for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
This opinion is furthermore limited to laws, treaties and regulatory interpretations in effect in the Netherlands on the date of this opinion and as they are generally construed and applied according to the current published case law of the Dutch courts, authorities and administrative rulings. These laws, treaties and regulations are subject to change, including changes that could have retroactive effect, as a result of which the correctness and accuracy of the content of this opinion may be affected. We will nevertheless not update and/or modify this opinion, not even in case of possible and relevant modifications to the Dutch tax laws, unless you specifically request us to do so in writing after such a modification should have occurred.
All the (English) legal concepts and terms used in this opinion are moreover deemed to refer to Dutch legal concepts and should therefore be interpreted following the corresponding Dutch tax concepts.
All references in this opinion letter to the Netherlands and Dutch law are to the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and its law, respectively, only.
This opinion and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in relation to this opinion are governed by Dutch law, and the courts of Amsterdam (the Netherlands) shall have exclusive jurisdiction, to which you and we submit, in relation to all disputes (including claims for set-off and counterclaims) arising out of or in connection with this opinion, including (without limitation) in connection with (i) the creation, effect or interpretation of, or the legal relationships established by, this opinion; and (ii) any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in relation to this opinion. Every situation concerning the legal relationship between yourself and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, the above submission to jurisdiction included, is governed by the general terms of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.1
Based upon and subject to the foregoing and any factual matters, documents or events not disclosed to us, the statements contained in the Registration Statement under the heading “Material Dutch Tax Considerations” constitute our opinion and are a true and accurate summary of the material Dutch tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposal of New Shares to the holders of New Shares described therein.
This opinion is addressed to you in relation to and as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and, except with our prior written consent, is not to be transmitted or disclosed to any other person, other than as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and is not to be used or relied upon by you or by any other person for any purpose other than in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement.
We hereby consent to the filing of this legal opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving the consent set out in the previous sentence, we do not thereby admit or imply that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or any rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
1 | The general terms and conditions of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP can be found at www.freshfields.com. |