向资源公司提出法律意见
主要问题
储量
矿业公司商谈及提供基础设施通道时,应慎重考虑项目的发展及将来的储量规定。通道条款应澄清向矿业公司分配的网络储量数值(例如,就铁矿石而言,每年的吨数)及是否基于“干法”或“湿法”。
费用
费用可能受(例如)价格指数的增长的制约。费用亦可包括与土地征收有关的资本成本折旧的资本回收因素及不时建立及更换基础设施的储量的成本折旧。在某些司法管辖区,通道费用须竞争或其他管理机构的批准。
政府/监管批准
合约各方应牢记,现任网络运营商授予的通道条款可能须政府或监管机构的批准(例如竞争或港口管理机构)。
矿业公司应考虑授予该等批准的正常时间表及所涉及的成本。
期限
上市公司应牢记,其上市所依据的联交所规则可包括限制若干协议的期限或运营的规定。尤其是关连交易可能须股东批准,并须遵守若干时间限制规定。例如,根据香港联交所规则,持续关连交易通常仅能持续三年(三年后须重新获股东批准)。与在公平基础上签订并载有与非关连第三方之间的正常商业条款的交易相比,所适用的联交所规则可对关连交易进行不同测试。
新建及辅助基础设施
某些情形下,各方将需建新的基础设施或扩建现有基础设施(例如,产品装载基础设施或港口新停泊位)。通道协议将需列载有关该等基础设施施工时间表、融资及所有权的详细安排。
若矿业公司已建成其基础设施(例如产品装载基础设施或铁路专用线),协议将需载有该等基础设施与网络所有权人/运营商的交通基础设施有直接运营接口的特定条款。协议应提出,有关的基础设施应如何施工及保养,以实现最能确保项目的安全及有效运营的标准。网络运营商亦可规定可在网络上运输的产品的最低处理规格。
若储存矿产品,各方应考虑是否维持最低的储存水平,以进行有效运输运营。
管理委员会
若通道安排包括建设新的基础设施,各方应考虑设立管理委员会,以对规划、建设及资本预算及采购、基础设施运营及服务时间进度进行监管及管理。管理委员会亦可成为有用的机制协助整体监督、识别及实施通道协议期间产生的问题的合理的及实际的解决方案。
信道协议应载有委任管理委员会成员、行为及会议定期召开的基本规定。
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