EX-3.1 2 filename2.htm

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF

 

CORPORACIÓN AMÉRICA AIRPORTS S.A.

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1.          Form, name and number of shareholders

 

1.1 Form and name

 

There exists a public limited liability company (société anonyme) under the name of "Corporación América Airports S.A." (the Company), governed by the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and in particular the law dated 10 August 1915 on commercial companies, as amended (the Companies Act), and by the present articles of incorporation (the Articles, and a reference to an "Article" shall be construed as a reference to an article of these Articles).

 

1.2 Number of shareholders

 

The Company may have one shareholder (the Sole Shareholder) or several shareholders. The Company shall not be dissolved upon the death, suspension of civil rights, insolvency, liquidation or bankruptcy of the Sole Shareholder.

 

Where the Company has only one shareholder, any reference to the shareholders in the Articles shall be a reference to the Sole Shareholder.

 

ARTICLE 2.          Registered office

 

2.1 Place and transfer of the registered office

 

The registered office of the Company is established in the municipality of Luxembourg. It may be transferred within such municipality or to any other place in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg by a resolution of the board of directors of the Company (the Board), which is authorised to amend the Articles by a notarial deed, to the extent necessary, to reflect the transfer and the new location of the registered office.

 

2.2 Branches, offices, administrative centres and agencies

 

The Board shall further have the right to set up branches, offices, administrative centres and agencies wherever it shall deem fit, either within or outside the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

 

ARTICLE 3.          Duration

 

3.1. The Company is formed for an unlimited duration.

 

3.2. The Company may be dissolved, at any time, by a resolution of the general meeting of the shareholders of the Company (the General Meeting) in the manner required for amendment of the Articles, as provided for in ARTICLE 11.

 

ARTICLE 4.          Purpose

 

The corporate purpose of the Company is (i) the acquisition, holding and disposal, in any form, by any means, whether directly or indirectly, of participations, rights and interests in, and obligations of, Luxembourg and foreign companies, (ii) the acquisition by purchase, subscription, or in any other manner, as well as the transfer by sale, exchange or in any other manner of stock, partnership interests, bonds, debentures, notes and other securities or financial instruments of any kind (including notes or parts or units issued by Luxembourg or foreign mutual funds or similar undertakings) and receivables, claims or loans or other credit facilities and agreements or contracts relating thereto, and (iii) the ownership, administration, development and management of a portfolio of assets+7 (including, among other things, the assets referred to in (i) and (ii) above).

 

 

 

 

The Company may borrow in any form. It may enter into any type of loan agreement and it may issue notes, bonds, debentures, certificates, shares, beneficiary parts, warrants and any kind of debt or equity securities including under one or more issuance programmes. The Company may further list all or part of its shares on a regulated or unregulated stock exchange in or outside of the European Union. The Company may lend funds including the proceeds of any borrowings and/or issues of securities to its subsidiaries, affiliated companies or any other company.

 

The Company may also give guarantees and grant security interests over some or all of its assets including, without limitation, by way of pledge, transfer or encumbrance, in favour of or for the benefit of third parties to secure its obligations or the obligations of its subsidiaries, affiliated companies or any other company.

 

The Company may enter into, execute and deliver and perform any swaps, futures, forwards, derivatives, options, repurchase, stock lending and similar transactions. The Company may generally use any techniques and instruments relating to investments for the purpose of their efficient management, including, but not limited to, techniques and instruments designed to protect it against credit, currency exchange, interest rate risks and other risks.

 

The Company may carry out any commercial, industrial, and financial operations, which are directly or indirectly connected with its purpose or which may favour its development. In addition, the Company may acquire and sell real estate properties, for its own account, either in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg or abroad and it may carryout all operations relating to real estate properties.

 

In general, the Company may take any controlling and supervisory measures and carry out any operation or transaction which it considers necessary or useful in the accomplishment and development of its purpose.

 

The descriptions above are to be construed broadly and their enumeration is not limiting. The Company's purpose shall include any transaction or agreement which is entered into by the Company, provided it is not inconsistent with the foregoing matters.

 

ARTICLE 5.          Share capital

 

5.1 Issued share capital

 

The share capital is set at one billion five hundred million US dollars (USD 1,500,000,000), represented by one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000) shares having a nominal value of one US dollar (USD 1.-) each.

 

5.2 Share capital increase and share capital reduction

 

The share capital of the Company may be increased or reduced by a resolution adopted by the General Meeting in the manner required for amendment of the Articles, as provided for in ARTICLE 11.

 

 

 

 

5.3 Pre-emptive rights

 

In the case of an issuance of (i) shares or (ii) those instruments covered in article 32-4 of the Companies Act, including, without limitation, convertible bonds that entitle their holders to subscribe for or to be allocated with shares in consideration for a payment in cash, in kind or by a conversion of reserves, the shareholders shall have pro rata pre-emptive rights with respect to any such issuance. The preferential subscription period is decided by the Board but must be of at least fourteen (14) days as from the date of the publication of the offering in the RESA (Recueil électronique des sociétés et associations) and a journal published in Luxembourg (the Preferential Subscription Period).

 

Third parties may take part in the capital increase at the end of the Preferential Subscription Period, except if the Board decides that preferential subscription rights (the PSR) shall be exercised in proportion to the capital represented by their shares, by the holders of such PSR (the PSR Holders) who already exercised their PSR during the Preferential Subscription Period. In that case, the subscription terms of the PSR Holders shall be determined by the Board.

 

The General Meeting may limit or withdraw the PSR or authorise the Board to do so (as the case may be) under the conditions prescribed for under article 32-3(5) of the Companies Act.

 

5.4 Authorisation for the Board to increase the share capital

 

(a)          Size of the authorisation

 

The authorised capital of the Company is set at two billion US dollars (USD 2,000,000,000) (the Authorised Capital Amount) represented by a maximum of two billion (2,000,000,000) shares having a nominal value of one US dollar (USD 1.-) each.

 

(b)          Terms of the authorisation

 

The Board is authorised, during a period starting on 13 September 2017, regardless of the date of publication of such deed, and expiring on the fifth anniversary of such date (the Period), to increase the current share capital up to the Authorised Capital Amount, in whole or in part from time to time: (i) by way of issuance of shares in consideration for a payment in cash, (ii) by way of issuance of shares in consideration for a payment in kind, and/or (iii) by way of capitalisation of distributable profits and reserves, including share premium and capital surplus, with or without an issuance of new shares.

 

The Board is authorised to determine the terms and conditions attaching to any subscription and issuance of shares pursuant to the authority granted under this Article 5.4, including by setting the time and place of the issuance or the successive issuances of shares, the issue price, with or without share premium, and the terms and conditions of payment for the shares under any documents and agreements including, without limitation, convertible loans, option agreements or stock option plans.

 

During the Period, the Board is authorised to issue convertible bonds, or any other convertible debt instruments, bonds carrying subscription rights or any other instruments entitling their holders to subscribe for or be allocated with shares, such as, without limitation, warrants (the Instruments), within the limits of the Authorised Capital Amount. The issuance of the shares to be issued following the exercise of the rights attached to the Instruments may be carried out by a payment in cash, a payment in kind or a capitalisation of distributable profits and reserves, including share premium and capital surplus during or after the Period.

 

 

 

 

The Board is authorised to (i) determine the terms and conditions of the Instruments, including the price, the interest rate, the exercise rate, conversion rate or the exchange rate, and the repayment conditions, and (ii) issue such Instruments.

 

(c)          Authorisation to cancel or limit the pre-emptive rights

 

The Board is authorised to cancel or limit the pre-emptive rights of the shareholders set out in the Companies Act, as reflected in Article 5.3, in connection with an issue of new shares and Instruments made pursuant to the authority granted under this Article 5.4.

 

(d)          Recording of capital increases in the Articles

 

ARTICLE 5 of the Articles shall be amended so as to reflect each increase in share capital pursuant to the use of the authorisation granted to the Board under this ARTICLE 5 and the Board shall take or authorise any person to take any necessary steps for the purpose of the recording of such increase and the consequential amendments to the Articles before a notary.

 

ARTICLE 6.          Shares

 

6.1 Form of the shares

 

The shares of the Company are in registered form (actions nominatives) only.

 

6.2 Share register and share certificates

 

A share register will be kept at the registered office, where it will be available for inspection by any shareholder. Such register shall set forth the name of each shareholder, its residence or elected domicile, the number of shares held by it, the nominal value or accounting par value paid in on each such share, the issuance of shares, the transfer of shares and the dates of such issuance and transfers. The ownership of the registered shares will be established by the entry in this register, or in the event separate registrars have been appointed pursuant to the below, in such separate register(s).

 

The Company may appoint registrars in different jurisdictions who will each maintain a separate register for the registered common shares entered therein and the holders of common shares may elect to be entered in one of the registers and to be transferred from time to time from one register to another. The Board may however impose transfer restrictions for common shares that are registered, listed, quoted, dealt in or have been places in certain jurisdictions in compliance with the requirements applicable therein.

 

6.3 Deposit

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Article 6, where common shares are recorded in the register of shareholders in the name of or on behalf of a securities settlement system or the operator of such system and recorded as book-entry interests in the accounts of a professional depositary or any sub-depositary (any depositary and any sub-depositary being referred to hereinafter as a Depositary), the Company - subject to having received from the Depositary a certificate in proper form - will permit the Depository of such book-entry interests to exercise the rights attaching to the common shares corresponding to the book-entry interests of the relevant shareholder, including receiving notices of general meetings, admission to and voting at general meetings, and shall consider the Depository to be the holder of the shares corresponding to the book-entry interests for all purposes in these Articles. The Board may determine the formal requirements with which such certificates must comply.

 

 

 

 

Notwithstanding the other provisions of this ARTICLE 6, the Company will make any and all payments (including any dividend payments and any other distributions) in respect of shares recorded in the name of a Depositary, or deposited with any of them, as the case may be, whether in cash, shares or other assets, only to such Depositary, or otherwise in accordance with such Depositary's instructions, and that payment shall release the Company from any and all obligations for such payments.

 

6.4 Ownership and co-ownership of shares

 

The Company will recognise only one holder per share. In the event that a share is held by more than one person, the Company has the right to suspend the exercise of all rights attached to that share until one person has been appointed as sole holder in relation to the Company. The person appointed as the sole holder of the shares towards the Company in all matters by all the joint holders of those shares shall be named first in the register.

 

Only the joint holder of a share first named in the register, as appointed by all the joint holders of such share, shall be entitled, in its capacity as sole holder towards the Company of that share jointly held, to exercise the rights attached to such share, including without limitation: (i) to be served notices by the Company, including convening notices relating to general meetings, (ii) to attend general meetings and to exercise the voting rights attached to the share jointly held at any such meetings, and (iii) to receive dividend payments in respect of the share jointly held.

 

6.5 Share redemptions

 

Without prejudice to Article 6.3 above, the Company may redeem its own shares within the limits set forth by law.

 

Any shares redeemed in accordance with this Article 6.5 may be cancelled or held for an unlimited duration as treasury shares by the Company without any voting rights and, unless otherwise decided, as the case may be, by the Board or the General Meeting without any right to any distributions whatsoever, in which case the distributions otherwise payable under such treasury shares will be allocated, and become payable, on a pro rata basis to the benefit of the remaining outstanding shares).

 

Such treasury shares may be distributed at any time to existing shareholders or third parties, subject to compliance with ARTICLE 7, by a decision of the Board.

 

ARTICLE 7.          Transfer of registered shares

 

A transfer of registered shares may be effected by a written declaration of transfer entered in the share register of the Company, such declaration of transfer to be executed by the transferor and the transferee or by persons holding suitable powers of attorney, and in accordance with the provisions applying to the transfer of claims provided for in article 1690 of the Luxembourg civil code.

 

 

 

 

The Company may also accept as evidence of transfer other instruments of transfer evidencing the consent of the transferor and the transferee satisfactory to the Company.

 

ARTICLE 8.          Debt Securities

 

Debt securities issued by the Company shall be in registered form only.

 

ARTICLE 9.          Powers of the General Meeting

 

As long as the Company has only one shareholder, the Sole Shareholder has the same powers as those conferred on the General Meeting. In such a case, any reference in these Articles to decisions made or powers exercised by the General Meeting shall be a reference to decisions made or powers exercised by the Sole Shareholder. Decisions made by the Sole Shareholder are documented in the form of minutes or written resolutions, as the case may be.

 

In the case of a plurality of shareholders, any regularly constituted General Meeting shall represent the entire body of shareholders of the Company.

 

ARTICLE 10.         Annual general meeting of the shareholders – Other meetings

 

The annual general meeting shall be held, in accordance with Luxembourg law, in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg at the address of the registered office of the Company or at such other place in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

 

Other general meetings may be held at such a place as specified in the respective convening notices of the meeting.

 

ARTICLE 11.         Notice, quorum, convening notices, powers of attorney and vote

 

11.1 Right and obligation to convene a general meeting

 

The Board may convene a general meeting. They shall be obliged to convene it so that it is held within a period of one month, if shareholders representing one-tenth of the capital require this in writing, with an indication of the agenda. One or more shareholders representing at least one-tenth of the subscribed capital may request that the entry of one or more items be added to the agenda of any general meeting. This request must be addressed to the Company at least five (5) days before the relevant general meeting.

 

11.2 Procedure to convene a general meeting

 

Convening notices for every general meeting shall contain the agenda of the relevant general meeting.

 

To the extent that all the shares are in registered form, the convening notices shall be sent to the shareholders by registered letter, unless the addressees have individually agreed to receive the convening notices by another means of communication ensuring access to the information at least within eight (8) days before the meeting.

 

If all the shareholders of the Company are present or represented at a general meeting, and consider themselves as being duly convened and informed of the agenda of the general meeting set by the Board, the general meeting may be held without prior notice. In addition, if all the shareholders of the Company are present or represented at a general meeting and unanimously agree to set the agenda of the general meeting, the general meeting may be held without having been convened by the Board.

 

 

 

 

The documents mentioned under article 73 of the Companies Act shall be made available at the registered office of the Company for inspection by the shareholders at least eight (8) days prior to the general meeting.

 

11.3 Voting rights attached to the shares

 

Each share entitles its holder to one vote.

 

The Board may, in its sole discretion, suspend the voting rights of any shareholder in the case that such shareholder has, by action or omission, failed to fulfil its obligations under the Articles or under its subscription agreement.

 

Any shareholder may, partly or entirely, waive the exercise of its voting rights with respect to some or all of its shares. Such waiver will be binding on the relevant shareholder and will be enforceable towards the Company following its notification by the relevant shareholder in writing.

 

11.4 Quorum, majority requirements and reconvening of general meeting for lack of quorum

 

Except as otherwise required by law or by these Articles, resolutions at a general meeting will be passed by the majority of the votes expressed by the shareholders present or represented, no quorum of presence being required.

 

However, resolutions to amend the Articles or to change the nationality of the Company may only be passed in a general meeting where at least one half of the share capital is represented (the Presence Quorum) and the agenda indicates the proposed amendments to the Articles and, as the case may be, the text of those which pertain to the purpose or the form of the Company. If the Presence Quorum is not reached, a second general meeting may be convened by an announcement filed with the Trade and Companies Register and published in the RESA (Recueil électronique des sociétés et associations) and in a Luxembourg newspaper at least fifteen (15) days before the relevant meeting. Such convening notice shall reproduce the agenda and indicate the date and the results of the previous general meeting. The second general meeting shall deliberate validly regardless of the proportion of the capital represented. At both meetings, resolutions, in order to be passed, must be carried by at least two-thirds of the votes expressed at the relevant general meeting.

 

In calculating the majority with respect to any resolution at a general meeting, the votes expressed shall not include the votes relating to shares in which the shareholder abstains from voting, casts a blank (blanc) or spoilt (nul) vote or does not participate.

 

The commitments of the shareholders may only be increased with the unanimous vote of all the shareholders.

 

A mere dilution shall not be considered a triggering event for the special majority rules provided for in article 68 of the Companies Act.

 

11.5 Participation by proxy

 

A shareholder may act at any general meeting by appointing another person, who need not be a shareholder, as its proxy in writing. Copies of written proxies that are transmitted by telefax or e-mail may be accepted as evidence of such written proxies at a general meeting.

 

 

 

 

11.6 Vote by correspondence

 

The shareholders may vote in writing (by way of a voting bulletin) provided that the written voting bulletins include (i) the name, first name, address and signature of the relevant shareholder, (ii) an indication of the shares for which the shareholder will exercise such right, (iii) the agenda as set forth in the convening notice with the proposals for resolutions relating to each agenda item and (iv) the vote (approval, refusal, abstention) on the proposals for resolutions relating to each agenda item. In order to be taken into account, a copy of voting bulletins must be received by the Company at least [five] ([5]) days before the relevant general meeting.

 

11.7 Participation in a general meeting by conference call, video conference or similar means of communications

 

Any shareholder may participate in a general meeting by conference call, video conference or similar means of communication whereby: (i) the shareholders attending the meeting can be identified, (ii) all persons participating in the meeting can hear and speak to each other, (iii) the transmission of the meeting is performed on an on-going basis, and (iv) the shareholders can properly deliberate. Participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

11.8 Bureau

 

The shareholders shall elect a chairman of the general meeting. The chairman shall appoint a secretary and the shareholders shall appoint a scrutineer. The chairman, the secretary and the scrutineer together form the bureau of the general meeting.

 

11.9 Minutes and certified copies

 

The minutes of the general meeting will be signed by the members of the bureau of the general meeting and by any shareholder who wishes to do so.

 

However, where decisions of the general meeting have to be certified, copies or extracts for use in court or elsewhere must be signed by the chairman of the Board or by any two (2) other directors.

 

ARTICLE 12.         Management

 

12.1 Minimum number of directors and term of directorship

 

The Board of the Company shall be composed of up to nine (9) directors, appointed by the General Meeting. The members of the Board shall be elected for a term not exceeding six (6) years and shall be eligible for re-appointment.

 

12.2 Permanent representative

 

Where a legal person is appointed as a director (the Legal Entity), the Legal Entity must designate a natural person as permanent representative (représentant permanent) who will represent the Legal Entity as a member of the Board in accordance with article 51 bis of the Companies Act.

 

12.3 Appointment, removal and co-optation

 

The director(s) shall be elected by the General Meeting. The General Meeting shall also determine the number of directors, their remuneration and their term of office.

 

A director may be removed with or without cause and/or replaced, at any time, by a resolution adopted by the General Meeting.

 

In the event of vacancy in the office of one or more directors because of death, resignation or otherwise, the remaining directors may elect at a meeting of the Board the director(s), by a majority vote, to fill such vacancy or vacancies, as the case may be, until the following general meeting.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 13.         Meetings of the Board

 

13.1 Chairman

 

The Board may appoint a chairman (the Chairman) from among its members and may choose a secretary, who need not be a director, and who shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of the meetings of the Board. The Chairman will chair all meetings of the Board. In his/her absence, the other members of the Board will appoint another chairman pro tempore who will chair the relevant meeting by simple majority vote of the directors present or represented at such meeting.

 

13.2 Procedure to convene a board meeting

 

The Board shall meet upon call by the Chairman or any two directors at the place indicated in the meeting notice.

 

Written meeting notice of the Board shall be given to all the directors at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the day and the hour set for such meeting, except in circumstances of emergency, in which case the nature of such circumstances shall be set forth briefly in the convening notice of the meeting of the Board.

 

No such written meeting notice is required if all the members of the Board are present or represented during the meeting and if they state they have been duly informed and have had full knowledge of the agenda of the meeting. In addition, if all the members of the Board are present or represented during the meeting and they agree unanimously to set the agenda of the meeting, the meeting may be held without having been convened in the manner set out above.

 

A member of the Board may waive the written meeting notice by giving his/her consent in writing. Copies of consents in writing that are transmitted by telefax or e-mail may be accepted as evidence of such consents in writing at a meeting of the Board. Separate written notice shall not be required for meetings that are held at times and at places determined in a schedule previously adopted by a resolution of the Board.

 

13.3 Participation by proxy

 

Any member of the Board may act at any meeting of the Board by appointing in writing another director as his or her proxy. Copies of written proxies that are transmitted by telefax or by e-mail may be accepted as evidence of such written proxies at a meeting of the Board.

 

13.4 Participation by conference call, video conference or similar means of communication

 

Any director may participate in a meeting of the Board by conference call, video conference or by similar means of communication whereby (i) the directors attending the meeting can be identified, (ii) all persons participating in the meeting can hear and speak to each other, (iii) the transmission of the meeting is performed on an on-going basis and (iv) the directors can property deliberate. Participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting. A meeting of the Board held by such means of communication will be deemed to be held in Luxembourg.

 

 

 

 

13.5 Proceedings

 

(a)          Quorum and majority requirements

 

The Board may validly deliberate and make decisions only if at least one half of its members are present or represented. Decisions are made by the majority of the votes expressed by the members present or represented. If a member of the Board abstains from voting or does not participate to a vote, this abstention or non-participation are not taken into account in calculating the majority.

 

(b)          Participation by proxy

 

A director may represent more than one director by proxy, under the condition however that at least two directors are present at the meeting.

 

(c)          Casting vote of Chairman

 

In the case of a tied vote, the Chairman or the chairman pro tempore, as the case may be, shall have a casting vote.

 

13.6 Conflicts of interest

 

(a)          Procedure regarding a conflict of interest

 

In the event that a director of the Company has, directly or indirectly, a financial interest opposite to the interest of the Company in any transaction of the Company that is submitted to the approval of the Board, such director shall make known to the Board such opposite interest at that board meeting and shall cause a record of his statement to be included in the minutes of the meeting. The director may not take part in the deliberations relating to that transaction, will not count in the quorum, and may not vote on the resolutions relating to that transaction. The transaction and the director's interest therein, shall be reported to the next following general meeting.

 

(b)          Exceptions regarding a conflict of interest

 

Article 13.6(a) does not apply to resolutions of the board of directors concerning transactions made in the ordinary course of business of the Company which are entered into on arm's length terms.

 

A Director of the Company who serves as director, manager, officer or employee of any company or firm with which the Company shall contract or otherwise engage in business shall not, solely by reason of such affiliation with such other company or firm, be held as having an interest conflicting with the interest of the Company for the purpose of this Article 13.6.

 

(a) Impact on quorum

 

Where, by reason of a conflicting interest, the number of directors required in order to validly deliberate and vote is not met, the Board may decide to submit the decision on this specific item to the General Meeting.

 

13.7 Written resolutions

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a resolution of the Board may also be passed in writing. Such resolution shall consist of one or more documents containing the resolutions, signed by each director, manually or electronically by means of an electronic signature which is valid under Luxembourg law. The date of such resolution shall be the date of the last signature.

 

ARTICLE 14.         Minutes of meetings of the Board

 

14.1 Signature of board minutes

 

The minutes of any meeting of the Board shall be signed by the Chairman or the chairman pro tempore, as the case may be or by all the directors present at such meeting.

 

 

 

 

14.2 Signature of copies or extracts of board minutes

 

Copies or extracts of minutes or resolutions in writing from the Board, which may be produced in judicial proceedings or otherwise shall be signed by the Chairman, or any two members of the Board.

 

ARTICLE 15.         Powers of the Board

 

The Board is vested with the broadest powers to perform or cause to be performed any actions necessary or useful in connection with the purpose of the Company. All powers not expressly reserved by the Companies Act or by the Articles to the General Meeting fall within the authority of the Board.

 

ARTICLE 16.         Delegation of powers

 

16.1 Daily management

 

The Board may appoint one or more persons (délégué à la gestion journalière), who may be a shareholder or not, or who may be a member of the Board or not, who shall have full authority to act on behalf of the Company in all matters pertaining to the daily management and affairs of the Company.

 

16.2 General director (directeur général)/management committees (comités de direction)

 

The management of the Company may be delegated to a general director (directeur général) or to a management committee (comité de direction), consisting of, inter alia, a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Operating Officer and a Chief Financial Officer.

 

When a general director (directeur général) or a management committee (comité de direction) is appointed, the Board is in charge of the supervision and control of the general director (directeur général) or management committee (comité de direction).

 

16.3 Permanent representative of the Company

 

The Board may appoint a person, who may be a shareholder or not, and who may be a director or not, as permanent representative for any entity in which the Company is appointed as a member of the board of directors. This permanent representative will act with all discretion, in the name and on behalf of the Company, and may bind the Company in its capacity as a member of the board of directors of any such entity.

 

16.4 Delegation to perform specific functions

 

The Board is also authorised to appoint a person, either a director or not, for the purposes of performing specific functions at every level within the Company.

 

16.5 Delegation to special committees

 

The Board may decide to put in place special committees in accordance with article 54 of the Companies Act including, without limitation, an audit committee, a remuneration committee and/or a nomination committee. The composition of the special committees and the powers conferred to them are determined by the Board. The special committees perform their duties under the Board's responsibility.

 

ARTICLE 17.         Binding signatures

 

17.1 Signatory powers of directors

 

The Company shall be bound towards third parties in all matters by the joint signatures of any two members of the Board.

  

 

 

 

17.2 Signatory powers in respect of the daily management

 

In respect of the daily management, the Company will be bound by the sole signature or the joint signatures of the persons appointed to that effect in accordance with Article 16.1.

 

17.3 Signatory powers of the general director (directeur général) or members of the management committee (comité de direction)

 

The Company shall be bound towards third parties by (i) the signature of the general director (directeur général) or (ii) in the case of a management committee (comité de direction), the joint signature of any two members of the management committee (comité de direction).

 

17.4 Grant of specific powers of attorney

 

The Company shall further be bound by the joint signatures of any persons or by the sole signature of the person to whom specific signatory power is granted by the Company, but only within the limits of such power.

 

ARTICLE 18.         Approved statutory auditor(s) (réviseur d'entreprises agréé or cabinet de révision agréé)

 

The General Meeting shall appoint one or more approved statutory auditors (réviseurs d'entreprises agréés or cabinets de révision agréés) to perform the statutory audit of the annual accounts in accordance with applicable Luxembourg law. The approved statutory auditor(s) shall be appointed by the General Meeting in accordance with the terms of a service agreement to be entered into from time to time by the Company and the approved statutory auditor(s). The approved statutory auditor(s) may only be removed by the General Meeting for serious causes (justes motifs).

 

ARTICLE 19.         Accounting year

 

The accounting year of the Company shall begin on 1 January and shall end on 31 December of each year.

 

ARTICLE 20.         Annual accounts

 

20.1 Responsibility of the Board

 

The Board shall draw up the annual accounts of the Company that shall be submitted to the approval of the General Meeting at the annual general meeting.

 

20.2 Submission of the annual accounts to the approved statutory auditor

 

At the latest one (1) month prior to the annual general meeting, the Board will submit the annual accounts together with the report of the Board (if any) and such other documents as may be required by law to the approved statutory auditor(s), who will thereupon draw up its (their) report(s).

 

20.3 Availability of documents at the registered office

 

At the latest fifteen (15) days prior to the annual general meeting, the annual accounts, the report(s) of the Board (if any) and of the approved statutory auditor(s) and such other documents as may be required by law shall be deposited at the registered office of the Company, where they will be available for inspection by the shareholders during regular business hours.

 

ARTICLE 21.         Allocation of results

 

21.1 Allocation to the legal reserve

 

From the annual net profits of the Company (if any), five per cent (5%) shall be allocated to the reserve required by law. This allocation shall cease to be required as soon as such legal reserve amounts to ten per cent (10%) of the share capital of the Company, but shall again be compulsory if the legal reserve falls below ten per cent (10%) of the share capital of the Company.

 

 

 

 

21.2 Allocation of results by the General Meeting at the annual general meeting

 

At the annual general meeting, the General Meeting shall decide on the allocation of the annual results and the declaration and payments of dividends, as the case may be, in accordance with Article 21.1 and the rules regarding distributions set out in this ARTICLE 21.

 

21.3 Rules regarding distributions

 

Unless otherwise provided herein or decided by the General Meeting, distributions to the shareholders, whether by dividend, share redemption or otherwise, out of profits and distributable reserves available for that purpose, including share premium and "capital surplus", if and when decided by the General Meeting, shall be made on all the shares on a pro rata basis considering the total number of outstanding shares.

 

21.4 Interim dividends

 

(a)          Distribution of interim dividends by the Board

 

In accordance with article 72-2 of the Companies Act, interim dividends may be distributed, at any time, by the Board if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

 

(i) an interim accounting statement (état comptable) is drawn up by the Board (the Interim Accounting Statement), which shall be reviewed by an approved statutory auditor (réviseur d'entreprises agréé or cabinet de révision agréé), as the case may be;

 

(ii) the Interim Accounting Statement shows that sufficient profits and other reserves (including without limitation share premium and capital surplus) are available for distribution, it being understood that the amount to be distributed may not exceed net profits made since the end of the last financial year for which the annual accounts have been approved, if any, increased profits by carried forward and distributable reserves, and decreased by carried forward losses and the amount to be allocated to the legal reserves;

 

(iii) the decision to distribute interim dividends must be taken by the Board within two (2) months from the date of the Interim Accounting Statement; and

 

(iv) the rights of the creditors of the Company are not threatened, taking into account the assets of the Company.

 

Where the interim dividends paid exceed the distributable net profits at the end of the financial year, the relevant excess as acknowledged at the annual general meeting, shall, unless otherwise decided by the Board at the time of the dividend declaration, be deemed to be an advance payment for future dividends.

 

(b)          Distribution of interim dividends by the General Meeting

 

Without prejudice to the authority of the Board set out under Article 21.4(a) above, the General Meeting may also distribute interim dividends from time to time, subject to complying with the same conditions (including review of an Interim Accounting Statement).

 

 

 

 

21.5 Payment of dividends

 

Dividends may be paid in US dollars or any other currency chosen by the Board or the General Meeting and they may be paid at such places and times as may be determined by the Board within the limits of any decision made by the General Meeting (if any).

 

Dividends may be paid in kind in assets of any nature, and the valuation of those assets shall be set by the Board according to valuation methods determined at its discretion.

 

ARTICLE 22.         Dissolution and liquidation

 

22.1 Principles regarding the dissolution and the liquidation

 

The Company may be dissolved, at any time, by a resolution of the General Meeting adopted in the manner required for amendment of these Articles, as set out in ARTICLE 11. In the event of dissolution of the Company, the liquidation shall be carried out by one or more liquidators (who may be physical persons or legal entities) appointed by the General Meeting deciding such liquidation. The General Meeting shall also determine the powers and the remuneration of the liquidator(s).

 

22.2 Distribution of liquidation surplus

 

Under the liquidation of the Company, the surplus assets of the Company available for distribution among shareholders shall be distributed in accordance with the rules on distributions set out in ARTICLE 22, by way of advance payments or after payment (or provisions, as the case may be) of the Company's liabilities.

 

ARTICLE 23.         Applicable law

 

All matters not expressly governed by these Articles shall be determined in accordance with Luxembourg law.