EX-4.10 8 a2189931zex-4_10.htm EX-4.10
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Exhibit 4.10

EURO 500,106,406 FACILITY AGREEMENT

dated May 7, 2003

among

SAPPI PAPIER HOLDING AG
as Borrower

and
SAPPI INTERNATIONAL S.A.
as Guarantor

and
BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT AG
as Mandated Lead Arranger and Agent

and
the Lenders listed in Schedule 1

           

(Stamp Duty exempt pursuant to Sec 33 TP 19 para 4 nr 4 Stamp Duty Act)


THIS AGREEMENT is dated May 7, 2003 and made between:

    (1)
    SAPPI PAPIER HOLDING AG (the "Borrower");

    (2)
    SAPPI INTERNATIONAL S.A. (the "Guarantor");

    (3)
    BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT AG (the "Mandated Lead Arranger" and "Agent"); and

    (4)
    the Lenders listed in Schedule 1

IT IS AGREED as follows:

PREAMBLE

Whereas the Sappi Group has acquired Potlatch Corporation's Coated Fine Paper Division for a purchase price amounting to USD 480,000,000 which was partially financed by Intercompany Financings from Sappi Papier Holding AG to Sappi Lanaken Press Paper N.V., Belgium, S.D. Warren Company, USA and Sappi UK Holdings B.V., Netherlands.

Sappi now intends to partially refinance these Intercompany Financings through the Loan provided for under this Agreement.

The Loan provided for under this Agreement will be refinanced by the Lenders from Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft under refinancing arrangements on the basis of guarantees by "aval" for the Borrower as acceptor of bills of exchange under sec 2 of the Export Guarantees Act 1981 ("Ausfuhrförderungsgesetz 1981"). For this reason this Agreement is stamp duty exempt pursuant to sec 33 TP 19 para 4 nr 4 of the Austrian Stamp Duty Act.


SECTION 1    INTERPRETATION

1.    Definitions and Interpretation

1.1.
Definitions

    "Affiliate" means, in relation to any person, a Subsidiary of that person or a Holding Company of that person or any other Subsidiary of that Holding Company.

    "Agreement" means this Facility Agreement.

    "Amount" means, in relation to the Loan, the amount specified in the Drawdown Request delivered by the Borrower for that Loan adjusted to reflect any repayment, prepayment or cancellation of the Loan as the case may be.

    "Annual Compliance Certificate" means a Compliance Certificate in respect of the last Quarter of any financial year of the Borrower.

    "Applicable Facility Fee" means the fee specified in Schedule 10 (Applicable Facility Fee).

    "Authorisation" means an authorisation, consent, approval, resolution, licence, exemption, filing or registration.

    "Available Facility" means the aggregate of the Lenders' Available Facility Commitments.

    "Available Facility Commitment" means, with respect to a Lender, such Lender's Commitment minus:

    (a)
    the amount of its participation in any outstanding Loans

    (b)
    in relation to any proposed Drawdown, the amount of its participation in any Loans that are due to be made on or before the proposed Drawdown Date.

    "Availability Period" means the period from and including the date of this Agreement to and including July 31, 2003.

    "Break Costs" means (i) as long as the Facility is refinanced by OeKB, the amount (if any) determined by OeKB as cost associated with placing the prepaid principal amount otherwise for the respective duration

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    (such cost will be calculated by OeKB as the present value of the difference between the interest OeKB would have received had the principal amount not been prepaid and the interest OeKB is able to obtain by placing an amount equal to the prepaid principal amount at the respective money market interest rates or capital market interest rates prevailing at the time of the notice of the prepayment for the respective duration which interest rate shall also be used as discount rate for the calculation of present value of such difference) and (ii) if at any time any outstanding portion of the Facility is no longer refinanced by OeKB, the amount by which interest which a Lender would have received for the period from the date of receipt of the prepaid principal amount to the last day of the current Interest Period, had the principal received been paid on the last day of that Interest Period exceeds the interest which that Lender would be able to obtain by placing an amount equal to the prepaid principal amount received by it on deposit with a leading bank in the Relevant Interbank Market for a period starting on the Business Day following receipt or recovery and ending on the last day of the current Interest Period.

    "Business Day" means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are open for general business in Vienna and which is a TARGET Day.

    "Commitment" means

    (a)
    in relation to an Original Lender, the aggregate amount set opposite its name under the headings "Tranche A Commitment" and "Tranche B Commitment" in Schedule 1 (The Original Lenders) and the amount of any other commitment transferred to it under this Agreement; and

    (b)
    in relation to any other Lender, the amount of any commitment transferred to it under this Agreement,

    to the extent not cancelled, reduced or transferred by it under this Agreement.

    "Compliance Certificate" means a Certificate substantially in the form set out in Schedule 6 (Form of Compliance Certificate).

    "Default" means any event or circumstance specified in Clause 24 (Events of Default) which would (with the expiry of a grace period, the lapse of time, the giving of notice, the making of any determination under the Finance Documents or any combination of any of the foregoing) be an Event of Default.

    "Disposal" means a sale, transfer or other disposal (including by way of lease or loan) by a person of all or part of its assets, whether by one transaction or a series of transactions.

    "Drawdown" means the drawdown under the Facility.

    "Drawdown Date" means the date of the Drawdown, being the date on which a Loan is to be made.

    "Drawdown Request" means a notice substantially in the form set out in Schedule 3 (Requests).

    "Environmental Claim" means any claim, proceeding or investigation by or a payment obligation to, a person in respect of any Environmental Law.

    "Environmental Law" means any applicable law in any jurisdiction in which any Group Company conducts business which relates to the pollution or protection of the environment or harm to or the protection of human health or the health of animals or plants.

    "EURIBOR" means, in relation to any Loan:

    (a)
    the applicable Screen Rate; or

    (b)
    (if no Screen Rate is available for the period of the Loan) the arithmetic mean of the rates (rounded upwards to four decimal places) as supplied to the Agent at its request quoted by the Reference Banks to leading banks in the European interbank market for the offering of deposits in Euro for a period comparable to the Interest Period of the Loan to be determined at 11.00 a.m. London time two TARGET Days before the first day of any period for which an interest rate is to be determined.

    "Event of Default" means any event or circumstance specified as such in Clause 24 (Events of Default).

    "Facility" means the loan facility made available under this Agreement as described in Clause 2.1 (The Facility).

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    "Facility Outstandings" means the aggregate of the Amount from time to time of the Loan.

    "Facility Office" means the office or offices notified by a Lender to the Agent in writing on or before the date it becomes a Lender (or, following that date, by not less than five Business Days' written notice) as the office or offices through which it will perform its obligations under this Agreement.

    "Finance Document" means this Agreement, the SISA Guarantee and any Mandate Letter.

    "Finance Party" means the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger or a Lender.

    "Financial Indebtedness" means (without double counting) any indebtedness for or in respect of

    (a)
    moneys borrowed;

    (b)
    any amount raised by acceptance under any acceptance credit facility;

    (c)
    any amount raised pursuant to any note purchase facility or the issue of bonds, notes, debentures, loan stock, participation rights ("Genussrechte" under Austrian law) or any similar instrument;

    (d)
    the amount of any liability in respect of any hire purchase agreement, conditional sale agreement or lease which would, in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards in the relevant jurisdiction be treated as a finance or capital lease;

    (e)
    any guarantee, bond, stand-by letter of credit or other similar instrument;

    (f)
    any interest rate or currency swap agreement or any other hedging or derivatives instrument or agreement (valued at risk as certified by the Group's auditors);

    (g)
    any arrangement entered into primarily as a method of raising finance pursuant to which any asset sold or otherwise disposed of by that person is or may be leased to or reacquired by a Group Company (whether following the exercise of an option or otherwise); or

    (h)
    any guarantee, indemnity or similar insurance against financial loss given in respect of the obligation of any person falling within any of paragraphs (a) to (g) above,

    except that indebtedness owing by one Group Company to another Group Company shall not be taken into account as Financial Indebtedness.

    "Group" means each Obligor and their respective Subsidiaries for the time being and "Group Company" means any one of the same.

    "Holding Company" means, in relation to a company or corporation, any other company or corporation in respect of which such other company or corporation is a Subsidiary.

    "IAS" means the international accounting principles formulated by the International Accounting Standards Committee.

    "Initial Financial Statements" means the audited consolidations of the financial statements of the Obligors and their respective subsidiaries and the audited unconsolidated financial statements of the Obligors (if required to be produced by law) for the financial year ended September 30, 2002, prepared in accordance with IAS.

    "Intercompany Financings" means the financings from Sappi Papier Holding AG, Austria to Sappi Lanaken Press Paper N.V., Belgium, of Euro 228,600,000, S.D. Warren Company, USA of USD 130,000,000 and Sappi UK Holdings BV, Netherlands of Euro 133,179,102 for the purpose of the acquisition of Potlatch Corporation's Coated Fine Paper Division for USD 480,000,000.

    "Interest Period" means each period determined in accordance with Clause 12 (Interest Periods and Terms) and, in relation to an Unpaid Sum, each period determined in accordance with Clause 11.5 (Default Interest).

    "Lender" means:

    (a)
    any Original Lender; and

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    (b)
    any bank or financial institution which has become a Party as a Lender in accordance with Clause 25 (Changes to the Lenders), which in each case has not ceased to be a Party in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

    "Loan" means a loan made or to be made under the Facility or the principal Amount outstanding for the time being of that loan.

    "Majority Lenders" means:

    (a)
    as long as there are no Facility Outstandings, a Lender or Lenders whose Commitments are in aggregate 66 (sixtysix) or more per cent of the Total Commitments;

    (b)
    at any other time, a Lender or Lenders whose participations in the Facility Outstandings at such time are in the aggregate 66 (sixtysix) or more per cent thereof, and

    (c)
    for the purpose of para 10.7. of section 4 regulating a mandatory prepayment in case of breach of certain ratios, a Lender or Lenders whose participations in the Facility Outstandings at such time are in the aggregate 50 (fifty) or more per cent thereof.

    "Mandate Letter" means the letter dated April 4, 2003 addressed by the Mandated Lead Arranger to the Borrower and any other fee letter or letters dated on or about the date of this Agreement between the Agent and the Borrower setting out any of the fees referred to in Clause 14 (Fees).

    "Mandatory Cost" means the percentage rate per annum calculated by the Agent in accordance with Schedule 4 (Mandatory Cost Formulae).

    "Material Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect in the reasonable opinion of the Majority Lenders on the ability of the Obligors (taken together) to perform their payment obligations under the Finance Documents or the ability of the Borrower to comply with the financial undertakings set out in Clause 23.1 (Financial Covenants).

    "Material Subsidiary" means, at any time, a subsidiary of an Obligor which has:

    (a)
    earnings before interest and tax representing 10 per cent or more of the consolidated earnings before interest and tax of the Group (the "Consolidated Earnings"); or

    (b)
    total assets representing 10 per cent or more of the consolidated total assets of the Group (the "Consolidated Assets"); and

    (c)
    in the event that those Group Companies falling within (a) and (b) above when taken together with the Obligors do not account for at least 90 per cent of the Consolidated Earnings and at least 90 per cent of the Consolidated Assets, such other Group Companies as are necessary to ensure that the Material Subsidiaries when taken together with the Obligors account for at least 90 per cent of the Consolidated Earnings and at least 90 per cent of the Consolidated Assets (with Group Companies being included as Material Subsidiaries in the order in which their earnings before interest and tax and/or gross assets are closest to 10 per cent of the Consolidated Earnings or, as the case may be, the Consolidated Assets),

    in each case as set out, until the first Annual Compliance Certificate is delivered, in the list provided to the Agent pursuant to Schedule 12 (Material Subsidiaries) and thereafter in the most recent Annual Compliance Certificate (for the avoidance of doubt, calculated by reference to the latest annual consolidated financial statements of the Group delivered by the Borrower to the Agent pursuant to Clause 21.1 (Financial Statements)) and as updated from time to time by a Material Subsidiary Update Certificate.

    "Material Subsidiary Update Certificate" means a certificate delivered pursuant to Clause 21.12 (Change in Material Subsidiaries).

    "New Lender" means a credit institution within the meaning of the Austrian Stamp Duty Act to which the rights and/or obligations are assigned/transferred in accordance with Clause 25.1 (Assignment and transfer by the Lenders).

    "Obligors" means the Borrower and the Guarantor.

5


    "OeKB" means Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft, Am Hof 4, 1010 Vienna, Austria.

    "OeKB Financing Rates" means the OeKB Fixed Financing Rate and the OeKB Floating Financing Rate.

    "OeKB Fixed Financing Rate" means an interest rate of 3.60 per cent per annum as stipulated by OeKB for Tranche B of this specific transaction.

    "OeKB Floating Financing Rate" means the floating interest rate of the export financing scheme operated by OeKB for export contracts ("Rahmen I Finanzierung") as published by OeKB on its Website (www.oekb.at) from time to time. At the time of entering into this Agreement, the OeKB Floating Financing Rate is 3.80 per cent per annum.

    "OeKB Refinancing" means the refinancing of the Facility by OeKB pursuant to various agreements among OeKB and each of the Lenders.

    "Original Lender" means each lender identified in Schedule 1 (The Original Lenders).

    "Paper Business" means, any one or more of the following businesses:

    (a)
    the production, manufacture, distribution, supply, sale, purchase and trading in respect of paper (including but not limited to fine paper, coated and uncoated woodfree paper, packaging paper, publication paper and newsprint);

    (b)
    pulp (including all chemical or other manufacturing processes relating to pulp); and

    (c)
    wood products (including all initial processes, manufacturing or otherwise relating to paper, pulp and paper pulp), the growing of timber supplies

    and any other businesses related or ancillary to any of the foregoing.

    "Participating Member State" means any member state of the European Union that adopts or has adopted the euro as its lawful currency in accordance with legislation of the European Union relating to European Monetary Union.

    "Party" means a party to this Agreement and includes its successors in title, permitted assignees and permitted transferees.

    "Potlatch Acquisition" means the acquisition by the Sappi Group of Potlatch Corporation's coated Fine Paper Division.

    "Qualifying Lender" has the meaning given to it in Clause 15 (Tax Gross Up and Indemnities).

    "Quarter" means each period of three months ending on a Quarter Date.

    "Quarter Date" means the Borrower's quarterly accounting date (which is usually the last Sunday of the month) of any March, June, September or December.

    "Reference Banks" means the principal London offices of Citibank N.A. and J.P. Morgan and the principal Munich office of Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank AG or such other banks as may be appointed by the Agent after consultation with the Borrower.

    "Relevant Interbank Market" means the European interbank market.

    "Reservations" means the principle that equitable remedies are remedies which may be granted or refused at the discretion of the court, the limitation of enforcement by laws relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, reorganisation, moratoria, administration and other laws generally affecting the rights of creditors, defences of set-off or counterclaim and similar principles, rights and defences under the laws of any foreign jurisdictions in which relevant obligations may have to be performed, and any qualifications relating to matters of law contained in or referred to in the legal opinions to be delivered to the Agent pursuant to paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 (Conditions Precedent).

    "Sappi" means Sappi Limited, a company incorporated in the Republic of South Africa with registered number 1936/008963/06.

    "Sappi Group" means Sappi and any Subsidiary of Sappi.

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    "Sappi Group Company" means Sappi and any Subsidiary of Sappi other than a Group Company.

    "Screen Rate" means, in relation to "EURIBOR", the percentage rate per annum determined by the Banking Federation of the European Union for the relevant period, displayed on the appropriate page of the Reuters "EURIBOR" screen. If the agreed page is replaced or service ceases to be available, the Agent may specify another page or service displaying the appropriate rate after consultation with the Borrower and the Lenders.

    "SD Warren Group" means SDW Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation with its business address at 225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110, USA, and its Subsidiaries.

    "Security" means a mortgage, charge, pledge, lien, right of set-off, retention of title provision, or any other security interest securing any obligation of any person or any other agreement or arrangement having the effect of giving security or preferential ranking to a creditor.

    "SISA Guarantee" means the guarantee dated on or about the date of this Agreement granted by the Guarantor in favour of the Agent for and on behalf of the Finance Parties substantially in the form set forth in Schedule 11.

    "Specified Time" means 10 Business Days prior to the proposed Drawdown Date at 10.00 am Central European Time.

    "Subsidiary" means in relation to any company or corporation, a company or corporation:

    (a)
    which is controlled, directly or indirectly, by the first mentioned company or corporation;

    (b)
    more than half of the issued share capital of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the first mentioned company or corporation; or

    (c)
    which is a Subsidiary of another Subsidiary of the first mentioned company or corporation,

    and for this purpose, a company or corporation shall be treated as being controlled by another if that other company or corporation is able to direct its affairs and/or to control the composition of its board of directors or equivalent body.

    "TARGET" means Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer payment system.

    "TARGET Day" means any day on which TARGET is open for the settlement of payments in euro.

    "Tax" means any tax, levy, impost, duty or other charge or withholding of a similar nature (including any penalty or interest payable in connection with any failure to pay or any delay in paying any of the same).

    "Total Commitments" means the aggregate of the Commitments, being Euro 500,106,406 at the date of this Agreement.

    "Transfer Certificate" means a Certificate substantially in the form set out in Schedule 5 (Form of Transfer Certificate) or any other form agreed between the Agent and the Borrower.

    "Tranche A" means the floating rate portion of the Facility amounting to 20 per cent thereof.

    "Tranche A Loan" means a Loan made under Tranche A.

    "Tranche A Outstandings" means the aggregate of all Loans outstanding under Tranche A.

    "Tranche B" means the fixed rate portion of the Facility amounting to 80 per cent thereof.

    "Tranche B Loan" means a Loan made under Tranche B.

    "Tranche B Outstandings" means the aggregate of all Loans outstanding under Tranche B.

    "Transfer Date" means, in relation to a transfer, the later of

    (a)
    the proposed transfer date specified in the Transfer Certificate; and

    (b)
    the date on which the Agent executes the Transfer Certificate.

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    "Unpaid Sum" means any sum due and payable but unpaid by an Obligor under the Finance Documents.

    "VAT" means value added tax as provided for in the Value Added Tax Act ("Umsatzsteuergesetz") 1994 as amended and any other tax of a similar nature.

1.2.
Constructions

(a)
Any reference in this Agreement to:

(i)
"assets" includes present and future properties, revenues and rights of every description;

(ii)
the "European interbank market" means the interbank market for Euro operating in Participating Member States;

(iii)
a "Finance Document" or any other agreement or instrument is a reference to that Finance Document or other agreement or instrument as amended or novated;

(iv)
"indebtedness" includes any obligation (whether incurred as principal or as surety) for the payment or repayment of money, whether present or future, actual or contingent;

(v)
a Lender's "participation", in relation to a Loan, means the amount of such Loan that is owed to such Lender or, as the case may be, the amount of such Loan that such Lender is obliged to make available; and

(vi)
a "person" includes any person, firm, company, corporation, government, state or agency of a state or any association, trust or partnership (whether or not having separate legal personality) or two or more of the foregoing;

(vii)
a "regulation" includes any regulation, rule, official directive, request or guideline (whether or not having the force of law but, in so far as the same applies to a class of financial institutions of which a Lender is one, if not having the force of law, being a regulation or the like with which such financial institutions customarily comply in the ordinary course of their business) of any governmental, intergovernmental or supranational body, agency, department or regulatory, self-regulatory or other authority or organisation;

(viii)
a provision of law is a reference to that provision as amended or re-enacted; and

(ix)
unless a contrary indication appears, a time of day is a reference to Vienna time.

(b)
Where there is reference in this Agreement to any amount, limit or threshold specified in Euro, in ascertaining whether or not that amount, limit or threshold has been attained, broken or achieved, as the case may be, a non-euro amount shall be counted on the basis of the equivalent in Euro of that amount using the Agent's spot rate of exchange.

(c)
Section, Clause and Schedule headings are for ease of reference only.

(d)
Unless a contrary indication appears, a term used in any other Finance Document or in any notice given under or in connection with any Finance Document has the same meaning in that Finance Document or notice as in this Agreement.

(e)
A Default is "continuing" if it has not been remedied or waived.

1.3.
Currency symbols and definitions

    "EUR" and "Euro" means the single currency unit of the Participating Member States.

8



SECTION 2    THE FACILITY

2.     The Facility

2.1.
The Facility

    Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Lenders make available to the Borrower a loan facility in a maximum aggregate amount of Euro 500,106,406 in two tranches as follows:

    (a)
    Tranche A: Euro 100,021,281.20

    (b)
    Tranche B: Euro 400,085,124.80

2.2.
Finance Parties' rights and obligations

(a)
The obligations of each Finance Party under the Finance Documents are several. Failure by a Finance Party to perform its obligations under the Finance Documents does not affect the obligations of any other Party under the Finance Documents. No Finance Party is responsible for the obligations of any other Finance Party under the Finance Documents.

(b)
The rights of each Finance Party under or in connection with the Finance Documents are separate and independent rights and any debt arising under the Finance Documents to a Finance Party from an Obligor shall be a separate and independent debt.

(c)
A Finance Party may, except as otherwise stated in the Finance Documents, separately enforce its rights under the Finance Documents.

3.     Purpose

3.1.
Purpose

    The Borrower shall apply all amounts borrowed by it under the Facility for the refinancing of the Intercompany Financings only.

3.2.
Monitoring

    The Agent is entitled but not bound to monitor the application of the proceeds under the Loans borrowed pursuant to this Agreement. The Borrower will provide all necessary information to the Agent upon request to verify the application of the proceeds.

4.     Conditions of Drawdown

4.1.
Initial conditions precedent

    The Borrower may not deliver the Drawdown Request unless the Agent has received all of the documents and other evidence listed in Schedule 2 (Conditions Precedent) in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent. The Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders promptly upon being so satisfied.

4.2.
Further conditions precedent

    The Lenders will only be obliged to comply with Clause 5.4 (Lenders' participation) if on the date of the Drawdown Request and on the proposed Drawdown Date:

    (i)
    no Default is continuing or would result from the proposed Loan, as the case may be; and

    (ii)
    all representations to be made by each Obligor under the Finance Documents are true in all respects.

4.3.
(Intentionally omitted)

4.4.
Number of Drawdowns

    The Facility shall be drawn in 1 (one) Drawdown.

9



SECTION 3    DRAWDOWN

5.     Drawdown

5.1.
Delivery of Drawdown Request

    The Borrower may draw under the Facility by delivery to the Agent of the duly completed Drawdown Request not later than at the Specified Time.

5.2.
Completion of Drawdown Request

    The Drawdown Request is irrevocable and will not be regarded as having been duly completed unless

    (i)
    the proposed Drawdown Date is a Business Day within the Availability Period; and

    (ii)
    the currency and amount of the Drawdown comply to Clause 5.3 (Currency and amount).

5.3.
Currency and amount

(a)
The currency specified in the Drawdown Request must be Euro.

(b)
The amount of the proposed Drawdown must not exceed the Available Facility.

5.4.
Lenders' participation

(a)
If the conditions set out in this Agreement have been met, each Lender shall make its participation in the Loan available through its Facility Office.

(b)
The amount of each Lender's participation in the Loan will be equal to the proportion of its Commitment immediately prior to making of the Loan.

5.5.
Notification

    The Agent shall (i) notify each Lender of the Amount of the Loan seven Business Days prior to the Drawdown Date and (ii) confirm that he has received all documents listed in Schedule 2 (Conditions Precedent) to this Agreement.

6.     Splitting of Loan

    The Amounts specified in the Drawdown Request shall be divided into and paid as (i) one Tranche A Loan and (ii) one Tranche B Loan in a way that the Tranche A Loan is equal to 20 per cent and the Tranche B Loan is equal to 80 per cent of such amount.

7.     (intentionally omitted)

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SECTION 4    REPAYMENT, PREPAYMENT AND CANCELLATION

8.
Repayment

    (a) The Borrower shall repay the Tranche A Outstandings on the last Business Day of the calendar year 2004.

    (b) The Borrower shall repay the Tranche B Outstandings on the last Business Day of the calendar year 2010.

9.
(intentionally omitted)

10.
Prepayment and cancellation

10.1.
Illegality, termination of OeKB Refinancing

    If, at any time after the date of this Agreement, it becomes unlawful in any jurisdiction for a Lender to perform any of its obligations as contemplated by this Agreement or to fund its participation in any Loan or the OeKB Refinancing is terminated and such termination is not attributable to the respective Lender:

    (i)
    that Lender shall promptly notify the Agent upon becoming aware of that event;

    (ii)
    upon the Agent notifying the Borrower, the Commitment of that Lender will be immediately cancelled; and

    (iii)
    if the relevant Lender so requires, the Borrower shall repay that Lender's participation in the Loans on the last day of the Interest Period for each Loan occurring after the Agent has notified the Borrower or, if earlier, the date specified by the Lender in the notice delivered to the Agent (being no earlier than the last day of any applicable grace period permitted by law).

10.2.
Change of control

(a)
For the purposes of this Clause 10.2, "associated person" means, in relation to any person, a person within the meaning of Sec 23 of the Austrian Takeover Code in connection with Sec 9 of the first regulation to the Takeover Code.

(b)
If, on any date, without the prior written consent of the Majority Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) a person (whether alone or together with any associated person) becomes the owner of shares in the issued share capital of Sappi carrying the right to exercise, or control the exercise of, more than 35 per cent of the maximum number of votes exercisable at a general meeting of Sappi then, on the date (a "Prepayment Date") falling 90 days after such date:

(i)
the Borrower shall prepay the Loan; and

(ii)
the Lenders' obligations under the Agreement shall be terminated and the Total Commitments reduced to zero.

10.3.
Intercompany Financings

    If the aggregate outstanding amount of the Intercompany Financings is lower than the outstanding Loans under the Facility, the Borrower shall prepay the difference amount (such difference amount to be calculated as the difference between the aggregate of the Tranche A Outstandings and the Tranche B Outstandings under the Facility and all outstanding amounts under the Intercompany Financings). The Borrower shall notify to the Agent at each Quarter Date the amount, if any, of such difference and shall make, upon request of the Agent, the prepayment on the date (a "Prepayment Date") falling 30 Business Days after such request. The Agent may also demand payment of such difference amount determined on the basis of the financial statements to be provided in accordance with Clause 21.1.

10.4.
Voluntary cancellation

(a)
During the Availability Period, the Borrower may, if it gives the Agent not less than 3 Business Days (or such shorter period as the Majority Lenders may agree) prior notice, cancel the whole or any part (being a minimum amount of Euro 50,000,000 and in integral multiples of Euro 10,000,000) of the Available Facility.

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    (b)
    Any amounts that have not been drawn at the end of the Availability Period are deemed to be cancelled.

10.5.
Voluntary prepayment of the Loan

    The Borrower may, if it gives the Agent not less than 30 Business Days prior notice, prepay the whole or any part of the Loan (but if in part, being an amount that reduces the Loan by a minimum amount of Euro 10,000,000 unless the outstanding amount is less).

10.6.
Right of repayment and cancellation in relation to a single Lender

(a)
If

(i)
any sum payable to any Lender by an Obligor is required to be increased under paragraph (c) of Clause 15.2 (Tax gross-up); or

(ii)
any Lender claims indemnification from the Borrower under Clause 15.3 (Tax indemnity) or Clause 16.1 (Increased costs),

      the Borrower may, whilst the circumstance giving rise to the requirement or indemnification continues, give the Agent notice of cancellation of the Commitment of that Lender and its intention to procure the repayment of that Lenders' participation in the Loans.

    (b)
    On receipt of a notice referred to in paragraph (a) above, the Commitment of that Lender shall immediately be reduced to zero.

    (c)
    On the last day of each Interest Period in respect of a Loan outstanding under the Facility in respect of which the Borrower has given notice under paragraph (a) above (or, if earlier, the date specified by the Borrower in that notice), the Borrower shall repay that Lender's participation in that Loan.

10.7.
Mandatory Prepayments in case of breach of certain ratios

(a)
In the event that the average of the ratios (calculated on basis of the audited consolidated annual statements of the Group as of September 30, 2005 and as of September 30, 2006) of Net Debt (as defined in Clause 23.2. hereof) to EBITDA of the Group ("the Net Debt: EBITDA Ratio") exceeds 3.0:1, the Borrower shall prepay the Facility Outstandings in full on the last Business Day of the calendar year 2007.

(b)
If the Net Debt:EBITDA Ratio exceeds 3.0:1 due to the inclusion in the calculation of Net Debt of any indebtedness incurred only as consequence of a Securitisation Event, the expression "exceeds 3.0:1" in sub-clause (a) above shall be read as "exceeds 3.5:1".

      A "Securitisation Event" means, in relation to the receivables securitisation programme of the Group not exceeding the total sum of facilities of EUR 240 million and USD 205 million as stated in the note 30 ("Financial Instruments"), subparagraph 5 ("asset backed securitisation") to the consolidated financial statements of the Group as of September 2002, or its countervalue in other currencies,

      (i)
      the termination of such securitisation programme due to a downgrading of a bank providing standby facilities to the receivables purchasing entity, or

      (ii)
      a change in IAS rules in the years 2005 or 2006 which leads to an inclusion of receivables previously sold in the balance sheets of the Group.

    (c)
    If, however, upon the breach of the above mentioned ratios the Majority Lenders decide to nevertheless continue the Loan, the Borrower shall be obliged to prepay only the Facility Outstandings relating to those Lenders that did not vote in favour of continuing the Loan. The Arranger shall notify the Borrower of the decision of the Majority Lenders, outlining which Lenders did not vote in favour of the continuation, within two months from submission of the audited financial statements of the Group for the financial year 2006. The decision of the Majority Lenders shall be without prejudice to a decision of the Lenders about the continuation of the Loan in case of subsequent breaches of the ratios.

12


10.8.
Prepayments and cancellation

(a)
Any notice of cancellation or prepayment given by any Party under this Clause 10 shall be irrevocable and, unless a contrary indication appears in this Agreement, shall specify the date or dates upon which the relevant cancellation or prepayment is to be made and the amount of that cancellation or prepayment.

(b)
Unless otherwise provided for under this Agreement, any prepayment under this Agreement shall be made at the end of an Interest Period together with accrued interest on the amount prepaid and, subject to any Break Costs, without premium or penalty.

(c)
Any prepayment under this Agreement shall be applied in inverse order of maturity (firstly to be appropriated to the Tranche B Loan until no further amount remains outstanding thereunder, thereafter to the Tranche A Loan).

(d)
The Borrower may not reborrow any part of the Facility which is prepaid.

(e)
The Borrower shall not repay or prepay all or any part of the Loans or cancel all or any part of the Commitments except at the times and in the manner expressly provided for in this Agreement.

(f)
No amount of the Total Commitments cancelled under this Agreement may be subsequently reinstated.

(g)
If the Agent receives a notice under this Clause 10, it shall promptly forward a copy of that notice to either the Borrower or the affected Lender, as appropriate.

13



SECTION 5    COSTS OF DRAWING

11.  Interest

11.1.
Tranche A interest rate

    The rate of interest for the Tranche A Outstandings for each Interest Period is calculated as a floating rate interest. The percentage rate per annum is the aggregate of

    (i)
    the applicable OeKB Floating Financing Rate;

    (ii)
    the Applicable Facility Fee; and

    (iii)
    Mandatory Costs, if any.

11.2.
Tranche B interest rate

    The rate of the interest for the Tranche B Outstandings for each Interest Period is a fixed interest rate. The percentage rate per annum is the aggregate of

    (i)
    the OeKB Fixed Financing Rate;

    (ii)
    the Applicable Facility Fee; and

    (iii)
    Mandatory Cost, if any.

11.3.
Calculation of interest

    Interest will be calculated on the Facility Outstandings from time to time on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in a year of 360 days.

11.4.
Payment of interest

    Subject to clause 12.2. below, on the last Business Day of each Interest Period the Borrower shall pay accrued interest on the Loan to which that Interest Period relates.

11.5.
Default interest

(a)
If the Borrower fails to pay any amount payable by it under a Finance Document on its due date, it shall pay default interest as follows:

      Default interest shall accrue on the overdue amount from the due date up to the date of actual payment (both before and after judgment) at a rate 2.00 per cent above the interest rate which is determined pursuant to Clause 11.1 or 11.2, but subject to the following:

      (i)
      if the OeKB Refinancing is extended at an interest rate not higher than the OeKB Floating Financing Rate prevailing from time to time, such interest rate shall replace the OeKB Financing Rates for Tranches A and B for the purpose of calculating the default interest; or

      (ii)
      in any other case, the EURIBOR for the relevant Interest Period as specified by the Agent plus 0.5 per cent per annum shall replace the OeKB Financing Rates for the purpose of calculating the default interest.

    (b)
    Any interest accruing under this Clause 11.5 shall be immediately payable by the Borrower on demand by the Agent. Default interest (if unpaid) arising on an overdue amount will be compounded with the overdue amount at the end of each Interest Period applicable to that overdue amount, but will remain immediately due and payable.

11.6.
Notification of rates of interest

    The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of a determination of a rate of interest under this Agreement.

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12.  Interest period

12.1.
Interest Period

    Each Interest Period relating to a Loan shall be of three months and shall coincide with calender quarters, the first Interest Period however being from the date of Drawdown up to the end of the then current calendar quarter.

12.2.
Non-Business Days

    If an Interest Period ends on a day which is not a Business Day, the calculation of the interest shall be made for the respective Interest Period including such day. In such case payment shall be made on the next Business Day.

13.  Break Costs

13.1.
Break Costs

(a)
The Borrower shall, within three Business Days of demand by a Finance Party, pay to that Finance Party its Break Costs.

(b)
Each Lender shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after a demand by the Agent, provide a certificate confirming the amount of its Break Costs.

14.  Fees

14.1.
Commitment fee

(a)
The Borrower shall pay to the Agent (for the account of each Lender) a fee computed at the rate of 0.25 per cent per annum on the Available Commitment for the Availability Period.

(b)
The accrued commitment fee will be calculated on the daily undrawn and uncancelled amount of the Available Committment during the Availability Period on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in a year of 360 days. The accrued commitment fee is payable on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter.

14.2.
OeKB Administration Fee

    The Borrower shall pay directly to OeKB the OeKB Administration Fee ("Wechselbürgschaftsentgelt") in the manner prescribed by OeKB, which is, for information purposes, currently as described below.

    The OeKB Administration Fee is at a rate of 0.05% per quarter. It accrues quarterly and will be calculated in advance based on the Facility Outstandings ("Finanzierungsbedarf") at the beginning of each calendar quarter.

    The OeKB Administration Fee falls due for payment as from the date of the guarantee by "aval" on bills of exchange ("Wechselbürgschaft") of the Republic of Austria and subsequently for each commenced calendar quarter. The OeKB Administration Fee is payable upon receipt of the debit orders from OeKB through direct debit to the Borrower's current account.

    Contrary to the above, in the first relevant calendar quarter, the OeKB Administration Fee will fall due on the date of the issuance of the guarantee by "aval" and will be calculated proportionally on a daily basis and on the basis of the Loan to be made during such calendar quarter.

14.3.
Arrangement fee

    The Borrower shall pay to the Mandated Lead Arranger an arrangement fee in the amount and at the times as agreed in the Mandate Letter.

14.4.
Agency Fees

    The Borrower shall pay to the Agent (for its own account) an agency fee in the amount and at the times agreed in the Mandate Letter.

15



SECTION 6    ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS

15.  Tax gross up and indemnities

15.1.
Definitions

    In this Clause 15:

    "Protected Party" means a Finance Party which is or will be, for or on account of Tax, subject to any liability or required to make any payment in relation to a sum received or receivable (or any sum deemed for the purposes of Tax to be received or receivable) under a Finance Document.

    "Qualifying Lender" means a Lender which is (on the date a payment falls due) entitled (subject to the completion of any necessary procedural formalities) to that payment without a Tax Deduction.

    "Tax Credit" means a credit against, relief or remission for, or repayment of any Tax.

    "Tax Deduction" means a deduction or withholding for or on account of Tax from a payment under a Finance Document.

    "Tax Payment" means an increased payment made by an Obligor to a Finance Party under Clause 15.2 (Tax gross-up) or a payment under Clause 15.3 (Tax indemnity).

15.2.
Tax gross-up

(a)
Each Obligor shall make all payments to be made by it without any Tax Deduction, unless a Tax Deduction is required by law.

(b)
An Obligor or a Lender shall promptly upon becoming aware that an Obligor must make a Tax Deduction (or that there is any change in the rate or the basis of a Tax Deduction) notify the Agent accordingly. If the Agent receives such notification from a Lender it shall notify the relevant Obligor.

(c)
If a Tax Deduction is required by law to be made by an Obligor in one of the circumstances set out in paragraph (d) below, the amount of the payment due from that Obligor shall be increased to an amount which (after making any Tax Deduction) leaves an amount equal to the payment which would have been due if no Tax Deduction had been required.

(d)
The circumstances referred to in paragraph (c) above are where a person entitled to receive the payment:

(i)
is the Agent (on its own behalf and, in the case of payments made under the SISA Guarantee, acting in its capacity as trustee for the Finance Parties) or the Mandated Lead Arranger (on its own behalf); or

(ii)
is a Lender which is a Qualifying Lender in respect of which the completion of procedural formalities is required before the relevant Obligor can make payments thereto without a Tax Deduction but such procedural formalities have not been completed; or

(iii)
is a Lender which would have been a Qualifying Lender but for any change after the date of this Agreement in (or in the interpretation, administration, or application of) any law or double taxation agreement or any published practice or published concession of any relevant taxing authority.

(e)
If an Obligor is required to make a Tax Deduction, that Obligor shall make that Tax Deduction and any payment required in connection with that Tax Deduction within the time allowed and in the minimum amount required by law.

(f)
Within thirty days of making either a Tax Deduction or any payment required in connection with that Tax Deduction, the Obligor making that Tax Deduction shall deliver to the Agent for the Finance Party entitled to the payment evidence reasonably satisfactory to that Finance Party that the Tax Deduction has been made or (as applicable) any appropriate payment paid to the relevant taxing authority.

(g)
A Qualifying Lender and each Obligor which makes a payment to which that Qualifying Lender is entitled shall co-operate in completing any procedural formalities necessary for that Obligor to obtain authorisation to make that payment without a Tax Deduction.

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15.3.
Tax indemnity

(a)
Subject to Clause 15.5 (Stamp Taxes), the Borrower shall (within five Business Days of demand by the Agent) pay to a Protected Party an amount equal to the loss, liability or cost which that Protected Party reasonably determines will be or has been (directly or indirectly) suffered for or on account of Tax by that Protected Party.

(b)
Paragraph (a) above shall not apply with respect to any Tax assessed on a Finance Party:

(i)
under the law of the jurisdiction in which that Finance Party is incorporated or, if different, the jurisdiction (or jurisdictions) in which that Finance Party is treated as resident for tax purposes; or

(ii)
under the law of the jurisdiction in which that Finance Party's Facility Office is located in respect of amounts received or receivable in that jurisdiction,

      if that Tax is imposed on or calculated by reference to the net income received or receivable (but not any sum deemed to be received or receivable) by that Finance Party.

    (c)
    A Protected Party making, or intending to make a claim pursuant to paragraph (a) above shall promptly notify the Agent of the event which will give, or has given, rise to the claim, following which the Agent shall notify the Borrower.

    (d)
    A Protected Party shall, on receiving a payment from an Obligor under this Clause 15.3, notify the Agent.

15.4.
Tax credit

    If an Obligor makes a Tax Payment and the relevant Finance Party determines that:

    (a)
    a Tax Credit is attributable to that Tax Payment; and

    (b)
    that Finance Party has obtained, utilised and retained that Tax Credit, on a consolidated group basis,

    the Finance Party shall pay an amount to the Obligor which that Finance Party determines in its absolute discretion will leave it (after that payment) in the same after-Tax position as it would have been in had the Tax Payment not been made by the Obligor.

15.5.
Stamp taxes

    The Borrower shall pay and, within five Business Days of demand, indemnify each Finance Party against any cost, loss or liability that Finance Party incurs in relation to all stamp duty, registration and other similar Taxes payable in respect of any Finance Document or other document which relates to any Finance Document.

15.6.
Value added tax

(a)
All consideration payable under a Finance Document by an Obligor to a Finance Party shall be deemed to be exclusive of any VAT. If VAT is chargeable, the Obligor shall pay to the Finance Party (in addition to and at the same time as paying the consideration) an amount equal to the amount of the VAT.

(b)
Where a Finance Document requires an Obligor to reimburse a Finance Party for any costs or expenses, that Obligor shall also at the same time pay and indemnify that Finance Party against all VAT incurred by that Finance Party in respect of the costs or expenses save to the extent that that Finance Party is entitled to repayment or credit in respect of the VAT.

15.7.
Filings

    In circumstances where an Obligor is required (or would in the absence of any such filing be required) to make a deduction or withholding for or on account of Taxes or any other deduction contemplated by this Clause 15, such Obligor and each relevant Finance Party shall make reasonable endeavours to file such forms and documents as the appropriate taxation authority may reasonably require in order to enable such Obligor to make relevant payments under the Finance Documents without having to make such deduction or withholding.

17


15.8.
Exemptions from gross up

    Notwithstanding anything contained in this Clause 15 (Tax gross up and indemnities), no additional amount will be payable to a Lender under Clause 15.2 (Tax gross up) in respect of Taxes to the extent that such additional amount would not be payable if that Lender had complied with its obligations under Clause 15.7 (Filings) (unless such failure to comply resulted from a failure by any Obligor to comply with its obligations there under).

16.  Increased costs

16.1.
Increased costs

(a)
Subject to Clause 16.3 (Exceptions) the Borrower shall, within three Business Days of a demand by the Agent, pay for the account of a Finance Party the amount of any Increased Costs incurred by that Finance Party or any of its Affiliates as a result of (i) the introduction of or any change in (or in the interpretation or application of) any law or regulation occurring after the date of this Agreement or (ii) compliance with any law or regulation made after the date of this Agreement.

(b)
In this Agreement "Increased Costs" means:

(i)
a reduction in the rate of return from the Facility or on a Finance Party's (or its Affiliate's) overall capital attributable to making or maintaining a Loan or Commitment hereunder;

(ii)
additional or increased cost resulting from a change of law, regulation, minimum reserve requirements or similar reasons; or

(iii)
a reduction of any amount due and payable under any Finance Document

      other than, in each case, any payment on account of Tax imposed on the overall net income of the relevant Finance Party which is incurred or suffered by a Finance Party or any of its Affiliates to the extent that it is attributable to that Finance Party having entered into its Commitment or funding or performing its obligations under any Finance Document. For the avoidance of doubt, any costs paid to the Lenders as Mandatory Costs shall not be deemed to be Increased Costs.

16.2.
Increased cost claims

(a)
A Finance Party intending to make a claim pursuant to Clause 16.1 (Increased costs) shall notify the Agent of the event giving rise to the claim, following which the Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower.

(b)
Each Finance Party shall, as soon as practicable after a demand by the Agent, provide a certificate confirming the amount of its Increased Costs.

16.3.
Exceptions

(a)
Clause 16.1 (Increased costs) does not apply to the extent any Increased Cost is:

(i)
attributable to a Tax Deduction required by law to be made by an Obligor;

(ii)
attributable to any cost, increased cost, liability or reduction resulting from any change in the rate of taxation on the overall net income or gross turnover of a Lender imposed in the jurisdiction in which the principal office of the relevant Lender is located or the overall net income or gross turnover of the Facility Office of the relevant Lender imposed in the jurisdiction in which such Facility Office is located;

(iii)
compensated for by Clause 15.3 (Tax indemnity) (or would have been compensated for under Clause 15.3 (Tax indemnity) but was not so compensated solely because one of the exclusions in paragraph (b) of Clause 15.3 (Tax indemnity) applied);

(iv)
compensated for by the payment of the Mandatory Cost; or

(v)
attributable to the breach by the relevant Finance Party or its Affiliates of any law or regulation or failure to comply with any request from or requirement of any central bank or other fiscal, monetary or other authority (whether or not having the force of law).

18


    (b)
    In this Clause 16.3, a reference to a "Tax Deduction" has the same meaning given to the term in Clause 15.1 (Definitions).

17.  Other indemnities

17.1.
Currency indemnities

(a)
If any sum due from an Obligor under the Finance Documents (a "Sum"), or any order, judgment or award given or made in relation to a Sum, has to be converted from the currency (the "First Currency") in which that Sum is payable into another currency (the "Second Currency") for the purpose of

(i)
making or filing a claim or proof against that Obligor;

(ii)
obtaining or enforcing an order, judgment or award in relation to any litigation or arbitration proceedings,

      that Obligor shall as an independent obligation, within five Business Days of demand, indemnify each Finance Party to whom that Sum is due against any cost, loss or liability arising out of or as a result of the conversion including any discrepancy between (A) the rate of exchange used to convert that Sum from the First Currency into the Second Currency and (B) the rate or rates of exchange available to that person at the time of its receipt of that Sum.

    (b)
    Each Obligor waives any right it may have in any jurisdiction to pay any amount under the Finance Documents in a currency or currency unit other than that in which it is expressed to be payable.

17.2.
Other indemnities

    Each Obligor shall, within five Business Days of demand, indemnify each Lender against any cost, loss or liability incurred by that Lender as a result of

    (a)
    the occurrence of any Event of Default;

    (b)
    a failure by an Obligor to pay any amount due under a Finance Document on its due date, including without limitation, any cost, loss or liability arising as a result of Clause 30 (Sharing Among the Lenders);

    (c)
    funding, or making arrangements to fund, its participation in a Loan requested by the Borrower in the Drawdown Request but not made by reason of the operation of any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement (other than by reason of default or negligence by that Lender alone);

    (d)
    a Loan (or part of a Loan) not being prepaid in accordance with a notice of prepayment given by the Borrower.

17.3.
Indemnity of the Agent

    The Borrower shall promptly indemnify the Agent against any cost, loss or liability incurred by the Agent (acting reasonably) as a result of

    (a)
    investigating any event which it reasonably believes is a Default; or

    (b)
    acting or relying on any notice, request or instruction which it reasonably believes to be genuine, correct and appropriately authorised, provided that such notice, request or instruction is given in accordance with this Agreement.

18.  Mitigation by the Lender

18.1.
Mitigation

(a)
Each Finance Party shall, in consultation with the Borrower, take all reasonable steps to mitigate any circumstances which arise and which would result in any amount becoming payable under, or cancelled pursuant to, any of Clause 10.1 (Illegality, termination of OeKB-refinancing), Clause 15 (Tax gross up and indemnities) or Clause 16 (Increased costs) including (but not limited to) transferring its

19


      rights and obligations under the Finance Documents to another Affiliate or Facility Office or any other financial institution.

    (b)
    Paragraph (a) above does not in any way limit the obligations of any Obligor under the Finance Documents.

18.2.
Limitation of liability

(a)
The Borrower shall indemnify each Finance Party for all costs and expenses reasonably incurred by that Finance Party as a result of steps taken by it under Clause 18.1 (Mitigation).

(b)
A Finance Party is not obliged to take any steps under Clause 18.1 (Mitigation) if, in the opinion of that Finance Party (acting reasonably), to do so might have an adverse effect on its business, operations or financial condition.

19.  Costs and expenses

19.1.
Transaction expenses

    The Borrower shall promptly on demand pay the Agent and the Mandated Lead Arranger the amount of all reasonable costs and expenses (including legal fees and fees payable to OeKB in connection with the application for, and the issuance of, the guarantees by "aval" ("Wechselbürgschaften") other than in case of an assignment or transfer of a Lender's Commitment or participation in a Loan) incurred by any of them in connection with the negotiation, preparation, documents, execution and syndication of

    (a)
    this Agreement and any other documents referred to in this Agreement; and

    (b)
    any other Finance Documents executed after the date of this Agreement.

19.2.
Amendment costs

    If an Obligor requests an amendment, waiver or consent, the Borrower shall, within three Business Days of demand, reimburse the Agent for the amount of all reasonable costs and expenses (including legal fees) incurred by the Agent in responding to, evaluating, negotiating or complying with that request or requirement.

19.3.
Enforcement costs

    The Borrower shall, within three Business Days of demand, pay to each Finance Party the amount of all costs and expenses (including legal fees) incurred by that Finance Party in connection with the enforcement of, or the preservation of any rights under, any Finance Document.

20



SECTION 7    REPRESENTATION, UNDERTAKINGS AND EVENTS OF DEFAULT

20.
Representations

    Each Obligor makes the representations and warranties set out in this Clause 20 to each Finance Party on the date of this Agreement and on the Drawdown Date.

20.1.
Corporate Status

(a)
It is a corporation ("Kapitalgesellschaft"), duly incorporated and validly existing under the law of its jurisdiction of incorporation.

(b)
It and each of its Subsidiaries has the power to own its assets and carry on its business as it is being conducted.

20.2.
Power and authority

    It has the power to enter into and perform its obligations under, and has taken all necessary action to authorise its entry into and performance of its obligations under the Finance Documents to which it is a party and the transactions contemplated by those Finance Documents.

20.3.
Binding obligations

    The obligations expressed to be assumed by it in each Finance Document are subject to the Reservations legal, valid and binding obligations enforceable in accordance with their terms.

20.4.
Non-conflict with other obligations

    The entry into and performance by it of, and the transaction contemplated by, the Finance Documents do not and will not conflict with:

    (a)
    any law or regulation applicable to it;

    (b)
    the constitutional documents of any Group Company; or

    (c)
    to an extent which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, any applicable financing agreement or instrument binding upon it or any Group Company or any of their assets.

20.5.
Validity and admissibility in evidence

    All Authorisations required or desirable:

    (a)
    to enable it lawfully to enter into, exercise its rights and comply with its obligations in the Finance Documents to which it is a party; and

    (b)
    so that the Finance Documents to which it is a party can be presented in court proceedings as evidence in its jurisdiction of incorporation,

    have been obtained or effected and are in full force and effect.

20.6.
No proceedings pending or threatened

    No litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings of or before any court, arbitral body or agency have been started against any Group Company which are reasonably likely to be adversely determined and which, if so determined, are reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

20.7.
Financial Statements

    The Initial Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with IAS consistently applied and give a true and fair view of the consolidated financial position of the Group as at the date they were prepared.

20.8.
Business Authorisations

    Each Authorisation required by each Group Company in connection with its business has been obtained and there has been no default in the observance of the same except, where failure to obtain or any such default is not reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

21


20.9.
Pari passu

    Its payment obligations under the Finance Documents rank at least pari passu with the claims of all its other present and future unsecured and unsubordinated creditors, except for obligations mandatorily preferred by law applying to companies generally.

20.10.
Environmental compliance

    Each Group Company has complied at all times in all respects with all Environmental Law save to the extent that non-compliance would not reasonably be likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

20.11.
Environmental claim

    No Environmental Claim has been commenced against any Group Company which would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

20.12.
No Material Adverse Effect

    Since 30 September 2002, there has been no change in the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations or performance of any Group Company that has had or would have, a Material Adverse Effect.

20.13.
No Default

    No Event of Default or Default is continuing or might reasonably be expected to result from the making of the Drawdown.

20.14.
No misleading information

    The factual information contained in the annual and quarterly reports of the Group submitted and the bank presentation posted to intralinks on April 8, 2003 was true and accurate in all material respects when given.

20.15.
Ownership of each Obligor

    Each Obligor is 100 per cent directly or indirectly beneficially owned by Sappi.

20.16.
Repayment of syndicated loan

    The Borrower has repaid the outstandings under and cancelled Tranche B of the EUR 900,000,000 syndicated loan facility for the Borrower through the issuing of a bond according to Rule 144 A and/or Regulations S under the U.S. Securities Act on June 28, 2002.

21.
Positive undertakings

    The undertakings in this Clause 21 remain in force from the date of this Agreement for so long as any amount is outstanding under the Finance Documents or any Commitment is in force.

21.1.
Financial statements

    The Borrower shall supply to the Agent in sufficient copies for all the Lenders:

    (a)
    as soon as the same become available, but in any event within 180 days after the end of each of its financial years the audited consolidated financial statements for the Group and the audited unconsolidated financial statements of each Obligor (if required to be produced by law) for that financial year; and:

    (b)
    as soon as the same become available, but in any event within 45 days of each Quarter Date, the unaudited consolidated interim report for the Group for the period of 3 months ending on such Quarter Date.

21.2.
Compliance Certificate

    The Borrower shall supply to the Agent, with each set of financial statements or interim report delivered pursuant to Clause 21.1 (Financial statements), a Compliance Certificate signed by a director of the Borrower setting out (in reasonable detail) computations as to compliance with Clause 23 (Financial Covenants) as at the date at which those financial statements were drawn up.

22


    The Borrower shall supply to the Agent, with the financial statements for the financial year ending on September 30, 2006, a Compliance Certificate signed by a director of the Borrower setting out (in reasonable detail) computations as to compliance with the ratios set forth in Clause 10.7 (Mandatory Prepayments).

21.3.
Requirements as to Financial statements

(a)
Each set of financial statements delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Clause 21.1 (Financial statements) shall be certified by a director of the Borrower as fairly representing the financial condition of the Group as at the date as at which those financial statements were drawn up.

(b)
The Borrower shall procure that each set of financial statements or interim report delivered pursuant to Clause 21.1 (Financial statements) is prepared using IAS, and accounting practices and financial reference periods consistent with those applied in the preparation of the Initial Financial Statements unless, in relation to any set of financial statements or interim report, it notifies the Agent that there has been a material change in IAS, or the accounting practices or reference periods and its auditors deliver to the Agent:

(i)
a description of any change necessary for those financial statements to reflect IAS, accounting practices and reference periods upon which that Obligor's Initial Financial Statements were prepared; and

(ii)
sufficient information, in form and substance as may be reasonably required by the Agent, to enable the Lenders to determine whether Clause 23.1 (Financial Covenants) has been complied with and make an accurate comparison between the financial position indicated in those financial statements or interim report and the Initial Financial Statements.

(c)
If the Borrower notifies the Agent of a change in accordance with paragraph (b) above, then the Borrower and Agent shall enter into negotiations in good faith with a view to agreeing:

(i)
whether or not the change might result in any material alteration in the commercial effect of any of the terms of this Agreement; and

(ii)
if so, any amendments to this Agreement which may be necessary to ensure that the change does not result in any material alteration in the commercial effect of those terms,

      and if any amendments are agreed they shall take effect and be binding on each of the Parties in accordance with their terms.

    Any reference in this Agreement to those financial statements or that interim report shall be construed as a reference to those financial statements or that interim report as adjusted to reflect the basis upon which the Initial Financial Statements were prepared.

21.4.
Information

    Each Obligor shall provide the Agent (in sufficient copies for all the Lenders, if the Agent so requests) promptly with all information regarding the financial condition, business and operation of the Group or one or more Group Companies reasonably requested by the Agent or any Lender through the Agent.

    OeKB or its trustee (which shall be bound by a confidentiality obligation) shall at any time (i) be provided by the Borrower with all information requested in relation to the Group's financial situation and (ii) be entitled to inspect the Borrower's books and other documents in this respect.

21.5.
Notification of default

(a)
Each Obligor shall notify the Agent of any Default (and the steps, if any, being taken to remedy it) promptly upon becoming aware of its occurrence.

(b)
Promptly upon a request by the Agent, the Borrower shall supply to the Agent a certificate signed by a director or senior officer on its behalf certifying whether a Default has occurred (and if a Default is continuing, specifying the Default and the steps, if any, being taken to remedy it).

23


21.6.
Authorisation

    Each Obligor shall promptly obtain, comply with and do all that is necessary to maintain in full force and effect any Authorisation required to enable it to perform its obligations under the Finance Documents and to ensure the legality, validity and (subject to the Reservations) enforceability or admissibility in evidence in its jurisdiction of incorporation of each Finance Document.

21.7.
Pari passu ranking

    Each Obligor shall ensure that its payment obligations under the Finance Documents rank at least pari passu with the claims of all its other present and future unsecured and unsubordinated creditors, except for obligations mandatorily preferred by law applying to companies generally.

21.8.
Compliance with laws

    Each Obligor shall procure that each Group Company shall comply with all laws, regulations (including, without limitation, Environmental Law) and agreements to which it may be subject or by which it may be bound to the extent that failure so to comply does not have, or is not reasonably likely to have, a Material Adverse Effect.

21.9.
Environmental Claims

    Each Obligor shall supply to the Agent (in sufficient copies for all the Lenders, if the Agent so requests) promptly upon becoming aware of the same, the details of any Environmental Claim made against a Group Company which has, or would reasonably be likely to have, a Material Adverse Effect.

21.10.
Litigation

    Each Obligor shall supply to the Agent (in sufficient copies for all the Lenders, if the Agent request so) promptly upon becoming aware of them, the details of any litigation, arbitration or administrative proceedings which are commenced against any Group Company which is reasonably likely to be adversely determined and which, if so determined, is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

21.11.
Insurance

    Each Obligor shall procure that each Group Company shall maintain levels of insurance in respect of its assets and business in a manner customary for businesses in the same business as such Group Company.

21.12.
Change in Material Subsidiary

    In the event that an Obligor becomes aware that a Group Company has either ceased to be a Material Subsidiary or has become a Material Subsidiary, such Obligor shall promptly serve a certificate (a "Material Subsidiary update Certificate") on the Agent setting out the relevant change of circumstances.

21.13.
Payments to OeKB

    The Borrower shall pay all amounts due to OeKB for the guarantee by "aval" on bills of exchange ("Wechselbürgschaft") at the place at and in a manner in which they are expressed to be paid.

21.14.
Bills of exchange

    Upon request of a New Lender, the Borrower shall accept bills of exchange issued by the New Lenders in the amount and number required for the OeKB Refinancing. Upon such acceptance by the Borrower, the Agent shall use reasonable efforts that OeKB invalidates the bills of exchange issued by the Existing Lender replaced by the New Lender.

    Upon return of bills of exchange invalidated by OeKB to the Finance Parties, such bills of exchange shall be returned to the Borrower.

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22.
Negative undertakings

22.1.
Negative pledge

    Each Obligor shall not (and shall ensure that no other Group Company will) create or permit to subsist any Security over any of its assets other than:

    (i)
    any Security entered into pursuant to this Agreement;

    (ii)
    any Security arising by operation of law;

    (iii)
    any Security granted in the ordinary course of trade of any Group Company;

    (iv)
    any Security over accounts created pursuant to any deposit or retention of purchase price arrangements granted in the ordinary course of trade;

    (v)
    any netting or set-off arrangement entered into by any Group Company granted in the ordinary course of trade;

    (vi)
    any Security created by the operation of any cash pooling arrangements for the purpose of netting debit and credit balances;

    (vii)
    any Security over an asset of a Group Company established to hold assets of any share option scheme of the Group securing any loan to finance the acquisition of such assets;

    (viii)
    any Security over an asset of a Group Company to secure Financial Indebtedness incurred by such Group Company for the purpose of purchasing that asset when recourse for that Financial Indebtedness is limited solely to such Security;

    (ix)
    any Security over or affecting any property or asset of a Group Company acquired after the date of this Agreement, where the Security is created prior to the date on which that company becomes a Group Company, if

    (a)
    the Security was not created in contemplation of the acquisition of that company;

    (b)
    the principal amount secured has not increased in contemplation of or since the acquisition of that company; and

    (c)
    the Security is removed or discharged within 6 months of that Company becoming a Group Company, provided however that this lit (c) shall not apply to Securities over payment undertaking agreements or similar products in defeasance structures in cross border leasing transactions;

    (x)
    any Security over or affecting any property or asset acquired by a Group Company after the date of this Agreement if

    (a)
    the Security was not created in contemplation of the acquisition of that asset by a Group Company;

    (b)
    the principal amount secured has not been increased in contemplation of, or since the acquisition of that asset by a Group Company; and

    (c)
    the Security is removed or discharged within 6 months of the date of acquisition of such asset, provided however that this lit (c) shall not apply to Securities over payment undertaking agreements or similar products in defeasance structures in cross border leasing transactions;

    (xi)
    any Security notified to the Agent prior to the signing of this Agreement and listed in Schedule 7 (Existing Security) or created with the prior consent of the Majority Lenders;

    (xii)
    any Security granted by a Group Company over trade receivables as part of any invoice discounting, factoring, securitisation or like financing which trade receivables have a maturity of less than 364 days;

    (xiii)
    any Security granted by a Group Company (other than an Obligor) in favour of any other Group Company; and

25


    (xiv)
    any Security not falling within any of paragraphs (i) to (xiii) above in respect of any assets having a value (as certified by the Borrower (acting reasonably) to the Agent on the date such Security is granted) not exceeding in aggregate Euro 50,000,000. (For these purposes, if this paragraph (xiv) is satisfied on the grant of a particular Security, any subsequent rise in the value of the asset to which such Security relates shall not, of itself, be deemed a breach of this Clause 22.1).

22.2.
Disposals

(a)
Each Obligor shall not (and shall ensure that no other Group Company will), enter into a Disposal other than a Disposal:

(i)
in the ordinary course of business of a Group Company or on arms' length terms;

(ii)
by a Group Company (other than an Obligor) to another Group Company;

(iii)
of cash on terms not otherwise prohibited by this Agreement;

(iv)
of an asset for an asset comparable or superior as to type, value and quality;

(v)
of a business in exchange for another business where the earnings before interest or tax and the gross assets of the second mentioned business are not less than, respectively, the earnings before interest and tax and gross assets of the first mentioned business;

(vi)
of an asset which is obsolete for the purpose for which such an asset is normally utilised; or

(vii)
(not falling within paragraph (i) to (vi) above) which does not result in the gross book value of all the assets the subject of all such Disposals made after the date of this Agreement, exceeding in aggregate 15 per cent of the total gross assets of the Group (as at the date of this Agreement).

22.3.
Financial Indebtedness

    The Borrower shall ensure that each Group Company (other than the Obligors) shall not incur any Financial Indebtedness other than Financial Indebtedness:

    (i)
    owed by one Group Company to another Group Company;

    (ii)
    under working capital and short term cash management facilities in an aggregate amount of not exceeding Euro 200,000,000;

    (iii)
    incurred by any member of the SD Warren Group in an aggregate amount not exceeding USD 110,000,000; and

    (iv)
    not included in paragraphs (i) to (iii) above which does not exceed (for the Group) an aggregate amount of Euro 50,000,000.

22.4.
Loans and Guarantees

    Each Obligor shall not (and shall ensure that no other Group Company shall):

    (a)
    make any loans or grant any credit (other than to another Group Company) which would constitute Long Term Financial Indebtedness (as defined below) unless it is made and granted in compliance with paragraph (b) below or:

    (i)
    the debtor in respect of that Long Term Financial Indebtedness (the "Debtor") has either (1) delivered satisfactory security to the creditor Group Company (the "Creditor") or (2) in the event that the delivery of such satisfactory security by the Debtor would be (A) unduly onerous or impractical in the reasonably opinion of the Majority Lenders or (B) unlawful or prohibited, entered into arrangements with the Creditor approved by the Majority Lenders (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) whereby such arrangements give the same (or reasonably similar) commercial effect as the granting of satisfactory security pursuant to (1) above and delivered to the Agent a legal opinion (in form and content reasonably satisfactory to the Agent) in respect thereof; or

26


      (ii)
      at the same time as such loans are made or credit granted, an equivalent amount is made unconditionally available to the Creditor or any other Group Company from a person (other than a Group Company) by way of

      (1)
      equity contribution or subscription; or

      (2)
      loan (but only to the extent permitted under Clause 22.3 (Financial Indebtedness)); or

      (3)
      loan subordinated on terms reasonably acceptable to the Majority Lenders (to the extent that such a loan would not be permitted under Clause 22.3 (Financial Indebtedness);

    (b)
    otherwise than pursuant to the Finance Documents give any guarantee or indemnity or enter into any other instrument of suretyship (other than in favour of another Group Company) or make any loans or grant any credit (other than to another Group Company or as permitted pursuant to paragraphs (i) and (ii) above) which would constitute Long Term Financial Indebtedness (as defined below) if it would result (without double counting) in the aggregate of (1) the principal amount of Financial Indebtedness of the Group under all such guarantees, indemnities and instruments and (2) the amount of all such Long Term Financial Indebtedness (not falling within paragraph (a) above), exceeding Euro 50,000,000.

    For the purposes of the above,

      (i)
      "Long Term Financial Indebtedness" means Financial Indebtedness falling within paragraphs (a) to (d) inclusive of the definition thereof other than any such Financial Indebtedness which is payable on demand or has an original scheduled maturity of no more than a year; and

      (ii)
      "satisfactory security" means documentation creating, evidencing or granting (subject to any prior interests) Security in respect of the obligation of the Debtor to the Creditor in respect of such Long Term Financial Indebtedness, over assets of the Debtor or over assets of any other person (in each case, such assets shall at least be equivalent in value to the amount of such Long Term Financial Indebtedness (as valued by, in the case of such Long Term Financial Indebtedness being less than Euro 50,000,000, the Borrower and in all other cases, Deloitte and Touche (or any other agreed accountancy firm)), in favour of and on terms reasonably acceptable to the Creditor together with a legal opinion (in form and content reasonably satisfactory to the Agent) in respect thereof.

22.5.
Merger

(i)
No Group Company shall enter into any amalgamation, demerger or merger with a company that is not a Group Company without the consent of the Majority Lenders, and if involving an Obligor which is not the surviving entity, with the consent of all Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

(ii)
Without limitation to paragraph (i) above, no Obligor shall enter into any amalgamation, demerger or merger, if such Obligor is not the surviving entity, unless the liabilities owed to the Lenders under the Finance Documents will survive and such event does not violate OeKB's regulations or requirements.

22.6.
Change of Business

    The Obligors shall procure that the business of the Group taken as a whole, remains the Paper Business.

23.  Financial covenants

23.1.
Financial covenants

    Each Obligor shall ensure that:

    (a)
    on each Quarter Date the average of the ratios (each such ratio being calculated on the last day of each Quarter) of EBITDA to Consolidated Net Interest Expense in respect of the period of 4 Quarters ending on such Quarter Date shall not be less than 3.00:1;

27


    (b)
    on each Quarter Date the average of the ratios (each such ratio being calculated on the last day of each Quarter) of EBITDA to Consolidated Net Interest Expense in respect to the period of 8 Quarters ending on such Quarter Date shall not be less than 3.50:1;

    (c)
    the ratio of the Consolidated Capital to the Consolidated Assets of the Group shall not, on any Quarter Date, be less than 0.30:1; and

    (d)
    the ratio of Net Debt to Capitalisation shall not, on any Quarter Date, be greater than 0.60:1.

23.2.
Financial definitions

    "Capitalisation" means, at any time, the aggregate amount of Consolidated Capital and Net Debt at such time.

    "Consolidated Assets" means, at any time, the consolidated total assets of the Group.

    "Consolidated Capital" means, at any time, the aggregate of

    (a)
    the aggregate amount of the paid up share capital of each of the Obligors (excluding any of the same that is owned by another Group Company);

    (b)
    the total of the amount standing to the credit of the consolidated capital and revenue reserves of the Group but including any minority interest in a Group Company; and

    (c)
    the principal amount of any Financial Indebtedness of either Obligor which is owed to any Sappi Group Company where such Financial Indebtedness is subordinated on terms acceptable to the Majority Lenders (acting reasonably).

    "Consolidated Net Interest Expense" means, in relation to any period, the aggregate of

    (a)
    all interest, commissions and other financing charges payable by any Group Company to any person who is not a Group Company in respect of that period;

    (b)
    to the extent not included in paragraph (a) above, all finance costs charged to the profit and loss account of the Group in respect of that period;

    (c)
    all amounts payable by any Group Company in respect of that period under any interest rate protection agreement (less any amounts receivable by any Group Company in respect of that period under any interest rate protection agreement); and

    (d)
    the interest element of all rentals or, as the case may be, other amounts payable in respect of that period under any finance lease entered into by any Group Company,

    less any interest receivable (other than interest receivable from Group Companies) by Group Companies.

    "EBITDA" means, in respect of any period, the consolidated profit on ordinary activities of the Group before taxation and extraordinary items for such period but adjusted by adding back:

    (a)
    Consolidated Net Interest Expenses for such period;

    (b)
    depreciation for such period; and

    (c)
    any amount amortised in that period against the consolidated profit and loss account of the Group.

    "Net Debt" means the aggregate, on a consolidated basis, of

    (a)
    that part of the Financial Indebtedness of Group Companies which relates to obligations for the payment or repayment of money in respect of principal incurred in respect of

    (i)
    monies borrowed or raised;

    (ii)
    any bond, note, loan stock, participation right, debenture or similar instrument; or

    (iii)
    any acceptance credit, bill discounting, note purchase, factoring or documentary credit facility (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Financial Indebtedness under this Agreement); and

28


    (b)
    the capital element of all rentals or, as the case may be, other payments payable under any finance lease entered into by any Group Company,

    less:

      (i)
      cash at hand and at bank of Group Companies;

      (ii)
      bonds, notes and commercial paper beneficially owned by Group Companies with a maturity of not more than 6 months and rated at least A-1 by Standard & Poor's Rating Group or at least P-1 by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. (or an equivalent rating of another agency which the Agent reasonably determines to be comparable); and

      (iii)
      bonds or notes maturing within 6 months and rated at least AA by Standard & Poor's Rating Group or at least Aa2 by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. (or an equivalent rating of another agency which the Agent reasonably determines to be comparable).

23.3.
Financial Testing

    The financial covenants set out in Clause 23 (Financial covenants) shall be tested by reference to each of the financial statements and interim reports delivered pursuant to Clause 21 (Positive undertakings).

23.4.
Accounting terms

    All accounting expressions which are not otherwise defined herein shall be construed in accordance with IAS.

24.  Events of Default

    Each of the events or circumstances set out in Clauses 24.1 to 24.14 is an Event of Default.

24.1.
Non-payment

    An Obligor does not pay on the due date any amount payable pursuant to a Finance Document at the place at and in the currency in which it is expressed to be payable unless:

    (c)
    its failure to pay is caused by administrative or technical error; and

    (d)
    payment is made within 5 Business Days of its due date.

24.2.
Financial covenants

    Any requirement of Clause 23 (Financial covenants) is not satisfied.

24.3.
Other obligations

    An Obligor does not comply with any provision of the Finance Documents (other than those referred to in Clause 24.1 (Non payment) and Clause 24.2 (Financial covenants)) and, if the failure to comply is capable of remedy, it is not remedied within 30 days of the Agent giving notice to the Borrower or an Obligor becoming aware of the failure to comply.

24.4.
Misrepresentation

    Any representation or statement made or deemed to be made by an Obligor in the Finance Documents, the information specified in Clause 20.14., the OeKB presentation dated April 16, 2002 and the applications dated March 18, 2002 and March 27, 2003 for the issuance of the commitment to guarantee bills of exchange by "aval" ("Wechselbürgschaftszusage") is or proves to have been incorrect in any material respect when made and where the circumstances making such representation or statement incorrect are capable of being altered so that such representation or statement is correct, such circumstances are not so altered within 30 days of the Agent notifying the relevant Obligor of such representation or statement being incorrect.

24.5.
Cross default

(a)
Any Financial Indebtedness of any Group Company is not paid when due and payable nor within any applicable grace period.

29


    (b)
    Any Financial Indebtedness of any Group Company is declared to be or otherwise becomes due and payable prior to its specified maturity as a result of a default or an event of default (however described).

    (c)
    Any creditor of any Group Company becomes entitled to declare any Financial Indebtedness of any Group Company due and payable prior to its specified maturity as a result of a default or an event of default (however described).

    (d)
    No Event of Default will occur under this Clause 24.5 if the aggregate amount of Financial Indebtedness or commitment for Financial Indebtedness falling within paragraphs (a) to (c) above is less than Euro 5,000,000.

24.6.
Creditors' process

    Expropriation, attachment, sequestration, distress or execution affects any asset or assets of Group Companies having an aggregate value or at least Euro 5,000,000 and is not discharged within 30 days.

24.7.
Insolvency

(a)
An Obligor or any Material Subsidiary is unable or admits inability to pay its debts as they fall due, suspends making payments on any of its debts or commences negotiations with one or more of its creditors with a view to rescheduling any class of its indebtedness.

(b)
A moratorium is declared in respect of any class of indebtedness of an Obligor or any Material Subsidiary.

24.8.
Insolvency proceedings

    Any insolvency proceeding or other similar procedure is (i) opened with respect to an Obligor or (ii) an Obligor has filed an application for such proceedings or (iii) a third party has filed an application for such proceedings and, with respect to (i) or (iii) above such proceeding or application, as the case may be, is not dismissed (for a reason other than a lack of assets) or withdrawn within 10 Business Days from the date the respective Obligor has obtained knowledge thereof or such longer period as caused by the inactivity of the competent court or authority evidenced to the reasonable satisfaction of the Agent in relation to:

    (a)
    the bankruptcy, the suspension of payments, winding-up, dissolution, liquidation, annulment as a legal entity, administration or reorganisation (by way of voluntary arrangement, scheme of arrangement or otherwise) of an Obligor or any Material Subsidiary other than a solvent liquidation or a solvent reorganisation of any Material Subsidiary or (to the extent mandatorily required pursuant to sec 19 of the Austrian Business Reorganisation Act ("Unternehmensreorganisationsgesetz")) a solvent reorganisation of the Borrower;

    (b)
    a general composition, assignment or arrangement with all of the creditors of an Obligor or any Material Subsidiary relating to a general rescheduling of its financial indebtedness;

    (c)
    the appointment of a liquidator (other than in respect of a solvent liquidation of any Material Subsidiary), receiver, administrator, administrative receiver, compulsory manager, an administrateur judiciaire/gerechtelijk bestuurder, a speciaal commissaris/commissaire special, a sequestre/sekwester or other similar officer in respect of an Obligor or any Material Subsidiary or all or any part of its assets (having an aggregate value of at least Euro 5.000.000,—); or

    (d)
    the enforcement of any Security over all or substantially all of the assets of an Obligor or any Material Subsidiary, or any analogous procedure or step is taken in any jurisdiction.

24.9.
Unlawfulness

    It is or becomes unlawful for an Obligor to perform any of its obligations under the Finance Documents.

24.10.
Repudiation

    An Obligor repudiates a Finance Document or evidences an intention to repudiate a Finance Document.

30


24.11.
Cessation of business

    An Obligor or any Material Subsidiary ceases to carry on all or a substantial part of its business (other than as a result of a solvent liquidation or reorganisation of any Material Subsidiary and other than as a result of corporate restructurings within the Group) and such cessation would result in the Group as a whole, ceasing to carry on the Paper Business.

24.12.
Litigation adversely determined

    Any litigation is determined against any Group Company which has, or is reasonably likely to have, a Material Adverse Effect.

24.13.
Payments to OeKB

    An Obligor does not pay on the due date any amount payable to OeKB at the place at and in the manner in which it is to be paid unless that in case of non-payment of the "Wechselbürgschaftsentgelt" such non-payment is caused by a default of OeKB.

24.14.
Ownership of each Obligor

    Sappi ceases to be the beneficial, direct or indirect owner of the whole of the issued share capital of either Obligor without the prior written consent of the Majority Lenders (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and the Borrower does not repay all Loans, together with accrued interest, and all other amounts accrued under the Finance Documents within 30 (thirty) days after the occurrence of such event.

24.15.
Acceleration

    On and at any time after the occurrence of an Event of Default which is continuing the Agent may, and shall if so directed by the Majority Lenders, by notice to the Borrower:

    (a)
    cancel the Total Commitments whereupon they shall immediately be cancelled; and

    (b)
    declare that all or part of the Loans, together with accrued interest, and all other amounts accrued under the Finance Documents be immediately due and payable, whereupon they shall become immediately due and payable.

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SECTION 8    CHANGE TO PARTIES

25.  Change to the Lenders

25.1.
Assignment and transfer by the Lenders

    Subject to this Clause 25, a Lender (the "Existing Lender") may:

    (a)
    assign any of its rights; or

    (b)
    transfer any of its rights and obligations,

    to a New Lender.

25.2.
Conditions of assignment or transfer

(a)
The consent of the Borrower is required for an assignment or transfer by a Lender, unless the assignment or transfer is to another Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or OeKB.

(b)
The consent of the Borrower to an assignment or transfer must not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The Borrower will be deemed to have given its consent five Business Days after the Lender has requested it unless consent is expressly refused by the Borrower within that time.

(c)
The Borrower shall not bear any increased cost that arise at the time of or will arise with the lapse of time as a direct result of an assignment or transfer solely by reason of the same.

(d)
An assignment or transfer by a Lender is subject to the prior written consent of OeKB.

(e)
An assignment or transfer by a Lender of its Commitments under the Facility may be in whole or in part, but if in part shall be in minimum an aggregate amount of Euro 5,000,000.

(f)
(intentionally omitted)

(g)
An assignment or transfer to a New Lender other than OeKB will only be effective if the procedure set out in Clause 25.5 (Procedure of transfer and assignment) is complied with.

(h)
If

(i)
a Lender assigns or transfers any of its rights or obligations under the Finance Documents or changes its Facility Office; and

(ii)
as a result of circumstances existing at the date the assignment, transfer or change occurs, an Obligor would be obliged to make a payment to the New Lender or Lender acting through its new Facility Office under Clause 15 (Tax gross up and indemnities) or Clause 16 (Increased costs),

      then the New Lender or Lender acting through its new Facility Office is only entitled to receive payment under those Clauses to the same extent as the Existing Lender or Lender acting through its previous Facility Office would have been if the assignment, transfer or change had not occurred.

25.3.
Assignment or transfer fee

    The New Lender shall, on the date upon which an assignment or transfer takes effect (other than to OeKB), pay to the Agent (for its own account) a fee of Euro 1,500.

25.4.
Limitation of responsibility of Existing Lenders

(a)
Unless expressly agreed to the contrary, an Existing Lender makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility to a New Lender for:

(i)
the legality, validity, effectiveness, adequacy or enforceability of the Finance Documents or any other documents;

(ii)
the financial condition of any Obligor;

32


      (iii)
      the performance and observance by any Obligor of its obligations under the Finance Documents or any other documents; or

      (iv)
      the accuracy of any statements (whether written or oral) made in or in connection with any Finance Document or any other document,

      and any representations or warranties implied by law are excluded.

    (b)
    Each New Lender confirms to the Existing Lender and the other Finance Parties that it:

    (i)
    has made (and shall continue to make) its own independent investigation and assessment of the financial condition and affairs of each Obligor and its related entities in connection with its participation in this Agreement and has not relied exclusively on any information provided to it by the Existing Lender in connection with any Finance Document; and

    (ii)
    will continue to make its own independent appraisal of the creditworthiness of each Obligor and its related entities whilst any amount is or may be outstanding under the Finance Documents or any Commitment is in force.

    (c)
    Nothing in any Finance Document obliges an Existing Lender to:

    (i)
    accept a re-transfer from a New Lender of any of the rights and obligations assigned or transferred under this Clause 25; or

    (ii)
    support any losses directly or indirectly incurred by the New Lender by reason of the nonperformance by any Obligor of their obligations under the Finance Documents or otherwise.

25.5.
Procedure of transfer and assignment

(a)
Subject to the conditions set out in Clause 25.2 (Conditions of assignment or transfer) an assignment or transfer (to a person other than to OeKB) is effected in accordance with paragraph (b) below when the Agent executes an otherwise duly completed Transfer Certificate delivered to it by the Existing Lender and the New Lender. The Agent shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt by it of a duly completed Transfer Certificate appearing on its face to comply with the terms of this Agreement and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, execute that Transfer Certificate and hold in accordance with Clause 27.15 (Agent to hold original documents).

(b)
On the Transfer Date:

(i)
to the extent that in the Transfer Certificate the Existing Lender seeks to assign or transfer its rights and obligations under the Finance Documents each of the Obligors and the Existing Lender shall be released from further obligations towards one another under the Finance Documents and their respective rights against one another shall be cancelled (being the "Discharged Rights and Obligations");

(ii)
each of the Obligors and the New Lender shall assume obligations towards one another and/or acquire rights against one another which differ from the Discharged Rights and Obligations only insofar as that Obligor and the New Lender have assumed and/or acquired the same in place of that Obligor and the Existing Lender;

(iii)
the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger and the other Lenders shall acquire the same rights and assume the same obligations between themselves as they would have acquired and assumed had the New Lender been an Original Lender with the rights and/or obligations acquired or assumed by it as a result of the transfer and to that extent the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger and the Existing Lender shall each be released from further obligations to each other under this Agreement; and

(iv)
the New Lender shall become a Party as a "Lender".

25.6.
Disclosure of information

(a)
Subject to this Clause 25.6 (Disclosure of information) each Lender shall treat all information received in connection with a Finance Document confidential.

33


      Any Lender may disclose to any of its Affiliates, OeKB and any other person:

      (i)
      to (or through) whom that Lender assigns or transfers (or may potentially assign or transfer), in accordance with this Agreement, all or any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement;

      (ii)
      with (or through) whom that Lender enters into (or may potentially enter into), in accordance with this Agreement, any subparticipation in relation to, or any other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to, this Agreement or any Obligor; or

      (iii)
      to whom, and to the extent that, information is required to be disclosed by any applicable law or regulation,

      any information about any Obligor, the Group and the Finance Documents as such person shall consider appropriate if, in relation to sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) above, the person to whom the information is to be given has entered into a confidentiality undertaking in the form set out in Schedule 9.

    (b)
    For the purposes only of and under the conditions set forth in this Clause 25.6, each Obligor waives any rights it may have in respect of banking secrecy pursuant to the Austrian Banking Act ("Bankwesengesetz").

25.7.
No Limitation of risk participation

    Nothing contained in this Clause 25 shall prevent the Lenders from entering into risk participation or sub-participation agreements with other banks.

26.  Changes to the Obligors

26.1.
Assignment and transfer by Obligors

    No Obligor may assign any of its rights or transfer any of its rights or obligations under the Finance Documents.

34



SECTION 9    THE FINANCING PARTIES

27.  Role of the Agent and the Mandated Lead Arranger

27.1.
Appointment of the Agent

(a)
The Mandated Lead Arranger and each of the Lenders appoints the Agent to act as their agent under and in connection with the Finance Documents.

(b)
The Mandated Lead Arranger and each of the Lenders authorises the Agent to exercise the rights, powers, authorities and discretions specifically given to the Agent under or in connection with the Finance Documents together with any other incidental rights, powers, authorities and discretions, and such rights may, subject to Clause 27.7 below, exclusively be exercised by the Agent.

27.2.
Duties of the Agent

(a)
The Agent shall promptly forward to a Party the original or a copy of any document which is delivered to the Agent for that Party by any other Party.

(b)
If the Agent receives notice from a Party referring to this Agreement, describing a Default and stating that the circumstance described is a Default, it shall promptly notify the Lenders.

(c)
The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders and the Borrower of any Default.

(d)
The Agent's duties under the Finance Documents are solely mechanical and administrative in nature.

(e)
The Agent shall fulfil all tasks in connection with the OeKB Refinancing, including, without limitation, the tasks provided for under this Agreement and under the power of attorney granted to the Agent in the form as provided for in Schedule 8.

27.3.
Role of the Mandated Lead Arranger

    Except as specifically provided in the Finance Documents, the Mandated Lead Arranger has no obligations of any kind to any other Party under or in connection with any Finance Document.

27.4.
No fiduciary duties

(a)
Nothing in this Agreement constitutes the Agent or the Mandated Lead Arranger as a trustee or fiduciary of any other person.

(b)
Neither the Agent nor the Mandated Lead Arranger shall be bound to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of any sum received by it for its own account.

27.5.
Business with the Group

    The Agent and the Mandated Lead Arranger may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of banking or other business with any Group Company.

27.6.
Rights and discretions of the Agent

(a)
The Agent may rely on:

(i)
any representation, notice or document believed by it to be genuine, correct and appropriately authorised; and

(ii)
any statement made by a director, authorised signatory or employee of any person regarding any matters which may reasonably be assumed to be within his knowledge or within his power to verify.

35


    (b)
    The Agent may assume (unless it has received notice to the contrary in its capacity as agent for the Lenders) that:

    (i)
    no Default has occurred or will occur (unless it has actual knowledge of a Default arising under Clause 24.1 (Non payment));

    (ii)
    any right, power, authority or discretion vested in any Party or the Majority Lenders has not been exercised; and

    (iii)
    any notice or request made by the Borrower (other than the Drawdown Request) is made on behalf of and with the consent and knowledge of the Guarantor.

    (c)
    The Agent may engage, pay for and rely on the advice or services of any lawyers, accountants, surveyors or other experts.

    (d)
    The Agent may act in relation to the Finance Documents through its personnel and agents.

27.7.
Majority Lenders' instructions

(a)
Unless a contrary indication appears in a Finance Document, the Agent shall (a) act in accordance with any instructions given to it by the Majority Lenders (or, if so instructed by the Majority Lenders, refrain from acting or exercising any right, power, authority or discretion vested in it as Agent) and (b) not be liable for any act (or omission) if it acts (or refrains from taking any action) in accordance with such an instruction of the Majority Lenders.

(b)
Unless a contrary indication appears in a Finance Document, any instructions given by the Majority Lenders will be binding on all the Lenders and the Mandated Lead Arranger.

(c)
The Agent may refrain from acting in accordance with the instructions of the Majority Lenders (or, if appropriate, the Lenders) until it has received such security as it may require for any cost, loss or liability (together with any associated VAT) which it may incur in complying with the instructions.

(d)
In the absence of instructions from the Majority Lenders, (or, if appropriate, the Lenders) the Agent may act (or refrain from taking action) as it considers to be in the best interest of the Lenders.

(e)
No Finance Party is authorised to start any legal or arbitration proceedings relating to any Finance Document without prior written approval of the Majority Lenders, unless the Agent has notified the Borrower about the occurrence of an Event of Default pursuant to Clause 24.15 (Acceleration).

27.8.
Responsibility for documentation

    Neither the Agent nor the Mandated Lead Arranger

    (a)
    is responsible for the adequacy, accuracy and/or completeness of any information (whether oral or written) supplied by the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger, an Obligor or any other person given in or in connection with any Finance Document; or

    (b)
    is responsible for the legality, validity, effectiveness, adequacy or enforceability of any Finance Document or any other agreement, arrangement or document entered into, made or executed in anticipation of or in connection with any Finance Document.

27.9.
Exclusion of liability

(a)
Without limiting paragraph (b) below, the Agent will not be liable for any action taken by it under or in connection with any Finance Document, unless directly caused by its gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

(b)
No Party may take any proceedings against any officer, employee or agent of the Agent in respect of any claim it might have against the Agent or in respect of any act or omission of any kind by that officer, employee or agent in relation to any Finance Document and any officer, employee or agent of the Agent may rely on this Clause.

(c)
The Agent will not be liable for any delay (or any related consequences) in crediting an account with an amount required under the Finance Documents to be paid by the Agent if the Agent has taken all

36


      necessary steps as soon as reasonably practicable to comply with the regulations or operating procedures of any recognised clearing or settlement system used by the Agent for that purpose.

27.10.
Lenders' indemnity to the Agent

    Each Lender shall (in proportion to its share of the Total Commitments or, if the Total Commitments are then zero, to its share of the Total Commitments immediately prior to their reduction to zero) indemnify the Agent, within three Business Days of demand, against any cost, loss or liability incurred by the Agent (otherwise than by reason of the Agent's gross negligence or wilful misconduct) in acting as Agent under the Finance Documents (unless the Agent has been reimbursed by an Obligor pursuant to a Finance Document).

27.11.
Resignation of the Agent

(a)
The Agent may resign and appoint one of its Affiliates acting through an office as successor by giving notice to the Lenders and the Borrower.

(b)
Alternatively the Agent may resign by giving notice to the Lenders and the Borrower, in which case the Majority Lenders (after consultation with the Borrower) may appoint a successor Agent.

(c)
If the Majority Lenders have not appointed a successor Agent in accordance with paragraph (b) above within 30 days after notice of resignation was given, the Agent (after consultation with the Borrower) may appoint a successor Agent.

(d)
The retiring Agent shall, at its own cost, make available to the successor Agent such documents and records and provide such assistance as the successor Agent may reasonably request for the purposes of performing its functions as Agent under the Finance Documents.

(e)
The Agent's resignation notice shall only take effect upon the appointment of a successor.

(f)
Upon the appointment of a successor, the retiring Agent shall be discharged from any further obligation in respect of the Finance Documents but shall remain entitled to the benefit of this Clause 27. Its successor and each of the other Parties shall have the same rights and obligations amongst themselves as they would have had if such successor had been an original Party.

(g)
After consultation with the Borrower, the Majority Lenders may, by notice to the Agent, require it to resign in accordance with paragraph (b) above. In this event, the Agent shall resign in accordance with paragraph (b) above.

(h)
Any appointment of a new agent requires the prior consent of the Borrower which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

27.12.
Confidentiality

(a)
In acting as agent for the Finance Parties, the Agent shall be regarded as acting through its respective department which shall be treated as a separate entity from any other of its divisions or departments.

(b)
If information is received by another division or department of the Agent, it may be treated as confidential to that division or department and the Agent shall not be deemed to have notice of it.

(c)
Notwithstanding any other provision of any Finance Document to the contrary, neither the Agent nor the Mandated Lead Arranger is obliged to disclose to any other person (i) any confidential information or (ii) any other information if the disclosure would or might in its responsible opinion constitute a breach of any law or a breach of a fiduciary duty.

27.13.
Relationship with the Lenders

(a)
The Agent may treat each Lender as a Lender, entitled to payments under this Agreement and acting through its Facility Office unless it has received not less than five Business Days prior notice from that Lender to the contrary in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(b)
Each Lender shall supply the Agent with any information required by the Agent in order to calculate the Mandatory Cost in accordance with Schedule 4 (Mandatory Cost Formulae).

37


27.14.
Credit appraisal by the Lenders

    Without affecting the responsibility of any Obligor for information supplied by it or on its behalf in connection with any Finance Document, each Lender confirms to the Agent and the Mandated Lead Arranger that it has been, and will continue to be, solely responsible for making its own independent appraisal and investigation of all risks arising under or in connection with any Finance Document including but not limited to:

    (a)
    the financial condition, status and nature of each Group Company;

    (b)
    the legality, validity, effectiveness, adequacy or enforceability of any Finance Document and any other agreement, arrangement or document entered into, made or executed in anticipation of, under or in connection with any Finance Document;

    (c)
    whether that Lender has recourse, and the nature and extent of that recourse, against any Party or any of its respective assets under or in connection with any Finance Document, the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents or any other agreement, arrangement or document entered into, made or executed in anticipation of, under or in connection with any Finance Document; and

    (d)
    the adequacy, accuracy and/or completeness of any information provided by the Agent, any Party or by any other person under or in connection with any Finance Document, the transactions contemplated by the Finance Documents or any other agreement, arrangement or document entered into, made or executed in anticipation of, under or in connection with any Finance Document.

27.15.
Agent to hold original documents

    The Agent shall hold one of each of the complete originals of this Agreement, the SISA Guarantee and any Transfer Certificate for the benefit of the Finance Parties and each copy shall be clearly marked "Agent's Copy".

28.  (intentionally omitted)

29.  Conduct of business by the Financing Parties

    No provision of this Agreement will:

    (a)
    interfere with the right of any Finance Party to arrange its affairs (tax or otherwise) in whatever manner it thinks fit;

    (b)
    oblige any Finance Party to investigate or claim any credit, relief, remission or repayment available to it or the extent, order and manner of any claim; or

    (c)
    oblige any Finance Party to disclose any information relating to its affairs (tax or otherwise) or any computations in respect of Tax.

30.  Sharing among the Lenders

30.1.
Payment to Lenders

    If a Lender (a "Recovering Lender") receives or recovers any amount from an Obligor other than in accordance with Clause 31 (Payment mechanics) and applies that amount to a payment due under the Finance Documents then:

    (a)
    the Recovering Lender shall, within three Business Days, notify details of the receipt or recovery, to the Agent;

    (b)
    the Agent shall determine whether the receipt or recovery is in excess of the amount the Recovering Lender would have been paid had the receipt or recovery been received or made by the Agent and distributed in accordance with Clause 31 (Payment mechanics), without taking account of any Tax which would be imposed on the Agent in relation to the receipt, recovery or distribution; and

38


    (c)
    the Recovering Lender shall, within three Business Days of demand by the Agent, pay to the Agent an amount (the "Sharing Payment") equal to such receipt or recovery (together with interest thereon at the rate determined by the Agent) less any amount which the Agent determines may be retained by the Recovering Lender as its share of any payment to be made, in accordance with Clause 31.5 (Partial payments).

30.2.
Redistribution of payments

    The Agent shall treat the Sharing Payment as if it had been paid by the relevant Obligor and distribute it between the Finance Parties (other than the Recovering Lender) in accordance with Clause 31.5 (Partial payments).

30.3.
Recovering Lenders' rights

(a)
On a distribution by the Agent under Clause 30.2 (Redistribution of payments), the Recovering Lender will be subrogated to the rights of the Finance Parties which have shared in the redistribution.

(b)
If and to the extent that the Recovering Lender is not able to rely on its rights under paragraph (a) above, the relevant Obligor shall be liable to the Recovering Lender for a debt equal to the Sharing Payment which is immediately due and payable.

30.4.
Reversal of redistribution

    If any part of the Sharing Payment received or recovered by a Recovering Lender becomes repayable and is repaid by that Recovering Lender, then:

    (a)
    each Lender which has received a share of the relevant Sharing Payment pursuant to Clause 30.2 (Redistribution of payments) shall, upon request of the Agent, pay to the Agent for account of that Recovering Lender an amount equal to its share of the Sharing Payment (together with an amount as is necessary to reimburse that Recovering Lender for its proportion of any interest on the Sharing Payment which that Recovering Lender is required to pay); and

    (b)
    that Recovering Lender's rights of subrogation in respect of any reimbursement shall be cancelled and the relevant Obligor will be liable to the reimbursing Lender for the amount so reimbursed.

30.5.
Exceptions

(a)
This Clause 30 shall not apply to the extent that the Recovering Lender would not, after making any payment pursuant to this clause, have a valid and enforceable claim against the relevant Obligor.

(b)
A Recovering Lender is not obliged to share with any other Lender any amount which the Recovering Lender has received or recovered as a result of taking legal or arbitration proceedings, if

(i)
it notified the other Lenders of the legal or arbitration proceedings; and

(ii)
the other Lenders had an opportunity to participate in those legal or arbitration proceedings but did not do so as soon as reasonably practicable having received notice or did not take separate legal or arbitration proceedings.

39



SECTION 10    ADMINISTRATION

31.  Payment mechanics

31.1.
Payment to the Agent

(a)
On each date on which an Obligor or a Lender is required to make a payment under a Finance Document, that Obligor or Lender shall make the same available to the Agent (unless a contrary indication appears in a Finance Document) for value on the due date at the time and in such funds specified by the Agent as being customary at the time for settlement of transactions in the place of payment.

(b)
Payment shall be made to such account in the principal financial centre of a Participating Member State or London as the Agent specifies.

31.2.
Distribution by the Agent

    Each payment received by the Agent under the Finance Documents for another Party shall, subject to Clause 31.3 (Distribution to an Obligor) and Clause 31.4 (Clawback) be made available by the Agent as soon as practicable after receipt to the Party entitled to receive payment in accordance with this Agreement (in the case of a Lender, for the account of its Facility Office), to such account as that Party may notify to the Agent by not less than five Business Days' notice with a bank in the principal financial centre of a Participating Member State or London.

31.3.
Distribution to an Obligor

    The Agent may (with the consent of the Obligor or in accordance with Clause 32 (Set-off)) apply any amount received by it for that Obligor in or towards payment (on the date and in the funds of receipt) of any amount due from that Obligor under the Finance Documents.

31.4.
Clawback

(a)
Where a sum is to be paid to the Agent under the Finance Documents for another Party, the Agent is not obliged to pay that sum to that other Party (or to enter into or perform any related exchange contract) until it has been able to establish to its satisfaction that it has actually received that sum. In such a case, the Agent will inform the other Parties of its decision to delay payment. If the decision to delay payment causes such a delay in passing on the money to the other Parties that the other Parties receive the amounts to which they are entitled late, the Party which violated the obligation to effect payment to the Agent shall pay any costs incurred, less any realised investment profits.

(b)
Subject to Clause (a) above, if the Agent is not notified in writing by the Borrower at least five Business Days prior to the due date that a payment owed under this Agreement will not be rendered by the due date, the Agent is entitled to assume that the payment will be paid and, in reliance thereon, to make available to the respective Party on the applicable payment date an amount of the expected payment to be attributed to such Party.

(c)
If the Agent pays an amount to another party and it proves to be the case that the Agent had not actually received that amount, then the Party to whom that amount (or the proceeds of any related exchange contract) was paid by the Agent shall on demand refund the same to the Agent together with interest on that amount from the date of payment to the date of receipt by the Agent, calculated by the Agent to reflect its cost of funds. Any such costs, less any realised investment profits, will be charged to the Party which violated the obligation to effect payment to the Agent.

31.5.
Partial payments

(a)
If the Agent receives a payment that is insufficient to discharge all the amounts then due and payable by an Obligor under the Finance Documents, the Agent shall apply that payment towards the obligations of that Obligor under the Finance Documents in the following order:

(i)
first, in or towards payment pro rata of any unpaid fees, costs and expenses of the Agent under the Finance Documents;

40


      (ii)
      second, in or towards payment pro rata of any accrued interest due but unpaid under this Agreement;

      (iii)
      third, in or towards payment pro rata of amounts of principal due but unpaid under this Agreement; and

      (iv)
      fourth, in or towards payment pro rata of any other sum due but unpaid under the Finance Documents.

    (b)
    The Agent shall, if so directed by the Majority Lenders, vary the order set out in paragraphs (a)(ii) to (iv) above.

    (c)
    Paragraphs (a) and (b) above will override any appropriation made by an Obligor.

31.6.
No set-off by Obligors

    All payments to be made by an Obligor under the Finance Documents shall be calculated and be made without (and free and clear of any deduction for) set-off or counterclaim or bank charges.

31.7.
Business Day

(a)
Unless otherwise provided for under this Agreement, any payment which is due to be made on a day that is not a Business Day shall be made on the immediately preceeding Business Day.

(b)
During any extension of the due date for payment of any principal or an Unpaid Sum under this Agreement interest is payable on the principal at the rate payable on the original due date.

31.8.
Currency of account

    The currency of account is Euro and payment for any sum due from an Obligor under any Finance Document shall be in Euro.

31.9.
Notice of payments

    Not later than 10 Business Days prior to each date on which payments are due to be paid by an Obligor to the Lenders in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement the Agent shall notify the respective Obligor of such amounts provided that failure to give such notice shall not relieve an Obligor of its obligation to make payments of such amounts when due. For the avoidance of doubt, this Clause 31.9 shall not apply to the payment of the OeKB Administration Fee.

32.  Set-off

    Without prejudice to the rights of the Finance Parties at law, whilst an Event of Default is continuing unremedied and unwaived, a Finance Party may set off any matured obligation due from an Obligor under the Finance Documents (to the extent beneficially owned by that Finance Party) against any matured obligation owed by that Finance Party to that Obligor, regardless of the place of payment, booking branch or currency of either obligation. If the obligations are in different currencies, the Finance Party may convert either obligation at a market rate of exchange in its usual course of business for the purpose of the set-off.

33.  Notice

33.1.
Communications in writing

    Any communication to be made under or in connection with the Finance Documents shall be made in writing and, unless otherwise stated, may be made by fax or letter.

33.2.
Addresses

    Subject to the other terms of this Agreement, the address and fax number (and the department or officer, if any, for whose attention the communication is to be made) of each Party for any communication or document to be made or delivered under or in connection with the Finance Documents is:

    (a)
    in the case of each of the Borrower and the Guarantor to

41


      Sappi International S.A.
      154 Chaussée de la Hulpe,
      B-1170 (Watermael- Boitsfort),
      Brussels,
      Belgium

      Attention: Executive Director
      Fax: +32 2 676 9601

    (b)
    in the case of each Lender, that notified in writing to the Agent on or prior to the date on which it becomes a Party; and

    (c)
    in the case of the Agent:

      Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG
      Schottengasse 6
      A-1010 Vienna
      Austria

      Attention: Ulrike Guggenberger
      Fax: +43 (0) 5050-44209

    or any substitute address, fax number or department or officer as the Party may notify to the Agent (or the Agent may notify to the other Parties, if a change is made by the Agent) by not less than five Business Days' notice.

33.3.
Delivery

(a)
Any communication or document made or delivered by one person to another under or in connection with the Finance Documents will only be effective:

(i)
if by way of fax, when received in legible form; or

(ii)
if by way of letter, when it has been left at the relevant address seven Business Days after being deposited in the post postage prepaid in an envelope addressed to it at that address;

      and, if a particular department or officer is specified as part of its address details provided under Clause 33.2 (Addresses), if addressed to that department or officer.

    (b)
    Any communication or document to be made or delivered to the Agent will be effective only when actually received by the Agent and then only if it is expressly marked for the attention of the department or officer identified with the Agent's signature below (or any substitute department or officer as the Agent shall specify for this purpose).

    (c)
    All notices from or to an Obligor shall be sent through the Agent.

33.4.
Notification of address and fax number

    Promptly upon receipt of notification of an address and fax number or change of address or fax number pursuant to Clause 33.2 (Addresses) or changing its own address or fax number, the Agent shall notify the other Parties.

33.5.
Electronic Communication

(a)
Any communication to be made between the Parties under or in connection with the Finance Documents (other than (i) delivery of the Drawdown Request, a certificate in accordance with Clause 21.2 (Compliance Certificate) or any request for an amendment to or waiver of this Agreement, (ii) in the case of the Guarantor, delivery of any request for an amendment or waiver of this Agreement) may be made by electronic mail or other electronic means and the Parties shall notify each other (in particular, the Agent) in writing of their electronic mail address and/or any other information required to enable the sending and receipt of information by that means.

(b)
Each Party shall promptly notify each other Party (in particular, the Agent) of any change to their electronic mail address or any other such information supplied by them.

42


    (c)
    Any electronic communication made:

    (i)
    by the Agent to another Party will be effective only when actually received by the relevant recipient and then only if it is addressed in such a manner as that relevant Lender or Obligor shall specify to the Agent for this purpose; and

    (ii)
    by a Lender or any Obligor to the Agent will be effective only when actually received by the Agent, as the case may be, and then only if it is addressed in such a manner as the Agent shall specify to that Lender or, as the case may be, that Obligor for this purpose.

    (d)
    Each Party shall notify any affected Parties promptly upon becoming aware that its electronic mail system or other electronic means of communication cannot be used due to technical failure (and that failure is continuing for more than 36 hours). Until that Party has notified the other affected Parties that the failure has been remedied, all notices between those Parties shall be sent by fax or letter in accordance with this Clause 33 (Notice).

    (e)
    In the case of notification of Rates of Interest by the Agent pursuant to Clause 11.6 (Notification of Rates of Interest) and in the case of the delivery of any document by the Agent pursuant to paragraph (a) of Clause 27.2 (Duties of the Agent), the Agent may refer a Lender or an Obligor (by fax, letter or e-mail) to a web site and to the location of the relevant information an such web site in discharge of such notification or delivery obligation.

33.6.
English language

(a)
Any notice given under or in connection with any Finance Document must be in English.

(b)
All other documents provided under or in connection with any Finance Document must be:

(i)
in English; or

(ii)
if not in English, and if so required by the Agent, accompanied by a certified English translation and, in this case, the English translation will prevail unless the document is a constitutional, statutory or other official document.

34.  Calculation and Certificates

34.1.
Accounts

    In any litigation or arbitration proceedings arising out of or in connection with a Finance Document the entries made in the accounts maintained by the Agent and/or a Finance Party are prima facie evidence of the matters to which they relate.

34.2.
Certificates and determinations

    Any certification or determination by the Agent and/or a Finance Party of a rate or amount under any Finance Document is, in the absence of manifest error, conclusive evidence of the matters to which it relates.

34.3.
Day count convention

    Any interest or fee payable to a Finance Party accruing under a Finance Document will accrue from day to day and is calculated an the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 360 days or, in any case where the practice in the Relevant Interbank Market differs, in accordance with that market practice.

35.  Partial invalidity

    If, at any time, any provision of the Finance Documents is or becomes illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any respect under any law of any jurisdiction, neither the legality, validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions nor the legality, validity or enforceability of such provision under the law of any other jurisdiction will in any way be affected or impaired.

43


36.  Remedies and waivers

    No failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of the Agent and/or any Finance Party, any right or remedy under the Finance Documents shall operate as a waiver, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right or remedy prevent any further or other exercise or the exercise of any other right or remedy. The rights and remedies provided in this Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.

37.  Amendments and waivers

37.1.
Required consents

(a)
Subject to Clause 37.2 (Exceptions) any term of the Finance Documents may be amended or waived only with the consent of the Majority Lenders and the Obligors and any such amendment or waiver will be binding on all Parties.

(b)
The Agent may effect, on behalf of any Finance Party, any amendment or waiver permitted by this Clause.

37.2.
Exceptions

(a)
An amendment or waiver that has the effect of changing or which relates to:

(i)
the definition of "Majority Lenders" in Clause 1.1 (Definitions);

(ii)
an extension to the date of payment of any amount under the Finance Documents;

(iii)
a reduction in the Applicable Facility Fee, the amount of, or the currency of any payment of principal, interest or fees payable;

(iv)
an increase in Commitment;

(v)
a change to the legal entity that is the Borrower or Guarantor;

(vi)
any provision which expressly requires the consent of all the Lenders; or

(vii)
Clause 2.2 (Finance Parties' rights and obligations), Clause 21.1 (Financial Statements) except for reasonable extensions of periods for the submission of the statements under Clause 21.1 (b), Clause 25 (Changes to the Lenders), Clause 30 (Sharing among the Lenders) or this Clause 37 (Amendments and waivers),

      shall not be made without the prior consent of all the Lenders.

    (b)
    An amendment or waiver which relates to the rights or obligations of the Agent or the Mandated Lead Arranger may not be effected without the consent of the Agent or the Mandated Lead Arranger.

38.  Counterparts

38.1.
Multiple counterparts

    Each Finance Document may be executed in any number of counterparts, and this has the same effect as if the signatures an the counterparts were on a single copy of the Finance Document.

38.2.
Complete originals

    There shall only be two complete originals of the Finance Documents (other than the Mandate Letter). For these purposes "complete" means execution by each relevant Party to such Finance Document in any number of counterparts.

39.  (intentionally omitted)

44



SECTION 11 GOVERNING LAW AND ENFORCEMENT

40.  Governing law

        This Agreement is governed by Austrian law excluding its conflicts of law rules.

41.  Enforcement

41.1.
Jurisdiction of Austrian Courts

(a)
The competent courts of Vienna have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement (including a dispute regarding the existence, validity or termination of this Agreement) (a "Dispute").

(b)
This Clause 41.1 is for the benefit of the Finance Parties only. As a result, no Finance Party shall be prevented from taking proceedings relating to a Dispute in any other courts with jurisdiction. To the extent allowed by law, the Finance Parties may take concurrent proceedings in any number of jurisdictions.

45


 
   
Signatories    

    

 

 


 

 

 
Sappi Paper Holding AG    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Sappi International S.A.    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Fortis Bank S.A.    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
BNP Paribas S.A. Belgium Branche    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Bayerische Landesbank Girozentrale    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Baden-Württembergerische Bank AG    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft Succursale de Bruxelles    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Investkredit Bank AG    
by:    
Title:    

46


 
   


 

 

 
WestLB AG    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.    
Niederlassung Deutschland    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Barclays Bank plc    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Bank für Arbeit und Wirtschaft Aktiengesellschaft    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Österreichische Volksbanken-Aktiengesellschaft    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Credit Agricole Indosuez    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberöstereich registrierte    
Genossenschaft mit beschränkter Haftung    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
ING BHF-Bank Aktiengesellschaft Niederlassung Hannover    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Vorarlberger Landes- und Hypothekenbank    
Aktiengesellschaft    
by:    
Title:    


 

 

 
Salzburger Landes- und Hypothekenbank Aktiengesellschaft    
by:    
Title:    

47



SCHEDULE 1:    THE ORIGINAL LENDERS

Name of Original Lender
  Address   Tranche A
Commitment
  Tranche B
Commitment
 

Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG

  Schottengasse 6-8, A-1010 Vienna, Austria     19,703,281.20     78,813,124.8  

Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG

 

Graben 21, A-1010 Vienna, Austria

   
14,980,000
   
59,920,000
 

Fortis Bank S.A.

 

3 Montagne du Prac, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

BNP Paribas S.A. Belgium Branche

 

Avenue Louise 489, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

Bayerische Landesbank Girozentrale

 

Brienner Straße 20, D-80333 Munich

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

Baden-Württembergerische Bank AG

 

Kleiner Schlossplatz 11,. D-70173 Stuttgart, Germany

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft Succursale de Bruxelles

 

Boulevard Louis Schmidt 87, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

Investkredit Bank AG

 

Renngasse 10, A-1013 Vienna, Austria

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

WestLB AG

 

Friedrichstraße 62-68, D-40217 Düsseldorf, Germany

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

ABN AMRO BANK N.V.

 

Theodor-Heuss-Allee 80

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

Niederlassung Deutschland

 

D-60486 Frankfurt am Main

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

Barclays Bank plc

 

54 Lombard Street, EC3P 3AH London, United Kingdom

   
5,320,000
   
21,280,000
 

Bank für Arbeit und Wirtschaft Aktiengesellschaft

 

Seitzergasse 2-4, A-1010 Vienna, Austria

   
3,920,000
   
15,680,000
 

Österreichische Volksbanken Aktiengesellschaft

 

Peregringasse 3, A-1090 Vienna, Austria

   
3,920,000
   
15,680,000
 

Credit Agricole Indosuez

 

9, Quai du President Paul Doumer, F-92920 Paris La Defense, France

   
3,920,000
   
15,680,000
 

Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich registrierte

 

Europaplatz la, A-4020 Linz, Austria

   
1,960,000
   
7,840,000
 

Genossenschaft mit beschränkter Haftung

                 

ING BHF-BANK Aktiengesellschaft Niederlassung Hannover

  Georgsplatz 9, D-30159 Hannover, Germany     1,960,000     7,840,000  

Vorarlberger Landes- und Hypothekenbank Aktiengesellschaft

 

Hypo-Passage 1, A-6900 Bregenz, Austria

   
980,000
   
3,920,000
 

Salzburger Landes- und Hypothekenbank Aktiengesellschaft

 

Petersbrunnstraße 3, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria

   
798,000
   
3,192,000
 
               

        100,021,281.20     400,085,124.80  
               

Total of Tranche A and Tranche B

             
500,106,406.00
 

48



SCHEDULE 2:    CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

Conditions Precedent for Drawdown

1.     Obligors

    (a)
    A certified copy of the constitutional documents of each Obligor.

    (b)
    A certified copy of a resolution of the board of directors of the Borrower and (ii) the board of the Guarantor:

    (i)
    approving the terms of, and the transactions contemplated by, the Finance Documents and resolving that it executes the Finance Documents to which it is a party;

    (ii)
    authorising a specified person or persons to execute the Finance Documents on its behalf; and

    (iii)
    authorising a specified person or persons, on its behalf, to sign and/or despatch all documents and notices (including, if relevant, the Drawdown Request) to be signed and/or despatched by it under or in connection with the Finance Documents.

    (c)
    A copy of a resolution of the supervisory board of the Borrower approving the terms of, and transactions contemplated by, the Finance Documents to which it is a party and resolving that it executes the Finance Documents to which it is a party.

    (d)
    (intentionally omitted)

    (e)
    A certificate of the Borrower (signed by a director) confirming that borrowing the Facility would not cause any borrowing or similar limit binding on either Obligor to be exceeded.

    (f)
    A certificate of an authorised signatory of the relevant Obligor certifying that each copy document relating to it specified in this Schedule 2 is correct, complete and in full force and effect as of a date no earlier than the date of this Agreement.

    (g)
    Each of the Lenders shall have received bills of exchange duly accepted by the Borrower in the amounts and number required for the OeKB Refinancing.

2.     Legal opinions

    (a)
    A legal opinion of Binder Grösswang Rechtsanwälte OEG, legal counsel licensed in Austria in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

    (b)
    A legal opinion of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Brussels, legal counsel licensed in Belgium in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

3.     OeKB

    (a)
    Each of the Lenders shall have received on the bills of exchange accepted by the Borrower in relation to the Facility a guarantee by "aval" of the Republic of Austria under the Austrian Export Guarantees Act 1981 ("Ausfuhrförderungsgesetz 1981").

    (b)
    Each of the Lenders and OeKB shall have concluded a refinancing agreement in relation to the Facility.

    (c)
    Receipt of payment from OeKB under the OeKB Refinancing.

4.     Other documents and evidence

    (a)
    Evidence that the fees, costs and expenses then due from the Borrower pursuant to Clause 14 (Fees) and Clause 19 (Costs and expenses) have been paid or will be paid within 5 Business Days from the date of this Agreement.

49


    (b)
    A certificate of an authorised signatory of the Borrower that the Intercompany Financings (i) have been disbursed (such disbursement also evidenced by the respective bank confirmations) and (ii) are outstanding at least in the amount of the aggregate Loans.

    (c)
    A copy of any other authorisation or other document in connection with the entry into and performance of the transactions contemplated by any Finance Document or for the validity and enforceability of any Finance Document required by law or which the Agent has reasonably requested from the Borrower until signing of this Agreement.

    (d)
    The SISA Guarantee duly executed by the Guarantor and the Agent.

    (e)
    The Initial Financial Statements.

50



SCHEDULE 3:    REQUESTS

Drawdown Request

 
   
From:   Sappi Papier Holding AG

To:

 

Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG as Agent

Dated:

 

    

Dear Sirs,

Sappi Papier Holding AG—Euro 500,106,406 Facility Agreement dated May 7, 2003 (the "Facility Agreement")

 
   
   
   
   
1.   We wish to borrow a Loan on the following terms

 

 

Proposed Drawdown Date:

 

[

 

]

 

(or, if that is not a Business Day, the next Business Day)

 

 

Amount:

 

[

 

]

 

 

2.

 

We confirm that each condition specified in Clause 4.2 (Further conditions precedent) of the Facility Agreement referred to above is satisfied on the date of this Drawdown Request.

3.

 

The proceeds of this Loan should be credited to [account].

4.

 

This Drawdown Request is irrevocable and signed at [             ].
 
   
   
     
Yours faithfully
   

 

 


 

 

 
    authorised signatory for
SAPPI PAPIER HOLDING AG
   

51



SCHEDULE 4:    MANDATORY COST FORMULA

1.
The Mandatory Cost is an addition to the interest rate to compensate Lenders for the cost of compliance with the requirements of the European Central Bank or the central bank of any other country arising after the date of this Agreement.

2.
On the first day of each Interest Period (or as soon as possible thereafter) the Agent shall calculate, as a percentage rate, a rate (the "Additional Cost Rate") for each Lender, in accordance with the paragraphs set out below. The Mandatory Cost will be calculated by the Agent as a weighted average of the Lenders' Additional Cost Rates (weighted in proportion to the percentage participation of each Lender in the relevant Loan) and will be expressed as a percentage rate per annum.

3.
The Additional Cost Rate for any Lender lending from a Facility Office in a Participating Member State will be the percentage notified by that Lender to the Agent as the net cost of complying with the minimum reserve requirements of the European Central Bank after taking into account remuneration payable to it by the European Central Bank under Council Regulation (EC) No. 2531/98 of 23 November 1998 and Council Regulation (EC) No. 2828/98 of 1 December 1998.

4.
The Additional Cost Rate for any Lender lending from a Facility Office in country other than a Participating Member State will be the percentage notified by that Lender to the Agent as the net cost of complying with the minimum reserve requirements of the respective central bank.

5.
Each Lender shall supply any information required by the Agent for the purpose of calculating its Additional Cost Rate. In particular, but without limitation, each Lender shall supply the following information in writing on or prior to the date on which it becomes a Lender:

(a)
its jurisdiction of incorporation and the jurisdiction of its Facility Office; and

(b)
any other information that the Agent may reasonably require for such purpose.

    Each Lender shall promptly notify the Agent in writing of any change to the information provided by it pursuant to this paragraph.

6.
The percentages or rates of charge of each Lender for the purpose of item 1 above shall be determined by the Agent based upon the information supplied to it pursuant to paragraphs 3 and 4 above and on the assumption that, unless a Lender notifies the Agent to the contrary, each Lender's obligations in relation to the requirements described in item 1 are the same as those of a typical bank from its jurisdiction of incorporation with a Facility Office in the same jurisdiction as its Facility Office.

7.
The Agent shall have no liability to any person if such determination results in an Additional Cost Rate which over or under compensates any Lender and shall be entitled to assume that the information provided by any Lender pursuant to paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 above is true and correct in all respects.

8.
The Agent shall distribute the additional amounts received as a result of the Mandatory Cost to the Lenders on the basis of the Additional Cost Rate for each Lender based on the information provided by each Lender pursuant to paragraphs 3 and 4 above.

9.
Any determination by the Agent pursuant to this Schedule in relation to, the Mandatory Cost, an Additional Cost Rate or any amount payable to a Lender shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive and binding on all Parties.

10.
The Agent may from time to time, after consultation with the Borrower and the Lenders, determine and notify to all Parties any amendments which are required to be made to this Schedule in order to comply with any change in law, regulation or any requirements from time to time imposed by the European Central Bank (or, in any case, any other authority which replaces all or any of its functions) or the central bank of any other country and any such determination shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive and binding an all Parties.

52



SCHEDULE 5:    FORM OF TRANSFER CERTIFICATE

To:   Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG as Agent

From:

 

[The Existing Lender] (the "Existing Lender") and [The New Lender] (the "New Lender")

Dated:

 

 

Sappi Papier Holding AG—Euro 500,106,406 Facility Agreement dated May 7, 2003 (the "Facility Agreement")

1.
We refer to Clause 25.5 (Procedure of transfer) of the Facility Agreement:

(a)
The Existing Lender and the New Lender agree to the Existing Lender and the New Lender [assigning/transferring] all or part of the Existing Lender's Commitment, rights and obligations referred to in the Schedule in accordance with Clause 25.5 (Procedure of transfer) of the Facility Agreement.

(b)
The proposed Transfer Date is [    ].

(c)
The Facility Office and address, fax number and attention details for notices of the New Lender for the purposes of Clause 33.2 (Addresses) of the Facility Agreement are set out in this Schedule.

2.
The New Lender expressly acknowledges the limitations on the Existing Lender's obligations set out in paragraph (c) of Clause 25.4 (Limitation of responsibility of Existing Lenders) of the Facility Agreement.

3.
This Transfer Certificate is governed by Austrian law. All capitalized words and expressions, which are not expressly defined herein, shall have the meaning attributed to them in the Facility Agreement.

4.
This Transfer Certificate is signed at [    ].

53



THE SCHEDULE

Commitment/rights and obligations to be transferred or assigned

[insert relevant details]
[Facility Office address, fax number and attention details for notices and account details for payments]

[Existing Lender]
By:
  [New Lender]
By:

This Transfer Certificate is accepted by the Agent and the Transfer Date is confirmed as [    ].

[Agent]

By:

54



SCHEDULE 6:    FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

To:   Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG as Agent

From:

 

Sappi Papier Holding AG

Dated:

 

 

Dear Sirs,

Sappi Papier Holding AG—Euro 500,106,406 Facility Agreement dated May 7, 2003 (the "Facility Agreement")

1.
We refer to the Facility Agreement. All capitalized words and expressions, which are not expressly defined herein, shall have the meaning attributed to them in the Facility Agreement. This is a Compliance Certificate.

2.
We confirm that:

(i)
in respect of the Quarter ending on [    ] and each of the three immediately preceding Quarters the mean average of EBITDA was [    ] and the mean average of Consolidated Net Interest Expense was [    ]. Therefore EBITDA was [    ] times Consolidated Net Interest Expense and the covenant contained in sub-clause (a) of Clause 23.1 (Financial Covenants) [has/has not] been complied with;

(ii)
in respect of the Quarter ending on [    ] and each of the seven immediately preceding Quarters the mean average of EBITDA was [    ] and the mean average of Consolidated Net Interest Expense was [    ]. Therefore EBITDA was [    ] times Consolidated Net Interest Expense and the covenant contained in sub-clause (b) of Clause 23.1 (Financial Covenants) [has/has not] been complied with;

(iii)
in respect of the Quarter ending on [    ] the Consolidated Capital of the Group was [    ] and the Consolidated Assets of the Group was [    ] as at the end of that Quarter. Therefore the Consolidated Capital of the Group was [    ] times the Consolidated Capital of the Group and the covenant contained in sub-clause (c) of Clause 23.1 (Financial Covenants) [has/has not] been complied with; and

(iv)
in respect of the Quarter ending on [    ] Net Debt was [    ] and Capitalisation for such Quarter was [    ] as at the end of that Quarter. Therefore Net Debt at that time [was/was not] equal to or in excess of [    ] and the covenant contained in sub-clause (d) of Clause 23.1 (Financial Covenants) [has/has not] been complied with.

3.
[As at [end of Quarter], the Material Subsidiaries are as follows: [    ]

    We confirm that the above companies account for at least 90 per cent of the Consolidated Earnings and at least 90 per cent of the Consolidated Assets (as such terms are defined in the definitions of Material Subsidiary set out in the Facility Agreement).](1)

4.
[We confirm that no Default is continuing.](2)

(1)
Paragraph 3 only included in the Annual Compliance Certificate, as such term is defined in the Facility Agreement.

(2)
If this statement cannot be made, the certificate should identify any Default that is continuing and the steps, if any, being taken to remedy it.

55


5.
[The average of the ratios (calculated on the basis of the audited consolidated annual statements of the Group as of September 30, 2005 and as of September 30, 2006) of Net Debt to EBITDA of the Group does not exceed 3.0:1 / does exceed 3.0:1 due to a Securitisation Event, but does not exceed 3.5:1.](3)

6.
This Compliance Certificate is signed at [    ].

Signed:

Director for and an behalf of
Sappi Papier Holding AG


(3)
Required only in the Annual Compliance Certificate delivered with the financial statements for the financial year ending on September 30, 2006.

56



SCHEDULE 7:    EXISTING SECURITY

Name of Obligor
  Security   Total Principal Amount of
Indebtedness Secured

Sappi Fine Paper North America

       

—Town of Skowhegan/Michigan
    Strategic Fund/City of Westbrook

  Land and Buildings   107m USD

Sappi Alfeld

       

—Allianz AG

  Assets   9m EUR

Sappi Gratkorn

       

—Wasserwirtschaftsfonds

  Bonds   9m EUR

57



SCHEDULE 8:    FORM OF POWER OF ATTORNEY

To Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG

Re:

Dated:                                                                 , 2003


POWER OF ATTORNEY

We, [...Bank...] a legal entity duly organised under the laws of [...country of incorporation] and registered with the commercial register at                          under [...number of registration], with principal place of business in [...address] ("Bank"), hereby authorise and appoint Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG, Schottengasse 6, 1010 Vienna ("Attorney") in connection with (i) the EUR [500,106,406] Credit Facility Agreement, concluded between Sappi Papier Holding AG Austria, as borrower, Sappi International S.A. as Guarantor and Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG, as mandated lead arranger and agent, and the syndicate of banks as listed in the afore mentioned Credit Facility Agreement and (ii) the respective refinancing agreement concluded between the Bank and Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft ("OeKB") (the "Refinancing Agreement") to:

    1)
    demand and receive payments from OeKB under the Refinancing Agreement upon receipt of a drawdown notice from the Borrower; and

    2)
    to make to the Bank's account with OeKB all re-payments of principal and payments of interest and fees under the Refinancing Agreement upon receipt of the relevant funds from the borrower; and

    3)
    do all other acts and things and sign, execute and deliver any and all other documents and give all notices which may be required or which the Attorney shall in its absolute and unfettered discretion consider desirable thereto in connection with clauses 1. and 2. hereof.

The Bank shall indemnify the Attorney and keep the Attorney indemnified against any and all reasonable costs, claims and liabilities which the Attorney may incur as a result of anything done by the Attorney in the exercise of any of its powers conferred, or purported to be conferred, on him by this Power of Attorney.

The Attorney shall be entitled to grant sub-powers of attorney.

The authority conferred on the Attorney by this Power of Attorney shall terminate on [... insert date].

This Power of Attorney is governed by, and shall be construed in accordance with, Austrian law.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF this Power of Attorney has been executed by the Bank and is intended to be made on the date above written.


By:

Title:

 
   
Note:   Unless the signatories can be verified from a signatories' book of the Bank, a notary public has to certify as to the authenticity of the signatures and his/her/their authority to validly represent the Bank, a company duly incorporated and validly existing, upon the issuance of this power of attorney.

58



SCHEDULE 9:    FORM OF CONFIDENTIALITY UNDERTAKING

From:   [Proposed Transferee]

To:

 

Sappi Papier Holding AG

[                          ] 200[    ]

Facility Agreement dated May 7, 2003 among (1) Sappi Papier Holding AG as Borrower (2) Sappi International S.A. as Guarantor (3) Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG as Agent and (4) certain Lenders named therein (the "Facility Agreement")

1.
We refer to the Facility Agreement. All capitalized words and expressions, which are not expressly defined herein, shall have the meaning attributed to them in the Facility Agreement.

2.
Subject as provided below, we undertake to keep confidential and undertake not to, without your prior written consent, (i) disclose any information (other than information which is publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this letter) supplied by or on behalf of Sappi Papier Holding AG, or (ii) use any such information other than in relation to the Facility. However, you agree that we are entitled to disclose information:

(a)
in connection with any legal proceedings arising out of or in connection with the Facility Agreement or any audit requirement;

(b)
if required to do so by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction whether under any procedure for discovering documents or otherwise;

(c)
pursuant to any law or regulation in accordance with which we and/or any of our affiliates and/or subsidiaries are required or accustomed to act;

(d)
to a governmental banking, taxation or other regulatory authority of any competent jurisdiction;

(e)
to our accountants or legal or other professional advisers in connection with this letter or the Facility;

(f)
which, after such information has been made available to us, becomes generally available to third parties by publication or otherwise through no breach of this letter;

(g)
which was lawfully in our possession or in the possession of our advisers prior to such disclosure and which was not acquired directly or indirectly from any Group Company or Sappi Group Company;

(h)
the disclosure of which is made to any of our affiliates in circumstances where it is our usual practice to make such disclosure or where such disclosure is required as part of our management or reporting policies;

(i)
where such disclosure is, in our reasonable opinion, required, following the occurrence of a Default, to protect our position, or to assist in the recovery of amounts, under the Facility Agreement; or

(j)
where such disclosure is made to the Agent, the Mandated Lead Arranger or any Lender.

3.
The obligations in this letter shall cease (a) if we become a party to or otherwise acquire (by assignment or sub participation) an interest, direct or indirect in the Facility or (b) twelve months after we have returned all information received by you relating to the Facility (other than such information which has been disclosed under paragraph 2 above).

4.
This letter sets out the full extent of our obligations of confidentiality owed to you in relation to the information with respect to the Facility. The terms of this letter and our obligations under this letter may only be amended or modified by written agreement between us.

5.
(a)   The terms of this letter may be enforced and relied upon only by you and us.

(b)
Notwithstanding any provisions of this letter, the parties to this letter do not require the consent of any other person to rescind or vary this letter at any time.

59


6.
This letter (including the agreement constituted by your acknowledgement of its terms) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Austria and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the common courts in Vienna.

7.
This letter is signed at [    ].

Please countersign this letter to confirm your agreement to its terms.

Yours faithfully,

[name of proposed Transferee]

60



SCHEDULE 10:    APPLICABLE FACILITY FEE

The Applicable Facility Fee shall be calculated as follows:

(a)
During the Availability Period, the Applicable Facility Fee shall be 0.50 per cent per annum.

(b)
After the end of the Availability Period, the Applicable Facility Fee shall be a rate determined by the Agent at the end of any Interest Period for the next succeeding Interest Period according to the following table:
 
 
Standard & Poors credit rating for Sappi
  Applicable Facility Fee per annum
    A or higher   0.20 per cent
    A–   0.30 per cent
    BBB+   0.40 per cent
    BBB   0.50 per cent
    BBB–   0.60 per cent
    Below BBB–   1.00 per cent

From the time a Standard & Poor credit rating is available for the Borrower, such credit rating shall apply.

If neither for Sappi nor for the Borrower a Standard & Poors credit rating is available, the above table shall without further action or analysis refer to the equivalent ratings used by Moody's.

If neither Standard & Poors nor Moody's nor an equivalent rating agency reasonably acceptable to the Agent publishes a credit rating for Sappi or the Borrower, the applicable credit rating shall be deemed to be "Below BBB–".

61



SCHEDULE 11:    FORM OF GUARANTEE

Form of irrevocable, unconditional guarantee for payment

This guarantee is dated the [    ] day of [    ], 200[    ] and made between:

(1)
SAPPI INTERNATIONAL S.A. (the "Guarantor") and

(2)
BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT AG (the "Agent").

It is hereby agreed as follows:

1.
Preamble

    SAPPI PAPIER HOLDING AG has entered into a facility agreement dated May 7, 2003 among (1) Sappi Papier Holding AG as Borrower (2) Sappi International S.A. as Guarantor (3) Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG as Agent and (4) certain Lenders named therein (the "Facility Agreement"), whereby the Lenders will on the terms and subject to the conditions therein contained, advance to the Borrower funds for the purpose as defined in the Facility Agreement. The Guarantor has agreed to guarantee the payment obligations of the Borrower under the Facility Agreement.

    All capitalized words and expressions, which are not expressly defined herein, shall have the meaning attributed to them in the Facility Agreement.

2.
Guarantee

    The Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to the Agent for the benefit of the Lenders and the Agent, as principal obligor and not merely as surety, the payment when due of all amounts stated by the Agent to be owed by the Borrower to the Lenders under the Facility Agreement.

3.
Immediate Recourse

    The Guarantor waives any right it may have of first requiring the Lenders to proceed against or enforce any other rights or security of or claim payment from the Borrower or any other person before claiming from the Guarantor hereunder.

4.
Payment

4.1
The Guarantor agrees to pay from time to time on first demand by the Agent against delivery by letter or tested telex to the Guarantor of a demand stating that (i) a specified amount has become due and payable by the Borrower under the Facility Agreement and (ii) has not been paid by the Borrower within five days after the due date.

    If such demand is delivered to the Guarantor, then, on the fifth Business Day after the date of delivery of such demand, the Guarantor shall pay without review on the underlying legal relationship and waiving all defenses thereunder the amounts specified in such certificate and demand (including principal, interest, default interest, fees and ancillary claims) exclusively to the account or the accounts (as the case may be) designated by the Agent.

4.2
All payments to be made by the Guarantor hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for or on account of any set-off, counterclaim or withholding taxes.

    If the Guarantor is required by law to make such deductions, the sum payable by the Guarantor shall be increased by such amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts remaining after such deduction shall equal the respective amounts due hereunder.

4.3
If the Guarantor makes a Tax Payment and the relevant Finance Party determines that:

(a)
a Tax Credit is attributable to that Tax Payment; and

(b)
that Finance Party has obtained, utilised and retained that Tax Credit, on a consolidated group basis,

    the Finance Party shall pay an amount to the Guarantor which that Finance Party determines in its absolute discretion will leave it (after that payment) in the same after-Tax position as it would have been in had the Tax Payment not been made by the Guarantor.

62


4.4
The repayment obligation of a Finance Party pursuant to clause 4.3 above shall not become due before the Guarantor has fulfilled its payment obligations under a demand hereunder and shall in no event reduce the payment obligation of the Guarantor under a demand hereunder.

4.5
The Agent may from time to time make one or more demands for payment under this Guarantee.

5.
Non-competition

    So long as any amounts are or may be owed by the Borrower under the Facility Agreement, the Guarantor shall not by virtue of any payment made, security realised or moneys received for or on account of the Guarantor's liability hereunder:

    a)
    be subrogated to any rights, security or moneys held, received or receivable by the Lender or be entitled to any right of contribution;

    b)
    be entitled and shall not claim to rank as creditor in the bankruptcy or liquidation of the Borrower in competition with the Lenders;

    c)
    receive, claim or have the benefit of any payment, distribution or security from or on account of the Borrower or exercise any right of set-off as against the Borrower or any other person or claim the benefit of any security or moneys held by or for the account of the Lenders;

    The Guarantor shall forthwith pay to the Lenders an amount equal to any such set-off in fact exercised by it and shall hold in trust for and forthwith pay or transfer, as the case may be, to the Lenders any such payment or distribution or benefit of security in fact received by it.

6.
Preservation of Rights

    The obligations of the Guarantor herein contained shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any payment of any sums of money by the Borrower is rescinded or must otherwise be returned by the Lender upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganisation of the Borrower, or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.

7.
Transferability, Assignment

    The Guarantor may not assign or transfer the whole or part of its obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Agent acting on the instructions of all Lenders.

    If a new agent is appointed in accordance with Clause 27.11 of the Facility Agreement (Resignation of the Agent), the resigning agent may without the Guarantor's consent assign all or any part of its rights hereunder. In any other case, the Agent may not assign its rights hereunder except with the prior written consent of the Guarantor.

8.
Duration

    This Guarantee shall be valid so long as any amounts under the Facility Agreement are or may be outstanding.

9.
No Immunity

    To the extent that the Guarantor has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process with respect to itself or its property, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under this Guarantee.

10.
Partial Invalidity, Governing Law

    If, at any time, any provision of this agreement is or becomes illegal, invalid or unenforceable in any respect under any law of any jurisdiction, neither the legality, validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions nor the legality, validity or enforceability of such provision under the law of any other jurisdiction will in any way be affected or impaired.

    This Agreement is governed by Austrian law excluding its conflicts of law rules.

63


    The competent courts of Vienna shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Agreement (including a dispute regarding the existence, validity or termination of this Agreement) (a "Dispute").

    This Clause 10. is for the benefit of the Agent and the Lenders only. As a result, the Agent shall not be prevented from taking proceedings relating to a dispute in any other courts with jurisdiction. To the extent allowed by law, the parties to this agreement may take concurrent proceedings in any number of jurisdictions.

    Place/Date        

 

 

For and on behalf of
Sappi International S.A.

 

For and on behalf of
Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG
                 

 

 

by:

 


 

 

by:

 


 

64



SCHEDULE 12:    MATERIAL SUBSIDIARIES

30 March 2003    Sappi Papier Holding Group

Company Name
  ***   Country of
Incorporation
  Address   Effective Holding
%
  Total Assets*
Sep.02
  EBIT**
12 months
to Sep.02
 
 
   
   
   
   
  (EURO millions)
 

Sappi Gratkorn GmbH

    O     Austria   Brucker Strasse 21, A-8101 Gratkorn, Austria     100     46.4     3.2  

Sappi Austria Produktions GmbH & Co KG

    O     Austria   Brucker Strasse 21, A-8101 Gratkorn, Austria     100     731.8     99.9  

Sappi Austria Vertriebs GmbH & Co KG

    O     Austria   Brucker Strasse 21, A-8101 Gratkorn, Austria     100     3.9     0.7  

Sappi International SA

    O     Belgium   154 Chaussee de la Hulpe, B-1170 Brussels, Belgium     42.8 ****   1,255.9     5.4  

Sappi Lanaken NV

    O     Belgium   Montaigneweg 2, B-3620, Lanaken, Belgium     100     425.6     17.7  

Sappi Lanaken Press Paper NV

    O     Belgium   Montaigneweg 2, B-3620, Lanaken, Belgium     100     1,063.8     26.7  

Sappi Alfeld AG

    O     Germany   Mühlenmasch 1, D-31061 Alfeld, Germany     99.9     413.8     15.9  

Sappi Ehingen AG

    O     Germany   Biberacher Strasse 73, D089584, Ehingen, Germany     95.9     209.2     18.2  

Sappi Belgium Holding BV

    H     Netherlands   Biesenweg 16, NL-6211 AA Maastricht,
The Netherlands
    100     389.4      

Sappi Maastricht BV

    O     Netherlands   Biesenweg 16, NL-6211 AA Maastricht,
The Netherlands
    100     197.4     25.3  

Sappi Netherlands BV

    H     Netherlands   Erasmusdomein 50, NL-6229 BL Maastricht, The Netherlands     100     222.3      

Sappi Nijmegen BV

    O     Netherlands   Ambachtsweg 2, NL-6541 DB Nijmegen, The Netherlands     100     90.4     4.3  

Sappi Deutschland Holding GmbH

    H     Germany   Mühlenmasch 1, D-31061 Alfeld, Germany     100     326.7     (0.1 )

S D Warren Company

    O     USA   225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110, USA     100     1,755.3     0.5  
                                 

TOTAL

                          7,131.9     217.7  
                                 

*
Total assets = current assets + non-current assets

**
EBIT = Trading income (excluding non-operating income)

***
O = Operating Company    H = Holding Company

****
The direct and indirect beneficial holding by Sappi amounts to 100%

        USD/EURO rate period end: 1.0869

65



TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREAMBLE     2  

SECTION 1    INTERPRETATION

 

 

2

 

1.

 

Definitions and Interpretation

 

 

2

 

SECTION 2    THE FACILITY

 

 

9

 

2.

 

The Facility

 

 

9

 

3.

 

Purpose

 

 

9

 

4.

 

Conditions of Drawdown

 

 

9

 

SECTION 3    DRAWDOWN

 

 

10

 

5.

 

Drawdown

 

 

10

 

6.

 

Splitting of Loan

 

 

10

 

7.

 

(intentionally omitted)

 

 

10

 

SECTION 4    REPAYMENT, PREPAYMENT AND CANCELLATION

 

 

11

 

8.

 

Repayment

 

 

11

 

9.

 

(intentionally omitted)

 

 

11

 

10.

 

Prepayment and cancellation

 

 

11

 

SECTION 5    COSTS OF DRAWING

 

 

14

 

11.

 

Interest

 

 

14

 

12.

 

Interest period

 

 

15

 

13.

 

Break Costs

 

 

15

 

14.

 

Fees

 

 

15

 

SECTION 6    ADDITIONAL PAYMENT OBLIGATIONS

 

 

16

 

15.

 

Tax gross up and indemnities

 

 

16

 

16.

 

Increased costs

 

 

18

 

17.

 

Other indemnities

 

 

19

 

18.

 

Mitigation by the lender

 

 

19

 

19.

 

Costs and expenses

 

 

20

 

SECTION 7    REPRESENTATION, UNDERTAKINGS AND EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

 

21

 

20.

 

Representations

 

 

21

 

21.

 

Positive undertakings

 

 

22

 

22.

 

Negative undertakings

 

 

25

 

23.

 

Financial covenants

 

 

27

 

24.

 

Events of Default

 

 

29

 

66


SECTION 8    CHANGE TO PARTIES     32  

25.

 

Change to the Lenders

 

 

32

 

26.

 

Changes to the Obligors

 

 

34

 

SECTION 9    THE FINANCING PARTIES

 

 

35

 

27.

 

Role of the Agent and the Mandated Lead Arranger

 

 

35

 

28.

 

(intentionally omitted)

 

 

38

 

29.

 

Conduct of business by the Financing Parties

 

 

38

 

30.

 

Sharing among the Lenders

 

 

38

 

SECTION 10    ADMINISTRATION

 

 

40

 

31.

 

Payment mechanics

 

 

40

 

32.

 

Set-off

 

 

41

 

33.

 

Notice

 

 

41

 

34.

 

Calculation and Certificates

 

 

43

 

35.

 

Partial invalidity

 

 

43

 

36.

 

Remedies and waivers

 

 

44

 

37.

 

Amendments and waivers

 

 

44

 

38.

 

Counterparts

 

 

44

 

39.

 

(intentionally omitted)

 

 

44

 

SECTION 11    GOVERNING LAW AND ENFORCEMENT

 

 

45

 

40.

 

Governing law

 

 

45

 

41.

 

Enforcement

 

 

45

 

SCHEDULE 1:    THE ORIGINAL LENDERS

 

 

48

 

SCHEDULE 2:    CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

 

49

 

SCHEDULE 3:    REQUESTS

 

 

51

 

SCHEDULE 4:    MANDATORY COST FORMULA

 

 

52

 

SCHEDULE 5:    FORM OF TRANSFER CERTIFICATE

 

 

53

 

SCHEDULE 6:    FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

 

55

 

SCHEDULE 7:    EXISTING SECURITY

 

 

57

 

SCHEDULE 8:    FORM OF POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

 

58

 

SCHEDULE 9:    FORM OF CONFIDENTIALITY UNDERTAKING

 

 

59

 

SCHEDULE 10:    APPLICABLE FACILITY FEE

 

 

61

 

SCHEDULE 11:    FORM OF GUARANTEE

 

 

62

 

SCHEDULE 12:    MATERIAL SUBSIDIARIES

 

 

65

 

67




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