Item 3. Legal Proceedings
ITEM 3.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Mexico Project litigation
a) EWG request of precautionary measures
In January 2018, EWG Water LLC (“EWG”) initiated an ordinary mercantile claim against, among others, N.S.C. Agua, S.A. de C.V. (“NSC”) and Consolidated Water Cooperatief, U.A. (“CW-Cooperatief”) (with Aguas de Rosarito S.A.P.I. de C.V. (“AdR”) being named as a third party to be called to trial) before the Tenth Civil Judge in Tijuana, Baja California for Mercantile Matters (the “Tenth Civil Judge”).
In such claim, EWG challenged, among other things, the transactions contemplated under a certain option agreement (entered into in 2012), and therefore, the capital investment transactions occurring in May 2013 that increased the ownership interest of CW-Cooperatief in NSC to 99.99%. On October 1, 2020, and following an order from a Federal Judge obtained by NSC, the Tenth Civil Judge resolved to (i) move the claim of EWG to arbitration, and (ii) suspend the corresponding ordinary mercantile procedure. Within the above-mentioned claim, the Tenth Civil Judge granted EWG certain preliminary measures against NSC, which were later overturned by an Upper Court.
In July 2023, EWG filed a motion before a local court in Playas de Rosarito, Baja California (the “Rosarito Court”) to obtain precautionary measures consisting of the securing of assets owned by NSC (particularly real estate), as a procedure prior to the commencement of an arbitration that allegedly would be initiated by EWG against NSC to claim the payment of an indemnification for damages derived from a so-called simulation of legal acts. In the opinion of the Rosarito Court, such motion did not require notification to NSC or the presentation of counterarguments by NSC to the motion prior to securing the assets of NSC.
On July 28, 2023, the Rosarito Court issued a resolution in which it: (i) granted the precautionary measures requested by EWG, subject to the posting of a bond in the amount of MXN$1,500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Mexican Pesos), and (ii) ordered that once the precautionary measures were executed, EWG would have three business days counted as from the posting of the bond, to initiate and prove to the Rosarito Court that it initiated the arbitration. To the Company’s knowledge EWG has not posted the bond. Consequently, NSC has not been summoned to an arbitration procedure.
As EWG has apparently not posted the bond set by the Rosarito Court (i) the precautionary measures have not been enforced, (ii) no securing or attachment has been registered against the real estate of NSC; and (iii) NSC has not been formally summoned to this procedure. As stated previously, NSC is unaware of any arbitration commenced by EWG regarding this matter.
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b) NSC amparo lawsuit
On August 16, 2023, NSC filed an amparo suit (i.e. application for constitutional relief) before the Eleventh Federal District Court in Tijuana (“Federal District Court in Tijuana”) against the precautionary measures granted to EWG by the Rosarito Court.
In its amparo suit, NSC also requested the Federal District Court in Tijuana to grant an order to put on hold said precautionary measures. A preliminary order to stay was granted by the Federal District Court in Tijuana, followed by a definitive injunction, subject to the posting of a guarantee. NSC has submitted the guarantee to the court.
NSC subsequently filed an extension of the amparo suit introducing new arguments aiming to strengthen NSC´s position. The amparo extension was admitted through a resolution published on November 7, 2023.
The Federal District Court in Tijuana has not been able to summon EWG on this amparo suit, as it has not been able to determine nor obtain information on an address where EWG can be summoned. As such, the Federal District Court in Tijuana has requested various authorities to provide information on any domicile where EWG can be summoned.
The responses of some authorities are in process of being received by the Federal District Court in Tijuana. NSC is waiting until all the authorities provide their official response to determine if there is a viable alternative for summoning EWG.
NSC offered certain evidence consisting of the docket of amparo file number 74/2020, which was processed by the Twelfth Civil District Court in Tijuana. The Amparo Law provides that any documentary evidence offered by the parties shall be issued without any cost. Therefore, NSC requested the Court to grant the expedition of said copies for free.
However, this request was denied by the Federal District Court in Tijuana. Therefore, NSC filed an appeal for review against said decision, which was admitted by the Federal District Court in Tijuana and sent to the Second Collegiate Circuit Court in Tijuana, acting as Court of Appeals, which confirmed the admission of the appeal remedy through a resolution published on January 26, 2024. The judgment is still pending resolution.
We cannot presently determine what impact the resolution of this matter may have on our consolidated financial statements.
ITEM 4.
MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE S
Not applicable.
PART II