As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 31, 2007

Registration No. 333-          

 

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

 

FORM F-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

 

 

ASTRAZENECA PLC

Issuer

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

15 Stanhope Gate

London W1K 1LN

England

Tel: +44-20-7304-5000

(Address and Telephone Number of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

 

 

Glenn M. Engelmann

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP

1800 Concord Pike

Wilmington

Delaware 19850-5437

Tel: (302) 886-3000

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

 

 

 

 

Copies to:

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  o

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  þ

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o

 

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  þ

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  o

 

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

 

PROSPECTUS

 

ASTRAZENECA PLC

 

Debt Securities

 

By this prospectus, we may offer and sell from time to time debt securities.

 

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the debt securities we may offer.

 

Each time securities are sold using this prospectus, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.

 

The securities will be offered and sold directly to purchasers, through underwriters, dealers or agents, or through any combination of these methods, on a continuous or delayed basis. The supplements to this prospectus will provide the specific terms of the plan of distribution.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will contain information, where applicable, as to any listing on any securities exchange of the securities covered by the prospectus supplement.

 

 

 

 

See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 for a discussion of certain risks of investing in these securities.

 

 

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

Prospectus dated August 31, 2007

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

 

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information About Us.”

 

Unless otherwise stated in this prospectus or unless the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to “we”, “our” and “us” are to AstraZeneca PLC.

 

ASTRAZENECA PLC

 

We are a major international research-based bio-pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of ethical (prescription) pharmaceutical products. From February 1993 until April 1999, we were called Zeneca Group PLC. On April 6, 1999 we changed our name to AstraZeneca PLC.

 

We were formed when the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and specialty chemical businesses of Imperial Chemical Industries PLC were demerged in 1993. In 1999, we sold the specialty chemical business. Also in 1999, we merged with Astra AB of Sweden. In 2000, we demerged the agrochemical business and merged it with the similar agribusiness of Novartis AG to form a new company called Syngenta AG. With effect from June 1, 2007, we completed the acquisition of MedImmune, Inc., significantly enhancing our bio-pharmaceutical business.

 

RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in the securities offered using this prospectus involves risk. You should consider carefully the risks described below, together with the risks described in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and any risk factors included in any prospectus supplement, before you decide to buy our securities. If any of these risks actually occur you may lose all or part of your investment.

 

Risk Relating to our Business

 

You should read “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus, or similar sections in subsequent filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus, for information relating to risk factors affecting our business.

 

Risks Relating to the Debt Securities

 

Because we are a holding company and currently conduct our operations through subsidiaries, your right to receive payments on our debt securities is structurally subordinated to the liabilities of our subsidiaries.

 

We are organized as a holding company, and substantially all of our operations are carried on through subsidiaries. Our ability to meet our financial obligations is dependent upon the availability of cash flows from our domestic and foreign subsidiaries and affiliated companies through dividends, intercompany advances, management fees and other payments. Our subsidiaries are not guarantors of the debt securities we may offer. Moreover, these subsidiaries and affiliated companies are not required and may not be able to pay us dividends. Claims of the creditors of our subsidiaries have priority as to the assets of such subsidiaries over our rights as shareholders of such subsidiaries. Consequently, in the event of our insolvency, the claims of holders of debt securities issued by us would be structurally subordinated to the prior claims of the creditors of our subsidiaries. As of June 30, 2007, our subsidiaries had $404 million aggregate principal amount of indebtedness outstanding.

Because the debt securities are unsecured, your right to receive payments may be adversely affected.

 

The debt securities that we are offering will be unsecured. To the extent that we grant security over our assets in favor of holders of our other indebtedness, holders of debt securities will be effectively subordinated to the other indebtedness to the extent of the value of those assets. As of June 30, 2007, we had no secured indebtedness outstanding. If we default on the debt securities, or in the event of bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization, then, to the extent that we have granted security over our assets, the assets that secure these debts will be used to satisfy the obligations under that secured debt before we could make payment on the debt securities. If there is not enough collateral to satisfy the obligations of the secured debt, then the remaining amounts on the secured debt would share equally with all unsubordinated unsecured indebtedness, including the debt securities offered hereby.

 

Your rights as a holder of debt securities may be inferior to the rights of holders of debt securities issued under a different series pursuant to the indenture.

 

The debt securities are governed by a document called an indenture, described later under “Description of Debt Securities”. We may issue as many distinct series of debt securities under this indenture as we wish. We may also issue a series of debt securities under this indenture that provides holders with rights superior to the rights already granted or that may be granted in the future to holders of another series. You should read carefully the specific terms of any particular series of debt securities which will be contained in the prospectus supplement relating to such debt securities.

 

Should we default on our debt securities your right to receive payments on such debt securities may be adversely affected by UK insolvency laws.

 

We are incorporated under the laws of England and Wales. Accordingly, insolvency proceedings with respect to us are likely to proceed primarily under, and to be governed primarily by, UK insolvency law. The procedural and substantive provisions of such insolvency laws are, in certain cases, more favorable to secured creditors than comparable provisions of United States law. These provisions afford debtors and unsecured creditors only limited protection from the claims of secured creditors and it may not be possible for us or other unsecured creditors to prevent or delay the secured creditors from enforcing their security to repay the debts due to them under the terms that such security was granted.

 

The debt securities lack a developed trading market, and such a market may never develop.

 

We may issue debt securities in different series with different terms in amounts that are to be determined. These debt securities may be listed on the New York Stock Exchange or another recognized stock exchange. However, there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop for any series of debt securities even if we list the series on a securities exchange. There can also be no assurance regarding the ability of holders of our debt securities to sell their debt securities or the price at which such holders may be able to sell their debt securities. If a trading market were to develop, the debt securities could trade at prices that may be higher or lower than the initial offering price and this may result in a return that is greater or less than the interest rate on the debt security, depending on many factors, including, among other things, prevailing interest rates, our financial results, any decline in our credit-worthiness and the market for similar securities.

 

Any underwriters, broker-dealers or agents that participate in the distribution of the debt securities may make a market in the debt securities as permitted by applicable laws and regulations but will have no obligation to do so, and any such market-making activities may be discontinued at any time. Therefore, there can be no assurance as to the liquidity of any trading for the debt securities or that an active public market for the debt securities will develop.

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus may contain statements regarding our assumptions, projections, expectations, intentions or beliefs about future events. These statements are intended as “Forward-Looking Statements” under the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. We identify these forward-

looking statements by using words “anticipates”, “believes”, “expects”, “intends” and similar expressions in such statements. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, certain of which are beyond our control, including:

 

 

The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus speak only as of the date of this prospectus. We do not intend to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after that date, and we do not assume any responsibility to do so.

 

ENFORCEABILITY OF
CERTAIN CIVIL LIABILITIES

 

We are a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales. Substantially all of our directors and officers, and some of the experts named in this document, reside outside the United States, principally in the United Kingdom. All or a substantial portion of our assets, and the assets of such persons, are located outside the United States. Therefore, you may not be able to effect service of process within the United States upon us or these persons so that you may enforce judgments of US courts against us or these persons based on the civil liability provisions of the US federal securities laws. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has advised us that there is doubt as to the enforceability in England and Wales, in original actions or in actions for enforcement of judgments of US courts, of civil liabilities solely based on the US federal securities laws.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit some of the information included in the registration statement from this prospectus. In addition, we are subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and, in accordance with this act, we file reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any of this information in the SEC’s Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can obtain information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.

 

The SEC also maintains an Internet web site that contains reports and other information regarding issuers, like us, that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is http://www.sec.gov. The SEC file number for documents filed by us is 1-11960.

 

Our ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “AZN”. Our ordinary shares are admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol “AZN” and are also listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange under the symbol “AZN”. You can consult reports and other information about us that we file pursuant to the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the London Stock Exchange and the Stockholm Stock Exchange at such exchanges.

 

INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with or furnish to them. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Each document incorporated by reference is current only as of the date of such document, and the incorporation by reference of such documents shall not create any implication that there has been no change in our affairs since the date thereof or that the information contained therein is current as of any time subsequent to its date. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.

 

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any documents filed with the SEC in the future under Sections 13(a), 13(c) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, until the offerings made under this prospectus are completed:

 

 

 

Our Form 20-F contains a summary description of our business and audited consolidated financial statements with a report by our independent auditors. These financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union, or IFRS. For a discussion of the principal differences between IFRS and generally accepted accounting principles applicable in the United States, referred to as US GAAP, please see “Additional Information for US Investors — Differences between International and US accounting principles” included in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

 

We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above which have been or may be incorporated by reference into this prospectus other than exhibits which are not specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. You can request those documents from either of the below:

 

 

You should rely only on the information that we incorporate by reference or provide in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making any offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any documents incorporated by reference therein are accurate only as of their respective dates.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, the net proceeds from the sale of securities will be used for general corporate purposes. These include working capital and the repayment of existing borrowings by us and by our subsidiaries.

 

LEGAL OWNERSHIP

 

Street Name and Other Indirect Holders

 

Investors who hold securities in accounts at banks or brokers will generally not be recognized as the legal holders of securities. This is called holding in street name. If you hold securities in street name, we will recognize only the bank or broker or the financial institution the bank or broker uses to hold its securities as the legal holder. These intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions pass along principal, interest and other payments on the securities, either because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. If you hold securities in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

 

 

 

Direct Holders

 

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the trustee and those of any third parties employed by us or the trustee, extend only to the registered holders of securities. The holder of any certificate representing securities, including global securities, is the person or entity in whose name the certificate is registered. As noted above, we do not have obligations to you if you hold in street name or any other indirect means, either because you choose to hold securities in that manner or because the securities are issued in the form of global securities as described below. For example, once we make payment to the registered holder, we have no further responsibility for the payment even if that holder is legally required to pass the payment along to you as a street name customer but does not do so.

 

Global Securities

 

Global security.  A global security is a special type of indirectly held security. It will be issued in registered form. If we choose to issue securities in the form of global securities, the ultimate beneficial owners of global securities can only be indirect holders, as described above. We require that the global security be registered in the name of or held by a financial institution we select.

 

We also require that the securities included in the global security not be transferred to the name of any other direct holder unless the special circumstances described below occur. The financial institution that acts as the sole direct holder of the global security is called the depositary. Any person wishing to own a security must do so indirectly by virtue of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution which in turn has an account with the depositary. The prospectus supplement relating to an offering of a series of securities will indicate whether the series will be issued only in the form of global securities.

 

Special investor considerations for global securities.  As an indirect holder, an investor’s rights in a global security will be governed by the account rules of the investor’s financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We do not recognize this type of investor as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

 

If you are an investor in securities issued only in the form of global securities, you should be aware that:

 

 

Special situations when the global security will be terminated.  In a few special situations described below, the global security will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing

securities. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in securities transferred to their own name so that they will be direct holders. The rights of street name investors and direct holders in the securities have been previously described in the subsections “— Street Name and Other Indirect Holders” and “— Direct Holders”.

 

A permanent global debt security may only be transferred as a whole between the depositary and a nominee of the depositary or to a successor depositary or nominee.

 

Owners of beneficial interests in a permanent global debt security are not entitled to receive physical delivery of securities in definitive form unless:

 

 

When a global security terminates, the depositary, and not we or the trustee, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions that will be the initial direct holders.

 

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

 

We may issue debt securities using this prospectus. As required by US federal law for all publicly offered corporate bonds and notes, the debt securities are governed by a document called an indenture. The indenture relating to the debt securities issued by us is a contract, dated as of April 1, 2004, between AstraZeneca PLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as trustee. As a result of the transfer of JPMorgan Chase Bank’s corporate trust business to The Bank of New York effective October 1, 2006, The Bank of New York is currently the trustee under the indenture. See “— The Trustee” below.

 

General

 

This section summarizes the material provisions of the indenture and the debt securities. Because it is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the indenture or the debt securities. This summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to all of the indenture provisions, including some of the terms used and defined in the indenture. We describe the meaning of only the more important terms in this prospectus. We also include references in parentheses to some sections of the indenture. Whenever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of the indenture in this prospectus or in the prospectus supplement, those sections or defined terms are incorporated by reference here or in the prospectus supplement. This summary is also subject to and qualified by reference to the description of the particular terms of your series of debt securities described in the prospectus supplement.

 

The indenture and its associated documents contain the full legal text of the matters described in this section. The indenture and the debt securities are governed by New York law. The indenture is an exhibit incorporated by reference into this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” for information on how to obtain a copy.

 

The debt securities are unsecured obligations of AstraZeneca PLC. The debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness except for indebtedness that is preferred under applicable law.

 

The Trustee

 

The Bank of New York (as successor trustee to JPMorgan Chase Bank) is the trustee under the indenture. As trustee, it has two main roles:

 

 

Types of Debt Securities

 

The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that we can issue. It provides that debt securities may be issued in one or more series up to the aggregate principal amount as we authorize from time to time. All debt securities of one series need not be issued at the same time and we may reopen any series, without the consent of a holder of that series, to issue additional debt securities of the same series.

 

The prospectus supplement relating to a series of debt securities will describe the following terms of the series:

 

 

 

We may issue the debt securities as original issue discount securities, which are debt securities offered and sold at a substantial discount to their stated principal amount. (Section 1.01)

Overview of the Remainder of this Description

 

The remainder of this description summarizes:

 

 

Additional Mechanics

 

Exchange and Transfer

 

Unless otherwise stated in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued only in fully registered form without interest coupons in denominations of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000. You may have your debt securities broken into more debt securities of smaller $1,000 denominations or combined into fewer debt securities of larger $1,000 denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed. (Section 2.08) This is called an exchange.

 

You may exchange or transfer registered debt securities at the office of the trustee. The trustee acts as our agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders and for transferring registered debt securities. We may change this appointment to another entity or perform the service ourselves. The entity performing the role of maintaining the list of registered holders is called the security registrar. It will also register transfers of the registered debt securities. (Section 3.03)

 

You may not exchange your registered debt securities for bearer securities.

 

There will be no service charge for any exchange or registration of transfer of the debt securities, but we may require payment of an amount sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection with any exchange or registration of transfer. (Section 2.13)

 

The transfer or exchange of a registered debt security may be made only if the security registrar is satisfied with your proof of ownership.

 

If the debt securities are redeemable and we redeem less than all of the debt securities of a particular series, we may block the transfer or exchange of debt securities during a specified period of time in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing. The period begins 15 days before the day we first mail the notice of redemption and ends on the day of that mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of debt securities selected or called for redemption. However, we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any security being partially redeemed. (Section 2.08)

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

We will pay interest to you if you are a direct holder of debt securities at the close of business on a particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if you no longer own the security on the interest due date. That particular day, usually about two weeks in advance of the interest due date, is called the record date and is stated in the prospectus supplement. (Section 2.12)

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, we will pay interest, principal and any other money due on debt securities in registered form at the corporate trust office of The Bank of New York (as successor paying agent to JPMorgan Chase Bank) in the Borough of Manhattan, The City and State of New York as paying agent for the debt securities. That office is currently located at The Bank of New York, 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286. At our option, we may pay interest on any debt securities by check mailed to the registered holders. (Sections 3.01, 3.02 and 3.03)

 

Some of the debt securities may be denominated, and payments may be made, in currencies other than US dollars or in composite currencies. A summary of any special considerations which apply to these debt securities is in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Street name and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive payments.

 

We may arrange for additional payment offices, or may cancel or change these offices, including our use of the trustee’s corporate trust office. These offices are called paying agents. We may also choose to act as our own paying agent, but must always maintain a paying agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City and State of New York. Whenever there are changes in the paying agents for any particular series of debt securities we must notify the trustee. (Sections 3.03 and 3.04)

 

Payment of Additional Amounts

 

We agree that any amounts to be paid by us under any series of debt securities of principal, premium and interest in respect of the debt securities will be paid without deduction or withholding for, any and all present and future taxes, levies, duties, assessments, imposts or other governmental charges of whatever nature imposed, assessed, levied or collected by or for the account of the government of any jurisdiction in which we are resident for tax purposes (presently, the UK) or any political subdivision or taxing authority of such jurisdiction, unless such withholding or deduction is required by law. If such deduction or withholding is at anytime required, we will (subject to compliance by you with any relevant administrative requirements) pay you additional amounts as will result in your receipt of such amounts as you would have received had no such withholding or deduction been required.

 

The indenture provides that we will not have to pay additional amounts in certain specified circumstances, and that those circumstances may be modified or supplemented for different series of debt securities. Unless the prospectus supplement for a series of debt securities provides otherwise, debt securities issued using this prospectus will provide that we will not have to pay additional amounts if:

 

 

 

 

 

Mergers and Similar Events

 

We are generally permitted to consolidate or merge with another company or other entity that is organized under the laws of the United Kingdom, the United States or any other country which is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. We are also generally permitted to sell or convey our property as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to such other entity. Our ability to take some of these actions is restricted in the following ways:

 

 

It is possible that the merger, sale, or lease of all or substantially all of our assets would cause a principal property of ours or of a restricted subsidiary of ours or shares of stock or indebtedness of any of our restricted subsidiaries to become subject to a lien giving other lenders preferential rights in that property over holders of debt securities. We have promised to limit these preferential rights on our property, called liens, as discussed under “— Limitation on Liens”. If a merger or other transaction would create any impermissible liens on our property, we must grant an equivalent or higher-ranking lien on the same property to you and the other direct holders of the debt securities. (Section 8.02)

 

Optional Tax Redemption

 

We have the option to redeem the debt securities in the two situations described below. The redemption price for the debt securities, other than original issue discount debt securities, will be equal to the principal amount of the debt securities being redeemed plus accrued interest and any additional amounts due on the date fixed for redemption. (Section 11.06) The redemption price for original issue discount debt securities will be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. We must give you between 30 and 60 days’ notice before redeeming the debt securities. (Section 11.02)

The first situation is where, as a result of a change or amendment to any law or related regulation or ruling of the jurisdiction in which we are resident for tax purposes, or any change in an application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings, or any change in application or interpretation of, or any execution of an amendment to, any treaty, we would have to pay additional amounts as described under “— Payment of Additional Amounts”.

 

This first situation applies only in the case of changes, amendments, applications, interpretations or executions that occur on or after the date specified in the prospectus supplement for the applicable series of debt securities. If we are succeeded by another entity, the applicable jurisdiction will be the jurisdiction in which such successor is resident for tax purposes, rather than the jurisdiction in which we are resident for tax purposes, and the applicable date will be the date such entity became successor, rather than the date specified in the prospectus supplement.

 

The second situation is where our independent legal adviser has advised us that, as a result of action taken by a taxation authority of, or any action brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in, the jurisdiction in which we are resident for tax purposes, after the date specified in the prospectus supplement for the applicable series of debt securities, we would have to pay additional amounts as described under “— Payment of Additional Amounts” and the payment of such additional amounts cannot be avoided by the use of reasonable measures available to us. (Section 11.06) If we are succeeded by another entity, the applicable jurisdiction will be the jurisdiction in which such successor is resident for tax purposes, rather than the jurisdiction in which we are resident for tax purposes and the applicable date will be the date such entity became our successor.

 

Covenants

 

Limitation on Liens

 

Some of our property and the property of our subsidiaries may be subject to a mortgage, pledge, assignment, charge or other legal mechanism that gives a lender preferential rights in that property over other lenders, including you and the other direct holders of the debt securities, or over our general creditors if we fail to repay them. These preferential rights are generally called liens.

 

We undertake that we and certain of our subsidiaries, which we refer to as “restricted subsidiaries”, will not become obligated on any new debt for borrowed money that is secured by a lien on any principal property or on any shares of stock or indebtedness of any of our restricted subsidiaries unless we grant an equivalent or higher-ranking lien on the same property to you and the other direct holders of the debt securities. (Section 3.09)

 

 

 

but does not include any wholly-owned subsidiary principally engaged in leasing or in financing installment receivables or principally engaged in financing the operations of us and our consolidated subsidiaries.

 

 

 

We do not need to comply with this restriction if the amount of all debt that would be secured by liens on our principal properties and the shares of stock or indebtedness of our restricted subsidiaries is no more than 15% of our consolidated net tangible assets. (Section 3.09)

 

 

 

This restriction on liens does not apply to debt secured by a number of different types of liens. These types of liens include the following:

 

 

 

 

 

The following types of transactions will not be deemed to create debt secured by a lien and, therefore, will also not be subject to the restriction on liens:

 

 

Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions

 

Neither we nor any of our restricted subsidiaries will enter into any sale and lease-back transaction involving a principal property without complying with this covenant.

 

A sale and lease-back transaction is an arrangement between us or a restricted subsidiary and any person in which we or the restricted subsidiary leases back for a term of more than three years a principal property that we or the restricted subsidiary has sold or transferred to that person.

 

We and our restricted subsidiaries may enter into sale and lease-back transactions provided that the total amount of attributable debt attributable to all sale and lease-back transactions plus other debt of ours or any of our restricted subsidiaries that is secured by liens (but excluding debt secured by liens on property that we or a restricted subsidiary would be entitled to incur, assume or guarantee without equally and ratably securing the debt securities offered by this prospectus as described under “— Limitation on Liens” above) does not exceed 15% of consolidated net tangible assets.

 

This restriction does not apply to any sale and lease-back transaction if:

 

 

 

This restriction on sale and lease-back transactions also does not apply to any transaction between us and a restricted subsidiary, or between restricted subsidiaries.

Attributable debt means the present value (discounted at a rate equal to the weighted average of the rate of interest on all securities then issued and outstanding under the indenture, compounded semi-annually) of our or a restricted subsidiary’s obligation for rental payments for the remaining term of any lease in a sale and lease-back transaction. (Section 1.01)

 

Default and Related Matters

 

Events of Default

 

A holder of debt securities of a particular series will have special rights if any event of default occurs with respect to that series and is not cured, as described later in this subsection.

 

What is an event of default? An event of default means any of the following:

 

 

No event of default described in the provisions above with respect to a particular series of debt securities will necessarily constitute an event of default with respect to any other series of debt securities and the events of default for any specific series may be modified as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Remedies if an event of default occurs.  If an event of default, other than a “Bankruptcy” default, has occurred (but only if, in the case of a “Covenant” default, the default has occurred for less than all series of debt securities then issued under the indenture and outstanding) and has not been cured, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of debt securities of the affected series (each affected series voting as a separate class) may declare the principal amount (or, if the debt securities of a series are original issue discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all the debt securities of that series, together with any accrued interest, to be due and payable immediately. If an event of default has occurred under “Covenant” default with respect to all of the series of debt securities then issued under the indenture and outstanding, or under “Bankruptcy” default, and has not been cured, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% of the principal amount of all the debt securities then issued under the indenture and outstanding (treated as one class) may declare the principal (or, if any debt securities are original issue discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all debt securities then issued under the indenture and outstanding, together with any accrued interest, to be due and payable immediately. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be canceled by the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series or by at least a majority in principal amount of all the debt securities then issued under the indenture and outstanding (voting as one class), as the case may be, if certain conditions are met. (Section 4.01)

 

Before a declaration of acceleration of maturity, past “Covenant” defaults that do not affect all series of debt securities then issued under the indenture and outstanding may be waived by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities then outstanding of each affected series (each such series voting as a separate class). Past “Covenant” defaults that affect all series of debt securities then issued under the indenture and outstanding and

past “Bankruptcy” defaults may be waived by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all the debt securities then issued under the indenture and outstanding (treated as one class). Default in the payment of principal of or interest on or any sinking fund installment of debt securities of any series or a covenant or provision of the indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected may only be modified or amended with the consent of such holder. (Section 4.10)

 

Except in cases of default, where the trustee has some special duties, the trustee is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable protection from expenses and liability. This protection is called an indemnity. (Section 5.02) If reasonable indemnity is provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may, subject to certain limitations and conditions, direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. These majority holders may also, subject to certain limitations and conditions, direct the trustee in performing any other action under the indenture. (Section 4.09)

 

Before you bypass the trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the following must occur:

 

 

These limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by you for the enforcement of payment of the principal or interest on a debt security on or after the respective due dates.

 

We will file annually with the trustee on or before March 31 in each year a written statement of certain of our officers certifying that, to their knowledge, we have not defaulted on our covenants under the indenture or else specifying any default that exists. (Section 3.06)

 

For any series of debt securities that is a series of original issue discount securities the prospectus supplement will contain provisions for the acceleration of the maturity of a portion of the principal amount of such original issue discount securities.

 

Modification of the Indenture and Waiver

 

There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and any series of the debt securities.

 

Changes not requiring approval.  The first type of change does not require any vote by holders of debt securities. Your consent is not required to do any of the following:

 

 

 

Changes requiring the approval of a majority of holders.  The second type of change to the indenture and the debt securities requires a vote in favor by holders of debt securities owning at least a majority of the principal amount of all series of debt securities then outstanding and affected by such charge (each affected series voting as a separate class). In this manner, any provision of the indenture or any series of debt securities may be changed or eliminated unless the provision relates to a matter that requires the consent of each affected holder as discussed below. (Section 7.02)

 

Changes requiring your approval.  Third, there are changes that cannot be made to your debt securities without the specific approval of each affected holder. Your consent is required before we could do any of the following:

 

 

Satisfaction, Discharge and Defeasance

 

We may terminate our repayment and obligations on the debt securities, when:

 

 

We may legally release ourselves from any payment or other obligations on the debt securities, except for various obligations described below, if we, in addition to other actions, put in place the following arrangements for you:

 

 

However, even if we take these actions, a number of our obligations relating to the debt securities will remain. These include the following obligations:

 

 

Government obligation means securities that are:

 

 

and are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer. Government obligation also includes:

 

 

Notices

 

We and the trustee will send notices only to direct holders, using their addresses registered in the trustee’s records. (Section 10.04)

 

Regardless of who acts as paying agent, all money that we pay to a paying agent that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after the amount is due to direct holders of debt securities will be repaid to us. After that two-year period, you may look only to us for payment and not to the trustee, any other paying agent or anyone else. (Section 9.05)

 

Governing Law

 

The debt securities and the indenture will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. (Section 10.08)

 

Concerning the Trustee

 

The Bank of New York acts as the trustee with respect to certain debt securities of certain of our subsidiaries.

 

If an event of default occurs, or an event occurs that would be an event of default if the requirements for either giving us notice or our default having to exist for a specified time period were disregarded, the trustee may be considered to have a conflicting interest with respect to the debt securities or the indenture for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. In that case, the trustee may be required to resign as trustee under the applicable indenture and we would be required to appoint a successor trustee.

 

CLEARANCE AND SETTLEMENT

 

Securities we issue may be held through one or more international and domestic clearing systems. The principal clearing systems we will use are the book-entry systems operated by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) in the United States, Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (“Clearstream, Luxembourg”) in Luxembourg, and Euroclear Bank SA/NV (“Euroclear”) in Brussels, Belgium. These systems have established electronic securities and payment transfer, processing, depositary and custodial links among themselves and others, either directly or through custodians and depositories. These links allow securities to be issued, held and transferred among the clearing systems without the physical transfer of certificates.

 

Special procedures to facilitate clearance and settlement have been established among these clearing systems to trade securities across borders in the secondary market. Where payments for securities we issue in global form will be made in US dollars, these procedures can be used for cross-market transfers and the securities will be cleared and settled on a delivery against payment basis.

 

Cross-market transfers of securities that are not in global form may be cleared and settled in accordance with other procedures that may be established among the clearing systems for these securities. Investors in securities that are issued outside of the United States, its territories and possessions must initially hold their interests through Euroclear, Clearstream, Luxembourg or the clearance system that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

The policies of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg, and Euroclear will govern payments, transfers, exchange and other matters relating to the investor’s interest in securities held by them. This is also true for any other clearance system that may be named in a prospectus supplement.

 

We have no responsibility for any aspect of the actions of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants. We have no responsibility for any aspect of the records kept by DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants. We also do not supervise these systems in any way. This is also true for any other clearing system indicated in a prospectus supplement.

 

DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg, Euroclear and their participants perform these clearance and settlement functions under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers. You should be aware that they are not obligated to perform these procedures and may modify them or discontinue them at any time.

 

The description of the clearing systems in this section reflects our understanding of the rules and procedures of DTC, Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear as they are currently in effect. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time.

 

The Clearing Systems

 

DTC

 

DTC has advised us as follows:

 

 

 

Clearstream, Luxembourg

 

Clearstream, Luxembourg has advised us as follows:

 

 

Euroclear

 

Euroclear has advised us as follows:

 

 

Other Clearing Systems

 

We may choose any other clearing system for a particular series of securities. The clearance and settlement procedures for the clearing system we choose will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Primary Distribution

 

The distribution of the securities will be cleared through one or more of the clearing systems that we have described above or any other clearing system that is specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. Payment for securities will be made on a delivery versus payment or free delivery basis. These payment procedures will be more fully described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

Clearance and settlement procedures may vary from one series of securities to another according to the currency that is chosen for the specific series of securities. Customary clearance and settlement procedures are described below.

 

We will submit applications to the relevant system or systems for the securities to be accepted for clearance. The clearance numbers that are applicable to each clearance system will be specified in the prospectus supplement.

 

Clearance and Settlement Procedures — DTC

 

DTC participants that hold securities through DTC on behalf of investors will follow the settlement practices applicable to United States corporate debt obligations in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System, or such other procedures as are applicable for other securities.

 

Securities will be credited to the securities custody accounts of these DTC participants against payment in same-day funds, for payments in US dollars, on the settlement date. For payments in a currency other than US dollars, securities will be credited free of payment on the settlement date.

 

Clearance and Settlement Procedures — Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg

 

We understand that investors that hold their securities through Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg accounts will follow the settlement procedures that are applicable to conventional Eurobonds in registered form for debt securities, or such other procedures as are applicable for other securities.

 

Securities will be credited to the securities custody accounts of Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg participants on the business day following the settlement date, for value on the settlement date. They will be credited either free of payment or against payment for value on the settlement date.

 

Secondary Market Trading

 

Trading between DTC Participants

 

Secondary market trading between DTC participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC’s rules. Secondary market trading will be settled using procedures applicable to United States corporate debt obligations in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System for debt securities, or such other procedures as are applicable for other securities.

 

If payment is made in US dollars, settlement will be in same-day funds. If payment is made in a currency other than US dollars, settlement will be free of payment. If payment is made other than in US dollars, separate payment arrangements outside of the DTC system must be made between the DTC participants involved.

 

Trading between Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg Participants

 

We understand that secondary market trading between Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg participants will occur in the ordinary way following the applicable rules and operating procedures of Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg. Secondary market trading will be settled using procedures applicable to conventional Eurobonds in registered form for debt securities, or such other procedures as are applicable for other securities.

 

Trading between a DTC Seller and a Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg Purchaser

 

A purchaser of securities that are held in the account of a DTC participant must send instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg at least one business day prior to settlement. The instructions will provide for the transfer of the securities from the selling DTC participant’s account to the account of the purchasing Euroclear or

Clearstream, Luxembourg participant. Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, will then instruct the common depositary for Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg to receive the securities either against payment or free of payment.

 

The interests in the securities will be credited to the respective clearing system. The clearing system will then credit the account of the participant, following its usual procedures. Credit for the securities will appear on the next day, European time. Cash debit will be back-valued to, and the interest on the securities will accrue from, the value date, which would be the preceding day, when settlement occurs in New York. If the trade fails and settlement is not completed on the intended date, the Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg cash debit will be valued as of the actual settlement date instead.

 

Euroclear participants or Clearstream, Luxembourg participants will need the funds necessary to process same-day funds settlement. The most direct means of doing this is to preposition funds for settlement, either from cash or from existing lines of credit, as for any settlement occurring within Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg. Under this approach, participants may take on credit exposure to Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg until the securities are credited to their accounts one business day later.

 

As an alternative, if Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg has extended a line of credit to them, participants can choose not to preposition funds and will instead allow that credit line to be drawn upon to finance settlement. Under this procedure, Euroclear participants or Clearstream, Luxembourg participants purchasing securities would incur overdraft charges for one business day (assuming they cleared the overdraft as soon as the securities were credited to their accounts). However, interest on the securities would accrue from the value date. Therefore, in many cases, the investment income on securities that is earned during that one business day period may substantially reduce or offset the amount of the overdraft charges. This result will, however, depend on each participant’s particular cost of funds.

 

Because the settlement will take place during New York business hours, DTC participants will use their usual procedures to deliver securities to the depositary on behalf of Euroclear participants or Clearstream, Luxembourg participants. The sale proceeds will be available to the DTC seller on the settlement date. For the DTC participants, then, a cross-market transaction will settle no differently than a trade between two DTC participants.

 

Special Timing Considerations

 

You should be aware that investors will only be able to make and receive deliveries, payments and other communications involving the securities through Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear on days when those systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers and other institutions are open for business in the United States.

 

In addition, because of time-zone differences, there may be problems with completing transactions involving Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear on the same business day as in the United States. US investors who wish to transfer their interests in the securities, or to receive or make a payment or delivery of the securities, on a particular day, may find that the transactions will not be performed until the next business day in Luxembourg or Brussels, depending on whether Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear is used.

 

CERTAIN UK AND US FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS

 

UNITED KINGDOM TAXATION

 

The following summary is of a general nature and describes certain UK tax considerations that relate to the debt securities and is based on current UK law and the practice of H.M. Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It is not tax advice. The comments relate only to the position of persons who are the absolute beneficial owners of their debt securities and any payments in respect of such debt securities and may not apply to certain classes of persons such as dealers and holders who are connected with us for relevant tax purposes. This section offers general guidance only and in particular does not discuss the UK tax treatment relevant to convertible or exchangeable securities, asset linked securities or securities issued at anything other than no discount or a fixed discount to their redemption amount.

 

Please consult your own tax adviser concerning the consequences of owning these debt securities in your particular circumstances under UK law and the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.

 

Interest Payments

 

If debt securities are issued with a redemption premium, then any such premium may constitute interest for UK tax purposes and so be treated in the manner described below. References to “interest” in this section mean interest as understood in UK tax law. The statements below do not take account of any different definitions of interest which may prevail under any other law or which may be created by the terms and conditions of the debt securities or any related documentation.

 

Payments of interest on debt securities issued by the Company will not be subject to withholding or deduction for or on account of UK taxation because the debt securities will be treated as “quoted Eurobonds” within the meaning of section 987 of the Income Tax Act 2007 (the “Act”) so long as they are listed on a “recognised stock exchange” within the meaning of Section 1005 of the Act. The New York Stock Exchange will be a “recognised stock exchange” so long as it is registered with the SEC as a national securities exchange.

 

Even if the debt securities do not qualify as “quoted Eurobonds”, the withholding obligation is disapplied in respect of payments to holders who the Company reasonably believes are either a UK resident company or a non-UK resident company carrying on a trade in the UK through a UK permanent establishment which is within the charge to corporation tax, or fall within various categories enjoying a special tax status (including charities and pension funds), or are partnerships consisting of such persons (unless HMRC directs otherwise).

 

In all other cases, payments of interest will generally be made after deduction of tax at the savings rate, which is currently 20%. Certain holders of debt securities who are resident in the United States may be entitled to receive payments free of deductions for or on account of UK tax under the United Kingdom — United States double taxation treaty and may therefore be able to obtain a direction to that effect from the appropriate taxation authority in the United Kingdom. Holders of debt securities who are resident in other jurisdictions may also be able to receive payment free of deductions or subject to a lower rate of deduction under an appropriate double taxation treaty and may be able to obtain a direction to that effect. However, such a direction will, in either case, only be issued on prior application to the relevant tax authorities by the holder in question. If such a direction is not in place at the time a payment of interest is made, the person making the payment will be required to withhold tax, although a holder of debt securities resident in another jurisdiction who is entitled to relief may subsequently claim the amount, or a proportion of the amount, as appropriate, withheld, from HMRC.

 

The interest on debt securities issued by the Company will have a UK source for tax purposes and, as such, may be subject to income tax by direct assessment even where paid without withholding. However, interest with a UK source received without deduction or withholding on account of UK tax will not be chargeable to UK tax in the hands of a person who is not resident for tax purposes in the United Kingdom unless that person carries on a trade, profession or vocation in the United Kingdom through a branch or agency (or, for holders who are companies, through a permanent establishment) in the United Kingdom in connection with which the interest is received or to which the debt securities are attributable. There are certain exceptions for interest received by certain categories of agents (such as some brokers and investment managers).

Provision of Information

 

Persons in the United Kingdom paying interest to or receiving interest on behalf of an individual (whether resident in the UK or elsewhere) may be required to provide certain information in relation to the payment and the individual concerned to HMRC. Interest for this purpose includes any amount to which a person holding a relevant discounted security is entitled on redemption of that security. HMRC may communicate information to the tax authorities of other jurisdictions.

 

Optional Tax Redemption

 

In the earlier section entitled “Description of Debt Securities — Optional Tax Redemption” we set out the situations in which the Company may redeem any debt securities.

 

Disposal (including Redemption)

 

A holder of debt securities who is resident in a jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom will not be liable to UK taxation in respect of a disposal (including redemption) of a debt security, any gain accrued in respect of a debt security or any change in the value of a debt security, unless, at the time of the disposal, the holder carries on a trade, profession or vocation in the United Kingdom through a branch or agency (or, for corporate holders, a permanent establishment) and the debt security was used in or for the purposes of that trade, profession or vocation or acquired for the use by or for the purposes of the branch or agency or permanent establishment or used or held for the purposes of the branch or agency or permanent establishment.

 

In general holders which are within the charge to UK corporation tax (other than authorized unit trusts and open-ended investment companies) will be treated for tax purposes as realising profits, gains or losses in respect of the debt securities on a basis which is broadly in accordance with their statutory accounting treatment so long as the accounting treatment is in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice as that term is defined for tax purposes. Such profits, gains and losses (or, where the holder’s functional currency is not sterling, then the sterling equivalent of such profits, gains and losses as computed in the holder’s functional currency) will be taken into account in computing taxable income for corporation tax purposes. Holders that are investment trusts, venture capital trusts, authorized unit trusts or open ended investment companies will be subject to the same taxation treatment in respect of the debt securities as other holders that are within the charge to UK corporation tax, other than with respect to profits, gains or losses carried to or sustained by a capital reserve in the case of investment trusts and venture capital trusts, and other than with respect to profits, gains or losses which fall to be dealt with under certain headings for gains/losses in the statement of total return for the accounting period in respect of the debt securities in the case of authorized unit trusts and open ended investment companies (or for those investment trusts, venture capital trusts, authorized unit trusts or open ended investment companies preparing accounts in accordance with international accounting standards, profits, gains or losses specified by order made by the Treasury). Such capital profits, gains or losses will not be brought into charge to corporation tax.

 

If the holder is an individual resident in the United Kingdom, he or she may have to account for capital gains tax in respect of any gains arising on a disposal of a debt security, unless the debt securities are “qualifying corporate bonds” within the meaning of section 117 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992. If this is the case, neither chargeable gains nor allowable losses will arise on a disposal of the debt securities for the purposes of taxation of chargeable gains. Any capital gains would be calculated by comparing the sterling values on purchase and disposal of the securities, so a liability to tax could arise where the non-sterling amount received on a disposal was less than or the same as the amount paid for the debt securities.

 

The provisions of the accrued income scheme (the “Scheme”) may apply to certain holders who are not subject to corporation tax, in relation to a transfer of the debt securities. On a transfer of securities with accrued interest the Scheme usually applies to deem the transferor to receive an amount of income equal to the accrued interest and to treat the deemed or actual interest subsequently received by the transferee as reduced by a corresponding amount. Generally, persons who are neither resident nor ordinarily resident in the UK and who do not carry on a trade in the UK through a branch or agency to which the debt securities are attributable will not be subject to the provisions of these rules.

If the debt security was issued at a significant discount to its redemption amount then it may still be a “qualifying corporate bond” but all profits and losses on its disposal would be taxed as income. “Significant” means more than 15% of the redemption amount or, if less, more than 1/2% of the redemption amount multiplied by the number of years to redemption.

 

A holder who is an individual and who has, on or after March 17, 1998, ceased to be resident or ordinarily resident for tax purposes in the United Kingdom for a period of less than five years of assessment and who disposes of debt securities during that period may be liable to UK taxation on chargeable gains arising during the period of absence, subject to any available exemption or relief.

 

Stamp Duty and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (“SDRT”)

 

Subject to the nature of the arrangements made by a holder of the debt securities with any clearance service or depositary system, no liability for UK stamp duty or SDRT will arise on a transfer of, or an agreement to transfer, debt securities unless such securities carry:

 

 

European Union Savings Income Directive

 

Under Council Directive 2003/48/EC on the taxation of savings income Member States are required from July 1, 2005 to provide to the tax authorities of another Member State details of payments of interest and other similar income paid by a person within its jurisdiction to or for an individual in that other Member State. However, for a transitional period Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg are instead required (unless during such period they elect otherwise) to operate a withholding tax in relation to such payments. The transitional period will end after agreement on exchange of information is reached between the European Union and certain non-European Union states. No withholding will be required where the bondholder authorizes the person making the payment to report the payment or presents a certificate from the relevant tax authority establishing exemption therefrom. The attention of holders of the debt securities is drawn to the section entitled “Description of Debt Securities — Payment of Additional Amounts”.

 

UNITED STATES TAXATION

 

The following are certain material United States federal tax consequences of ownership and disposition of the debt securities. This discussion only applies to debt securities that meet all of the following conditions:

 

 

This discussion does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to a holder in light of his particular circumstances or to holders subject to special rules, such as:

 

 

This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed Treasury Regulations, all as of the date hereof, changes to any of which subsequent to the date of this Prospectus may affect the tax consequences described herein. Persons considering the purchase of debt securities are urged to consult their tax advisers with regard to the application of the United States federal income tax laws to their particular situations as well as any tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, local or foreign taxing jurisdiction.

 

As used herein, the term “United States Holder” means a beneficial owner of a debt security that is for United States federal income tax purposes:

 

 

Payments of Interest

 

Interest paid on a debt security will be taxable to a United States Holder as ordinary interest income at the time it accrues or is received in accordance with the Holder’s method of accounting for federal income tax purposes provided that the interest is qualified stated interest (as defined below). Interest income earned by a United States Holder with respect to a debt security will constitute foreign source income for United States federal income tax purposes, which may be relevant to a United States Holder in calculating the Holder’s foreign tax credit limitation. The limitation on foreign taxes eligible for credit is calculated separately with respect to specific classes of income. The rules governing foreign tax credits are complex and, therefore, a Holder should consult his own tax advisor regarding the availability of foreign tax credits in his particular circumstances. Special rules governing the treatment of interest paid with respect to original issue discount debt securities, including certain foreign currency debt securities, are described under “Original Issue Discount” and “Foreign Currency Debt Securities” below.

 

Additional Amounts paid pursuant to the obligations described under “Description of Debt Securities — Payment of Additional Amounts” would be treated as ordinary interest income.

 

Original Issue Discount

 

A debt security that is issued at an issue price less than its “stated redemption price at maturity” will be considered to have been issued at an original issue discount for federal income tax purposes (and will be referred to as an “original issue discount debt security”) unless the debt security satisfies a de minimis threshold (as described below) or is a short-term debt security (as defined below). The “stated redemption price at maturity” of a debt

security will equal the sum of all payments required under the debt security other than payments of “qualified stated interest”. “Qualified stated interest” is stated interest unconditionally payable as a series of payments (other than in debt instruments of the issuer) at least annually during the entire term of the debt security and equal to the outstanding principal balance of the debt security multiplied by a single fixed rate of interest or, subject to certain conditions, a floating rate based on one or more indices.

 

Floating rate debt securities providing for one or more qualified floating rates of interest, a single fixed rate and one or more qualified floating rates, an objective rate, or a single fixed rate and a single objective rate that is a qualified inverse floating rate will have qualified stated interest if interest is unconditionally payable at least annually during the term of the debt security at a rate that is considered to be a single qualified floating rate or a single objective rate under the following rules. If a floating rate debt security provides for two or more qualified floating rates that can reasonably be expected to have approximately the same values throughout the term of the debt security, the qualified floating rates together constitute a single qualified floating rate. If interest on a debt instrument is stated at a fixed rate for an initial period of one year or less followed by a variable rate that is either a qualified floating rate or an objective rate for a subsequent period, and the value of the variable rate on the issue date is intended to approximate the fixed rate, the fixed rate and the variable rate together constitute a single qualified floating rate or objective rate. Two or more rates will be conclusively presumed to meet the requirements of the preceding sentences if the values of the applicable rates on the issue date are within 1/4 of 1 percent of each other. A United States Holder considering purchasing a floating rate debt security should carefully examine the prospectus supplement and should consult its tax advisor since the tax consequences to such holder of owning the floating rate debt security will depend, in part, on the particular terms of the floating rate debt security.

 

If the difference between a debt security’s stated redemption price at maturity and its issue price is less than a de minimis amount, i.e., 1/4 of 1 percent of the stated redemption price at maturity multiplied by the number of complete years to maturity, then the debt security will not be considered to have original issue discount.

 

A United States Holder of original issue discount debt securities will be required to include any qualified stated interest payments in income in accordance with the Holder’s method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. United States Holders of original issue discount debt securities that mature more than one year from their date of issuance will be required to include original issue discount in income for federal income tax purposes as it accrues, in accordance with a constant yield method based on a compounding of interest, before the receipt of cash payments attributable to this income. Under this method, United States Holders of original issue discount debt securities generally will be required to include in income increasingly greater amounts of original issue discount in successive accrual periods.

 

A Holder may make an election to include in gross income all interest that accrues on any debt security (including stated interest, acquisition discount, original issue discount, de minimis original issue discount, market discount, de minimis market discount, and unstated interest, as adjusted by any amortizable bond premium or acquisition premium) in accordance with a constant yield method based on the compounding of interest (a “constant yield election”).

 

A debt security that matures one year or less from its date of issuance (a “short-term debt security”) will be treated as being issued at a discount and none of the interest paid on the debt security will be treated as qualified stated interest. In general, a cash method United States Holder of a short-term debt security is not required to accrue the discount for United States federal income tax purposes unless it elects to do so. Holders who so elect and certain other Holders, including those who report income on the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes, are required to include the discount in income as it accrues on a straight line basis, unless another election is made to accrue the discount according to a constant yield method based on daily compounding. In the case of a Holder who is not required and who does not elect to include the discount in income currently, any gain realized on the sale, exchange or retirement of the short term debt security will be ordinary income to the extent of the discount accrued on a straight line basis (or, if elected, according to a constant yield method based on daily compounding) through the date of sale, exchange or retirement. In addition, those Holders will be required to defer deductions for any interest paid on indebtedness incurred to purchase or carry short term debt securities in an amount not exceeding the accrued discount until the accrued discount is included in income.

Under applicable regulations, if AstraZeneca PLC has an unconditional option to redeem a debt security prior to its stated maturity date, this option will be presumed to be exercised if, by utilizing any date on which the debt security may be redeemed as the maturity date and the amount payable on that date in accordance with the terms of the debt security as the stated redemption price at maturity, the yield on the debt security would be lower than its yield to stated maturity. If a United States Holder has an unconditional option to require redemption of a debt security prior to its stated maturity, the option is presumed exercised if the yield on the debt security, if the redemption option were exercised, would be higher than its yield to stated maturity. If an option is not in fact exercised, the debt security would be treated solely for purposes of calculating original issue discount as if it were redeemed, and a new debt security were issued, on the presumed exercise date for an amount equal to the debt security’s adjusted issue price on that date. If a debt security provides for conditional options to redeem (or otherwise calls for alternative payment schedules if a contingency occurs) and the timing and amount of the redemption price (or alternative payments) is known as of the issue date, the payment schedule that is significantly more likely than not to occur is used to determine the yield and maturity of the debt security.

 

Contingent Debt Obligations

 

Special rules govern the tax treatment of debt obligations that are treated under applicable Treasury Regulations as providing for contingent payments (“contingent debt obligations”). These rules generally require accrual of interest income on a constant yield basis at an assumed yield determined at the time of issuance of the obligation. Adjustments will be required to these accruals when any contingent payments are made that differ from the payments calculated based on the assumed yield. Any gain on the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of a contingent debt obligation will be ordinary income.

 

Amortizable Bond Premium

 

If a United States Holder purchases a debt security for an amount that is greater than the sum of all amounts payable on the debt security other than qualified stated interest, the holder will be considered to have purchased the debt security with amortizable bond premium. In general, amortizable bond premium with respect to any debt security will be equal in amount to the excess of the purchase price over the sum of all amounts payable on the debt security other than qualified stated interest and the holder may elect to amortize this premium, using a constant yield method, over the remaining term of the debt security. Special rules may apply in the case of debt securities that are subject to optional redemption. A United States Holder may generally use the amortizable bond premium allocable to an accrual period to offset qualified stated interest required to be included in such holder’s income with respect to the debt security in that accrual period. A Holder who elects to amortize bond premium must reduce his tax basis in the debt security by the amount of the premium amortized in any year. An election to amortize bond premium applies to all taxable debt obligations then owned and thereafter acquired by the Holder and may be revoked only with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service.

 

If a Holder makes a constant yield election (as described under “Original Issue Discount” above) for a debt security with amortizable bond premium, such election will result in a deemed election to amortize bond premium for all of the Holder’s debt instruments with amortizable bond premium and may be revoked only with the permission of the Internal Revenue Service with respect to debt instruments acquired after revocation.

 

Sale, Exchange or Retirement of the Debt Securities

 

Upon the sale, exchange or retirement of a debt security, a United States Holder will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange or retirement and the Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the debt security. Gain or loss, if any, will generally be US source income for purposes of computing a United States Holder’s foreign tax credit limitation. For these purposes, the amount realized does not include any amount attributable to accrued interest. Amounts attributable to accrued interest are treated as interest as described under “Payments of Interest” above.

 

Except as described below, gain or loss realized on the sale, exchange or retirement of a debt security will generally be capital gain or loss and will be long term capital gain or loss if at the time of sale, exchange or retirement the debt security has been held for more than one year. Exceptions to this general rule apply in the case of

a short term debt security, to the extent of any accrued discount not previously included in the Holder’s taxable income. See “Original Issue Discount.” In addition, other exceptions to this general rule apply in the case of certain, contingent debt securities and foreign currency debt securities. See “Foreign Currency Debt Securities” below.

 

Foreign Currency Debt Securities

 

The rules applicable to debt securities that are denominated in a currency or currency unit other than the US dollar (which we refer to as “foreign currency debt securities”) are complex and their application may depend on the holder’s particular US federal income tax situation. For example, various elections are available under these rules, and whether a holder should make any of these elections may depend on the holder’s particular federal income tax situation. United States Holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the US federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of foreign currency debt securities.

 

A United States Holder who uses the cash method of accounting and who receives a payment of qualified stated interest in a foreign currency (or who receives proceeds from a sale, exchange or other disposition attributable to accrued interest) with respect to a foreign currency debt security will be required to include in income the US dollar value of the foreign currency payment (determined based on a spot rate on the date the payment is received) regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted to US dollars at that time, and this US dollar value will be the United States Holder’s tax basis in the foreign currency.

 

In the case of an accrual method taxpayer, a United States Holder will be required to include in income the US dollar value of the amount of interest income (including original issue discount, but reduced by amortizable bond premium to the extent applicable) that has accrued and is otherwise required to be taken into account with respect to a foreign currency debt security during an accrual period. The US dollar value of the accrued income will be determined by translating the income at the average rate of exchange for the accrual period or, with respect to an accrual period that spans two taxable years, at the average rate for the partial period within the taxable year. The United States Holder will recognize ordinary income or loss with respect to accrued interest income on the date the interest payment or proceeds from the sale, exchange or other disposition attributable to accrued interest is actually received. The amount of ordinary income or loss recognized will equal the difference between the US dollar value of the foreign currency payment received (determined based on a spot rate on the date the payment is received) in respect of the accrual period and the US dollar value of interest income that has accrued during the accrual period (as determined above). Rules similar to these rules apply in the case of a cash method taxpayer required to currently accrue original issue discount.

 

A United States Holder may elect to translate interest income (including original issue discount) into US dollars at the spot rate on the last day of the interest accrual period (or, in the case of a partial accrual period, the spot rate on the last day of the taxable year) or, if the date of receipt is within five business days of the last day of the interest accrual period, the spot rate on the date of receipt. A United States Holder that makes this election must apply it consistently to all debt instruments from year to year and cannot change the election without the consent of the Internal Revenue Service.

 

Original issue discount and amortizable bond premium on a foreign currency debt security are to be determined in the relevant foreign currency. If an election to amortize bond premium is made, amortizable bond premium taken into account on a current basis shall reduce interest income in units of the relevant foreign currency. Exchange gain or loss is realized on amortized bond premium with respect to any period by treating the bond premium amortized in the period in the same manner as on the sale, exchange or retirement of the foreign currency debt security. Any exchange gain or loss will be ordinary income or loss as described below. If the election is not made, any loss realized on the sale, exchange or retirement of a foreign currency debt security with amortizable bond premium by a United States holder who has not elected to amortize the premium will be a capital loss to the extent of the bond premium.

 

A United States Holder’s tax basis in a foreign currency debt security, and the amount of any subsequent adjustment to the holder’s tax basis, will be the US dollar value of the foreign currency amount paid for such foreign currency debt security, or of the foreign currency amount of the adjustment, determined on the date of the purchase or adjustment. A United States holder who purchases a foreign currency debt security with previously owned foreign currency will recognize ordinary income or loss in an amount equal to the difference, if any, between such

United States holder’s tax basis in the foreign currency and the US dollar fair market value of the foreign currency debt security on the date of purchase.

 

Gain or loss realized upon the sale, exchange or retirement of a foreign currency debt security that is attributable to fluctuations in currency exchange rates will be ordinary income or loss which will not be treated as interest income or expense. Gain or loss attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates will equal the difference between (i) the US dollar value of the foreign currency principal amount of the debt security, determined on the date the payment is received or the debt security is disposed of, and (ii) the US dollar value of the foreign currency principal amount of the debt security, determined on the date the United States Holder acquired the debt security. Payments received attributable to accrued interest will be treated in accordance with the rules applicable to payments of interest on foreign currency debt securities described above. The foreign currency gain or loss will be recognized only to the extent of the total gain or loss realized by a United States holder on the sale, exchange or retirement of the foreign currency debt security. The source of the foreign currency gain or loss will be determined by reference to the residence of the Holder or the “qualified business unit” of the Holder on whose books the debt security is properly reflected. Any gain or loss realized by these holders in excess of the foreign currency gain or loss will be capital gain or loss (except in the case of a short term debt security, to the extent of any discount not previously included in the holder’s income).

 

Tax Return Disclosure Requirements

 

A United States Holder may be required to file a reportable transaction disclosure statement with the holder’s US federal income tax return, if such holder realizes the loss on the sale, exchange or other disposition of a foreign currency debt security and such loss is greater than applicable threshold limits, which differ depending on the status of the holder. A United States Holder that claims a loss deduction with respect to a foreign currency debt security should consult its own tax advisor regarding the need to file a reportable transaction disclosure statement.

 

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

 

Information returns may be filed with the Internal Revenue Service in connection with payments on the debt securities and the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of the debt securities. A United States Holder may be subject to United States backup withholding tax on these payments if the United States Holder fails to provide its taxpayer identification number to the paying agent and comply with certain certification procedures or otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a United States Holder will be allowed as a credit against the United States Holder’s United States federal income tax liability and may entitle the United States Holder to a refund, provided that the required information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus:

 

 

The prospectus supplement relating to any offering will identify or describe:

 

 

Underwriters

 

If we use underwriters in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Unless we otherwise state in the prospectus supplement, various conditions to the underwriters’ obligation to purchase the securities apply, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities contemplated in an offering if they purchase any of the securities. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

 

Dealers

 

If we use dealers in the sale, unless we otherwise indicate in the prospectus supplement, we will sell securities to the dealers as principals. The dealers may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices that the dealers may determine at the time of resale.

 

Agents and Direct Sales

 

We may sell securities directly or through agents that we designate, at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Any such agent may be deemed to be an underwriter as that term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offering and sale and will state any commissions we will pay to that agent. Unless we indicate otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent is acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

 

Contracts with Institutional Investors for Delayed Delivery

 

If we indicate in the prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers from various institutional investors to purchase securities from it pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date that the prospectus supplement specifies. The underwriters, dealers or agents may impose limitations on the minimum amount that the institutional investor can purchase. They may also impose limitations on the portion of the aggregate amount of the securities that they may sell. These institutional investors include:

 

 

 

The obligations of any of these purchasers pursuant to delayed delivery and payment arrangements will not be subject to any conditions. However, one exception applies. An institution’s purchase of the particular securities cannot at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction that governs:

 

 

Indemnification

 

Agreements that we enter into with underwriters, dealers or agents may entitle them to indemnification by us against various civil liabilities. These include liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933. The agreements may also entitle them to contribution for payments which they may be required to make as a result of these liabilities. Underwriters, dealers and agents may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.

 

Market making

 

Unless otherwise noted in the applicable prospectus supplement, each series of securities will be a new issue of securities without an established trading market. Various broker-dealers may make a market in the debt securities, but will have no obligation to do so, and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Consequently, it may be the case that no broker-dealer will make a market in securities of any series or that the liquidity of the trading market for the securities will be limited.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Davis Polk & Wardwell, our US counsel, will pass upon the validity of the offered securities with respect to United States Federal law and New York State law. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, our English solicitors, will pass upon the validity of the offered securities with respect to English law.

 

EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements of AstraZeneca PLC and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2006, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, incorporated herein by reference to our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of KPMG Audit Plc, an independent registered public accounting firm, which reports are also incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The consolidated financial statements of MedImmune, Inc. as of and for the year ended December 31, 2006 incorporated herein by reference to MedImmune, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

PART II OF FORM F-3

 

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

 

Except as hereinafter set forth, there is no provision of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of AstraZeneca PLC (which may be referred to as the “Company” in this Item 8) or any contract, arrangement or statute under which any director or officer of the Company is insured or indemnified in any manner against any liability that he may incur in his capacity as such.

 

Deed of Indemnity

 

The Company has entered into Deeds of Indemnity with the directors of the Company that, subject to certain conditions precedent and limitations, in consideration for such director or officer continuing in or accepting office as a director or officer of (i) the Company or (ii) any of the Company’s subsidiaries, the Company will indemnify and hold the director harmless in respect of all (a) claims, actions and proceedings and (b) losses, damages, penalties, liabilities, compensation or other awards, or any settlement thereof to which the Company consents, arising in connection with any claims, actions or proceedings (whether instigated, imposed, incurred or settled under the laws of any jurisdiction) arising out of, or in connection with, the actual or purported exercise of, or failure to exercise any of the director’s powers, duties or responsibilities as a director or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

Article 88.2 of AstraZeneca PLC’s Articles of Association provides:

 

Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 134, the board may exercise all the powers of the Company to purchase and maintain insurance for or for the benefit of any person who is or was:

 

(a) a director, officer, employee or auditor of the Company, or any body which is or was the holding company or subsidiary undertaking of the Company, or in which the Company or such holding company or subsidiary undertaking has or had any interest (whether direct or indirect) or with which the Company or such holding company or subsidiary undertaking is or was in any way allied or associated; or

 

(b) a trustee of any pension fund in which employees of the Company or any other body referred to Article 88.2(a) is or has been interested,

 

including, without limitation insurance against any liability incurred by such person in respect of any act or omission in the actual or purported execution or discharge of his duties or in the exercise or purported exercise of his powers or otherwise in relation to his duties, powers or offices in relation to the relevant body or fund.

 

Article 134 of AstraZeneca PLC’s Articles of Association provides:

 

Subject to the provisions of the Companies Acts but without prejudice to any indemnity to which a director may otherwise be entitled, every director or other officer of the Company shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Company against any liability incurred by him in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgment is given in his favour (or the proceedings are otherwise disposed of without any finding or admission of any material breach of duty on his part) or in which he is acquitted or in connection with any application in which relief is granted to him by the court from liability for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the affairs of the Company.

 

Section 309A of the Companies Act 1985 (as amended by the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004) provides:

 

(1) This section applies in relation to any liability attaching to a director of a company in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust by him in relation to the company.

 

(2) Any provision which purports to exempt (to any extent) a director of a company from any liability within subsection (1) is void.

(3) Any provision by which a company directly or indirectly provides (to any extent) an indemnity for a director of—

 

(a) the company, or (b) an associated company,

 

against any liability within subsection (1) is void

 

This is subject to subsections (4) and (5).

 

(4) Subsection (3) does not apply to a qualifying third party indemnity provision (see section 309B(1)).

 

(5) Subsection (3) does not prevent a company from purchasing and maintaining for a director of—

 

(a) the company, or (b) an associated company,

 

insurance against any liability within subsection (1).

 

(6) In this section—

 

“associated company”, in relation to a company (“C”), means a company which is C’s subsidiary, or C’s holding company or a subsidiary of C’s holding company; “provision” means a provision of any nature, whether or not it is contained in a company’s articles or in any contract with a company.

 

Section 309B of the Companies Act 1985 (as amended by the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004) provides:

 

(1) For the purposes of Section 309A(4) a provision is a qualifying third party indemnity provision if it is a provision such as is mentioned in Section 309A(3) in relation to which conditions A to C below are satisfied.

 

(2) Condition A is that the provision does not provide any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director—

 

(a) to the company, or (b) to any associated company.

 

(3) Condition B is that the provision does not provide any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director to pay—

 

(a) a fine imposed in criminal proceedings, or (b) a sum payable to a regulatory authority by way of a penalty in respect of non-compliance with any requirement of a regulatory nature (however arising).

 

(4) Condition C is that the provision does not provide any indemnity against any liability incurred by the director—

 

(a) in defending any criminal proceedings in which he is convicted, or (b) in defending any civil proceedings brought by the company, or an associated company, in which judgment is given against him, or (c) in connection with any application under any of the following provisions in which the court refuses to grant him relief, namely—

 

(i) section 144(3) or (4) (acquisition of shares by innocent nominee), or (ii) section 727 (general power to grant relief in case of honest and reasonable conduct).

 

(5) In paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of subsection (4) the reference to any such conviction, judgment or refusal of relief is a reference to one that has become final.

 

(6) For the purposes subsection (5) a conviction, judgment or refusal of relief becomes final —

 

(a) if not appealed against, at the end of the period for bringing an appeal, or (b) if appealed against, at the time when the appeal (or any further appeal) is disposed of.

 

(7) An appeal is disposed of—

 

(a) if it is determined and the period for bringing any further appeal has ended, or (b) if it is abandoned or otherwise ceases to have effect.

(8) In this section “associated company” and “provision” have the same meaning as in Section 309A.

 

Section 727 of the Companies Act 1985 of Great Britain, as amended, provides, as follows:

 

“(1) If in any proceedings for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust against an officer of a company or a person employed by a company as auditor (whether he is or is not an officer of the company) it appears to the court hearing the case that officer or person is or may be liable in respect of the negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, but that he has acted honestly and reasonably, and that having regard to all the circumstances of the case (including those connected with his appointment) he ought fairly to be excused for the negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, that court may relieve him, either wholly or partly, from his liability in such terms as the court thinks fit.

 

(2) If any such officer or person as above-mentioned has reason to apprehend that any claim will or might be made against him in respect of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust, he may apply to the court for relief; and the court on the application has the same power to relieve him as under this section it would have had if it had been a court before which proceedings against that person for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust had been brought.

 

(3) Where a case to which subsection (1) applies is being tried by a judge with a jury, the judge, after hearing the evidence, may, if he is satisfied that the defendant or defender ought in pursuance of that subsection to be relieved either in whole or in part from the liability sought to be enforced against him, withdraw the case in whole or in part from the jury and forthwith direct judgment to be entered for the defendant or defender on such terms as to costs or otherwise as the judge may think proper.”

 

AstraZeneca PLC maintains directors’ and officers’ liability insurance which, subject to policy terms and limitations, provides insurance cover against the personal liabilities which directors and officers may incur by reason of their duties. The authorized representative is also entitled to the benefit of the same directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.

 

The form of underwriting agreement related to be filed as an exhibit to this registration statement will provide that each underwriter, severally, will indemnify AstraZeneca PLC and each of its directors and officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls AstraZeneca PLC within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against certain civil liabilities.

 

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a) (3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

 

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (1) (i), (1) (ii) and (1) (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

 

(4) To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act need not be furnished, provided that the registrants include in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Item 8.A. of Form 20-F if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

 

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

 

(i) each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(ii) each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or(b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date

such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

(6) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

(i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

 

(ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

 

(iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

 

(iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

 

(7) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)(2) of the Trust indenture Act.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, AstraZeneca PLC certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in London, England on August 31, 2007.

 

AstraZeneca PLC

 

Name: David Brennan

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Graeme Musker and Justin Hoskins, or any one or more of them, as such person’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person and in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission any and all amendments and post-effective amendments to this registration statement, with exhibits thereto and any and all other documents that may be required in connection therewith, granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any substitutes therefor, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on August 31, 2007.