Master Agreement for Assignment of Receivables between Antargaz, Natixis (as Security Agent), and Lenders (March 16, 2011)
This agreement is between Antargaz (the Assignor), Natixis (as Security Agent), and a group of Lenders. It sets out the terms under which Antargaz assigns its trade receivables to the Lenders as security for its obligations under a related loan facility. The Security Agent manages the security interests on behalf of the Lenders. The agreement details how receivables are assigned, collected, and released, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of each party. The arrangement remains in effect until all secured obligations are fully repaid or released.
FOR ASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLES
(Articles L.313-23 to L.313-34 of the French Monetary and Financial Code)
as Assignor
as Security Agent

Clause | Page | ||||
1. INTERPRETATION | 5 | ||||
2. SECURITY AGENT | 7 | ||||
3. ASSIGNMENT | 7 | ||||
4. EFFECTS OF EACH ASSIGNMENT | 8 | ||||
5. COLLECTION BY THE ASSIGNOR | 8 | ||||
6. COLLECTION BY THE SECURITY AGENT | 9 | ||||
7. NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTANCE | 9 | ||||
8. PRESERVATION OF SECURITY | 10 | ||||
9. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | 10 | ||||
10. UNDERTAKINGS | 11 | ||||
11. LIABILITY TO PERFORM | 12 | ||||
12. APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS | 12 | ||||
13. COVENANT TO RELEASE | 12 | ||||
14. EXPENSES, INDEMNITIES AND TAXES | 13 | ||||
15. CHANGES TO THE PARTIES | 13 | ||||
16. SEVERABILITY | 13 | ||||
17. NOTICES | 14 | ||||
18. FRENCH LANGUAGE | 14 | ||||
19. GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION | 14 | ||||
20. DURATION | 14 | ||||
21. WAIVERS, REMEDIES CUMULATIVE | 14 |
1. | Form of an Assignment Form | |
2. | Form of a Notice of Assignment | |
3. | Form of Letter of Acceptance | |
4. | List of the Lenders |
2.
1. | ANTARGAZ, a société anonyme, incorporated under the laws of France under registration number 572 126 043 RCS Nanterre, with registered capital of euro 3,935,349.00, and having its registered office at Immeuble Les Renardières, 3 Place de Saverne, 92400 Courbevoie, duly represented for the purpose of this Agreement, as Assignor; |
2. | NATIXIS, a société anonyme, incorporated under the laws of France under registration number 542 044 524 RCS Paris, with registered capital of euro 4,653,020,308.80, and having its registered office at 30, avenue Pierre Mendès France 75013 Paris, duly represented for the purpose of this Agreement, as Security Agent; and |
3. | THE LENDERS, as listed in Schedule 4, duly represented for the purpose of this Agreement by the Security Agent itself represented by a duly authorized signatory for the purpose of this Agreement. |
3.
(A) | Pursuant to a facilities agreement dated 16 March 2011 entered into between, inter alios, AGZ Holding and Antargaz as Borrowers, BNP Paribas, Caisse Régionale de Crédit Agricole Mutuel de Paris et dIle De France, Crédit Lyonnais SA and Natixis as Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners, the Mandated Lead Arrangers (as defined therein), the Arrangers (as defined therein), the Lenders (as defined therein), and Natixis as Facility Agent and Security Agent (the Facilities Agreement), the Lenders have agreed to make certain Facilities available to the Borrowers. |
(B) | Pursuant to Schedule 2 (Security Documents) of the Facilities Agreement, the Assignor is required to grant to the Beneficiaries certain security interests as security for the Secured Liabilities, including in particular the assignment by way of security of its trade receivables (cession de créances professionnelles à titre de garantie) upon the terms and conditions of this Master Agreement and each Assignment Form relating thereto. |
4.
1. | INTERPRETATION | |
1.1 | Definitions |
5.
1.2 | Construction |
(a) | In this Master Agreement, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to: |
(i) | assets or regulation shall be construed in accordance with the Facilities Agreement; |
(ii) | a Clause or a Schedule is, unless otherwise specified, a reference to a clause or a schedule to this Agreement; |
(iii) | a provision of a law is a reference to that provision as amended or re-enacted; |
6.
(iv) | a time of day is a reference to Paris time; | ||
(v) | words importing the plural shall include the singular and vice versa; |
(vi) | any reference to a party to this Master Agreement or other person includes, unless otherwise provided in this Master Agreement, such partys or persons permitted successors, assignees, transferees or substitutes; |
(vii) | an agreement or document includes a reference to that agreement or document as amended, novated or supplemented from time to time. |
(b) | The index to and the headings in this Master Agreement are for convenience only and are to be ignored in construing this Master Agreement. | ||
(c) | This Agreement is entered into with the benefit and subject to the burden of the Intercreditor Agreement. |
2. | SECURITY AGENT |
3. | ASSIGNMENT | |
3.1 | Purpose of Assignment |
(a) | As security for its Secured Liabilities, the Assignor hereby undertakes, on the terms of this Master Agreement and in accordance with the Law, to assign to the Assignees all its present and future Receivables. |
(b) | Each Assignee will benefit from any Assignment in the proportion which its Revolving Commitments bears to the total Revolving Commitments (insofar as they relate to Advances made to the Assignor) as at the date of such Assignment. |
(c) | This Master Agreement shall apply automatically to all Assignment Forms delivered by the Assignor to the Security Agent, on each date of Assignment, provided that such Assignment Forms make specific reference to this Master Agreement. |
3.2 | Date of Assignment |
(a) | So long as and to the extent that no Drawing is made by the Assignor under the Facilities Agreement, the Assignor shall not be obligated to assign any of its Receivables by way of security hereunder. |
(b) | In the event that no Drawing by the Assignor is outstanding and the Assignor intends to make a Drawing under the Facilities Agreement, it shall, on the Drawdown Date for such Drawing and monthly thereafter for so long as any Drawing by the Assignor is outstanding, assign to the Assignees by way of security all of its Receivables. |
7.
3.3 | Method of Assignment |
(a) | Each Assignment made pursuant to this Master Agreement shall be made by the Assignor to the Assignees by remittance of an Assignment Form to the Security Agent on each date of Assignment in accordance with Clause 3.2 (Date of Assignment). Each Assignment Form shall (i) list and clearly identify the relevant Assigned Receivables and incorporate all of the specific requirements of the Law and all regulations in force relating thereto, (ii) be signed by a legally authorised representative of the Assignor and (iii) set out the Assignees as beneficiaries and set out the respective proportion of the benefit taken by each Assignee. |
(b) | The Security Agent shall, on its reasonable judgement or after consultation of the Assignees, be entitled to reject any Assignment Form to the extent that such Assignment Form does not comply with the provisions of this Master Agreement or the Law. Immediately upon notice thereof by the Security Agent to the Assignor, the Assignor undertakes to replace the relevant Assignment Form by delivery of a new Assignment Form, which shall be acceptable to the Security Agent, acting reasonably, after consultation of the Assignees. |
(c) | Where any new Assignment Form (the New Assignment Form) delivered by the Assignor relates to Receivables which have already been assigned (the Re-assigned Receivables) under any Assignment Form previously delivered by that Assignor (i) the Re-assigned Receivables shall not be deemed assigned under any New Assignment Form and shall not be included in the scope of any new Assignment granted by virtue of the New Assignment Form with respect to any outstanding Drawings of the Assignor already secured by such Re-assigned Receivables but (ii) provided any Drawing to which were previously assigned the Re-assigned Receivables is no longer outstanding, the Re-assigned Receivables shall be deemed assigned under the relevant New Assignment Form and shall be included in the scope of any new Assignment granted by virtue of the New Assignment Form with respect to any new Drawings of the Assignor. |
(d) | Each Assignment Form shall be delivered by the Assignor to the Security Agent who shall hold such Assignment Form on behalf of the Assignees and shall ascertain the date thereof. Each Assignee hereby appoints the Security Agent, which hereby accepts, to (i) be the addressee of each Assignment Form remitted by the Assignor pursuant to this Master Agreement, (ii) ascertain the date of each Assignment Form as the date on which the Assignment Form is remitted by the Assignor, and (iii) hold each such Assignment Form on its behalf. |
4. | EFFECTS OF EACH ASSIGNMENT |
5. | COLLECTION BY THE ASSIGNOR |
(i) | collect on its current account(s) all payments to be made from time to time by its Assigned Debtors under its Assigned Receivables; and | ||
(ii) | at its own cost, file any claim, take any action or proceedings it thinks fit or advisable against any Assigned Debtor to recover any amount owed to him in case of default by any Assigned Debtor to pay any amount payable by such Assigned Debtor under any underlying contract or agreement, |
8.
6. | COLLECTION BY THE SECURITY AGENT |
(a) | Upon the occurrence of a Payment Default or a payment default with respect to a notification relating to any Event of Default made in accordance with clause 18.2 (Acceleration) of the Facilities Agreement (the Relevant Payment Default), the Security Agent shall be entitled to terminate, immediately and without notice, all the discretions, powers and authorizations granted to the Assignor pursuant to Clause 5, and/or to send a notice to the relevant Assigned Debtor in accordance with Clause 7 below, in which case the provisions of Clause 7 shall apply, subject to paragraph (c) of this Clause 6. |
(b) | All proceeds received by the Security Agent acting on behalf of the Assignees and/or the Assignees in respect of, collection from, or other realisation upon all or any part of the Assigned Receivables shall be applied for repayment of all the Secured Liabilities in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Facilities Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement. |
(c) | Upon such Relevant Payment Default being remedied or waived and in the event the Security Agent has sent a notice to the relevant Assigned Debtor in accordance with Clause 7 below, the provisions of paragraph (a) of this Clause 6 shall cease to apply and the collection of any Assigned Receivables for which no notice has been sent to the relevant Assigned Debtor under Clause 7 below, shall be made according to Clause 5 above. |
7. | NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTANCE | |
7.1 | Notice of Assignment |
7.2 | Acceptance | |
The Security Agent, acting upon the request of the Majority Lenders, shall be entitled at any time following the occurrence of a Payment Default or a payment default with respect to a notification relating to any Event of Default made in accordance with clause 18.2 (Acceleration) of the Facilities Agreement, to request any Assigned Debtor to covenant to pay directly to the Assignees (engagement direct) in accordance with the provisions of Article L.313-29 of the French Monetary and Financial Code. Each such request shall take the form of a Letter of Acceptance. Upon countersigning of such letter, the Assigned Debtor shall cease to be entitled to raise any defenses based on the underlying contracts entered into between such Assigned Debtor and the Assignor to the fullest extent permitted by law. |
9.
8. | PRESERVATION OF SECURITY | |
8.1 | Continuing security | |
The security (cession de créances professionnelles à titre de garantie) created by each Assignment Form shall extend to the ultimate balance of the Secured Liabilities, regardless of any intermediate payment or discharge in part. | ||
8.2 | Additional security | |
Each Assignment is in addition to and is not in any way prejudiced by any other security now or hereafter held by the Assignees in respect of the Secured Liabilities. | ||
8.3 | Security transfer | |
In the event of any assignment, transfer, novation or disposal of a part or all of its rights and obligations by any Assignee under the Facilities Agreement to which such Assignee is a party, such Assignee hereby expressly maintains, which the Assignor accept, all its rights and privileges hereunder for the benefit of its successor, in accordance with the terms of Article 1278 of the (French) Civil Code (Code Civil) so that each Assignment will secure the Secured Liabilities to the rateable benefit of such successor, without further formalities. |
9. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES | |
9.1 | Representations and Warranties |
(a) | Due incorporation: it is a limited liability company, duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with the power to own its assets and carry on its business as it is being conducted; | ||
(b) | Corporate power and authority: it has the power to enter into and perform, and has taken all necessary action to authorise the entry into, performance and delivery by it of, this Master Agreement and each Assignment Form and the obligations contemplated herein; | ||
(c) | Insolvency: it is not in Insolvency, nor in a situation likely to result in the same; |
10.
(d) | Authorisations, approvals and consents: no authorization, approval, consent, licence, notice or other requirement of public or corporate bodies of the Assignor is required in connection with the entry into, performance, validity or enforceability of this Master Agreement and each Assignment Form, except any authorization that has been duly obtained and of which written evidence has been provided to the Security Agent; | ||
(e) | Validity: this Master Agreement and each Assignment Form constitute its legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligation in accordance with their terms; | ||
(f) | Non-conflict: the execution of this Master Agreement and each Assignment Form, and performance by the Assignor of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each Assignment Form do not and will not breach, violate or conflict with any agreement to which the Assignor is a party or which is binding upon its assets, by-laws, rules, regulations, or any applicable law, regulation or official or judicial order or any authorization; | ||
(g) | Ownership: it has valid title and is the sole absolute legal owner of its Receivables which shall be assigned to the Assignees hereunder; | ||
(h) | Security Interests: its Assigned Receivables are not subject to any Security Interest, and there are no similar restrictions which may affect the rights of the Beneficiaries under this Master Agreement and the Assignment; and | ||
(i) | No legal proceedings: no litigation, arbitration or administrative proceeding of or before any court, arbitral body or agency have been started or threatened which might impair the ability of the Assignor to enter into this Agreement or to perform its obligations hereunder. |
9.2 | Time for making representations and warranties | |
The representations and warranties set out in this Clause 9 are made on the date hereof and are deemed to be repeated throughout the Security Period upon each date such representations and warranties are deemed to be repeated in the Facilities Agreement. | ||
10. | UNDERTAKINGS | |
10.1 | Duration |
10.2 | No Disposal |
(i) | assign, pledge, transfer or otherwise dispose of, nor suffer or permit any of the same to occur with respect to, any Assigned Receivables or its rights attached to such Assigned Receivables to the benefit of a party other than the Assignees; | ||
(ii) | modify the Assignees rights relating to the Assigned Receivables upon the delivery of any relevant Assignment Form; in particular the Assignor shall not modify or restrict the scope or rights attached to the Assigned Receivables vis-à-vis the Assigned Debtors, including by sub-contracting part or whole of its obligations under the underlying contract or agreement supporting the relevant Assigned Receivables, it being understood that the assignment does not preclude to repay any Assigned Receivable to the Assignor; |
11.
(iii) | modify the guarantees and security interests attached to the Assigned Receivables upon the delivery of any relevant Assignment Form or agree any material amendment of or material variation in the Assigned Receivables in a way which detrimentally and materially affects the rights of the Assignees; | ||
(iv) | create, incur or permit to subsist any Security Interest over the Assigned Receivables other than for the benefit of the Assignees; | ||
(v) | except within the normal course of its activities, grant any time or other indulgence under the Assigned Receivables; and | ||
(vi) | take any action or exercise any rights (or omit to take any action or exercise any rights) that may reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the rights of the Assignees under this Master Agreement, any Assignment Form or the Assigned Receivables. |
10.3 | Information |
(i) | promptly to provide to the Security Agent all information relating to its Assigned Receivables which the Security Agent may from time to time reasonably require; and |
(ii) | upon becoming aware thereof, promptly to inform the Security Agent of any judicial disputes relating to its Assigned Receivables. |
11. | LIABILITY TO PERFORM |
12. | APPLICATION OF PROCEEDS |
13. | COVENANT TO RELEASE |
12.
14. | EXPENSES, INDEMNITIES AND TAXES |
15. | CHANGES TO THE PARTIES |
(a) | the Assignor shall not assign, transfer, novate or dispose of any of, or any interest in its rights and/or obligations under this Master Agreement, and |
(b) | the Assignees and the Security Agent shall be entitled to assign, transfer, novate or dispose of any of, or any interest in their rights and/or obligations hereunder to any successor in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Facilities Agreement. |
16. | SEVERABILITY |
(a) | the validity or enforceability in that jurisdiction of any other provision of this Master Agreement; or |
(b) | the validity or enforceability in other jurisdictions of that provision or any other provision of this Master Agreement. |
13.
17. | NOTICES |
18. | FRENCH LANGUAGE |
19. | GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION | |
19.1 | Governing law |
This Master Agreement together with each Assignment Form made pursuant to this Master Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with French law. | ||
19.2 | Jurisdiction | |
For the benefit of the Assignees, the Assignor agree that the courts of France have jurisdiction to settle any disputes in connection with this Master Agreement, each Assignment and each Assignment Form made pursuant to this Master Agreement and accordingly submits to the jurisdiction of the Commercial Court of Paris. |
20. | DURATION |
21. | WAIVERS, REMEDIES CUMULATIVE | |
(a) | The rights of the Assignees and the Security Agent under this Master Agreement: |
(i) | may be exercised as often as necessary; | ||
(ii) | are cumulative and not exclusive of its rights under general law; and | ||
(iii) | may be waived only in writing and specifically. |
(b) | Delay in exercising or non-exercise of any such right is not a waiver of that right. |
14.
On 16 March 2011
By: | François Varagne |
By: | Jean-Philippe Narni | Sylvie Delorme |
Represented by the Security Agent
By: | Jean-Philippe Narni | Sylvie Delorme |
15.
(SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF ARTICLES L.313-23 TO L.313-34
OF THE FRENCH MONETARY AND FINANCIAL CODE)
(ASSIGNMENT BY WAY OF SECURITY)
| BANQUE PALATINE, a société anonyme à directoire incorporated under the laws of France under registration number 542 104 245 RCS Paris,with registered capital of euro 538,802,680.00, having its registered office at 42 rue dAnjou 75008 Paris, acting as Lender; | |
| BARCLAYS BANK PLC, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales under registration number 1026167, with registered capital of sterling 3,040,001,000, having its registered office at 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP, United Kingdom, acting as Lender; | |
| BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA, a société anonyme, incorporated under the laws of the Kingdom of Spainacting through its Paris Branch under registered number 349 358 887 RCS Paris, with registered capital of euro 1,523,867,581.08, and having its registered office at 29, Avenue de lOpéra 75001 Paris, France, acting as Lender; | |
| BNP PARIBAS, a société anonyme incorporated under the laws of the Republic of France under registration number 662 042 449 RCS Paris, with registered capital of euro 2,397,320,312.00, having its registered office at 16, boulevard des Italiens, 75009 Paris, acting as Lender; | |
| BRED BANQUE POPULAIRE, a société anonyme coopérative de Banque Populaire incorporated under the laws of France under registration number 552 091 795 RCS Paris,with registered capital of euro 432,487,500.00, having its registered office at 18 quai de la Rapée 75012 Paris, acting as Lender | |
| CAISSE REGIONALE DE CREDIT AGRICOLE MUTUEL DE PARIS ET DILE DE FRANCE, a société coopérative, incorporated under the laws of France under registration number 775 665 615 RCS Paris, a credit institution and brokerage insurance firm registered with the Register of the Intermediaries in Insurances under number 07 008 015, and having its registered office at 26 quai de la Rapée, 75012 Paris, acting as Lender; | |
| CREDIT DU NORD, a société anonyme incorporated under the laws of France under registration number 456 504 851 RCS Lille,with registered capital of euro 890,263,248.00, having its registered office at 28 place Rihour 59000 Lille, acting as Lender; |
16.
| CREDIT LYONNAIS, a société anonyme incorporated under the laws of the Republic of France under registration number 954 509 741 RCS Lyon, with registered capital of euro 1,847,860,375.00, having its registered office at 18, rue de la République, 69002 Lyon, acting as Lender; | |
| BANQUE COMMERCIALE POUR LE MARCHE DE LENTREPRISE, a société anonyme à directoire et conseil de surveillance, incorporated under the laws of France under registration number 378 398 911 RCS Brest, with registered capital of euro 330,000,000, having its registered office at 1 allée Louis Lichou 29480 Le Relecq-Kerhuon France, acting as Lender; | |
| CREDIT SUISSE INTERNATIONAL, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales under registration number 02500199, having its registered office at One Cabot Square, London, UK E14 4QJ, acting as Lender; | |
| HSBC FRANCE, a société anonyme, incorporated under the laws of France under registration number 775 670 284 RCS Paris, with registered capital of euro 337,189,100, having its registered office at 103, avenue des Champs-Elysées, 75419 Paris, France, acting as Lender; | |
| ING BELGIUM SA, SUCCURSALE EN FRANCE, incorporated under registration number 490 100 260, having its main office at Coeur Défense, Tour A, Place de la Défense, 90-102 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 92400 Courbevoie, France, a branch of ING Belgium SA/NV, with capital of euro 2,350,000,000, having its registered office at Marnix 24, B-1000 Brussels, registered with the Brussels register under number 0403 200 393, acting as Lender; | |
| NATIXIS, a société anonyme incorporated under the laws of the Republic of France under registration number 542 044 524 RCS Paris, with registered capital of euro 4,653,020,308.80, having its registered office at 30, avenue Pierre Mendès France 75013 Paris, acting as Lender; |
17.
Contrat giving rise to | ||||||
the Assigned | Amount of Assigned | Stated Maturity and | ||||
Assigned Debtor | Receivable | Receivable | Payment Location | |||
[] | [] | [] | Maturity on [] | |||
In the account of [] | ||||||
open in the books of []. |
Aggregate amount of the assigned receivables: | Number: [ ] | |
Amount: [ ] |
18.
Signature and seal of | Date | |||||||
ANTARGAZ | NATIXIS | |||||||
as Assignor | As Security Agent on behalf of the Assignees | |||||||
On | ||||||||
19.
20.
ARTICLE L. 313-28 OF THE FRENCH MONETARY AND FINANCIAL CODE
From: | The Lenders party to the Master Agreement Represented by NATIXIS as Security Agent |
Represented by NATIXIS
as Security Agent
21.
Attention: | NATIXIS as Security Agent on behalf of the assignees of the Assigned Receivable |
22.
By: | ||||
31.
Revolving | ||||
Commitment (EUR) | ||||
Banque Palatine | 1 400 000 | |||
Barclays Bank Plc | 3 800 000 | |||
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria | 1 900 000 | |||
BNP Paribas | 5 700 000 | |||
Bred Banque Populaire | 1 900 000 | |||
Caisse Régionale de Crédit Agricole Mutuel de Paris et dIle de France | 2 000 000 | |||
Crédit du Nord | 1 900 000 | |||
Crédit Lyonnais | 5 700 000 | |||
Banque Commerciale pour le Marché de lEntreprise | 3 800 000 | |||
Crédit Suisse International | 1 900 000 | |||
HSBC France | 1 900 000 | |||
ING Belgium SA, Succursale en France | 3 800 000 | |||
Natixis | 4 300 000 | |||
40,000,000 | ||||
32.