2019-08-07
The Superintendency of the Securities Market of Panama issued Agreement 1-2019 to establish the requirements and procedures for the abbreviated registration of securities for issuers classified as "Recurrent Registered Issuers." This regulation defines eligibility criteria, such as maintaining active securities and clean compliance records for five fiscal periods, and mandates specific documentation including an abbreviated information prospectus. The agreement streamlines the registration process for eligible issuers while maintaining oversight through published lists and supplementary application of existing regulations.
Unified Text 13.04.2021 1 REPUBLIC OF PANAMA SUPERINTENDENCY OF THE SECURITIES MARKET Agreement 1-2019 (From August 7, 2019) "By which the Abbreviated Registration of Securities of Recurrent Registered Issuers is adopted" (Modified by Agreement 9-2020 of September 2, 2020) THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS In exercise of its legal powers and CONSIDERING That through Law 67 of September 1, 2011, the Superintendency of the Securities Market (hereinafter the "Superintendency") is created as an autonomous entity of the State, with legal personality, own assets, and administrative, budgetary, and financial independence, with exclusive competence to regulate and supervise issuers, investment companies, intermediaries, and other participants in the securities market in the Republic of Panama. That pursuant to Article 121 of Law 67 of 2011, the National Assembly issued the Unified Text comprising Decree-Law 1 of 1999 and its reforming laws and Title II of Law 67 of 2011, reformed by Law 12 of April 3, 2012, and Law 56 of October 2, 2012 (hereinafter the "Securities Market Law"). That in accordance with Article 3 of the Securities Market Law, the Superintendency's general objective shall be the regulation, supervision, and oversight of securities market activities developed in or from the Republic of Panama, promoting legal certainty for all market participants and guaranteeing transparency, with special protection of investors' rights. That Article 10 of the Securities Market Law empowers the Board of Directors to adopt, reform, and revoke agreements that develop the provisions of the Securities Market Law. That through Resolution JD-23-2018 of August 29, 2018, the Board of Directors of the Superintendency of the Securities Market proceeds to form a Special Working Committee for the preparation of a draft regulatory agreement for the registration of those issuances by issuing companies that maintain a prior valid registration with the Superintendency. That it is necessary to establish the requirements that issuers maintaining a valid registration with the Superintendency of the Securities Market must present and may adhere to the abbreviated registration procedure, within the category of "Recurrent Registered Issuer." That the present Agreement has been submitted to the Public Consultation procedure, contained in Title XIV of the Securities Market Law, specifically in Articles 323 and following, as follows: a. First Public Consultation, whose deadline was from April 23, 2019, to May 15, 2019. b. Second Public Consultation, whose deadline was from July 11, 2019, to August 2, 2019, as recorded in the public access file held in the offices of the Superintendency. That pursuant to the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Superintendency of the Securities Market, in exercise of its legal powers;
Unified Text 13.04.2021 2 AGREES: ARTICLE ONE: ADOPT the requirements for the presentation of securities registration requests by those issuers who acquire the category of "recurrent registered issuer." Article 1. Scope of Application. The provisions of this agreement shall be applicable to requests by those issuers who classify as "recurrent registered issuer." Article 2. Requirements to acquire the category of "recurrent registered issuer." For the purposes of this agreement, a "recurrent registered issuer" shall be understood as one that classifies as such, meeting the following requirements: a. Maintain securities registered with the Superintendency and in circulation at the time of the registration request as a recurrent registered issuer, during the five (5) last fiscal periods prior to and at the time of the registration request; likewise, the registration request as a recurrent registered issuer may be submitted during the twelve (12) months following the issuer having redeemed all its securities in circulation, provided that it has continued sending the corresponding information to IN-A and IN-T. b. Have complied with five (5) fiscal periods, that is, have issued audited financial statements corresponding to five (5) complete fiscal periods. In cases where financial statements are presented with a disclaimer of opinion or an adverse opinion, they will not be considered under the category of "recurrent registered issuer." c. 1Maintain compliance with the submission of reports and financial information that must be delivered to the investing public, the Superintendency, and self-regulatory organizations. The issuer will lose its category of "recurrent registered issuer" if it has been sanctioned by the Superintendency for delinquency in the submission of two (2) or more reports or financial information, whose delivery date coincides within the current fiscal year of the issuer. For the purposes of the foregoing paragraph, the date on which the respective report or financial information should have been delivered within the current fiscal year of the issuer shall be taken into account, not the date of the resolution imposing the sanction. d. Not be in default of payment of principal and/or interest of any issuance registered with the Superintendency, or with any other securities market regulator. e. Have a clearance certificate in the payment of the fees established in the Securities Market Law, including late payment surcharges, fines, and/or imposed sanctions. f. Have not been sanctioned for a very serious infringement of the Securities Market Law, having exhausted the administrative appeal route. In case of non-compliance with any of the requirements established in this article, the issuer will lose its category of "recurrent registered issuer," without the need for a prior pronouncement by the Superintendency, and must comply with the procedure established in Agreement 2-2010 of April 16, 2010, for future securities registration requests. To recover its category as a recurrent issuer, it must comply with the requirements established in this article. The Superintendency will publish a list on its official website of issuers that meet these characteristics, which will be updated according to the quarterly reports received. The category of "recurrent registered issuer" should not be considered as a recommendation of the registered securities of the issuer, nor does it represent a favorable or 1 Modified by Article One of Agreement 9-2020 of September 2, 2020.
Unified Text 13.04.2021 3 unfavorable opinion on the business perspective of the issuer, nor should it be understood as a guarantee of repayment of the issuance. Article 3. Content of the securities registration request of recurrent registered issuers. Requests for the registration of securities of recurrent registered issuers, which are to be subject to public offering, must be submitted through an attorney and shall consist of:
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