities will be an Event of
Default.
19.4 Upon the exercise of the Bail-in Power by
the Resolution Authority with respect to the Securities, the Issuer
will provide a written notice to the Securityholders in accordance
with Condition 14 (Notices) as soon as practicable
regarding such exercise of the Bail-in Power. The Issuer will also
deliver a copy of such notice to the Trustee and Principal Paying
Agent for information purposes.
19.5 For the purposes of this
Condition 19:
Amounts Due are the
principal amount of, together with any accrued but unpaid interest
due on, the Securities. References to
such amounts will include amounts that have become due and payable,
but which have not been paid, prior to the exercise of Bail-in
Power by the Resolution Authority;
Bail-in Legislation means
the Dutch BRRD Implementation Act (Implementatiewet Europees kader voor herstel
en afwikkeling van banken en beleggingsondernemingen) and
any other law or regulation applicable in The Netherlands relating
to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or
other financial institutions or their affiliates (otherwise than
through liquidation, administration or other insolvency
proceedings);
Bail-in Power means any
write-down, conversion, transfer, modification or suspension power
existing from time to time under, and exercised in compliance with,
any law or regulation in effect in The Netherlands, relating to the
transposition of Directive 2014/59/EU establishing a framework for
the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment
firms, including but not limited to the Bail-in Legislation and
Regulation (EU) No 806/2014 and the instruments, rules and
standards created thereunder, pursuant to which any obligation of a
bank or investment firm or affiliate of a bank or investment firm
can be reduced, cancelled, modified or converted into shares, other
securities or other obligations of such entity or any other person
(or suspended for a temporary period); and
Resolution Authority means the Dutch Central
Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank
N.V.) (or any successor or replacement thereto and/or such
other authority with the ability to exercise any Bail-in Power in
respect of the Issuer)."
AMENDMENTS TO THE TRUST
DEED
The following amendments will be
made to the Trust Deed:
1.
Amendments to Clause 19.2
A new
paragraph shall be inserted after the first paragraph of Clause
19.2 as follows:
"The Trustee
shall be obliged, without the consent or sanction of the
Securityholders (including without the requirement to provide to
Securityholders an opportunity to object), to concur with the
Issuer or the Independent Adviser (as applicable) in making any
modification to these presents in connection with effecting the
relevant Benchmark Replacement or Benchmark Replacement Adjustment
(as applicable) as described in Condition 3.9 or such variation of
the Conditions to give effect to any Benchmark Replacement
Conforming Change pursuant to Condition 3.9(g) (other than in
respect of a matter contemplated in paragraph 7 of Schedule 3
(Provisions for Meetings of
Securityholders) hereto (a Reserved Matter), provided that neither
replacing the Relevant Benchmark with the Benchmark Replacement nor
any Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes shall constitute a
Reserved Matter) to the Conditions or the Trust Deed that the
Issuer or the Independent Adviser (as applicable) certifies to the
Trustee is necessary or appropriate to give effect to the
provisions set forth under this Condition 3.9 (and the Trustee
shall be entitled to rely on such certificate without further
enquiry or liability to any person, and for the avoidance of doubt,
the Trustee shall not be liable to the Securityholders, the holders
of any Talons or Coupons or any other person for so acting or
relying on such certificate, irrespective of whether any such
modification is or may be materially prejudicial to the interests
of any such person), provided that the Trustee shall not be obliged
to effect any such modification if, in the sole opinion of the
Trustee, doing so would impose more onerous obligations upon it or
expose it to any additional duties, responsibilities or liabilities
or reduce or amend the protective provisions afforded to the
Trustee in the Conditions, this Trust Deed and/or the Agency
Agreement in any way."