The Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (revoked)

CHAPTER IIF9 N.I. ISSUES BY COMPANIES INCORPORATED, OR TO BE INCORPORATED, OUTSIDE THE UNITED KINGDOM

F9 Order repealed (prosp.) by Companies Act 2006 (c. 46), ss. 1284(2), 1295, 1300(2), Sch. 16 and the repeal being partly in force, as to which see individual Articles (with savings (with adaptations) by Companies Act 2006 (Commencement No. 6, Saving and Commencement Nos. 3 and 5 (Amendment)) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/674), arts. 2(3), {4}, Sch. 2) and subject to amendments (6.4.2008) by Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments etc) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/948), arts. 2(2), 3(1)(b)(2), Sch. 1 paras. 135, 147, 148 {Sch. 2 Note 1} (with arts. 6, 11, 12) and subject to amendments (6.4.2008) by S.R. 2008/133, {regs. 2, 3}

F1 Prospectus of non-United Kingdom company N.I.

82.—(1) It is unlawful for a person to issue, circulate or distribute in Northern Ireland any prospectus offering for subscription shares in or debentures of a company incorporated or to be incorporated outside the United Kingdom (whether the company has or has not established, or when formed will or will not establish, a place of business in the United Kingdom) unless the prospectus complies with the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) The prospectus must be dated and contain particulars with respect to the following matters—

(a) the instrument constituting or defining the constitution of the company;

(b) the enactments, or provisions having the force of an enactment, by or under which the incorporation of the company was effected;

(c) an address in the United Kingdom where that instrument, and those enactments or provisions, or copies of them (and, if they are in a foreign language, a translation of them certified in the prescribed manner), can be inspected;

(d) the date on which, and the country in which, the company was incorporated; and

(e) whether the company has established a place of business in the United Kingdom and, if so, the address of its principal office in the United Kingdom.

(3) Subject to the following provisions, the prospectus must comply—

(a) with Part I of Schedule 3, as respects the matters to be stated in the prospectus, and

(b) with Part II of that Schedule, as respects the reports to be set out.

(4) Sub-paragraphs (a) to (c) of paragraph (2) do not apply in the case of a prospectus issued more than 2 years after the company is entitled to commence business.

(5) It is unlawful for a person to issue to any person in Northern Ireland a form of application for shares in or debentures of such a company or intended company as is mentioned in paragraph (1) unless the form is issued with a prospectus which complies with this Chapter and the issue of which in Northern Ireland does not contravene Article 84 or 85.

This paragraph does not apply if it is shown that the form of application was issued in connection with a bona fide invitation to a person to enter into an underwriting agreement with respect to the shares or debentures.

(6) This Article—

(a) does not apply to the issue to a company's existing members or debenture holders of a prospectus or form of application relating to shares in or debentures of the company, whether an applicant for shares or debentures will or will not have the right to renounce in favour of other persons; and

(b) except in so far as it requires a prospectus to be dated, does not apply to the issue of a prospectus relating to shares or debentures which are or are to be in all respects uniform with shares or debentures previously issued and for the time being listed on a prescribed stock exchange;

but subject to this, it applies to a prospectus or form of application whether issued on or with reference to the formation of a company or subsequently.

F1 Pt. IV (arts. 66-89) repealed by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17 Pt. II (the repeal coming into force as mentioned in S.I. 1986/2246, art. 5, Sch. 4, S.I. 1988/740, arts. 2-7, Sch. (as amended by S.I 1988/1960, arts. 2-4 and by S.I. 1988/2285, arts. 2-6) and S.I. 1995/1538, art. 2 and otherwise prosp.)

F2 Attempted evasion of Article 82 to be void N.I.

83.  A condition requiring or binding an applicant for shares or debentures to waive compliance with any requirement imposed—

(a) by paragraph (2) of Article 82, as regards the particulars to be contained in the prospectus, or

(b) by paragraph (3) of that Article, as regards compliance with Schedule 3,

or purporting to affect an applicant with notice of any contract, document or matter not specifically referred to in the prospectus, is void.

F2 Pt. IV (arts. 66-89) repealed by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17 Pt. II (the repeal coming into force as mentioned in S.I. 1986/2246, art. 5, Sch. 4, S.I. 1988/740, arts. 2-7, Sch. (as amended by S.I 1988/1960, arts. 2-4 and by S.I. 1988/2285, arts. 2-6) and S.I. 1995/1538, art. 2 and otherwise prosp.)

F3 Prospectus containing statement by expert N.I.

84.—(1) This Article applies in the case of a prospectus offering for subscription shares in or debentures of a company incorporated or to be incorporated outside the United Kingdom (whether it has or has not established, or when formed will or will not establish, a place of business in the United Kingdom), if the prospectus includes a statement purporting to be made by an expert.

(2) It is unlawful for any person to issue, circulate or distribute in Northern Ireland such a prospectus if—

(a) the expert has not given, or has before the delivery of the prospectus for registration withdrawn, his written consent to the issue of the prospectus with the statement included in the form and context in which it is included; or

(b) there does not appear in the prospectus a statement that he has given and has not withdrawn his consent as mentioned in sub-paragraph (a).

(3) For the purposes of this Article, a statement is deemed to be included in a prospectus if it is contained in it, or in any report or memorandum appearing on its face, or by reference incorporated in, or issued with, the prospectus.

F3 Pt. IV (arts. 66-89) repealed by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17 Pt. II (the repeal coming into force as mentioned in S.I. 1986/2246, art. 5, Sch. 4, S.I. 1988/740, arts. 2-7, Sch. (as amended by S.I 1988/1960, arts. 2-4 and by S.I. 1988/2285, arts. 2-6) and S.I. 1995/1538, art. 2 and otherwise prosp.)

F4 Restrictions on allotment to be secured in prospectus N.I.

85.—(1) It is unlawful for a person to issue, circulate or distribute in Northern Ireland a prospectus offering for subscription shares in or debentures of a company incorporated or to be incorporated outside the United Kingdom (whether the company has or has not established, or when formed will or will not establish, a place of business in the United Kingdom), unless the prospectus complies with the following condition.

(2) The prospectus must have the effect, where an application is made in pursuance of it, of rendering all persons concerned bound by all the provisions (other than penal provisions) of Articles 92, 96 and 97 (restrictions on allotment), so far as applicable.

F4 Pt. IV (arts. 66-89) repealed by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17 Pt. II (the repeal coming into force as mentioned in S.I. 1986/2246, art. 5, Sch. 4, S.I. 1988/740, arts. 2-7, Sch. (as amended by S.I 1988/1960, arts. 2-4 and by S.I. 1988/2285, arts. 2-6) and S.I. 1995/1538, art. 2 and otherwise prosp.)

F5 Stock exchange certificate exempting from compliance with Schedule 3 N.I.

86.—(1) This Article applies where—

(a) it is proposed to offer to the public by a prospectus issued generally any shares in or debentures of a company incorporated or to be incorporated outside the United Kingdom (whether the company has or has not established, or when formed will or will not establish, a place of business in the United Kingdom), and

(b) application is made to a prescribed stock exchange for permission of those shares or debentures to be listed on that stock exchange.

(2) There may on the applicant's request be given by or on behalf of that stock exchange a certificate that, having regard to the proposals (as stated in the request) as to the size and other circumstances of the issue of shares or debentures and as to any limitation on the number and class of person to whom the offer is to be made, compliance with Schedule 3 would be unduly burdensome.

(3) If a certificate is given under paragraph (2), and if the proposals mentioned in that paragraph are adhered to and the particulars and information required to be published in connection with the application for permission to the stock exchange are so published, then—

(a) a prospectus giving the particulars and information in the form in which they are so required to be published is deemed to comply with Schedule 3, and

(b) except as respects the requirement for the prospectus to be dated, Article 82 does not apply to any issue, after the permission applied for is given, of a prospectus or form of application relating to the shares or debentures.

F5 Pt. IV (arts. 66-89) repealed by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17 Pt. II (the repeal coming into force as mentioned in S.I. 1986/2246, art. 5, Sch. 4, S.I. 1988/740, arts. 2-7, Sch. (as amended by S.I 1988/1960, arts. 2-4 and by S.I. 1988/2285, arts. 2-6) and S.I. 1995/1538, art. 2 and otherwise prosp.)

F6 Registration of prospectus before issue N.I.

87.—(1) It is unlawful for a person to issue, circulate or distribute in Northern Ireland a prospectus offering for subscription shares in or debentures of a company incorporated or to be incorporated outside the United Kingdom (whether the company has or has not established, or when formed will or will not establish, a place of business in the United Kingdom), unless before the issue, circulation or distribution of the prospectus in Northern Ireland the requirements of this Article have been complied with.

(2) A copy of the prospectus, certified by the chairman and two other directors of the company as having been approved by resolution of the managing body, must have been delivered for registration to the registrar or the registrar of companies as defined in the [1985 c. 6] Companies Act 1985.

(3) The prospectus must state on the face of it that a copy has been so delivered and the following must be endorsed on or attached to that copy of the prospectus—

(a) any consent to the issue of the prospectus which is required by Article 84;

(b) a copy of any contract required by paragraph 11 of Schedule 3 to be stated in the prospectus or, in the case of a contract not reduced into writing, a memorandum giving full particulars of it; and

(c) where the persons making any report required by Part II of Schedule 3 have made in it or have, without giving the reasons, indicated in it any such adjustments as are mentioned in paragraph 21 of that Schedule, a written statement signed by those persons setting out the adjustments and giving the reasons for them.

(4) If in the case of a prospectus deemed by virtue of a certificate under Article 86 to comply with Schedule 3, a contract or a copy of it, or a memorandum of a contract, is required to be available for inspection in connection with the application under that Article to the stock exchange, a copy or (as the case may be) a memorandum of the contract must be endorsed on or attached to the copy of the prospectus delivered to the registrar for registration.

(5) References in paragraphs (3)(b) and (4) to the copy of a contract are, in the case of a contract wholly or partly in a foreign language, to a copy of a translation of the contract into English, or a copy embodying a translation into English of the parts in foreign language (as the case may be); and—

(a) the translation must in either case be certified in the prescribed manner to be a correct translation, and

(b) the reference in paragraph (4) to a copy of a contract required to be available for inspection includes a copy of a translation of it or a copy embodying a translation of parts of it.

F6 Pt. IV (arts. 66-89) repealed by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17 Pt. II (the repeal coming into force as mentioned in S.I. 1986/2246, art. 5, Sch. 4, S.I. 1988/740, arts. 2-7, Sch. (as amended by S.I 1988/1960, arts. 2-4 and by S.I. 1988/2285, arts. 2-6) and S.I. 1995/1538, art. 2 and otherwise prosp.)

F7 Consequences (criminal and civil) of contravention of Articles 82 to 87 N.I.

88.—(1) A person who is knowingly responsible for the issue, circulation or distribution of a prospectus, or for the issue of a form of application for shares or debentures, in contravention of any of the provisions of Articles 82 to 87 is liable to a fine.

(2) Articles 77, 78 and 79 extend to every prospectus offering for subscription shares in or debentures of a company incorporated or to be incorporated outside the United kingdom (whether the company has or has not established, or when formed will or will not establish, a place of business in the United Kingdom), substituting for any reference to Article 71 a reference to Article 84.

(3) In the event of contravention of any of the requirements of Article 82(2) as regards the particulars to be contained in the prospectus, or Article 82(3) as regards compliance with Schedule 3, a director or other person responsible for the prospectus incurs no liability by reason of the contravention if—

(a) as regards any matter not disclosed, he proves that he was not cognisant of it, or

(b) he proves that the contravention arose from an honest mistake of fact on his part, or

(c) the contravention was in respect of matters which, in the opinion of the court dealing with the case, were immaterial or was otherwise such as ought, in the court's opinion, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, reasonably to be excused.

(4) In the event of failure to include in a prospectus to which this Chapter applies a statement with respect to the matters contained in paragraph 13 of Schedule 3, no director or other person incurs any liability in respect of the failure unless it is proved that he had knowledge of the matters not disclosed.

(5) Nothing in Article 82 or 83 or this Article limits or diminishes any liability which a person may incur under the general law or this Order, apart from those provisions.

F7 Pt. IV (arts. 66-89) repealed by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17 Pt. II (the repeal coming into force as mentioned in S.I. 1986/2246, art. 5, Sch. 4, S.I. 1988/740, arts. 2-7, Sch. (as amended by S.I 1988/1960, arts. 2-4 and by S.I. 1988/2285, arts. 2-6) and S.I. 1995/1538, art. 2 and otherwise prosp.)

F8 Supplementary N.I.

89.—(1) Where a document by which the shares in or debentures of a company incorporated outside the United Kingdom are offered for sale to the public would, if the company had been a company incorporated under this Order, have been deemed by virtue of Article 68 to be a prospectus issued by the company, that document is deemed, for the purposes of this Chapter, a prospectus so issued.

(2) An offer of shares or debentures for subscription or sale to a person whose ordinary business it is to buy or sell shares or debentures (whether as principal or agent) is not deemed an offer to the public for those purposes.

(3) In this Chapter “shares” and “debentures” have the same meaning as when those expressions are used, elsewhere in this Order, in relation to a company incorporated under this Order.

F8 Pt. IV (arts. 66-89) repealed by Financial Services Act 1986 (c. 60), ss. 211(1), 212(3), Sch. 17 Pt. II (the repeal coming into force as mentioned in S.I. 1986/2246, art. 5, Sch. 4, S.I. 1988/740, arts. 2-7, Sch. (as amended by S.I 1988/1960, arts. 2-4 and by S.I. 1988/2285, arts. 2-6) and S.I. 1995/1538, art. 2 and otherwise prosp.)