Commission Regulation (EC) No 809/2004 (repealed)Show full title

CHAPTER I U.K. Subject matter and definitions

Article 1 U.K. Subject matter

This Regulation lays down:

(1)

the format of prospectus referred to in Article 5 of Directive 2003/71/EC;

(2)

the minimum information requirements to be included in a prospectus provided for in Article 7 of Directive 2003/71/EC;

(3)

the method of publication referred to in Article 10 of Directive 2003/71/EC;

(4)

the modalities according to which information can be incorporated by reference in a prospectus provided for in Article 11 of Directive 2003/71/EC;

(5)

the publication methods of a prospectus in order to ensure that a prospectus is publicly available according to Article 14 of Directive 2003/71/EC;

(6)

the methods of dissemination of advertisements referred to in Article 15 of Directive 2003/71/EC.

Article 2 U.K. Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply in addition to those laid down in Directive 2003/71/EC:

(1)

"Schedule" means a list of minimum information requirements adapted to the particular nature of the different types of issuers and/or the different securities involved;

(2)

"Building block" means a list of additional information requirements, not included in one of the schedules, to be added to one or more schedules, as the case may be, depending on the type of instrument and/or transaction for which a prospectus or base prospectus is drawn up;

(3)

"Risk factors" means a list of risks which are specific to the situation of the issuer and/or the securities and which are material for taking investment decisions;

(4)

"Special purpose vehicle" means an issuer whose objects and purposes are primarily the issue of securities;

(5)

"Asset backed securities" means securities which:

(a)

represent an interest in assets, including any rights intended to assure servicing, or the receipt or timeliness of receipts by holders of assets of amounts payable there under; or

(b)

are secured by assets and the terms of which provide for payments which relate to payments or reasonable projections of payments calculated by reference to identified or identifiable assets;

(6)

"Umbrella collective investment undertaking" means a collective investment undertaking invested in one or more collective investment undertakings, the asset of which is composed of separate class(es) or designation(s) of securities;

(7)

"Property collective investment undertaking" means a collective investment undertaking whose investment objective is the participation in the holding of property in the long term;

(8)

"Public international body" means a legal entity of public nature established by an international treaty between sovereign States and of which one or more Member States are members;

(9)

"Advertisement" means announcements:

(a)

relating to an specific offer to the public of securities or to an admission to trading on a regulated market; and

(b)

aiming to specifically promote the potential subscription or acquisition of securities.

(10)

"Profit forecast” means a form of words which expressly states or by implication indicates a figure or a minimum or maximum figure for the likely level of profits or losses for the current financial period and/or financial periods subsequent to that period, or contains data from which a calculation of such a figure for future profits or losses may be made, even if no particular figure is mentioned and the word "profit" is not used.

(11)

"Profit estimate” means a profit forecast for a financial period which has expired and for which results have not yet been published.

(12)

“Regulated information” means all information which the issuer, or any person who has applied for the admission of securities to trading on a regulated market without the issuer's consent, is required to disclose under Directive 2001/34/EC or under Article 6 of Directive 2003/6/EC.

CHAPTER II U.K. Minimum information

Article 3 U.K. Minimum information to be included in a prospectus

A prospectus shall be drawn up by using one or a combination of the following schedules and building blocks set out in Articles 4 to 20, according to the combinations for various types of securities provided for in Article 21.

A prospectus shall contain the information items required in Annexes I to XVII depending on the type of issuer and securities involved, provided for in the schedules and building blocks set out in Articles 4 to 20. A competent authority shall not request that a prospectus contains information items which are not included in Annexes I to XVII.

In order to ensure conformity with the obligation referred to in Article 5(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC, the competent authority of the home Member State, when approving a prospectus in accordance with Article 13 of that Directive, may require that the information provided by the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market be completed, for each of the information items, on a case by case basis.

Article 4 U.K. Share registration document schedule

1. For the share registration document information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex I.

2. The schedule set out in paragraph 1 shall apply to the following:

(1)

shares and other transferable securities equivalent to shares;

(2)

other securities which comply with the following conditions:

(a)

they can be converted or exchanged into shares or other transferable securities equivalent to shares, at the issuer's or at the investor's discretion, or on the basis of the conditions established a the moment of the issue, or give, in any other way, the possibility to acquire shares or other transferable securities equivalent to shares, and

(b)

provided that these shares or other transferable securities equivalent to shares are or will be issued by the issuer of the security and are not yet traded on a regulated market or an equivalent market outside the Community at the time of the approval of the prospectus covering the securities, and that the underlying shares or other transferable securities equivalent to shares can be delivered with physical settlement.

Article 5 U.K. Pro-forma financial information building block

For pro-forma financial information, information shall be given in accordance with the building block set out in Annex II.

Pro forma financial information should be preceded by an introductory explanatory paragraph that states in clear terms the purpose of including this information in the prospectus.

Article 6 U.K. Share securities note schedule

1. For the share securities note information is necessary to be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex III.

2. The schedule shall apply to shares and other transferable securities equivalent to shares.

Article 7 U.K. Debt and derivative securities registration document schedule for securities with a denomination per unit of less than EUR 50 000

For the debt and derivative securities registration document concerning securities which are not covered in Article 4 with a denomination per unit of less than EUR 50 000 or, where there is no individual denomination, securities that can only be acquired on issue for less than EUR 50 000 per security, information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex IV.

Article 8 U.K. Securities note schedule for debt securities with a denomination per unit of less than EUR 50 000

1. For the securities note for debt securities with a denomination per unit of less than EUR 50 000 information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex V.

2. The schedule shall apply to debt where the issuer has an obligation arising on issue to pay the investor 100% of the nominal value in addition to which there may be also an interest payment.

Article 9 U.K. Guarantees building block

For guarantees information shall be given in accordance with the building block set out in Annex VI.

Article 10 U.K. Asset backed securities registration document schedule

For the asset backed securities registration document information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex VII.

Article 11 U.K. Asset backed securities building block

For the additional information building block to the securities note for asset backed securities information shall be given in accordance with the building block set out in Annex VIII.

Article 12 U.K. Debt and derivative securities registration document schedule for securities with a denomination per unit of at least EUR 50 000

For the debt and derivative securities registration document concerning securities which are not covered in Article 4 with a denomination per unit of at least EUR 50 000 or, where there is no individual denomination, securities that can only be acquired on issue for at least EUR 50 000 per security, information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex IX.

Article 13 U.K. Depository receipts schedule

For depository receipts issued over shares information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex X.

Article 14 U.K. Banks registration document schedule

1. For the banks registration document for debt and derivative securities and those securities which are not covered by article 4 information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in annex XI.

2. The schedule set out in paragraph 1 shall apply to credit institutions as defined in point (a) of Article 1(1) of Directive 2000/12/EC as well as to third country credit institutions which do not fall under that definition but have their registered office in a state which is a member of the OECD.

These entities may also use alternatively the registration document schedules provided for under in Articles 7 and 12.

Article 15 U.K. Securities note schedule for derivative securities

1. For the securities note for derivative securities information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in annex XII.

2. The schedule shall apply to securities which are not in the scope of application of the other securities note schedules referred to in Articles 6, 8 and 16, including certain securities where the payment and/or delivery obligations are linked to an underlying.

Article 16 U.K. Securities note schedule for debt securities with a denomination per unit of at least EUR 50000

1. For the securities note for debt securities with a denomination per unit of at least EUR 50 000 information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex XIII.

2. The schedule shall apply to debt where the issuer has an obligation arising on issue to pay the investor 100% of the nominal value in addition to which there may be also an interest payment.

Article 17 U.K. Additional information building block on the underlying share

1. For the additional information on the underlying share, the description of the underlying share shall be given in accordance with the building block set out in Annex XIV.

In addition, if the issuer of the underlying share is an entity belonging to the same group, the information required by the schedule referred to in Article 4 shall be given in respect of that issuer.

2. The additional information referred to in the first subparagraph of paragraph 1 shall only apply to those securities which comply with both of the following conditions:

(1)

they can be converted or exchanged into shares or other transferable securities equivalent to shares, at the issuer's or at the investor's discretion, or on the basis of the conditions established a the moment of the issue or give, in any other way, the possibility to acquire shares or other transferable securities equivalent to shares; and

(2)

provided that these shares or other transferable securities equivalent to shares are or will be issued by the issuer of the security or by an entity belonging to the group of that issuer and are not yet traded on a regulated market or an equivalent market outside the Community at the time of the approval of the prospectus covering the securities, and that the underlying shares or other transferable securities equivalent to shares can be delivered with physical settlement.

Article 18 U.K. Registration document schedule for collective investment undertakings of the closed-end type

1. In addition to the information required pursuant to items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.1, 7, 9.1, 9.2.1, 9.2.3, 10.4, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.2, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 of Annex I, for the registration document for securities issued by collective investment undertakings of the closed-end type information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex XV.

2. The schedule shall apply to collective investment undertakings of the closed-end type holding a portfolio of assets on behalf of investors that:

(1)

are recognised by national law in the Member State in which it is incorporated as a collective investment undertaking of the closed end type; or

(2)

do not take or seek to take legal or management control of any of the issuers of its underlying investments. In such a case, legal control and/or participation in the administrative, management or supervisory bodies of the underlying issuer(s) may be taken where such action is incidental to the primary investment objective, necessary for the protection of shareholders and only in circumstances where the collective investment undertaking will not exercise significant management control over the operations of that underlying issuer(s).

Article 19 U.K. Registration document schedule for Member States, third countries and their regional and local authorities

1. For the registration document for securities issued by Member States, third countries and their regional and local authorities information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in annex XVI.

2. The schedule shall apply to all types of securities issued by Member States, third countries and their regional and local authorities.

Article 20 U.K. Registration document schedule for public international bodies and for issuers of debt securities guaranteed by a member state of the OECD

1. For the registration document for securities issued by public international bodies and for securities unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed, on the basis of national legislation, by a state which is member of the OECD information shall be given in accordance with the schedule set out in Annex XVII.

2. The schedule shall apply to:

• all types of securities issued by public international bodies;

• to debt securities unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed, on the basis of national legislation, by a state which is member of the OECD.

Article 21 U.K. Combination of schedules and building blocks

1. The use of the combinations provided for in the table set out in Annex XVIII shall be mandatory when drawing up prospectuses for the types of securities to which those combinations correspond according to this table.

However, for securities not covered by those combinations further combinations may be used.

2. The most comprehensive and stringent registration document schedule, i.e. the most demanding schedule in term of number of information items and the extent of the information included in them, may always be used to issue securities for which a less comprehensive and stringent registration document schedule is provided for, according to the following ranking of schedules:

(1)

share registration document schedule;

(2)

debt and derivative securities registration document schedule for securities with a denomination per unit of less than EUR 50 000;

(3)

debt and derivative securities registration document schedule for securities with a denomination per unit at least EUR 50 000.

Article 22 U.K. Minimum information to be included in a base prospectus and its related final terms

1. A base prospectus shall be drawn up by using one or a combination of schedules and building blocks provided for in Articles 4 to 20 according to the combinations for various types of securities set out in Annex XVIII.

A base prospectus shall contain the information items required in Annexes I to XVII depending on the type of issuer and securities involved, provided for in the schedules and building blocks set out in Articles 4 to 20. A competent authority shall not request that a base prospectus contains information items which are not included in Annexes I to XVII.

In order to ensure conformity with the obligation referred to in Article 5(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC, the competent authority of the home Member State, when approving a base prospectus in accordance with Article 13 of that Directive, may require that the information provided by the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market be completed, for each of the information items, on a case by case basis.

2. The issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market may omit information items which are not known when the base prospectus is approved and which can only be determined at the time of the individual issue.

3. The use of the combinations provided for in the table in Annex XVIII shall be mandatory when drawing up base prospectuses for the types of securities to which those combinations correspond according to this table.

However, for securities not covered by those combinations further combinations may be used.

4. The final terms attached to a base prospectus shall only contain the information items from the various securities note schedules according to which the base prospectus is drawn up.

5. In addition to the information items set out in the schedules and building blocks referred to in Articles 4 to 20 the following information shall be included in a base prospectus:

(1)

indication on the information that will be included in the final terms;

(2)

the method of publication of the final terms; if the issuer is not in a position to determine, at the time of the approval of the prospectus, the method of publication of the final terms, an indication of how the public will be informed about which method will be used for the publication of the final terms;

(3)

in the case of issues of non equity securities according to point (a) of Article 5(4) of Directive 2003/71/EC, a general description of the programme.

6. Only the following categories of securities may be contained in a base prospectus and its related final terms covering issues of various types of securities:

(1)

asset backed securities;

(2)

warrants falling under Article 17;

(3)

non-equity securities provided for under point (b) of Article 5(4) of Directive 2003/71/EC;

(4)

all other non-equity securities including warrants with the exception of those mentioned in point (2).

In drawing up a base prospectus the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall clearly segregate the specific information on each of the different securities included in these categories.

7. Where an event envisaged under Article 16(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC occurs between the time that the base prospectus has been approved and the final closing of the offer of each issue of securities under the base prospectus or, as the case may be, the time that trading on a regulated market of those securities begins, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall publish a supplement prior to the final closing of the offer or the admission of those securities to trading.

Article 23 U.K. Adaptations to the minimum information given in prospectuses and base prospectuses

1. Notwithstanding Articles 3 second paragraph and 22(1) second subparagraph, where the issuer's activities fall under one of the categories included in Annex XIX, the competent authority of the home Member State, taking into consideration the specific nature of the activities involved, may ask for adapted information, in addition to the information items included in the schedules and building blocks set out in Articles 4 to 20, including, where appropriate, a valuation or other expert's report on the assets of the issuer, in order to comply with the obligation referred to in Article 5(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC. The competent authority shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

In order to obtain the inclusion of a new category in Annex XIX a Member State shall notify its request to the Commission. The Commission shall update this list following the Committee procedure provided for in Article 24 of Directive 2003/71/EC.

2. By way of derogation of Articles 3 to 22, where an issuer, an offeror or a person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market applies for approval of a prospectus or a base prospectus for a security which is not the same but comparable to the various types of securities mentioned in the table of combinations set out in Annex XVIII, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall add the relevant information items from another securities note schedule provided for in Articles 4 to 20 to the main securities note schedule chosen. This addition shall be done in accordance with the main characteristics of the securities being offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market.

3. By way of derogation of Articles 3 to 22, where an issuer, an offeror or a person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market applies for approval of a prospectus or a base prospectus for a new type of security, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall notify a draft prospectus or base prospectus to the competent authority of the home Member State.

The competent authority shall decide, in consultation with the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market, what information shall be included in the prospectus or base prospectus in order to comply with the obligation referred to in Article 5(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC. The competent authority shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

The derogation referred to in the first subparagraph shall only apply in case of a new type of security which has features completely different from the various types of securities mentioned in Annex XVIII, if the characteristics of this new security are such that a combination of the different information items referred to in the schedules and building blocks provided for in Articles 4 to 20 is not pertinent.

4. By way of derogation of Articles 3 to 22, in the cases where one of the information items required in one of the schedules or building blocks referred to in 4 to 20 or equivalent information is not pertinent to the issuer, to the offer or to the securities to which the prospectus relates, that information may be omitted.

Article 24 U.K. Content of the summary of prospectus and base prospectus

The issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall determine on its own the detailed content of the summary to the prospectus or base prospectus referred to in Article 5(2) of Directive 2003/71/EC.

Chapter III U.K. Format of the prospectus, base prospectus and supplements

Article 25 U.K. Format of the prospectus

1. Where an issuer, an offeror or a person asking for the admission to trading on a regulated market chooses, according to Article 5(3) of Directive 2003/71/EC to draw up a prospectus as a single document, the prospectus shall be composed of the following parts in the following order:

(1)

a clear and detailed table of contents,

(2)

the summary provided for in Article 5 (2) of Directive 2003/71/EC,

(3)

the risk factors linked to the issuer and the type of security covered by the issue,

(4)

the other information items included in the schedules and building blocks according to which the prospectus is drawn up.

2. Where an issuer, an offeror or a person asking for the admission to trading on a regulated market chooses, according to in Article 5(3) of Directive 2003/71/EC, to draw up a prospectus composed of separate documents, the securities note and the registration document shall be each composed of the following parts in the following order:

(1)

a clear and detailed table of content,

(2)

as the case may be, the risk factors linked to the issuer and the type of security covered by the issue,

(3)

the other information items included in the schedules and building blocks according to which the prospectus is drawn up.

3. In the cases mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 2, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall be free in defining the order in the presentation of the required information items included in the schedules and building blocks according to which the prospectus is drawn up.

4. Where the order of the items does not coincide with the order of the information provided for in the schedules and building blocks according to which the prospectus is drawn up, the competent authority of the home Member State may ask the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for the admission to trading on a regulated market to provide a cross reference list for the purpose of checking the prospectus before its approval. Such list shall identify the pages where each item can be found in the prospectus.

5. Where the summary of a prospectus must be supplemented according to Article 16(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall decide on a case-by-case basis whether to integrate the new information in the original summary by producing a new summary, or to produce a supplement to the summary.

If the new information is integrated in the original summary, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall ensure that investors can easily identify the changes, in particular by way of footnotes.

Article 26 U.K. Format of the base prospectus and its related final terms

1. Where an issuer, an offeror or a person asking for the admission to trading on a regulated market chooses, according to Article 5 (4) of Directive 2003/71/EC to draw up a base prospectus, the base prospectus shall be composed of the following parts in the following order:

(1)

a clear and detailed table of contents;

(2)

the summary provided for in Article 5 (2) of Directive 2003/71/EC;

(3)

the risk factors linked to the issuer and the type of security or securities covered by the issue(s);

(4)

the other information items included in the schedules and building blocks according to which the prospectus is drawn up.

2. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall be free in defining the order in the presentation of the required information items included in the schedules and building blocks according to which the prospectus is drawn up. The information on the different securities contained in the base prospectus shall be clearly segregated.

3. Where the order of the items does not coincide with the order of the information provided for by the schedules and building blocks according to which the prospectus is drawn up, the home competent authority may ask the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market to provide a cross reference list for the purpose of checking the prospectus before its approval. Such list should identify the pages where each item can be found in the prospectus.

4. In case the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market has previously filed a registration document for a particular type of security and, at a later stage, chooses to draw up base prospectus in conformity with the conditions provided for in points (a) and (b) of Article 5(4) of Directive 2003/71/EC, the base prospectus shall contain:

(1)

the information contained in the previously or simultaneously filed and approved registration document which shall be incorporated by reference, following the conditions provided for in Article 28 of this Regulation;

(2)

the information which would otherwise be contained in the relevant securities note less the final terms where the final terms are not included in the base prospectus.

5. The final terms attached to a base prospectus shall be presented in the form of a separate document containing only the final terms or by inclusion of the final terms into the base prospectus.

In the case that the final terms are included in a separate document containing only the final terms, they may replicate some information which has been included in the approved base prospectus according to the relevant securities note schedule that has been used for drawing up the base prospectus. In this case the final terms have to be presented in such a way that they can be easily identified as such.

A clear and prominent statement shall be inserted in the final terms indicating that the full information on the issuer and on the offer is only available on the basis of the combination of base prospectus and final terms and where the base prospectus is available.

6. Where a base prospectus relates to different securities, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall include a single summary in the base prospectus for all securities. The information on the different securities contained in the summary, however, shall be clearly segregated.

7. Where the summary of a base prospectus must be supplemented according to Article 16(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall decide on a case-by-case basis whether to integrate the new information in the original summary by producing a new summary, or by producing a supplement to the summary.

If the new information is integrated in the original summary of the base prospectus by producing a new summary, the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall ensure that investors can easily identify the changes, in particular by way of footnotes.

8. Issuers, offerors or persons asking for admission to trading on a regulated market may compile in one single document two or more different base prospectuses.

CHAPTER IV U.K. Information and incorporation by reference

Article 27 U.K. Publication of the document referred to in Article 10(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC

1. The document referred to in Article 10(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC shall be made available to the public, at the choice of the issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market, through one of the means permitted under Article 14 of that Directive in the home Member State of the issuer.

2. The document shall be filed with the competent authority of the home Member State and made available to the public at the latest 20 working days after the publication of the annual financial statements in the home Member State.

3. The document shall include a statement indicating that some information may be out-of-date, if such is the case.

Article 28 U.K. Arrangements for incorporation by reference

1. Information may be incorporated by reference in a prospectus or base prospectus, notably if it is contained in one the following documents:

(1)

annual and interim financial information;

(2)

documents prepared on the occasion of a specific transaction such as a merger or demerger;

(3)

audit reports and financial statements;

(4)

memorandum and articles of association;

(5)

earlier approved and published prospectuses and/or base prospectuses;

(6)

regulated information;

(7)

circulars to security holders.

2. The documents containing information that may be incorporated by reference in a prospectus or base prospectus or in the documents composing it shall be drawn up following the provisions of Article 19 of Directive 2003/71/EC.

3. If a document which may be incorporated by reference contains information which has undergone material changes, the prospectus or base prospectus shall clearly state such a circumstance and shall give the updated information.

4. The issuer, the offeror or the person asking for admission to trading on a regulated market may incorporate information in a prospectus or base prospectus by making reference only to certain parts of a document, provided that it states that the non- incorporated parts are either not relevant for the investor or covered elsewhere in the prospectus.

5. When incorporating information by reference, issuers, offerors or persons asking for admission to trading on a regulated market shall endeavour not to endanger investor protection in terms of comprehensibility and accessibility of the information.

CHAPTER V U.K. Publication and dissemination of advertisements

Article 29 U.K. Publication in electronic form

1. The publication of the prospectus or base prospectus in electronic form, either pursuant to points (c) (d) and (e) of Article 14(2) of Directive 2003/71/EC, or as an additional means of availability, shall be subject to the following requirements:

(1)

the prospectus or base prospectus shall be easily accessible when entering the web-site;

(2)

the file format shall be such that the prospectus or base prospectus cannot be modified;

(3)

the prospectus or base prospectus shall not contain hyper-links, with exception of links to the electronic addresses where information incorporated by reference is available;

(4)

the investors shall have the possibility of downloading and printing the prospectus or base prospectus.

The exception referred to in point (3) of the first subparagraph shall only be valid for documents incorporated by reference; those documents shall be available with easy and immediate technical arrangements.

2. If a prospectus or base prospectus for offer of securities to the public is made available on the web-sites of issuers and financial intermediaries or of regulated markets, these shall take measures, to avoid targeting residents in Members States or third countries where the offer of securities to the public does not take place, such as the insertion of a disclaimer as to who are the addressees of the offer.

Article 30 U.K. Publication in newspapers

1. In order to comply with point (a) of Article 14(2) of Directive 2003/71/EC the publication of a prospectus or a base prospectus shall be made in a general or financial information newspaper having national or supra-regional scope;

2. If the competent authority is of the opinion that the newspaper chosen for publication does not comply with the requirements set out in paragraph 1, it shall determine a newspaper whose circulation is deemed appropriate for this purpose taking into account, in particular, the geographic area, number of inhabitants and reading habits in each Member State.

Article 31 U.K. Publication of the notice

1. If a Member State makes use of the option, referred to in Article 14(3) of Directive 2003/71/EC, to require the publication of a notice stating how the prospectus or base prospectus has been made available and where it can be obtained by the public, that notice shall be published in a newspaper that fulfils the requirements for publication of prospectuses according to Article 30 of this Regulation.

If the notice relates to a prospectus or base prospectus published for the only purpose of admission of securities to trading on a regulated market where securities of the same class are already admitted, it may alternatively be inserted in the gazette of that regulated market, irrespective of whether that gazette is in paper copy or electronic form.

2. The notice shall be published no later than the next working day following the date of publication of the prospectus or base prospectus pursuant to Article 14(1) of Directive 2003/71/EC.

3. The notice shall contain the following information:

(1)

the identification of the issuer;

(2)

the type, class and amount of the securities to be offered and/or in respect of which admission to trading is sought, provided that these elements are known at the time of the publication of the notice;

(3)

the intended time schedule of the offer /admission to trading;

(4)

a statement that a prospectus or base prospectus has been published and where it can be obtained;

(5)

if the prospectus or base prospectus has been published in a printed form, the addresses where and the period of time during which such printed forms are available to the public;

(6)

if the prospectus or base prospectus has been published in electronic form, the addresses to which investors shall refer to ask for a paper copy;

(7)

the date of the notice.

Article 32 U.K. List of approved prospectuses

The list of the approved prospectuses and base prospectuses published on the web-site of the competent authority, in accordance with Article 14(4) of Directive 2003/71/EC, shall mention how such prospectuses have been made available and where they can be obtained.

Article 33 U.K. Publication of the final terms of base prospectuses

The publication method for final terms related to a base prospectus does not have to be the same as the one used for the base prospectus as long as the publication method used is one of the publication methods indicated in Article 14 of the Directive 2003/71/EC.

Article 34 U.K. Dissemination of advertisements

Advertisements related to an offer to the public of securities or to an admission to trading on a regulated market may be disseminated to the public by interested parties, such as issuer, offeror or person asking for admission, the financial intermediaries that participate in the placing and/or underwriting of securities, notably by one of the following means of communication:

(1)

Addressed or unaddressed printed matter;

(2)

Electronic message or advertisement received via a mobile telephone or pager;

(3)

Standard letter;

(4)

Press advertising with or without order form;

(5)

Catalogue;

(6)

Telephone with or without human intervention;

(7)

Seminars and presentations;

(8)

Radio;

(9)

Videophone;

(10)

Videotext;

(11)

Electronic mail;

(12)

Facsimile machine (fax);

(13)

Television;

(14)

Notice;

(15)

Bill;

(16)

Poster;

(17)

Brochure;

(18)

Web posting including internet banners.

CHAPTER VI U.K. Transitional and final provisions

Article 35 U.K. Historical financial information

1. The obligation for Community issuers to restate in a prospectus historical financial information according to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002, set out in Annex I item 20.1, Annex IV item 13.1, Annex VII items 8.2, Annex X items 20.1 and Annex XI item 11.1 shall not apply to any period earlier than 1 January 2004 or, where an issuer has securities admitted to trading on a regulated market on 1 July 2005, until the issuer has published its first consolidated annual accounts with accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002.

2. Where a Community issuer is subject to transitional national provisions adopted pursuant Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002, the obligation to restate in a prospectus historical financial information does not apply to any period earlier than 1 January 2006 or, where an issuer has securities admitted to trading on a regulated market on 1 July 2005, until the issuer has published its first consolidated annual accounts with accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002..

3. Until 1 January 2007 the obligation to restate in a prospectus historical financial information according to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002, set out in Annex I item 20.1, Annex IV item 13.1, Annex VII items 8.2, Annex X items 20.1 and Annex XI item 11.1 shall not apply to issuers from third countries:

(1)

who have their securities admitted to trading on a regulated market on 1 January 2007; and

(2)

who have presented and prepared historical financial information according to the national accounting standards of a third country.

In this case, historical financial information shall be accompanied with more detailed and/or additional information if the financial statements included in the prospectus do not give a true and fair view of the issuer's assets and liabilities, financial position and profit and loss.

4. Third country issuers having prepared historical financial information according to internationally accepted standards as referred to in Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 may use that information in any prospectus filed before 1 January 2007, without being subject to restatement obligations.

5. From 1 January 2007 third country issuers, as referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4, shall present the historical financial information referred to in paragraph 3 point (1) following the establishment of equivalence pursuant to a mechanism to be set up by the Commission. This mechanism shall be set up through the Committee procedure provided for in Article 24 of Directive 2003/71/EC.

6. The provisions of this Article shall also apply to Annex VI, item 3.

Article 36 U.K. Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force in Member States on the twentieth day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 1 July 2005.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 29 April 2004

For the Commission

Frederik Bolkestein

Member of the Commission