OFFERlNG CIRCULAR
REGION OF TUSCANY €1,500,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme
Under this €1,500,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme (the “Programme”),the Region of Tuscany (the “Issuer”) may from time to time issue notes (the “Notes”)denominated in any currency agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer (as defined below). The maximum aggregate nominal amount of all Notes from time to time outstanding under the Programme will not exceed El ,500,000,000 (or its equivalent in other currencies calculated as described herein), subject to increase as described herein. The Notes may be issued on a continuing basis to one or more of the Dealers specified under “Summary of the Programme” and any additional Dealer appointed under the Programme from time to time by the Issuer (each a “Dealer” and together the “Dealers”),which appointment may be for a specific issue or on an ongoing basis. References in this Offering Circular to the “relevant Dealer” shall, in the case of an issue of Notes being (or intended to be) subscribed by more than one Dealer, be to all Dealers agreeing to purchase such Notes. Application has been made to the Luxembourg Stock Exchange for Notes issued under the Programme during the period of 12 months from the date of this Offering Circular to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Notice of the aggregate nominal amount of Notes, interest (if any) payable in respect of Notes, the issue price of Notes and any other terms and conditions not contained herein which are applicable to each Tranche (as defined under “Terms and Conditions of the Notes”)of Notes will be set out in a pricing supplement (the “Pricing Supplement’’) which, with respect to Notes to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, will be delivered to the Luxembourg Stock Exchange on or before the date of issue of the Notes of such Tranche. The Programme provides that Notes may be listed on such other or further stock exchange(s) as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer. The Issuer may also issue unlisted Notes. The Programme is rated by Moody’s Investors Service Limited (“Moody’s”).Notes issued pursuant to the Programme may be rated or unrated. Where an issue of Notes is rated, its rating will not necessarily be the same as the rating applicable to the Programme. A rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to suspension, reduction or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency. The Issuer may agree with any Dealer that Notes may be issued in a form not contemplated by the Terms and Conditions of the Notes herein, in which event (in the case of Notes intended to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange) a supplementary Offering Circular, if appropriate, will be made available which will describe the effect of the agreement reached in relation to such Notes.
Arrangers DEUTSCHE BANK MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL UBSWARBURG
Co-Arrangers Banca Nazionale del Lavoro MPS Finance
Dealers ABN AMRO Banca IMI Banca Nazionale del Lavoro 6NP PARIBAS CDC 1x1s Capital Markets Depfa Bank Europe plc Deutsche Bank Dexia Capital Markets HSBC JPMorgan Merrill Lynch International MPS Finance Nomura International UBS Warburg
The date of this Offering Circular is 6th March, 2002 The Issuer, having made all reasonable enquiries, confirms that this Offering Circular contains or incorporates all information which is material in the context of the issuance and offering of Notes, that the information contained or incorporated in this Offering Circular is true and accurate in all material respects and is not misleading, that the opinions and intentions expressed in this Offering Circular are honestly held and that there are no other facts the omission of which would make this Offering Circular or any of such information or the expression of any such opinions or intentions misleading. The Issuer accepts responsibility accordingly.
This Offering Circular is to be read in conjunction with all documents which are deemed to be incorporated herein by reference (see “Documents Incorporated by Reference” below). This Offering Circular shall be read and construed on the basis that such documents are incorporated and form part of this Offering Circular.
The Dealers have not independently verified the information contained herein. Accordingly, no representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is made and no responsibility or liability is accepted by the Dealers as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained or incorporated in this Offering Circular or any other information provided by the Issuer in connection with the Programme. No Dealer accepts any liability in relation to the information contained or incorporated by reference in this Offering Circular or any other information provided by the Issuer in connection with the Programme. No person is or has been authorised by the Issuer to give any information or to make any representation not contained in or not consistent with this Offering Circular or any other information supplied in connection with the Programme or the Notes and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorised by the Issuer or any of the Dealers.
Neither this Offering Circular nor any other information supplied in connection with the Programme or any Notes (i) is intended to provide the basis of any credit or other evaluation or (ii) should be considered as a recommendation by the Issuer or any of the Dealers that any recipient of this Offering Circular or any other information supplied in connection with the Programme or any Notes should purchase any Notes. Each investor contemplating purchasing any Notes should make its own independent investigation of the financial condition and affairs, and its own appraisal of the creditworthiness, of the Issuer. Neither this Offering Circular nor any other information supplied in connection with the Programme or the issue of any Notes constitutes an offer or invitation by or on behalf of the Issuer or any of the Dealers to any person to subscribe for or to purchase any Notes.
Neither the delivery of this Offering Circular nor the offering, sale or delivery of any Notes shall in any circumstances imply that the information contained herein concerning the Issuer is correct at any time subsequent to the date hereof or that any other information supplied in connection with the Programme is correct as of any time subsequent to the date indicated in the document containing the same. The Dealers expressly do not undertake to review the financial condition or affairs of the Issuer during the life of the Programme or to advise any investor in the Notes of any information coming to their attention. Investors should review, inter alia, the most recently published documents incorporated by reference into this Offering Circular when deciding whether or not to purchase any Notes.
The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”) and are subject to U.S. tax law requirements. Subject to certain exceptions, Notes may not be offered, sold or delivered within the United States or to US. persons (see “Subscription and Sale” below).
This Offering Circular does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any Notes in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make the offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction.The distribution of this Offering Circular and the offer or sale of Notes may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The Issuer and the Dealers do not represent that this Offering Circular may be lawfully distributed, or that any Notes may be lawfully offered, in
2 compliance with any applicable registration or other requirements in any such jurisdiction, or pursuant to an exemption available thereunder, or assume any responsibility for facilitating any such distribution or offering. In particular, no action has been taken by the Issuer or the Dealers which would permit a public offering of any Notes or distribution of this document in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, no Notes may be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither this Offering Circular nor any advertisement or other offering material may be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations. Persons into whose possession this Offering Circular or any Notes may come must inform themselves about, and observe, any such restrictions on the distribution of this Offering Circular and the offering and sale of Notes. In particular, there are restrictions on the distribution of this Offering Circular and the offer or sale of Notes in the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan and The Netherlands, see “Subscription and Sale”.
All references in this document to “U.S. dollars”, “U.S.$” and “$” refer to the currency of the United States of America, to “euro” and “f” refer to the currency introduced at the start of the third stage of European economic and monetary union pursuant to the Treaty establishing the European Community (signed in Rome on 25th March, 1957) as amended by the Treaty on European Union (signed in Maastricht on 7th February, 1992) and all references to “Lire” and “ITL” refer to the currency of the Republic of Italy before the introduction of the euro.
3 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Documents Incorporated by Reference ...... 5
General Description of the Programme ...... 6 Summary of the Programme ...... 7
Form of the Notes ...... 12
Terms and Conditions of the Notes ...... 21 Use of Proceeds ...... 40 The Region of Tuscany ...... 41 Taxation ...... 63 Subscription and Sale ...... 64 General Information ...... 67
In connection with the issue and distribution of any Tranche of Notes, the Dealer (if any) disclosed as the stabilising manager in the applicable Pricing Supplement or any person acting for him may over-allot or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the Notes of the Series (as defined below) of which such Tranche forms part at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail for a limited period after the issue date. However, there may be no obligation on the stabilising manager or any agent of his to do this. Such stabilising, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time and must be brought to an end after a limited period.
4 DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
All supplements or amendments to this Offering Circular circulated by the Issuer, and published or issued from time to time after the date hereof shall be deemed to be incorporated in, and to form part of, this Offering Circular, save that any statement contained herein or in a document which is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for the purpose of this Offering Circular to the extent that a statement contained in any such subsequent document which is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such earlier statement (whether expressly, by implication or otherwise). Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Offering Circular.
The Issuer will provide, without charge, a copy of any or all of the documents deemed to be incorporated herein by reference unless such documents have been modified or superseded as specified above. Requests for such documents should be directed to the Issuer at its office set out at the end of this Offering Circular. In addition, such documents will be available free of charge from the principal office in Luxembourg of Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. (the “Luxembourg Listing Agent”) for Notes listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
The Issuer will, in connection with the listing of the Notes on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, so long as any Note remains outstanding and listed on such exchange, in the event of any material change in the condition of the Issuer which is not reflected in this Offering Circular, prepare a supplement to this Offering Circular or publish a new offering circular for use in connection with any subsequent issue of the Notes to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
If the terms of the Programme are modified or amended in a manner which would make this Offering Circular, as so modified or amended, inaccurate or misleading, a new offering circular will be prepared.
5 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAMME
Under the Programme, the Issuer may from time to time issue Notes denominated in any currency, subject as set out herein. A summary of the terms and conditions of the Programme and the Notes appears below. The applicable terms of any Notes will be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer prior to the issue of the Notes and will be set out in the Terms and Conditions of the Notes endorsed on, attached to, or incorporated by reference into, the Notes, as modified and supplemented by the applicable Pricing Supplement attached to, or endorsed on, such Notes, as more fully described under “form of the Notes” below.
This Offering Circular and any supplement will only be valid for listing Notes on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange during the period of 12 months from the date of this Offering Circular in an aggregate nominal amount which, when added to the aggregate nominal amount then outstanding of all Notes previously or simultaneously issued under the Programme, does not exceed €1,500,000,000 or its equivalent in other currencies. For the purpose of calculating the euro equivalent of the aggregate nominal amount of Notes issued under the Programme from time to time:
(a) the euro equivalent of Notes denominated in another Specified Currency (as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement in relation to the relevant Notes, described under “Form of the Notes’) shall be determined, at the discretion of the Issuer, either as of the date on which agreement is reached for the issue of Notes or on the preceding day on which commercial banks and foreign exchange markets are open for business in London, in each case on the basis of the spot rate for the sale of the euro against the purchase of such Specified Currency in the London foreign exchange market quoted by any leading international bank selected by the Issuer on the relevant day of calculation;
(b) the euro equivalent of Dual Currency Notes, Index Linked Notes and Partly Paid Notes (each as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement in relation to the relevant Notes, described under “Form ofthe Notes”) shall be calculated in the manner specified above by reference to the original nominal amount on issue of such Notes (in the case of Partly Paid Notes regardless of the subscription price paid); and
(c) the euro equivalent of Zero Coupon Notes (as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement in relation to the relevant Notes, described under “Form of the Notes”) and other Notes issued at a discount or a premium shall be calculated in the manner specified above by reference to the net proceeds received by the Issuer for the relevant issue.
6 SUMMARY OFTHE PROGRAMME
The following summary does not purport to be complete and is taken from, and is qualified in its entirety bl: the remainder of this Offering Circular and, in relation to the terms and conditions of any particular Tranche of Notes, the applicable Pricing Supplement. Words and expressions defined in “Formof the Notes”and “Terms and Conditions of the Notes”be1ow shall have the same meanings in this summary Issuer: The Region of Tuscany,
Description: Euro Medium Term Note Programme.
Arrangers: Deutsche Bank AG London Merrill Lynch International UBS AG, acting through its business group UBS Warburg
Co-Arrangers: Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.p.A. MPS Finance Banca Mobiliare S.p.A.
Dealers: ABN AMRO Bank N.V. Banca d’lntermediazione Mobiliare IMI S.p.A. Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.p.A. BNP Paribas CDC 1x1s Capital Markets Depfa Bank Europe plc Deutsche Bank AG London Dexia Banque Internationale A Luxembourg, S.A. (acting under the name of Dexia Capital Markets) HSBC Bank plc J.P. Morgan Securities Ltd. Merrill Lynch International MPS Finance Banca Mobiliare S.p.A. Nomura International plc UBS AG, acting through its business group UBS Warburg
and any other Dealers appointed in accordance with the Programme Agreement. Certain Restrictions: Each issue of Notes under the programme shall be made and shall be separately approved in accordance with the Italian and Regional laws and regulations then prevailing.
Each issue of Notes denominated in a currency in respect of which particular laws, guidelines, regulations, restrictions or reporting requirements apply will only be issued in circumstances which comply with such laws, guidelines, regulations, restrictions or reporting requirements from time to time (see “Subscription and Sale”) including the following restrictions applicable at the date of this Offering Circular.
Issues of Notes denominated in Swiss francs or carrying a Swiss franc-related element with a maturity of more than one year (other than Notes privately placed with a single investor with no publicity) will be effected in compliance with the relevant regulations of the Swiss National Bank based on article 7 of the Federal Law on Banks and Savings Banks of 8th November, 1934 (as amended) and article 15 of the Federal Law on Stock Exchanges and Securities Trading of 24th March, 1995 in connection with article 2, paragraph 2 of the Ordinance of the Federal Banking Commission on Stock Exchanges and Securities Trading of 2nd December, 1996.
7 Under the said regulations, the relevant Dealer or, in the case of a syndicated issue, the lead manager (the "Swiss Dealer"), must be a bank domiciled in Switzerland (which includes branches or subsidiaries of a foreign bank located in Switzerland) or a securities dealer duly licensed by the Swiss Federal Banking Commission pursuant to the Federal Law on Stock Exchanges and Securities Trading of 24th March, 1995. The Swiss Dealer must report certain details of the relevant transaction to the Swiss National Bank no later than the Issue Date of the relevant Notes.
Notes issued on terms that they must be redeemed before their first anniversary will, if the proceeds of the issue are accepted in the United Kingdom, constitute deposits for the purposes of the prohibition on accepting deposits contained in section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 unless they are issued to a limited class of professional investors and have a denomination of at least f100,OOO or its equivalent, see "Subscription and Sale". Issuing and Principal Paying Agent: Deutsche Bank AG London
Pricing Supplement: Each Tranche will be the subject of a Pricing Supplement which, for the purposes of that Tranche only, supplements the Terms and Conditions of the Notes and this Offering Circular, and must be read in conjunction with this Offering Circular. The terms and conditions applicable to any particular Tranche of Notes are the Terms and Conditions of the Notes as supplemented, amended and/or replaced by the relevant Pricing Supplement.
Programme Size: Up to €1,500,000,000(or its equivalent in other currencies calculated as described under "General Description of the Programme") outstanding at any time. The Issuer may increase the amount of the Programme in accordance with the terms of the Programme Agreement. Distribution: Notes may be distributed by way of private or public placement and in each case on a syndicated or non-syndicated basis.
Currencies: Subject to any applicable legal or regulatory restrictions, any currency agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer.
Redenomination: The applicable Pricing Supplement may provide that certain Notes may be redenominated in euro. Maturities: Such maturities as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer, subject to such minimum or maximum maturities as may be allowed or required from time to time by the relevant central bank (or equivalent body) or any laws or regulations applicable to the Issuer or the relevant Specified Currency.
Issue Price: Notes may be issued on a fully-paid or a partly-paid basis and at an issue price which is at par or at a discount to, or premium over, par.
Form of Notes: The Notes will be issued in bearer form as described in "Form of the Notes'. Bearer Notes may be issued initially in temporary global form or permanent global form depending on TEFRA designation.
8 Fixed Rate Notes: Fixed interest will be payable on such date or dates as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer and on redemption, and will be calculated on the basis of such Day Count Fraction as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer.
Floating Rate Notes: Floating Rate Notes will bear interest at a rate determined:
(i) on the same basis as the floating rate under a notional interest rate swap transaction in the relevant Specified Currency governed by an agreement incorporating the 2000 ISDA Definitions (as published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., and as amended and updated as at the Issue Date of the first Tranche of the Notes of the relevant Series); or
(ii) on the basis of a reference rate appearing on the agreed screen page of a commercial quotation service; or
(iii) on such other basis as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer.
The margin (if any) relating to such floating rate will be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer for each Series of Floating Rate Notes.
Index Linked Notes: Payments of principal in respect of Index Linked Redemption Notes or of interest in respect of Index Linked interest Notes will be calculated by reference to such index and/or formula or to changes in the prices of securities or commodities or to such other factors as the Issuer and the relevant Dealer may agree.
Other provisions in relation to Floating Rate Notes and Index Linked Interest Notes: Floating Rate Notes and Index Linked Interest Notes may also have a maximum interest rate, a minimum interest rate or both.
Interest on Floating Rate Notes and Index Linked Interest Notes in respect of each Interest Period, as agreed prior to issue by the Issuer and the relevant Dealer, will be payable on such Interest Payment Dates, and will be calculated on the basis of such Day Count Fraction, as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer.
Dual Currency Notes: Payments (whether in respect of principal or interest and whether at maturity or otherwise) in respect of Dual Currency Notes will be made in such currencies, and based on such rates of exchange, as the Issuer and the relevant Dealer may agree.
Zero Coupon Notes: Zero Coupon Notes will be offered and sold at a discount to their nominal amount and will not bear interest.
Redemption: The applicable Pricing Supplement will indicate either that the relevant Notes cannot be redeemed prior to their stated maturity (other than in specified instalments, if applicable, or for taxation reasons or following an Event of Default) or that such Notes will be redeemable at the option of the Issuer andlor the Noteholders upon giving notice to the Noteholders or the Issuer, as the case may be, on a date or dates specified prior to such stated maturity
9 and at a price or prices and on such other terms as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer. The applicable Pricing Supplement may provide that Notes may be redeemable in two or more instalments of such amounts and on such dates as are indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Notes issued on terms that they must be redeemed before their first anniversary may be subject to restrictions on their denomination and distribution, see “Certain Restrictions” above. Denomination of Notes: Notes will be issued in such denominations as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer save that the minimum denomination of each Note will be such as may be allowed or required from time to time by the relevant central bank (or equivalent body) or any laws or regulations applicable to the relevant Specified Currency.
Taxation: All payments in respect of the Notes will be made without deduction for or on account of withholding taxes imposed by any Tax Jurisdiction, subject as provided in Condition 7. In the event that any such deduction is made, the Issuer will, save in certain limited circumstances provided in Condition 7, be required to pay additional amounts to cover the amounts so deducted.
Negative Pledge: The terms of the Notes will contain a negative pledge provision as further described in Condition 3.
Cross Default: The terms of the Notes will contain a cross default provision as further described in Condition 9.
Status of the Notes: The Notes will constitute direct, unconditional, unsubordinated and, subject to the provisions of Condition 3, unsecured obligations of the Issuer and will rank pari passu among themselves and (save for certain obligations required to be preferred by law) equally with all other unsecured obligations (other than subordinated obligations, if any) of the Issuer, from time to time outstanding.
Rating: The Programme is rated by Moody’s. Notes issued pursuant to the Programme may be rated or unrated. Where an issue of Notes is rated, its rating will not necessarily be the same as the rating applicable to the Programme. A rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to suspension, reduction or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency.
Listing: Application has been made to list the Notes issued under the Programme on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. The Notes may also be listed on such other or further stock exchange(s) as may be agreed between the Issuer and the relevant Dealer in relation to each Series.
Unlisted Notes may also be issued.
The applicable Pricing Supplement will state whether or not the relevant Notes are to be listed and, if so, on which stock exchange($.
10 Governing Law: The Notes will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, English law.
Selling Restrictions: There are restrictions on the offer, sale and transfer of the Notes in the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan, The Netherlands and Germany and such other restrictions as may be required in connection with the offering and sale of a particular Tranche of Notes, see “Subscription and Sale”.
US Selling Restrictions: Regulation S, Category 1 and TEFRA C or TEFRA D, depending on TEFRA designation.
11 FORM OFTHE NOTES
Each Tranche of Notes will be in bearer form and will be initially issued in the form of a temporary Global Note (a “Temporary Global Note”)or if so specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement a permanent Global Note (a “Permanent Global Note”) which will be delivered on or prior to the original issue date of the Tranche to a common depositary (the “Common Depositary”) for Euroclear Bank S.A.1N.V. as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”) and Clearstream Banking, soci&te anonyme (”Clearstream, Luxembourg”).Whilst any Note is represented by a Temporary Global Note, payments of principal, interest (if any) and any other amount payable in respect of the Notes due prior to the Exchange Date (as defined below) will be made against presentation of the Temporary Global Note only to the extent that certification (in a form to be provided) to the effect that the beneficial owners of interests in such Note are not U.S. persons or persons who have purchased for resale to any US. person, as required by U.S. Treasury regulations, has been received by Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as applicable, has given a like certification (based on the certifications it has received) to the Agent.
On and after the date (the “Exchange Date”) which is 40 days after the Temporary Global Note is issued, interests in such Temporary Global Note will be exchangeable (free of charge) upon a request as described therein either for (i) interests in a Permanent Global Note of the same Series or (ii) for definitive Notes of the same Series with, where applicable, receipts, interest coupons and talons attached (as indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement and subject, in the case of definitive Notes, to such notice period as is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement), in each case against certification of beneficial ownership as described above unless such certification has already been given. The holder of a Temporary Global Note will not be entitled to collect any payment of interest, principal or other amount due on or after the Exchange Date unless, upon due certification, exchange of the Temporary Global Note for an interest in a Permanent Global Note or for definitive Notes is improperly withheld or refused. Payments of principal, interest (if any) or any other amounts on a Permanent Global Note will be made through Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg against presentation or surrender (as the case may be) of the Permanent Global Note without any requirement for certification.
The applicable Pricing Supplement will specify that a Permanent Global Note will be exchangeable (free of charge), in whole but not in part, for definitive Notes with, where applicable, receipts, interest coupons and talons attached upon either (i) not less than 60 days’ written notice from Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg (acting on the instructions of any holder of an interest in such Permanent Global Note) to the Agent as described therein or (ii) only upon the occurrence of an Exchange Event. For these purposes, “Exchange Event” means that (i) an Event of Default (as defined in Condition 9) has occurred and is continuing, (ii) the Issuer has been notified that both Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg have been closed for business for a continuous period of 14 days (other than by reason of holiday, statutory or otherwise) or have announced an intention permanently to cease business or have in fact done so and no successor clearing system is available or (iii) the Issuer has or will become subject to adverse tax consequences which would not be suffered were the Notes represented by the Permanent Global Note in definitive form. The Issuer will promptly give notice to Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13 if an Exchange Event occurs. In the event of the occurrence of an Exchange Event, Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg (acting on the instructions of any holder of an interest in such Permanent Global Note) may give notice to the Agent requesting exchange and, in the event of the occurrence of an Exchange Event as described in (iii) above, the Issuer may also give notice to the Agent requesting exchange. Any such exchange shall occur not later than 45 days after the date of receipt of the first relevant notice by the Agent.
The following legend will appear on all Notes which have an original maturity of more than 365 days and on all receipts and interest coupons relating to such Notes: “ANY UNITED STATES PERSON WHO HOLDS THIS OBLIGATION WILL BE SUBJECT TO LIMITATIONS UNDER THE UNITED STATES INCOME TAX LAWS, INCLUDING THE LIMITATIONS PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 165(j) AND 1287(a) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.”
12 The sections referred to provide that United States holders, with certain exceptions, will not be entitled to deduct any loss on Notes, receipts or interest coupons and will not be entitled to capital gains treatment of any gain on any sale, disposition, redemption or payment of principal in respect of such Notes, receipts or interest coupons.
Notes which are represented by a Global Note will only be transferable in accordance with the rules and procedures for the time being of Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be.
Pursuant to the Agency Agreement (as defined under “Terms and Conditions of the Notes”),the Agent shall arrange that, where a further Tranche of Notes is issued which is intended to form a single Series with an existing Tranche of Notes, the Notes of such further Tranche shall be assigned a common code and ISlN which are different from the common code and ISlN assigned to Notes of any other Tranche of the same Series until at least 40 days (as notified by the Principal Paying Agent to the relevant Dealer) after the distribution of the Notes of such Tranche.
Any reference herein to Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg shall, whenever the context so permits, be deemed to include a reference to any additional or alternative clearing system specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
A Note may be accelerated automatically by the holder thereof in certain circumstances described in Condition 9. In such circumstances, where any Note is still represented by a Global Note and the Global Note (or any part thereof) has become due and repayable in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of such Notes and payment in full of the amount due has not been made in accordance with the provisions of the Global Note then, unless within the period of seven days commencing on the relevant due date payment in full of the amount due in respect of the Global Note is received by the bearer in accordance with the provisions of the Global Note, the Global Note will become void at 8.00 p.m. (London time) on such day. At the same time, holders of interests in such Global Note credited to their accounts with Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, will become entitled to proceed directly against the Issuer on the basis of statements of account provided by Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg on and subject to the terms of a deed of covenant (the “Deed of Covenanf‘) dated 16th March, 20021 executed by the Issuer.
13 Applicable Pricing Supplement
Set out below is the form of Pricing Supplement which will be completed for each Tranche of Notes issued under the Programme.
[Date]
REGION OF TUSCANY
Issue of [Aggregate Nominal Amount of Tranche] [Title of Notes] under the €1,500,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme
This document constitutes the Pricing Supplement relating to the issue of Notes described herein. Terms used herein shall be deemed to be defined as such for the purposes of the Conditions set forth in the Offering Circular dated [ 1. This Pricing Supplement is supplemental to and must be read in conjunction with such Offering Circular.
[Include whichever of the following apply or spec@ as “Not Applicable” (N/A). Note that the numbering should remain as set out below, even if “Not Applicable” is indicated for individual paragraphs or sub- paragraphs.] [If the Notes must be redeemed before the first anniversary of their date of issue, the minimum denomination may need to be f100,000 or its equivalent in any other currency] 1. [(i)] Series Number: [I [(ii) Tranche Number: [I (If fungible with an existing Series, details of that Series, including the date on which the Notes become fungible)] 2. Specified Currency or Currencies: 3. Aggregate Nominal Amount: - Tranche: 11 - Series: 11 4. (i) Issue Price: [ ] per cent. of the Aggregate Nominal Amount [plus accrued interest from [insert date] (in the case of fungible issues only, if applicable)
(ii) Net proceeds: (Required only for listed issues) [I 5. Specified Denominations: 11 6. [(i)] Issue Date: [I [(ii) Interest Commencement Date: [ 13 7. Maturity Date: [Fixed rate - speciw date/Floating rate - Interest Payment Date falling in or nearest to [specify month]]
14 8. Interest Basis: [[ ] per cent. Fixed Rate] [[LIBOR/EURIBOR] +/- [ ] per cent. Floating Rate] [Zero Coupon] [Index Linked Interest] [Dual Currency Interest] [specify otherj (further particulars specified below)
9. Redemption/Payment Basis: [Redemption at par] [Index Linked Redemption] [Dual Currency Redemption] [Partly Paid] [Instalment] [specify other]
10. Change of Interest Basis or Redemption/ Payment Basis: [Specify details of any provision for change of Notes into another Interest Basis or Redemption/Payment Basis]
11. Put/Call Options: [Investor Put] [Issuer Call] [(further particulars specified below)]
12. Listing: [Luxem bou rglspecify othedNone]
13. Method of distribution: [Syndicated/Non-syndicated]
PROVISIONS RELATING TO INTEREST (IF ANY) PAYABLE 14. Fixed Rate Note Provisions [Applicable/Not Applicable] (If not applicable, delete the remaining sub- paragraphs of this paragraph)
(i) Rate[(s)] of Interest: [ ] per cent. per annum [payable [annually/semi- annually/quarterly]in arrear]
(If payable other than annually, consider amending Condition 4(a))
(ii) Interest Payment Date(s): [ ] in each year (iii) Fixed Coupon Amount@): [ ] per [ ] in nominal amount (iv) Broken Amount(s): [Insert particulars of any initial or final broken interest amounts which do not correspond with the Fixed Coupon Amounfl
(v) Day Count Fraction: [30/360or ActuaVActual (ISMA) or specify othefl (vi) Determination Date(s): [ ] in each year [ Insert regular interest payment dates, ignoring issue date or maturity date in the case of a long or short first or last coupon] (NB: Only relevant where Day Count Fraction is ActuallActual (ISMA))
(vii) Other terms relating to the method of calculating interest for Fixed Rate Notes: [None/Give details]
15 15. Floating Rate Note Provisions [Applicable/Not Applicable] (If not applicable, delete the remaining sub- paragraphs of this paragraph)
(i) Specified Period(s)/Specified Interest Payment Dates:
(ii) Business Day Convention: [Floating Rate Convention/Following Business Day Convention/Modified Following Business Day Convention/Preceding Business Day Convention/ [specify otherj]
(iii) Additional Business Centre(s): [I (iv) Manner in which the Rate of Interest and Interest Amount is to be determined: [Screen Rate Determination/lSDA Determination/ specify otherj
(v) Party responsible for calculating the Rate of Interest and Interest Amount (if not the Agent): [I (vi) Screen Rate Determination:
- Reference Rate: I1 (Either LIBOR, EURlBOR or other, although additional information is required if other - including fallback provisions in the Agency Agreement) - Interest Determination Date(s): [I (Second London Business Day prior to the star? of each Interest Period if LlSOR (other than sterling or euro LIBOR), first day of each Interest Period if sterling LIBOR and the second day on which the TARGET System is open prior to the start of each Interest Period if EURIBOR or euro LIBOR) - Relevant Screen Page: [I (In the case of EURIBOR, if not Telerate 248 ensure it is a page which shows a composite rate or amend the fallback provisions appropriately)
(vii) ISDA Determination: - Floating Rate Option: [I - Designated Maturity: [I - Reset Date: [I (viii) Margin(@: [+/-I [ ] per cent. per annum (ix) Minimum Rate of Interest: [ ] per cent. per annum
(x) Maximum Rate of Interest: [ ] per cent. per annum
16 (xi) Day Count Fraction: [Actua1/365 Actual1365 (Fixed) ActuaV365 (Sterling) ActuaV360 30/360 30E/360 Other] (See Condition "Interest" for alternatives)
(xii) Fall back provisions, rounding provisions and any other terms relating to the method of calculating interest on Floating Rate Notes, if different from those set out in the Conditions: [I 16. Zero Coupon Note Provisions [Applicable/Not Applicable] (If not applicable, delete the remaining sub- paragraphs of this paragraph)
(i) Accrual Yield: [ ] per cent. per annum
(ii) Reference Price: [I (iii) Any other formulalbasis of determining amount payable: [I (Consider applicable Day Count Fraction if not US. dollar denominated)
(iv) Day Count Fraction in relation to Early Redemption Amounts and late payment: [Conditions 6(e)(iii) and (j) applylspecify other]
17. Index Linked Interest Note Provisions [Applicable/Not Applicable] (If not applicable, delete the remaining subparagraphs of this paragraph)
Index/Formula: [give or annex details]
Calculation Agent responsible for calculating the principal and/or interest due:
Provisions for determining coupon where calculation by reference to Index and/or Formula is impossible or impracticable: t1 Specified Period(s)/Specified Interest Payment Dates: [I Business Day Convention: [Floating Rate Convention/Following Business Day Convention/Modified Following Business Day Convention/Preceding Business Day Convention/ specity othetj Additional Business Centre(s): [I Minimum Rate of Interest: [ ] per cent. per annum
(viii) Maximum Rate of Interest: [ ] per cent. per annum (ix) Day Count Fraction: I1
17 18. Dual Currency Note Provisions [Applicable/Not Applicable] (If not applicable, delete the remaining sub- paragraphs of this paragraph)
(i) Rate of Exchangelmethod of calculating Rate of Exchange: [give details]
(ii) Calculation Agent, if any, responsible for calculating the principal and/or interest payable:
(iii) Provisions applicable where calculation by reference to Rate of Exchange impossible or impracticable:
(iv) Person at whose option Specified Currency(ies) is/are payable:
PROVISIONS RELATING TO REDEMPTION
19. Issuer Call: [Applicable/Not Applicable] (If not applicable, delete the remaining sub- paragraphs of this paragraph) (i) Optional Redemption Date(s): [I (ii) Optional Redemption Amount of each Note and method, if any, of calculation of such amount(s): (iii) If redeemable in part:
(a) Minimum Redemption Amount:
(b) Maximum Redemption Amount:
(iv) Notice period (if other than as set out in the Conditions): [I 20. Investor Put: [Applicable/Not Applicable] (lf not applicable, delete the remaining sub- paragraphs of this paragraph)
(i) Optional Redemption Date(s): [I (ii) Optional Redemption Amount of each Note and method, if any, of calculation of such amount@):
(iii) Notice period (if other than as set out in the Conditions): [I 21. Final Redemption Amount of each Note: [Parlspecify otherlsee Appendix]
22. Early Redemption Amount of each Note payable on redemption for taxation reasons or on event of default and/or the method of calculating the same (if required or if different from that set out in Condition 6(e)):
18 GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO THE NOTES
23. Form of Notes: Temporary Global Note exchangeable for a Permanent Global Note which is exchangeable for Definitive Notes [on 60 days’ notice given at any time/only upon an Exchange Event].
[Temporary Global Note exchangeable for Definitive Notes on and after the Exchange Date.]
[Permanent Global Note exchangeable for Definitive Notes [on 60 days’ notice given at any timelonly upon an Exchange Event.]]
24. Additional Financial Centre(s) or other special provisions relating to Payment Dates: [Not Applicablelgive details] (Note that this item relates to the place of payment and not lnterest Period end dates to which item 15(iii) and 17(iv) relate)
25. Talons for future Coupons or Receipts to be attached to Definitive Notes (and dates on which such Talons mature): [YeslNo. If yes, give details]
26. Details relating to Partly Paid Notes: amount of each payment comprising the Issue Price and date on which each payment is to be made and consequences of failure to pay, including any right of the Issuer to forfeit the Notes and interest due on late payment: [Not Applicabldgive details. NB: a new form of Temporary Global Note and/or Permanent Global Note may be required for Partly Paid issues]
27. Details relating to lnstalment Notes: amount of each instalment, date on which each payment is to be made: [Not Applicablelgive details]
28. Redenomination: Redenomination [not] applicable [(if Redenomination is applicable, specify the terms of the redenomination in an Annex to the Pricing Supplemenf)] 29. Other terms or special conditions: [Not Appl icablelgive details]
DISTRIBUTION
30. (i) If syndicated, names of Managers: [Not Applicablelgive names]
(ii) Stabilising Manager (if any): [Not Applicablelgive name]
31. If non-syndicated, name of relevant Dealer: [I 32. Whether TEFRA D or TEFRA C rules applicable or TEFRA rules not applicable: [TEFRA DREFRA ClTEFRA not applicable]
33. Additional selling restrictions: [Not Applicablelgive details]
19 OPERATIONAL INFORMATION
34. Any clearing system(s) other than Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg and the relevant identification number(s): [Not Applicablelgive name(s) and number@)]
35. Delivery: Delivery [againstlfree of] payment
36. Additional Paying Agent(s) (if any): [I ISIN: Common Code:
[LISTING APPLICATION
This Pricing Supplement comprises the details required to list the issue of Notes described herein pursuant to the listing of the €1,500,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme of the Region of Tuscany .]
RESPONSIBILITY The Issuer accepts responsibility for the information contained in this Pricing Supplement.
Signed on behalf of the Issuer:
By: ...... Duly authorised
20 TERMS AND CONDITIONS OFTHE NOTES
The following are the Terms and Conditions of the Notes which will be incorporated by reference info each Global Note (as defined below) and each Definitive Note, in the latter case only if permitted by the relevant stock exchange (if any) and agreed by the Issuer and the relevant Dealer at the time of issue but, if not so permitted and agreed, such definitive Note will have endorsed thereon or attached thereto such Terms and Conditions. The applicable Pricing Supplement in relation to any Tranche of Notes may specify other terms and conditions which shall, to the extent so specified or to the exfent inconsistent with the following Terms and Conditions, replace or modify the following Terms and Conditions for the purpose of such Notes. The applicable Pricing Supplement (or the relevant provisions thereof) will be endorsed upon, or attached to, each Global Note and definitive Note. Reference should be made to “Form of the Notes” for a description of the content of Pricing Supplements which will specify which of such terms are to apply in relation to the relevant Notes.
This Note is one of a Series (as defined below) of Notes issued by the Region of Tuscany (the “Issuer”) pursuant to the Agency Agreement (as defined below).
References herein to the “Notes”shall be references to the Notes of this Series and shall mean:
(i) in relation to any Notes represented by a global Note (a “Global Note”), units of the lowest Specified Denomination in the Specified Currency;
(ii) any Global Note; and
(iii) any definitive Notes issued in exchange for a Global Note. The Notes, the Receipts (as defined below) and the Coupons (as defined below) have the benefit of an Agency Agreement (such Agency Agreement as amended and/or supplemented and/or restated from time to time, the “Agency Agreement”) dated 6th March, 2002, and made between the Issuer, Deutsche Bank AG London as issuing and principal paying agent and agent bank (the “Agent”,which expression shall include any successor agent) and the other paying agents named therein (together with the Agent, the “Paying Agents”, which expression shall include any additional or successor paying agents).
Interest bearing definitive Notes (unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement) have interest coupons (“Coupons”) and, if indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement, talons for further Coupons (“Talons”)attached on issue. Any reference herein to Coupons or coupons shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to include a reference to Talons or talons. Definitive Notes repayable in instalments have receipts (“Receipts”) for the payment of the instalments of principal (other than the final instalment) attached on issue. Global Notes do not have Receipts, Coupons or Talons attached on issue. The Pricing Supplement for this Note (or the relevant provisions thereof) is attached to or endorsed on this Note and supplements these Terms and Conditions and may specify other terms and conditions which shall, to the extent so specified or to the extent inconsistent with these Terms and Conditions, replace or modify these Terms and Conditions for the purposes of this Note. References to the “applicable Pricing Supplement” are to the Pricing Supplement (or the relevant provisions thereof) attached to or endorsed on this Note.
Any reference to “Noteholders” or “holders” in relation to any Notes shall mean the holders of the Notes and shall, in relation to any Notes represented by a Global Note, be construed as provided below. Any reference herein to “Receiptholders”shall mean the holders of the Receipts and any reference herein to “Couponholders” shall mean the holders of the Coupons and shall, unless the context otherwise requires, include the holders of the Talons.
As used herein, ‘Tranche” means Notes which are identical in all respects (including as to listing) and “Series” means a Tranche of Notes together with any further Tranche or Tranches of Notes which are (i) expressed to be consolidated and form a single series and (ii) identical in all respects (including as to listing) except for their respective Issue Dates, Interest Commencement Dates and/or Issue Prices.
21 The Noteholders, the Receiptholders and the Couponholders are entitled to the benefit of the Deed of Covenant (the “Deed of Covenant”) dated 6th March, 2002 and made by the Issuer. The original of the Deed of Covenant is held by the common depositary for Euroclear (as defined below) and Clearstream, Luxembourg (as defined below).
Copies of the Agency Agreement and the Deed of Covenant are available for inspection during normal business hours at the specified office of each of the Paying Agents. Copies of the applicable Pricing Supplement are obtainable during normal business hours at the specified office of each of the Paying Agents save that, if this Note is an unlisted Note of any Series, the applicable Pricing Supplement will only be obtainable by a Noteholder holding one or more unlisted Notes of that Series and such Noteholder must produce evidence satisfactory to the Issuer and the relevant Paying Agent as to its holding of such Notes and identity. The Noteholders, the Receiptholders and the Couponholders are deemed to have notice of, and are entitled to the benefit of, all the provisions of the Agency Agreement, the Deed of Covenant and the applicable Pricing Supplement which are applicable to them. The statements in these Terms and Conditions include summaries of, and are subject to, the detailed provisions of the Agency Agreement.
Words and expressions defined in the Agency Agreement or used in the applicable Pricing Supplement shall have the same meanings where used in these Terms and Conditions unless the context otherwise requires or unless otherwise stated and provided that, in the event of inconsistency between the Agency Agreement and the applicable Pricing Supplement, the applicable Pricing Supplement will prevail.
1. FORM, DENOMINATION AND TITLE
The Notes are in bearer form and, in the case of definitive Notes, serially numbered, in the Specified Currency and the Specified Denomination(s). Notes of one Specified Denomination may not be exchanged for Notes of another Specified Denomination. This Note may be a Fixed Rate Note, a Floating Rate Note, a Zero Coupon Note, an Index Linked Interest Note, a Dual Currency Interest Note or a combination of any of the foregoing, depending upon the Interest Basis shown in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
This Note may be an Index Linked Redemption Note, an lnstalment Note, a Dual Currency Redemption Note, a Partly Paid Note or a combination of any of the foregoing, depending on the RedemptiordPayment Basis shown in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Definitive Notes are issued with Coupons attached, unless they are Zero Coupon Notes in which case references to Coupons and Couponholders in these Terms and Conditions are not applicable.
Subject as set out below, title to the Notes, Receipts and Coupons will pass by delivery. The Issuer and the Paying Agents will (except as otherwise required by law) deem and treat the bearer of any Note, Receipt or Coupon as the absolute owner thereof (whether or not overdue and notwithstanding any notice of ownership or writing thereon or notice of any previous loss or theft thereof) for all purposes but, in the case of any Global Note, without prejudice to the provisions set out in the next succeeding paragraph.
For so long as any of the Notes is represented by a Global Note held on behalf of Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”)andor Clearstream Banking, soci&t& anonyme (“Clearstream, Luxembourg”), each person (other than Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg) who is for the time being shown in the records of Euroclear or of Clearstream, Luxembourg as the holder of a particular nominal amount of such Notes (in which regard any certificate or other document issued by Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg as to the nominal amount of such Notes standing to the account of any person shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes save in the case of manifest error) shall be treated by the Issuer and the Paying Agents as the holder of such nominal amount of such Notes for all purposes other than with respect to the payment of principal or interest on such nominal amount of such Notes, for which purpose the bearer of the relevant Global Note shall be treated by the Issuer and any Paying Agent as the holder of such nominal amount of such Notes in accordance with and subject to the
22 terms of the relevant Global Note and the expressions “Noteholder”and “holder of Notes” and related expressions shall be construed accordingly. Notes which are represented by a Global Note will be transferable only in accordance with the rules and procedures for the time being of Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be. References to Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg shall, whenever the context so permits, be deemed to include a reference to any additional or alternative clearing system specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
2. STATUS OFTHE NOTES
The Notes and any relative Receipts and Coupons are direct, unconditional, unsubordinated and (subject to the provisions of Condition 3) unsecured obligations of the Issuer and rank pari passu with all other present or future unsecured (subject to Condition 3) and unsubordinated Indebtedness (as defined below) of the Issuer, save for such as may be preferred by mandatory provisions of applicable law. The full faith and credit of the Issuer will be pledged for the due and punctual payment of the Notes and for all obligations of the Issuer in respect thereof. The Issuer will instruct its treasurer through a Payment Mandate (as defined below) to allocate certain tax revenues of the Issuer evidenced under Title 1 of its annual budget (i.e., local taxes and certain transfer payments from the Italian Central Government) necessary to meet its payment obligations under the Notes, creating on such sums an irrevocable obligation in favour of the Paying Agents for the benefit of the holders of the Notes.
“Indebtedness”means all direct, unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Issuer in the form of, or represented by, bonds, notes, debentures or other securities that are for the time being quoted or are capable of being quoted, listed or ordinarily dealt on any stock exchange, automated trading system, over-the-counter or other securities market. “Payment Mandate”means the mandate which is served by the Issuer on its treasurer pursuant to which the treasurer is required to segregate from time to time moneys in an amount sufficient to meet the Issuer’s obligations to pay interest and principal under outstanding debt of the Issuer when due.
3. NEGATIVE PLEDGE
So long as any Note remains outstanding, the Issuer agrees that it will not secure, or permit to subsist any security for, any present or future Indebtedness as defined in Condition 2 by any Charge (as defined below) on any of its present or future assets or revenues unless the Notes shall share in and be secured by such Charge equally and rateably with such other Indebtedness, and the instrument creating such Charge shall expressly so provide.
For the purpose of the foregoing, “Charge”shall mean any mortgage, charge, pledge, lien or other form of encumbrance or security interest.
The foregoing shall not limit the ability of the Issuer to allocate tax revenues in the manner described in Condition 2 in respect of other Indebtedness.
4. INTEREST (a) Interest on Fixed Rate Notes Each Fixed Rate Note bears interest on its outstanding nominal amount (or, if it is a Partly Paid Note, the amount paid up) from and including the Interest Commencement Date at the rate(s) per annum equal to the Rate(s) of Interest. Interest will be payable in arrear on the Interest Payment Date(@ in each year up to (and including) the Maturity Date.
Except as provided in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the amount of interest payable on each Interest Payment Date in respect of the Fixed Interest Period ending on (but excluding) such date will amount to the Fixed Coupon Amount. Payments of interest on any Interest Payment Date will, if so specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, amount to the Broken Amount so specified.
23 If interest is required to be calculated for a period other than a Fixed Interest Period, such interest shall be calculated by applying the Rate of Interest to each Specified Denomination, multiplying such sum by the applicable Day Count Fraction, and rounding the resultant figure to the nearest sub-unit of the relevant Specified Currency, half of any such sub-unit being rounded upwards or otherwise in accordance with applicable market convention. “Day Count Fraction” means, in respect of the calculation of an amount of interest for any Fixed Interest Period:
(i) if “Actual/Actual (ISMA)” is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement: (a) in the case of Notes where the number of days in the relevant period from (and including) the most recent Interest Payment Date (or, if none, the Interest Commencement Date) to (but excluding) the relevant payment date (the “Accrual Period”) is equal to or shorter than the Determination Period during which the Accrual Period ends, the number of days in such Accrual Period divided by the product of (1) the number of days in such Determination Period and (2) the number of Determination Dates (as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement) that would occur in one calendar year; or
(b) in the case of Notes where the Accrual Period is longer than the Determination Period during which the Accrual Period ends, the sum of:
(A) the number of days in such Accrual Period falling in the Determination Period in which the Accrual Period begins divided by the product of (x) the number of days in such Determination Period and (y) the number of Determination Dates that would occur in one calendar year: and
(6) the number of days in such Accrual Period falling in the next Determination Period divided by the product of (x) the number of days in such Determination Period and (y) the number of Determination Dates that would occur in one calendar year; and
(ii) if “30/360is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the number of days in the period from and including the most recent Interest Payment Date (or, if none, the Interest Commencement Date) to but excluding the relevant payment date (such number of days being calculated on the basis of 12 30-day months) divided by 360.
In these Terms and Conditions:
“Determination Period” means each period from (and including) a Determination Date to but excluding the next Determination Date (including, where either the Interest Commencement Date or the final Interest Payment Date is not a Determination Date, the period commencing on the first Determination Date prior to, and ending on the first Determination Date falling after, such date);
“Fixed Interest Period means the period from and including an Interest Payment Date (or the Interest Commencement Date) to but excluding the next (or first) Interest Payment Date; and
“sub-unit” means, with respect to any currency other than euro, the lowest amount of such currency that is available as legal tender in the country of such currency and, with respect to euro, means one cent.
(b) Interest on Floating Rate Notes and index Linked Interest Notes (i) Interest Payment Dates
Each Floating Rate Note and Index Linked Interest Note bears interest on its outstanding nominal amount (or, if it is a Partly Paid Note, the amount paid up) from (and including) the Interest Commencement Date and such interest will be payable in arrear on either:
24 (A) the Specified Interest Payment Date(s) (each an “Interest Payment Date”) in each year specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement; or
(B) if no Specified Interest Payment Date(s) islare specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, each date (each an “Interest Payment Date”) which falls the number of months or other period specified as the Specified Period in the applicable Pricing Supplement after the preceding Interest Payment Date or, in the case of the first Interest Payment Date, after the Interest Commencement Date.
Such interest will be payable in respect of each Interest Period (which expression shall, in these Terms and Conditions, mean the period from (and including) an Interest Payment Date (or the Interest Commencement Date) to (but excluding) the next (or first) Interest Payment Date).
If a Business Day Convention is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement and (x) if there is no numerically corresponding day on the calendar month in which an Interest Payment Date should occur or (y) if any Interest Payment Date would otherwise fall on a day which is not a Business Day, then, if the Business Day Convention specified is:
(1) in any case where Specified Periods are specified in accordance with Condition 4(b)(i)(B) above, the Floating Rate Convention, such Interest Payment Date (i) in the case of (x) above, shall be the last day that is a Business Day in the relevant month and the provisions of (6)below shall apply mutatis mutandis or (ii) in the case of (y) above, shall be postponed to the next day which is a Business Day unless it would thereby fall into the next calendar month, in which event (A) such Interest Payment Date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day and (6)each subsequent Interest Payment Date shall be the last Business Day in the month which falls the Specified Period after the preceding applicable Interest Payment Date occurred; or
(2) the Following Business Day Convention, such Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the next day which is a Business Day; or
(3) the Modified Following Business Day Convention, such Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the next day which is a Business Day unless it would thereby fall into the next calendar month, in which event such Interest Payment Date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day; or
(4) the Preceding Business Day Convention, such Interest Payment Date shall be brought forward to the immediately preceding Business Day. In these Terms and Conditions, “Business Day” means a day which is both:
(A) a day on which commercial banks and foreign exchange markets settle payments and are open for general business (including dealing in foreign exchange and foreign currency deposits) in London and any Additional Business Centre specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement; and
(B) either (1) in relation to any sum payable in a Specified Currency other than euro, a day on which commercial banks and foreign exchange markets settle payments and are open for general business (including dealing in foreign exchange and foreign currency deposits) in the principal financial centre of the country of the relevant Specified Currency (if other than London and any Additional Business Centre and which if the Specified Currency is Australian dollars or New Zealand dollars shall be Melbourne or Wellington, respectively) or (2) in relation to any sum payable in euro, a day on which Trans-European Automated Real-Time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET) System (the ‘TARGET System”) is open.
25 (ii) Rate of Interest The Rate of Interest payable from time to time in respect of Floating Rate Notes and Index Linked Interest Notes will be determined in the manner specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. ISDA Determination for Floating Rate Notes Where ISDA Determination is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement as the manner in which the Rate of Interest is to be determined, the Rate of Interest for each Interest Period will be the relevant ISDA Rate plus or minus (as indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement) the Margin (if any). For the purposes of this sub- paragraph (A), “ISDA Rate” for an Interest Period means a rate equal to the Floating Rate that would be determined by the Agent under an interest rate swap transaction if the Agent were acting as Calculation Agent for that swap transaction under the terms of an agreement incorporating the 2000 ISDA Definitions, as published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. and as amended and updated as at the Issue Date of the first Tranche of the Notes (the “ISDA Definitions”) and under which:
(1) the Floating Rate Option is as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement; (2) the Designated Maturity is a period specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement; and
(3) the relevant Reset Date is either (i) if the applicable Floating Rate Option is based on the London inter-bank offered rate (“LIBOR”) or on the Euro-zone inter-bank offered rate (“EURIBOR”) for a currency, the first day of that Interest Period or (ii) in any other case, as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
For the purposes of this sub-paragraph (A), “Floating Rate”, “Calculation Agent”, “Floating Rate Option”, “Designated Maturity” and “Reset Date” have the meanings given to those terms in the ISDA Definitions.
Screen Rate Determination for Floating Rate Notes Where Screen Rate Determination is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement as the manner in which the Rate of Interest is to be determined, the Rate of Interest for each Interest Period will, subject as provided below, be either:
(1) the offered quotation; or
(2) the arithmetic mean (rounded if necessary to the fifth decimal place, with 0.000005 being rounded upwards) of the offered quotations, (expressed as a percentage rate per annum) for the Reference Rate which appears or appear, as the case may be, on the Relevant Screen Page as at 11.OO a.m. (London time, in the case of LIBOR, or Brussels time, in the case of EURIBOR) on the Interest Determination Date in question plus or minus (as indicated in the applicable Pricing Supplement) the Margin (if any), all as determined by the Agent. If five or more of such offered quotations are available on the Relevant Screen Page, the highest (or, if there is more than one such highest quotation, one only of such quotations) and the lowest (or, if there is more than one such lowest quotation, one only of such quotations) shall be disregarded by the Agent for the purpose of determining the arithmetic mean (rounded as provided above) of such offered quotations.
The Agency Agreement contains provisions for determining the Rate of Interest in the event that the Relevant Screen Page is not available or if, in the case of (1) above, no such offered quotation appears or, in the case of (2) above, fewer than three such offered quotations appear, in each case as at the time specified in the preceding paragraph.
26 If the Reference Rate from time to time in respect of Floating Rate Notes is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement as being other than LIBOR or EURIBOR, the Rate of Interest in respect of such Notes will be determined as provided in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
(iii) Minimum Rate of Merest and/or Maximum Rate of Interest
If the applicable Pricing Supplement specifies a Minimum Rate of Interest for any Interest Period, then, in the event that the Rate of Interest in respect of such Interest Period determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (ii) above is less than such Minimum Rate of Interest, the Rate of Interest for such Interest Period shall be such Minimum Rate of Interest. If the applicable Pricing Supplement specifies a Maximum Rate of Interest for any Interest Period, then, in the event that the Rate of Interest in respect of such Interest Period determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (ii) above is greater than such Maximum Rate of Interest, the Rate of Interest for such Interest Period shall be such Maximum Rate of Interest.
(iv) Determination of Rate of lnterest and calculation of Merest Amounts The Agent, in the case of floating Rate Notes, and the Calculation Agent, in the case of Index Linked Interest Notes, will at or as soon as practicable after each time at which the Rate of Interest is to be determined, determine the Rate of Interest for the relevant Interest Period. In the case of Index Linked Interest Notes, the Calculation Agent will notify the Agent of the Rate of Interest for the relevant Interest Period as soon as practicable after calculating the same.
The Agent will calculate the amount of interest (the “Interest Amount”) payable on the Floating Rate Notes or Index Linked Interest Notes in respect of each Specified Denomination for the relevant Interest Period. Each Interest Amount shall be calculated by applying the Rate of Interest to each Specified Denomination, multiplying such sum by the applicable Day Count Fraction, and rounding the resultant figure to the nearest sub-unit of the relevant Specified Currency, half of any such sub-unit being rounded upwards or otherwise in accordance with applicable market convention. “Day Count fraction” means, in respect of the calculation of an amount of interest in accordance with this Condition 5(b):
if “Actua1/365” or “ActuaVActual” is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the actual number of days in the Interest Period divided by 365 (or, if any portion of that Interest Period falls in a leap year, the sum of (A) the actual number of days in that portion of the Interest Period falling in a leap year divided by 366 and (6)the actual number of days in that portion of the Interest Period falling in a non-leap year divided by 365);
if “ActuaV365 (Fixed)” is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the actual number of days in the Interest Period divided by 365;
if “ActuaV365 (Sterling)” is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the actual number of days in the Interest Period divided by 365 or, in the case of an Interest Payment Date falling in a leap year, 366;
if “Actua1/360 is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the actual number of days in the Interest Period divided by 360;
if “30/360”, “360/360 or “Bond Basis” is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the number of days in the Interest Period divided by 360 (the number of days to be calculated on the basis of a year of 360 days with 12 30-day months (unless (a) the last day of the Interest Period is the 31 st day of a month but the first day of the Interest Period is a day other than the 30th or 31st day of a month, in which case the month that includes that last day shall not be considered to be shortened to a 30-day month,
27 or (b) the last day of the Interest Period is the last day of the month of February, in which case the month of February shall not be considered to be lengthened to a 30- day month)): and
(vi) if “30E/360” or “Eurobond Basis” is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the number of days in the Interest Period divided by 360 (the number of days to be calculated on the basis of a year of 360 days with 12 30-day months, without regard to the date of the first day or last day of the Interest Period unless, in the case of an Interest Period ending on the Maturity Date, the Maturity Date is the last day of the month of February, in which case the month of February shall not be considered to be lengthened to a 30-day month).
(v) Notification of Rate of lnterest and lnterest Amounts The Agent will cause the Rate of Interest and each Interest Amount for each Interest Period and the relevant Interest Payment Date to be notified to the Issuer and any stock exchange on which the relevant Floating Rate Notes or Index Linked Interest Notes are for the time being listed and notice thereof to be published in accordance with Condition 13 as soon as possible after their determination but in no event later than the fourth London Business Day thereafter. Each Interest Amount and Interest Payment Date so notified may subsequently be amended (or appropriate alternative arrangements made by way of adjustment) without prior notice in the event of an extension or shortening of the Interest Period. Any such amendment will be promptly notified to each stock exchange on which the relevant Floating Rate Notes or Index Linked Interest Notes are for the time being listed and to the Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13. For the purposes of this paragraph, the expression “London Business Day” means a day (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) on which banks and foreign exchange markets are open for business in London.
(vi) Certificates to be final
All certificates, communications, opinions, determinations, calculations, quotations and decisions given, expressed, made or obtained for the purposes of the provisions of this Condition 4(b), whether by the Agent or, if applicable, the Calculation Agent, shall (in the absence of wilful default, bad faith or manifest error) be binding on the Issuer, the Agent, the Calculation Agent (if applicable), the other Paying Agents and all Noteholders, Receiptholders and Couponholders and (in the absence of aforesaid) no liability to the Issuer, the Noteholders, the Receiptholders or the Couponholders shall attach to the Agent or the Calculation Agent (if applicable) in connection with the exercise or non-exercise by it of its powers, duties and discretions pursuant to such provisions.
(c) Interest on Dual Currency Interest Notes The rate or amount of interest in respect of Dual Currency Interest Notes shall be determined in the manner specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
(d) Interest on Partly Paid Notes In the case of Partly Paid Notes (other than Partly Paid Notes which are Zero Coupon Notes), interest will accrue as aforesaid on the paid-up nominal amount of such Notes and otherwise as specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
(e) Accrual of interest
Each Note (or in the case of the redemption of part only of a Note, that part only of such Note) will cease to bear interest (if any) from the date for its redemption unless, upon due presentation thereof, payment of principal is improperly withheld or refused. In such event, interest will continue to accrue until whichever is the earlier of:
(1) the date on which all amounts due in respect of such Note have been paid; and
28 (2) five days after the date on which the full amount of the moneys payable in respect of such Note has been received by the Agent and notice to that effect has been given to the Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13.
5. PAYMENTS (a) Method of payment
Subject as provided below:
(i) payments in a Specified Currency other than euro will be made by credit or transfer to an account in the relevant Specified Currency (which, in the case of a payment in Japanese yen to a non-resident of Japan, shall be a non-resident account) maintained by the payee with, or, at the option of the payee, by a cheque in such Specified Currency drawn on, a bank in the principal financial centre of the country of such Specified Currency (which, if the Specified Currency is Australian dollars or New Zealand dollars, shall be Melbourne or Wellington, respectively); and
(ii) payments in euro will be made by credit or transfer to a euro account (or any other account to which euro may be credited or transferred) specified by the payee or, at the option of the payee, by a euro cheque.
Payments will be subject in all cases to any fiscal or other laws and regulations applicable thereto in the place of payment, but without prejudice to the provisions of Condition 7.
(b) Presentation of definitive Notes, Receipts and Coupons Payments of principal in respect of definitive Notes will (subject as provided below) be made in the manner provided in paragraph (a) above only against presentation and surrender (or, in the case of part payment of any sum due, endorsement) of definitive Notes, and payments of interest in respect of definitive Notes will (subject as provided below) be made as aforesaid only against presentation and surrender (or, in the case of part payment of any sum due, endorsement) of Coupons, in each case at the specified office of any Paying Agent outside the United States (which expression, as used herein, means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia, its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction)).
Payments of instalments of principal (if any) in respect of definitive Notes, other than the final instalment, will (subject as provided below) be made in the manner provided in paragraph (a) above against presentation and surrender (or, in the case of part payment of any sum due, endorsement) of the relevant Receipt in accordance with the preceding paragraph. Payment of the final instalment will be made in the manner provided in paragraph (a) above only against presentation and surrender (or, in the case of part payment of any sum due, endorsement) of the relevant Note in accordance with the preceding paragraph. Each Receipt must be presented for payment of the relevant instalment together with the definitive Note to which it appertains. Receipts presented without the definitive Note to which they appertain do not constitute valid obligations of the Issuer. Upon the date on which any definitive Note becomes due and repayable, unmatured Receipts (if any) relating thereto (whether or not attached) shall become void and no payment shall be made in respect thereof.
Fixed Rate Notes in definitive form (other than Dual Currency Notes, Index Linked Notes or Long Maturity Notes (as defined below)) should be presented for payment together with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto (which expression shall for this purpose include Coupons falling to be issued on exchange of matured Talons), failing which the amount of any missing unmatured Coupon (or, in the case of payment not being made in full, the same proportion of the amount of such missing unmatured Coupon as the sum so paid bears to the sum due) will be deducted from the sum due for payment. Each amount of principal so deducted will be paid in the manner mentioned above against surrender of the relative missing Coupon at any time before the expiry of 10 years after the Relevant Date (as defined in Condition 7) in respect of such principal (whether or not such Coupon would otherwise have become void under Condition 8) or, if later,
29 five years from the date on which such Coupon would otherwise have become due, but in no event thereafter.
Upon any Fixed Rate Note in definitive form becoming due and repayable prior to its Maturity Date, all unmatured Talons (if any) appertaining thereto will become void and no further Coupons will be issued in respect thereof. Upon the date on which any Floating Rate Note, Dual Currency Note, Index Linked Interest Note or Long Maturity Note in definitive form becomes due and repayable, unmatured Coupons and Talons (if any) relating thereto (whether or not attached) shall become void and no payment or, as the case may be, exchange for further Coupons shall be made in respect thereof. A “Long Maturity Note” is a Fixed Rate Note (other than a Fixed Rate Note which on issue had a Talon attached) whose nominal amount on issue is less than the aggregate interest payable thereon provided that such Note shall cease to be a Long Maturity Note on the Interest Payment Date on which the aggregate amount of interest remaining to be paid after that date is less than the nominal amount of such Note.
If the due date for redemption of any definitive Note is not an Interest Payment Date, interest (if any) accrued in respect of such Note from (and including) the preceding Interest Payment Date or, as the case may be, the Interest Commencement Date shall be payable only against surrender of the relevant definitive Note.
(c) Payments in respect of Global Notes Payments of principal and interest (if any) in respect of Notes represented by any Global Note will (subject as provided below) be made in the manner specified above in relation to definitive Notes and otherwise in the manner specified in the relevant Global Note against presentation or surrender, as the case may be, of such Global Note at the specified office of any Paying Agent outside the United States. A record of each payment made against presentation or surrender of any Global Note, distinguishing between any payment of principal and any payment of interest, will be made on such Global Note by the Paying Agent to which it was presented and such record shall be prima facie evidence that the payment in question has been made.
(d) General provisions applicable to payments The holder of a Global Note shall be the only person entitled to receive payments in respect of Notes represented by such Global Note and the Issuer will be discharged by payment to, or to the order of, the holder of such Global Note in respect of each amount so paid. Each of the persons shown in the records of Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg as the beneficial holder of a particular nominal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note must look solely to Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg as the case may be, for his share of each payment so made by the Issuer to, or to the order of, the holder of such Global Note.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Condition, if any amount of principal and/or interest in respect of Notes is payable in U.S. dollars, such US. dollar payments of principal and/or interest in respect of such Notes will be made at the specified office of a Paying Agent in the United States if:
(i) the Issuer has appointed Paying Agents with specified offices outside the United States with the reasonable expectation that such Paying Agents would be able to make payment in U.S. dollars at such specified offices outside the United States of the full amount of principal and interest on the Notes in the manner provided above when due;
(ii) payment of the full amount of such principal and interest at all such specified offices outside the United States is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions on the full payment or receipt of principal and interest in US. dollars: and (iii) such payment is then permitted under United States law without involving, in the opinion of the Issuer, adverse tax consequences to the Issuer.
30 (e) Payment Day
If the date for payment of any amount in respect of any Note, Receipt or Coupon is not a Payment Day, the holder thereof shall not be entitled to payment until the next following Payment Day in the relevant place and shall not be entitled to further interest or other payment in respect of such delay. For these purposes, “Payment Day” means any day which (subject to Condition 8) is:
(i) a day on which commercial banks and foreign exchange markets settle payments and are open for general business (including dealing in foreign exchange and foreign currency deposits) in:
(A) the relevant place of presentation: (B) London: (C) any Additional Financial Centre specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement; and
(ii) either (1) in relation to any sum payable in a Specified Currency other than euro, a day on which commercial banks and foreign exchange markets settle payments and are open for general business (including dealing in foreign exchange and foreign currency deposits) in the principal financial centre of the country of the relevant Specified Currency (if other than the place of presentation, London and any Additional Financial Centre and which if the Specified Currency is Australian dollars or New Zealand dollars shall be Melbourne or Wellington, respectively) or (2) in relation to any sum payable in euro, a day on which the TARGET System is open.
(f) Interpretation of principal and interest Any reference in these Terms and Conditions to principal in respect of the Notes shall be deemed to include, as applicable:
(i) any additional amounts which may be payable with respect to principal under Condition 7: (ii) the Final Redemption Amount of the Notes;
(iii) the Early Redemption Amount of the Notes:
(iv) the Optional Redemption Amount@) (if any) of the Notes;
(v) in relation to Notes redeemable in instalments, the lnstalment Amounts;
(vi) in relation to Zero Coupon Notes, the Amortised Face Amount (as defined in Condition 6(e)); and
(vii) any premium and any other amounts (other than interest) which may be payable by the Issuer under or in respect of the Notes.
Any reference in these Terms and Conditions to interest in respect of the Notes shall be deemed to include, as applicable, any additional amounts which may be payable with respect to interest under Condition 7.
6. REDEMPTION AND PURCHASE (a) Redemption at maturity Unless previously redeemed or purchased and cancelled as specified below, each Note (including each Index Linked Redemption Note and Dual Currency Redemption Note) will be redeemed by the Issuer at its Final Redemption Amount specified in, or determined in the manner specified in, the applicable Pricing Supplement in the relevant Specified Currency on the Maturity Date.
31 (b) Redemption for tax reasons
The Notes may be redeemed at the option of the Issuer in whole, but not in part, at any time (if this Note is neither a Floating Rate Note nor an Index Linked Interest Note) or on any Interest Payment Date (ifthis Note is either a Floating Rate Note or an Index Linked Interest Note), on giving not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice to the Agent and, in accordance with Condition 13, the Noteholders (which notice shall be irrevocable), if:
(i) on the occasion of the next payment due under the Notes, the Issuer has or will become obliged to pay additional amounts as provided or referred to in Condition 7 as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws or regulations of the Republic of Italy or any political subdivision of, or any authority in, or of, the Republic of Italy (other than the Issuer) having power to tax, or any change in the application or official interpretation of such laws or regulations, which change or amendment becomes effective on or after the date on which agreement is reached to issue the first Tranche of the Notes; and
(ii) such obligation cannot be avoided by the Issuer taking reasonable measures available to it,
provided that no such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the Issuer would be obliged to pay such additional amounts were a payment in respect of the Notes then due.
Prior to the publication of any notice of redemption pursuant to this Condition, the Issuer shall deliver to the Agent a certificate signed by two persons authorised on behalf of the Issuer stating that the Issuer is entitled to effect such redemption and setting forth a statement of facts showing that the conditions precedent to the right of the Issuer so to redeem have occurred, and an opinion of independent legal advisers of recognised standing to the effect that the Issuer has or will become obliged to pay such additional amounts as a result of such change or amendment.
Notes redeemed pursuant to this Condition 6(b) will be redeemed at their Early Redemption Amount referred to in paragraph (e) below together (if appropriate) with interest accrued to (but excluding) the date of redemption.
(c) Redemption at the option of the Issuer (Issuer Call) If Issuer Call is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Issuer may, having given:
(i) not less than 15 nor more than 30 days’ notice to the Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13;and
(ii) not less than 15 days before the giving of the notice referred to in (i), notice to the Agent; (which notices shall be irrevocable and shall specify the date fixed for redemption), redeem all or some only of the Notes then outstanding on any Optional Redemption Date and at the Optional Redemption Amount@) specified in, or determined in the manner specified in, the applicable Pricing Supplement together, if appropriate, with interest accrued to (but excluding) the relevant Optional Redemption Date. Any such redemption must be of a nominal amount not less than the Minimum Redemption Amount or not more than a Higher Redemption Amount, in each case as may be specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. In the case of a partial redemption of Notes, the Notes to be redeemed (“Redeemed Notes”) will be selected individually by lot, in the case of Redeemed Notes represented by definitive Notes, and in accordance with the rules of Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg, in the case of Redeemed Notes represented by a Global Note, not more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for redemption (such date of selection being hereinafter called the “Selection Date”).In the case of Redeemed Notes represented by definitive Notes, a list of the serial numbers of such Redeemed Notes will be published in accordance with Condition 13 not less than 15 days prior to the date fixed for redemption. The aggregate nominal amount of Redeemed Notes represented by definitive Notes shall bear the same proportion to the aggregate nominal amount of all Redeemed Notes as the aggregate nominal amount of definitive Notes outstanding bears to the aggregate nominal amount of the Notes outstanding, in each case on the Selection Date, provided that such first mentioned
32 nominal amount shall, if necessary, be rounded downwards to the nearest integral multiple of the Specified Denomination, and the aggregate nominal amount of Redeemed Notes represented by a Global Note shall be equal to the balance of the Redeemed Notes. No exchange of the relevant Global Note will be permitted during the period from (and including) the Selection Date to (and including) the date fixed for redemption pursuant to this paragraph (c) and notice to that effect shall be given by the Issuer to the Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13 at least five days prior to the Selection Date.
(d) Redemption at the option of the Noteholders (Investor Put) If Investor Put is specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, upon the holder of any Note giving to the Issuer in accordance with Condition 13 not less than 15 nor more than 30 days’ notice the Issuer will, upon the expiry of such notice, redeem, subject to, and in accordance with, the terms specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, in whole (but not in part), such Note on the Optional Redemption Date and at the Optional Redemption Amount together, if appropriate, with interest accrued to (but excluding) the Optional Redemption Date.
If this Note is in definitive form, to exercise the right to require redemption of this Note the holder of this Note must deliver, at the specified office of any Paying Agent at any time during normal business hours of such Paying Agent falling within the notice period, a duly completed and signed notice of exercise in the form (for the time being current) obtainable from any specified office of any Paying Agent (a “Put Notice”) and in which the holder must specify a bank account (or, if payment is required to be made by cheque, an address) to which payment is to be made under this Condition accompanied by this Note or evidence satisfactory to the Paying Agent concerned that this Note will, following delivery of the Put Notice, be held to its order or under its control.
Any Put Notice given by a holder of any Note pursuant to this paragraph shall be irrevocable except where prior to the due date of redemption an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing in which event such holder, at its option, may elect by notice to the Issuer to withdraw the notice given pursuant to this paragraph and instead to declare such Note forthwith due and payable pursuant to Condition 9.
(e) Early Redemption Amounts
For the purpose of paragraph (b) above and Condition 9, each Note will be redeemed at the Early Redemption Amount calculated as follows:
(i) in the case of a Note with a Final Redemption Amount equal to the Issue Price, at the Final Redemption Amount thereof;
(ii) in the case of a Note (other than a Zero Coupon Note but including an lnstalment Note and a Partly Paid Note) with a Final Redemption Amount which is or may be less or greater than the Issue Price or which is payable in a Specified Currency other than that in which the Notes are denominated, at the amount specified in, or determined in the manner specified in, the applicable Pricing Supplement or, if no such amount or manner is so specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement, at its nominal amount; or
(iii) in the case of a Zero Coupon Note, at an amount (the “Amortised Face Amount”) calculated in accordance with the following formula:
Early Redemption Amount = RP x (1 + AY)’ where:
“RPmeans the Reference Price;
“AY‘ means the Accrual Yield expressed as a decimal; and ‘‘Fis a fraction the numerator of which is equal to the number of days (calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of 12 months of 30 days each) from (and including) the Issue
33 Date of the first Tranche of the Notes to (but excluding) the date fixed for redemption or (as the case may be) the date upon which such Note becomes due and repayable and the denominator of which is 360,
or on such other calculation basis as may be specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
(f) lnsfalments lnstalment Notes will be redeemed in the lnstalment Amounts and on the lnstalment Dates. In the case of early redemption, the Early Redemption Amount will be determined pursuant to paragraph (e) above.
(9) Partly Paid Notes Partly Paid Notes will be redeemed, whether at maturity, early redemption or otherwise, in accordance with the provisions of this Condition and the applicable Pricing Supplement.
(h) Purchases
The Issuer may at any time purchase Notes (provided that, in the case of definitive Notes, all unmatured Receipts, Coupons and Talons appertaining thereto are purchased therewith) at any price in the open market or otherwise. If purchases are made by tender, tenders must be available to all Noteholders alike. Such Notes may be held, reissued, resold or, at the option of the Issuer, surrendered to any Paying Agent for cancellation.
(i) Cancellation
All Notes which are redeemed will forthwith be cancelled (together with all unmatured Receipts, Coupons and Talons attached thereto or surrendered therewith at the time of redemption). All Notes so cancelled and the Notes purchased and cancelled pursuant to paragraph (h) above (together with all unmatured Receipts, Coupons and Talons cancelled therewith) shall be forwarded to the Agent and cannot be reissued or resold.
(j) Late payment on Zero Coupon Notes If the amount payable in respect of any Zero Coupon Note upon redemption of such Zero Coupon Note pursuant to paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) above or upon its becoming due and repayable as provided in Condition 9 is improperly withheld or refused, the amount due and repayable in respect of such Zero Coupon Note shall be the amount calculated as provided in paragraph (e)@) above as though the references therein to the date fixed for the redemption or the date upon which such Zero Coupon Note becomes due and payable were replaced by references to the date which is the earlier of:
(i) the date on which all amounts due in respect of such Zero Coupon Note have been paid; and
(ii) five days after the date on which the full amount of the moneys payable in respect of such Zero Coupon Notes has been received by the Agent and notice to that effect has been given to the Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13.
7. TAXATION
All payments of principal and interest in respect of the Notes, Receipts and Coupons by the Issuer will be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes or duties of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of the Republic of Italy or any political subdivision or any authority thereof or therein having power to tax (including but not limited to the Issuer), unless such withholding or deduction is required by law. In such event, the Issuer will pay such additional amounts as shall be necessary in order that the net amounts received by the holders of the Notes, Receipts or Coupons after such withholding or deduction shall equal the respective amounts of principal and interest which would otherwise have been receivable in respect of the Notes, Receipts or Coupons, as the case may be, in the absence of such withholding or deduction; except that no such additional amounts shall be payable with respect to any Note, Receipt or Coupon:
presented for payment in the Republic of Italy; or
presented for payment to, or on behalf of any person who is able to avoid such withholding or deduction by making a declaration of residence or non-residence or other claim for exemption to the relevant tax authority; or
presented for payment by or on behalf of a holder who is liable for such taxes or duties in respect of such Note, Receipt or Coupon by reason of his having some connection with the Republic of Italy other than the mere holding of such Note, Receipt or Coupon; or
presented for payment more than 30 days after the Relevant Date (as defined below) except to the extent that the holder thereof would have been entitled to an additional amount on presenting the same for payment on such thirtieth day assuming that day to have been a Payment Day (as defined in Condition 5(e)); or
where such withholding or deduction is imposed on a payment to an individual and is required to be made pursuant to any European Union Directive on the taxation of savings implementing the conclusions of the ECOFIN Council meeting of 26th-27th November, 2000 or any law implementing or complying with, or introduced in order to conform to, such Directive or law: or
presented for payment by or on behalf of a holder who would be able to avoid such withholding or deduction by presenting the relevant Note, Receipt or Coupon to another Paying Agent in a Member State of the European Union.
As used herein the “Relevant Date” means the date on which such payment first becomes due, except that, if the full amount of the moneys payable has not been duly received by the Agent on or prior to such due date, it means the date on which, the full amount of such moneys having been so received, notice to that effect is duly given to the Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13. ’Ymposta sostitutiva” as defined in Legislative Decree No. 239 of 1st April, 1996, as amended does not constitute a withholding or deduction within the meaning of this Condition 7. a. PRESCRIPTION The Notes, Receipts and Coupons will become void unless presented for payment within a period of 10 years (in the case of principal) and five years (in the case of interest) after the Relevant Date (as defined in Condition 7) therefor.
There shall not be included in any Coupon sheet issued on exchange of a Talon any Coupon the claim for payment in respect of which would be void pursuant to this Condition or Condition 5(b) or any Talon which would be void pursuant to Condition 5(b).
9. EVENTS OF DEFAULT
If any one or more of the following events (each an “Event of Default”) shall occur:
(a) there is a default in the payment of any principal or interest due in respect of the Notes or any of them and the default continues for a period of 10 days;
(b) the Issuer shall default in the due performance and observance of any other provision contained in the Notes and such default (if capable of remedy) shall remain unremedied for 30 days after written notice thereof shall have been given to the Issuer at the specified office of the Agent:
35 (c) (i) any other present or future External Indebtedness of the Issuer becomes due and payable prior to the stated maturity thereof as extended by any grace period applicable thereto; or (ii) any present or future guarantee of, or indemnity given by the Issuer in respect of, External Indebtedness is not honoured when called upon or within any grace period applicable thereto: or (iii) the Issuer shall declare or impose a moratorium on the payment of its External Indebtedness by it; or
(d) the Issuer decides to revoke, in whole or in part, the Payment Mandate and/or the Payment Mandate should be void,
then any Noteholder may, by written notice to the Issuer at the specified office of the Agent, effective upon the date of receipt thereof by the Agent, declare the Notes held by the holder to be forthwith due and payable whereupon the same shall become forthwith due and payable at the Early Redemption Amount (as described in Condition 6(e)), together with accrued interest (if any) to the date of repayment, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind.
“External Indebtedness” means for the purposes of this Condition any indebtedness for borrowed money by the Issuer and guarantees given by the Issuer for money borrowed by others (whether listed or not) in an amount (alone or in the aggregate) which is equal to or exceeds €10,000,000 (or its equivalent) and where any holder or holders of such debt are persons domiciled, resident or having their head office or principal place of business outside Italy.
10. REPLACEMENT OF NOTES, RECEIPTS, COUPONS AND TALONS
Should any Note, Receipt, Coupon or Talon be lost, stolen, mutilated, defaced or destroyed, it may be replaced at the specified office of the Agent upon payment by the claimant of such costs and expenses as may be incurred in connection therewith and on such terms as to evidence and indemnity as the Issuer may reasonably require. Mutilated or defaced Notes, Receipts, Coupons or Talons must be surrendered before replacements will be issued.
11. PAYING AGENTS
The names of the initial Paying Agents and their initial specified offices are set out below.
The Issuer is entitled to vary or terminate the appointment of any Paying Agent and/or appoint additional or other Paying Agents and/or approve any change in the specified office through which any Paying Agent acts, provided that:
(a) there will at all times be an Agent; (b) so long as the Notes are listed on any stock exchange, there will at all times be a Paying Agent with a specified office in such place as may be required by the rules and regulations of the relevant stock exchange; and
(c) if any European Union Directive on the taxation of savings implementing the conclusions of the ECOFIN Council meeting of 26th-27th November, 2000 or any law implementing or complying with, or introduced in order to conform to such Directive is introduced, the Issuer will ensure that it maintains a Paying Agent in an EU Member State that will not be obliged to withhold or deduct tax pursuant to any such Directive or law.
In addition, the Issuer shall forthwith appoint a Paying Agent having a specified office in New York City in the circumstances described in Condition 5(d).Any variation, termination, appointment or change shall only take effect (other than in the case of insolvency, when it shall be of immediate effect) after not less than 30 nor more than 45 days’ prior notice thereof shall have been given to the Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13.
In acting under the Agency Agreement, the Paying Agents act solely as agents of the Issuer and do not assume any obligation to, or relationship of agency or trust with, any Noteholders, Receiptholders or Couponholders. The Agency Agreement contains provisions permitting any
36 entity into which any Paying Agent is merged or converted or with which it is consolidated or to which it transfers all or substantially all of its assets to become the successor paying agent.
12. EXCHANGE OF TALONS
On and after the Interest Payment Date on which the final Coupon comprised in any Coupon sheet matures, the Talon (if any) forming part of such Coupon sheet may be surrendered at the specified office of the Agent or any other Paying Agent in exchange for a further Coupon sheet including (if such further Coupon sheet does not include Coupons to (and including) the final date for the payment of interest due in respect of the Note to which it appertains) a further Talon, subject to the provisions of Condition 8.
13. NOTICES All notices regarding the Notes will be deemed to be validly given if published (i) in a leading English language daily newspaper of general circulation in London and (ii) if and for so long as the Notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, a daily newspaper of general circulation in Luxembourg. It is expected that such publication will be made in the financial Times in London and the Luxemburger Wort in Luxembourg. The Issuer shall also ensure that notices are duly published in a manner which complies with the rules and regulations of any stock exchange on which the Notes are for the time being listed. Any such notice will be deemed to have been given on the date of the first publication or, where required to be published in more than one newspaper, on the date of the first publication in all required newspapers.
Until such time as any definitive Notes are issued, there may, so long as any Global Notes representing the Notes are held in their entirety on behalf of Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg, be substituted for such publication in such newspaper(s) the delivery of the relevant notice to Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg for communication by them to the holders of the Notes and, in addition, for so long as any Notes are listed on a stock exchange and the rules of that stock exchange so require, such notice will be published in a daily newspaper of general circulation in the place or places required by the rules of that stock exchange. Any such notice shall be deemed to have been given to the holders of the Notes on the seventh day after the day on which the said notice was given to Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg.
Notices to be given by any Noteholder shall be in writing and given by lodging the same, together (in the case of any Note in definitive form) with the relative Note or Notes, with the Agent. Whilst any of the Notes are represented by a Global Note, such notice may be given by any holder of a Note to the Agent through Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, in such manner as the Agent and Euroclear and/or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as the case may be, may approve for this purpose.
14. MEETINGS OF NOTEHOLDERS, MODIFICATION AND WAIVER
The Agency Agreement contains provisions for convening meetings of the Noteholders to consider any matter affecting their interests, including the sanctioning by Extraordinary Resolution of a modification of the Notes, the Receipts, the Coupons or any of the provisions of the Agency Agreement. Such a meeting may be convened by the Issuer or Noteholders holding not less than five per cent. in nominal amount of the Notes for the time being remaining outstanding. The quorum at any such meeting for passing an Extraordinary Resolution is one or more persons holding or representing not less than 50 per cent. in nominal amount of the Notes for the time being outstanding, or at any adjourned meeting one or more persons being or representing Noteholders whatever the nominal amount of the Notes so held or represented, except that at any meeting the business of which includes the modification of certain provisions of the Notes, the Receipts or the Coupons (including modifying the date of maturity of the Notes or any date for payment of interest thereon, reducing or cancelling the amount of principal or the rate of interest payable in respect of the Notes or altering the currency of payment of the Notes, the Receipts or the Coupons), the quorum shall be one or more persons holding or representing not less than two-thirds in nominal amount of the Notes for the time being outstanding, or at any
37 adjourned such meeting one or more persons holding or representing not less than one-third in nominal amount of the Notes for the time being outstanding. An Extraordinary Resolution passed at any meeting of the Noteholders shall be binding on all the Noteholders, whether or not they are present at the meeting, and on all Receiptholders and Couponholders.
The Agent and the Issuer may agree, without the consent of the Noteholders, Receiptholders or Couponholders, to:
(a) any modification (except as mentioned above) of the Notes, the Receipts, the Coupons or Agency Agreement which is not prejudicial to the interests of the Noteholders; or
(b) any modification of the Notes, the Receipts, the Coupons or the Agency Agreement which is of a formal, minor or technical nature or is made to correct a manifest error or to comply with mandatory provisions of the law.
Any such modification shall be binding on the Noteholders, the Receiptholders and the Couponholders and any such modification shall be notified to the Noteholders in accordance with Condition 13 as soon as practicable thereafter.
15. FURTHER ISSUES The Issuer shall be at liberty from time to time without the consent of the Noteholders, the Receiptholders or the Couponholders to create and issue further notes having terms and conditions the same as the Notes or the same in all respects save for the amount and date of the first payment of interest thereon and so that the same shall be consolidated and form a single Series with the outstanding Notes. No modification shall take effect without the approval of the Issuer.
16. CONTRACTS (RIGHTS OFTHIRD PARTIES) ACT 1999
No rights are conferred on any person under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of the Notes, but this does not affect any right or remedy of any person which exists or is available apart from that Act.
17. GOVERNING LAW AND SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION (a) Governing law
The Agency Agreement, the Deed of Covenant, the Notes, the Receipts and the Coupons are governed by, and shall be construed in accordance with, English law.
(b) Submission to jurisdiction
The Issuer agrees, for the exclusive benefit of the Noteholders, the Receiptholders and the Couponholders, that the courts of England are to have jurisdiction to settle any disputes which may arise out of or in connection with the Notes, the Receipts and/or the Coupons and that accordingly any suit, action or proceedings (together referred to as “Proceedings”)arising out of or in connection with the Notes, the Receipts and the Coupons may be brought in such courts. The Issuer hereby irrevocably waives any objection which it may have now or hereafter to the laying of the venue of any such Proceedings in any such court and any claim that any such Proceedings have been brought in an inconvenient forum and hereby further irrevocably agrees that a judgment in any such Proceedings brought in the English courts shall be conclusive and binding upon it and may be enforced in the courts of any other jurisdiction.
Nothing contained in this Condition shall limit any right to take Proceedings against the Issuer in any other court of competent jurisdiction, nor shall the taking of Proceedings in one or more jurisdictions preclude the taking of Proceedings in any other jurisdiction, whether concurrently or not to the extent permitted by law.
38 (c) Appointment of Process Agent The Issuer appoints Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, London branch at its registered office at 122 Leadenhall Street, London EC3V 4RH as its agent for service of process, and undertakes that, in the event of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, London branch ceasing so to act or ceasing to be registered in England, it will appoint another person as its agent for service of process in England in respect of any Proceedings. Nothing herein shall affect the right to serve proceedings in any other manner permitted by law.
(d) Waiver of immunity
The Issuer hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives with respect to Notes, the Receipts and the Coupons any right to claim sovereign or other immunity from jurisdiction or execution and any similar defence and irrevocably and unconditionally consents to the giving of any relief or the issue of any process, including without limitation, the making, enforcement or execution against any property whatsoever of any order or judgment made or given in connection with any proceedings to the extent permitted by law.
(e) Other documents The Issuer has in the Agency Agreement and the Deed of Covenant submitted to the jurisdiction of the English courts and appointed an agent for service of process in terms substantially similar to those set out above.
39 USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds from each issue of Notes will be applied by the Issuer for investment purposes or for any other purpose permitted by law.
40 THE REGION OF TUSCANY
General
The Region of Tuscany (‘Tuscany” or the “Region”)is located in the central portion of the Republic of Italy (“Italy”) and occupies an area of approximately 23,000 square kilometres. It is divided into 10 provinces: Arezzo, Firenze, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, Massa-Carrara, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena. With a population of approximately 3,500,000 as of 31st December 2000, Tuscany is the ninth most populous region in Italy, representing approximately 6.1 per cent. of the total population of Italy.
Florence is the main administrative centre of the Region, with a population of approximately 375,000 as of 31 st December, 2000.
The registered office of the Region is located at Via Cavour, 18, 50129 Florence while the principal office of the Region is located at Via di Novoli, 26, 50127 Florence.
Relationship between the Central and Local Governments
Italy has been a democratic republic since 2nd June, 1946. Its government is organised territorially and administratively on national, regional and local levels. Legislative, executive and judicial powers are exercised at the national level by Italy’s Parliament, central government and judicial authorities, respectively (together the “Central Government”). Legislative and executive powers are exercised at local level by Italy’s regions (regioni, of which there are 20), and regulatory and executive powers at a local level are also exercised by provinces (provincie, of which there are 103),metropolitan cities (citta metropolitme, of which there are nine) and municipalities (comuni, of which there are 8,100), within the limits specified below.
Regions
Of Italy’s 20 regions, 15 operate under an ordinary degree of regional autonomy and are referred to as ordinary regions, while five regions (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sicily, Sardinia, Trentino Alto Adige and Valle d’Aosta) are regulated by special statutes which provide these regions with greater autonomy and wider legislative powers, classifying them as special regions. The Region is an ordinary region and was established in 1970.
Regions are empowered to address general economic and social issues within their respective territories and are responsible for the overall government of their territories as well as for co-ordinating local administration through their provinces and municipalities. Regional powers are both administrative and legislative. Legislative powers of the regions have been recently increased by constitutional law No. 3 of 18th October, 2001 (“Constitutional Law No. 3) introducing changes to the Italian Constitution originally approved in 1948 (the “Constitution”).Pursuant to Constitutional Law No. 3, Article 117 of the Constitution has been amended and regions now have exclusive legislative powers in respect of all those matters which are not expressly and specifically reserved to the competence of the Central Government or to the concurrent legislative powers of the Central Government and regions. The following are the matters reserved to the Central Government: a) foreign policy and international relations, including relations with the European Union (TU”), asylum right and status of non-EU citizens; b) immigration; c) relations with religious communities; d) defence, army, and security; e) currency, savings protection, financial markets, competition, monetary policy, tax and accounting systems, equalisation of financial resources among the various regions: f) regulation of the Central Government bodies and Central Government and EU elections: g) legal system and administrative organisation of the Central Government and of national public entities; h) public order and safety (with the exception of local police): i) citizenship, civil status and related registry off ices: j) jurisdictional and procedural rules, civil and criminal legal systems and administrative justice; k) establishment of minimum levels of civil and social services to be guaranteed throughout the national territory; I) general rules on education; m) national pension funds; n) regulation of bodies and fundamental functions of municipalities, provinces and metropolitan cities (all hereinafter referred to as “Local Authorities”) and local election laws; 0) customs, protection of national borders and international prophylaxis; p) determination of weights, measures and time, co-ordination of official data of the Central Government,
41 regions and Local Authorities for statistical purposes; q) protection of intellectual property; and r) protection of the environment, ecosystem and arts.
Constitutional Law No. 3 grants regions concurrent legislative powers to be exercised within the basic principles set forth by the Central Government and covering: 1) international relations (including relations with the EU) of regions; 2) foreign trade of the regions; 3) safety in the workplace and labour protection: 4) education (except for the autonomy granted to schools and professional education and training): 5) professions; 6) promotion and regulation of scientific and technological research; 7) healthcare; 8) diet; 9) sports; 10) disaster relief; 11) management of the territory; 12) non-military ports and airports; 13) major transportation and navigation networks; 14) communication; 15) production, transportation and distribution of energy on a national level; 16) integrative pension funds; 17) harmonisation of public accounts and co-ordination of public finance and taxation systems; 18) improvement, promotion and organisation of environmental, artistic and cultural projects; and 19) savings banks, rural banks, banks (including farming and real estate banks operating at a regional level). The Central Government may decide, through the approval of specific laws, upon request of any region and having consulted Local Authorities, to grant to such region further autonomy in connection with certain matters which are now the subject of concurrent legislative powers, as well as in connection with certain matters falling within the categories of matters exclusively reserved to the Central Governmen t . As to matters within their competence, regions participate in decisions aimed at adopting EU rules and are charged with the implementation of international agreements and EU directives, within the framework of the procedures established by the Central Government, which retains substitutive powers. In addition, the regulations of the Senate and of the Chamber of Deputies may establish that regions and Local Authorities may participate in the parliamentary commission for regional matters. In such case, if such commission, so formed, expresses a negative or a conditional opinion on a bill of law regarding matters falling within the concurrent legislative powers or the powers regarding financial and tax federalism, such bill of law will have to be passed into law by an absolute majority of both branches of the Parliament.
The Constitution, as amended by Constitutional Law No. 3, provides that regional laws need no longer to be approved by the Central Government Commissioner, and that each of the regions and the Central Government can challenge directly before Italy’s constitutional court (the “Constitutional Court”) laws enacted by the other which are deemed to exceed its powers.
Regulatory powers fall within the scope of the Central Government for matters expressly reserved to it, with the exception of those matters delegated to regions, and within the scope of the regions for all matters falling within the competence of regions. Local Authorities have regulatory powers in respect of the organisation and exercise of powers attributed to them. In matters falling within their own competence, regions may enter into agreements with States and domestic local territorial entities of such States in circumstances which will be regulated by Central Government laws.
Regions are not entitled to introduce import, export and transit duties between regions, nor can restrictions be adopted to the free circulation of persons and goods among the regions or limitations labour rights and in the case of: (a) serious breach of international and EU rules by regions and Local Authorities; (b) serious risk to public safety; (c) protection for legal and economic unity (especially with reference to the protection of minimum levels of social and civil services), the Central Government may substitute itself of the relevant region or Local Authority.
Pursuant to Law No. 20 of 14th January, 1994, the Corte dei Conti, an administrative and local finance court (the “Accounting Court”) collects financial data from ordinary regions through its regional departments in order to present a report on the management of ordinary regions to the Italian Parliament and the Regional Council.
Each Italian region passes its own regional statutes and by-laws to define its structure, functions, objectives and accounting systems, subject in all cases to compliance with the laws of Italy and the European Union (“E,”).
42 New Article 118 of the Constitution as amended by Constitutional Law No. 3 attributes administrative functions to municipalities except for those functions which are attributed to provinces, metropolitan cities, regions or the Central Government in order to guarantee the co-ordinated exercise of these functions. The recent amendment to the Constitution implements the principle (so called “principio di sussidiarief2) pursuant to which the management of public functions must be attributed to those entities which are nearest to the public and consequently in a position to grant them the most efficient support, such as municipalities.
Metropolitan cities, although established in 1990, are not yet actually functioning.
Legge Bassanini
The transfer of powers from the Central Government to the regions started after the entry into force of the “Legge Bassaninl’ (Law No. 59 of 15th March, 1997).
Pursuant to the Legge Bassanhi, administrative powers are devolved to the regions in a three-step process:
(i) enactment by the Central Government of legislative decrees assigning new powers to the regions;
(ii) implementation of the legislative decrees through the enactment of regional laws; and (iii) transfer and assignment by the Central Government to the regions of the operating and financial resources to fund the new functions by means of decrees of the Prime Minister.
At present, several legislative decrees have been enacted which devolve powers to the regions with respect to agricultural, labour, transport and trade matters and an additional legislative decree Legislative Decree No. 112 of 31st March, 1998 devolves powers to the regions in all other matters referred to in the Legge Bassanini.
Tuscany has already implemented the step referred to in paragraph (ii) above, through the approval of a series of regional laws which delegates to provinces and municipalities responsibilities in relation to all matters in connection with powers devolved pursuant to the Legge Bassanini.
The decrees of the Prime Minister which will provide for the transfer of funds and personnel to the regions have not all been finalised; however, regions have received part of the necessary funding for the newly-delegatedfunctions during the year 2000 and are expected to receive the full balance during the year 2001. The Region is under no obligation to perform the newly-transferred functions until the funds for such functions have been received.
However, the Central Government has introduced a number of legislative measures delegating certain powers with respect to tax-raising to the regions to allow the regions to perform their newly acquired functions. Furthermore, the recent amendments to the Constitution introduced by the Constitutional Law No. 3 grant regions greater fiscal autonomy. The amended version of Article 119 of the Constitution provides that: (i) the regions have financial autonomy in connection with the expenditure of their resources and the determination of their revenues; (ii) the regions are entitled to establish and collect their own taxes and other revenues in harmony with the general criteria of the Constitution and in compliance with the principles of co-ordination of the public debt and the domestic tax system; (iii) the regions are entitled to receive the portion of Central Government taxes collected within their territory; (iv) the redistribution of resources from richer areas to poorer areas should be made through an equalisation fund; (v) the resources listed in the preceding paragraphs allow the integral funding of the public functions attributed to regions; (vi) to promote the economic development, cohesion and the economic and social balance between regions, the Central Government designates additional resources and intervenes specifically in support of certain regions; and (vii) the regions may incur indebtedness only to finance investments and such indebtedness may not be guaranteed by the Central Government. Provinces and municipalities, in addition to a number of their own functions and to those transferred to them directly by the Central Government, perform, by virtue of the delegation by the Region, certain administrative activities relating to functions within the Region’s authority. The Region retains planning and co-ordination functions and overall control of activities delegated from it to
43 provinces and municipalities. The Region intends to further decentralise administrative activities to the provinces and municipalities.
Regional Administration
Local Government
Tuscany, like all ordinary Italian regions, is managed by a Regional Council (Consiglio Regionale), a Regional Board (Giunta Regionale) and a Regional President (Presidente della Giunta Regionale) who is also president of the Regional Board. Regional Councils have legislative functions and are composed of between 30 and 80 Regional Councillors (Consiglieri Regionah), in proportion to the population of the region that they represent. The Region’s Regional Council is composed of 50 Regional Councillors. The electoral system provides for 80 per cent. of the Regional Councillors to be elected from provincial lists in exact proportion to the votes received by the political parties to which the candidates belong. The remaining 20 per cent. of the Regional Councillors are elected by constituents on a majority basis. Elections are held every five years.
The Regional Council has responsibility for Tuscany’s policy and regulation and supervises the enactment of new legislation. In particular, the Regional Council is responsible for the Region’s final accounts and provisional budgets, regional planning, setting regional taxes and tariffs for public services, and deliberating in respect of bond issues and other debt financing.
The following table sets out the political party affiliations of the Regional Councillors elected in Tuscany’s most recent election in April 2000. The term of the present Regional Council is due to expire in the spring of 2005.
Majority
Political Party Seats Per cent.
Democratic Party of the Left (Democratici di Sinistra) ...... 20 40 The Margherita ...... 4 8 Democratic Party (IDemocratic/) ...... 2 4 Green Partymuscan Democratic Party ( Verdifloscana Democratica) ...... 2 4 Italian Communist Party (Partito dei Comunisti Italian/) ...... 2 4 Italian Socialist Democrats (Socialisti Democratici Italian/) ...... 2 4 Total ...... 32 64 ~. ~
Opposition
Political Party Seats Per cent.
Forza ltalia ...... 18 National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale) ...... 10 Communist Party ( Rifondazione Comunista) ...... 4 Centre Christian Democratic (Centro Cristiano Democratico)...... 2 Centre United Democrats (Centro Democratici Unit0 ...... 2 Total ...... 18 36 ~.
Source: Region of Tuscany
The Regional Council appoints the members of the Regional Board. The Regional Board is the managerial body of the regional government. The Regional Board consists of 13 members (the Regional President, the Vice President and 11 ministers (assesson)) and is responsible for Regional planning and enacting the Region’s programmes. The Vice President and the other members of the Board are appointed by the President and may be removed by him. The Regional Board has all the
44 powers expressly attributed to it in the Constitution, in the Regional Statute and in the Regional laws. In particular, the Regional Board is responsible for drafting the Region’s most important laws in relation to finance and planning, managing the Region’s assets and co-ordinating the activities of its offices and of the Regional entities and enterprises. See “Financial Information of the Region”.
The Central Government introduced a constitutional reform on 22nd November, 1999 providing for the direct election of the Regional President by popular vote. The first direct Regional Presidential election was held in the Region in the year 2000. The current president of the Region is Claudio Martini who is supported by the centre-left coalition called Toscana Democratica.
The Region has been traditionally represented by centre-left political coalitions so to allow an effective political stability and all legislatures so far have ended on their natural expiration dates.
Employees of the Region
The Region’s staff as at 31st December, 2001 totalled 2,685. The following table shows the actual number of employees of the Region and the associated cost for each year since 1997.
Year ended 31st December, 1997 I998 1999 2000
~ Staff (number) ...... 2,770 2,787 2,641 2,450 Cost (billions of lire) ...... 171 173 186 189
Source: Region of Tuscany
Relationship between the Region and the European Union
As a region of a Member State of the EU, the Region is entitled to apply for support from the EU. Financial support from the EU is given on the basis that such funds are matched by funding from the relevant central government. For the years 1994-1999, the Region received funds from the EU under five EU support programmes: Objectives 2, 3, 4, 5a and 5b. As from 2000, the Region benefits only from Objectives 2 and 3. Objective 3 is integrated by the Agricultural Development Plan. Objective 2 provides development assistance for specific industrial areas determined by the EU to be in decline, based on certain eligibility criteria. The goal of Objective 2 is to strengthen the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the targeted areas. Funding under Objective 2 is provided by the European Social Fund (“ESP) and the European Regional Development Fund (“ERDF).
Objective 3 is aimed at updating and adapting policies and systems of education, professional training and employment and is provided by the ESF directly to individuals.
Objective 4 was aimed at updating and adapting policies and systems of education, professional training and employment. Funding is provided by the ESF directly to individual training programmes.
Objective 5a was aimed at the development of infrastructure in rural areas. The EU Fund which contributes to Objective 5a is the European Guidance and Guaranteed Fund (“FEOG”).
Objective 5b was aimed at maintaining and diversifying agricultural activities, creating jobs, protecting the environment and developing industry.The EU funds which contribute to Objective 5b are ESF, ERDF and FEOG.
The Region is also involved in programmes of the EU’s PIC initiative, such as: IC-Fishing, Reader II, Rechard, Cover, Retex, Leader II and lnterreg which support some specific objectives of economic, agricultural and social development.
45 The Region also benefits from the EU’s common agricultural policy (“CAP) which co-ordinates policy within the EU in respect of agricultural production and provides aid to encourage the development of specific agricultural industries. A number of EU Member States are seeking reform of the CAP, particularly in the light of proposals to admit countries from Central and Eastern Europe which would result in a significant increase in the total amount of aid which would be granted under the current policy while potentially decreasing the amount of aid granted to current recipients. Also, the EU has come under increasing pressure from the United States and the World Trade Organisation to amend the CAP. Any reform of the CAP may result in a decrease or withdrawal of support to the Region’s agricultural sector.
For the period 1994-1999, the Region was allocated total funds from the EU and the Central Government of Lit. 1,770 billion (approximately €914.1 million) to which certain of the Region’s own funds in an aggregate amount of over Lit. 160 billion (approximately €82.6 million) must be added. For the period 2000-2006, the Region has been allocated total funds from the EU and the Central Government of €1,394.4 million (approximately Lit. 2,700 billion). With respect to funds allocated, the Region has consistently delivered funds to intended beneficiaries (over 95 per cent.).
The Region is represented by the Central Government in its relations with the EU. The Region has established a representative office in Brussels to directly promote its interests within the various institutions of the EU.
Healthcare
One of the primary sectors in which the Region is involved is the provision and funding of healthcare. The Region, through co-ordination with the Aziende Sanitarie Locali (local healthcare units (“ASL”)), oversees the administration of the Region’s public and private hospitals and health service providers. The Region is responsible for setting guidelines for health services and planning and implementing healthcare related programmes and initiatives, such as emergency transport services, within the framework of national standards set forth by the Central Government. Historically, Regional healthcare was funded by direct transfers by the Central Government to the Region from the National Healthcare Fund. The Central Government required that funds transferred to the Region be utilised in three general healthcare levels (prevention, district healthcare, hospitals and emergency care). In order to address the significant deficits in healthcare funding which have accrued in regional budgets, the Central Government is in the process of devolving increased powers in respect of healthcare policy to the regions and significant steps have already been taken. The National Healthcare Fund has recently been abolished and replaced by the provision to the regions of increased tax-raising powers. See “Financial Information of the Region - Healthcare Deficits”.
Transport The Region allocates funds from the Central Government to the provinces and municipalitiesfor general transport needs within their respective territories. These include traffic control and road maintenance, and for specific capital programmes established by the Central Government which must be implemented by the respective municipalities. Transfers from the Central Government to the regions for transportation are based on the territory of the region and the number of its inhabitants. The Region’s role in transportation has been greatly expanded recently as powers in this area and the relevant financial resources have been transferred from the Central Government to the Region. The Region maintains powers with respect to rail transportation and road transportation between major centres while delegating residual powers with respect to road transportation to the provinces and municipalities.
46 Local Companies
As at 31st December, 2000 the Region had an interest in local companies for an aggregate amount of Lit. 82.6 billion (approximately €41 million), the most important of which are:
% of participation Sector
Economic FlDl Toscana S.p.A...... 39.07 development Economic lnterporto Amerigo Vespucci S.p.A...... 23.14 development Economic Firenze Expo & Congress S.p.A...... 17.78 development Economic Centro Affari Arezzo S.r.1...... 10.76 development Economic Aeroporto Toscano (S.A.T.) Galileo Galilei S.p.A...... 21.09 development
Terme Casciana S.p.A...... 49.67 Thermal baths Terme Chianciano S.p.A...... 50.00 Thermal baths Terme Montecatini S.p.A...... 47.90 Thermal baths Economic lnternazionale Marmo Macchine S.p.A...... 11.66 development
Source: Region of Tuscany
Significant Assets
The Region’s significant assets are both disposable and non-disposable real estate assets and consist largely of buildings which, as at 31st December, 2000 had an aggregate book value of Lit. 206.8 billion (approximately €93.84 million) of which Lit. 1 12.2 billion (approximately €57.9 million) was represented by buildings which were disposable assets.The assets also include land for an aggregate amount of Lit. 106 billion (approximately €57 million). As of 31 st December, 2000, the disposable and non-disposable real estate assets owned by the Region were registered in the accounts at an aggregate book value equal to Lit. 312.8 billion (approximately €161.4 million).
All the Region’s real estate assets are regularly recorded in inventories and Tuscany was one of the first Italian regions to appraise its real estate assets with positive effects on the efficiency of its management.
47 THE ECONOMY OFTHE REGION
The following discussion of the economy of the Region is based on data of the Region except as otherwise indicated.
For the year ended 31st December, 2000, activity within the Region generated Lit. 151,589 billion (approximately €78.3 million), or 6.7 per cent., of Italy’s gross domestic product (“GDP).The annual average growth rate in GDP in the Region since 1995 has been approximately 1.9 per cent. in real terms. The Region’s per capita GDP in 2000 was approximately Lit. 42,730 thousand compared to approximately Lit. 39,100thousand for Italy as a whole during the same year. The following table shows per capita GDP of the Region and Italy as a whole from 1997 to 2000. Year ended 3 1st December, 7997 1998 1999 2000 2000 .- - - - ___ (Lit. thousands) (euro) Tuscan y ...... 37,567 39,449 40,548 42,730 22,068 Italy ...... 34,494 36,073 37,209 39,098 20,192
Source: ISTATARPET
The table set forth below provides a breakdown of GDP of the Region in current prices for the periods indicated. Year ended 31st December, 1998 7999 2000 2000 (Lit. billions) (euro billions) GDP ...... 139,198 143,395 151,589 78.3 Net Imports ...... (8,827) 1 -- - 7,408- ~- (6,060) (3.1 Total Available for Consumption ...... 130,371 135,987 145,529 75.2 .~ __ .- -- __ Final Internal Consumption ...... 130,371 135,987 145,529 75.2 Household Consumption ...... 84,010 87,634 93,168 48.1 Consumption by Private Social Institutions and Public Entities...... 23,318 24,310 25,419 13.1 Gross Fixed Investment ...... 21,984 23,271 26,062 13.5 Changes in Inventory ...... 1,059 772 880 0.5 .. .- ~. Total ...... 130,371 135,987 145,529 75.2 . -- -.- .~ - -
Source: IRPET
The table set forth below provides GDP growth rates for the Region and Italy as a whole for the periods indicated. Region Italy Average Annual Real GDP Growth -. 1980-1991 ...... 1.8% 2.1 Yo 1991 -1 995 ...... 1.3% 1.1% 1995-2000 ...... 1.9% 1.9%
Source: ISTAT/IRPET The following table illustrates the contribution of each sector to value added at factor cost (“GAV) for the Region for the periods indicated.
48 Year ended 31st December,
1997 1998 1999 2000 2000 ... ~. -... (Lit. billions) (euro billions) Services ...... 84,893 87,881 90,734 95,831 49.5 Industry ...... 30,826 32,933 33,217 35,232 18.2 Construction ...... 5,367 5616 5,794 6,257 3.2 Agriculture ...... 2,664 2,768 2,775 2,693 1.4 GAV Including Imputed Banking Services ...... 123,749 129,198 13231 9 140,012 72.3 Imputed Banking Services .... 4,914 4,999 4,911 5,209 2.7 -. . -- GAV Excluding Imputed Banking Services ...... 1 18,836 124,199 127,608 134,804 69.6 Net Indirect Taxes ...... 13,893 14,924 15,804 16,705 8.8 -- _- . -- GDP at current market prices .. 132,729 139,124 143,413 151,509 78.2 ~ .- _. -- ~ .- ~ ..
Source: ISTATIIRPET
Service Sector In 2000, the service sector accounted for 68 per cent. of the Region’s GAV. 1998 1999 2000 2000
~ -. -- ~ . .- (Lit. (euro billions) billions) Commerce and repairs ...... 18,867 19,322 20,019 10.3 Hotels and restaurants ...... 5,867 6,143 6,638 3.4 Transport, storage and communications ...... 9,118 9,298 9,650 5.0 Financial and monetary brokerage ...... 7,943 7,866 9,221 4.8 Estate activities, hire, data processing research ...... 22,168 23,526 24,890 12.9 Other professional and entrepreneurial activities, defence and welfare ...... 6,411 6,590 6,767 3.5 Education ...... 5,821 6,014 6,099 3.1 Healthcare and other social services ...... 5,657 5,884 6,198 3.2 Public, social, personal and household services ...... 6,021 6,090 6,350 3.3 Total GAV Services ...... 87,881 90,734 95,831 49.5 __
Source: IRPET
Tourism As at 31st December, 2000, the Region had 815 hotels with 5,134 beds. Of the 37,151,740tourists visiting the Region each year, approximately 47 per cent. are from abroad (based on 2000 ISTAT figures). Local tourism is supported by funds from both the Region and the EU.
Transportation
As at December 2000,the road network in the Region comprised of, in aggregate, 3,667kilometres of state roads plus 41 3 kilometres of toll roads and 53,044kilometres of provincial and municipal roads.
49 The railroad network comprised of to 1,416kilometres corresponding to 8.8 per cent. of the aggregate national network with a daily transit of 32,085,000kilometres of which 6,400,000kilometres were for passengers and 5,685,000kilometres were for freight. Tuscany has two main airports, one in each of Florence and Pisa. Collectively, these airports during 2000 had a transit of 2,500,000passengers and more than 6,200,000tonnes of freight (source: Region of Tuscany).
Telecommunications
The Region has good telecommunications links.
Industrial Sector The industrial sector of the Region consists primarily of manufacturing industries which contribute 23.7 per cent. of the Region’s GAV. The industrial sector accounted for approximately 32 per cent. of employment in the Region and approximately 28 per cent. of the Region’s GAV in 1999 and 2000. The table set forth below sets out a breakdown of total Regional manufacturing GAV into the main manufacturing categories as well as the percentage contribution of each category for the periods indicated, based on the latest statistics available.
Year Ended 31st December,
Manufacturing industries, of which: % of Total % of Total Manufact- Manufact- uring uring 1999 GAV 2000 GAV 2000 -- -- .- ~- .. ~ (Lit. (1it. (euro billions) billions) billions) Mining ...... 339 1.02 330 0.94 0.2 Food, tobacco and beverages .. _. 2,134 6.42 2,223 6.31 1.1 Textiles and clothing ...... 6,342 19.09 6,642 18.85 3.4 Leather industries and leather products ...... 3,061 9.22 3,138 8.91 1.6 Paper, press and publishing ...... 2,129 6.41 2,336 6.63 1.2 Chemical and pharmaceutical goods _. 2,149 6.47 3,146 6.09 1 .I Non-metal mineral produces ...... 2,993 6.20 2,703 7.57 1.4 Metal and metal products ...... 2,308 6.95 2,460 6.98 1.4 Machinery electricals and optics .... 5,751 17.31 6,187 17.56 3.2 Wood, rubber, plastics and others ._ 3,660 1 1.02 3,919 12.12 2.0 Energy (electrical, gas, steam, hydro) 2,950 8.88 3,149 8.94 1.6 -- -- .- .- -- ~ Total GAV Manufacturing ...... 33,217 100% 35,232 100% 18.2 -~- --- .- -.. .-
Source: IRPET
Agricultural Sector
The Region occupies an area of approximately 23,000square kilometres or approximately 7.6 per cent. of Italy. Land used for agriculture as at 31st December, 2000 was 9,717square kilometres (excluding forests) and 16,260square kilometres (including forests). As at 31 st December, 2000, the agriculture sector accounted for approximately Lit. 2,467 billion (approximately €1.3 billion) or approximately 2 per cent. of the Region’s GAV. Gross sellable production in 2000 amounted to approximately Lit. 3,540billion (approximately El .8 billion) and fell into four main categories: livestock (18.7per cent. of gross sellable production); agricultural crops (36.6per cent. of gross sellable production); non-agricultural crops (35.2 per cent. of gross sellable production) and dairy production (4.2 per cent. of gross sellable production). In addition, approximately 7 per cent. of
50 agricultural land is used for viniculture. The Region’s vineyards produce a wide range of wines (which accounts for 32,000 hectares of land) including a number of labels permitted to use the mark of high quality Italian wines, the Denominazione dDrigine Controllata.
In the past, the Regional and Central Governments have provided subsidies to the agricultural sector in the Region. A large part of agricultural subsidies are now the responsibility of the EU which has therefore had an increased influence in the use of land through its subsidy policies.
New powers with respect to the agriculture sector have been transferred to the Region from the Central Government, including powers in connection with the regulation of quality levels of agricultural sector products.
Inflation
The table below shows average annual percentage increases in the consumer price index (“CPI”) in Florence and Italy for each of the years indicated.
Change in Consumer Price Index
1997 1998 1999 2000 . -. -- (per cent.) Florence ...... 1.6 2.1 1.9 2.1 Italy ...... 1.7 1.a 1.6 2.6
Source: ISTAT
Employment
As at 31 st December, 2000, approximately 1,424,000 people, comprising approximately 40 per cent. of the population of the Region, were employed. As at 31st December, 2000, approximately 93,000 people, comprising 6.1 per cent. of the labour force of the Region, were registered as unemployed as compared to the Italian national average of 10.6 per cent. for the same period.
The table below provides information as to unemployment rates in the Region and in Italy as at 31st December in each year from 1997 to 2000.
Year Ended 31st December, 1997 1998 1999 2000 ~- -- -~ {per cent.) Tuscany ...... 8.1 7. a 7.2 6.1 Italy ...... 11.7 11.8 11.4 10.6
Source: ISTAT
Education and Research
There are four state universities located on nine sites around the Region. In addition, there are two institutes of higher learning. The state universities are located in Florence, Pisa and Siena (there is also a university for foreign students in Siena). During the 1999-2000 academic year, 128,000 students attended universities located in the Region.
Exports and Imports
The Region imported goods valued at Lit. 34,236 billion (approximately €1 7.7 billion) and exported goods valued at Lit. 42,497 billion (approximately €220 billion) in 1999. In 2000, the Region imported and exported goods valued at Lit. 38,616 (approximately €20.0 billion) and Lit. 46,376 billion (approximately €24.0 billion respectively, representing 28 per cent. and 30.6 per cent., respectively of the Region’s GDP).
51 FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF THE REGION
Summary General administration of the Region’s finances is the responsibility of the Regional Board and the Regional Council. As a governmental entity, the Region does not prepare its financial reports in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles but in accordance with accounting standards established by Legislative Decree No. 76 of 28th March, 2000 (“Legislative Decree No. 76) repealing Law No. 335 of 19th May, 1976 (“Law No. 335) and Regional Law No. 36 of 6th August, 2001, (the “Regional Accounting Law”) approved in compliance with Legislative Decree No. 76 and repealing the previous accounting law (Law No. 28 of 6th May, 1977). Legislative Decree No. 76 has also enabled regions to adopt a financial law (legge finanriaria regionale) similar to that prepared by the Central Government. The Region has already approved the Regional budget law for 2002 (Regional Law No. 66 of 21st December, 2001).The Region’s accounts are maintained on an accruals basis and according to the calendar year; the budget estimates are recorded also with reference to the succeeding two-year period for the purposes of the pluriennial budget on which the Regional Accounting Law allows registration of pluriennial undertakings in accordance with the plans and programmes of the Regional planning. Legislative Decree No. 76 and the Regional Accounting Law require the Region to produce three kinds of financial reports, each due at different times. These reports are the provisional budget (bilancio di previsione), the pre-closing budget (bilancio di assesramento) and the financial report (bilancio consunrivo or rendiconto generale). The following is a summary of the process as set out in the Regional Statute and in the Regional Accounting Law.
The Provisional Budget
The provisional budget is the Region’s estimate of revenues and expenditures for the upcoming year. The Region’s provisional budget is initially drafted by the regional financial services department and is then sent to the Regional Board which submits it to the Regional Council for approval prior to 30th October of the year preceding the relevant year.The Region’s provisional budget must then be approved prior to 31st December of the same year by the Regional Council in accordance with Regional laws. The Region may postpone completing its provisional budget by passing a temporary budget law (esercizioprowisorio) based on a projected budget approved by the Regional Board, for a maximum of up to four months. See “The Region - Relationship Between the Central and Local Governments”. The provisional budget is published in the Regional Law Bulletin and enacted as law.
The Pre-Closing Budget
The pre-closing budget represents an adjustment of the provisional budget. This adjustment reflects recorded actual revenues and expenditures of the preceding fiscal year recording in the current year the effective surplus. In addition, the pre-closing budget reports funds committed but not actually expended (or not yet collected) during the previous fiscal year (residul).The pre-closing should be approved by the Regional Council on or before 30th June of the same year. The pre-closing budget for the year was approved on 16th August, 2001 by Regional Law No. 42.
The Financial Report
The financial report contains the definitive financial results of the fiscal year, determining the surplus. The financial report is accompanied by the report on management which contains notes and statistics on the Region’s management. The financial report is submitted by the Regional Board to the Regional Council for approval. The financial report for the year 2000 was approved on 16th August, 2001 by Regional Law No. 41.
Regional Treasurer (Tesoriere Regionale)
Regions in Italy are required to make all payments and collect all revenues through one or more agent banks acting as their treasurer (each a “Treasury Bank”). The Treasury Banks for the Region are the following: Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena S.p.A., Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.p.A., Banca Toscana
52 S.p.A., Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze S.p.A., Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca S.p.A., Cassa di Risparmio di Pistoia e Pescia S.p.A., Cassa di Risparmio di Pisa, Cassa di Risparmio di San Miniato S.p.A., with Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena S.p.A. acting as agent bank. The Treasury Bank manages all outflows linked to the activity of the Region as well as most of the inflows, with the exception of Central Government transfers which are credited directly into a deposit account at the Bank of Italy. As of March 2001, transfers from the State and other public entities (excluding regional share of EU transfers), loans granted by the Central Government and other institutions, and revenues linked to special projects must be deposited in a special non-interest bearing account at a provincial branch of the Bank of Italy (Tesoreria Provinciale dell0 Stafo).Furthermore, as of March 2001 the previous limit of 3 per cent. is no longer in force and the regions may keep all funds, except Central Government transfers, but including IRAP, at the Treasury Bank. The Regions are obliged to use funds in the interest bearing accounts with Treasury Banks first, and only subsequently, are permitted to use the monies deposited in the non- interest bearing account with the Bank of Italy.
Revenues of the Region
Until 1997, the Region’s current revenues consisted primarily of transfers from the Central Government. Some of the funds transferred were available for designated purposes only (“Restricted Government Amounts”) while other funds were unrestricted (“Available Current Revenues”). Starting from 1998, new tax revenues are available to the regions, consisting largely of IRAP and the regional percentage on IRPEF (each as defined below). Starting from 2001, as a result of financial federalism (described below) current revenues derived from the Region’s taxes have increased as a result of the 38.55 per cent. share of IVA (as defined below) which the regions now enjoy. Correspondingly, Central Government’s transfers to the regions have been reduced. As a result of this trend, in 2001, transfers from the Central Government represented only approximately 19.0 per cent. of current revenues as opposed to approximately 83.5 per cent. in 1997. A portion of the Region’s tax revenues remains subject to Central Government restrictions for specified expenditures; however, with effect from 2001, restrictions on revenues from IRAP and IRPEF, which in 2001 contributed 29.5 and 5 per cent., respectively, of the Region’s current revenues or 37.3 per cent. and 6.3 per cent. respectively of tax revenues, were abolished. In the years 2000-2001, the Region’s tax revenues amounted to approximately Lit. 5,037 billion (equal to €2.6 billion) and Lit. 9,501 billion (approximately €4.9 billion), respectively, to be used for repayment of principal and interest on outstanding debt. Available Current Revenues currently consist of local taxes and some transfers from the Central Government (including the set-off transfers) and miscellaneous revenues. In the past, 90 per cent. of IRAP revenues and IRPEF revenues were required to be utilised in connection with healthcare. IRAP and IRPEF revenues are no longer considered Restricted Government Amounts.
Constitutional Law No. 3 has modified the Constitution, providing Italian regions with greater fiscal autonomy.The modification provided regions and other local governments with broad powers to assess and collect taxes within their boundaries and to share in Central Government tax revenues collected within their boundaries. The Central Government retains power to equalise revenues among the regions and other local governments. The Central Government is currently considering proposals to transfer additional assessment and collection responsibilities to the regions. Further changes of this nature could result in an increase in the proportion of the Region’s current revenues derived from local taxes and a consequential decrease in the proportion of current revenues derived from transfers from the Central Government.
Healthcare Deficits
The Region, like other regions, until recently made healthcare expenditures from Restricted Government Amounts. Each year, the Central Government transferred funds to the Region from the National Healthcare Fund which, as of 2001, has been abolished. In place of this source of healthcare funding, the Region shall be entitled to a percentage (which in 2001 is equal to 38.55 per cent.) of the VAT tax (as defined below) collected within Tuscany.The percentage of VAT allocated to the Region shall vary in future years, subject to a mechanism designed to equalise revenues among the regions.
Historically, healthcare costs have been greater than healthcare revenues resulting in deficits at the regional level. Recently, the regions and the Central Government came to two agreements (dated,
53 respectively, 3rd August, 2000 and 8th August, 2001) regarding additional funds to be transferred from the Central Government to the regions in order to assist the regions in covering past healthcare deficits. Starting from 1994, the Region has made several efforts to cover healthcare deficits anticipating the financial interventions planned at State level. The deficits for the years until 1999 have been progressively covered in part with regional loans entered into until 1997 and in part with the funds granted by the State to cover the residual debt. This trend has made it possible to completely repay the Region’s healthcare deficits and assisted the Region in containing costs in respect of healthcare expenditures. Healthcare expenditures of the Region for the year 2001 estimated in aggregate to be Lit. 590 billion (approximately €267.7 million) shall be covered entirely through State transfers pursuant to the agreement reached between the regions and the Central Government on 8th August, 2001. The Region estimates it shall receive approximately Lit. 1,003 billion (approximately €518 million), of which about Lit. 164 billion (approximately €84.7 million) is to be utilised for investment purposes in connection with healthcare as surplus from the funds received as opposed to deficits effectively incurred.
The Region’s efforts to cover healthcare current expenditures have proved successful also as a result of the positive effects of a substantial programme for structural improvements which, for the period 1994-2001, resulted in expenditures of €1,739 billion in connection with regional programmes financed by the Central Government, the Region and the ASLs. Furthermore, annual expenditures of approximately €31 million financed directly by ASLs have resulted in infrastructure modernisation. These investments have allowed a progressive reduction of the hospitalisation rate (in the year 2000, the Region’s hospitals recorded 178.36 admissions per 1,000 inhabitants as compared to 185.48 for the year 1997). However, the decrease in hospitalisation rates has led to an increase of 5.6 per cent. in the same four-year period in the use of day hospitals, thus resulting in a Region average above the national average in the use of day hospitals. The following table shows certain financial information with respect to healthcare for the Region as of 31st December, 2001 :
Cumulatively Cumulatively to between Pre-closing 1994 1995-99 2000 2000 200 I ** ~. . ------. (Lit. (Lit. (Lit. (euro (euro billions) billions) billions) millions) millions) Region’s healthcare deficit* 91 1 1,646 175 79.4 305 Already covered by the Region 170 623 - - - To be covered by the Region - - - - - Already covered by the State 710 761.3 189 85.8 - To be covered by the State** 32 412.5 - - 305
* Net of NHF adjustments ’* Extracted from the Region’s pre-closing budget *** The Region has already allocated Lit. 270 billion out of the funds to be provided by the Central Government to the Regional healthcare deficit in respect of the 1995-1999 period thus extinguishing the Regional healthcare deficit for that period.
Source: Region of Tuscany
Financial Federalism
Prior to 1998, transfers of funds by the Central Government have historically represented an average of between 80 per cent. and 90 per cent. of the revenues of the regions and the regions have played a minor role in the collection of taxes. In 1997, transfers from the Central Government represented approximately 83.5 per cent. of the Region’s current revenues. Hence, transfer of funds to regions were substantially dependent on the Central Government’s financing. In 2000, by contrast, transfers of funds by the Central Government represented only approximately 52 per cent. of the Region’s current revenues (See “Current Revenues”) considering that as of 1998 a substantial part of transfers from the Central Government relating to healthcare have been replaced by the Region’s own taxes (RAP and
54 the regional percentage on IRPEF, both as defined below) together with equalisation mechanisms enacted as guarantee for the covering of healthcare expenditures.
From 2001 the situation has substantially changed. Following the enactment of Law No. 133 of 13th May, 1999 and therefore of Legislative Decree No. 56 of 18th February, 2000 (“Legislative Decree No. 56),general criteria to change the current transfer system have been introduced contemplating inter alia: (i) cancellation of Central Government transfers save for certain specific exceptions; (ii) substitution of Central Government transfers and authorisation to regions to receive, subject to the enactment of relevant provisions of law, a percentage of duties collected at State level (such as a percentage on VAT, as defined below) or an increase of the existing tax transfers (such as the percentage of IRPEF and the percentage of petrol tax currently received by the regions); and (iii) institution of a national compensation fund (fondo perequativo nazionale) to be financed through the regional participations in VAT.
Full correspondence between the prior State transfers and the new regional tax revenues is guaranteed for the first year only. Subsequently, a mechanism will operate through which the regions’ “historical expenditures” shall be reduced, without prejudice for solidarity with regards to poorer regions, and the tax capability of each region as well as the characteristics of its healthcare system, territory and population shall be better evaluated. Hence, greater fiscal autonomy has been transferred to the local authorities from the Central Government. Certain new local taxes, intended to replace certain existing Central Government transfers, may be levied resulting in corresponding reductions in Central Government transfers. These taxes are collected both by the Region and by the Central Government on behalf of the Region. In addition, the Constitution has recently been amended to grant regions greater fiscal autonomy. See “Financial Information of the Region - Revenues of the Region”.
As of 1993, the regions have been entitled to levy an additional petrol tax to be collected directly by the Region. As of 1996, the regions had already been entitled to a portion of the revenue from a tax on each litre of petrol sold in their region. The Central Government collects this tax on petrol and pays a portion to each region. In 1998, the portion of the tax on each litre of petrol granted to regions was reduced from Lit. 350 (approximately €0.18) per litre to Lit. 242 (approximately €0.12) per litre. In 2000, pursuant to Legislative Decree this percentage was increased to Lit. 250 (approximately €0.1 3) per litre.
As of January 1998, the regions have been entitled to impose a new regional corporate tax on production (“lmposta Regionale Sulle Attivita Produttive” or “IRAP). RAP replaced health security contributions, several taxes previously levied on companies such as lmposta Locale sui Redditi (a tax on corporate income), lmposta Comunale per I’esercizio di imprese e di arti e professioni (a municipal tax on business operations), a registration fee to obtain a value added tax number and certain social security contributions. RAP is based on the net production value of a company in each region. This tax is currently collected by the Central Government together with imposts on revenues levied by the Central Government and then paid to regions based on prior years’ transfers, with any surpluses being retained or deficits being covered by the Central Government. The regions have the power to determine the tax rate of IRAP within a band stipulated by Central Government (currently 1.0 per cent.) in connection with certain groups of taxpayers and with economic sectors. The Region has reduced the tax rate of IRAP starting from 2001 through Regional Law No. 2 of 26th January, 2001 which contains provisions on Onlus (no-profit entities of a social relevance), on newly established youth enterprises and on mountain enterprises. A further provision in this connection and in favour of mountain enterprises is contained also in the Region’s budget law for the year 2002. As a result of the transfer of increased powers to the regions pursuant to Law No. 56, the Region is now entitled to receive 0.9 per cent. of the income tax on individuals (“lmposfa sul Reddito delle Persone Fisiche” or “IRPEF). Regions are entitled to increase (by 30th November of each year) such percentage to a maximum level of 1.4 per cent. and, pursuant to Law No. 405 of 16th November, 2001 regions may (in respect of 2002) increase the 0.9 per cent. rate on IRPEF to a rate in excess of 1.4 per cent. through specific regional laws. The Region has not introduced any increase of such tax in respect to the year 2002 nor for the preceding years.
The Region also collects some other taxes including a tax on licenses for hunting and fishing, a tax on gas consumption, a tax levied on each student attending the Region’s universities, a tax on dumping waste disposal and various other taxes. Finally, the Region is entitled to receive a percentage of the
55 value added tax (“VAT’) (which for the year 2001 is equal to 38.55 per cent.). As a result of the recent Constitutional reform enacted by Law No. 3, the Central Government shall issue the appropriate provisions in order to enable the regions to perform their newly-delegated functions.
Revenues and Expenditures
The following table sets out the current revenues and expenditures and the capital revenues and expenditures for the periods indicated:
1997 1998 1999 2000 200 1 2002 2002 -. ------(euro (Lit. billions) millions) Pre- Final Final Final Final closing Budget Budget - -- .. ------. - -. Current Revenues .. 8,336 9,228 10,377 11,219 12,175 11,110 5,738 Current Expenditures 8,652 8,830 10,128 11,124 11,855 11,010 5,686 . ------. Current Balance .. (317) 398 249 95 320 100 52 ------. - Capital Revenues .. 752 997 982 1,266 1,387 1,680 867 Capital Expenditures 968 1,562 1,310 1,248 1,426 1,967 1,016 Capital Balance .. (217) (565) - (328)- - 18- - --(39) (287) (1.- 49) ------. ------Balance Before Financing (533) (1 67) (79) 113 281 (188) (97) - .--. ------Net Borrowing 408 21 8 128 (131 1 208 188 97 ------Net Balance (125) 51 49 (18) 489 (0) (0) ------
Source: Region of Tuscany
56 Current Revenues
The following table sets out a breakdown of current revenues for the periods indicated.
1997 1998 1999 2000 2000 2007 2002 2002 _- __ -- - -. - - __ - - - - _. . (lit. (euro (euro billions) millions) millions) Pre- Final Fina I Final Final Final closing Budget Budget -. -. . -. ------. - -- LocalTaxes ...... 1,211 5,556 4,898 5,137 2,653.0 9,682 9,911 5,119 of which Regional Concession .. 38 39 35 28 14.5 20 23 12 Waste products .. .. 17 43 31 45 23.2 35 37 19 Additional tax on gas 94 79 88 115 59.4 92 94 49 RAP ...... 0 4,317 3,309 3,517 1,816.4 3,704 3,646 1,883 Additional tax on IRPEF ...... 0 8 326 348 179.7 602 623 322 Automobile Taxes .. 524 599 578 588 303.7 61 6 587 303 University Tax _. .. 21 25 23 24 12.4 23 21 11 Others ...... 3 4 4 3 1.5 1 2 53 Petrol Tax .. .. ._ 51 4 442 504 469 242.2 41 7 438 226 VAT Participation .. - - - - - 4,172 4,339 2,241 Transfers from the State ...... 6,959 3,471 5,250 5,830 3,010.9 2,267 1,177 608 Other Current Revenues 166 201 229 252 130.1 226 22 11 -- __ _- _- __- __ _- Total Current Revenues 8,336 9,228 10,377 11,219 5,794.1 12,175 11,110 5,738 -. - __ __ -- -.-_ __ _-- __------__
* Regions have been entitled to receive a percentage of VAT starting from 2001 by Law No. 56. See “Financial Federalism”. Source: Region of Tuscany
Taxes
The Region is entitled to receive funds derived from taxes levied on petrol sold in its territory, on car registrations, on waste disposal and regional concessions. Since 1998, regions have been entitled to levy a new tax, RAP, on business activity, replacing other taxes (healthcare contributions, ILOR, ICIAP, VAT registration, tax on companies’ equity) as well as the “addizionale regionale all‘ IRPEF, an additional personal income tax. In 2000, approximately 3.1 per cent. of the Region’s current revenues were represented by local taxes. The overall result is a greater fiscal autonomy for the Region and a corresponding decline in transfers from the State. See “Financial Federalism”.
Transfers from the State
State transfers in the past have been largely used to finance healthcare expenses of the Region. State transfers declined significantly in recent years, reflecting the introduction of IRAP and the general delegation of new responsibilities to the regions. See “Financial Federalism”.
Other Current Revenues Other current revenues include contributions, reimbursements and other minor items. The term “Contributions” refers to special purpose subsidies from the EU, while the term “reimbursements” mainly refers to unused hospital subsidies.
57 Current Expenditures The following table sets forth the current expenditures of the Region attributable to its major activities for the periods indicated.
Current Expenditures by Major Activity 1997 1998 1999 2000 200 1 2002 2002 ------(euro (Lit. billions) millions) Total Current Expenditures .. .. 8,652 8,830 10,128 11,124 1,855 11,010 5,686 Personne1 .. .. 169 171 181 188 193 191 99 Good & Services .. 148 158 186 181 154 207 107 Current Transfers .. 7,959 8,082 8,361 9,765 1,183 10,257 5,297 Interest Expenses .. 62 50 77 139 135 227 117 Debt Service (State) 228 240 160 826 64 + - Other Expenses .. 86 129 1,163 25 126 128 66
Source: Region of Tuscany
CapitaI Revenues Capital Revenues include contributions from the State, the EU and other public entities. The following table sets forth for the period indicated the capital revenues of the Region:
Capital Revenues 1997 1998 1999 2000 200 I 2002 2002 - -. -- -_ - -- (euro (Lit. billions) millions) Capital Revenues .. 752 997 902 1,266 1,307 1,680 867 Capital Transfers.. ,. 371 887 739 1,171 1,293 207 107 Sales of Assets .. .. 3 26 20 30 24 30 122 Borrowing for Capital Purposes (State) .. 378 84 223 65 70 - - Funds Designated for Capital Expenditures (Previous Years) .. - - - - 1.443 745
Source: Region of Tuscany
58 Capital Expenditures
The following table sets out the capital expenditures of the Region attributable to its major activities for the period indicated.
Capital Expenditures by Major Activity 1997 1998 1999 2000 200 1 2002 2002 .- _--- ~ - - __ - - -. - (euro (Lit. billions) millions) - -_ - Capital Spending 968 1,562 1,310 1,248 1,426 1,967 1,016 _------__ ------~ - Real Estate 61 74 99 115 106 186 96 Capital Transfers 724 1,385 1,113 1,034 1,167 1,291 667 Other Expenses 183 103 98 99 153 494 255
Source: Region of Tuscany
Accruals and Financial Results
Financial Result 1997 1998 1999 2000 2000 -- ~- -- (euro (Lit. billions) millions) Cash at Hand at year end...... 78 195 241 128 66 Accruals to be received (including cash held at Central Treasury) ...... __ .. 6,842 8,277 7,827 7,508 3,878 Accruals due ._ ...... (5,863) (6,437) (6,561) (6,007) (3,102) -. - -- -_ -- Financial Result 1,057 2,035 1,507 1,629 (8411 - -- - -. _~ ~------
Source: Region of Tuscany
The financial result is a key ratio in Italian state accounting, and is strictly monitored by the Corte dei Conti, the authority in charge of monitoring the local governments’ accounts.
Accruals (residur)are the difference between the balance due and the actual amount paid or cashed, in the current year. They comprise accrued income and other receivables (“residui attivl‘) and unpaid expenses and other amounts payable (“residui passivl’). Accruals are brought forward for a maximum period of two years for current expenditures or seven years for capital expenditures. After which they are cancelled (Le. they become “perentl’,which means that they are not accounted for any longer in the Regional budget), although creditors can still make a claim against residui perenti if they can demonstrate their right. The Region carefully monitors the residui perenti and each year makes an allocation in the accounts of the Region for a specific fund which, in 2000, covered 100 per cent. of the aggregate amount to be cancelled.
59 In 2001, the aggregate cash at year end of the Region was equal to 80 per cent. of the Region’s outstanding debt: 1997 1998 1999 2000 2000 -- -~ (euro (Lit. billions) millions) Free cash at year end ...... 78 195 241 128 66 Cash at the Central Treasury ...... 1,186 1,314 1,697 1,314 679 ------Total Cash ...... 1,264 1,509 1,938 1,442 745 -- --__ -_ -- Regional Outstanding Debt .... 1,545 1,808 1,931 1,801 930 .------
Source: Region of Tuscany
Most cash held at the Central Treasury is designated for specific purposes, such as healthcare: Cash at Central Treasury 1999 -~2000 -- 2000 (euro (Lit. billions) millions) Ordinary Account ...... 375 163 84 Healthcare Funds ...... 1,074 1,123 580 EU Funds ...... 1 28 15 Healthcare Deficits ...... 247 ------Total Cash c/o Central Treasury ...... 1,697 1,314 679 -~ ---.- --~- -~
Source: Region of Tuscany
60 DEBT OF THE REGION
The debt of the Region is not guaranteed by the Republic of Italy.
The debt of the Region consists exclusively of 13 loans, denominated in euro, borrowed in the domestic market from Italian banking institutions.
The greatest portion of the Region’s debt is floating rate. Pursuant to Law No. 281 of 16th May, 1970, as amended (“Law No. 281”), the Region is prohibited from issuing debt if the ratio of the aggregate annual payment of principal and interest on outstanding debt, excluding debt relating to the coverage of healthcare, transportation and certain disaster relief to the annual available regional tax revenues (the “Debt Service Ratio”) would exceed 25 per cent. (the “Permitted Debt Service Ratio”). In connection with its Debt Service Ratio, notwithstanding the above, the Region does not include tax revenues designated for healthcare in the calculation of its “available regional tax revenues”. Accordingly, as of 31 st December, 2002, the Region’s Debt Service Ratio was equal to approximately 18 per cent.
The Region can incur or issue new loans or bonds when the following criteria have been met: (i) the proceeds received are used for investments; (ii) the Regional Council has approved the financial report with respect to the fiscal year ended two years prior to the issue date; (iii) the borrowing is provided for in the provisional budget; (iv) the borrowing is approved by the Regional Council and, for the issue of bonds, the appropriate authorisation from the Interministerial Committee for Credit and Savings (Comitato interministeriale peril credit0 ed il risparmio) is obtained: and (v) the future debt service will not cause the Region to exceed its Permitted Debt Service Ratio. The Treasury Banks may be given a mandate to make payments on behalf of the Region (mandato di pagamenfo).This mandate may be irrevocable (mandato irrevocabile). Regional bond obligations may benefit from such irrevocable mandates delivered by the issuing region to its Treasury Banks. By such mandate, a Treasury Bank is required to segregate, from time to time, moneys in an amount sufficient to meet the Region’s obligations to pay interest and principal when due. Pursuant to Article 11 of Decree No. 8 of 18th January, 1993, as converted into Law No. 68 of 19th March, 1993, the moneys segregated by the Treasury Bank for payments of amounts under financings due within six months may not be attached or seized by third party creditors of the Region provided that at each quarterly period the Regional Board determines the amounts due and payable and does not issue any other payment orders unless following the chronological order of payments.
To date, the Region has generally included under all existing loan agreements, an irrevocable mandate to itsTreasury Banks to pay all debt service when due, with recourse to tax revenues. In connection with the issuance of Notes, the Region will: (i) make the appropriate entries under the expenditure items of its financial reports to allocate income of the Region sufficient to meet its payment obligations under the Notes: and (ii) grant to the Paying Agent, for the benefit of the Noteholders, as a contractual obligation an irrevocable mandate to its Treasury Bank to pay all debt service when due, with recourse to tax revenues under Title 1 of the Region’s provisional budget. As a contractual obligation, all existing loan agreements are secured by an irrevocable mandate to the Treasury Bank to pay the debt service, at the scheduled time, with recourse to tax revenues as shown under Title 1 of the Region’s provisional budget.
In connection with the issuance of Notes, the Region will make the appropriate entries under the expenditure items of its financial reports to allocate certain income from Title 1 of the Region provisional budget necessary to meet its payment obligations under the Notes and creating in respect of such sums an irrevocable obligation to make payments therefrom to the Paying Agents. In the event the income allocated under the financial reports proves not to be adequate to make the payments due under the Notes, an allocation of all income of the Region will be made through the Treasury Bank of the Region to make the payments due under the Notes.
61 The following table sets forth the changes in the debt of the Region for the periods indicated:
Year ended 3 1st December, 1997 1998 1999 2000 200 1 2001 -.- -- .- - - .- (Lit. (euro billions) millions) Beginning Outstanding Debt ...... 1,148.6 1,556.8 1,805.3 1,932.6 1,802.0 930.7 New Borrowing ...... 480.0 297.7 242.6 - 50.0 25.8 Regional Debt Service .. 134.2 99.2 173.0 21 6.6 196.5 101.5 Principal Repayment _. 71.8 49.2 115.3 130.6 111.1 57.4 Interest Payments .... 62.4 50.0 57.8 86.0 85.5 44.2 - -- -- Final Outstanding Debt 1,556.8 1,805.3 1,932.6 1,802.0 1,740.9 ------
The following table sets forth the aggregate annual principal amounts due on the Region’s outstanding debt at 31st December, 2001: Outstanding Outstanding debt (at Aggregate Outstanding debt (at Aggregate Outstanding beginning Principal debt (at beginning Principal debt (at Year of year) Payments year end) of year) Payments year end) ------(Lit. billions) (euro millions) 2001 ...... 1,851 111 1,740 956 57 899 2002 ...... 1,740 92 1,648 899 48 851 2003 ...... 1,648 107 1,541 85 1 55 796 2004 ...... 1,541 112 1,430 796 58 739 2005 ...... 1,430 117 1,313 739 60 678 2006 ...... 1,313 136 1,177 678 70 608 2007 ...... 1,177 142 1,035 608 73 535 2008 ...... 1,035 149 886 535 77 458 2009 ...... 886 111 776 458 57 40 1 2010 ...... 776 116 660 40 1 60 34 1 2011 ...... 660 122 538 34 1 63 278 2012 ...... 538 128 41 0 278 66 21 2 2013 ...... 41 0 78 332 21 2 40 171 2014 ...... 332 51 281 171 26 145 2015 ...... 281 42 238 145 22 123 2016 ...... 238 43 196 123 22 101 2017 ...... 196 45 150 101 23 77 2018 ...... 150 45 105 77 23 54 2019 ...... 105 42 63 54 22 33 2020 ...... 63 41 23 33 21 12 2021 ...... 23 23 - 12 12 -
Debt Record
The Region has never failed to pay when due the full amount of principal of, interest and premium on, and amortisation or sinking fund requirements with respect to, its outstanding public debt.
62 TAXATION
Italian Taxation
Under current Italian law, all payments of principal and interest and any other payments in respect of the Notes, Receipts and Coupons made by the Issuer to non-Italian residents will be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatsoever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of the Republic of Italy or any authority therein or thereof having power to tax, including but not limited to the Region of Tuscany.
Payments of interest and any other payments in respect of the Notes, the Receipts and the Coupons made to Italian residents will be subject to “imposta sostitutivd‘ as provided for by Legislative Decree No. 239 of 1st April, 1996, as amended.
Proposed EU Savings Directive
On 18th July, 2001 the EU Commission published a proposal for a new directive regarding the taxation of savings income. It is proposed that, subject to a number of important conditions being met, Member States will be required to provide to the tax authority of another Member State details of payments of interest or other similar income paid by a person within its jurisdiction to an individual resident in that other Member State, subject to the right of certain Member States to opt instead for a withholding system for a transitional period in relation to such payments. The proposed directive is not yet final, and may be subject to further amendment and/or clarification.
63 SUBSCRIPTION AND SALE
The Dealers have in a programme agreement (the “Programme Agreement”) dated [6th March, 20021 agreed with the Issuer a basis upon which they or any of them may from time to time agree to purchase Notes. Any such agreement will extend to those matters stated under “Form of the Notes“ and “Terms and Conditions of the Notes“. In the Programme Agreement, the Issuer has agreed to reimburse the Dealers for certain of their expenses in connection with the establishment of the Programme and the issue of Notes under the Programme and to indemnify the Dealers against certain liabilities incurred by them in connection therewith.
United States
The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except in certain transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Each Dealer has agreed and each further Dealer appointed under the Programme will be required to agree that it will not offer, sell or deliver any Notes within the United States or to U.S. persons except as permitted by the Programme Agreement.
The Notes are subject to U.S. tax law requirements and may not be offered, sold or delivered within the United States or its possessions or to a United States person, except in certain transactions permitted by U.S. tax regulations. Terms used in this paragraph have the meanings given to them by the US. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and regulations thereunder.
Until 40 days after the commencement of the offering of any Series of Notes, an oifer or sale of such Notes within the United States by any dealer (whether or not participating in the offering) may violate the registration requirements of the Securities Act if such offer or sale is made otherwise than in accordance with an available exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Each issuance of Index Linked Notes or Dual Currency Notes shall be subject to such additional U.S. selling restrictions as the Issuer and the relevant Dealer may agree as a term of the issuance and purchase of such Notes, which additional selling restrictions shall be set out in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Italy
Each Dealer has represented and agreed and each further Dealer appointed under the Programme will be required to agree that it will not offer, sell or deliver any Notes or distribute copies of the Offering Circular or any other document relating to the Notes in the Republic of Italy except:
(1) to “Professional Investors”, as defined by CONSOB, in compliance with the terms and procedures provided by Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24th February, 1998 (“Decree No. 58) and CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14th May, 1999, as amended (“Regulation No. 11971”),or in any other circumstances where an expressed exemption to comply with the solicitation restrictions provided by Decree No. 58 or Regulation No. 11971 applies, provided, however, that any such offer, sale or delivery of the Notes or distribution of copies of the Offering Circular or any other document relating to the Notes in the Republic of Italy must be:
(a) made by investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in the Republic of Italy in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1st September, 1993, as amended (“Decree No. 385”),Decree No. 58, CONSOB Regulation No. 11522 of 1st July, 1998, as amended, and any other applicable laws and regulations:
(b) in compliance with Article 129 of Decree No. 385 and the implementing instructions of the Bank of Italy, pursuant to which the issue, trading or placement of securities in Italy is subject to a prior notification to the Bank of Italy, unless an exemption, depending, inter alia, on the amount of the issue applies to be followed by a subsequent communication reporting to the Bank of Italy the results of the issue and of the placement; and
64 (c) in compliance with any other applicable notification requirement or limitation which may be imposed by CONSOB or the Bank of Italy; or
(2) if Italian residents submit unsolicited offers to any of the Dealers to purchase the Notes.
United Kingdom
Each Dealer has represented and agreed, and each further Dealer appointed under the Programme will be required to represent and agree that:
(i) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA) with respect to anything done by it in relation to any Notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom; and
(ii) in relation to any Notes which must be redeemed before the first anniversary of the date of their issue, (a) it is a person whose ordinary activities involve it in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of its business and (b) it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Notes other than to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or as agent) for the purposes of their businesses or who it is reasonable to expect will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their businesses where the issue of the Notes would otherwise constitute a contravention of Section 19 of the FSMA by the Issuer.
Japan
The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan (the “Securities and Exchange Law”) and each Dealer has agreed and each further Dealer appointed under the Programme will be required to agree that it will not offer or sell any Notes, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organised under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws and regulations of Japan.
Germany In connection with the initial placement of any Notes in Germany, each Dealer has represented and agreed and each further Dealer appointed under the Programme will be required to represent and agree that it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any Notes in Germany other than in compliance with the Securities Prospectus Act ( Wertpapier-Verkaufsprospektgesetz)of 13th December, 1990 as amended, or any other law applicable in Germany governing the issue, offering and sale of securities.
General
Each Dealer has agreed and each further Dealer appointed under the Programme will be required to agree that it will (to the best of its knowledge and belief) comply with all applicable securities laws and regulations in force in any jurisdiction in which it purchases, offers, sells or delivers Notes or possesses or distributes this Offering Circular and will obtain any consent, approval or permission required by it for the purchase, offer, sale or delivery by it of Notes under the laws and regulations in force in any jurisdiction to which it is subject or in which it makes such purchases, offers, sales or deliveries and neither the Issuer nor any of the other Dealers shall have any responsibility therefor.
None of the Issuer and the Dealers represents that Notes may at any time lawfully be sold in compliance with any applicable registration or other requirements in any jurisdiction, or pursuant to any exemption available thereunder, or assumes any responsibility for facilitating such sale.
65 With regard to each Tranche, the relevant Dealer will be required to comply with such other restrictions as the Issuer and the relevant Dealer shall agree and as shall be set out in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
66 GENERAL INFORMATION
Authorisation The Issuer has obtained all necessary consents, approvals and authorisations in the Republic of Italy in connection with the establishment of the Programme. The establishment of the Programme has been authorised by the Regional Board in its resolution No. 19 of 17th September, 2001.
Listing of Notes on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange
Application has been made to list Notes issued under the Programme on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. A legal notice relating to the Programme and the constitutional documents of the Issuer are being lodged with the Registrar of the District Court in Luxembourg (Greffier en Chef du Tribunal &Arrondissement de et B Luxembourg) where such documents may be examined and copies obtained. The Luxembourg Stock Exchange has allocated the number 12688 to the Programme for listing purposes.
Documents Available
So long as Notes are capable of being issued under the Programme, copies of the following documents will, when published, be available from the registered office of the Issuer and from the specified office of the Paying Agent for the time being in Luxembourg:
the by-laws (with an English translation thereof) of the Issuer;
the Programme Agreement, the Agency Agreement, the Deed of Covenant and the forms of the Global Notes, the Notes in definitive form, the Receipts, the Coupons and the Talons;
a copy of this Offering Circular;
any future offering circulars, prospectuses, information memoranda and supplements including Pricing Supplements (save that a Pricing Supplement relating to an unlisted Note will only be available for inspection by a holder of such Note and such holder must produce evidence satisfactory to the Issuer and the Paying Agent as to its holding of Notes and identity) to this Offering Circular and any other documents incorporated herein or therein by reference; and
in the case of each issue of listed Notes subscribed pursuant to a subscription agreement, the subscription agreement (or equivalent document).
Clearing Systems
The Notes have been accepted for clearance through Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg. The appropriate Common Code and ISlN for each Tranche of Notes allocated by Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg will be specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement. If the Notes are to clear through an additional or alternative clearing system the appropriate information will be specified in the applicable Pricing Supplement.
Material Change
Except as described in the Offering Circular, there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) or general affairs of the Issuer since 31st December, 2000.
Litigation The Issuer is not nor has been involved in any legal or arbitration proceedings (including any proceedings which are pending or threatened of which the Issuer is aware) which may have or have had in the 12 months preceding the date of this document a significant effect on the financial position of the Issuer.
67 THE ISSUER
The Region of Tuscany Via di Novoli, 26 50127 Florence
ISSUING AND PRINCIPAL PAYING AGENT Deutsche Bank AG London Winchester House 1 Great Winchester Street London EC2N 2DB
PAYING AGENT
Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. 2, Boulevard Konrad Adenauer L-1 11 5 Luxembourg
LEGAL ADVISERS
To the Issuer To the Dealers as to Italian law as to Italian and English law Studio Legale Beltramo Allen & Overy Via Lazio 20/c Via Manzoni, 43 00187 Rome 20121 Milan
68 DEALERS ABN AMRO Bank N.V. Banca d’lntermediazione Mobiliare 250 Bishopsgate IMI S.p.A. London EC2M 4AA Corso Matteotti, 6 20121 Milan
Banca Nazionale del Lavoro S.p.A. BNP Paribas Via Vittorio Veneto 119 10 Harewood Avenue 00187 Rome London NWI 6AA
CDC 1x1s Capital Markets Depfa Bank Europe plc 51, rue de Lille International House 75007 Paris 3 Harbourmaster Place International Financial Services Centre Dublin 1
Deutsche Bank AG London Dexia Banque lnternationale a Luxembourg, Winchester House S.A. (acting under the name of Dexia Capital 1 Great Winchester Street Markets) London EC2N 2DB 69, Route d’Esch L-1470 Luxembourg
HSBC Bank plc J.P. Morgan Securities Ltd. Thames Exchange 125 London Wall 10 Queen Street Place London EC2Y 5AJ London EC4R 1BQ
Merrill Lynch International MPS Finance Banca Mobiliare S.p.A. Merrill Lynch Financial Centre Via Nino Bixio, 2 2 King Edward Street 53100 Siena London ECIA 1HQ
Nomura International plc UBS AG, Nomura House acting through its business group UBS 1, St Martin’s-le-Grand Warburg London €CIA 4NP 1 Finsbury Avenue London EC2M 2PP
LUXEMBOURG LISTING AGENT
Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. 2, Boulevard Konrad Adenauer L-1115 Luxembourg
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