DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED SHARES
The particular terms of each issue or series of preferred shares will be described in the related prospectus supplement. This description will include, where applicable, a description of:
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the title and nominal value of the preferred shares;
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the number of preferred shares we are offering;
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the liquidation preference per share;
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the issue price per preferred share (or if applicable, the calculation formula of the issue price per preferred share);
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whether preferential subscription rights will be issued to existing shareholders;
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the dividend rate per preferred share, dividend period and payment dates and method of calculation for dividends, provided that certain conditions of French law, which are described below, are met;
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whether dividends will be cumulative or non-cumulative and, if cumulative, the date from which dividends will accumulate;
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our right, if any, to defer payment of dividends and the maximum length of any such deferral period;
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the relative ranking and preferences of the preferred shares as to dividend rights (preferred dividend if any) and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up the Company;
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the procedures for any auction and remarketing, if any;
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the provisions for redemption or repurchase, if applicable, and any restrictions on our ability to exercise those redemption and repurchase rights;
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any listing of the preferred shares on any securities exchange or market;
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whether the preferred shares will be convertible into our ordinary shares (including ordinary shares represented by ADSs) or preferred shares of another category, and, if applicable, conditions of an automatic conversion into ordinary shares (including ordinary shares represented by ADSs), if any, the conversion period, the conversion price, or how such price will be calculated, and under what circumstances it may be adjusted;
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voting rights, if any, of the preferred shares;
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preemption rights, if any;
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other restrictions on transfer, sale or assignment, if any;
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whether interests in the preferred shares will be represented by American Depositary preferred shares;
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a discussion of any material or special U.S. federal and French income tax considerations applicable to the preferred shares;
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any limitations on issuances of any class or series of preferred shares ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred shares being issued as to dividend rights and rights if we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our affairs;
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any rights attached to the preferred shares regarding the corporate governance of our company, which may include, for example representation rights to the Board of Directors; and
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any other specific terms, rights, preferences, privileges, qualifications or restrictions of the preferred shares.
Prior to issuing preferred shares, we must convene an extraordinary shareholders meeting at which shareholders would determine the terms and conditions of the preferred shares, decide the issuance of the preferred shares or delegate authority to the Board of Directors to decide the issuance and vote to modify the by-laws in order to include the characteristics and particular rights of the preferred shares.