EQS-AGM: AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG: CONVOCATION to the 13th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG
EQS-News: AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG / Announcement of the Convening of the
General Meeting
AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG: CONVOCATION to the 13th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of
AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG
01.06.2023 / 18:00 CET/CEST
Announcement of the Convening of the General Meeting, transmitted by EQS
News – a service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG
Corporate seat: Vienna, FN 352889 f, ISIN: AT0000A325L0
(the „Company“ or „AUSTRIACARD“)
CONVOCATION
to the
13^th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
of
AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG
registered under FN 352889 f with the companies register held by the
Commercial Court Vienna
which will be held on Friday, 30 June 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (Vienna Time),
at the corporate seat of the Company, Lamezanstraße 4-8, 1230 Vienna,
Austria, as a virtual annual general meeting,
with the following:
1. Agenda
1. Presentation of the approved annual financial statements together with
the management report, the consolidated financial statements together
with the consolidated management report, the proposal for a resolution
on the appropriation of profit and the report of the supervisory board
for the financial year 2022.
2. Resolution on the appropriation of profit.
3. Resolution on granting discharge to the members of the management
board with regard to the financial year 2022.
4. Resolution on granting discharge to the members of the supervisory
board with regard to the financial year 2022.
5. Resolution on the remuneration of the members of the supervisory
board.
6. Appointment of the auditor and the group auditor for audit of the
annual financial statements and the consolidated financial statements
for the financial year 2023.
7. Resolution to authorize the management board:
a. to acquire the Company’s own shares pursuant to Sec 65 para 1
no 4 and 8 and para 1a and 1b Austrian Stock Corporation Act
(AktG) via the stock exchange, a public offer or over-the-counter
in the extent of up to 10% of the Company’s share capital, also
with the exclusion of pro rata shareholder rights of re-purchase
(reverse exclusion of subscription rights);
b. to decide on any other mode of disposal of the Company’s own
shares pursuant to Sec 65 para 1b AktG, i.e. other than via the
stock exchange or a public offer, while applying mutatis mutandis
the rules on the exclusion of shareholder subscription rights;
and
c. to reduce the share capital by canceling these shares with no
further resolution of the general meeting.
8. Resolution on:
a. the conversion of the shares in the Company from par-value shares
to no-par-value shares;
b. the increase of the share capital of the Company from currently
EUR 18,176,934 by EUR 18,176,934 to EUR 36,353,868 from company
funds by converting a partial amount of EUR 18,176,934 from the
appropriated additional paid-in capital into share capital
(nominal capital increase) and issuing additional shares in the
ratio of 1:1; and
c. the corresponding amendment of the articles of association of the
Company in sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.9 and 8.5.1.
9. Amendment of the Company´s articles of association in sections 3, 4.4,
7.5.3 and 8.3.6.
2. Virtual General Meeting
For purposes of protection of the shareholders and other participants, the
management board has decided to make use of the existing legal framework
governing virtual general meetings. Therefore, the annual general meeting
of AUSTRIACARD on 30 June 2023 will be held as a virtual general meeting
(“Virtual General Meeting”) pursuant to the regulations of the Austrian
Corporate Law COVID-19 Act (COVID-19-GesG) and the Austrian Corporate Law
COVID-19 Regulation (COVID-19-GesV), taking into account the interests of
both the Company and the participants of the general meeting.
Therefore, shareholders and their representatives (with the exception of
the special voting rights representatives pursuant to Sec 3 para 4
COVID-19-GesV) are not allowed to physically attend the Virtual General
Meeting of AUSTRIACARD. The Virtual General Meeting shall take place
exclusively in the physical presence of the chairman of the general
meeting, the chairman of the supervisory board, the members of the
management board, the notary public and the four special voting rights
representatives proposed by the Company.
The holding of the annual general meeting as a virtual general meeting in
accordance with the COVID-19-GesV leads to certain modifications compared
to general meetings held in presence of the shareholders as outlined in
this convocation and in the documents referred to herein.
The submission of resolution proposals, exercising voting rights and
raising objections shall exclusively be exercised via one of the special
voting rights representatives proposed by the Company in accordance with
Sec 3 para 4 COVID-19-GesV. However, the right to receive information can
also be exercised in the Virtual General Meeting (to the extent necessary
for the proper assessment of an item on the agenda) by shareholders by
means of electronic communication, i.e. by submitting questions via email
to fragen.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at, provided they have duly
registered for the Virtual General Meeting pursuant to item 4 and have
authorized a special voting rights representative.
All shareholders of the Company may participate in the Virtual General
Meeting by using suitable technical equipment (e.g. computer, laptop,
tablet, or smartphone; and an internet connection with sufficient
bandwidth for video streaming). The link to the broadcast of the Virtual
General Meeting is https://www.austriacard.com/agm. Further information on
the organizational and technical requirements for participating in the
Virtual General Meeting is available under this link.
3. Provision of Information
The following documents will be made available on the company’s registered
website (www.austriacard.com) no later than 9 June 2023 pursuant to
Sec 108 para 3 and 4 AktG:
• Annual financial statements and management report for the financial
year 2022;
• Consolidated financial statements and consolidated management report
for the financial year 2022;
• Report of the supervisory board for the financial year 2022;
• The management board’s proposal for the resolution on the
appropriation of profit;
• Proposals for resolutions on the agenda items 2 to 9;
• Transparency information pursuant to Sec 270a Austrian Companies Code
(UGB) in connection with agenda item 6;
• Report of the management board pursuant to Sec 65 para 1b, Sec 170
para 2 and Sec 153 para 4 AktG in connection with agenda item 7;
• Report of the management board pursuant to Sec 2 para 5 Austrian
Capital Correction Act (KapBG) in connection with agenda item 8;
• Report of the supervisory board in connection with agenda item 8;
• Audit report of the auditor pursuant to Sec 2 para 5 KapBG in
connection with agenda item 8;
• Articles of association of the Company in the proposed amended version
together with a comparison to the current version in connection with
agenda items 8 and 9;
• Proxy forms for granting and revoking proxy pursuant to Sec 114 AktG
together with an instruction form for the special voting rights
representatives nominated by the Company;
• Information on the organizational and technical requirements for
participating in the Virtual General Meeting;
• Information regarding the processing of data in connection with the
Virtual General Meeting; and
• this convocation to the general meeting.
4. Requirements for Participation in the Virtual General Meeting
1. Record Date
The right to participate in the Virtual General Meeting and to exercise
voting rights and further shareholder rights which may be exercised in the
course of the Virtual General Meeting depends on the share ownership at
the end of the tenth day prior to the day of the Virtual General Meeting,
and thus on 20 June 2023, end of day (24:00 hrs Vienna Time) (“Record
Date”).
Only shareholders who are capable of evidencing to the Company their share
ownership on the Record Date have the right to exercise their shareholder
rights in the Virtual General Meeting in accordance with the COVID-19-GesG
and the COVID-19-GesV. Share ownership on the Record Date must be verified
by submission of a deposit certificate pursuant to Sec 10a AktG.
The deposit certificate must be received by the Company no later than on
the third working day prior to the Virtual General Meeting, and thus no
later than on 27 June 2023 (receipt by the Company), through one of the
following communication channels and addresses, respectively, pursuant to
section 8.3.4 of the articles of association of the Company:
Via fax:
+43 (0) 1 8900 500 50
Via SWIFT:
GIBAATWGGMS
(Message Type MT598 or MT599, please include ISIN AT0000A325L0 in the
text)
Via email:
anmeldung.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at
(Deposit certificate as scanned attachment, e.g. in PDF format)
Via mail/courier:
HV-Veranstaltungsservice GmbH
Köppel 60, 8242 St. Lorenzen am Wechsel, Austria
Please note that the appointment of a special voting rights representative
and the exercise of the right to information by shareholders can be
validly effected only if a deposit receipt is received by the Company in
due time.
2. Deposit Certificate
The deposit certificate must be issued by (i) a depository credit
institution, (ii) a depository financial service provider or (iii) a
central securities depository that holds securities accounts with end
customers, in each case with its seat in a member state of the European
Economic Area or in a full member state of the OECD and must include the
following details (Sec 10a para 2 AktG):
• Information on the issuer: name/company name and address or a code
commonly used between banks (SWIFT-Code),
• Information on the shareholder: name/company name, address, date of
birth in case of natural persons or in case of legal persons,
designation of commercial register and registration number with which
the legal person is registered in its home state,
• Information on the shares: number of shares held by the shareholder,
ISIN AT0000A325L0 (internationally used securities identification
number),
• Deposit number, securities account number or other identification of
securities account,
• Term or period, to which the deposit certificate relates.
The deposit certificate will be accepted in German or English.
3. Appointment of a special proxy and the procedure to be
followed
Every shareholder who has the right to participate in the Virtual General
Meeting in accordance with the COVID-19-GesG and the COVID-19-GesV may
appoint a special voting rights representative.
Pursuant to Sec 3 para 4 COVID-19-Ges, the submission of resolution
proposals, the casting of votes and the raising of objections in the
Virtual General Meeting of AUSTRIACARD can only be conducted by a special
voting rights representative.
The following qualified persons who are independent from the Company are
proposed as special voting rights representatives:
1. Dipl.-Volksw., Dipl.-Jur. Florian Beckermann, LL.M.
c/o Interessenverband für Anleger
Email: beckermann.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at
2. Dr. Christoph Diregger
Attorney-at-law
c/o DSC Doralt Seist Csoklich Rechtsanwälte GmbH
Email: diregger.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at
3. Dr. Sascha Schulz
Attorney-at-law
c/o Schönherr Rechtsanwälte GmbH
Email: schulz.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at
4. Mag. Gernot Wilfling
Attorney-at-law
c/o Müller Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH
Email: wilfling.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at
Each shareholder may choose one of the four above-mentioned persons as his
or her special voting rights representative and grant this person power of
attorney. The granting of a power of attorney to another person is not
permissible within the meaning of the COVID-19-GesV and such other person
will not be granted access to the Virtual General Meeting.
A separate proxy form will be made available on the Company’s website at
https://www.austriacard.com/agm. Please read the proxy form carefully and
also consider the organizational and technical requirements for
participation in the Virtual General Meeting pursuant to Sec 2 para 4
COVID-19-GesV which are published on the same website.
In the interest of the proper preparation of the Virtual General Meeting,
the proxy forms should be submitted to the email address of your special
voting rights representative (as indicated above) by 27 June 2023, 16:00
hrs Vienna time.
5. Information on Shareholder Rights
1. Request for agenda items by shareholders (Sec 109
AktG)
Pursuant to Sec 109 AktG shareholders whose shares total at least 5% of
the registered capital, individually or in aggregate, may request (to the
Company in writing) that items are added to the agenda of the Virtual
General Meeting and are published. “In writing” means with handwritten
signature or corporate signature by the respective applicant or, if by
email, with a qualified electronic signature. Each agenda item submitted
must be accompanied by a respective resolution proposal (also in German
language) and an explanation thereof.
Applicants must have held their shares for at least three months prior to
the submission of their request. Deposit certificates evidencing share
ownerships may not be older than seven days upon receipt by the Company
and must confirm that the submitting shareholder has held the shares (5%
of the registered capital) continuously for a period of at least three
months prior to submission. In case of several shareholders holding the
required share ownership of 5% of the share capital only in aggregate,
deposit certificates of such shareholders must refer to the same record
date. Regarding other requirements for deposit certificates, reference is
also made to the remarks under item 4 (Requirements for Participation in
the Virtual General Meeting) above.
The request for additional agenda items will be accepted only if received
by the Company in writing no later than on the 21^st day prior to the
Virtual General Meeting, and thus by no later than 9 June 2023, at the
address AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG, Lamezanstraße 4-8, 1230 Vienna, attn.
Mag. Markus Kirchmayr, or, if by email, with qualified electronic
signature to anmeldung.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at.
2. Proposed resolutions of shareholders (Sec 110 AktG)
Pursuant to Sec 110 AktG shareholders whose shares, individually or in
aggregate, total at least 1% of the registered capital, may submit
resolution proposals together with an explanation for each agenda item by
written request pursuant to Sec 13 para 2 AktG and may request that such
resolution proposals, together with the name of the respective
shareholders, the accompanying explanation and any optional statement of
the management board or supervisory board be made available on the
Company’s website (www.austriacard.com). The resolution proposal, but not
its explanation, must in any case be submitted in German language. If a
shareholder proposes the election of a person to the supervisory board,
the respective person’s declaration pursuant to Sec 87 para 2 AktG
replaces the explanation.
Deposit certificates evidencing share ownerships may not be older than
seven days upon receipt by the Company. In case of several shareholders
holding the required share ownership of 1% of the share capital only in
aggregate, deposit certificates of such shareholders must refer to the
same record date. Regarding other requirements for a deposit certificate,
reference is also made to the remarks under item 4 (Requirements for
Participation in the Virtual General Meeting) above.
Resolution proposals will be taken into consideration if received by the
Company in writing no later than on the 7^th working day prior to the
Virtual General Meeting, and thus by no later than 21 June 2023, (i) at
the address AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG, Lamezanstraße 4-8, 1230 Vienna, attn.
Mag. Markus Kirchmayr, (ii) by fax: +43 (0) 1 8900 500 50 or (iii) by
email anmeldung.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at, as scanned attachment,
e.g. in PDF format.
3. Right to Information (Sec 118 AktG)
Pursuant to Sec 118 AktG every shareholder will be granted, upon demand,
information about all affairs of the Company in the Virtual General
Meeting to the extent necessary to properly assess an agenda item. A
prerequisite for the exercise of the shareholders’ right to information is
the proof of the right to participate and the granting of a corresponding
power of attorney to the special voting rights representative according to
item 4 (Requirements for Participation in the Virtual General Meeting)
above.
The disclosure of information may be denied if a reasonable commercial
assessment reveals that disclosure could cause substantial harm to the
Company or an affiliated company, or if disclosure would be liable to
prosecution. Disclosure may also be denied to the extent that information
was continuously available on the Company’s website in the form of Q&As at
least seven days prior to the Virtual General Meeting, and thus at least
since the beginning of 23 June 2023, provided this information remains
accessible on the Company’s website for one month after the Virtual
General Meeting, and thus at least until 30 July 2023.
It is expressly pointed out that the right to information can be exercised
by the shareholders themselves during this Virtual General Meeting by
means of electronic mail by sending an email to the address
fragen.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at. Please send the email from the
same email address that you indicated on the proxy form.
The timeframe within which shareholders are allowed to exercise their
right to information will be determined by the chairman in the course of
the Virtual General Meeting.
Please use the question form, which is available at
https://www.austriacard.com/agm. If this question form is not used, the
person (name/company, date of birth/commercial register number of the
shareholder) must be named in the respective email. In addition, the
deposit number specified in the proxy form should also be provided in
order to enable the Company, in case of doubt, to verify the identity of
and consistency with the deposit certificate. Questions received by the
Company will be read out and answered at the Virtual General Meeting in
accordance with Sec 118 AktG.
For the sake of an efficient meeting, shareholders are asked to submit any
questions which require longer preparation in due time prior to the
Virtual General Meeting and in writing to AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG,
Lamezanstraße 4-8, 1230 Vienna, attn. Mag. Markus Kirchmayr, or by email
to fragen.austriacard@hauptversammlung.at so that they are received by the
Company until 26 June 2023 at the latest.
4. Information about the right of shareholders to vote,
submit applications and raise objections at the Virtual General
Meeting
In the Virtual General Meeting, every shareholder has the right to file
applications regarding each agenda item, issue voting instructions (to his
special voting rights representative) or make objections to be protocolled
in accordance with the provisions of the COVID-19-GesG and COVID-19-GesV
through his special voting rights representative and subject to the
presentation of proof required for attendance of the Virtual General
Meeting hereby convened.
Please refer to the additional information published on the Company’s
website for further guidance on the modalities for exercising shareholder
rights pursuant to Sec 119 AktG, in particular with respect to the Virtual
General Meeting.
6. Total Number of Shares and Voting Rights at the Time of the
Convocation of the Virtual General Meeting
At the time of convening the Virtual General Meeting the Company’s
registered share capital amounts to EUR 18,176,934 and is split into
18,176,934 par-value shares, each with a par-value of EUR 1. Each share
carries one vote. At the time of convening the Virtual General Meeting the
Company does not hold own shares. There is only one class of shares.
7. No Physical Attendance
Once again, we would like to expressly point out that at the upcoming
Virtual General Meeting, which is held as a virtual general meeting
pursuant to the provisions of the COVID-19-GesV, neither shareholders nor
guests will be admitted to attend in person.
8. Data Protection Information
For further information on the data being processed in connection with
this Virtual General Meeting, please refer to the information document
published on https://www.austriacard.com/agm.
Vienna, this June 2023
The Management Board
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
01.06.2023 CET/CEST
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Language: English
Company: AUSTRIACARD HOLDINGS AG
Lamezanstraße 4-8
1230 Vienna
Austria
E-mail: ac.contact@austriacard.com
Internet: https://www.austriacard.com/
ISIN: AT0000A325L0
WKN: A3D5BK
Listed: Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Market)
Notierung vorgesehen, intended to be listed;
End of News EQS News Service
1647625 01.06.2023 CET/CEST
OTS-ORIGINALTEXT PRESSEAUSSENDUNG UNTER AUSSCHLIESSLICHER INHALTLICHER VERANTWORTUNG DES AUSSENDERS. www.ots.at
© Copyright APA-OTS Originaltext-Service GmbH und der jeweilige Aussender