Petrobras (PBR)

PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF INVESTING IN THE NOTES, INCLUDING THE EFFECTS OF FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS.

Payments of interest

Payments of “qualified stated interest” (as defined below) on a note (including additional amounts, if any) generally will be taxable to a U.S. holder as ordinary interest income when such interest is accrued or received, in accordance with the U.S. holder’s regular method of tax accounting. In general, if the “issue price” of a note is less than the “stated redemption price at maturity” by more than a de minimis amount, such note will be considered to have “original issue discount” (“OID”). The issue price of a note is the first price at which a substantial amount of such notes are sold to investors. The stated redemption price at maturity of a note generally includes all payments other than payments of qualified stated interest (as defined below).

In general, each U.S. holder of a note, whether such holder uses the cash or the accrual method of tax accounting, will be required to include in gross income as ordinary interest income the sum of the “daily portions” of OID on the note for all days during the taxable year that the US holder owns the note. The daily portions of OID on a note are determined by allocating to each day in any accrual period a ratable portion of the OID allocable to that accrual period. In general, in the case of an initial holder, the amount of OID on a note allocable to each accrual period is determined by (a) multiplying the “adjusted issue price,” as defined below, of the note at the beginning of the accrual period by the yield to maturity of the note, and (b) subtracting from that product the amount of qualified stated interest allocable to that accrual period. U.S. holders should be aware that they generally must include OID in gross income as ordinary interest income for U.S. federal income tax purposes as it accrues, in advance of the receipt of cash attributable to that income. The “adjusted issue price” of a note at the beginning of any accrual period will generally be the sum of its issue price (generally including accrued interest, if any) and the amount of OID allocable to all prior accrual periods, reduced by the amount of all payments other than payments of qualified stated interest (if any) made with respect to such note in all prior accrual periods. The term “qualified stated interest” generally means stated interest that is unconditionally payable in cash or property (other than debt instruments of the issuer) at least annually during the entire term of a note at a single fixed rate of interest, or subject to certain conditions, based on one or more interest indices.

Interest income, including OID, in respect of the notes will constitute foreign source income for United sates federal income tax purposes and, with certain exceptions, will be treated separately, together with other items of “passive income” for purposes of computing the foreign tax credit allowable under the United states federal income tax laws. The calculation of foreign tax credits, involves the application complex of rules that depend on a U.S. holder’s particular circumstances. U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the availability of foreign tax credits and the treatment of additional amounts.

Sale or disposition of notes

A U.S. holder generally will recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of a note in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized upon such sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition (other than amounts attributable to accrued qualified stated interest, which will be taxed as such) and such U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the note. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the note generally will equal the U.S. holder’s cost for the note increased by any amounts included in gross income by such U.S. holder as OID and reduced by any payments other than payments of qualified stated interest on that note. Gain or loss realized by a U.S. Holder on the sale, exchange, retirement or other disposition of a note generally will be United States source gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes unless it is attributable to an office or other fixed place of business outside the United States and certain other conditions are met. The gain or loss realized by a U.S. holder will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the notes were held for more than one year. The net amount of long-term capital gain recognized by an individual holder before January 1, 2009 generally is subject to taxation at a maximum rate of 15%.

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Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

A U.S. holder may, under certain circumstances, be subject to “backup withholding” with respect to certain payments to that U.S. holder, unless the holder (i) is a corporation or comes within certain other exempt categories, and demonstrates this fact when so required, or (ii) provides a correct taxpayer identification number, certifies that it is not subject to backup withholding otherwise complies with applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules. Any amount withheld under these rules generally will be creditable against the U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. While Non-U.S. holders generally are except from backup withholding, a Non-U.S. holder may, in certain circumstances, be required to comply with certain information and identification procedures in order to prove entitlement to this exemption.

Non-U.S. Holder

A holder or beneficial owner of a note that is not a U.S. holder (a “non-U.S. holder”) generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on interest received on the notes. In addition, a non-U.S. holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on gain realized on the sale of notes unless, in the case of gain realized by an individual non-U.S. holder, the non-U.S. holder is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the sale and certain other conditions are met.