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Tag along rights meaning

What does Tag along rights mean?
Tag along rights (also called piggyback or co‑sale rights) are contractual provisions allowing minority shareholders to join a proposed sale by a majority shareholder, so they can sell at the same time, price per share and on the same terms. The seller must procure that the buyer makes an equivalent offer for the tagging shareholders’ shares, often pro rata where less than 100% is sold. Typically set out in a shareholders’ agreement and/or the articles of association, these rights are not defined in statute (UK Companies Act 2006 or the Irish Companies Act 2014) and arise from contract; usage is broadly consistent in England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Common features include: trigger thresholds (sale of control or specified percentage), notice and timing, pro rata participation on partial disposals, carve‑outs (intra‑group/permitted transfers and IPOs), matching consideration and conditions, limited minority warranties (usually title/capacity only), and interaction with pre‑emption and drag‑along provisions. Commercial purpose: minority protection and price parity where control changes hands, including where a majority elects not to exercise drag‑along rights. To aid enforceability and bind transferees, include tag along rights in the articles and require deeds of adherence for new shareholders.
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View the related Practice Notes about Tag along rights

PRACTICE NOTES
UK private corporate joint ventures: drafting and enforcing share transfer restrictions in JVAs and articles—pre-emption, tag/drag, valuation, permitted transfers and procedures

When considering entry into a joint venture, participants should carefully scrutinise the identity of the other intended parties and the experience and resources they expect to bring to the venture. They are, therefore, likely to want to ensure those parties remain engaged in the joint venture (at least for a pre‑agreed period of time) and to retain controls over to whom they may transfer their shares. The nature of any share transfer constraints adopted will also depend on, among other things, the anticipated duration of the joint venture, how the parties propose to realise their investments, the cash‑flow and fundraising requirements of the parties, and any share transfer restrictions contained in other transaction documents, e.g. financing documents. Restrictions on transfer For these reasons, most joint venture agreements (JVA) (also known as shareholders’ agreements) and/or the articles of association will include a series of restrictions governing the transfer of shares by the joint venture parties...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Drag-along and Tag-along in UK Company Law: Drafting, Enforcement, Procedures and Case Law for PE/VC and Joint Ventures

Drag along and tag along rights Drag along and tag along rights are staple clauses in private equity (PE)/venture capital (VC) and corporate joint venture (JV) agreements and transaction papers for such deals within corporate JVs. Where a PE/VC fund investor, or a shareholder in a corporate JV holding a specified majority of the shares, undertakes a sale of a controlling interest, a drag along right (also called a come along right) permits the selling majority to complete an exit by requiring the remaining minority shareholders to sell their shares as well to a bona fide third-party purchaser on broadly equivalent terms. Conversely, when a majority shareholder chooses to sell, a tag along right (sometimes termed a piggy back right) allows the minority to exit the PE/VC fund or the JV by compelling the selling majority to procure that the third-party buyer extends its offer so it includes the minority shareholders’ shares on substantially the same terms. Accordingly, drag along rights tend to benefit the majority, whereas tag along...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Termination and exit mechanisms for UK corporate joint ventures: triggers, voluntary and compulsory transfers, deadlock tools, drag/tag, listed company, unfair prejudice, winding up, and cross-border issues

Entering a joint venture (JV) usually calls for significant planning and effort from the JV participants who have chosen to collaborate for mutual benefit, commonly by pooling costs, resources and expertise. At the point of entering into a JV arrangement, the parties may already hold views on the circumstances that could lead to, and the timing of, terminating the JV. Nevertheless, even where there are no clear intentions at the outset about when and in what situations the JV should end, thought should still be given to the events that might result in its termination. The joint venture agreement/shareholders’ agreement (JVA) will often specify, from the start, procedures for ending the JV and the conditions in which a JV party can depart the JV. Ending the JVA is separate from winding up the joint venture company (JVC). Careful consideration should be given to the consequences of ending or exiting a JV. Termination of a JV can take various forms and involve a number of transactions. Typically, ending the JV includes:...

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View the related Precedents about Tag along rights

PRECEDENTS
Articles of association for private company limited by shares (England and Wales): preferred shares, cumulative dividend, investor consent, multi-investor, leaver, drag-along and tag-along provisions (Companies Act 2006)

Articles of Association for [ insert name of company ] Limited (Incorporated in England and Wales under registration number [ insert number ]) (Adopted by a Special Resolution passed on [ insert date ] 20[ insert year ]) 1 Model Articles 1.1 The Model Articles apply to the Company except to the extent that these Articles alter, disapply or conflict with them; subject to any such amendments, exclusions or inconsistencies, the Model Articles shall, together with these Articles, comprise the Company’s articles of association, replacing any other articles or regulations contained in any statute, statutory instrument or other subordinate legislation. 1.2 The whole of Model Articles 11(2) (quorum for directors’ meetings), 12 (chairing of directors’ meetings), 13 (casting vote), 14(1)-(5) (conflicts of interest), 21 (all shares to be fully paid up), 26(5) (share transfers), 30(5)-(7) (procedure for declaring dividends), 39 (chairing general meetings), 42 (voting: general), 44(2) (poll votes), 50 (no right to inspect accounts and other records), 51 (provision for employees on...

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PRECEDENTS
Bespoke Articles of Association aligned with a Shareholders’ Agreement for a Private Company Limited by Shares (England and Wales)

Private Company Limited by Shares Articles of Association for [ insert name of company ] Limited (a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered no. [ insert number ]) (adopted by Special Resolution dated [ insert date ] 20[ insert year ]) 1. Model Articles 1.1 The Model Articles apply to the Company save to the extent that these Articles amend, disapply or conflict with them. Subject to any such alterations, exclusions or inconsistencies, the Model Articles together with these Articles comprise the Company’s articles of association, to the exclusion of any alternative articles or regulations contained in legislation, any statutory instrument or other subordinate legislation. 1.2 The following provisions of the Model Articles shall not apply to the Company: 6(2); 7; 8; 11(2); 11(3); 13; 14(1)–14(5) 16; 17; 22; 26(5) 39; 44(2); 50; 51; 52; 53 1.3 In these Articles, any mention of the term ‘chairman’ within the Model Articles shall be interpreted as a reference...

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PRECEDENTS
Articles of association for a single‑investor private company (preferred equity): investor consent, director conflicts, transfer restrictions, leaver, drag/tag and preferred dividend regime (Companies Act 2006, England and Wales)

Companies Act 2006: Private Company Limited by Shares — Articles of Association of [ insert name of company ] Limited (Incorporated in England and Wales under registered no. [ insert number ]) (Adopted by special resolution passed on [ insert date ] 20[ insert year ]) 1 Model Articles 1.1 The Company adopts the Model Articles except to the extent that these Articles amend, disapply or conflict with them. Subject to any such amendments, exclusions or inconsistencies, the Model Articles together with these Articles comprise the Company’s articles of association, to the exclusion of any other articles or regulations contained in any Act, statutory instrument or other subordinate legislation. 1.2 The entirety of the following Model Articles shall not apply to the Company: 11(2) (quorum for directors’ meetings) 12 (chairing of directors’ meetings) 13 (casting vote) 14(1)–(5) (conflicts of interest) 21 (all shares to be fully paid up) 26(5) (share transfers) 30(5)–(7) (procedure for declaring dividends) ...

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