Document:

EXHIBIT 10.1

 

Exhibit 10.1

	 	 	 
	

	 	
One Astoria Federal Plaza

Lake Success, NY 11042-1085

May 18, 2005

Mr. Donald D. Wenk

161 Dune Road

Westhampton Beach, NY 11978

		
	Re: 	Director Retirement Benefits

Dear Mr. Wenk:

The purpose of this letter is to set forth the agreement that has been reached concerning the
retirement benefits to which you are entitled under the Astoria Federal Savings and Loan
Association and Astoria Financial Corporation Directors’ Retirement Plan, as amended (the “Astoria
Plan”) and the Long Island Bancorp, Inc. Non-Employee Directors Retirement Benefit Plan (the “LIB
Plan”).

Astoria Financial Corporation (“Astoria Financial”) will pay you a monthly benefit equal to Six
Thousand Eighty Three and 34/100 Dollars ($6,083.34), commencing on or about June 1, 2005 and
continuing monthly thereafter until a total of 120 monthly payments have been made. In the event of
your death before all 120 payments have been made, Astoria Financial will make any remaining
monthly payments to your designated beneficiary (or, if there is no beneficiary, to your estate).
If your designated beneficiary survives you but dies before all remaining payments due hereunder
have been made, Astoria Financial will make any remaining monthly payments to your designated
beneficiary’s beneficiary (or, if there is no beneficiary, to his or her estate) and then to his or
her designated beneficiary (or, if there is no beneficiary, to his or her estate), and so forth,
until all 120 payments have been made.

You may designate a beneficiary to receive amounts that remain payable under this letter as of the
date of your death by written notice signed by you and actually received by Astoria Financial prior
to your death. You may change or revoke any designation so made by means of a similar signed
instrument. Any determination made by Astoria Financial as to the validity of any beneficiary
designation you make under this letter and as to whether any beneficiary so named has survived you
shall be conclusive and binding on all parties in the absence of manifest error.

The payments made hereunder are in respect of your service as a non-employee director and will not
be subject to income tax withholding. You (or, in the event of your death, your beneficiary) will
be responsible for taking such payments into account when computing your liability for estimated
taxes.

 

 

Mr. Donald D. Wenk

Page 2

The payments made hereunder represent full settlement of your rights to benefits under the Astoria
Plan, the LIB Plan and any other plan, program or arrangement under which retirement-type benefits
may be paid in recognition of compensation paid and services rendered as a director of
Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association (“Astoria Federal”), Astoria Financial Corporation (Astoria Financial”), the subsidiaries and affiliates of either
of them, or any of their respective predecessor entities (collectively, “Director Retirement
Benefits”).

In consideration for the payments promised herein, you hereby permanently and irrevocably waive any
and all rights that you may have to claim an entitlement to Director Retirement Benefits of a
higher amount, or payable beginning at a different time or over a longer period, than as set forth
in this letter. In turn, Astoria Federal and Astoria Financial hereby permanently and irrevocably
waive any and all rights that either of them may have to claim that your entitlement to Director
Retirement Benefits is for a lower amount, or payable beginning at a different time or over a
shorter period, than as set forth in this letter.

If this letter accurately reflects our understanding, kindly so signify by countersigning the
enclosed copy and returning it to the attention of Alan P. Eggleston, Esq., Executive Vice
President and General Counsel, Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association, One Astoria Federal
Plaza, Lake Success, New York. If you have questions concerning this letter, kindly refer them to
Mr. Eggleston at 516-327-7876.

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	Astoria Financial Corporation

 	 
	 	By:  	/s/  Alan P. Eggleston
 	 
	 	 	Name:  	Alan P. Eggleston 	 
	 	 	Title:  	Executive Vice President, Secretary
 and General Counsel 	 
	 
	 	Astoria Federal Savings

and Loan Association

 	 
	 	By:  	/s/  Alan P. Eggleston
 	 
	 	 	Name:  	Alan P. Eggleston 	 
	 	 	Title:  	Executive Vice President, Secretary
 and General Counsel 	 
	 
	 	 	 
	 	    /s/  Donald D. Wenk
 	 
	 	     Donald D. Wenk 	 
	 	 	 
	 

2EX-4.1

 

Exhibit 4.1

FORM OF CLASS A DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL plc

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

As Depositary

and

OWNERS AND BENEFICIAL
OWNERS OF

AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS

Deposit Agreement

Dated as of ___, 2005

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Page	 
	ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS
	 	 	1	 
	SECTION 1.01. American Depositary Shares.
	 	 	1	 
	SECTION 1.02. Beneficial Owner.
	 	 	1	 
	SECTION 1.03. Commission.
	 	 	2	 
	SECTION 1.04. Company.
	 	 	2	 
	SECTION 1.05. Custodian.
	 	 	2	 
	SECTION 1.06. Deliver; Surrender.
	 	 	2	 
	SECTION 1.07. Deposit Agreement.
	 	 	2	 
	SECTION 1.08. Depositary; Principal Office.
	 	 	2	 
	SECTION 1.09. Deposited Securities.
	 	 	3	 
	SECTION 1.10. Dollars; GBP.
	 	 	3	 
	SECTION 1.11. Foreign Registrar.
	 	 	3	 
	SECTION 1.12. Owner.
	 	 	3	 
	SECTION 1.13. Receipts.
	 	 	3	 
	SECTION 1.14. Registrar.
	 	 	4	 
	SECTION 1.15. Restricted Securities.
	 	 	4	 
	SECTION 1.16. Securities Act of 1933.
	 	 	4	 
	SECTION 1.17. Shares.
	 	 	4	 
	ARTICLE 2. FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF SHARES, EXECUTION AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND
SURRENDER OF RECEIPTS
	 	 	5	 
	SECTION 2.01. Form and Transferability of Receipts.
	 	 	5	 
	SECTION 2.02. Deposit of Shares.
	 	 	6	 
	SECTION 2.03. Execution and Delivery of Receipts.
	 	 	6	 
	SECTION 2.04. Registration of Transfer of Receipts; Combination and Split-up of Receipts.
	 	 	7	 
	SECTION 2.05. Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Shares.
	 	 	8	 
	SECTION 2.06. Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer and Surrender of Receipts.
	 	 	9	 
	SECTION 2.07. Lost Receipts, etc.
	 	 	9	 
	SECTION 2.08. Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts.
	 	 	10	 
	SECTION 2.09. Pre-Release of Receipts.
	 	 	10	 
	SECTION 2.10. Maintenance of Records.
	 	 	10	 
	ARTICLE 3. CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERS AND BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF RECEIPTS
	 	 	11	 
	SECTION 3.01. Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information.
	 	 	11	 
	SECTION 3.02. Liability of Owner or Beneficial Owner for Taxes.
	 	 	11	 
	SECTION 3.03. Warranties on Deposit of Shares.
	 	 	11	 
	SECTION 3.04. Disclosure of Interests.
	 	 	12	 
	ARTICLE 4. THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES
	 	 	12	 
	SECTION 4.01. Cash Distributions.
	 	 	12	 
	SECTION 4.02. Distributions Other Than Cash, Shares or Rights.
	 	 	13	 
	SECTION 4.03. Distributions in Shares.
	 	 	13	 
	SECTION 4.04. Rights.
	 	 	14	 
	SECTION 4.05. Conversion of Foreign Currency.
	 	 	15	 
	SECTION 4.06. Fixing of Record Date.
	 	 	16	 
	SECTION 4.07. Voting of Deposited Securities.
	 	 	17	 

 

 

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Page	 
	SECTION 4.08. Changes Affecting Deposited Securities.
	 	 	18	 
	SECTION 4.09. Reports.
	 	 	18	 
	SECTION 4.10. Lists of Owners.
	 	 	18	 
	SECTION 4.11. Withholding.
	 	 	19	 
	ARTICLE 5. THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIANS AND THE COMPANY
	 	 	19	 
	SECTION 5.01. Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the Depositary.
	 	 	19	 
	SECTION 5.02. Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary or the Company.
	 	 	19	 
	SECTION 5.03. Obligations of the Depositary, the Custodian and the Company.
	 	 	20	 
	SECTION 5.04. Resignation and Removal of the Depositary.
	 	 	21	 
	SECTION 5.05. The Custodians.
	 	 	22	 
	SECTION 5.06. Notices and Reports.
	 	 	22	 
	SECTION 5.07. Distribution of Additional Shares, Rights, etc.
	 	 	23	 
	SECTION 5.08. Indemnification.
	 	 	23	 
	SECTION 5.09. Charges of Depositary.
	 	 	24	 
	SECTION 5.10. Retention of Depositary Documents.
	 	 	25	 
	SECTION 5.11. Exclusivity.
	 	 	25	 
	SECTION 5.12. List of Restricted Securities Owners.
	 	 	25	 
	ARTICLE 6. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
	 	 	25	 
	SECTION 6.01. Amendment.
	 	 	25	 
	SECTION 6.02. Termination.
	 	 	26	 
	ARTICLE 7. MISCELLANEOUS
	 	 	27	 
	SECTION 7.01. Counterparts.
	 	 	27	 
	SECTION 7.02. No Third Party Beneficiaries.
	 	 	27	 
	SECTION 7.03. Severability.
	 	 	27	 
	SECTION 7.04. Owners and Beneficial Owners as Parties; Binding Effect.
	 	 	27	 
	SECTION 7.05. Notices.
	 	 	27	 
	SECTION 7.06. Compliance with U.S. Securities Laws.
	 	 	28	 
	SECTION 7.07. Governing Law.
	 	 	28	 
	[A1]
	 	 	 	 

EXHIBIT A

Form of Receipt

- ii -

 

DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

     DEPOSIT AGREEMENT dated as of ___, 2005, among ROYAL DUTCH SHELL plc, incorporated
under the laws of England and Wales (herein called the Company), JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., a
national banking association organized under the laws of the United States (herein called the
Depositary), and all Owners and Beneficial Owners from time to time of American Depositary Receipts
issued hereunder.

W I T N E S S E T H :

     WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide, as hereinafter set forth in this Deposit Agreement,
for the deposit of Shares (as hereinafter defined) of the Company from time to time with the
Depositary or with the Custodian (as hereinafter defined) as agent of the Depositary for the
purposes set forth in this Deposit Agreement, for the creation of American Depositary Shares
representing the Shares so deposited and for the execution and delivery of American Depositary
Receipts evidencing the American Depositary Shares; and

     WHEREAS, the American Depositary Receipts are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A
annexed hereto, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided
in this Deposit Agreement;

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, it is agreed by and among the parties hereto
as follows:

ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS

     The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated, apply to
the respective terms used in this Deposit Agreement:

SECTION 1.01.     American Depositary Shares. 

     The term “American Depositary Shares” shall mean the securities representing the interests in
the Deposited Securities and evidenced by the Receipts issued hereunder. Each American Depositary
Share shall represent the number of Shares specified in Exhibit A annexed hereto, until there shall
occur a distribution upon Deposited Securities covered by Section 4.03 or a change in Deposited
Securities covered by Section 4.08 with respect to which additional Receipts are not executed and
delivered, and thereafter American Depositary Shares shall represent the amount of Shares or
Deposited Securities specified in such Sections.

SECTION 1.02.     Beneficial Owner.

     The term “Beneficial Owner” shall mean each person owning from time to time any beneficial
interest in the American Depositary Shares evidenced by any Receipt.

 

 

SECTION 1.03.     Commission. 

     The term “Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States
or any successor governmental agency in the United States.

SECTION 1.04.     Company. 

     The term “Company” shall mean Royal Dutch Shell plc, incorporated under the laws of England
and Wales, and its successors.

SECTION 1.05.     Custodian. 

     The
term “Custodian” shall mean the principal Amsterdam office
of ING Groep NV, as agent of the Depositary for the
purposes of this Deposit Agreement, and any other firm or corporation which may hereafter be
appointed by the Depositary pursuant to the terms of Section 5.05, as substitute or additional
custodian or custodians hereunder, as the context shall require and shall also mean all of them
collectively.

SECTION 1.06.     Deliver; Surrender. 

     (a) The term “deliver”, or its noun form, when used with respect to Shares shall mean (i) one
or more book-entry transfers to an account or accounts maintained with a depository institution
authorized under the laws of England and Wales to effect book-entry transfers of such securities or
(ii) the physical transfer of certificates representing Shares.

     (b) The term “deliver”, or its noun form, when used with respect to Receipts, shall mean (i)
one or more book-entry transfers of American Depositary Shares on the Direct Registration System or
to an account or accounts at The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) designated by the person entitled
to such delivery or (ii) if requested by the person entitled to such delivery, to delivery at the
Principal Office of the Depositary of one or more Receipts.

     (c) The term “surrender”, when used with respect to Receipts, shall mean (i) one or more
book-entry transfers of American Depositary Shares on the Direct Registration System or to the DTC
account of the Depositary or (ii) surrender to the Depositary at its Principal Office of one or
more Receipts.

SECTION 1.07.     Deposit Agreement. 

     The term “Deposit Agreement” shall mean this Deposit Agreement, as the same may be amended
from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.

SECTION 1.08.     Depositary; Principal Office. 

The term “Depositary” shall mean JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a national banking association
organized under the laws of the United State, and any successor as depositary hereunder. The term
“Principal Office”, when used with respect to the Depositary, shall mean the office of the

- 2 -

 

Depositary which at the date of this Agreement is Four New York Plaza, New York, New York 10004.

SECTION 1.09.     Deposited Securities. 

     The term “Deposited Securities” as of any time shall mean Shares at such time deposited or
deemed to be deposited under this Deposit Agreement and any and all other securities, property and
cash received by the Depositary or the Custodian in respect thereof and at such time held
hereunder, subject as to cash to the provisions of Section 4.05.

SECTION 1.10.     Direct Registration System.

     The
term “Direct Registration System” means the system for the uncertificated registration of
ownership of securities established by DTC and utilized by the Depositary pursuant to which the
Depositary may record the ownership of Receipts without the issuance of a certificate, which
ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the Depositary to the Holders
entitled thereto. For purposes hereof, the Direct Registration System shall include access to the
Profile Modification System maintained by DTC which provides for automated transfer of ownership
between DTC and the Depositary (“DRS/Profile”).

SECTION
1.11.     Dollars; GBP; Euro.

     The term “Dollars” shall mean United States dollars. The term “GBP” shall mean United Kingdom
pounds. The term “euro” shall mean the single currency of
the participating Member States in the Third Stage of European
Economic and Monetary Union of the Treaty Establishing the European
community, as amended from time to time.

SECTION 1.12.     Foreign Registrar. 

     The term “Foreign Registrar” shall mean the entity that presently carries out the duties of
registrar for the Shares or any successor as registrar for the Shares and any other appointed agent
of the Company for the transfer and registration of Shares.

SECTION 1.13.     Owner. 

     The term “Owner” shall mean the person in whose name a Receipt is registered on the books of
the Depositary maintained for such purpose.

SECTION 1.14.     Receipts; Direct Registration Receipts. 

     The term “Receipts” shall mean the American Depositary Receipts issued hereunder, including
Pre-Released Receipts, evidencing American Depositary Shares. The term “Direct Registration
Receipts” shall mean book entry notations recorded on the Direct Registration System which are
evidenced by periodic statements from the Depositary.

- 3 -

 

     References to “Receipts” shall include Direct Registration Receipts, unless the context
otherwise requires.

SECTION 1.15.     Registrar. 

     The term “Registrar” shall mean any bank or trust company having an office in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, which shall be appointed, after consultation with the Company, to
register Receipts and transfers of Receipts as herein provided.

SECTION 1.16.     Restricted Securities. 

     The term “Restricted Securities” shall mean Shares, or Receipts representing such Shares,
which are acquired directly or indirectly from the Company, or any affiliate (as defined in Rule
144 to the Securities Act of 1933) of the Company, in a transaction or chain of transactions not
involving any public offering, or which are held by an officer, director (or persons performing
similar functions) or other affiliate of the Company, or which would require registration under the
Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the public offer and sale thereof in the United States,
or which are subject to other restrictions on sale or deposit under the laws of the United States
or England and Wales, or under a shareholder agreement or the Memorandum or Articles of Association
of the Company.

SECTION 1.17.     Securities Act of 1933. 

     The term “Securities Act of 1933” shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as from
time to time amended.

SECTION 1.18.     Shares. 

     The term “Shares” shall mean Class A ordinary shares in registered form of the Company
heretofore validly issued and outstanding and fully paid, nonassessable and that were not issued in
violation of any pre-emptive or similar rights of the holders of outstanding Shares or hereafter
validly issued and outstanding and fully paid, nonassessable and that are not issued in violation
of any pre-emptive or similar rights of the holders of outstanding Shares or interim certificates
representing such Shares; provided, however, that, if there shall occur any change
in nominal value, a split-up or consolidation or any other reclassification or, upon the occurrence
of an event described in Section 4.08, an exchange or conversion in respect of the Shares of the
Company, the term “Shares” shall thereafter also mean the successor securities resulting from such
change in nominal value, split-up or consolidation or such other reclassification or such exchange
or conversion. Shares may be certificated or uncertificated.

- 4 -

 

ARTICLE 2. FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF SHARES, EXECUTION AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF
RECEIPTS

SECTION 2.01.     Form and Transferability of Receipts. 

     Definitive Receipts shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A annexed to this
Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter
provided. No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose, unless such Receipt shall have been either issued through the Direct
Registration System or executed by the Depositary by the manual signature of a duly authorized
signatory of the Depositary; provided, however, that such signature may be a facsimile if a
Registrar for the Receipts shall have been appointed and such Receipts are countersigned by the
manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the Registrar. The Depositary shall maintain
books on which each Receipt so issued, executed and/or delivered as hereinafter provided and the
transfer of each such Receipt shall be registered. Receipts bearing the manual or facsimile
signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary who was at any time a proper signatory
of the Depositary shall bind the Depositary, notwithstanding that such signatory has ceased to hold
such office prior to the execution and delivery of such Receipts by the Registrar or did not hold
such office on the date of issuance of such Receipts.

     The Receipts may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or
recitals or modifications not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be
required by the Depositary or required to comply with any applicable law or regulations thereunder
or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which American Depositary Shares
may be listed or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special
limitations or restrictions to which any particular Receipts are subject by reason of the date of
issuance of the underlying Deposited Securities or otherwise.

     Notwithstanding anything in this Deposit Agreement or in the Receipts to the contrary,
American Depositary Shares shall be evidenced by Direct Registration Receipts, unless certificated
Receipts are specifically requested by the Owner. Owners shall be bound by the terms and
conditions of this Deposit Agreement and of the form of Receipt, regardless of whether their
Receipts are Direct Registration Receipts or certificated Receipts.

     Title to a Receipt (and to the American Depositary Shares evidenced thereby), when properly
endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, shall be transferable by delivery with
the same effect as in the case of a negotiable instrument under the laws of New York;
provided, however, that the Depositary, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary,
may treat the Owner thereof as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person
entitled to distribution of dividends or other distributions or to any notice provided for in this
Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes.

- 5 -

 

SECTION 2.02.     Deposit of Shares. 

     Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, Shares or evidence of rights to
receive Shares may be deposited by delivery thereof to any Custodian hereunder, accompanied by any
appropriate instrument or instruments of transfer, or endorsement, in form satisfactory to the
Custodian, together with all such certifications as may be required by the Depositary or the
Custodian in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, and, if the Depositary
requires, together with a written order directing the Depositary to execute and deliver to, or upon
the written order of, the person or persons stated in such order, a Receipt or Receipts for the
number of American Depositary Shares representing such deposit. No Share shall be accepted for
deposit unless accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that any necessary approval,
where relevant, has been granted by any governmental body in England and Wales that is then
performing the function of the regulation of currency exchange. If required by the Depositary,
Shares presented for deposit at any time, whether or not the transfer books of the Company or the
Foreign Registrar, if applicable, are closed, shall also be accompanied by an agreement or
assignment, or other instrument satisfactory to the Depositary, which will provide for the prompt
transfer to the Custodian of any dividend, or right to subscribe for additional Shares or to
receive other property which any person in whose name the Shares are or have been recorded may
thereafter receive upon or in respect of such deposited Shares, or in lieu thereof, such agreement
of indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary.

     In
the case of certificated Shares, at the request and risk and expense of any person proposing to deposit Shares, and for the
account of such person, the Depositary may receive certificates for Shares to be deposited,
together with the other instruments herein specified, for the purpose of forwarding such Share
certificates to the Custodian for deposit hereunder.

     In
the case of certificated Shares, upon each delivery to a Custodian of a certificate or certificates for Shares to be deposited
hereunder, together with the other documents above specified, such Custodian shall be required by
the Depositary, as soon as transfer and recordation can be accomplished, to present such
certificate or certificates to the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, for transfer
and recordation of the Shares being deposited in the name of the Depositary or its nominee or such
Custodian or its nominee. To the extent that the provisions of or
governing the Shares make delivery of certificates therefor
impracticable. Shares may be deposited hereunder by such delivery
thereof as the Depositary or the Custodian may reasonably accept,
including, without limitation, by causing them to be credited to an
account maintained by the Custodian for such purpose with the Company
or an accredited intermediary, such as a bank, acting as a registrar
for the Shares, together with delivery of the documents, payments and
other delivery instructions referred to herein to the Custodian or
the Depositary.

     Deposited Securities shall be held by the Depositary or by a Custodian for the account and to
the order of the Depositary or at such other place or places as the Depositary shall determine. The
Depositary shall provide written notice informing the Company of any such other place or places.

SECTION 2.03.     Execution and Delivery of Receipts. 

     Upon receipt by any Custodian of any deposit pursuant to Section 2.02 hereunder (and in
addition, if the transfer books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, are open,
the Depositary may in its sole discretion require a proper acknowledgment or other evidence from
the Company that any Deposited Securities have been recorded upon the books of the Company or the
Foreign Registrar, if applicable, in the name of the Depositary or its nominee

- 6 -

 

or such Custodian or its nominee), together with the other documents required as above
specified, such Custodian shall be required by the Depositary to notify the Depositary of such
deposit and the person or persons to whom or upon whose written order a Receipt or Receipts are
deliverable in respect thereof and the number of American Depositary Shares to be evidenced
thereby. Such notification shall be required to be made by letter or, at the request, risk and
expense of the person making the deposit, by cable, telex or facsimile transmission. Upon
receiving such notice from such Custodian, or upon the receipt of Shares by the Depositary, the
Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall execute and
deliver at its Principal Office, to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto, a
Receipt or Receipts, registered in the name or names and evidencing any authorized number of
American Depositary Shares requested by such person or persons, but only upon payment to the
Depositary of the fees and expenses of the Depositary for the execution and delivery of such
Receipt or Receipts as provided in Section 5.09, and of all taxes and governmental charges and fees
payable in connection with such deposit and the transfer of the Deposited Securities.

SECTION 2.04.     Registration of Transfer of Receipts; Combination and
Split-up of Receipts. 

     The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall without
unreasonable delay, register transfers of Receipts on its transfer books, upon any surrender of a
Receipt, by the Owner in person or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied
by proper instruments of transfer, and duly stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of
New York and of the United States of America. Thereupon the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt
or Receipts and deliver the same to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto.

     The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall upon
surrender of a Receipt or Receipts for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of such
Receipt or Receipts, execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts for any authorized number of
American Depositary Shares requested, evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary
Shares as the Receipt or Receipts surrendered. At the request of an Owner, the Depositary shall,
for the purpose of substituting a certificated Receipt with a Direct Registration Receipt, or vice
versa, execute and deliver a certificated Receipt or a Direct Registration Receipt, as the case may
be, for any authorized number of American Depositary Shares requested, evidencing the same
aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as those evidenced by the certificated Receipt or
Direct Registration Receipt, as the case may be, substituted.

     The Depositary may appoint one or more co-transfer agents for the purpose of effecting
transfers, combinations and split-ups of Receipts at designated transfer offices on behalf of the
Depositary. In carrying out its functions, a co-transfer agent may require evidence of authority
and compliance with applicable laws and other requirements by Owners or persons entitled to
Receipts and will be entitled to protection and indemnity to the same extent as the Depositary.

- 7 -

 

SECTION 2.05.     Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Shares. 

     Upon surrender at the Principal Office of the Depositary of a Receipt for the purpose of
withdrawal of the Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by
such Receipt, and upon payment of the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of Receipts as
provided in Section 5.09 and payment of all taxes and governmental charges payable in connection
with such surrender and withdrawal of the Deposited Securities, and subject to the terms and
conditions of this Deposit Agreement and English law, the Owner of such Receipt shall be entitled
to delivery, to him or upon his order, of the amount of Deposited Securities at the time
represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt. Delivery of such
Deposited Securities may be made by the delivery of (a) to the
extent available, certificates in the name of such Owner or
as ordered by him or certificates properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of
transfer to such Owner or as ordered by him (b) Deposited
Securities to an account designated by such Owner with the Euroclear
Nederland (including any successors thereto, “Euroclear Nederland”) or an institution that maintains accounts with
the Euroclear Nederland and (c) any other securities, property and cash to
which such Owner is then entitled in respect of such Receipts to such Owner or as ordered by him.
Such delivery shall be made, as hereinafter provided, without unreasonable delay.

     To
the extent applicable, the Owner requesting withdrawal of Shares
shall have the sole responsibility for ensuring that such Owner, or
its customer, has a valid account with Euroclear Nederland or an
institution that maintains accounts with Euroclear Nederland and that
the information required for the book-entry transfer to such account
is accurately and promptly provided to the Depositary.

     A Receipt surrendered for such purposes may be required by the Depositary to be properly
endorsed in blank (in the case of a certificated Receipt) or accompanied by proper instruments of
transfer in blank, and if the Depositary so requires, the Owner thereof shall execute and deliver
to the Depositary a written order directing the Depositary to cause the Deposited Securities being
withdrawn to be delivered to or upon the written order of a person or persons designated in such
order. Thereupon the Depositary shall direct the Custodian to deliver
in the case of Shares, as provided for in the first paragraph of this
Section 2.05, and otherwise at the office of such
Custodian, subject to Sections 2.06, 3.01 and 3.02 and to the other terms and conditions of this
Deposit Agreement and English law, to or upon the written order of the person or persons designated
in the order delivered to the Depositary as above provided, the amount of Deposited Securities
represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt, except that the Depositary
may make delivery to such person or persons at the Principal Office of the Depositary of any
dividends or distributions with respect to the Deposited Securities represented by the American
Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt, or of any proceeds of sale of any dividends,
distributions or rights, which may at the time be held by the Depositary.

     At the request, risk and expense of any Owner so surrendering a Receipt, and for the account
of such Owner, the Depositary shall direct the Custodian to forward any cash or other property
(other than rights) comprising, and forward a certificate or certificates and other proper
documents of title for, the Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares
evidenced by such Receipt to the Depositary for delivery at the Principal Office of the Depositary.
Such direction shall be given by letter or, at the request, risk and expense of such Owner, by
cable, telex or facsimile transmission. Rights, if any, shall be delivered to such Owner pursuant
to Section 4.04.

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SECTION 2.06.     Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer and
Surrender of Receipts. 

     As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery, registration of transfer, split-up,
combination or surrender of any Receipt or withdrawal of any Deposited Securities, the Depositary,
Custodian or Registrar may require payment from the depositor of Shares or the presenter of the
Receipt of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any tax or other governmental charge and any stock
transfer or registration fee with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge and fee with
respect to Shares being deposited or withdrawn) and payment of any applicable fees as herein
provided, may require the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness
of any signature and may also require compliance with any regulations the Depositary may establish
consistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, including, without limitation, this
Section 2.06.

     The delivery of Receipts against deposit of Shares generally or against deposit of particular
Shares may be suspended, or the transfer of Receipts in particular instances may be refused, or the
registration of transfer of outstanding Receipts generally may be suspended, during any period when
the transfer books of the Depositary are closed, or if any such action is deemed necessary or
advisable by the Depositary or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any
requirement of law or of any government or governmental body or commission, or under any provision
of this Deposit Agreement, or for any other reason, subject to the provisions of Section 7.07
hereof. The Depositary shall not knowingly accept for deposit under this Deposit Agreement any
Shares which would be required to be registered under the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933
for the public offer and sale thereof in the United States unless a registration statement is in
effect as to such Shares for such offer and sale. The Depositary will use reasonable efforts to
comply with written instructions of the Company that the Depositary shall not accept for the
deposit hereunder any Shares identified in such circumstances as may reasonably be specified in
such instructions to facilitate the Company’s compliance with the U.S. securities laws.

     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Deposit Agreement, Owners shall be entitled
to surrender Receipts and withdraw Deposited Securities as provided in Section 2.05 at any time,
subject only to (i) temporary delays caused by closing the transfer books of the Depositary or the
Company or the deposit of Shares in connection with voting at a shareholders’ meeting, or the
payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges, (iii) compliance with
any U.S. or foreign laws or governmental regulations relating to the Receipts or to the withdrawal
of the Deposited Securities and (iv) any other reason that may at any time be specified in
paragraph I.(A)(1) of the General Instructions to Form F-6 under the Securities Act of 1933, from
time to time in effect, or any successor provision thereto.

SECTION 2.07.     Lost Receipts, etc. 

     In case any Receipt shall be mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen, the Depositary shall issue
a new Receipt through the Direct Registration system or execute and deliver a new Receipt of like
tenor in exchange and substitution for such mutilated Receipt upon cancellation thereof, or in lieu
of and in substitution for such destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt. Before the

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Depositary shall execute and deliver a new Receipt in substitution for a destroyed, lost or
stolen Receipt, the Owner thereof shall have (a) filed with the Depositary (i) a request for such
execution and delivery before the Depositary has notice that the Receipt has been acquired by a
bona fide purchaser and (ii) a sufficient indemnity bond and (b) satisfied any other reasonable
requirements imposed by the Depositary.

SECTION 2.08.     Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts. 

     All Receipts surrendered to the Depositary shall be canceled by the Depositary. The
Depositary is authorized to destroy Receipts so canceled subject to Section 2.10.

SECTION 2.09.      Pre-Release of Receipts. 

     The Depositary will lend neither the Shares held under this Deposit Agreement nor the
Receipts. The Depositary reserves the right to execute and deliver Receipts prior to the receipt of
Shares pursuant to Section 2.02 on the terms and conditions set forth below. The Depositary may
receive Receipts in lieu of Shares as settlement of the pre-release of a Receipt. Subject to the
terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Pre-Release of Receipts may occur only if (i)
Pre-released Receipts are fully collateralized (marked to market daily) with cash or U.S.
government securities in an amount equal to not less than 100% of the market value of the
Pre-Released Receipts held by the Depositary for the benefit of Owners (but such collateral shall
not constitute Deposited Securities), (ii) each recipient of Pre-released Receipts agrees in
writing with the Depositary that such recipient (a) owns such Shares, (b) assigns all beneficial
right, title and interest therein to the Depositary, (c) holds such Shares for the account of the
Depositary and (d) will deliver such Shares to the Custodian as soon as practicable and promptly
upon demand therefor and (iii) all Pre-released Receipts evidence not more than 20% of all American
Depositary Shares (excluding those evidenced by Pre-released Receipts) or such other percentage as the Company and the Depositary may from time to time agree
in writing, of the total number of Shares represented by Receipts except to the extent, if any,
that such limitation is exceeded solely because of the withdrawal of Deposited Securities
subsequent to the execution and delivery of Pre-Released Receipts in compliance with such
limitation. The Depositary will also set limits with respect to the number of Receipts and
Shares involved in transactions to be done hereunder with anyone person on a case by case basis as
it deems appropriate.

     The Depositary may retain for its own account any compensation received by it in connection
with the foregoing.

SECTION 2.10.     Maintenance of Records.

     The Depositary agrees to maintain or cause its agents to maintain records of all Receipts
surrendered and Deposited Securities withdrawn under Section 2.05, substitute Receipts delivered
under Section 2.07, and of cancelled or destroyed Receipts under Section 2.08, in keeping with
procedures ordinarily followed by stock transfer agents located in the City of New York or as
required by laws or regulations governing the Depositary. The Depositary shall

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provide full access to such records to the Company and its agents from time to time during
normal business hours upon the reasonable written request of the Company.

ARTICLE 3. CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERS AND BENEFICIAL OWNERS OF RECEIPTS

SECTION 3.01.     Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information. 

     Any person presenting Shares for deposit or any Owner or Beneficial Owner of a Receipt may be
required from time to time to file with the Depositary or the Custodian such proof of citizenship
or residence, exchange control approval, or such information relating to the registration on the
books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, to execute such certificates and to
make such representations and warranties, as the Depositary may deem necessary or proper. The
Depositary may, and shall if requested by the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.07
hereof, withhold the delivery or registration of transfer of any Receipt or the distribution of any
dividend or sale or distribution of rights or of the proceeds thereof or the delivery of any
Deposited Securities until such proof or other information is filed or such certificates are
executed or such representations and warranties made. The Depositary shall provide copies thereof
to the Company as promptly as practicable upon written request by the Company, to the extent that
disclosure is permitted under applicable law.

SECTION 3.02.     Liability of Owner or Beneficial Owner for Taxes. 

     If any tax or other governmental charge shall become payable by the Custodian or the
Depositary with respect to any Receipt or any Deposited Securities represented by any Receipt, such
tax or other governmental charge shall be payable by the Owner or Beneficial Owner of such Receipt
to the Depositary. The Depositary may refuse to effect any transfer of such Receipt or any
withdrawal of Deposited Securities represented by American Depositary Shares evidenced by such
Receipt until such payment is made, and may withhold any dividends or other distributions, or may
sell for the account of the Owner or Beneficial Owner thereof any part or all of the Deposited
Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt, and may apply
such dividends or other distributions or the proceeds of any such sale in payment of such tax or
other governmental charge and the Owner or Beneficial Owner of such Receipt shall remain liable for
any deficiency. Neither the Company nor the Depositary shall be liable for failure of an Owner to
comply with applicable tax laws or governmental charges.

SECTION 3.03.     Warranties on Deposit of Shares. 

     Every person depositing Shares under this Deposit Agreement shall be deemed thereby to
represent and warrant that such Shares and each certificate therefor are validly issued, fully
paid, nonassessable and were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of the
holders of outstanding Shares and that the person making such deposit is duly authorized so to do.
Every such person shall also be deemed to represent that such Shares are not, and

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American Depositary Shares representing such Shares would not be, Restricted Securities. Such
representations and warranties shall survive the deposit of Shares and delivery of Receipts.

SECTION 3.04.     Disclosure of Interests.

     To the extent that provisions of or governing any Deposited Securities (including the
Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association or applicable English law) may require the
disclosure of beneficial or other ownership of Deposited Securities, other Shares and other
securities to the Company and may provide for blocking transfer and voting or other rights to
enforce such disclosure or limit such ownership, the Depositary shall, to the extent reasonably
practicable, comply with the Company’s instructions as to Receipts in respect of any such
enforcement or limitation, and Owners and Beneficial Owners of Receipts shall comply with all such
disclosure requirements and ownership limitations and shall cooperate with the Depositary’s
compliance with such Company instructions. The Company may from time to time request Owners to
provide information (a) as to the capacity in which such Owners own or owned American Depositary
Shares, (b) regarding the identity of any other persons then or previously interested in such
American Depositary Shares and (c) regarding the nature of such interest and various other matters
pursuant to applicable law or the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company or other
such corporate document of the Company, all as if such American Depositary Shares were to the
extent practicable the underlying Shares. Each Owner agrees to provide any information requested
by the Company or the Depositary pursuant to this Section whether or not such person is still an
Owner at the time of the request. The Depositary agrees to use reasonable efforts to comply with
written instructions received from the Company requesting that the Depositary forward any such
requests to Owners and to forward to the Company any responses to such requests received by the
Depositary.

ARTICLE 4. THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES

SECTION 4.01.     Cash Distributions

     Notwithstanding
any rights under the Company's articles of association, dividends
paid on the Deposited Securities that are not paid to the
Depositary or its nominee or Custodian in US Dollars will be paid by
the Company in euro. Whenever the Depositary shall receive any cash dividend or other cash distribution in respect
of any Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall, subject to the provisions of Section 4.05 in the
case of a dividend and/or distribution received in a currency other than Dollars, convert the
amounts so received into Dollars. Promptly after the settlement of such conversion or, in the in
the case of any cash dividend or other cash distribution received by the Depositary in Dollars,
the Depositary shall as promptly as practicable, distribute the amount thus received (net of the
fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.09) to the Owners entitled thereto, in
proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares representing such Deposited Securities held
by each of them; provided, however, that in the event that the Depositary shall be
required to withhold and does withhold from such cash dividend or such other cash distribution an
amount on account of taxes, the amount distributed to the Owner of the Receipts evidencing American
Depositary Shares representing such Deposited Securities shall be reduced accordingly. The
Depositary shall distribute only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to
any Owner a fraction of one cent. Any such fractional amounts shall be rounded down to the nearest
whole cent and so distributed to Owners entitled thereto. The Company or its agent will remit to
the appropriate governmental agency in England and

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Wales all amounts withheld and owing to such agency. The Depositary will forward to the
Company or its agent such information from its records as the Company may reasonably request to
enable the Company or its agent to file necessary reports with governmental agencies, and the
Depositary or the Company or its agent may file any such reports necessary to obtain benefits under
the applicable tax treaties for the Owners of Receipts.

     Subject to the rules and regulations of any stock exchange upon which the American Depositary
Shares may be traded, the Depositary shall endeavor to convert the funds as promptly as practicable
and that distributions to Owners under this Section are made within five New York Stock Exchange
trading days of the day on which the cash dividend or cash distribution on the Deposited Securities
is received by the Depositary.

SECTION 4.02.     Distributions Other Than Cash, Shares or Rights. 

     Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.11 and 5.09, whenever the Depositary shall receive any
distribution other than a distribution described in Section 4.01, 4.03 or 4.04, the Depositary
shall cause the securities or property received by it to be distributed to the Owners entitled
thereto, after deduction or upon payment of any fees and expenses of the Depositary or any taxes or
other governmental charges, in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares representing
such Deposited Securities held by them respectively, in any manner that the Depositary may deem
equitable and practicable for accomplishing such distribution; provided, however,
that if in the reasonable opinion of the Depositary such distribution cannot be made
proportionately among the Owners entitled thereto, or if for any other reason (including, but not
limited to, any requirement that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of
taxes or other governmental charges or that such securities must be registered under the Securities
Act of 1933 in order to be distributed to Owners or Beneficial Owners) the Depositary deems such
distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may, after consultation with the Company, adopt
such method as it may deem equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such
distribution, including, but not limited to, the public or private sale of the securities or
property thus received, or any part thereof, and the net proceeds of any such sale (net of the fees
and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.09) shall be distributed by the Depositary
to the Owners entitled thereto, all in the manner and subject to the conditions described in
Section 4.01; provided, however, that no distribution to Owners pursuant to this Section 4.02 shall
be unreasonably delayed by any action or inaction of the Depositary or any of its agents. The
Depositary may withhold any distribution of securities under this Section 4.02 if it has not
received reasonably satisfactory assurances from the Company that the distribution does not require
registration under the Securities Act of 1933.

SECTION 4.03.     Distributions in Shares. 

     If any distribution upon any Deposited Securities consists of a dividend in, or free
distribution of, Shares, the Depositary may, and shall if the Company shall so request, distribute
to the Owners of outstanding Receipts entitled thereto, in proportion to the number of American
Depositary Shares representing such Deposited Securities held by them respectively, additional
Receipts evidencing an aggregate number of American Depositary Shares representing the

- 13 -

 

amount of Shares received as such dividend or free distribution, subject to the terms and
conditions of the Deposit Agreement with respect to the deposit of Shares and the issuance of
American Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts, including the withholding of any tax or other
governmental charge as provided in Section 4.11 and the payment of the fees and expenses of the
Depositary as provided in Section 5.09; provided, however, that no distribution to Owners pursuant
to this Section 4.03 shall be unreasonably delayed by any action or inaction of the Depositary or
any of its agents. The Depositary may withhold any such distribution of Receipts if it has not
received satisfactory assurances from the Company that such distribution does not require
registration under the Securities Act of 1933. In lieu of delivering Receipts for fractional
American Depositary Shares in any such case, the Depositary shall use reasonable efforts to sell
the amount of Shares represented by the aggregate of such fractions and distribute the net
proceeds, if any, all in the manner and subject to the conditions described in Section 4.01. If
additional Receipts are not so distributed, each American Depositary Share shall thenceforth also
represent the additional Shares distributed upon the Deposited Securities represented thereby.

SECTION 4.04.     Rights.

     In the event that the Company shall offer or cause to be offered to the holders of any
Deposited Securities any rights to subscribe for additional Shares or any rights of any other
nature, the Depositary, after consultation with the Company, shall have discretion as to the
procedure to be followed in making such rights available to any Owners or in disposing of such
rights on behalf of any Owners and making the net proceeds available to such Owners or, if by the
terms of such rights offering or for any other reason, the Depositary may not either make such
rights available to any Owners or dispose of such rights and make the net proceeds available to
such Owners, then the Depositary shall allow the rights to lapse. If at the time of the offering
of any rights the Depositary, after consultation with the Company, determines in its reasonable
discretion that it is lawful and feasible to make such rights available to all or certain Owners
but not to other Owners, the Depositary may, and at the request of the Company shall, distribute to
any Owner to whom it determines the distribution to be lawful and feasible, in proportion to the
number of American Depositary Shares held by such Owner, warrants or other instruments therefor in
such form as it deems appropriate.

     In circumstances in which rights would otherwise not be distributed, if an Owner of Receipts
requests the distribution of warrants or other instruments in order to exercise the rights
allocable to the American Depositary Shares of such Owner hereunder, the Depositary will make such
rights available to such Owner upon written notice from the Company to the Depositary that (a) the
Company has elected in its sole discretion to permit such rights to be exercised and (b) such Owner
has executed such documents as the Company has determined in its sole discretion are reasonably
required under applicable law.

     If the Depositary has distributed warrants or other instruments for rights to all or certain
Owners, then upon instruction from such an Owner pursuant to such warrants or other instruments to
the Depositary from such Owner to exercise such rights, upon payment by such Owner to the
Depositary for the account of such Owner of an amount equal to the purchase price of the Shares to
be received upon the exercise of the rights, and upon payment of the fees and expenses of the
Depositary and any other charges as set forth in such warrants or other

- 14 -

 

instruments, the Depositary shall, on behalf of such Owner, exercise the rights and purchase
the Shares, and the Company shall cause the Shares so purchased to be delivered to the Depositary
on behalf of such Owner. As agent for such Owner, the Depositary will cause the Shares so
purchased to be deposited pursuant to Section 2.02 of this Deposit Agreement, and shall, pursuant
to Section 2.03 of this Deposit Agreement, execute and deliver Receipts to such Owner;
provided, however, that in the case of a distribution pursuant to the second
paragraph of this Section, such Receipts shall be legended in accordance with applicable U.S. laws,
and shall be subject to the appropriate restrictions on sale, deposit, cancellation, and transfer
under applicable United States laws.

     If the Depositary determines that it is not lawful and feasible to make such rights available
to all or certain Owners, it may sell the rights, warrants or other instruments in proportion to
the number of American Depositary Shares held by the Owners to whom it has determined it may not
lawfully or feasibly make such rights available, and allocate the net proceeds of such sales (net
of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.09 and all taxes and
governmental charges payable in connection with such rights and subject to the terms and conditions
of this Deposit Agreement) for the account of such Owners otherwise entitled to such rights,
warrants or other instruments, upon an averaged or other practical basis without regard to any
distinctions among such Owners because of exchange restrictions or the date of delivery of any
Receipt or otherwise.

     The Depositary will not offer rights to Owners unless both the rights and the securities to
which such rights relate are either exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 with
respect to a distribution to all Owners or are registered under the provisions of such Act;
provided, that nothing in this Deposit Agreement shall create any obligation on the part of
the Company to file a registration statement with respect to such rights or underlying securities
or to endeavor to have such a registration statement declared effective. If an Owner of Receipts
requests the distribution of warrants or other instruments, notwithstanding that there has been no
such registration under the Securities Act of 1933, the Depositary shall not effect such
distribution unless it has received an opinion from recognized counsel in the United States for the
Company upon which the Depositary may rely that such distribution to such Owner does not require
such registration.

     The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to determine that it may be lawful or
feasible to make such rights available to Owners in general or any Owner in particular.

SECTION 4.05.     Conversion of Foreign Currency. 

     Whenever the Depositary or the Custodian shall receive foreign currency, by way of dividends
or other distributions or the net proceeds from the sale of securities, property or rights, and if
at the time of the receipt thereof the foreign currency so received can in the reasonable judgment
of the Depositary be converted on a reasonable basis into Dollars and the resulting Dollars
transferred to the United States, the Depositary shall, as promptly as practicable, convert or
cause to be converted, by sale or in any other manner that it may reasonably determine, such
foreign currency into Dollars, and such Dollars shall be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto
or, if the Depositary shall have distributed any warrants or other

- 15 -

 

instruments which entitle the holders thereof to such Dollars, then to the holders of such
warrants and/or instruments upon surrender thereof for cancellation. Such distribution may be made
upon an averaged or other practicable basis without regard to any distinctions among Owners on
account of exchange restrictions, the date of delivery of any Receipt or otherwise and shall be net
of any expenses of conversion into Dollars incurred by the Depositary as provided in Section 5.09.

     If such conversion or distribution can be effected only with the approval or license of any
government or agency thereof, the Depositary shall file such application for approval or license,
if any, as it may deem desirable.

     If at any time the Depositary shall determine that in its reasonable judgment any foreign
currency received by the Depositary or the Custodian is not convertible on a reasonable basis into
Dollars transferable to the United States, or if any approval or license of any government or
agency thereof which is required for such conversion is denied or in the reasonable opinion of the
Depositary is not obtainable, or if any such approval or license is not obtained within a
reasonable period as determined by the Depositary, the Depositary may distribute the foreign
currency (or an appropriate document evidencing the right to receive such foreign currency)
received by the Depositary to, or in its discretion may hold such foreign currency uninvested and
without liability for interest thereon for the accounts of, the Owners entitled to receive the
same.

     If any such conversion of foreign currency, in whole or in part, cannot be effected for
distribution to some of the Owners entitled thereto, the Depositary may in its discretion make such
conversion and distribution in Dollars to the extent permissible to the Owners entitled thereto and
may distribute the balance of the foreign currency received by the Depositary to, or hold such
balance uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the accounts of, the Owners
entitled thereto.

SECTION 4.06.     Fixing of Record Date. 

     Whenever any cash dividend or other cash distribution shall become payable or any distribution
other than cash shall be made, or whenever rights shall be issued with respect to the Deposited
Securities, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of any meeting of holders of Shares or
other Deposited Securities, or whenever for any reason the Depositary causes a change in the number
of Shares that are represented by each American Depositary Share, or whenever the Depositary shall
find it necessary, the Depositary shall fix a record date (a) for the determination of the Owners
who shall be (i) entitled to receive such dividend, distribution or rights or the net proceeds of
the sale thereof or (ii) entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any
such meeting or (iii) responsible for any fee or charges assessed by the Depositary pursuant to
this Deposit Agreement, or (b) on or after which each American Depositary Share will represent the
changed number of Shares. Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.01 through 4.05 and to the other
terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Owners on such record date shall be entitled,
as the case may be, to receive the amount distributable by the Depositary with respect to such
dividend or other distribution or such rights or the net proceeds of sale thereof in proportion to
the number of American Depositary

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Shares held by each of them, to give voting instructions and to act in respect of any other
such matter.

SECTION 4.07.     Voting of Deposited Securities.

     Upon
the written request of an Owner of record of a Receipt as of the
record date (the “Voting Record Date”) received on or
before the date established by the Depositary for such purpose (the
“Instruction Date”), the Depositary will endeavor to
cause the appointment (or, if the Deposited Securities are registered in
the name of or held by its Custodian or a nominee, the Depositary hereby agrees to procure that the
Custodian, its nominee cause the appointment), subject to the Articles of Association of the
Company, of such Owner as of the Voting Record Date fixed by the Depositary in
accordance with Section 4.06 as a proxy in respect of any meeting (including any adjourned meeting) at which
such Owner will be entitled to attend and vote at in respect of the Deposited
Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such
Owner on the Voting Record Date. In respect of any such meeting each such Owner may appoint either
a person nominated by the Depositary its Custodian or nominee to vote, on behalf of the Owner subject to and in accordance with the provisions
of this Section 4.07 and the Articles of Association of the Company. Upon receipt of notice of any
meeting of holders of Shares or other Deposited Securities, if requested in writing by the Company
the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail to the Owners of record as of the
Voting Record Date a notice, the form of which notice shall be approved of by the Company which
shall contain (a) such information as is contained in such
notice of meeting, (b) a voting instruction card in the form prepared by the Depositary after consultation with the Company, (c) a statement
that the Owners of record as of the close of business on the Voting Record Date will be entitled,
subject to any applicable provision of English law and of the Memorandum and Articles of
Association of the Company and the provisions of or governing the Deposited Securities, either (i)
to use such Voting instruction card to inform the Depositary that the
Owner intends to attend such meeting
as the proxy of the Depositary, the Custodian or its nominee solely with respect to the Shares or other Deposited
Securities represented by American Depositary Shares evidenced by
such Owner’s Receipts or (ii) to instruct such person
nominated by the Depositary, the Custodian or nominee as to the exercise of the
voting rights pertaining to the number of Shares or other Deposited Securities represented by the
American Depositary Shares evidenced by such Owner’s Receipts, and (d) a brief statement as to the
manner in which voting instructions may be given to the person nominated by the Depositary. Upon the written request of an
Owner of record of a Receipt on the Voting Record Date, received on or before the Instruction Date the Depositary shall endeavor, in so
far as practicable, to vote or cause to be voted the amount of Shares or other Deposited Securities
represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt in accordance with the
instructions set forth in such request. Neither the Depositary, nor the Custodian nor the nominee
of either of them shall vote or attempt to exercise the right to vote that attaches to the Shares
or other Deposited Securities, other than in accordance with such written instructions from Owners
given in accordance with this Section

- 17 -

 

4.07. If no valid written instructions are received by the Depositary from an Owner with
respect to any of the number of Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares
evidenced by such Owner’s Receipts on or before the Instruction
Date, that number of Deposited
Securities shall not be voted by the Depositary Custodian or the
nominee of either of them.

     There can be no assurance that Owners generally or any Owner in particular will receive the
notice described in the preceding paragraph sufficiently prior to the [Instruction Date] to ensure
that the Depositary will vote the Shares or other Deposited Securities in accordance with the
provisions set forth in the preceding paragraph.

SECTION 4.08.     Changes Affecting Deposited Securities. 

     In circumstances where the provisions of Section 4.03 do not apply, upon any change in nominal
value, change in par value, split-up, consolidation or any other reclassification of Deposited
Securities, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale of assets
affecting the Company or to which it is a party, any securities which shall be received by the
Depositary or a Custodian in exchange for or in conversion of or in respect of Deposited
Securities, shall be treated as new Deposited Securities under this Deposit Agreement, and American
Depositary Shares shall thenceforth represent, in addition to the existing Deposited Securities,
the right to receive the new Deposited Securities so received in exchange or conversion, unless
additional Receipts are delivered pursuant to the following sentence. In any such case the
Depositary may, and shall if the Company shall so reasonably request, execute and deliver
additional Receipts as in the case of a dividend in Shares, or call for the surrender of
outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new Deposited
Securities.

SECTION 4.09.     Reports. 

     The
Company is subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and accordingly files certain reports
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(hereinafter called the “Commission”). Such reports and
other information may be inspected and copied at public reference
facilities maintained by the Commission located at the date hereof at
Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549.

     The Depositary shall make available for inspection by Owners at its Principal Office any
reports and communications, including any proxy soliciting material, received from the Company
which are both (a) received by the Depositary as the holder of the Deposited Securities and (b)
made generally available to the holders of such Deposited Securities by the Company. The
Depositary shall also, upon the written request of the Company, send to the Owners copies of such
reports when furnished by the Company pursuant to Section 5.06.

SECTION 4.10.     Lists of Owners. 

     Upon the written request of the Company, the Depositary shall, as promptly as practical, at
the expense of the Company, furnish to it a list, as of a recent date, of the names, addresses and
holdings of American Depositary Shares by all persons in whose names Receipts are registered on the
books of the Depositary.

- 18 -

 

SECTION 4.11.     Withholding.

     In the event that the Depositary determines that any distribution in property (including
Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) is subject to any tax or other governmental charge which
the Depositary is obligated to withhold, the Depositary may by public or private sale dispose of
all or a portion of such property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) in such
amounts and in such manner as the Depositary reasonably deems necessary and practicable to pay such
taxes or charges and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale after
deduction of such taxes or charges to the Owners entitled thereto in proportion to the number of
American Depositary Shares held by them.

ARTICLE 5. THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIANS AND THE COMPANY

SECTION 5.01.     Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the
Depositary.

     Until termination of this Deposit Agreement in accordance with its terms, the Depositary shall
maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, facilities for the execution and
delivery, registration, registration of transfers and surrender of Receipts in accordance with the
provisions of this Deposit Agreement.

     The Depositary shall keep books, at its Principal Office, for the registration of Receipts and
transfers of Receipts which at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the Owners,
provided that such inspection shall not be for the purpose of communicating with Owners in the
interest of a business or object other than the business of the Company or a matter related to this
Deposit Agreement or the Receipts.

     The Depositary may close the transfer books, at any time or from time to time, when reasonably
deemed expedient by it in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder or at the written
reasonable request of the Company, provided that any such closing of the transfer books shall be
subject to the provisions of Section 2.06 which limit the suspension of withdrawals of Shares.

     If any Receipts or the American Depositary Shares evidenced thereby are listed on one or more
stock exchanges in the United States, the Depositary shall act as Registrar or appoint a Registrar
or one or more co-registrars for registry of such Receipts in accordance with any requirements of
such exchange or exchanges. The Company shall have the right, upon reasonable written request, to
inspect the transfer and registration records of the Depositary relating to the Receipts, and to
take copies thereof.

SECTION 5.02.     Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary or the
Company. 

     Neither the Depositary nor the Company nor any of their directors, employees, agents or
affiliates shall incur any liability to any Owner or Beneficial Owner if, by reason of any
provision of any present or future law or regulation of the United States or any other country, or
of any governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange, or by reason of any provision,

- 19 -

 

present or future, of the Memorandum or Articles of Association of the Company, or by reason
of any provision of any securities issued or distributed by the Company, or any offering or
distribution thereof, or by reason of any act of God or war or terrorism or other circumstances
beyond its control, the Depositary or the Company shall be prevented, delayed or forbidden from, or
be subject to any civil or criminal penalty on account of, doing or performing any act or thing
which by the terms of this Deposit Agreement or Deposited Securities it is provided shall be done
or performed; nor shall the Depositary or the Company or any of their directors, employees, agents
or affiliates incur any liability to any Owner or Beneficial Owner of any Receipt by reason of any
nonperformance or delay, caused as aforesaid, in the performance of any act or thing which by the
terms of this Deposit Agreement it is provided shall or may be done or performed, or by reason of
any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Deposit Agreement.
Where, by the terms of a distribution pursuant to Section 4.01, 4.02, or 4.03, or an offering or
distribution pursuant to Section 4.04, or for any other reason, such distribution or offering may
not be made available to Owners, and the Depositary may not dispose of such distribution or
offering on behalf of such Owners and make the net proceeds available to such Owners, then the
Depositary shall not make such distribution or offering, and shall allow any rights, if applicable,
to lapse.

SECTION 5.03.     Obligations of the Depositary, the Custodian and the
Company. 

     Neither the Company nor any of its directors, officers, employees or agents assumes any
obligation nor shall any of them be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to Owners
or Beneficial Owners, except that the Company agrees to perform its obligations specifically set
forth in this Deposit Agreement without negligence or bad faith.

     Neither the Depositary nor any of its directors, officers, employees or agents assumes any
obligation nor shall any of them be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to any
Owner or Beneficial Owner (including, without limitation, liability with respect to the validity or
worth of the Deposited Securities), except that the Depositary agrees to perform its obligations
specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement without negligence or bad faith.

     Neither the Depositary nor the Company (nor any of their respective directors, officers,
employees or agents) shall be under any obligation to appear in or prosecute or defend any action,
suit or other proceeding in respect of any Deposited Securities or in respect of the Receipts on
behalf of any Owner, Beneficial Owner or other person. The parties understand that the Custodian
is not a party to this Deposit Agreement and, accordingly, has no obligations whatsoever with
respect to such proceedings, the responsibility of the Custodian being solely to the Depositary.

     In
connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures
relating to DRS/Profile, the parties understand that the Depositary
will not verify, determine or otherwise ascertain that the DTC
participant which is claiming to be acting on behalf of an Owner in
requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in
subsection (a) has the actual authority to act on behalf of the Owner.
Each Owner agrees that neither the Depositary nor the Company shall have
any liability for the Depositary’s or any of its agents’
reliance upon the authority of any information in, nor for the
Depositary’s or any of its agents compliance with directions
from, any DTC participants as set forth above. Neither the Depositary nor the Company (nor any of their respective directors, officers,
employees or agents) shall be liable for any action or nonaction by it in reliance upon the advice
of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting Shares for deposit, any
Owner or any other person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or
information. Each of the Depositary, the Company and their respective directors,

- 20 -

 

officers, employees and agents may rely and shall be protected in acting upon any written
notice, request, direction or other document believed by such person to be genuine and to have been
signed or presented by the proper party or parties.

     The Depositary shall not be liable for any acts or omissions made by a successor depositary
whether in connection with a previous act or omission of the Depositary or in connection with any
matter arising wholly after the removal or resignation of the Depositary, provided that in
connection with the issue out of which such potential liability arises the Depositary performed its
obligations without negligence or bad faith while it acted as Depositary.

     The Depositary and its agents will not be responsible for (i) any failure to carry out any
instructions to vote any of the Deposited Securities or for the manner in which any such vote is
cast, in each case to the extent the Depositary or its agents act without gross negligence or
willful misconduct or (ii) for the effect of any such vote.

     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the Deposit Agreement or any Receipt,
the Depositary and its agents may fully respond to any and all demands or requests for information
maintained by or on its behalf in connection with the Deposit Agreement, any Owner or Owners, any
Receipt or Receipts or otherwise related hereto to the extent such information is requested or
required by or pursuant to any lawful authority, including without limitation laws, rules,
regulations, administrative or judicial process, banking, securities or other regulators. Neither
the Company nor the Depositary nor any of their respective agents shall be liable to Owners or
holders of interests in American Depositary Shares or any other third party or parties for any
indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages.

     No disclaimer of liability under the Securities Act of 1933 is intended by any provision of
this Deposit Agreement.

SECTION 5.04.     Resignation and Removal of the Depositary. 

     The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary hereunder by written notice of its
election so to do delivered to the Company, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of
a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

     The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by written notice to the Depositary,
such removal to become effective upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance
of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

     In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall resign or be removed, the Company
shall use its reasonable efforts to appoint a successor depositary, which shall be a bank or trust
company having an office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. Every successor
depositary shall execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Company an instrument in writing
accepting its appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor

- 21 -

 

depositary, without any further act or deed, shall become fully vested with all the rights,
powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor; but such predecessor, nevertheless, upon payment
of all sums due it and on the written request of the Company shall execute and deliver an
instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of such predecessor hereunder,
shall duly assign, transfer and deliver all right, title and interest in the Deposited Securities
to such successor, and shall deliver to such successor a list of the Owners of all outstanding
Receipts. Any such successor depositary shall promptly mail notice of its appointment to the
Owners.

     Any corporation into or with which the Depositary may be merged or consolidated shall be the
successor of the Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act.

SECTION 5.05.     The Custodians. 

     The Custodian shall be subject at all times and in all respects to the directions of the
Depositary and shall be responsible solely to it. If the Depositary receives notice of the
resignation of a Custodian and, upon the effectiveness of such resignation, there would be no
Custodian acting hereunder, the Depositary shall, promptly after receiving such notice and upon
consultation with the Company if practicable, appoint a substitute custodian or custodians, each of
which shall thereafter be a Custodian hereunder. Whenever the Depositary in its reasonable
discretion determines that it is in the best interest of the Owners to do so, it may, after
consultation with the Company if practicable, appoint, a substitute or additional custodian or
custodians, each of which shall thereafter be one of the Custodians hereunder. The Depositary
shall require each such substitute or additional custodian to deliver to the Depositary, forthwith
upon its appointment, an acceptance of such appointment satisfactory in form and substance to the
Depositary.

     Upon the appointment of any successor depositary hereunder, each Custodian then acting
hereunder shall forthwith become, without any further act or writing, the agent hereunder of such
successor depositary and the appointment of such successor depositary shall in no way impair the
authority of each Custodian hereunder; but the successor depositary so appointed shall,
nevertheless, on the written request of any Custodian, execute and deliver to such Custodian all
such instruments as may be proper to give to such Custodian full and complete power and authority
as agent hereunder of such successor depositary.

SECTION 5.06.     Notices and Reports. 

     On or before the first date on which the Company gives notice, by publication or otherwise, of
any meeting of holders of Shares or other Deposited Securities, or of any adjourned meeting of such
holders, or of the taking of any action in respect of any cash or other distributions or the
offering of any rights, the Company agrees to transmit to the Depositary and the Custodian a copy
of the notice thereof in English but otherwise in the form given or to be given to holders of
Shares or other Deposited Securities.

     The Company will arrange for the translation into English, if not already in English, to the
extent required pursuant to any regulations of the Commission, and the prompt

- 22 -

 

transmittal by the Company to the Depositary and the Custodian of such notices and any other
reports and communications which are made generally available by the Company to holders of its
Shares. If requested by the Company, the Depositary will arrange for the mailing, at the Company’s
expense, of copies of such notices, reports and communications to all Owners. The Company will
timely provide the Depositary with the quantity of such notices, reports, and communications, as
reasonably requested by the Depositary from time to time, in order for the Depositary to effect
such mailings.

SECTION 5.07.     Distribution of Additional Shares, Rights, etc. 

     If the Company or any affiliate of the Company determines to make any issuance or distribution
of (1) additional Shares, (2) rights to subscribe for Shares, (3) securities convertible into
Shares, or (4) rights to subscribe for such securities (each a “Distribution”), the Company shall
notify the Depositary in writing in English as promptly as practicable and in any event before the
Distribution starts and, if requested in writing by the Depositary, the Company shall promptly
furnish to the Depositary a written opinion from U.S. counsel for the Company that is reasonably
satisfactory to the Depositary, stating whether or not the Distribution requires, or, if made in
the United States, would require, registration under the Securities Act of 1933. If, in the
opinion of that counsel, the Distribution requires, or, if made in the United States, would
require, registration under the Securities Act of 1933, that counsel shall furnish to the
Depositary a written opinion as to whether or not there is a registration statement under the
Securities Act of 1933 in effect that will cover that Distribution.

     The Company agrees with the Depositary that neither the Company nor any company controlled by,
controlling or under common control with the Company will at any time deposit any Shares, either
originally issued or previously issued and reacquired by the Company or any such affiliate, unless
a registration statement is in effect as to such Shares under the Securities Act of 1933.

     The Company reserves full discretion as to whether in the future it may or may not register
under said Act for purposes of offering and selling in the United States any Shares or any other
securities, including any Shares or other securities which may be the subject of subscription or
purchase rights pertaining to Deposited Securities at the time deposited under this Deposit
Agreement.

SECTION 5.08.     Indemnification.

     The Company agrees to indemnify the Depositary, its directors, employees, agents and
affiliates and any Custodian against, and hold each of them harmless from, any liability or expense
(including, but not limited to, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) which may arise out of
or in connection with (a) any registration with the Commission of Receipts, American Depositary
Shares or Deposited Securities or the offer or sale thereof in the United States or (b) acts
performed or omitted, pursuant to the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and of the Receipts, as
the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, (i) by either the Depositary
or a Custodian or their respective directors, employees,

- 23 -

 

agents and affiliates, or (ii) by the Company or any of its directors, employees, agents and
affiliates excepting, however, any liability arising out of the negligence or bad faith of the
Depositary or the Custodian or any of their respective directors, employees, agents or affiliates
or the Registrar or any co-transfer agent.

     The Depositary agrees to indemnify the Company, its directors, employees, agents and
affiliates and hold them harmless from any liability or expense which may arise out of acts
performed or omitted by the Depositary or its Custodian or their respective directors, employees,
agents and affiliates in connection with the issuance of Pre-Released Receipts and the transactions
contemplated by any Pre-Release Agreement or due to their negligence or bad faith.

     Notwithstanding any other provision of this Deposit Agreement or the Receipts to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Depositary, nor any of their agents, shall be liable to the other for
any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages (collectively “Special Damages”) except
(i) to the extent such Special Damages arise from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the
party from whom indemnification is sought or (ii) to the extent Special Damages arise from or out
of a claim brought by a third party (including, without limitation, Owners) against the Depositary
or its agents, except to the extent such Special Damages arise out of the gross negligence or
willful misconduct of the party seeking indemnification hereunder.

     The
Company and the Depositary agree that the foregoing indemnification
shall apply to the Depositary’s implementation of DRS/Profile and to
the extent the relevant transfer is performed in connection with and
accordance with the arrangements and procedures related to Profile
generally in effect that reliance by the Depositary on the authority
of a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of an Owner of Direct
Registration Receipts, to direct the Depositary to register a
transfer of American Depositary Shares to DTC or its nominee or to
deliver American Depositary Shares to the DTC account of that DTC
participant, without receipt by the Depositary of prior authorization
from the Owner to register such transfer or make such delivery
(unless such prior authorization is required by DRS/Profile), shall
not be deemed negligence, gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct by the Depositary within the meaning of this
Section 5.08, unless the Depositary had
actual knowledge, or had reason to know (despite the absence of an
investigation), that such direction was not authorized or was
otherwise invalid.

SECTION 5.09.     Charges of Depositary. 

     The Company agrees to pay the fees, reasonable expenses and out-of-pocket charges of the
Depositary and those of any Registrar only in accordance with agreements in writing entered into
between the Depositary and the Company from time to time. The Depositary shall present its
statement for such charges and expenses to the Company once every three months. The charges and
expenses of the Custodian are for the sole account of the Depositary.

     The following charges shall be incurred by any party depositing or withdrawing Shares or by
any party surrendering Receipts or to whom Receipts are issued (including, without limitation,
issuance pursuant to a stock dividend or stock split declared by the Company or an exchange of
stock regarding the Receipts or Deposited Securities or a distribution of Receipts pursuant to
Section 4.03), or by Owners, as applicable: (1) taxes and other governmental charges, (2) such
registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of transfers of Shares
generally on the Share register of the Company or Foreign Registrar and applicable to transfers of
Shares to or from the name of the Depositary or its nominee or the Custodian or its nominee on the
making of deposits or withdrawals hereunder, (3) such cable, telex and facsimile transmission
expenses as are expressly provided in this Deposit Agreement, (4) such expenses as are incurred by
the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency pursuant to Section 4.05, (5) a fee of $5.00
or less per 100 American Depositary Shares (or portion thereof) for the execution and delivery of
Receipts pursuant to Section 2.03, 4.03 or 4.04 and the surrender of Receipts pursuant to Section
2.05 or 6.02, and (6) a fee for the distribution of securities pursuant to Section 4.02, such fee
being in an amount equal to the fee for the

- 24 -

 

execution and delivery of American Depositary Shares referred to above which would have been
charged as a result of the deposit of such securities(for purposes of this clause 6 treating all
such securities as if they were Shares) but which securities are instead distributed by the
Depositary to Owners

     The Depositary, subject to Section 2.09, may own and deal in any class of securities of the
Company and its affiliates and in Receipts.

SECTION 5.10.     Retention of Depositary Documents. 

     The Depositary is authorized to destroy those documents, records, bills and other data
compiled during the term of this Deposit Agreement at the times permitted by the laws or
regulations governing the Depositary unless the Company requests that such papers be retained for a
longer period.

SECTION 5.11.     Exclusivity. 

     Subject to Section 5.04, the Company agrees not to appoint any other depositary for issuance
of American or global depositary receipts for the Shares so long as JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is
acting as Depositary hereunder.

SECTION 5.12.     List of Restricted Securities Owners. 

     The Company shall provide to the Depositary a list setting forth, to the actual knowledge of
the Company, those persons or entities who beneficially own Restricted Securities as of the date
hereof and the Company shall update that list on a regular basis as changes occur. The Company
agrees to advise in writing each of the persons or entities so listed that such Restricted
Securities, so long as they remain such, are ineligible for deposit hereunder. The Depositary (i)
may rely on the list provided under this Section 5.12, as most recently updated, but shall not be
liable for any action or omission made in reliance thereon and (ii) shall keep such a list strictly
confidential, except as required by applicable law, legal process, regulation, judicial or
administrative proceeding.

ARTICLE 6. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

SECTION 6.01.     Amendment.

     The form of the Receipts and any provisions of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from
time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary without the consent of
Owners or Beneficial Owners in any respect which they may deem necessary or desirable. Any
amendment which shall impose or increase any fees or charges (other than taxes and other
governmental charges, registration fees, cable, telex or facsimile transmission costs, delivery
costs or other such expenses), or which shall otherwise prejudice any substantial existing right of
Owners, shall, however, not become effective as to outstanding Receipts until the expiration of 30
days after notice of such amendment shall have been given to the Owners of outstanding Receipts.
Every Owner and Beneficial Owner, at the time any amendment so becomes effective, shall be deemed,
by continuing to hold such Receipt

- 25 -

 

or any interest therein, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by the Deposit
Agreement as amended thereby. In no event shall any amendment impair the right of the Owner of any
Receipt to surrender such Receipt and receive therefor the Deposited Securities represented
thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law.

     The Company and the Depositary shall each use their reasonable efforts to amend this Deposit
Agreement as necessary to reflect changes in English or U.S. law and in the Company’s Memorandum
and Articles of Association.

SECTION 6.02.     Termination.

     The Depositary shall, at any time at the direction of the Company, terminate this Deposit
Agreement by mailing notice of such termination to the Owners of all Receipts then outstanding at
least 30 days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination. The Depositary may
likewise terminate this Deposit Agreement by mailing notice of such termination to the Company and
the Owners of all Receipts then outstanding, if at any time 60 days shall have expired after the
Depositary shall have delivered to the Company a written notice of its election to resign and a
successor depositary shall not have been appointed and accepted its appointment as provided in
Section 5.04. On and after the date of termination, the Owner of a Receipt will, upon (a)
surrender of such Receipt at the Principal Office of the Depositary, and (b) payment of the fee of
the Depositary for the surrender of Receipts referred to in section 2.05, and (c) payment of any
applicable taxes or governmental charges, be entitled to delivery, to him or upon his order, of the
amount of Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by such
Receipt. If any Receipts shall remain outstanding after the date of termination, the Depositary
thereafter shall discontinue the registration of transfers of Receipts, shall suspend the
distribution of dividends to the Owners thereof, and shall not give any further notices or perform
any further acts under this Deposit Agreement, except that the Depositary shall continue to collect
dividends and other distributions pertaining to Deposited Securities, shall sell rights and other
property as provided in this Deposit Agreement, and shall continue to deliver Deposited Securities,
together with any dividends or other distributions received with respect thereto and the net
proceeds of the sale of any rights or other property, in exchange for Receipts surrendered to the
Depositary (after deducting, in each case, any expenses for the account of the Owner of such
Receipt in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, and any applicable
taxes or governmental charges) and for its obligations under Section 5.08 hereof. At any time
after the expiration of six months from the date of termination, the Depositary may sell the
Deposited Securities then held hereunder and may thereafter hold the net proceeds of any such sale,
together with any other cash then held by it hereunder, without liability for interest, for the pro
rata benefit of the Owners of Receipts which have not theretofore been surrendered, such Owners
thereupon becoming general creditors of the Depositary with respect to such net proceeds. All such
proceeds and cash shall be invested in direct obligations of the federal government of the United
States. After making such sale, the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under this
Deposit Agreement, except to account for such net proceeds and other cash (after deducting, in each
case, the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of a Receipt, any expenses for the account of the
Owner of such Receipt in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, and
any applicable taxes or governmental charges) and for its obligations under Section 5.08 hereof.

- 26 -

 

     Upon the termination of this Deposit Agreement, the Company shall be discharged from all
obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary under
Sections 5.08 and 5.09.

ARTICLE 7. MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 7.01.     Counterparts.

     This Deposit Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original and all of such counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Copies of this Deposit Agreement shall be filed with the Depositary and the Custodian and shall be
open to inspection by any Owner or Beneficial Owner during business hours.

SECTION 7.02.     No Third Party Beneficiaries. 

     This Deposit Agreement is for the exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and, except with
respect to indemnification of the Custodian as set forth in Section 5.08, shall not be deemed to
give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim whatsoever to any other person.

SECTION 7.03.     Severability. 

     In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or in the
Receipts should be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity,
legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or therein shall in no way
be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.

SECTION 7.04.     Owners and Beneficial Owners as Parties; Binding Effect.

     The Owners and Beneficial Owners of Receipts from time to time shall be parties to this
Deposit Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof and of the Receipts
by acceptance thereof or any interest therein.

SECTION 7.05.     Notices. 

     Any and all notices to be given to the Company shall be deemed to have been duly given if in
English and personally delivered or sent by mail or cable, telex or facsimile transmission
confirmed by letter, addressed to Royal Dutch Shell plc, Shell Centre, London SE1 7NA, England,
Attn: Company Secretary, or any other place to which the Company may have transferred its
registered office with notice to the Depositary.

Any and all notices to be given to the Depositary shall be deemed to have been duly given if in
English and personally delivered or sent by mail or cable, telex or facsimile transmission
confirmed by letter, addressed to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Four New York Plaza, New York, New
York 10286, Attention: American Depositary Receipt Administration, or any

- 27 -

 

other place to which the Depositary may have transferred its Principal Office with notice to the
Company.

     Any and all notices to be given to any Owner shall be deemed to have been duly given if in
English and personally delivered or sent by mail or cable, telex or facsimile transmission
confirmed by letter, addressed to such Owner at the address of such Owner as it appears on the
transfer books for Receipts of the Depositary, or, if such Owner shall have filed with the
Depositary a written request that notices intended for such Owner be mailed to some other address,
at the address designated in such request.

     Delivery of a notice sent by mail or cable, telex or facsimile transmission shall be deemed to
be effective at the time when a duly addressed letter containing the same (or a confirmation
thereof in the case of a cable, telex or facsimile transmission) is deposited, postage prepaid, in
a post-office letter box. The Depositary or the Company may, however, act upon any cable, telex or
facsimile transmission received by it, notwithstanding that such cable, telex or facsimile
transmission shall not subsequently be confirmed by letter as aforesaid.

SECTION 7.06.     Compliance with U.S. Securities Laws.

     Notwithstanding anything in this Deposit Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the
Depositary each agrees that it will not exercise any rights it has under this Deposit Agreement to
permit the withdrawal or delivery of Deposited Securities in a manner which would violate the U.S.
securities laws, including, but not limited to, Section I.A.(1) of the General Instructions to the
Form F-6 registration statement, as amended from time to time, under the Securities Act of 1933.

SECTION
7.07.     Governing Law; Jurisdiction. 

     This Deposit Agreement and the Receipts shall be interpreted and all rights hereunder and
thereunder and provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by the laws of the State of New
York.

     It is hereby acknowledged and agreed that Owners and Beneficial Owners of ADRs, as such, are
not shareholders of the Company and have no direct rights of a shareholder against the Company.
The rights of holders of and of the Company with respect to the Shares are governed exclusively by
the Company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and the laws of England and Wales.

     The
Company and, by holding a Receipt, each Owner, but not the Depositary
or its agents hereunder, shall be bound by the arbitration and
exclusive jurisdiction provisions set out in articles 152, 153
and 154 of the Articles of Association of the Company from time to
time (the “Articles”), as if all references therein to
“shareholder” were replaced with “ADR holder”.
Articles 152, 153 and 154 of the Articles shall accordingly be
incorporated, mutatis mutandis, into the terms of this Deposit
Agreement. A copy of articles 152, 153 and 154 of the Articles
is available upon written request to the Company. All
cross-references to the Articles in this
Article 13 and in
Section 7.07 of the Deposit Agreement will be
updated and amended without further action of any party in the event
the Articles themselves are renumbered. English law shall govern any
such arbitration.

- 28 -

 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL plc and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. have duly executed
this Deposit Agreement as of the day and year first set forth above and all Owners and Beneficial
Owners shall become parties hereto upon acceptance by them of Receipts issued in accordance with
the terms hereof or any interest therein.

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	ROYAL DUTCH SHELL plc

 	 
	 	By:  	 	 
	 	 	Name:  	 	 
	 	 	Title:  	 	 
	 

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Depositary

 	 
	 	By:  	 	 
	 	 	Name:  	 	 
	 	 	Title:  	 	 

- 29 -

 

EXHIBIT A

	 	 	 
	No.

	 	AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

(Each American Depositary Share represents two

deposited Shares)

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPT

FOR ORDINARY SHARES

NOMINAL VALUE 0.25 GBP EACH OF

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL plc

(INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF ENGLAND AND WALES)

     JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as depositary (herein called the Depositary), hereby certifies
that_________, or registered assigns IS THE OWNER OF
_________

AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

representing deposited ordinary shares (herein called Shares) of Royal Dutch Shell plc,
incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (herein called the Company). At the date hereof,
each American Depositary Share represents two Shares deposited or subject to deposit under the
Deposit Agreement (as such term is hereinafter defined) at the
principal Amsterdam office of ING Groep NV.

THE DEPOSITARY’S PRINCIPAL OFFICE ADDRESS IS

FOUR NEW YORK PLAZA, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10004

A-1

 

1.     THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT.

     This American Depositary Receipt is one of an issue (herein called Receipts), all issued and
to be issued upon the terms and conditions set forth in the deposit agreement, dated as of
___, 2005, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with its terms (the
“Deposit Agreement”), by and among the Company, the Depositary, and all Owners and Beneficial
Owners from time to time of Receipts issued thereunder, each of whom by accepting a Receipt or any
interest therein agrees to become a party thereto and become bound by all the terms and conditions
thereof. The Deposit Agreement sets forth the rights of Owners and Beneficial Owners of the
Receipts and the rights and duties of the Depositary in respect of the Shares deposited thereunder
and any and all other securities, property and cash from time to time received in respect of such
Shares and held thereunder (such Shares, securities, property, and cash are herein called Deposited
Securities). Copies of the Deposit Agreement are on file at the Depositary’s Principal Office in
New York City and at the office of the Custodian.

     The statements made on the face and reverse of this Receipt are summaries of certain
provisions of the Deposit Agreement and are qualified by and subject to the detailed provisions of
the Deposit Agreement, to which reference is hereby made. Capitalized terms defined in the Deposit
Agreement and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Deposit Agreement.

2.     SURRENDER OF RECEIPTS AND WITHDRAWAL OF SHARES.

     Upon surrender at the Principal Office of the Depositary of a Receipt in certificated form or
proper instructions and documentation, in the case of a Direct Registration Receipt, and upon
payment of the fee of the Depositary provided in this Receipt, and subject to the terms and
conditions of the Deposit Agreement and English law, the Owner hereof is entitled to delivery, to
him or upon his order, of the Deposited Securities at the time represented by the American
Depositary Shares for which this Receipt is issued. Delivery of such Deposited Securities may be
made by the delivery of (a) to the extent applicable, certificates in the name of the Owner hereof or as ordered by him or
certificates properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer
(b) Deposited Securities to an account designated by such Owner
with the Euroclear Nederland (including any successors thereto,
“Euroclear Nederland”) or an institution that maintains
accounts with the Euroclear Nederland and (c) any other
securities, property and cash to which such Owner is then entitled in respect of this Receipt.
In the case of certificated Deposited Securities, such delivery will be made at the option of the Owner hereof, either at the office of the Custodian
or at the Principal Office of the Depositary, provided that the forwarding of certificates for
Shares or other Deposited Securities for such delivery at the Principal Office of the Depositary
shall be at the risk and expense of the Owner hereof.

     To the extent applicable, the
Owner requesting withdrawal of Shares shall have the sole
responsibility for ensuring that such Owner, or its customer, has a
valid account with Euroclear Nederland or an institution that maintains
accounts with Euroclear Nederland and that the information required
for the book-entry transfer to such account is accurately
and promptly
provided to the Depositary.

3.     TRANSFERS, SPLIT-UPS, AND COMBINATIONS OF RECEIPTS.

     The transfer of this Receipt is registrable on the books of the Depositary at its Principal
Office by the Owner hereof in person or by a duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this
Receipt properly endorsed for transfer or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer and funds
sufficient to pay any applicable transfer taxes and the expenses of the Depositary and upon
compliance with such regulations, if any, as the Depositary may establish for such purpose. This
Receipt may be split into other such Receipts, or may be combined with other such Receipts into one
Receipt, evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as the

A-2

 

Receipt or Receipts surrendered. As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery,
registration of transfer, split-up, combination, or surrender of any Receipt or withdrawal of any
Deposited Securities, the Depositary, the Custodian, or Registrar may require payment from the
depositor of the Shares or the presenter of the Receipt of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any
tax or other governmental charge and any stock transfer or registration fee with respect thereto
(including any such tax or charge and fee with respect to Shares being deposited or withdrawn) and
payment of any applicable fees as provided in this Receipt, may require the production of proof
satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature and may also require
compliance with any regulations the Depositary may establish consistent with the provisions of the
Deposit Agreement or this Receipt, including, without limitation, this Article 3.

     The delivery of Receipts against deposit of Shares generally or against deposit of particular
Shares may be suspended, or the transfer of Receipts in particular instances may be refused, or the
registration of transfer of outstanding Receipts generally may be suspended, during any period when
the transfer books of the Depositary are closed, or if any such action is deemed necessary or
advisable by the Depositary or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any
requirement of law or of any government or governmental body or commission, or under any provision
of the Deposit Agreement or this Receipt, or for any other reason, subject to the provisions of
Section 7.07 of the Deposit Agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Deposit
Agreement or the Receipts, the surrender of outstanding Receipts and withdrawal of Deposited
Securities may not be suspended. The Depositary shall not knowingly accept for deposit under the
Deposit Agreement any Shares which would be required to be registered under the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933 for the public offer and sale thereof in the United States unless a
registration statement is in effect as to such Shares for such offer and sale. The Depositary will
use reasonable efforts to comply with written instructions of the Company that the Depositary
shall not accept for the deposit hereunder any Shares identified in such circumstances as may
reasonably be specified in such restrictions to facilitate the Company’s compliance with the U.S.
securities laws. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Deposit Agreement, Owners shall
be entitled to surrender Receipts and withdraw Deposited Securities as provided in Section 2.05 of
the Deposit Agreement at any time, subject only to (i) temporary delays caused by closing the
transfer books of the Depositary or the Company or the deposit of Shares in connection with voting
at a shareholders’ meeting, or the payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and
similar charges, (iii) compliance with any U.S. or foreign laws or governmental regulations
relating to the Receipts or to the withdrawal of the Deposited Securities and (iv) any other reason
that may at any time be specified in paragraph I.(A)(1) of the General Instructions to Form F-6
under the Securities Act of 1933, from time to time in effect, or any successor provision thereto.

4.     LIABILITY OF OWNER OR BENEFICIAL OWNER FOR TAXES.

     If any tax or other governmental charge shall become payable with respect to any Receipt or
any Deposited Securities represented hereby, such tax or other governmental charge shall be payable
by the Owner or Beneficial Owner hereof to the Depositary. The Depositary may refuse to effect any
transfer of this Receipt or any withdrawal of Deposited Securities represented by American
Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt until such payment is made, and may withhold any
dividends or other distributions, or may sell for the account of the

A-3

 

Owner or Beneficial Owner hereof any part or all of the Deposited Securities represented by
the American Depositary Shares evidenced by this Receipt, and may apply such dividends or other
distributions or the proceeds of any such sale in payment of such tax or other governmental charge
and the Owner or Beneficial Owner hereof shall remain liable for any deficiency. Neither the
Company nor the Depositary shall be liable for failure of an Owner to comply with applicable tax
laws or governmental charges.

5.     WARRANTIES ON DEPOSIT OF SHARES.

     Every person depositing Shares under the Deposit Agreement shall be deemed thereby to
represent and warrant that such Shares and each certificate therefor are validly issued, fully
paid, non-assessable, and were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of the
holders of outstanding Shares and that the person making such deposit is duly authorized so to do.
Every such person shall also be deemed to represent that such Shares are not, and American
Depositary Shares representing such Shares would not be, Restricted Securities. Such
representations and warranties shall survive the deposit of Shares and delivery of Receipts.

6.     FILING PROOFS, CERTIFICATES, AND OTHER INFORMATION.

     Any person presenting Shares for deposit or any Owner or Beneficial Owner of a Receipt may be
required from time to time to file with the Depositary or the Custodian such proof of citizenship
or residence, exchange control approval, or such information relating to the registration on the
books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, to execute such certificates and to
make such representations and warranties, as the Depositary may deem necessary or proper.

     The Depositary may, and shall if requested by the Company pursuant to the provisions of
Section 7.07 of the Deposit Agreement, withhold the delivery or registration of transfer of any
Receipt or the distribution of any dividend or sale or distribution of rights or of the proceeds
thereof or the delivery of any Deposited Securities until such proof or other information is filed
or such certificates are executed or such representations and warranties made. The Depositary shall
notify the Company, upon its request, of the availability of any such proofs, certificates or other
information and shall provide copies thereof to the Company as promptly as practicable upon request
by the Company, unless such disclosure is prohibited by law. No Share shall be accepted for
deposit unless accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that any necessary approval,
where relevant, has been granted by any governmental body in England and Wales that is then
performing the function of the regulation of currency exchange.

7.     CHARGES OF DEPOSITARY.

     The Company agrees to pay the fees, reasonable expenses and out-of-pocket charges of the
Depositary and those of any Registrar only in accordance with agreements in writing entered into
between the Depositary and the Company from time to time. The Depositary shall present its
statement for such charges and expenses to the Company once every three months. The charges and
expenses of the Custodian are for the sole account of the Depositary.

A-4

 

     The following charges shall be incurred by any party depositing or withdrawing Shares or by
any party surrendering Receipts or to whom Receipts are issued (including, without limitation,
issuance pursuant to a stock dividend or stock split declared by the Company or an exchange of
stock regarding the Receipts or Deposited Securities or a distribution of Receipts pursuant to
Section 4.03 of the Deposit Agreement), or by Owners, as applicable: (1) taxes and other
governmental charges, (2) such registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the
registration of transfers of Shares generally on the Share register of the Company or Foreign
Registrar and applicable to transfers of Shares to or from the name of the Depositary or its
nominee or the Custodian or its nominee on the making of deposits or withdrawals under the terms of
the Deposit Agreement, (3) such cable, telex and facsimile transmission expenses as are expressly
provided in the Deposit Agreement, (4) such expenses as are incurred by the Depositary in the
conversion of foreign currency pursuant to Section 4.05 of the Deposit Agreement, (5) a fee of
$5.00 or less per 100 American Depositary Shares (or portion thereof) for the execution and
delivery of Receipts pursuant to Section 2.03, 4.03 or 4.04 of the Deposit Agreement and the
surrender of Receipts pursuant to Section 2.05 or 6.02 of the Deposit Agreement and (6) a fee for
the distribution of securities pursuant to Section 4.02 of the Deposit Agreement, such fee being in
an amount equal to the fee for the execution and delivery of American Depositary Shares referred to
above which would have been charged as a result of the deposit of such securities (for purposes of
this clause 7 treating all such securities as if they were Shares), but which securities are
instead distributed by the Depositary to Owners.

     The Depositary, subject to Article 8 hereof, may own and deal in any class of securities of
the Company and its affiliates and in Receipts.

8.     LOANS AND PRE-RELEASE OF SHARES AND RECEIPTS.

     The Depositary will lend neither the Shares held under the Deposit Agreement nor the Receipts,
provided, however, that the Depositary reserves the right to execute and deliver Receipts prior to
the receipt of Shares pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Deposit Agreement on the terms and conditions
set forth below and in the Deposit Agreement. The Depositary may receive Receipts in lieu of Shares
as settlement of the pre-release of a Receipt. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit
Agreement, the Pre-Release of Receipts may occur only if (i) Pre-released Receipts are fully
collateralized (marked to market daily) with cash or U.S. government securities in an amount equal
to not less than 100% of the market value of the Pre-Released Receipts held by the Depositary for
the benefit of Owners (but such collateral shall not constitute Deposited Securities), (ii) each
recipient of Pre-released Receipts agrees in writing with the Depositary that such recipient (a)
owns such Shares, (b) assigns all beneficial right, title and interest therein to the Depositary,
(c) holds such Shares for the account of the Depositary and (d) will deliver such Shares to the
Custodian as soon as practicable and promptly upon demand therefor and (iii) all Pre-released
Receipts evidence not more than 20% of all American Depositary Shares (excluding those evidenced by
Pre-released Receipts) or such other percentage as the Company and
the Depositary may from time to time agree in writing, of the total number of Shares represented by
Receipts except to the extent, if any, that such limitation is exceeded solely because of the
withdrawal of Deposited Securities subsequent to the execution and delivery of Pre-Released
Receipts in compliance with such limitation. The Depositary will also set limits with respect to
the number of Receipts and

A-5

 

Shares involved in transactions to be done under the Deposit Agreement with anyone person on a case
by case basis as it deems appropriate. The Depositary may retain for its own account any
compensation received by it in connection with the foregoing.

9.     TITLE TO RECEIPTS.

     It is a condition of this Receipt and every successive Owner and Beneficial Owner of this
Receipt by accepting or holding the same consents and agrees, that title to this Receipt when
properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, is transferable by delivery
with the same effect as in the case of a negotiable instrument under the laws of New York;
provided, however, that the Depositary, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary,
may treat the person in whose name this Receipt is registered on the books of the Depositary as the
absolute owner hereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to distribution of
dividends or other distributions or to any notice provided for in the Deposit Agreement or for all
other purposes.

10.     VALIDITY OF RECEIPT.

     This Receipt shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Deposit Agreement or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose, unless this Receipt shall have been executed by the Depositary by the
manual signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary; provided, however, that such
signature may be a facsimile if a Registrar for the Receipts shall have been appointed and such
Receipts are countersigned by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the Registrar.

11.     REPORTS; INSPECTION OF TRANSFER BOOKS.

     The
Company is subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and accordingly files certain reports
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(hereinafter called the “Commission”). Such reports and
other information may be inspected and copied at public reference
facilities maintained by the Commission located at the date hereof at
Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549.

     The Depositary will make available for inspection by Owners of Receipts at its Principal
Office, any reports and communications, including any proxy soliciting material, received from the
Company which are both (a) received by the Depositary as the holder of the Deposited Securities and
(b) made generally available to the holders of such Deposited Securities by the Company. The
Depositary will also, upon written request, send to Owners of Receipts copies of such reports when
furnished by the Company pursuant to the Deposit Agreement. Any such reports and communications,
including any such proxy soliciting material, furnished to the Depositary by the Company shall be
furnished in English to the extent such materials are required to be translated into English
pursuant to any regulations of the Commission.

     The Depositary will keep books, at its Principal Office, for the registration of Receipts and
transfers of Receipts which at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the Owners of
Receipts provided that such inspection shall not be for the purpose of

A-6

 

communicating with Owners of Receipts in the interest of a business or object other than the
business of the Company or a matter related to the Deposit Agreement or the Receipts.

12.     DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS.

     Notwithstanding
any rights under the Company’s articles of association,
dividends paid on the Deposited Securities that are not paid to the
Depositary or its nominee or Custodian in US Dollars will be paid by
the Company in euro. Whenever the Depositary receives any cash dividend or other cash distribution on any Deposited
Securities distribution in respect of any Deposited Securities (including, without limitation, any
dividend paid to holders of Shares in a foreign currency, the Depositary will, if at the time of
receipt thereof any amounts received in a foreign currency can in the judgment of the Depositary be
converted on a reasonable basis into United States dollars transferable to the United States, and
subject to the Deposit Agreement, convert such dividend or distribution into Dollars. Promptly
after the settlement of such conversion or, in the in the case of any cash dividend or other cash
distribution received by the Depositary in Dollars, the Depositary shall as promptly as
practicable, distribute the amount thus received (net of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as
provided in Article 7 hereof and Section 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement) to the Owners of Receipts
entitled thereto; provided, however, that in the event that the Company or the Depositary is
required to withhold and does withhold from any cash dividend or other cash distribution in respect
of any Deposited Securities an amount on account of taxes, the amount distributed to the Owners of
the Receipts evidencing American Depositary Shares representing such Deposited Securities shall be
reduced accordingly.

     Subject to the provisions of Section 4.11 and 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement, whenever the
Depositary receives any distribution other than a distribution described in Section 4.01, 4.03 or
4.04 of the Deposit Agreement, the Depositary will cause the securities or property received by it
to be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto, in any manner that the Depositary may deem
equitable and practicable for accomplishing such distribution; provided, however, that if in the
reasonable opinion of the Depositary such distribution cannot be made proportionately among the
Owners of Receipts entitled thereto, or if for any other reason the Depositary deems such
distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may, after consultation with the Company, adopt
such method as it may deem equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such
distribution, including, but not limited to, the public or private sale of the securities or
property thus received, or any part thereof, and the net proceeds of any such sale (net of the fees
and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Article 7 hereof and Section 5.09 of the Deposit
Agreement) will be distributed by the Depositary to the Owners of Receipts entitled thereto all in
the manner and subject to the conditions described in Section 4.01 of the Deposit Agreement;
provided, however, that no distribution to Owners pursuant to Section 4.02 of the Deposit Agreement
shall be unreasonably delayed by any action or inaction of the Depositary or any of its agents.
The Depositary may withhold any distribution of securities under this Section 4.02 if it has not
received satisfactory assurances from the Company that the distribution does not require
registration under the Securities Act of 1933.

     If any distribution consists of a dividend in, or free distribution of, Shares, the Depositary
may, and shall if the Company shall so request, distribute to the Owners of outstanding Receipts
entitled thereto, additional Receipts evidencing an aggregate number of American Depositary Shares
representing the amount of Shares received as such dividend or free distribution subject to the
terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement with respect to the

A-7

 

deposit of Shares and the issuance of American Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts,
including the withholding of any tax or other governmental charge as provided in Section 4.11 of
the Deposit Agreement and the payment of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in
Article 7 hereof and Section 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement; provided, however, that no distribution
to Owners pursuant to this Section 4.03 shall be unreasonably delayed by any action or inaction of
the Depositary or any of its agents. The Depositary may withhold any such distribution of Receipts
if it has not received reasonably satisfactory assurances from the Company that such distribution
does not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933 or is exempt from registration under
the provisions of such Act. In lieu of delivering Receipts for fractional American Depositary
Shares in any such case, the Depositary shall sell the amount of Shares represented by the
aggregate of such fractions and distribute the net proceeds, all in the manner and subject to the
conditions described in Section 4.01 of the Deposit Agreement. If additional Receipts are not so
distributed, each American Depositary Share shall thenceforth also represent the additional Shares
distributed upon the Deposited Securities represented thereby.

     In the event that the Depositary determines that any distribution in property (including
Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) is subject to any tax or other governmental charge which
the Depositary is obligated to withhold, the Depositary may by public or private sale dispose of
all or a portion of such property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) in such
amounts and in such manner as the Depositary reasonably deems necessary and practicable to pay any
such taxes or charges, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale after
deduction of such taxes or charges to the Owners of Receipts entitled thereto.

     Subject to the rules and regulations of any stock exchange upon which the American Depositary
Shares may be traded, the Depositary shall endeavor to convert the funds as promptly as practicable
and that distributions to Owners pursuant to Section 4.01 of the Deposit Agreement are made within
five New York Stock Exchange trading days of the day on which the cash dividend or cash
distribution on the Deposited Securities is received by the Depositary.

13.     RIGHTS.

     In the event that the Company shall offer or cause to be offered to the holders of any
Deposited Securities any rights to subscribe for additional Shares or any rights of any other
nature, the Depositary, after consultation with the Company, shall have discretion as to the
procedure to be followed in making such rights available to any Owners or in disposing of such
rights on behalf of any Owners and making the net proceeds available to such Owners or, if by the
terms of such rights offering or for any other reason, the Depositary may not either make such
rights available to any Owners or dispose of such rights and make the net proceeds available to
such Owners, then the Depositary shall allow the rights to lapse. If at the time of the offering
of any rights the Depositary, after consultation with the Company, determines in its reasonable
discretion that it is lawful and feasible to make such rights available to all or certain Owners
but not to other Owners, the Depositary may, and at the request of the Company shall, distribute to
any Owner to whom it determines the distribution to be lawful and feasible, in

A-8

 

proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by such Owner, warrants or other
instruments therefor in such form as it deems appropriate.

     In circumstances in which rights would otherwise not be distributed, if an Owner of Receipts
requests the distribution of warrants or other instruments in order to exercise the rights
allocable to the American Depositary Shares of such Owner hereunder, the Depositary will make such
rights available to such Owner upon written notice from the Company to the Depositary that (a) the
Company has elected in its sole discretion to permit such rights to be exercised and (b) such Owner
has executed such documents as the Company has determined in its sole discretion are reasonably
required under applicable law.

     If the Depositary has distributed warrants or other instruments for rights to all or certain
Owners, then upon instruction from such an Owner pursuant to such warrants or other instruments to
the Depositary from such Owner to exercise such rights, upon payment by such Owner to the
Depositary for the account of such Owner of an amount equal to the purchase price of the Shares to
be received upon the exercise of the rights, and upon payment of the fees and expenses of the
Depositary and any other charges as set forth in such warrants or other instruments, the Depositary
shall, on behalf of such Owner, exercise the rights and purchase the Shares, and the Company shall
cause the Shares so purchased to be delivered to the Depositary on behalf of such Owner. As agent
for such Owner, the Depositary will cause the Shares so purchased to be deposited pursuant to
Section 2.02 of the Deposit Agreement, and shall, pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Deposit
Agreement, execute and deliver Receipts to such Owner; provided, however, that in the case of a
distribution pursuant to the second paragraph of this Article 13, such Receipts shall be legended
in accordance with applicable U.S. laws, and shall be subject to the appropriate restrictions on
sale, deposit, cancellation, and transfer under applicable United States laws.

     If the Depositary determines that it is not lawful and feasible to make such rights available
to all or certain Owners, it may sell the rights, warrants or other instruments in proportion to
the number of American Depositary Shares held by the Owners to whom it has determined it may not
lawfully or feasibly make such rights available, and allocate the net proceeds of such sales (net
of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement and
all taxes and governmental charges payable in connection with such rights and subject to the terms
and conditions of the Deposit Agreement) for the account of such Owners otherwise entitled to such
rights, warrants or other instruments, upon an averaged or other practical basis without regard to
any distinctions among such Owners because of exchange restrictions or the date of delivery of any
Receipt or otherwise.

     The Depositary will not offer rights to Owners unless both the rights and the securities to
which such rights relate are either exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 with
respect to a distribution to all Owners or are registered under the provisions of the Securities
Act of 1933, provided, that nothing in the Deposit Agreement shall create any obligation on
the part of the Company to file a registration statement with respect to such rights or underlying
securities or to endeavor to have such a registration statement declared effective. If an Owner of
Receipts requests the distribution of warrants or other instruments, notwithstanding that there has
been no such registration under such Act, the Depositary shall not

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effect such distribution unless it has received an opinion from recognized counsel in the
United States for the Company upon which the Depositary may rely that such distribution to such
Owner is exempt from such registration. The Company will have no obligation under the Deposit
Agreement to register such rights under the Securities Act of 1933.

     The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to determine that it may be lawful or
feasible to make such rights available to Owners in general or any Owner in particular.

14.     CONVERSION OF FOREIGN CURRENCY.

     Whenever the Depositary or the Custodian shall receive foreign currency, by way of dividends
or other distributions or the net proceeds from the sale of securities, property or rights the
Depositary shall, as promptly as practicable, convert or cause to be converted, by sale or in any
other manner that it may reasonably determine, such foreign currency into Dollars, and such Dollars
shall be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto or, if the Depositary shall have distributed
any warrants or other instruments which entitle the holders thereof to such Dollars, then to the
holders of such warrants or instruments upon surrender thereof for cancellation. Such distribution
may be made upon an averaged or other practicable basis without regard to any distinctions among
Owners on account of exchange restrictions, the date of delivery of any Receipt or otherwise and
shall be net of any expenses of conversion into Dollars incurred by the Depositary as provided in
Section 5.09 of the Deposit Agreement.

     If such conversion or distribution can be effected only with the approval or license of any
government or agency thereof, the Depositary shall file such application for approval or license,
if any, as it may deem desirable.

     If at any time the Depositary shall determine that in its reasonable judgment any foreign
currency received by the Depositary or the Custodian is not convertible on a reasonable basis into
Dollars transferable to the United States, or if any approval or license of any government or
agency thereof which is required for such conversion is denied or in the reasonable opinion of the
Depositary is not obtainable, or if any such approval or license is not obtained within a
reasonable period as determined by the Depositary, the Depositary may distribute the foreign
currency (or an appropriate document evidencing the right to receive such foreign currency)
received by the Depositary to, or in its reasonable discretion may hold such foreign currency
uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the accounts of, the Owners entitled to
receive the same.

     If any such conversion of foreign currency, in whole or in part, cannot be effected for
distribution to some of the Owners entitled thereto, the Depositary may in its discretion make such
conversion and distribution in Dollars to the extent permissible to the Owners entitled thereto and
may distribute the balance of the foreign currency received by the Depositary to, or hold such
balance uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the accounts of, the Owners
entitled thereto.

     15.     RECORD DATES.

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     Whenever any cash dividend or other cash distribution shall become payable or any distribution
other than cash shall be made, or whenever rights shall be issued with respect to the Deposited
Securities, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of any meeting of holders of Shares or
other Deposited Securities, or whenever for any reason the Depositary causes a change in the number
of Shares that are represented by each American Depositary Share, or whenever the Depositary shall
find it necessary, the Depositary shall fix a record date (a) for the determination of the Owners
of Receipts who shall be (i) entitled to receive such dividend, distribution or rights or the net
proceeds of the sale thereof, (ii) entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights
at any such meeting or (iii) responsible for any fees or charges assessed by the Depositary
pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, or (b) on or after which each American Depositary Share will
represent the changed number of Shares, subject to the provisions of the Deposit Agreement. The
record date shall be fixed in accordance with any applicable rules of the New York Stock Exchange.
The Depositary shall advise the Company and the New York Stock Exchange of any record date so fixed
by the Depositary.

16.     VOTING OF DEPOSITED SECURITIES.

     Upon
the written request of an Owner of record of a Receipt as of the
record date (the “Voting Record Date”) received on or
before the date established by the Depositary for such purpose (the
“Instruction Date”), the Depositary will endeavor to
cause the appointment (or, if the Deposited Securities are registered in
the name of or held by its Custodian or a nominee, the Depositary hereby agrees to procure that the
Custodian or its nominee shall cause the appointment) subject to the Articles of Association of the
Company, of such Owner as of the Voting Record Date fixed by the Depositary in
accordance with Section 4.06 of the Deposit Agreement as a proxy in respect of any meeting (including any
adjourned meeting) at such Owner entitled to attend and vote at in respect of the Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by the
Receipts held by such Owners on the Voting Record Date. In respect of any such meeting each such
Owner may appoint either a person nominated by the Depositary its
Custodian or nominee to vote on behalf of the Owner subject to and in
accordance with the provisions of Section 4.07 of the Deposit
Agreement and the Articles of Association of the Company.
Upon receipt of notice of any meeting of holders of Shares or other Deposited Securities, if
requested in writing by the Company the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail
to the Owners of record as of the Voting Record Date a notice, the form of which notice shall be
approved of by the Company which shall contain (a) such information as is contained in such notice
of meeting, (b) a Voting instruction card in the form prepared by the Depositary after consultation with
the Company, (c) a statement that the Owners of record as of the close of business on the Voting
Record Date will be entitled, subject to any applicable provision of English law and of the
Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company and the provisions of or governing the
Deposited Securities, either (i) to use such Voting instruction
card to inform the Depositary that the Owner intends to attend such
meeting as the proxy of the Depositary, the Custodian or its nominee
as appropriate solely with respect
to the Shares or other Deposited Securities represented by American Depositary Shares evidenced by
such Owner’s Receipts or (ii) to instruct such person nominated by the
Depositary its Custodian or nominee as

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, the Custodian or nominee as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the number of Shares or other Deposited
Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by such Owner’s Receipts, and
(d) a brief statement as to the manner in which voting instructions may be given to the person
nominated by the Depositary. Upon the written request of an Owner of
record of a Receipt on the Voting Record Date,
received on or before the Instruction
Date the Depositary shall endeavor, in so far as practicable, to vote or cause to be voted the
number of Shares or other Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares
evidenced by such Receipt in accordance with the instructions set forth in such request. Neither
the Depositary, nor the Custodian nor the nominee of either of them shall vote or attempt to
exercise the right to vote that attaches to the Shares or other Deposited Securities, other than in
accordance with such written instructions from Owners given in
accordance with Section 4.07 of the
Deposit Agreement. If no valid written instructions are received by the Depositary from an Owner
with respect to any of the number of Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary
Shares evidenced by such Owner’s Receipts on or before the
Instruction Date, that number of
Deposited Securities shall not be voted by the Depositary, the
Custodian or the
nominee of either of them.

     There can be no assurance that Owners generally or any Owner in particular will receive the
notice described in the preceding paragraph sufficiently prior to the
Instruction Date to ensure
that the Depositary will appoint the Owner as proxy or vote the
Shares or other Deposited Securities in accordance with the provisions
set forth in the preceding paragraph.

17.     CHANGES AFFECTING DEPOSITED SECURITIES.

     In circumstances where the provisions of Section 4.03 of the Deposit Agreement do not apply,
upon any change in nominal value, change in par value, split-up, consolidation, or any other
reclassification of Deposited Securities, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger or
consolidation, or sale of assets affecting the Company or to which it is a party, any securities
which shall be received by the Depositary or a Custodian in exchange for or in conversion of or in
respect of Deposited Securities shall be treated as new Deposited Securities under the Deposit
Agreement, and American Depositary Shares shall thenceforth represent, in addition to the existing
Deposited Securities, the right to receive the new Deposited Securities so received in exchange or
conversion, unless additional Receipts are delivered pursuant to the following sentence. In any
such case the Depositary may, and shall if the Company shall so reasonably request, execute and
deliver additional Receipts as in the case of a dividend in Shares, or call for the surrender of
outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new Deposited
Securities.

18.     LIABILITY OF THE COMPANY AND DEPOSITARY.

     Neither the Depositary nor the Company nor any of their directors, employees, agents or
affiliates shall incur any liability to any Owner or Beneficial Owner if, by reason of any

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provision of any present or future law or regulation of the United States or any other
country, or of any other governmental or regulatory authority, or by reason of any provision,
present or future, of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, or by reason of
any provision of any securities issued or distributed by the Company, or any offering or
distribution thereof, or by reason of any act of God or war or terrorism or other circumstances
beyond its control, the Depositary or the Company shall be prevented, delayed or forbidden from or
be subject to any civil or criminal penalty on account of doing or performing any act or thing
which by the terms of the Deposit Agreement or Deposited Securities it is provided shall be done or
performed; nor shall the Depositary or the Company or any of their directors, employees, agents or
affiliates incur any liability to any Owner or Beneficial Owner of a Receipt by reason of any
non-performance or delay, caused as aforesaid, in the performance of any act or thing which by the
terms of the Deposit Agreement it is provided shall or may be done or performed, or by reason of
any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in the Deposit Agreement.
Where, by the terms of a distribution pursuant to Section 4.01, 4.02 or 4.03 of the Deposit
Agreement, or an offering or distribution pursuant to Section 4.04 of the Deposit Agreement, such
distribution or offering may not be made available to Owners of Receipts, and the Depositary may
not dispose of such distribution or offering on behalf of such Owners and make the net proceeds
available to such Owners, then the Depositary shall not make such distribution or offering, and
shall allow any rights, if applicable, to lapse. Neither the Company nor the Depositary assumes
any obligation or shall be subject to any liability under the Deposit Agreement to Owners or
Beneficial Owners of Receipts, except that they agree to perform their obligations specifically set
forth in the Deposit Agreement without negligence or bad faith. The Depositary shall not be
subject to any liability with respect to the validity or worth of the Deposited Securities.
Neither the Depositary nor the Company (nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees
or agents) shall be under any obligation to appear in or prosecute or defend any action, suit, or
other proceeding in respect of any Deposited Securities or in respect of the Receipts on behalf of
any Owner, Beneficial Owner or other person. The parties to the Deposit Agreement understand that
the Custodian is not a party to the Deposit Agreement and, accordingly, the Custodian has no
obligations whatsoever with respect to such proceedings, the responsibility of the Custodian being
solely to the Depositary. Neither the Depositary nor the Company (nor any of their respective
directors, officers, employees or agents) shall be liable for any action or nonaction by it in
reliance upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting
Shares for deposit, any Owner or Beneficial Owner of a Receipt, or any other person believed by it
in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information. Each of the Depositary, the
Company and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents may rely and shall be
protected in acting upon any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by such
person to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties. The
Depositary and its agents will not be responsible for (i) any failure to carry out any instructions
to vote any of the Deposited Securities or for the manner in which any such vote is cast, in each
case to the extent the Depositary or its agents act without gross negligence or willful misconduct
or (ii) for the effect of any such vote. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the
Deposit Agreement or any Receipt, the Depositary and its agents may fully respond to any and all
demands or requests for information maintained by or on its behalf in connection with the Deposit
Agreement, any Owner or Owners, any Receipt or Receipts or otherwise related hereto to the extent
such information is requested or required by or pursuant to any lawful authority, including without
limitation laws, rules,

A-13

 

regulations, administrative or judicial process, banking, securities or other regulators.
The Depositary shall not be liable for any acts or omissions made by a successor depositary whether
in connection with a previous act or omission of the Depositary or in connection with a matter
arising wholly after the removal or resignation of the Depositary, provided that in connection with
the issue out of which such potential liability arises, the Depositary performed its obligations
without negligence or bad faith while it acted as Depositary. In
connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and
procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties understand that the
Depositary will not verify, determine or otherwise ascertain that the
DTC participant which is claiming to be acting on behalf of an Owner
in requesting registration of transfer and delivery described in
subsection (a) has the actual authority to act on behalf of the
Owner. Each Owner agrees that neither the Depositary nor the Company
shall have any liability for the Depositary’s or any of its
agents’ reliance upon the authority of any information in, nor
for any of the Depositary’s or any of its agents’
compliance with directions from, any DTC participants as set forth
above. Neither the Company nor the
Depositary nor any of their respective agents shall be liable to Owners or holders of interests in
American Depositary Shares or any other third party or parties for any indirect, special, punitive
or consequential damages. No disclaimer of liability under the Securities Act of 1933 is intended
by any provision of the Deposit Agreement.

19.     RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL OF THE DEPOSITARY; APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR CUSTODIAN.

     The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary by written notice of its election so to do
delivered to the Company, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of a successor
depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as provided in the Deposit Agreement. The
Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by written notice to the Depositary, such
removal, to become effective upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of
such appointment as provided in the Deposit Agreement. Whenever the Depositary in its reasonable
discretion determines that it is in the best interest of the Owners of Receipts to do so, it may
appoint a substitute or additional custodian or custodians, after consultation with the Company.

20.     AMENDMENT.

     The form of the Receipts and any provisions of the Deposit Agreement may at any time and from
time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary without the consent of
Owners or Beneficial Owners in any respect which they may deem necessary or desirable. Any
amendment which shall impose or increase any fees or charges (other than taxes and other
governmental charges, registration fees and cable, telex or facsimile transmission costs, delivery
costs or other such expenses), or which shall otherwise prejudice any substantial existing right of
Owners of Receipts, shall, however, not become effective as to outstanding Receipts until the
expiration of thirty days after notice of such amendment shall have been given to the Owners of
outstanding Receipts. Every Owner and Beneficial Owner of a Receipt at the time any amendment so
becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such Receipt or any interest therein, to
consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by the Deposit Agreement as amended thereby.
In no event shall any amendment impair the right of the Owner of any Receipt to surrender such
Receipt and receive therefor the Deposited Securities represented thereby except in order to comply
with mandatory provisions of applicable law.

     The Company and the Depositary shall each use their reasonable efforts to amend the Deposit
Agreement as necessary to reflect changes in English or U.S. law and in the Company’s Memorandum
and Articles of Association.

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21.     TERMINATION OF DEPOSIT AGREEMENT.

     The Depositary at any time at the direction of the Company, shall terminate the Deposit
Agreement by mailing notice of such termination to the Owners of all Receipts then outstanding at
least 30 days prior to the date fixed in such notice for such termination. The Depositary may
likewise terminate the Deposit Agreement by mailing notice of such termination to the Company and
the Owners of all Receipts then outstanding if at any time 60 days shall have expired after the
Depositary shall have delivered to the Company a written notice of its election to resign and a
successor depositary shall not have been appointed and accepted its appointment as provided in the
Deposit Agreement. On and after the date of termination, the Owner of a Receipt will, upon (a)
surrender of such Receipt at the Principal Office of the Depositary and (b) payment of the fee of
the Depositary for the surrender of Receipts referred to in section 2.05, and (c) payment of any
applicable taxes or governmental charges, be entitled to delivery, to him or upon his order, of the
amount of Deposited Securities represented by the American Depositary Shares evidenced by such
Receipt. If any Receipts shall remain outstanding after the date of termination, the Depositary
thereafter shall discontinue the registration of transfers of Receipts, shall suspend the
distribution of dividends to the Owners thereof, and shall not give any further notices or perform
any further acts under the Deposit Agreement, except that the Depositary shall continue to collect
dividends and other distributions pertaining to Deposited Securities, shall sell rights and other
property as provided in the Deposit Agreement, and shall continue to deliver Deposited Securities,
together with any dividends or other distributions received with respect thereto and the net
proceeds of the sale of any rights or other property, in exchange for Receipts surrendered to the
Depositary (after deducting, in each case, the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of Receipts,
any expenses for the account of the Owner of such Receipt in accordance with the terms and
conditions of the Deposit Agreement, and any applicable taxes or governmental charges) and for its
obligation under Section 5.08 of the Deposit Agreement. At any
time after the expiration of six months from the date of termination, the Depositary may sell the Deposited Securities then held under
the Deposit Agreement and may thereafter hold uninvested the net proceeds of any such sale,
together with any other cash then held by it thereunder, unsegregated and without liability for
interest, for the pro rata benefit of the Owners of Receipts which have not theretofore been
surrendered, such Owners thereupon becoming general creditors of the Depositary with respect to
such net proceeds. After making such sale, the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations
under the Deposit Agreement, except to account for such net proceeds and other cash (after
deducting, in each case, the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of a Receipt, any expenses for
the account of the Owner of such Receipt in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Deposit
Agreement, and any applicable taxes or governmental charges) and for its obligation under Section
5.08 of the Deposit Agreement. Upon the termination of the Deposit Agreement, the Company shall be
discharged from all obligations under the Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the
Depositary with respect to indemnification, charges, and expenses.

     22.     COMPLIANCE WITH U.S. SECURITIES LAWS.

     Notwithstanding anything in the Deposit Agreement to the contrary, the Company and the
Depositary each agrees that it will not exercise any rights it has under the Deposit Agreement to
permit the withdrawal or delivery of Deposited Securities in a manner which

A-15

 

would violate the U.S. securities laws, including, but not limited to, Section I.A.(1) of the
General Instructions to the Form F-6 registration statement, as amended from time to time, under
the Securities Act of 1933.

23.     DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS.

     To the extent that provisions of or governing any Deposited Securities (including the Company’s
Memorandum and Articles of Association or applicable English law) may require the disclosure of
beneficial or other ownership of Deposited Securities, other Shares and other securities to the
Company and may provide for blocking transfer and voting or other rights to enforce such
disclosure or limit such ownership, the Depositary shall, to the extent reasonably practicable,
comply with the Company’s instructions as to Receipts in respect of any such enforcement or
limitation, and Owners and Beneficial Owners of Receipts shall comply with all such disclosure
requirements and ownership limitations and shall cooperate with the Depositary’s compliance with
such Company instructions. The Company may from time to time request Owners to provide
information (a) as to the capacity in which such Owners own or owned American Depositary Shares,
(b) regarding the identity of any other persons then or previously interested in such American
Depositary Shares and (c) regarding the nature of such interest and various other matters pursuant
to applicable law or the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company or other such
corporate document of the Company, all as if such American Depositary Shares were to the extent
practicable the underlying Shares. Each Owner agrees to provide any information requested by the
Company or the Depositary pursuant to this Section whether or not such person is still an Owner at
the time of the request. The Depositary agrees to use reasonable efforts to comply with written
instructions received from the Company requesting that the Depositary forward any such requests to
Owners and to forward to the Company any responses to such requests received by the
Depositary.

24.     ARBITRATION
REQUIREMENT.

The Company and, by holding a
Receipt, each Owner, but not the Depositary or its agents hereunder,
shall be bound by the arbitration and exclusive jurisdiction provisions
set out in articles 152, 153 and 154 of the Articles of Association
of the Company from time to time (the “Articles”), as if all
references therein to “shareholder” were replaced with
“ADR holder”. Articles 152, 153 and 154 of the Articles
shall accordingly be incorporated, mutatis mutandis, into the
terms of this Deposit Agreement. A copy of articles 152, 153 and 154 of
the Articles is available upon written request to the Company. All
cross-references to the Articles in this Article 13 and in Section
7.07 of the Deposit Agreement will be updated and amended without
further action of any party in the event the Articles themselves
are renumbered. English law shall govern any such arbitration.

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[A8]

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