investors to effect service of process within the United States upon the Issuer or its directors and executive officers or to enforce any judgments obtained in U.S. courts predicated upon civil liability provisions of the U.S. securities laws. In addition, the Issuer cannot assure you that civil liabilities predicated upon the federal securities laws of the United States will be enforceable the Netherlands.
In a lawsuit for payment on the notes, an investor may bear currency exchange risk.
The indenture is, and the notes will be, governed by the laws of the State of New York. Under New York law, a New York state court rendering a judgment on the notes would be required to render the judgment in euro, the currency in which the notes are denominated. However, the judgment would be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing on the date of entry of the judgment. Consequently, in a lawsuit for payment on the notes, investors would bear currency exchange risk until a New York state court judgment is entered, which could be a significant amount of time. A federal court sitting in New York with diversity jurisdiction over a dispute arising in connection with the notes would apply the laws of the State of New York.
In courts outside of New York, investors may not be able to obtain a judgment in a currency other than dollars. For example, a judgment for money in an action based on the notes in many other United States federal or state courts ordinarily would be enforced in the United States only in U.S. dollars. The date used to determine the rate of conversion of euro into U.S. dollars would depend upon various factors, including which court renders the judgment and when the judgment is rendered.
An investment in the notes by a holder whose home currency is not the euro entails significant risks.
All payments of interest on and the principal (including any additional amounts) of the notes and any redemption or repurchase price for the notes will be made in euro. An investment in the notes by a holder whose home currency is not the euro entails significant risks. These risks include the possibility of significant changes in rates of exchange between the holder’s home currency and the euro and the possibility of the imposition or subsequent modification of foreign exchange controls with respect to the euro or the investor’s home currency. These risks generally depend on factors over which we have no control, such as economic, financial and political events and the supply of and demand for the relevant currencies.
In the past, rates of exchange between the euro and certain currencies have been highly volatile, and each holder should be aware that volatility may occur in the future. Fluctuations in any particular exchange rate that have occurred in the past, however, are not necessarily indicative of fluctuations in the rate that may occur during the term of the notes. Depreciation of the euro against the holder’s home currency would result in a decrease in the effective yield of the notes below its coupon rate and, in certain circumstances, could result in a loss to the holder. If you are a U.S. Holder (as defined in “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”), see “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” for a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes, related to the notes being denominated in euro.
The European Union or one or more of its member states may, in the future, also impose exchange controls and modify any exchange controls imposed, which controls could affect exchange rates, as well as the availability of euro at the time of payment of principal of, interest on, or any redemption payment or additional amounts with respect to the notes.
This description of foreign exchange risks does not describe all the risks of an investment in securities, including, in particular, the notes, that are denominated or payable in a currency other than an investor’s home currency. You should consult your own financial and legal advisors as to the risks involved in an investment in the notes.
The notes permit the Issuer or, in the case of the guarantee, the Company to make payments in U.S. dollars if either is unable to obtain euro.
If the euro is unavailable to the Issuer or, in the case of the guarantee, the Company, due to the imposition of exchange controls or other circumstances beyond the Issuer’s or the Company’s control or if the euro is no longer being used by the then member states of the European Monetary Union that have