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Appendix A:
Rule 10A-3 exemptions for a foreign private issuer
:
Rule 10A-3(b)(1)(iv)(A) – This provision provides a transitional exemption for a company listing in connection with an
initial public offering of securities.
Rule 10A-3(b)(1)(iv)(B) – This provision provides an exemption to allow an otherwise independent director who
serves on the board of directors of both a listed company and an affiliate to serve on the audit committee of the listed
company.
Rule 10A-3(b)(1)(iv)(C) – This provision provides an exemption to allow an employee who is not an executive officer
to serve on the audit committee if elected/named to the board or the audit committee pursuant to the listed
company’s governing law or documents, an employee collective bargaining agreement or other similar agreement or
other home country legal or listing requirements.
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Rule 10A-3(b)(1)(iv)(D) – This provision provides an exemption to allow a director who is an affiliate of or a
representative of an affiliate of the listed company to be a member of the audit committee to the extent that the
director is not a voting member or chairperson of the audit committee and to the extent that neither the director nor
the affiliate the director represents is an executive officer of the company.
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Rule 10A-3(b)(1)(iv)(E) – This provision provides an exemption for a director who is the representative or designee
of a foreign government or foreign governmental entity that is an affiliate of the company to the extent the director is
not an executive officer of the company.
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Rule 10A-3(b)(1)(iv)(F) – This provision provides that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission may grant a
director an exemption from the independence requirements of Rule 10A-3.
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Rule 10A-3(c)(1) – This provision provides a general exemption from the requirement to have an audit committee
where the company is listing securities but satisfies the requirements of Rule 10A-3 with respect to another class of
securities already listed on a national securities exchange or national securities association.
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Rule 10A-3(c)(2) – This provision provides a general exemption from the requirement to have an audit committee for
subsidiaries that are listed on a national securities exchange or market where the subsidiary’s parent company
satisfies the requirements of Rule 10A-3 with respect to a class of equity securities already listed on a national
securities exchange or market and the subsidiary:
is directly or indirectly consolidated by the parent; or
is at least 50% beneficially owned.
This exemption does not apply to a subsidiary that has issued equity securities, other than non-convertible, non-
participating preferred securities.
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Rule 10A-3(c)(3) – This provision provides a general exemption from the requirement to have an audit committee for
a company that meets the following requirements:
This summary of the provisions of Rule 10A-3 is provided for convenience only. It is not a verbatim statement of those
rules and is intended solely to assist in understanding potential exemptions. This summary should not under any
circumstances be relied upon as an authoritative statement of Rule 10A-3.
A company is required to disclose reliance on this exemption in its annual report filed with the SEC.
A company is not required to disclose reliance on this exemption in its annual report filed with the SEC.