Euro 6,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme Due from ...

TAXATION
The following is a summary limited to certain tax considerations in France, in Luxembourg and in the
European Union relating to the Notes that may be issued under the Programme and specifically contains
information on taxes on the income from the securities withheld at source. This summary is based on the
laws in force in France and in Luxembourg as of the date of this Base Prospectus and is subject to any
changes in law. It does not purport to be a comprehensive description of all the tax considerations which
may be relevant to a decision to purchase, own or dispose of the Notes. Each prospective holder or
beneficial owner of Notes should consult its tax advisor as to the tax consequences of any investment in or
ownership and disposition of the Notes and should not apply information set out below to other areas
including (but not limited to) the legality of transactions involving the Notes.
1. EU Savings Directive
The EC Council Directive 2003/48/EC of 3 June 2003 on taxation of savings income in the form of interest
payments (the "Directive") requires each Member State as from 1 July 2005 to provide to the tax authorities
of another Member State details of payments of interest and other similar income within the meaning of the
Directive made by a paying agent within its jurisdiction to (or under circumstances to the benefit of) a
beneficial owner (within the meaning of the Directive) resident in that other Member State, except that
Luxembourg and Austria will instead impose a withholding system for a transitional period unless the
beneficiary of interest payment elects for the exchange of information. A number of non-EU countries and
territories including Switzerland have agreed to adopt similar measures (a withholding system in the case of
Switzerland) with effect from the same date.
If a payment were to be made or collected through a Member State which has opted for a withholding
system and an amount of, or in respect of tax were to be withheld from that payment, neither the Issuer nor
any Paying Agent nor any other person would be obliged to pay additional amounts with respect to any Note
as a result of the imposition of such withholding tax. If a withholding tax is imposed on a payment made by
a paying agent, the Issuer will be required to maintain a paying agent in a Member State that will not be
obliged to withhold or deduct tax pursuant to the Directive.
On 13 November 2008, the European Commission published a proposal for amendments to the Directive.
The proposal included a number of suggested changes which, if implemented, would broaden the scope of
the rules described above. The European Parliament adopted an amended version of this proposal on 24
April 2009. Investors who are in any doubt as to their position should consult their professional advisers.
2. French Taxation
The descriptions below are intended as a basic summary of certain withholding tax consequences that may
be relevant to holders of Notes who (i) are non-French residents, (ii) do not hold the Notes in connection
with a business or profession conducted in France as a permanent establishment or a fixed base, and (iii) do
not concurrently hold shares of the Issuer. Investors who are in doubt as to their tax position should consult
their professional tax advisers.
2.1 Savings Directive
The Directive has been implemented in French law by Article 242 ter of the French Code général des impôts
and Articles 49 I ter to 49 I sexies of the Schedule III to French Code général des impôts. Article 242 ter of
the French Code général des impôts, imposes on paying agents based in France an obligation to report to the
French tax authorities certain information with respect to interest payments made to beneficial owners
domiciled in another Member State, including, among other things, the identity and address of the beneficial
owner and a detailed list of the different categories of interest paid to that beneficial owner.
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