As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 17, 2016
 
File Nos.
333-208873
811-23124
 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
 
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
[X]
 
Pre-Effective Amendment No.  
    3           
 
Post-Effective Amendment No.
_____
 
and/or
 
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
[X]
Amendment No.
     3         
 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
 
ONE FRANKLIN PARKWAY, SAN MATEO, CA 94403-1906
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
 
Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code (650) 312-2000
 
Craig S. Tyle, One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
(Name and Address of Agent for Service of Process)
 
 
 
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
As soon as practicable following the effective date of this registration statement.
 
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to such Section 8(a), may determine.
 
 
The Registrant is filing this Pre-Effective Amendment to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on behalf of the Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF and Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF series of the Registrant.  No prior Pre-Effective Amendments to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A are incorporated into this filing by reference.
 

 
 

 


Prospectus
May 17, 2016
 
 
 

 
Franklin Templeton ETF Trust
 

 
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
 
 
TICKER:
EXCHANGE:
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ INTERNATIONAL EQUITY HEDGED ETF
FLQH
NYSE Arca, Inc.
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ EMERGING MARKETS ETF
FLQE
NYSE Arca, Inc.
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL DIVIDEND ETF
FLQD
NYSE Arca, Inc.
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL EQUITY ETF
FLQG
NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 
 

 
 

 


 
Contents
 
Fund Summaries    
 
Information about the Fund you should know before investing
 
Fund Details
 
More information on investment policies, practices and risks/financial highlights
 
Shareholder Information
 
Information about Fund transactions
 
For More Information
 
Where to learn more about the Fund
               Back Cover
 
 
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Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
 
Investment Goal
 
To seek to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Franklin International Equity Hedged Index (the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index).
 
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
 
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you own shares of the Fund. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the Example that follows.
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
 
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
   
Management fees
0.40%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees
None
Other expenses 1
0.25%
Total annual Fund operating expenses
0.65%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 2
-0.25%
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 2
0.40%

1. Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2. The investment manager has contractually agreed to waive or assume certain expenses so that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses and certain non-routine expenses) for the Fund do not exceed 0.40% until at least May 31, 2017. Contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement agreements may not be changed or terminated during the time periods set forth above.
 
Example
 
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund’s operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management as described above for the 1 Year numbers only.  Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
 
1 Year
3 Years
 
$ 41
$ 183

Portfolio Turnover
 
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
 

 
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Principal Investment Strategies
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is a systematic, rules-based proprietary index that is owned and calculated by MSCI Inc. (MSCI). The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is based on the MSCI EAFE Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  The MSCI EAFE Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the U.S. and Canada.
 
The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index includes stocks from developed market countries in Europe, Australasia and the Far East that have favorable exposure to multiple investment style factors.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index seeks to achieve a lower level of risk and higher risk-adjusted performance than the MSCI EAFE Index over the long term by applying a multi-factor selection process, which is designed to select equity securities from the MSCI EAFE Index that have exposure to four investment style factors – quality, value, momentum and low volatility.  Factors are common characteristics that relate to a group of issuers or securities that are important in explaining the returns and risks of those issuers’ securities.  The “quality” factor incorporates descriptors such as return on equity, earnings variability, cash return on assets and leverage.  The “value” factor incorporates descriptors such as price to earnings, price to forward earnings, price to book value and dividend yield.  The “momentum” factor incorporates descriptors such as 6-month risk adjusted price momentum and 12-month risk-adjusted price momentum.  The “low volatility” factor incorporates descriptors such as historical beta (i.e., a measure of the volatility of a security relative to the total market).  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index incorporates a hedge against the currency risk of the securities included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index against the U.S. dollar.
 
At the time of each semi-annual reconstitution of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, no company shall comprise more than 2% of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover of constituent securities at each semi-annual reconstitution.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index may include large- and mid-capitalization companies.  As of March 31, 2016, the capitalization of companies in the MSCI EAFE Index ranged from $821.62 million to $239.22 billion.
 
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.  The investment manager seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index of 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund’s intention is to replicate the component securities of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index as closely as possible. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the component securities in their respective weightings in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. In these circumstances, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy whereby the Fund would invest in what it believes to be a representative sample of the component securities of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, but may not track the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index with the same degree of accuracy as would an investment vehicle replicating the entire International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. Under the representative sampling technique, the investment manager will select securities that collectively have an investment profile similar to that of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, including securities that resemble those included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index in terms of risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics, such as market capitalization and industry weightings.  The Fund’s portfolio is reconstituted semi-annually following the semi-annual reconstitution of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.
 
The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index incorporates a hedge against non-U.S. currency fluctuations by reflecting the impact of rolling monthly currency forward contracts on the currencies represented in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index (the “hedge impact”). The return of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is calculated as the sum of the return of the corresponding unhedged index denominated in U.S. dollars plus the hedge impact.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is calculated as if it sells forward the total value of the non-U.S. dollar denominated securities included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index at a one-month forward rate to effectively create a hedge against fluctuations in the relative value of each of the component currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The hedge is reset on a monthly basis by simulating the setting up of a similar transaction in which the notional amount of the forwards sold represents the new month-end value of the non-U.S. dollar denominated securities included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. No adjustment to the hedge is made during the month to account for changes in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index due to price movement of securities, corporate events, additions, deletions or any other changes (i.e., the amount hedged is kept constant over the whole month). The International
 

 
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Equity Hedged Underlying Index is designed to have higher returns than an equivalent unhedged index when the component currencies are weakening relative to the U.S. dollar. Conversely, the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index will have lower returns than an equivalent unhedged index when the component currencies are rising relative to the U.S. dollar.
 
In order to replicate the hedge impact incorporated in the calculation of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, the Fund intends to enter into monthly foreign currency forward contracts designed to offset the Fund’s exposure to the component currencies. The Fund’s exposure to foreign currency forward contracts is based on the aggregate exposure of the Fund to the component currencies. While this approach is designed to minimize the impact of currency fluctuations on Fund returns, it does not necessarily eliminate the Fund’s exposure to the component currencies. The return of the foreign currency forward contracts will not perfectly offset the actual fluctuations between the component currencies and the U.S. dollar.
 
The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is concentrated.
 
Principal Risks
 
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Exchange-traded fund (ETF) shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment goal.
 
Market   The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A security’s market value may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
 
Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
 
Foreign Securities   Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, and includes risks associated with: internal and external political and economic developments – e.g., the political, economic and social policies and structures of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. or some foreign countries may be subject to trading restrictions or economic sanctions; trading practices – e.g., government supervision and regulation of foreign securities and currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the U.S.; availability of information – e.g., foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers; limited markets – e.g., the securities of certain foreign issuers may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile; and currency exchange rate fluctuations and policies.
 
Currency Hedging   In seeking investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, the Fund will attempt to hedge the currency exposure of non-U.S. dollar denominated securities held in its portfolio by investing in foreign currency forward contracts.  While currency hedging can reduce or eliminate losses due to exchange rate changes, it can also reduce or eliminate gains, and the Fund bears additional transaction costs in entering into foreign currency forward contracts.  Currency hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the foreign currency forward contracts and the currencies that the contracts intend to hedge, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective.
 
Because the Fund’s currency hedge is generally reset on a monthly basis, currency risk can develop or increase intra-month.  Furthermore, while the Fund is designed to hedge against currency fluctuations, it is possible that a degree of currency exposure may remain even at the time a hedging transaction is implemented. The Fund may not be able to structure its hedging transactions as anticipated or its hedging transactions may not successfully reduce the currency risk included in the Fund’s portfolio in a way that tracks the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.
 
Increased volatility of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index or the U.S. dollar relative to the currencies being hedged will generally reduce the effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy, measured on an aggregate basis.  Significant differences
 

 
3

 

between U.S. dollar interest rates and foreign currency interest rates may impact the effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy.
 
Foreign currency forwards are typically individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers in the interbank market.  Therefore, the Fund will be subject to counterparty risk as well as market or liquidity risk with respect to these transactions.
 
Regional   The Fund will invest in specific countries or geographic regions to approximately the same extent as the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.  To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or a particular country, the Fund will generally have more exposure to the specific regional or country economic risks. In the event of economic or political turmoil or a deterioration of diplomatic relations in a region or country where a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may experience substantial illiquidity or reduction in the value of the Fund’s investments. Adverse conditions in a certain region or country can also adversely affect securities of issuers in other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated.
 
Calculation Methodology   The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index (or the MSCI index on which it is based), including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor the investment manager can offer assurances that the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers.
 
Index-Related   There is no assurance that the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While MSCI provides descriptions of what the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is designed to achieve, MSCI does not guarantee the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index will be in line with the described index methodology.  Gains, losses or costs to the Fund caused by errors in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index may therefore be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
 
Non-Correlation   There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment goal. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. In addition, the Fund’s NAV may deviate from the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index if the Fund fair values a portfolio security at a price other than the price used by the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index for that security.
 
Tracking Error   Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, pricing differences (including differences between a security’s price at the local market close and the Fund’s valuation of a security at the time of calculation of the Fund’s NAV), differences in transaction and hedging costs and forward rates achieved, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in timing of the accrual of dividends or interest, changes to the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index or the need to meet various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index does not, and because the Fund accepts creations and redemptions during time periods between which it is able to adjust its currency hedges, whereas the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index does not adjust its hedging during these periods.
 
Market Trading   The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.  Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market.  The investment manager cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV.
 
Concentration    To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry or a group of industries, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such industries than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries; there is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for securities of companies in such industries.
 

 
4

 


 
Midsize Companies   Securities issued by midsize companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies, involve substantial risks and should be considered speculative. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, midsize companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.
 
Passive Investment   Unlike many investment companies, the Fund is not actively managed and the investment manager does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets.  Therefore, the investment manager would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming.
 
Sampling   The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index or in the Fund holding securities not included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in the Fund’s NAV than would be the case if all of the securities in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index were held. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy may also include the risk that it may not track the return of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index as well as it would have if the Fund held all of the securities in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.
 
Authorized Participant Concentration Only an authorized participant (Authorized Participant) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units (as defined below), Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.  This risk may be more pronounced in volatile markets, potentially where there are significant redemptions in ETFs generally.
 
Performance
 
Because the Fund is new, it has no performance history.  Once the Fund has commenced operations, you can obtain updated performance information at libertyshares.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
 
Investment Manager
 
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Dina Ting, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since inception   (2016) .
 
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
 
The Fund is an ETF. Fund shares may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund issues or redeems shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 200,000   shares or multiples thereof (Creation Units) to Authorized Participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. The Fund will generally issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of securities (and an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day.
 
Taxes
 
The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-deferred account.
 

 
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Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
 
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), Advisers or other related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
 

 
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Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
 
Investment Goal
 
To seek to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Franklin Emerging Markets Index (the Emerging Markets Underlying Index).
 
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
 
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you own shares of the Fund. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the Example that follows.
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
   
Management fees
0.55%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees
None
Other expenses 1
0.28%
Total annual Fund operating expenses
0.83%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 2
-0.28%
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 2
0.55%

1. Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2. The investment manager has contractually agreed to waive or assume certain expenses so that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses and certain non-routine expenses) for the Fund do not exceed 0.55% until at least May 31, 2017. Contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement agreements may not be changed or terminated during the time periods set forth above.
 
Example
 
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund’s operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management as described above for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
 
1 Year
3 Years
 
$ 56
$ 237

Portfolio Turnover
 
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
 

 
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Principal Investment Strategies
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities.  The Emerging Markets Underlying Index is a systematic, rules-based proprietary index that is owned and calculated by MSCI Inc. (MSCI). The Emerging Markets Underlying Index is based on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of emerging markets.
 
The Emerging Markets Underlying Index includes stocks from emerging market countries that have favorable exposure to multiple investment style factors.  The Emerging Markets Underlying Index seeks to achieve a lower level of risk and higher risk-adjusted performance than the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over the long term by applying a multi-factor selection process, which is designed to select equity securities from the MSCI Emerging Markets Index that have exposure to four investment style factors – quality, value, momentum and low volatility.  Factors are common characteristics that relate to a group of issuers or securities that are important in explaining the returns and risks of those issuers’ securities.  The “quality” factor incorporates descriptors such as return on equity, earnings variability, cash return on assets and leverage.  The “value” factor incorporates descriptors such as price to earnings, price to forward earnings, price to book value and dividend yield.  The “momentum” factor incorporates descriptors such as 6-month risk adjusted price momentum and 12-month risk-adjusted price momentum.  The “low volatility” factor incorporates descriptors such as historical beta (i.e., a measure of the volatility of a security relative to the total market).
 
At the time of each semi-annual reconstitution of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index, no company shall comprise more than 1% of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index.  The Emerging Markets Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover of constituent securities at each semi-annual reconstitution.  The Emerging Markets Underlying Index may include large- and mid-capitalization companies.  As of March 31, 2016, the capitalization of companies in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index ranged from $415.07 million to $126.74 billion.
 
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index.  The investment manager seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index of 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund’s intention is to replicate the component securities of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index as closely as possible. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the component securities in their respective weightings in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index. In these circumstances, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy whereby the Fund would invest in what it believes to be a representative sample of the component securities of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index, but may not track the Emerging Markets Underlying Index with the same degree of accuracy as would an investment vehicle replicating the entire Emerging Markets Underlying Index. Under the representative sampling technique, the investment manager will select securities that collectively have an investment profile similar to that of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index, including securities that resemble those included in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index in terms of risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics, such as market capitalization and industry weightings.  The Fund’s portfolio is reconstituted semi-annually following the semi-annual reconstitution of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index.
 
The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Emerging Markets Underlying Index is concentrated.
 
Principal Risks
 
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Exchange-traded fund (ETF) shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment goal.
 
Market   The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A security’s market value may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
 

 
8

 


 
Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
 
Foreign Securities   Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, and includes risks associated with: internal and external political and economic developments – e.g., the political, economic and social policies and structures of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. or some foreign countries may be subject to trading restrictions or economic sanctions; trading practices – e.g., government supervision and regulation of foreign securities and currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the U.S.; availability of information – e.g., foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers; limited markets – e.g., the securities of certain foreign issuers may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile; and currency exchange rate fluctuations and policies. The risks of foreign investments may be greater in developing or emerging market countries.
 
Emerging Market Countries   The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries are subject to all of the risks of foreign investing generally, and have additional heightened risks due to a lack of established legal, political, business and social frameworks to support securities markets, including: delays in settling portfolio securities transactions; currency and capital controls; greater sensitivity to interest rate changes; pervasiveness of corruption and crime; currency exchange rate volatility; and inflation, deflation or currency devaluation.
 
Regional   The Fund will invest in specific countries or geographic regions to approximately the same extent as the Emerging Markets Underlying Index.  To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or a particular country, the Fund will generally have more exposure to the specific regional or country economic risks. In the event of economic or political turmoil or a deterioration of diplomatic relations in a region or country where a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may experience substantial illiquidity or reduction in the value of the Fund’s investments. Adverse conditions in a certain region or country can also adversely affect securities of issuers in other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated.
 
Calculation Methodology   The Emerging Markets Underlying Index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index (or the MSCI index on which it is based), including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor the investment manager can offer assurances that the Emerging Markets Underlying Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers.
 
Index-Related   There is no assurance that the Emerging Markets Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While MSCI provides descriptions of what the Emerging Markets Underlying Index is designed to achieve, MSCI does not guarantee the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the Emerging Markets Underlying Index will be in line with the described index methodology.  Gains, losses or costs to the Fund caused by errors in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index may therefore be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
 
Non-Correlation   There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Emerging Markets Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment goal. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Emerging Markets Underlying Index. In addition, the Fund’s NAV may deviate from the Emerging Markets Underlying Index if the Fund fair values a portfolio security at a price other than the price used by the Emerging Markets Underlying Index for that security.
 
Tracking Error   Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index, pricing differences (including differences between a security’s price at the local market close and the Fund’s valuation of a security at the time of calculation of the Fund’s NAV), transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in timing of the accrual of dividends or interest, changes to the Emerging Markets Underlying Index or the need to meet various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Emerging Markets Underlying Index does not.
 
Market Trading   The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.  Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you
 

 
9

 

sell those shares in the secondary market.  The investment manager cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV
 
Concentration   To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry or a group of industries, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such industries than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries; there is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for securities of companies in such industries.
 
Midsize Companies   Securities issued by midsize companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies, involve substantial risks and should be considered speculative. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, midsize companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.
 
Passive Investment   Unlike many investment companies, the Fund is not actively managed and the investment manager does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets.  Therefore, the investment manager would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Emerging Markets Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming.
 
Sampling   The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index or in the Fund holding securities not included in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in the Fund’s NAV than would be the case if all of the securities in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index were held. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy may also include the risk that it may not track the return of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index as well as it would have if the Fund held all of the securities in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index.
 
Authorized Participant Concentration   Only an authorized participant (Authorized Participant) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units (as defined below), Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.  This risk may be more pronounced in volatile markets, potentially where there are significant redemptions in ETFs generally.
 
Performance
 
Because the Fund is new, it has no performance history.  Once the Fund has commenced operations, you can obtain updated performance information at libertyshares.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
 
Investment Manager
 
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Dina Ting, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since inception (2016) .
 
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
 
The Fund is an ETF. Fund shares may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund issues or redeems shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 200,000 shares or multiples thereof (Creation Units) to Authorized Participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. The Fund will generally issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of securities (and an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day.
 

 
10

 


 
Taxes
 
The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-deferred account.
 
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
 
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), Advisers or other related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
 

 
11

 



Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
 
Investment Goal
 
To seek to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Franklin Global Dividend Index (the Global Dividend Underlying Index).
 
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
 
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you own shares of the Fund. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the Example that follows.
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
   
Management fees
0.45%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees
None
Other expenses 1
0.25%
Total annual Fund operating expenses
0.70%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 2
-0.25%
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 2
0.45%

1. Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2. The investment manager has contractually agreed to waive or assume certain expenses so that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses and certain non-routine expenses) for the Fund do not exceed 0.45% until at least May 31, 2017. Contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement agreements may not be changed or terminated during the time periods set forth above.
 
Example
 
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund’s operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management as described above for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
 
1 Year
3 Years
 
$ 46
$ 199

Portfolio Turnover
 
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
 

 
12

 


 
Principal Investment Strategies
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the Global Dividend Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities.  The Global Dividend Underlying Index is a systematic, rules-based proprietary index that is owned and calculated by MSCI Inc. (MSCI). The Global Dividend Underlying Index is based on  the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  The MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed and emerging markets, excluding REIT securities.
 
The Global Dividend Underlying Index includes stocks from developed and emerging market countries with high and persistent dividend income that have favorable exposure to a quality investment style factor.  Factors are common characteristics that relate to a group of issuers or securities that are important in explaining the returns and risks of those issuers’ securities. The Global Dividend Underlying Index seeks to achieve a lower level of risk and higher risk-adjusted performance than the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index over the long term by applying dividend persistence and yield screens and the quality factor selection process.  First, dividend persistence and yield screens are applied to the equity securities of the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index in order to (i) exclude securities with negative year-over-year dividend per share growth in any of the last five years (securities with insufficient data to calculate such growth are also excluded) and (ii) exclude securities with a five year average monthly dividend yield of less than 1.2 times the average of the five year average monthly dividend yields of the securities of the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index.  Second, equity securities are then selected based on their exposure to the quality investment style factor, which incorporates descriptors such as return on equity, earnings variability, cash return on assets and leverage.
 
At the time of each semi-annual reconstitution of the Global Dividend Underlying Index, no company shall comprise more than 2% of the Global Dividend Underlying Index.  The Global Dividend Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover of constituent securities at each semi-annual reconstitution.  The Global Dividend Underlying Index may include large- and mid-capitalization companies.  As of March 31, 2016, the capitalization of companies in the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index ranged from $415.07 million to $607.66 billion.
 
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Global Dividend Underlying Index.  The investment manager seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Global Dividend Underlying Index of 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund’s intention is to replicate the component securities of the Global Dividend Underlying Index as closely as possible. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the component securities in their respective weightings in the Global Dividend Underlying Index. In these circumstances, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy whereby the Fund would invest in what it believes to be a representative sample of the component securities of the Global Dividend Underlying Index, but may not track the Global Dividend Underlying Index with the same degree of accuracy as would an investment vehicle replicating the entire Global Dividend Underlying Index. Under the representative sampling technique, the investment manager will select securities that collectively have an investment profile similar to that of the Global Dividend Underlying Index, including securities that resemble those included in the Global Dividend Underlying Index in terms of risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics, such as market capitalization and industry weightings.  The Fund’s portfolio is reconstituted semi-annually following the semi-annual reconstitution of the Global Dividend Underlying Index.
 
The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Global Dividend Underlying Index is concentrated.
 
Principal Risks
 
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Exchange-traded fund (ETF) shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment goal.
 
Market   The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A security’s market value may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the
 

 
13

 

issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
 
Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
 
Foreign Securities   Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, and includes risks associated with: internal and external political and economic developments – e.g., the political, economic and social policies and structures of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. or some foreign countries may be subject to trading restrictions or economic sanctions; trading practices – e.g., government supervision and regulation of foreign securities and currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the U.S.; availability of information – e.g., foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers; limited markets – e.g., the securities of certain foreign issuers may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile; and currency exchange rate fluctuations and policies. The risks of foreign investments may be greater in developing or emerging market countries.
 
Emerging Market Countries   The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries are subject to all of the risks of foreign investing generally, and have additional heightened risks due to a lack of established legal, political, business and social frameworks to support securities markets, including: delays in settling portfolio securities transactions; currency and capital controls; greater sensitivity to interest rate changes; pervasiveness of corruption and crime; currency exchange rate volatility; and inflation, deflation or currency devaluation.
 
Regional   The Fund will invest in specific countries or geographic regions to approximately the same extent as the Global Dividend Underlying Index.  To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or a particular country, the Fund will generally have more exposure to the specific regional or country economic risks. In the event of economic or political turmoil or a deterioration of diplomatic relations in a region or country where a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may experience substantial illiquidity or reduction in the value of the Fund’s investments. Adverse conditions in a certain region or country can also adversely affect securities of issuers in other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated.
 
Dividend-Oriented Companies   Companies that have historically paid regular dividends to shareholders may decrease or eliminate dividend payments in the future. A decrease in dividend payments by an issuer may result in a decrease in the value of the issuer’s stock and less available income for the Fund.
 
Calculation Methodology   The Global Dividend Underlying Index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Global Dividend Underlying Index (or the MSCI index on which it is based), including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor the investment manager can offer assurances that the Global Dividend Underlying Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers.
 
Index-Related   There is no assurance that the Global Dividend Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While MSCI provides descriptions of what the Global Dividend Underlying Index is designed to achieve, MSCI does not guarantee the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the Global Dividend Underlying Index will be in line with the described index methodology.  Gains, losses or costs to the Fund caused by errors in the Global Dividend Underlying Index may therefore be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
 
Non-Correlation   There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Global Dividend Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment goal. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Global Dividend Underlying Index. In addition, the Fund’s NAV may deviate from the Global Dividend Underlying Index if the Fund fair values a portfolio security at a price other than the price used by the Global Dividend Underlying Index for that security.
 
Tracking Error   Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Global Dividend Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Global Dividend Underlying Index, pricing differences (including differences between a security’s price at the local market close and the Fund’s valuation of a security at the time of calculation of the Fund’s NAV), transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in timing of the accrual of dividends or interest, changes to the Global Dividend Underlying Index or the need to meet various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market
 

 
14

 

conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Global Dividend Underlying Index does not.
 
Market Trading   The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.  Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market.  The investment manager cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV.
 
Concentration   To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry or a group of industries, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such industries than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries; there is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for securities of companies in such industries.
 
Midsize Companies   Securities issued by midsize companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies, involve substantial risks and should be considered speculative. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, midsize companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.
 
Passive Investment   Unlike many investment companies, the Fund is not actively managed and the investment manager does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets.  Therefore, the investment manager would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Global Dividend Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming.
 
Sampling   The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Global Dividend Underlying Index or in the Fund holding securities not included in the Global Dividend Underlying Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in the Fund’s NAV than would be the case if all of the securities in the Global Dividend Underlying Index were held. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy may also include the risk that it may not track the return of the Global Dividend Underlying Index as well as it would have if the Fund held all of the securities in the Global Dividend Underlying Index.
 
Authorized Participant Concentration   Only an authorized participant (Authorized Participant) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units (as defined below), Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.  This risk may be more pronounced in volatile markets, potentially where there are significant redemptions in ETFs generally.
 
Performance
 
Because the Fund is new, it has no performance history.  Once the Fund has commenced operations, you can obtain updated performance information at libertyshares.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
 
Investment Manager
 
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Dina Ting, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since inception (2016) .
 

 
15

 


 
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
 
The Fund is an ETF. Fund shares may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund issues or redeems shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 200,000 shares or multiples thereof (Creation Units) to Authorized Participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. The Fund will generally issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of securities (and an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day.
 
Taxes
 
The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-deferred account.
 
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
 
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), Advisers or other related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
 

 
16

 



Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
 
Investment Goal
 
To seek to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Franklin Global Equity Index (the Global Equity Underlying Index).
 
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
 
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you will incur if you own shares of the Fund. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions when buying or selling shares of the Fund, which are not reflected in the Example that follows.
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
   
Management fees
0.35%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees
None
Other expenses 1
0.25%
Total annual Fund operating expenses
0.60%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 2
-0.25%
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 2
0.35%

1. Other expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2. The investment manager has contractually agreed to waive or assume certain expenses so that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses and certain non-routine expenses) for the Fund do not exceed 0.35% until at least May 31, 2017. Contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement agreements may not be changed or terminated during the time periods set forth above.
 
Example
 
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund’s operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management as described above for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
 
1 Year
3 Years
 
$ 36
$ 167

Portfolio Turnover
 
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance.
 

 
17

 


 
Principal Investment Strategies
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the Global Equity Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities.  The Global Equity Underlying Index is a systematic, rules-based proprietary index that is owned and calculated by MSCI Inc. (MSCI). The Global Equity Underlying Index is based on the MSCI ACWI Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  The MSCI ACWI Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed and emerging markets.
 
The Global Equity Underlying Index includes stocks from developed and emerging market countries that have favorable exposure to multiple investment style factors.  The Global Equity Underlying Index seeks to achieve a lower level of risk and higher risk-adjusted performance than the MSCI ACWI Index over the long term by applying a multi-factor selection process, which is designed to select equity securities from the MSCI ACWI Index that have exposure to four investment style factors – quality, value, momentum and low volatility.  Factors are common characteristics that relate to a group of issuers or securities that are important in explaining the returns and risks of those issuers’ securities.  The “quality” factor incorporates descriptors such as return on equity, earnings variability, cash return on assets and leverage.  The “value” factor incorporates descriptors such as price to earnings, price to forward earnings, price to book value and dividend yield.  The “momentum” factor incorporates descriptors such as 6-month risk adjusted price momentum and 12-month risk-adjusted price momentum.  The “low volatility” factor incorporates descriptors such as historical beta (i.e., a measure of the volatility of a security relative to the total market).
 
At the time of each semi-annual reconstitution of the Global Equity Underlying Index, no company shall comprise more than 1% of the Global Equity Underlying Index.  The Global Equity Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover of constituent securities at each semi-annual reconstitution.  The Global Equity Underlying Index may include large- and mid-capitalization companies.  As of March 31, 2016, the capitalization of companies in the MSCI ACWI Index ranged from $415.07 million to $607.66 billion.
 
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Global Equity Underlying Index.  The investment manager seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Global Equity Underlying Index of 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund’s intention is to replicate the component securities of the Global Equity Underlying Index as closely as possible. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the component securities in their respective weightings in the Global Equity Underlying Index. In these circumstances, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy whereby the Fund would invest in what it believes to be a representative sample of the component securities of the Global Equity Underlying Index, but may not track the Global Equity Underlying Index with the same degree of accuracy as would an investment vehicle replicating the entire Global Equity Underlying Index. Under the representative sampling technique, the investment manager will select securities that collectively have an investment profile similar to that of the Global Equity Underlying Index, including securities that resemble those included in the Global Equity Underlying Index in terms of risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics, such as market capitalization and industry weightings.  The Fund’s portfolio is reconstituted semi-annually following the semi-annual reconstitution of the Global Equity Underlying Index.
 
The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Global Equity Underlying Index is concentrated.
 
Principal Risks
 
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Exchange-traded fund (ETF) shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment goal.
 
Market   The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A security’s market value may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
 

 
18

 


 
Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
 
Foreign Securities   Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, and includes risks associated with: internal and external political and economic developments – e.g., the political, economic and social policies and structures of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. or some foreign countries may be subject to trading restrictions or economic sanctions; trading practices – e.g., government supervision and regulation of foreign securities and currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the U.S.; availability of information – e.g., foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers; limited markets – e.g., the securities of certain foreign issuers may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile; and currency exchange rate fluctuations and policies. The risks of foreign investments may be greater in developing or emerging market countries.
 
Emerging Market Countries   The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries are subject to all of the risks of foreign investing generally, and have additional heightened risks due to a lack of established legal, political, business and social frameworks to support securities markets, including: delays in settling portfolio securities transactions; currency and capital controls; greater sensitivity to interest rate changes; pervasiveness of corruption and crime; currency exchange rate volatility; and inflation, deflation or currency devaluation.
 
Regional   The Fund will invest in specific countries or geographic regions to approximately the same extent as the Global Equity Underlying Index.  To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or a particular country, the Fund will generally have more exposure to the specific regional or country economic risks. In the event of economic or political turmoil or a deterioration of diplomatic relations in a region or country where a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may experience substantial illiquidity or reduction in the value of the Fund’s investments. Adverse conditions in a certain region or country can also adversely affect securities of issuers in other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated.
 
Calculation Methodology   The Global Equity Underlying Index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Global Equity Underlying Index (or the MSCI index on which it is based), including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor the investment manager can offer assurances that the Global Equity Underlying Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers.
 
Index-Related   There is no assurance that the Global Equity Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While MSCI provides descriptions of what the Global Equity Underlying Index is designed to achieve, MSCI does not guarantee the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the Global Equity Underlying Index will be in line with the described index methodology.  Gains, losses or costs to the Fund caused by errors in the Global Equity Underlying Index may therefore be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
 
Non-Correlation   There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Global Equity Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment goal. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Global Equity Underlying Index. In addition, the Fund’s NAV may deviate from the Global Equity Underlying Index if the Fund fair values a portfolio security at a price other than the price used by the Global Equity Underlying Index for that security.
 
Tracking Error   Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Global Equity Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Global Equity Underlying Index, pricing differences (including differences between a security’s price at the local market close and the Fund’s valuation of a security at the time of calculation of the Fund’s NAV), transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in timing of the accrual of dividends or interest, changes to the Global Equity Underlying Index or the need to meet various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Global Equity Underlying Index does not.
 
Market Trading   The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.  Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you
 

 
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sell those shares in the secondary market.  The investment manager cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV
 
Concentration   To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry or a group of industries, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such industries than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries; there is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for securities of companies in such industries.
 
Midsize Companies   Securities issued by midsize companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies, involve substantial risks and should be considered speculative. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, midsize companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans.
 
Passive Investment   Unlike many investment companies, the Fund is not actively managed and the investment manager does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets.  Therefore, the investment manager would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Global Equity Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming.
 
Sampling   The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Global Equity Underlying Index or in the Fund holding securities not included in the Global Equity Underlying Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in the Fund’s NAV than would be the case if all of the securities in the Global Equity Underlying Index were held. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy may also include the risk that it may not track the return of the Global Equity Underlying Index as well as it would have if the Fund held all of the securities in the Global Equity Underlying Index.
 
Authorized Participant Concentration   Only an authorized participant (Authorized Participant) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units (as defined below), Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.  This risk may be more pronounced in volatile markets, potentially where there are significant redemptions in ETFs generally.
 
Performance
 
Because the Fund is new, it has no performance history.  Once the Fund has commenced operations, you can obtain updated performance information at libertyshares.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
 
Investment Manager
 
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
 
Portfolio Manager
 
Dina Ting, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since inception (2016) .
 
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
 
The Fund is an ETF. Fund shares may only be purchased and sold on a national securities exchange through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund issues or redeems shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 200,000   shares or multiples thereof (Creation Units) to Authorized Participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor, Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. The Fund will generally issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a basket of securities (and an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day.
 

 
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Taxes
 
The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account, in which case your distributions would generally be taxed when withdrawn from the tax-deferred account.
 
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
 
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), Advisers or other related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
 

 

 
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Fund Details
 
Investment Goal
 
Each Fund’s investment goal is to seek to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Fund’s corresponding underlying index (each an “Underlying Index” and, collectively, the “Underlying Indexes”). Each Fund’s investment goal is non-fundamental, which means it may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ advance notice of any change to the Fund’s investment goal.
 
Principal Investment Policies and Practices
 
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities. The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is a systematic, rules-based proprietary index that is owned and calculated by MSCI. The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is based on the MSCI EAFE Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  The MSCI EAFE Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets, excluding the U.S. and Canada.
 
The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index includes stocks from developed market countries in Europe, Australasia and the Far East that have favorable exposure to multiple investment style factors.  As of May 2, 2016, the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index included the following developed market countries in Europe, Australasia and the Far East:
 
Europe:   Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
 
Australasia:   Australia and New Zealand.
 
Far East:   Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
 
The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index seeks to achieve a lower level of risk and higher risk-adjusted performance than the MSCI EAFE Index over the long term by applying a multi-factor selection process, which is designed to select equity securities from the MSCI EAFE Index that have exposure to four investment style factors – quality, value, momentum and low volatility.  Factors are common characteristics that relate to a group of issuers or securities that are important in explaining the returns and risks of those issuers’ securities.  The “quality” factor incorporates descriptors such as return on equity, earnings variability, cash return on assets and leverage.  The “value” factor incorporates descriptors such as price to earnings, price to forward earnings, price to book value and dividend yield.  The “momentum” factor incorporates descriptors such as 6-month risk adjusted price momentum and 12-month risk-adjusted price momentum.  The “low volatility” factor incorporates descriptors such as historical beta (i.e., a measure of the volatility of a security relative to the total market).  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index incorporates a hedge against the currency risk of the securities included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index against the U.S. dollar.
 
At the time of each semi-annual reconstitution of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, no company shall comprise more than 2% of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover of constituent securities at each semi-annual reconstitution.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index may include large- and mid-capitalization companies.  As of March 31, 2016, the capitalization of companies in the MSCI EAFE Index ranged from $821.62 million to $239.22 billion.
 
An equity security, or stock, represents a proportionate share, or the right to acquire a proportionate share, of the ownership of a company; its value is based on the success of the company’s business and the value of its assets, as well as general market conditions. Common stocks, preferred stocks and related depositary receipts are examples of equity securities. Depositary receipts are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that give their holders the right to receive securities issued by a foreign or domestic company.
 

 
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The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.  The investment manager seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index of 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund’s intention is to replicate the component securities of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index as closely as possible. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the component securities in their respective weightings in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. In these circumstances, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy whereby the Fund would invest in what it believes to be a representative sample of the component securities of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, but may not track the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index with the same degree of accuracy as would an investment vehicle replicating the entire International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. Under the representative sampling technique, the investment manager will select securities that collectively have an investment profile similar to that of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, including securities that resemble those included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index in terms of risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics, such as market capitalization and industry weightings.  The Fund’s portfolio is reconstituted semi-annually following the semi-annual reconstitution of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.  Between these semi-annual reconstitutions, a component security will be removed from the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index if such security is removed from the MSCI EAFE Index.  When securities are removed from the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index for any reason, the investment manager generally will, but is not required to, sell such securities from the Fund’s portfolio.
 
The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index incorporates a hedge against non-U.S. currency fluctuations by reflecting the impact of rolling monthly currency forward contracts on the currencies represented in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index (the “hedge impact”). The return of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is calculated as the sum of the return of the corresponding unhedged index denominated in U.S. dollars plus the hedge impact.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is calculated as if it sells forward the total value of the non-U.S. dollar denominated securities included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index at a one-month forward rate to effectively create a hedge against fluctuations in the relative value of each of the component currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The hedge is reset on a monthly basis by simulating the setting up of a similar transaction in which the notional amount of the forwards sold represents the new month-end value of the non-U.S. dollar denominated securities included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. No adjustment to the hedge is made during the month to account for changes in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index due to price movement of securities, corporate events, additions, deletions or any other changes (i.e., the amount hedged is kept constant over the whole month). The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is designed to have higher returns than an equivalent unhedged index when the component currencies are weakening relative to the U.S. dollar. Conversely, the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index will have lower returns than an equivalent unhedged index when the component currencies are rising relative to the U.S. dollar.
 
In order to replicate the hedge impact incorporated in the calculation of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, the Fund intends to enter into monthly foreign currency forward contracts designed to offset the Fund’s exposure to the component currencies. A foreign currency forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific foreign currency in exchange for another currency, which may be U.S. dollars, at an agreed exchange rate (price) at a future date. Foreign currency forwards are typically individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers in the interbank market. The Fund’s exposure to foreign currency forward contracts is based on the aggregate exposure of the Fund to the component currencies. While this approach is designed to minimize the impact of currency fluctuations on Fund returns, it does not necessarily eliminate the Fund’s exposure to the component currencies. The return of the foreign currency forward contracts will not perfectly offset the actual fluctuations between the component currencies and the U.S. dollar.
 
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities.  The Emerging Markets Underlying Index is a systematic, rules-based proprietary index that is owned and calculated by MSCI. The Emerging Markets Underlying Index is based on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of emerging markets.
 

 
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The Emerging Markets Underlying Index includes stocks from emerging market countries that have favorable exposure to multiple investment style factors.  As of May 2, 2016, the Emerging Markets Underlying Index included the following emerging market countries:
 
Americas:   Brazil, Chile and Mexico.
 
Europe, Middle East and Africa:   Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
 
Asia:   China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand.
 
The Emerging Markets Underlying Index seeks to achieve a lower level of risk and higher risk-adjusted performance than the MSCI Emerging Markets Index over the long term by applying a multi-factor selection process, which is designed to select equity securities from the MSCI Emerging Markets Index that have exposure to four investment style factors – quality, value, momentum and low volatility.  Factors are common characteristics that relate to a group of issuers or securities that are important in explaining the returns and risks of those issuers’ securities.  The “quality” factor incorporates descriptors such as return on equity, earnings variability, cash return on assets and leverage.  The “value” factor incorporates descriptors such as price to earnings, price to forward earnings, price to book value and dividend yield.  The “momentum” factor incorporates descriptors such as 6-month risk adjusted price momentum and 12-month risk-adjusted price momentum.  The “low volatility” factor incorporates descriptors such as historical beta (i.e., a measure of the volatility of a security relative to the total market).
 
At the time of each semi-annual reconstitution of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index, no company shall comprise more than 1% of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index.  The Emerging Markets Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover of constituent securities at each semi-annual reconstitution.  The Emerging Markets Underlying Index may include large- and mid-capitalization companies.  As of March 31, 2016, the capitalization of companies in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index ranged from $415.07 million to $126.74 billion.
 
An equity security, or stock, represents a proportionate share, or the right to acquire a proportionate share, of the ownership of a company; its value is based on the success of the company’s business and the value of its assets, as well as general market conditions. Common stocks, preferred stocks and related depositary receipts are examples of equity securities. Depositary receipts are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that give their holders the right to receive securities issued by a foreign or domestic company.
 
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index.  The investment manager seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index of 95% or better.  A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.  The Fund’s intention is to replicate the component securities of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index as closely as possible. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the component securities in their respective weightings in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index. In these circumstances, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy whereby the Fund would invest in what it believes to be a representative sample of the component securities of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index, but may not track the Emerging Markets Underlying Index with the same degree of accuracy as would an investment vehicle replicating the entire Emerging Markets Underlying Index. Under the representative sampling technique, the investment manager will select securities that collectively have an investment profile similar to that of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index, including securities that resemble those included in the Emerging Markets Underlying Index in terms of risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics, such as market capitalization and industry weightings.  The Fund’s portfolio is reconstituted semi-annually following the semi-annual reconstitution of the Emerging Markets Underlying Index.  Between these semi-annual reconstitutions, a component security will be removed from the Emerging Markets Underlying Index if such security is removed from the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.  When securities are removed from the Emerging Markets Underlying Index for any reason, the investment manager generally will, but is not required to, sell such securities from the Fund’s portfolio.
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the Global Dividend Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities.  The Global Dividend Underlying Index is a systematic,
 

 
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rules-based proprietary index that is owned and calculated by MSCI. The Global Dividend Underlying Index is based on the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  The MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed and emerging markets, excluding REIT securities.
 
The Global Dividend Underlying Index includes stocks from developed and emerging market countries with high and persistent dividend income that have favorable exposure to a quality investment style factor.  Factors are common characteristics that relate to a group of issuers or securities that are important in explaining the returns and risks of those issuers’ securities. As of May 2, 2016, the Global Dividend Underlying Index included the following developed and emerging market countries:
 
Developed Markets:   Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
 
Emerging Markets:   Brazil, China, Mexico, Qatar, South Africa, Taiwan and Thailand.
 
The Global Dividend Underlying Index seeks to achieve a lower level of risk and higher risk-adjusted performance than the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index over the long term by applying dividend persistence and yield screens and the quality factor selection process.  First, dividend persistence and yield screens are applied to the equity securities of the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index in order to (i) exclude securities with negative year-over-year dividend per share growth in any of the last five years (securities with insufficient data to calculate such growth are also excluded) and (ii) exclude securities with a five year average monthly dividend yield of less than 1.2 times the average of the five year average monthly dividend yields of the securities of the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index.  Second, equity securities are then selected based on their exposure to the quality investment style factor, which incorporates descriptors such as return on equity, earnings variability, cash return on assets and leverage.
 
At the time of each semi-annual reconstitution of the Global Dividend Underlying Index, no company shall comprise more than 2% of the Global Dividend Underlying Index.  The Global Dividend Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover of constituent securities at each semi-annual reconstitution.  The Global Dividend Underlying Index may include large- and mid-capitalization companies.  As of March 31, 2016, the capitalization of companies in the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index ranged from $415.07 million to $607.66 billion.
 
An equity security, or stock, represents a proportionate share, or the right to acquire a proportionate share, of the ownership of a company; its value is based on the success of the company’s business and the value of its assets, as well as general market conditions. Common stocks, preferred stocks and related depositary receipts are examples of equity securities. Depositary receipts are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that give their holders the right to receive securities issued by a foreign or domestic company.
 
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Global Dividend Underlying Index.  The investment manager seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Global Dividend Underlying Index of 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund’s intention is to replicate the component securities of the Global Dividend Underlying Index as closely as possible. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the component securities in their respective weightings in the Global Dividend Underlying Index. In these circumstances, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy whereby the Fund would invest in what it believes to be a representative sample of the component securities of the Global Dividend Underlying Index, but may not track the Global Dividend Underlying Index with the same degree of accuracy as would an investment vehicle replicating the entire Global Dividend Underlying Index. Under the representative sampling technique, the investment manager will select securities that collectively have an investment profile similar to that of the Global Dividend Underlying Index, including securities that resemble those included in the Global Dividend Underlying Index in terms of risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics, such as market capitalization and industry weightings.  The Fund’s portfolio is reconstituted semi-annually following the semi-annual reconstitution of the Global Dividend Underlying Index.  Between these semi-annual reconstitutions, a component security will be removed from the Global Dividend Underlying Index if such security is removed from the MSCI ACWI ex REITs Index.  When securities are removed from the Global Dividend Underlying Index for any reason, the investment manager generally will, but is not required to, sell such securities from the Fund’s portfolio.
 

 
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Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
 
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of the Global Equity Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities.  The Global Equity Underlying Index is a systematic, rules-based proprietary index that is owned and calculated by MSCI. The Global Equity Underlying Index is based on the MSCI ACWI Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  The MSCI ACWI Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed and emerging markets.
 
The Global Equity Underlying Index includes stocks from developed and emerging market countries that have favorable exposure to multiple investment style factors.  As of May 2, 2016, the Global Equity Underlying Index included the following developed and emerging market countries:
 
Developed Markets:   Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
 
Emerging Markets:   Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
 
The Global Equity Underlying Index seeks to achieve a lower level of risk and higher risk-adjusted performance than the MSCI ACWI Index over the long term by applying a multi-factor selection process, which is designed to select equity securities from the MSCI ACWI Index that have exposure to four investment style factors – quality, value, momentum and low volatility.  Factors are common characteristics that relate to a group of issuers or securities that are important in explaining the returns and risks of those issuers’ securities.  The “quality” factor incorporates descriptors such as return on equity, earnings variability, cash return on assets and leverage.  The “value” factor incorporates descriptors such as price to earnings, price to forward earnings, price to book value and dividend yield.  The “momentum” factor incorporates descriptors such as 6-month risk adjusted price momentum and 12-month risk-adjusted price momentum.  The “low volatility” factor incorporates descriptors such as historical beta (i.e., a measure of the volatility of a security relative to the total market).
 
At the time of each semi-annual reconstitution of the Global Equity Underlying Index, no company shall comprise more than 1% of the Global Equity Underlying Index.  The Global Equity Underlying Index is also constrained in its construction to limit turnover of constituent securities at each semi-annual reconstitution.  The Global Equity Underlying Index may include large- and mid-capitalization companies.  As of March 31, 2016, the capitalization of companies in the MSCI ACWI Index ranged from $415.07 million to $607.66 billion.
 
An equity security, or stock, represents a proportionate share, or the right to acquire a proportionate share, of the ownership of a company; its value is based on the success of the company’s business and the value of its assets, as well as general market conditions. Common stocks, preferred stocks and related depositary receipts are examples of equity securities. Depositary receipts are certificates typically issued by a bank or trust company that give their holders the right to receive securities issued by a foreign or domestic company.
 
The Fund, using a “passive” or indexing investment approach, seeks investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Global Equity Underlying Index.  The investment manager seeks to achieve, over time, a correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Global Equity Underlying Index of 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation. The Fund’s intention is to replicate the component securities of the Global Equity Underlying Index as closely as possible. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the component securities in their respective weightings in the Global Equity Underlying Index. In these circumstances, the Fund may use a “representative sampling” strategy whereby the Fund would invest in what it believes to be a representative sample of the component securities of the Global Equity Underlying Index, but may not track the Global Equity Underlying Index with the same degree of accuracy as would an investment vehicle replicating the entire Global Equity Underlying Index. Under the representative sampling technique, the investment manager will select securities that collectively have an investment profile similar to that of the Global Equity Underlying Index, including securities that resemble those included in the Global Equity Underlying Index in terms of risk factors, performance attributes and other characteristics, such as market capitalization and industry weightings.  The Fund’s portfolio is reconstituted semi-annually following the semi-annual reconstitution of the Global Equity Underlying Index.
 

 
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Between these semi-annual reconstitutions, a component security will be removed from the Global Equity Underlying Index if such security is removed from the MSCI ACWI Index.  When securities are removed from the Global Equity Underlying Index for any reason, the investment manager generally will, but is not required to, sell such securities from the Fund’s portfolio.
 
Concentration
 
Each Fund (hereafter the “Fund”) will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its net assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that its corresponding Underlying Index is concentrated.  The investment manager has adopted firewall procedures that are expected to limit the investment manager’s freedom of action to concentrate the Fund’s assets in a particular industry pursuant to management’s discretion except in accordance with the rules-based methodology of the Underlying Index.
 
Principal Risks
 
Market (All Funds)
 
The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Securities or other investments may decline in value due to factors affecting individual issuers, securities markets generally or sectors within the securities markets. The value of a security may go up or down due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest rates or exchange rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. The value may also go up or down due to factors that affect an individual issuer or a particular sector. During a general downturn in the securities markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that securities or other investments held by the Fund will participate in or otherwise benefit from the advance.
 
Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
 
Foreign Securities (All Funds)
 
Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities. Certain of these risks also may apply to securities of U.S. companies with significant foreign operations.
 
Currency exchange rates .  Foreign securities may be issued and traded in foreign currencies. As a result, their market values in U.S. dollars may be affected by changes in exchange rates between such foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar, as well as between currencies of countries other than the U.S. For example, if the value of the U.S. dollar goes up compared to a foreign currency, an investment traded in that foreign currency will go down in value because it will be worth fewer U.S. dollars. The Fund accrues additional expenses when engaging in currency exchange transactions, and valuation of the Fund’s foreign securities may be subject to greater risk because both the currency (relative to the U.S. dollar) and the security must be considered.
 
Political and economic developments .  The political, economic and social policies or structures of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the United States. Investments in these countries may be subject to greater risks of internal and external conflicts, expropriation, nationalization of assets, foreign exchange controls (such as suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a given country), restrictions on removal of assets, political or social instability, military action or unrest, diplomatic developments, currency devaluations, foreign ownership limitations, and punitive or confiscatory tax increases. It is possible that a government may take over the assets or operations of a company or impose restrictions on the exchange or export of currency or other assets. Some countries also may have different legal systems that may make it difficult or expensive for the Fund to vote proxies, exercise shareholder rights, and pursue legal remedies with respect to its foreign investments. Diplomatic and political developments could affect the economies, industries, and securities and currency markets of the countries in which the Fund is invested. These developments include rapid and adverse political changes; social instability; regional conflicts; sanctions imposed by the United States, other nations or other governmental entities, including supranational entities; terrorism; and war. In addition, such developments could contribute to the devaluation of a country’s currency, a downgrade in the credit ratings of issuers in such country, or a decline in the value and liquidity of securities of issuers in that country. An imposition of sanctions upon certain issuers in a country could result in an immediate freeze of that issuer’s securities, impairing the ability of the Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver
 

 
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those securities. These factors would affect the value of the Fund’s investments and are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict and take into account with respect to the Fund’s investments.
 
Trading practices .  Brokerage commissions, withholding taxes, custodial fees, and other fees generally are higher in foreign markets. The policies and procedures followed by foreign stock exchanges, currency markets, trading systems and brokers may differ from those applicable in the United States, with possibly negative consequences to the Fund. The procedures and rules governing foreign trading, settlement and custody (holding of the Fund’s assets) also may result in losses or delays in payment, delivery or recovery of money or other property. Foreign government supervision and regulation of foreign securities markets and trading systems may be less than or different from government supervision in the United States, and may increase the Fund’s regulatory and compliance burden and/or decrease the Fund’s investor rights and protections.
 
Availability of information .  Foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers. Thus, there may be less information publicly available about foreign issuers than about most U.S. issuers.
 
Limited markets .  Certain foreign securities may be less liquid (harder to sell) and their prices may be more volatile than many U.S. securities. Illiquidity tends to be greater, and valuation of the Fund’s foreign securities may be more difficult, due to the infrequent trading and/or delayed reporting of quotes and sales.
 
Regional .  The Fund will invest in specific countries or geographic regions to approximately the same extent as its Underlying Index.  To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or a particular country, the Fund will generally have more exposure to the specific regional or country economic risks. In the event of economic or political turmoil or a deterioration of diplomatic relations in a region or country where a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may experience substantial illiquidity or reduction in the value of the Fund’s investments. Adverse conditions in a certain region or country can also adversely affect securities of issuers in other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated.
 
Depositary Receipts (All Funds)
 
Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks of the underlying security. For some depositary receipts, the custodian or similar financial institution that holds the issuer’s shares in a trust account is located in the issuer’s home country. The Fund could be exposed to the credit risk of the custodian or financial institution, and in cases where the issuer’s home country does not have developed financial markets, greater market risk. In addition, the depository institution may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends and interest and corporate actions. The Fund would be expected to pay a share of the additional fees, which it would not pay if investing directly in the foreign securities. The Fund may experience delays in receiving its dividend and interest payments or exercising rights as a shareholder.
 
Indexing (All Funds)
 
Passive Investment.   The Fund is not actively managed and may be affected by a general decline in market segments related to the Underlying Index. The Fund invests in securities included in, or representative of, the Underlying Index, regardless of their investment merits. The investment manager generally does not attempt to take defensive positions under any market conditions, including declining markets.
 
Calculation Methodology.   The Underlying Index relies on various sources of information to assess the criteria of issuers included in the Underlying Index (or the MSCI index on which it is based), including information that may be based on assumptions and estimates. Neither the Fund nor the investment manager can offer assurances that the Underlying Index’s calculation methodology or sources of information will provide an accurate assessment of included issuers.
 
Underlying Index Errors.   There is no assurance that the Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While MSCI provides descriptions of what the Underlying Index is designed to achieve, MSCI does not guarantee the quality, accuracy or completeness of data in respect of its indices, and does not guarantee that the Underlying Index will be in line with the described index methodology.  For example, during a period where the Underlying Index contains incorrect constituents, the Fund would have market exposure to such constituents and would be underexposed to the Underlying Index’s other constituents. As such, errors may result in a negative or positive performance impact to the Fund and its shareholders. Shareholders should understand that losses resulting from errors may be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.
 

 
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Non-Correlation.   There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the Underlying Index and therefore achieve its investment goal. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Underlying Index. In addition, the Fund’s NAV may deviate from the Underlying Index if the Fund fair values a portfolio security at a price other than the price used by the Underlying Index for that security.
 
Tracking Error.   Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of the Underlying Index. Tracking error may occur because of differences between the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio and those included in the Underlying Index, pricing differences (including differences between a security’s price at the local market close and the Fund’s valuation of a security at the time of calculation of the Fund’s NAV), transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in timing of the accrual of dividends or interest, changes to the Underlying Index or the need to meet various new or existing regulatory requirements. This risk may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions. Tracking error also may result because the Fund incurs fees and expenses, while the Underlying Index does not.
 
Authorized Participant Concentration (All Funds)
 
Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units (as defined below), Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.  This risk may be more pronounced in volatile markets, potentially where there are significant redemptions in ETFs generally.
 
Market Trading (All Funds)
 
Absence of active market.   Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained.  There are no obligations of market makers to make a market in the Fund’s shares or of an Authorized Participant to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units.  Decisions by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price.  This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV and also greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads.
 
Secondary market trading.   Shares of the Fund may trade in the secondary market at times when the Fund does not accept orders to purchase or redeem shares. At such times, shares may trade in the secondary market with more significant premiums or discounts than might be experienced at times when the Fund accepts purchase and redemption orders.
 
Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to “circuit breaker” rules on the stock exchange or market. There can be no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the listing or trading of Fund shares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.  The Fund’s shares may be less actively traded in certain markets than in others, and investors are subject to the execution and settlement risks and market standards of the market where they or their broker direct their trades for execution. Certain information available to investors who trade Fund shares on a U.S. stock exchange during regular U.S. market hours may not be available to investors who trade in other markets, which may result in secondary markets prices in such markets being less efficient.
 
Shares of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling.
 
Premium/Discount.   Shares of the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV.  Shares of the Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below their most recent NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of the Fund’s shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than NAV. As a result, the trading prices of the Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility.
 

 
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Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.  Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market.  The investment manager cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV.  However, because shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, the investment manager believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund are not likely to be sustained over the long-term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that the Fund’s shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices close to the Fund’s next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund’s NAV due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or extreme market volatility may result in trading prices for shares of the Fund that differ significantly from its NAV.
 
Cost of buying or selling Fund shares.   Buying or selling Fund shares on an exchange involves two types of costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker. In addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,” that is, the difference between what investors are willing to pay for Fund shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which they are willing to sell Fund shares (the “ask” price). Because of the costs inherent in buying or selling Fund shares, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment results and an investment in Fund shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
 
Concentration (All Funds)
 
To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry or a group of industries, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such industries than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries; there is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for securities of companies in such industries.
 
Midsize Companies (All Funds)
 
While midsize companies may offer substantial opportunities for capital growth, they also involve substantial risks and should be considered speculative. Historically, midsize company securities have been more volatile in price than larger company securities, especially over the short term. Among the reasons for the greater price volatility are the less certain growth prospects of midsize companies, the lower degree of liquidity in the markets for such securities, and the greater sensitivity of midsize companies to changing economic conditions.
 
In addition, midsize companies may lack depth of management, be unable to generate funds necessary for growth or development, have limited product lines or be developing or marketing new products or services for which markets are not yet established and may never become established. Midsize companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans which are floating rate.
 
Representative Sampling (All Funds)
 
The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy will result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Underlying Index or in the Fund holding securities not included in the Underlying Index. As a result, an adverse development respecting an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in the Fund’s NAV than would be the case if all of the securities in the Underlying Index were held. The Fund’s use of a representative sampling strategy may also include the risk that it may not track the return of the Underlying Index as well as it would have if the Fund held all of the securities in the Underlying Index.
 
Cash Transactions (All Funds)
 
ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid being taxed on gain on the distributed portfolio securities at the Fund level. Because the Fund may effect redemptions partly or entirely in cash, rather than in-kind, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. If the Fund recognizes gain on these sales, this generally will cause the Fund to recognize gain it might not otherwise have recognized, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind. The Fund generally intends to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the Fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in a different ETF. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be
 

 
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higher than if the Fund sold and redeemed its shares principally in-kind, will be passed on to purchasers and redeemers of Creation Units in the form of creation and redemption transaction fees.
 
Emerging Market Countries (Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF and Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF)
 
The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries are subject to all of the risks of foreign investing generally, and have additional heightened risks due to a lack of established legal, political, business and social frameworks to support securities markets. Some of the additional significant risks include:
 
 
·
less social, political and economic stability;
 
·
a higher possibility of the devaluation of a country’s currency, a downgrade in the credit ratings of issuers in such country, or a decline in the value and liquidity of securities of issuers in that country if the United States, other nations or other governmental entities (including supranational entities) impose sanctions on issuers that limit or restrict foreign investment, the movement of assets or other economic activity in the country due to political, military or regional conflicts or due to terrorism or war;
 
·
smaller securities markets with low or nonexistent trading volume and greater illiquidity and price volatility;
 
·
more restrictive national policies on foreign investment, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests;
 
·
less transparent and established taxation policies;
 
·
less developed regulatory or legal structures governing private and foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property, such as bankruptcy;
 
·
less familiarity with a capital market structure or market-oriented economy and more widespread corruption and fraud;
 
·
less financial sophistication, creditworthiness and/or resources possessed by, and less government regulation of, the financial institutions and issuers with which the Fund transacts;
 
·
less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices, stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies than in the U.S.;
 
·
greater concentration in a few industries resulting in greater vulnerability to regional and global trade conditions;
 
·
higher rates of inflation and more rapid and extreme fluctuations in inflation rates;
 
·
greater sensitivity to interest rate changes (for example, a higher interest rate environment can make it more difficult for emerging market governments to service their existing debt);
 
·
increased volatility in currency exchange rates and potential for currency devaluations and/or currency controls;
 
·
greater debt burdens relative to the size of the economy;
 
·
more delays in settling portfolio transactions and heightened risk of loss from share registration and custody practices; and
 
·
less assurance that recent favorable economic developments will not be slowed or reversed by unanticipated economic, political or social events in such countries.
 
Because of the above factors, the Fund’s investments in emerging market countries may be subject to greater price volatility and illiquidity than investments in developed markets.
 
Currency Hedging (Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF)
 
In seeking investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, the Fund will attempt to hedge the currency exposure of non-U.S. dollar denominated securities held in its portfolio by investing in foreign currency forward contracts.  The Fund expects that any loss generated by foreign currency forward contracts will generally be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities, and vice versa, although there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to obtain this result.  While currency hedging can reduce or eliminate losses due to exchange rate changes, it can also reduce or eliminate gains, and the Fund bears additional transaction costs in entering into foreign currency forward contracts.  Currency hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the foreign currency forward contracts and the currencies that the contracts intend to hedge, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective.
 
Foreign currency forward contracts do not eliminate movements in the value of non-U.S. currencies and securities but rather allow the Fund to establish a fixed rate of exchange for a future point in time. Exchange rates may be volatile and may change quickly and
 

 
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unpredictably in response to both global economic developments and economic conditions in a geographic region in which the Fund invests. In addition, the Fund’s exposure to the component currencies may not be fully hedged at all times.
 
Because the Fund’s currency hedge is generally reset on a monthly basis, currency risk can develop or increase intra-month. Furthermore, while the Fund is designed to hedge against currency fluctuations, it is possible that a degree of currency exposure may remain even at the time a hedging transaction is implemented.  Also, governments from time to time intervene in the currency markets, directly and by regulation, in order to influence prices. From time to time, governments may adopt policies designed to directly influence foreign exchange rates with respect to their currency.  As a result, the Fund may not be able to structure its hedging transactions as anticipated or its hedging transactions may not successfully reduce the currency risk included in the Fund’s portfolio in a way that tracks the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.
 
There is no assurance that the Fund’s hedging strategy will be effective in hedging fluctuations in the value of the non-U.S. currencies of the Fund’s portfolio securities against the U.S. dollar. The effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy will in general be affected by the volatility of both the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index and the volatility of the U.S. dollar relative to the currencies being hedged, measured on an aggregate basis. Increased volatility will generally reduce the effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy. In addition, volatility in one or more currencies may offset stability in another currency and reduce the overall effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy. The effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy may also in general be affected by interest rates, which may differ among the affected countries.  Significant differences between U.S. dollar interest rates and some or all of the applicable foreign currency interest rates may impact the effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy.  In addition, the currency hedging carried out by the Fund may result in lower returns than those generated through direct investments in the securities comprising the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index when the local currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar.
 
Foreign currency forwards are typically individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers in the interbank market.  Therefore, the Fund will be subject to counterparty risk as well as market or liquidity risk with respect to these transactions.  Use of these instruments could result in a loss if the counterparty to the transaction does not perform as promised, including because of such counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. This risk may be heightened during volatile market conditions. Other risks include mispricing or improper valuation of the foreign currency forwards.  In addition, the Fund’s currency hedging activities may involve frequent trading of currency instruments, which may increase transaction costs and cause the Fund’s return to deviate from the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index.
 
Investors seeking to trade in foreign currencies may have limited access to certain currency markets due to a variety of factors, including government regulations, adverse tax treatment, exchange controls, currency convertibility issues and lack of market liquidity. These limitations and restrictions may impact the availability, liquidity and pricing of the financial instruments that are necessary for the Fund to hedge exposure to the currency markets. If the Fund’s ability to enter into contracts to purchase or sell the currency of a non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests is impaired, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment goal.
 
Dividend-Oriented Companies (Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF)
 
Issuers that have paid regular dividends or distributions to shareholders may not continue to do so in the future. An issuer may reduce or eliminate future dividends or distributions at any time and for any reason. The value of a security of an issuer that has paid dividends in the past may decrease if the issuer reduces or eliminates future payments to its shareholders. If the dividends or distributions received by the Fund decreases, the Fund may have less income to distribute to the Fund’s shareholders.
 

 
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More Information on Investment Policies, Practices and Risks
 
Exclusion of Investment Manager from Commodity Pool Operator Definition
 
With respect to each Fund (hereafter “the Fund”), the investment manager has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (CPO) under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO.  In addition, with respect to the Fund, the investment manager is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of “commodity trading advisor” (CTA) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC.
 
The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in commodity futures, commodity options and swaps, which in turn include non-deliverable currency forwards, as further described in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information. Because the investment manager and the Fund intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, the Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment goal, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the investment manager’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Fund, its investment strategies or this prospectus.
 
More detailed information about the Fund, its policies and risks can be found in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
 
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is also available in the Fund’s SAI. Portfolio holdings information can be viewed online at libertyshares.com.
 
Management
 
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers), One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906, is the Fund’s investment manager. Together, Advisers and its affiliates manage, as of April 30, 2016, over $747 billion in assets, and have been in the investment management business since 1947.
 
The Fund is managed by a dedicated professional. The portfolio manager of the Fund is as follows:
 
Dina Ting, CFA
Ms. Ting has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since inception. She has final authority over all aspects of the Fund’s investment portfolio, including but not limited to, purchases and sales of individual securities, portfolio risk assessment, and the management of daily cash balances in accordance with anticipated investment management requirements. The degree to which she may perform these functions, and the nature of these functions, may change from time to time. She joined Franklin Templeton Investments in 2015.
 
CFA ® and Chartered Financial Analyst ® are trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
 
The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about portfolio manager compensation, other accounts that they manage and their ownership of Fund shares.
 
The Fund pays Advisers a fee for managing the Fund’s assets. The fee is equal to the following annual rate of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
 
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF                                               0.40%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF                                                                 0.55%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF                                                                     0.45%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF                                                                         0.35%
 

 
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Advisers has agreed to reduce its fees to reflect reduced services resulting from the Fund’s investment in a Franklin Templeton money fund. In addition, management has agreed to waive or limit its fees and to assume as its own certain expenses otherwise payable by the Fund so that expenses (other than acquired fund fees and expenses and certain non-routine expenses or costs, including those relating to litigation, indemnification, reorganizations and liquidations) do not exceed the following levels until May 31, 2017:
 
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF                                                0.40%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF                                                                  0.55%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF                                                                      0.45%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF                                                                           0.35%
 
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the investment management contract of the Fund will be available in the Fund’s initial annual or semiannual report to shareholders.
 
Distributions and Taxes
 
The information is provided with respect to each Fund (hereafter the “Fund”).
 
Income and Capital Gain Distributions
 
Each Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code.  As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to you. Each Fund (except Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF) intends to pay income dividends at least semi-annually from its net investment income. Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF intends to pay income dividends at least quarterly from its net investment income. Capital gains, if any, may be paid by each Fund at least annually. The Fund may distribute income dividends and capital gains more frequently, if necessary, in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on the Fund. The amount of any distribution will vary, and there is no guarantee the Fund will pay either income dividends or capital gain distributions. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund shares only if the broker through whom you purchased the shares makes such option available. Distributions declared in December to shareholders of record in such month and paid in January are taxable as if they were paid in December.
 
Avoid “buying a dividend.”   At the time you purchase your Fund shares, the price of shares may reflect undistributed income, undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation in the value of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. For taxable investors, a subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment, would be taxable. Buying shares in the Fund just before it declares an income dividend or capital gain distribution is sometimes known as “buying a dividend.”
 
Tax Considerations
 
If you are a taxable investor, Fund distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains or some combination of both. This is the case whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash.
 
Dividend income.   Income dividends are generally subject to tax at ordinary rates. Income dividends reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income may be subject to tax by individuals at reduced long-term capital gains tax rates provided certain holding period requirements are met. A return-of-capital distribution is generally not taxable but will reduce the cost basis of your shares, and will result in a higher capital gain or a lower capital loss when you later sell your shares.
 
Capital gains.   Fund distributions of short-term capital gains are also subject to tax at ordinary rates. Fund distributions of long-term capital gains are taxable at the reduced long-term capital gains rates no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. For individuals in the 10% and 15% tax brackets, the long-term capital gains tax rate is 0%. For individuals in higher tax brackets, the long-term capital gains rate is 15% (20% for certain high income taxpayers). A 3.8% Medicare tax may also be imposed as discussed below.
 

 
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Sales of exchange-listed shares.   Currently, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares generally is treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less.
 
Cost basis reporting   Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Fund shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
 
Taxes on creation and redemption of creation units.   An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of purchase and the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash paid for the Creation Units. An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities and the amount of cash received. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Authorized Participants exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
 
Authorized Participants that create or redeem Creation Units will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many shares they purchased or sold and at what price.
 
Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less.
 
If the Fund redeems Creation Units in part or entirely in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.
 
Medicare tax.   A 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount. Any liability for this additional Medicare tax will be reported on, and paid with, your federal income tax return.
 
Backup withholding.   A shareholder may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of Fund shares if the shareholder has provided either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, has failed to certify that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or has not certified that the shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 28%. State backup withholding may also apply.
 
State, local and foreign taxes.   Distributions of ordinary income and capital gains, and gains from the sale of your Fund shares, are generally subject to state and local taxes.  If the Fund qualifies, it may elect to pass through to you as a foreign tax credit or deduction any foreign taxes that it pays on its investments.
 
Non-U.S. investors.   Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at 30% or a lower treaty rate on Fund dividends of ordinary income. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. estate tax on the value of their shares. They are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding, claim any exemptions from withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from long-term capital gains, interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income from U.S. sources, and short-term capital gain dividends. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding tax at source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains will be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 28% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
 
Other reporting and withholding requirements.   Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution (FFI) or a non-financial foreign entity (NFFE) within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) may be subject to a 30% withholding tax on (a) income dividends, and (b) after December 31, 2018, certain capital gain distributions, return-of-capital distributions and the gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares paid by the Fund. FATCA withholding tax
 

 
35

 

generally can be avoided by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it enters into a valid agreement with the IRS to, among other requirements, report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI, and by an NFFE, if it certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them to the withholding agent, which will, in turn, report that information to the IRS. Information about a shareholder in the Fund may be disclosed to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of the Fund fails to provide the appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.
 
Other tax information.   This discussion of “Distributions and Taxes” is for general information only and is not tax advice. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding your particular circumstances, and about any federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences before making an investment in the Fund. Additional information about the tax consequences of investing in the Fund may be found in the SAI.
 
Index Provider
 
Each Underlying Index is a custom index that is owned and calculated by MSCI, and is based on an MSCI Index using a methodology developed with Franklin Templeton to reflect Franklin Templeton’s desired investment strategy.  Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC (FTC), an affiliate of Advisers, has entered into a license agreement with MSCI to use the Underlying Indexes.  MSCI creates, compiles, maintains, calculates and publishes each Underlying Index based upon specifications, designs, screens and other instructions provided by FTC.  Pursuant to an index sub-licensing agreement between FTC and Franklin Templeton ETF Trust, FTC provides the use of the Underlying Indexes and related intellectual property at no cost to the Franklin Templeton ETF Trust and the Funds.
 
Disclaimers
 
MSCI:
 
THE FUNDS ARE NOT SPONSORED, ENDORSED, SOLD OR PROMOTED BY MSCI INC. ( MSCI ), ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES, ANY OF ITS INFORMATION PROVIDERS OR ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN, OR RELATED TO, COMPILING, COMPUTING OR CREATING ANY MSCI INDEX (COLLECTIVELY, THE MSCI PARTIES ).  THE UNDERLYING INDEXES ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF MSCI.  MSCI AND THE UNDERLYING INDEX NAMES ARE SERVICE MARK(S) OF MSCI OR ITS AFFILIATES AND HAVE BEEN LICENSED FOR USE FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES BY FRANKLIN TEMPLETON COMPANIES, LLC.  NONE OF THE MSCI PARTIES MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE ISSUER OR OWNERS OF THE FUNDS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY REGARDING THE ADVISABILITY OF INVESTING IN FUNDS GENERALLY OR IN THE FUNDS PARTICULARLY OR THE ABILITY OF ANY UNDERLYING INDEX TO TRACK CORRESPONDING STOCK MARKET PERFORMANCE.  MSCI OR ITS AFFILIATES ARE THE LICENSORS OF CERTAIN TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS AND TRADE NAMES AND OF THE UNDERLYING INDEXES WHICH ARE DETERMINED, COMPOSED AND CALCULATED BY MSCI WITHOUT REGARD TO THE FUNDS OR THE ISSUER OR OWNERS OF THE FUNDS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY.  NONE OF THE MSCI PARTIES HAS ANY OBLIGATION TO TAKE THE NEEDS OF THE ISSUER OR OWNERS OF THE FUNDS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY INTO CONSIDERATION IN DETERMINING, COMPOSING OR CALCULATING THE UNDERLYING INDEXES.  NONE OF THE MSCI PARTIES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OR HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE TIMING OF, PRICES AT, OR QUANTITIES OF THE FUNDS TO BE ISSUED OR IN THE DETERMINATION OR CALCULATION OF THE EQUATION BY OR THE CONSIDERATION INTO WHICH THE FUNDS ARE REDEEMABLE.  FURTHER, NONE OF THE MSCI PARTIES HAS ANY OBLIGATION OR LIABILITY TO THE ISSUER OR OWNERS OF THE FUNDS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY IN CONNECTION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, MARKETING OR OFFERING OF THE FUNDS.
 
ALTHOUGH MSCI SHALL OBTAIN INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION OR FOR USE IN THE CALCULATION OF THE UNDERLYING INDEXES FROM SOURCES THAT MSCI CONSIDERS RELIABLE, NONE OF THE MSCI PARTIES WARRANTS OR GUARANTEES THE ORIGINALITY, ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF ANY UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN.  NONE OF THE MSCI PARTIES MAKES ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ISSUER OF THE FUNDS, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY, FROM THE USE OF ANY UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN.  NONE OF THE MSCI PARTIES SHALL HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR
 

 
36

 

INTERRUPTIONS OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN.  FURTHER, NONE OF THE MSCI PARTIES MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, AND THE MSCI PARTIES HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO EACH UNDERLYING INDEX AND ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN.  WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY OF THE MSCI PARTIES HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS) EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
 
No purchaser, seller or holder of this security, product or fund, or any other person or entity, should use or refer to any MSCI trade name, trademark or service mark in a manner that implies sponsorship or endorsement of this security without first contacting MSCI to determine whether MSCI’s permission is required.  Under no circumstances may any person or entity claim any affiliation with MSCI without the prior written permission of MSCI.
 
Franklin Templeton:
 
Neither FTC, Advisers or any of their affiliates (together, “Franklin Templeton”) guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Underlying Indexes or any data included therein, and Franklin Templeton shall not have any liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein.  Franklin Templeton does not make any warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Funds, owners of the shares of the Funds or any other person or entity from the use of the Underlying Indexes or any data included therein.  Franklin Templeton does not make any express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Underlying Indexes or any data included therein.  Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall Franklin Templeton have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits) arising out of matters relating to the use of the Underlying Indexes, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.
 
Financial Highlights
 
There is no financial information for the Funds because they are new funds.
 

 
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Shareholder Information
 
Buying and Selling Shares
 
Shares of the Fund may be acquired or redeemed directly from the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the Creations and Redemptions section of this prospectus. Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.
 
Shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange for trading during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. The Franklin Templeton ETF Trust (the “Trust”) does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Shares of the Fund trade under the following symbol:
 
Fund
Symbol
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
FLQH
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
FLQE
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
FLQD
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
FLQG

Buying or selling Fund shares on an exchange involves two types of costs that may apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your broker. The commission is frequently a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares. In addition, you may incur the cost of the “spread,” that is, any difference between the bid price and the ask price. The spread varies over time for shares of the Fund based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund has a lot of trading volume and market liquidity, and higher if the Fund has little trading volume and market liquidity.
 
The Board of Trustees has not adopted a policy of monitoring for frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (frequent trading) that appear to attempt to take advantage of a potential arbitrage opportunity presented by a lag between a change in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities after the close of the primary markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in the Fund’s NAV (market timing), because the Fund generally sells and redeems its shares directly through transactions that are in-kind and/or for cash, subject to the conditions described below under Creations and Redemptions. The Board of Trustees has not adopted a policy of monitoring for frequent trading activity because shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange.
 
The Fund’s primary listing exchange is NYSE Arca, Inc., which is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
 
Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (1940 Act) restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules or in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) pursuant to the exemptive relief obtained by the Trust, the registered investment company must enter into an agreement with the Trust.
 
Book Entry
 
Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no share certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (DTC) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.
 

 
38

 


 
Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.
 
Share Prices
 
The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and are affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors. Information regarding the intraday value of shares of the Fund, also known as the “indicative optimized portfolio value” (IOPV), is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the national securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares are listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The IOPV is based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash contained in the portfolio at the beginning of a trading day. The IOPV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by the Fund at a particular point in time or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. Therefore, the IOPV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the Fund’s NAV, which is computed only once a day. The IOPV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities held by the Fund. The quotations of certain Fund holdings may not be updated during U.S. trading hours if such holdings do not trade in the United States. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the IOPV and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy.
 
Calculating NAV
 
The NAV of the Fund is determined by deducting the Fund’s liabilities from the total assets of the portfolio. The NAV per share is determined by dividing the total NAV of the Fund by the number of shares outstanding.
 
The Fund calculates the NAV per share each business day as of 1 p.m. Pacific time which normally coincides with the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).  The Fund does not calculate the NAV on days the NYSE is closed for trading, which include New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  If the NYSE has a scheduled early close or unscheduled early close, the Fund’s share price would still be determined as of 1 p.m. Pacific time/4 p.m. Eastern time.  The Fund’s NAV per share is readily available online at libertyshares.com.
 
When determining its NAV, the Fund values cash and receivables at their realizable amounts, and records interest as accrued and dividends on the ex-dividend date. The Fund generally uses two independent pricing services to assist in determining a current market value for each security. If market quotations are readily available for portfolio securities listed on a securities exchange, the Fund values those securities at the last quoted sale price or the official closing price of the day, respectively, or, if there is no reported sale, within the range of the most recent quoted bid and ask prices. The Fund values over-the-counter portfolio securities within the range of the most recent bid and ask prices. If portfolio securities trade both in the over-the-counter market and on a stock exchange, the Fund values them according to the broadest and most representative market.
 
Generally, trading in corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times before the close of the NYSE. The value of these securities used in computing the NAV is determined as of such times. Occasionally, events affecting the values of these securities may occur between the times at which they are determined and the close of the NYSE that will not be reflected in the computation of the NAV. The Fund relies on third-party pricing vendors to provide evaluated prices that reflect current fair market value at the close of the NYSE.
 
Fair Valuation – Individual Securities
 
The Fund has procedures, approved by the Board of Trustees, to determine the fair value of individual securities and other assets for which market prices are not readily available (such as certain restricted or unlisted securities and private placements) or which may not be reliably priced (such as in the case of trade suspensions or halts, price movement limits set by certain foreign markets, and
 

 
39

 

thinly traded or illiquid securities). Some methods for valuing these securities may include: fundamental analysis (earnings multiple, etc.), matrix pricing, discounts from market prices of similar securities, or discounts applied due to the nature and duration of restrictions on the disposition of the securities. The Board of Trustees oversees the application of fair value pricing procedures.
 
The application of fair value pricing procedures represents a good faith determination based upon specifically applied procedures. There can be no assurance that the Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were able to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Fund determines its NAV per share.  Use of fair value prices and certain current market valuations could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s NAV and the prices used by the Underlying Index, which, in turn, could result in a difference between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Underlying Index and introduce tracking error.
 
Security Valuation – Foreign Securities – Computation of U.S. Equivalent Value
 
The Fund generally determines the value of a foreign security as of the close of trading on the foreign stock exchange on which the security is primarily traded, or as of the close of trading on the NYSE, if earlier. The value is then converted into its U.S. dollar equivalent at the foreign exchange rate in effect at 4:00 p.m. London time on the day that the value of the foreign security is determined. If no sale is reported at that time, the foreign security will be valued within the range of the most recent quoted bid and ask prices. Occasionally events (such as repatriation limits or restrictions) may impact the availability or reliability of foreign exchange rates used to convert the U.S. dollar equivalent value. If such an event occurs, the foreign exchange rate will be valued at fair value using procedures established and approved by the Board of Trustees.  Use of a rate different from the rate used by an Underlying Index may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to track the Underlying Index and introduce tracking error.
 
Security Valuation – Foreign Securities – Potential Impact of Time Zones and Market Holidays
 
Trading in securities on foreign securities stock exchanges and over-the-counter markets, such as those in Europe and Asia, may be completed well before the close of business on the NYSE on each day that the NYSE is open. Occasionally, events occur between the time at which trading in a foreign security is completed and the close of the NYSE that might call into question the availability (including the reliability) of the value of a foreign portfolio security held by the Fund.  In accordance with procedures established and approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees, the investment manager monitors price movements following the close of trading in foreign stock markets through a series of country specific market proxies (such as baskets of American Depositary Receipts, futures contracts and ETFs).
 
These price movements are measured against established trigger thresholds for each specific market proxy to assist in determining if an event has occurred that might call into question the availability (including the reliability) of the values of foreign securities between the times at which they are determined and the close of the NYSE. If such an event occurs, the foreign securities may be valued using fair value procedures established and approved by the Board of Trustees. In certain circumstances these procedures include the use of independent pricing services. The intended effect of applying fair value pricing is to compute an NAV that accurately reflects the value of the Fund’s portfolio at the time that the NAV is calculated.
 
In addition, trading in foreign portfolio securities generally, or in securities markets in a particular country or countries, may not take place on every NYSE business day.  Furthermore, trading takes place in various foreign markets on days that are not business days for the NYSE, and on which the Fund’s NAV is not calculated (in which case, the net asset value of the Fund’s shares may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell Fund shares). Thus, the calculation of the Fund’s NAV does not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of many of the foreign portfolio securities used in the calculation.  If events affecting the last determined values of these foreign securities occur (determined through the monitoring process described above), the securities will be valued at fair value determined in good faith in accordance with the Fund’s fair value procedures established and approved by the Board of Trustees.
 
Creations and Redemptions
 
Prior to trading in the secondary market, shares of the Fund are “created” at NAV by market makers, large investors and institutions only in block-size Creation Units of 200,000 shares or multiples thereof. Each “creator” or “Authorized Participant” enters into an authorized participant agreement (AP Agreement) with Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors), an affiliate of Advisers. Only an Authorized Participant may create or redeem Creation Units directly with the Fund.
 

 
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A creation transaction, which is subject to acceptance by the Fund’s transfer agent, takes place when an Authorized Participant deposits into the Fund a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) and a specified amount of cash approximating the holdings of the Fund in exchange for a specified number of Creation Units. Similarly, shares can be redeemed only in Creation Units, generally for a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) held by the Fund and a specified amount of cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares are not redeemable by the Fund.
 
The prices at which creations and redemptions occur are based on the next calculation of NAV after a creation or redemption order is received in an acceptable form under the AP Agreement. The portfolio of securities required for purchase of a Creation Unit may be different than the portfolio of securities the Fund will deliver upon redemption of Fund shares.  The in-kind deposit, or redemption, of a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) held by the Fund in connection with a purchase or redemption of a Creation Unit generally will correspond pro rata , except under certain circumstances, to the securities held by the Fund. As a result of any system failure or other interruption, creation or redemption orders either may not be executed according to the Fund’s instructions or may not be executed at all, or the Fund may not be able to place or change such orders.
 
Creations and redemptions must be made through a firm that is either a broker-dealer or other participant in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or a DTC participant and, in either case, has executed an AP Agreement with Distributors. Information about the procedures regarding creations and redemptions of Creation Units (including the cut-off times for receipt of creation and redemption orders) is included in the Fund’s SAI.
 
Because new shares may be created and issued on an ongoing basis, at any point during the life of the Fund a “distribution,” as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may be occurring. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner that could render them statutory underwriters and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act. Any determination of whether one is an underwriter must take into account all the relevant facts and circumstances of each particular case.
 
Broker-dealers should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted to ordinary secondary transactions), and thus dealing with shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the 1933 Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the 1933 Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the 1933 Act is available only with respect to transactions on a national securities exchange.
 
Premium/Discount Information
 
Information regarding how often the shares of the Fund traded on NYSE Arca, Inc. at a price above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) the NAV of the Fund can be found at libertyshares.com.
 
Distribution
 
Distributors or its agents distribute Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. Distributors does not maintain a secondary market in shares of the Fund. Distributors is an affiliate of Advisers.
 
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
 
The Fund has adopted a distribution plan, sometimes known as a Rule 12b-1 plan, that allows the Fund to pay distribution fees of up to 0.25% per year, to those who sell and distribute Fund shares and provide other services to shareholders. However, the Board of Trustees has determined not to authorize payment of a Rule 12b-1 plan fee at this time.
 
Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
 

 
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For More Information
 
You can learn more about the Fund in the following documents:
 
Annual/Semiannual Report to Shareholders
 
Includes a discussion of recent market conditions and Fund strategies that significantly affected Fund performance during its last fiscal year, financial statements, detailed performance information, portfolio holdings and, in the annual report only, the independent registered public accounting firm’s report.
 
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
 
Contains more information about the Fund, its investments and policies. It is incorporated by reference (is legally a part of this prospectus).
 
For a free copy of the current annual/semiannual report, when available, or the SAI, please contact your investment representative or call us at the number below. You also can view the current annual/semiannual report, when available, and the SAI online through libertyshares.com.
 
You also can obtain information about the Fund by visiting the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC (phone (202) 551-8090) or the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-1520 or by electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
 

 

 
Individual investors should contact their financial advisor or broker dealer representative for more information about Franklin Templeton ETFs.  Financial Professionals should call (800) DIAL BEN ® /342-5236.

One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
libertyshares.com
For hearing impaired assistance, please contact us via a Relay Service.
 
Investment Company Act file #811-23124
 
© 2016 Franklin Templeton Investments. All rights reserved.
   
ETF P 06/16

 

 
 

 

 
Statement of Additional Information
May 17, 2016



Franklin Templeton ETF Trust
 


 
TICKER:
EXCHANGE:
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ INTERNATIONAL EQUITY HEDGED ETF
FLQH
NYSE Arca, Inc.
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ EMERGING MARKETS ETF
FLQE
NYSE Arca, Inc.
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL DIVIDEND ETF
FLQD
NYSE Arca, Inc.
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL EQUITY ETF
FLQG
NYSE Arca, Inc.

 
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus. It contains information in addition to the information in the Funds’ (hereafter “the Fund”) prospectus. The Fund’s prospectus, dated May 17, 2016, which we may amend from time to time, contains the basic information you should know before investing in the Fund. You should read this SAI together with the Fund’s prospectus.
For a free copy of the current prospectus or annual report, contact your investment representative or call (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
CONTENTS
 
 
1
1
2
18
24
25
28
31
32
42
43
58
59
59
62
 
ETFs, annuities, and other investment products:
·   are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government;
·   are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank; and
·   are subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of principal.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
P.O. Box 997151
Sacramento, CA 95899-7151
 
Individual investors should contact their financial advisor or broker dealer representative for more information about Franklin Templeton ETFs. Financial Professionals should call (800) DIAL BEN ® /342-5236.
ETF SAI 06/16

 
 

 



General Description of the Trust and the Fund  
 
The Fund is a diversified series of Franklin Templeton ETF Trust (Trust), an open-end management investment company. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust effective October 9, 2015 and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
 
Each Fund’s investment goal is to seek to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Fund’s corresponding underlying index (each an “Underlying Index” and, collectively, the “Underlying Indexes”).  The Fund’s investment manager is Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers). Advisers is a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. (Resources), a publicly owned company engaged in the financial services industry through its subsidiaries.
 
The Fund offers and issues shares at their net asset value per share (NAV) only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (Creation Unit), generally in exchange for a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) included in its Underlying Index (Deposit Securities), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (Cash Component). Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (Listing Exchange or NYSE Arca), a national securities exchange. Shares of the Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Shares are redeemable only in Creation Units, and, generally, in exchange for portfolio securities and a Cash Component. Creation Units typically are a specified number of shares, generally 200,000 or multiples thereof.
 
The Trust reserves the right to permit or require that creations and redemptions of shares are effected fully or partially in cash. Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities, subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain with the Trust a cash deposit equal to at least 105% and up to 115%, which percentage the Trust may change from time to time, of the market value of the omitted Deposit Securities. See the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of this SAI. Transaction fees and other costs associated with creations or redemptions that include a cash portion may be higher than the transaction fees and other costs associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, conditions and fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of SEC rules and regulations applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.
 
Exchange Listing and Trading  
 
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the “Shareholder Information” section of the Fund’s prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, that section of the prospectus.
 
Shares of the Fund are listed for trading, and trade throughout the day, on the Listing Exchange and in other secondary markets. Shares of the Fund may also be listed on certain non-U.S. exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. The Listing Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing if (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days, (ii) the value of the Underlying Index on which the Fund is based is no longer calculated or available, (iii) the “indicative optimized portfolio value” (IOPV) of the Fund is no longer calculated or available, or (iv) any other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Listing Exchange, makes further dealings on the Listing Exchange inadvisable. The Listing Exchange will also remove shares of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.
 
As in the case of other publicly traded securities, when you buy or sell shares through a broker, you will incur a brokerage commission determined by that broker.
 
In order to provide additional information regarding the indicative value of shares of the Fund, the Listing Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates information every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, or through other widely disseminated means, an updated IOPV for the Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IOPVs and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IOPVs.
 
An IOPV has a securities component and a cash component. The securities values included in an IOPV are the values of the Deposit Securities for the Fund. While the IOPV reflects the current value of the Deposit Securities required to be deposited in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit, it does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by the Fund at a particular point in time because the current portfolio of the Fund may include securities that are not a part of the current
 

 
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Deposit Securities. Therefore, the Fund’s IOPV disseminated during the Listing Exchange trading hours should not be viewed as a real-time update of the Fund’s NAV, which is calculated only once a day.  The Fund’s IOPV is not calculated by the Fund.
 
The cash component included in an IOPV consists of estimated accrued interest, dividends and other income, less expenses. If applicable, each IOPV also reflects changes in currency exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the applicable currency.
 
The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund or an investor’s equity interest in the Fund.
 
Goals, Strategies and Risks  
 
The following information provided with respect to the Fund is in addition to that included in the Fund’s prospectus. The Fund is a passively managed exchange-traded fund (ETF) and is not actively managed. Adverse performance of a security in a Fund’s portfolio will ordinarily not result in the elimination of the security from the Fund’s portfolio.  Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets, exclusive of collateral held from securities lending, in the component securities of the Underlying Index and in depositary receipts representing such securities.  The Fund may invest in cash and cash equivalents, including shares of affiliated money market funds, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which Advisers believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index.
 
The Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF’s Underlying Index (the “International Equity Hedged Underlying Index”) incorporates a hedge against non-U.S. currency fluctuations by reflecting the impact of rolling monthly currency forward contracts on the currencies represented in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index (the “hedge impact”). The return of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is calculated as the sum of the return of the corresponding unhedged index denominated in U.S. dollars plus the hedge impact.  The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is calculated as if it sells forward the total value of the non-U.S. dollar denominated securities included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index at a one-month forward rate to effectively create a hedge against fluctuations in the relative value of each of the component currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The hedge is reset on a monthly basis by simulating the setting up of a similar transaction in which the notional amount of the forwards sold represents the new month-end value of the non-U.S. dollar denominated securities included in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index. No adjustment to the hedge is made during the month to account for changes in the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index due to price movement of securities, corporate events, additions, deletions or any other changes (i.e., the amount hedged is kept constant over the whole month). The International Equity Hedged Underlying Index is designed to have higher returns than an equivalent unhedged index when the component currencies are weakening relative to the U.S. dollar. Conversely, the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index will have lower returns than an equivalent unhedged index when the component currencies are rising relative to the U.S. dollar.
 
In order to replicate the hedge impact incorporated in the calculation of the International Equity Hedged Underlying Index, the Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF intends to enter into monthly foreign currency forward contracts designed to offset the Fund’s exposure to the component currencies. The Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF’s exposure to foreign currency forward contracts is based on the aggregate exposure of the Fund to the component currencies. While this approach is designed to minimize the impact of currency fluctuations on Fund returns, it does not necessarily eliminate the Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF’s exposure to the component currencies. The return of the foreign currency forward contracts will not perfectly offset the actual fluctuations between the component currencies and the U.S. dollar. Currency forward contracts are discussed in greater detail in the section below entitled “Derivative instruments – Currency forward contracts .”
 
The Fund may use a representative sampling strategy to invest in a representative sample of the securities included in the Fund’s Underlying Index, which the investment manager deems to have similar investment characteristics. A fund that uses representative sampling generally does not hold all of the securities that are in its underlying index and may hold other securities that are not included in its underlying index.
 
In addition to the main types of investments and strategies undertaken by the Fund as described in the prospectus, the Fund also may invest in other types of instruments and engage in and pursue other investment strategies, which are described in this SAI. Investments and investment strategies with respect to the Fund are discussed in greater detail in the section below entitled “ Glossary of Investments, Techniques, Strategies and Their Risks .”
 
Generally, the policies and restrictions discussed in this SAI and in the prospectus apply when the Fund makes an investment. In most cases, the Fund is not required to sell an investment because circumstances change and the investment no longer meets one or more of the Fund’s policies or restrictions. If a percentage restriction or limitation is met at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease
 

 
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in the percentage due to a change in the value or liquidity of portfolio investments will not be considered a violation of the restriction or limitation, with the exception of the Fund’s limitations on borrowing as described herein or unless otherwise noted herein.
 
Incidental to the Fund’s other investment activities, including in connection with a bankruptcy, restructuring, workout, or other extraordinary events concerning a particular investment the Fund owns, the Fund may receive equity securities (including convertible securities, warrants and rights), real estate or other investments that the Fund normally would not, or could not, buy. If this happens, the Fund may, although it is not required to, sell such investments as soon as practicable while seeking to maximize the return to shareholders.
 
The Fund has adopted certain investment restrictions as fundamental and non-fundamental policies. A fundamental policy may only be changed if the change is approved by (i) more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding shares or (ii) 67% or more of the Fund’s shares present at a shareholder meeting if more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding shares are represented at the meeting in person or by proxy, whichever is less. A non-fundamental policy may be changed without the approval of shareholders.
 
For more information about the restrictions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (1940 Act) on the Fund with respect to borrowing and senior securities, see “ Glossary of Investments, Techniques, Strategies and Their Risks - Borrowing” below.
 
Fundamental Investment Policies
 
The Fund has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental investment policies:
 
The Fund may not:
 
1.  Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC.
 
2.  Act as an underwriter, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter when disposing of securities it owns or when selling its own shares.
 
3.  Make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other persons, including other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC. This limitation does not apply to (i) the lending of portfolio securities, (ii) the purchase of debt securities, other debt instruments, loan participations and/or engaging in direct corporate loans in accordance with its investment goals and policies, and (iii) repurchase agreements to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan.
 
4.  Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from (i) purchasing or selling securities or instruments secured by real estate or interests therein, securities or instruments representing interests in real estate or securities or instruments of issuers that invest, deal or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests therein, and (ii) making, purchasing or selling real estate mortgage loans.
 
5.  Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless such physical commodities are acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that for this purpose currencies are not considered physical commodities, and that this restriction shall not prevent the Fund from (i) purchasing or selling securities or instruments of companies that purchase or sell commodities or that invest in commodities; (ii) engaging in any transaction involving options, forwards, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swaps, hybrid instruments, or other derivative instruments; or (iii) purchasing or selling investments in securities or engaging in transactions in other instruments that are linked to or secured by physical or other commodities.
 
6.  Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC.
 
7.  Invest more than 25% of the Fund’s net assets in securities of issuers in any one industry (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies, whether registered or excluded from registration under Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act), except that the Fund will concentrate to approximately the same extent that its Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries. Accordingly, if the Fund’s Underlying Index stops concentrating in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will also discontinue concentrating in such securities.
 

 
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8.  Purchase the securities of any one issuer (other than the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies, whether registered or excluded from registration under Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act) if immediately after such investment (i) more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in such issuer or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be owned by the Fund, except that up to 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested without regard to such 5% and 10% limitations.
 
Non-Fundamental Investment Policies
 
The Fund’s investment goal is to seek to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Underlying Index. Each of the Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF and Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy in accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act to invest at least 80% of its assets in equity securities or investments, such as depositary receipts, that are the type of investments, or are economically tied to the particular country or geographic region, suggested by the Fund’s name.  Each Fund considers the securities or investments that are the type of investments, or are economically tied to the particular country or geographic region, suggested by the Fund’s name to be those securities or investments that comprise the respective Underlying Index.  For purposes of such investment policy, “assets” include the Fund’s net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes. The Fund’s 80% policy is non-fundamental, which means that it may be changed by the board of trustees without the approval of shareholders. Shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ advance notice of any change to the Fund’s 80% policy.
 
The Fund may not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. As a matter of policy, however, the Fund will not purchase shares of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust, in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or (G) (the “fund of funds” provisions) of the 1940 Act, at any time the Fund has knowledge that its shares are purchased by another investment company investor in reliance on the provisions of subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1).
 
Additional Strategies
 
In trying to achieve its investment goals, the Fund may invest in the types of instruments or engage in the types of transactions identified below and in the section “ Glossary of Investments, Techniques, Strategies and Their Risks ,” which also describes the risks associated with these investment policies. The Fund may or may not use all of these techniques at any one time.
 
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
 
The Fund may:
 
 
·
enter into foreign currency forward contracts
 
All Funds
 
The Fund may invest, buy or engage in:
 
 
·
lending of portfolio securities up to 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets, measured at the time of the most recent loan
 
 
·
repurchase agreements
 
 
·
depositary receipts
 
 
·
Franklin Templeton money market funds
 
 
·
up to 15% of its net assets in restricted or illiquid securities
 
Glossary of Investments, Techniques, Strategies and Their Risks
 
Certain words or phrases may be used in descriptions of Fund investment policies and strategies to give investors a general sense of the Fund’s levels of investment. They are broadly identified with, but not limited to, the following percentages of Fund total assets:
 
“small portion”
less than 10%
“portion”
10% to 25%
“significant”
25% to 50%

 
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“substantial”
50% to 66%
“primary”
66% to 80%
“predominant”
80% or more
 
If the Fund intends to limit particular investments or strategies to no more than specific percentages of Fund assets, the prospectus or SAI will clearly identify such limitations. The percentages above are not limitations unless specifically stated as such in the Fund’s prospectus or elsewhere in this SAI.
 
The Fund may invest in securities that are rated by various rating agencies such as Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services (S&P ® ), as well as securities that are unrated.
 
The NAV and trading price of your shares in the Fund will increase as the value of the investments owned by the Fund increases and will decrease as the value of the Fund’s investments decreases. In this way, you participate in any change in the value of the investments owned by the Fund. In addition to the factors that affect the value of any particular investment that the Fund owns, the NAV and trading price of the Fund’s shares may also change with movements in the investment markets as a whole.
 
The following is a description of various types of securities, instruments and techniques that may be purchased and/or used by the Fund:
 
Borrowing   The 1940 Act and the SEC’s current rules, exemptions and interpretations thereunder, permit the Fund to borrow up to one-third of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed, but less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) from banks. The Fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage of at least 300% with respect to such borrowings and to reduce the amount of its borrowings (within three days excluding Sundays and holidays) to restore such coverage if it should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or otherwise. In the event that the Fund is required to reduce its borrowings, it may have to sell portfolio holdings, even if such sale of the Fund’s holdings would be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint.
 
If the Fund makes additional investments while borrowings are outstanding, this may be considered a form of leverage. Leveraging by means of borrowing may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of portfolio securities on the Fund’s net asset value, and money borrowed will be subject to interest and other costs (which may include commitment fees and/or the cost of maintaining minimum average balances), which may or may not exceed the income or gains received from the securities purchased with borrowed funds.
 
In addition to borrowings that are subject to 300% asset coverage and are considered by the SEC to be permitted “senior securities,” the Fund is also permitted under the 1940 Act to borrow for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets at the time when the loan is made. A loan will be presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed.
 
Segregation of assets.   Consistent with SEC staff guidance, financial instruments that involve the Fund’s obligation to make future payments to third parties will not be viewed as creating any senior security provided that the Fund covers its obligations as described below. Those financial instruments can include, among others, (i) securities purchased or sold on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or to be announced basis, (ii) futures contracts, (iii) forward currency contracts, (iv) swaps, (v) written options, (vi) unfunded commitments, (vii) securities sold short, and (viii) reverse repurchase agreements.
 
Consistent with SEC staff guidance, the Fund will consider its obligations involving such a financial instrument as “covered” when the Fund (1) maintains an offsetting financial position, or (2) segregates liquid assets (constituting cash, cash equivalents or other liquid portfolio securities) equal to the Fund’s exposures relating to the financial instrument, as determined on a daily basis. Dedicated Fund compliance policies and procedures, which the Fund’s board has approved, govern the kinds of transactions that can be deemed to be offsetting positions for purposes of (1) above, and the amounts of assets that need to be segregated for purposes of (2) above (Asset Segregation Policies).
 
In the case of forward currency contracts, the Fund may offset the contracts for purposes of (1) above when the counterparties, terms and amounts match; otherwise an appropriate amount of assets will be segregated consistent with (2) above. Segregated assets for purposes of (2) above are not required to be physically segregated from other Fund assets, but are segregated through appropriate notation on the books of the Fund or the Fund’s custodian.
 

 
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The Fund’s Asset Segregation Policies may require the Fund to sell a portfolio security or exit a transaction, including a transaction in a financial instrument, at a disadvantageous time or price in order for the Fund to be able to segregate the required amount of assets. If segregated assets decline in value, the Fund will need to segregate additional assets or reduce its position in the financial instruments. In addition, segregated assets may not be available to satisfy redemptions or for other purposes, until the Fund’s obligations under the financial instruments have been satisfied. In addition, the Fund’s ability to use the financial instruments identified above may under some circumstances depend on the nature of the instrument and amount of assets that the Asset Segregation Policies require the Fund to segregate.
 
The Asset Segregation Policies provide, consistent with current SEC staff positions, that for futures and forward contracts that require only cash settlement, and swap agreements that call for periodic netting between the Fund and its counterparty, the segregated amount is the net amount due under the contract, as determined daily on a mark-to-market basis. For other kinds of futures, forwards and swaps, the Fund must segregate a larger amount of assets to cover its obligations, which essentially limits the Fund’s ability to use these instruments. If the SEC staff changes its positions concerning the segregation of the net amount due under certain forwards, futures and swap contracts, the ability of the Fund to use the financial instruments could be negatively affected.
 
Depositary receipts   Many securities of foreign issuers are represented by American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs) (collectively, depositary receipts). Generally, depositary receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market and depositary receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the U.S.
 
ADRs evidence ownership of, and represent the right to receive, securities of foreign issuers deposited in a domestic bank or trust company or a foreign correspondent bank. Prices of ADRs are quoted in U.S. dollars, and ADRs are traded in the U.S. on exchanges or over-the-counter. While ADRs do not eliminate all the risks associated with foreign investments, by investing in ADRs rather than directly in the stock of foreign issuers, the Fund will avoid currency and certain foreign market trading risks during the settlement period for either purchases or sales. In general, there is a large, liquid market in the U.S. for ADRs quoted on a national securities exchange. The information available for ADRs is subject to the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards of the U.S. market or exchange on which they are traded, which standards are generally more uniform and more exacting than those to which many foreign issuers may be subject.
 
EDRs and GDRs are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or a U.S. corporation. EDRs and GDRs may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution in the issuer’s home country. If the issuer’s home country does not have developed financial markets, the Fund could be exposed to the credit risk of the custodian or financial institution and greater market risk. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends and interest, and processing corporate actions. The Fund would be expected to pay a share of the additional fees, which it would not pay if investing directly in the foreign securities. The Fund may experience delays in receiving its dividend and interest payments or exercising rights as a shareholder.
 
Depositary receipts may reduce some but not eliminate all the risks inherent in investing in the securities of foreign issuers. Depositary receipts are still subject to the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer’s country and are still subject to foreign currency exchange risk. Depositary receipts will be issued under sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depositary receipts. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information about an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program. There may be an increased possibility of untimely responses to certain corporate actions of the issuer, such as stock splits and rights offerings, in an unsponsored program. Accordingly, there may be less information available regarding issuers of securities underlying unsponsored programs and there may not be a correlation between this information and the market value of the depositary receipts. If the Fund’s investment depends on obligations being met by the arranger as well as the issuer of an unsponsored program, the Fund will be exposed to additional credit risk.
 
Derivative instruments   Generally, derivatives are financial instruments whose value depends on or is derived from, the value of one or more underlying assets, reference rates, or indices or other market factors (a “reference instrument”) and may relate to stocks, bonds, interest rates, credit, currencies, commodities or related indices. Derivative instruments can provide an efficient means to gain or reduce exposure to the value of a reference instrument without actually owning or selling the instrument. Some common types of derivatives include options, futures, forwards and swaps.
 

 
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Derivative instruments may be used for “hedging,” which means that they may be used when the investment manager seeks to protect a fund’s investments from a decline in value resulting from changes to interest rates, market prices, currency fluctuations or other market factors. Derivative instruments may also be used for other purposes, including to seek to increase liquidity, provide efficient portfolio management, broaden investment opportunities (including taking short or negative positions), implement a tax or cash management strategy, gain exposure to a particular security or segment of the market, modify the effective duration of a fund’s portfolio investments and/or enhance total return. However derivative instruments are used, their successful use is not assured and will depend upon, among other factors, the investment manager’s ability to gauge relevant market movements.
 
Derivative instruments may be used for purposes of direct hedging. Direct hedging means that the transaction must be intended to reduce a specific risk exposure of a portfolio security or its denominated currency and must also be directly related to such security or currency. Derivative instruments may also be used for other purposes, as described above. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments may be limited from time to time by policies adopted by the board of trustees or the Fund’s investment manager.
 
Because some derivative instruments used by the Fund may oblige the Fund to make payments or incur additional obligations in the future, the SEC requires investment companies to “cover” or segregate liquid assets equal to the potential exposure created by such derivatives. The obligation to cover or segregate such assets is described more fully under “Borrowing” in this SAI.
 
Exclusion of investment manager from commodity pool operator definition.     With respect to the Fund, the investment manager has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (CPO) under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, with respect to the Fund, the investment manager is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of “commodity trading advisor” (CTA) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC.
 
The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in “commodity interests.” Commodity interests include commodity futures, commodity options and swaps, which in turn include non-deliverable currency forward contracts, as further described below. Because the investment manager and the Fund intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, the Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment goal, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the investment manager’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Fund, its investment strategies or this SAI.
 
Generally, the exclusion from CPO regulation on which the investment manager relies requires the Fund to meet one of the following tests for its commodity interest positions, other than positions entered into for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined in the rules of the CFTC): either (1) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the Fund’s positions in commodity interests may not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions); or (2) the aggregate net notional value of the Fund’s commodity interest positions, determined at the time the most recent such position was established, may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of these trading limitations, the Fund may not be marketed as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. If, in the future, the Fund can no longer satisfy these requirements, the investment manager would withdraw its notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of a CPO, and the investment manager would be subject to registration and regulation as a CPO with respect to the Fund, in accordance with CFTC rules that apply to CPOs of registered investment companies. Generally, these rules allow for substituted compliance with CFTC disclosure and shareholder reporting requirements, based on the investment manager’s compliance with comparable SEC requirements. However, as a result of CFTC regulation with respect to the Fund, the Fund may incur additional compliance and other expenses.
 
Currency transactions .  The Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF, which seeks to track an Underlying Index with a hedging component, expects to engage in currency transactions for the purpose of hedging against declines in the value of the Fund’s assets that are denominated in a non-U.S. currency. The Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF and Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF, however, which do not seek to track Underlying Indexes with hedging components, do not expect to engage in currency transactions for the purpose of hedging against declines in the value of the Funds’ assets that are denominated in a non-U.S. currency.  The Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF may also enter into physically-settled non-U.S. currency forwards, and the Funds may enter into spot currency transactions to facilitate local securities settlements or to protect against currency exposure in connection with their distributions to shareholders, but the Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF and Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF may not enter into such contracts for speculative purposes. Reliance on physically-settled foreign currency may require the Fund to set aside a greater amount of liquid assets than would generally be required if the Fund were relying on cash-settled foreign currency forward contracts or NDFs. This would also generally be true if the
 

 
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Fund were to use other types of physically-settled currency contracts to track the Underlying Index (with respect to the Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF), facilitate local securities settlements or protect against currency exposure.
 
Risks of currency transactions.   Currency transactions may involve a significant degree of risk and the markets in which currency transactions are effected may be highly volatile, highly specialized and highly technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time, often within minutes. Foreign exchange trading risks include, but are not limited to, exchange rate risk, counterparty risk, maturity gap, interest rate risk, and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local exchange markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in non-U.S. currency. If the investment manager utilizes currency transactions at an inappropriate time or judges market conditions, trends or correlations incorrectly, currency transactions may not serve their intended purpose of improving the correlation of the Fund’s return with the performance of its Underlying Index and may lower the Fund’s return. The Fund could experience losses if the value of its currency forwards and other currency transaction positions were poorly correlated with its other investments or with its other currency hedges or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market or otherwise. In addition, the Fund could incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with non-U.S. currency transactions and costs related to investment opportunities due to the fact it will be required to set aside liquid assets equal to its obligations under its currency forwards in order to satisfy applicable requirements under the 1940 Act. Similarly, because the Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF seeks to hedge currency risk in accordance with its Underlying Index, investors will not share in appreciation in the securities comprising the Underlying Index to the extent that such appreciation is due to increases in the currency value of the underlying securities.
 
Hedging (Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF) .  Hedging is a strategy in which a derivative is used to offset particular risks associated with other Fund holdings. Losses on the other investment may be substantially reduced by gains on a derivative that reacts in an opposite manner to market movements. While hedging can reduce losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by the Fund or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge. Establishment of hedges, if not tailored properly or timed in accordance with market changes, may not be effective in meeting the Fund’s intended objectives. This is due to the fact that hedging also involves correlation risk, i.e., the risk that changes in the value of the derivative will not match those of the holdings being hedged as expected by the Fund, in which case any losses on the holdings being hedged may not be reduced or may be increased. In connection with its trading in foreign currency forward contracts, the Fund will contract with a foreign or domestic bank, foreign or domestic securities dealer or other intermediary, to make or take future delivery of a specified amount of a particular currency. In light of pending regulatory changes under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and other regulatory regimes, the Fund may be required to enter into foreign currency forward contracts on a regulated exchange or facility and clear the contracts through a central counterparty. The Fund may also be subject to position limits in respect to the contracts established by a regulatory authority or exchange. There are no limitations on daily price moves in such foreign currency forward contracts, and banks and dealers are not required to continue to make markets in such contracts. There have been periods during which certain banks or dealers have refused to quote prices for such foreign currency forward contracts or have quoted prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which the bank or dealer is prepared to buy and that at which it is prepared to sell. Governmental imposition of credit controls might limit any such foreign currency forward contract trading. With respect to its trading of foreign currency forward contracts, if any, the Fund will be subject to the risk of bank or dealer failure and the inability of, or refusal by, a bank or dealer to perform with respect to such contracts or, in the case of cleared contracts, the refusal of a central counterparty to clear a contract that is subject to mandatory clearing. Any such default would deprive the Fund of any potential profit or force the Fund to cover its commitments for resale at the then market price and could result in a loss to the Fund. The cost to the Fund of engaging in foreign currency forward contracts varies with such factors as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing.  For more general information about the mechanics of currency forward contracts, see “Currency forward contracts” below.
 
Currency forward contracts.   A currency forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific non-U.S. currency in exchange for another currency, which may be U.S. dollars, at an agreed exchange rate (price) at a future date. Currency forwards are typically individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers in the interbank market. A cross currency forward is a forward contract to sell a specific non-U.S. currency in exchange for another non-U.S. currency and may be used when the price of one of those non-U.S. currencies is expected to experience a substantial movement against the other non-U.S. currency. A currency forward contract will tend to reduce or eliminate exposure to the currency that is sold, and increase exposure to the currency that is purchased, similar to when a fund sells a security denominated in one currency and purchases a security denominated in another currency. For example, a fund may enter into a forward contract when it owns a security that is denominated in a non-U.S. currency and desires to “lock in” the U.S. dollar value of the security. In addition, when a fund’s investment manager believes that a specific foreign currency may experience a substantial movement against another foreign currency, the fund may enter into a cross currency forward contract to buy or sell, as appropriate, an amount of the foreign currency either: (a) approximating the value of some or all of its portfolio securities denominated in such currency (this investment practice generally is referred to as “cross-hedging”); (b) designed to derive a level of additional income or return that the fund’s investment manager seeks to achieve for the fund; (c) to increase liquidity; or (d) to gain exposure to a currency in a more efficient or less expensive way. A fund may also engage
 

 
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in “proxy hedging.” Proxy hedging entails entering into a forward contract to buy or sell a currency whose changes in value are generally considered to perform similarly to a currency or currencies in which some or all of the fund’s portfolio securities are or are expected to be denominated. Proxy hedging is often used when the currency to which the fund’s portfolio is exposed is difficult to hedge or to hedge against the U.S. dollar and therefore another currency is used as a “proxy” for such currency.
 
At the maturity of a currency or cross currency forward, the Fund may either exchange the currencies specified at the maturity of a forward contract or, prior to maturity, the Fund may enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Closing transactions with respect to forward contracts are usually effected with the counterparty to the original forward contract. The Fund may also enter into forward contracts that do not provide for physical settlement of the two currencies but instead provide for settlement by a single cash payment calculated as the difference between the agreed upon exchange rate and the spot rate at settlement based upon an agreed upon notional amount (non-deliverable forwards).
 
Under definitions adopted by the CFTC and SEC, non-deliverable forwards are considered swaps, and therefore are included in the definition of “commodity interests.” Although non-deliverable forwards have historically been traded in the over-the-counter (OTC) market, as swaps they may in the future be required to be centrally cleared and traded on public facilities. Currency and cross currency forwards that qualify as deliverable forwards are not regulated as swaps for most purposes, and are not included in the definition of “commodity interests.” However these forwards are subject to some requirements applicable to swaps, including reporting to swap data repositories, documentation requirements, and business conduct rules applicable to swap dealers.
 
CFTC regulation of currency and cross currency forwards, especially non-deliverable forwards, may restrict the Fund’s ability to use these instruments in the manner described above or subject the investment manager to CFTC registration and regulation as a CPO.
 
Risks of currency forward contracts.   The successful use of these transactions will usually depend on the investment manager’s ability to accurately forecast currency exchange rate movements. Should exchange rates move in an unexpected manner, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the transaction, or it may realize losses. In addition, these techniques could result in a loss if the counterparty to the transaction does not perform as promised, including because of the counterparty’s bankruptcy or insolvency. While the Fund uses only counterparties that meet its credit quality standards, in unusual or extreme market conditions, a counterparty’s creditworthiness and ability to perform may deteriorate rapidly, and the availability of suitable replacement counterparties may become limited.
 
Currency forward contracts may limit potential gain from a positive change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in such contracts. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between the Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities denominated in a particular currency and the currencies bought or sold in the forward contracts entered into by the Fund. This imperfect correlation may cause the Fund to sustain losses that will prevent the Fund from achieving a complete hedge or expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss.
 
Developing government regulation of derivatives.   The regulation of cleared and uncleared swaps, as well as other derivatives, is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.
 
It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, such as speculative position limits on certain types of derivatives, or limits or restrictions on the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions, may limit or prevent the Fund from using or limit the Fund’s use of these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategy, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment goal(s). The investment manager will continue to monitor developments in the area, particularly to the extent
 

 
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regulatory changes affect the Fund’s ability to enter into desired swap agreements. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Fund, may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business.
 
Equity securities   Equity securities represent a proportionate share of the ownership of a company; their value is based on the success of the company’s business and the value of its assets, as well as general market conditions. The purchaser of an equity security typically receives an ownership interest in the company as well as certain voting rights. The owner of an equity security may participate in a company’s success through the receipt of dividends, which are distributions of earnings by the company to its owners. Equity security owners may also participate in a company’s success or lack of success through increases or decreases in the value of the company’s shares. Equity securities generally take the form of common stock or preferred stock, as well as securities convertible into common stock. Preferred stockholders typically receive greater dividends but may receive less appreciation than common stockholders and may have different voting rights as well. Equity securities may also include convertible securities, warrants, rights or equity interests in trusts, partnerships, joint ventures or similar enterprises. Warrants or rights give the holder the right to buy a common stock at a given time for a specified price.
 
The Fund’s prospectus includes a description of the principal risks associated with the Fund’s strategy of investing substantially in equity securities.
 
Equity access products.   An equity access product is an instrument used by investors to obtain exposure to equity investments, including common stocks, in a local market where direct ownership of equity securities is not permitted or is otherwise restricted. In countries where direct ownership by a foreign investor, such as the Fund, is not allowed by local law, such as Saudi Arabia, an investor may gain exposure to a particular issuer in that market or to that market as a whole through an equity access product. An equity access product derives its value from a group of underlying equity securities and is intended (disregarding the effect of any fees and expenses) to reflect the performance of the underlying equity securities on a one-to-one basis so that investors will not normally gain more in absolute terms than they would have made had they invested in the underlying securities directly. Conversely, investors will not normally lose more than they would have lost had they invested in the underlying securities directly. In addition to providing access to otherwise closed equity markets, equity access products can also provide a less expensive option to direct equity investments (where ownership by foreign investors is permitted) by reducing registration and transaction costs in acquiring and selling local registered shares. Examples of equity access products include instruments such as participatory notes, low exercise price options, low exercise price warrants and similarly-structured instruments that may be developed from time to time.
 
The purchase of equity access products involves risks that are in addition to the risks normally associated with a direct investment in the underlying equity securities. The Fund is subject to the risk that the issuer of the equity access product (i.e., the issuing bank or broker-dealer), which is typically the only responsible party under the instrument, is unable or refuses to perform under the terms of the equity access product, also known as counterparty risk. While the holder of an equity access product is generally entitled to receive from the bank or broker-dealer any dividends or other distributions paid on the underlying securities, the holder is normally not entitled to the same rights as an owner of the underlying securities, such as voting rights. Equity access products are typically also not traded on exchanges, are privately issued, and may be illiquid. To the extent an equity access product is determined to be illiquid, it would be subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities. There can be no assurance that the trading price or value of equity access products will equal the value of the underlying equity securities they seek to replicate. Unlike a direct investment in equity securities, equity access products typically involve a term or expiration date, potentially increasing the Fund’s turnover rate, transaction costs, and tax liability.
 
Equity access products are generally structured and sold by a local branch of a bank or broker-dealer that is permitted to purchase equity securities in the local market. The local branch or broker-dealer will usually place the local market equity securities in a special purpose vehicle, which will issue instruments that reflect the performance of the underlying equity securities. The performance of the special purpose vehicle generally carries the unsecured guarantee of the sponsoring bank or broker-dealer. This guarantee does not extend to the performance or value of the underlying local market equity securities. For purposes of the Fund’s fundamental investment policy of not investing more than 25% of the Fund’s net assets in securities of issuers in any one industry (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies), the Fund applies the restriction by reference to the industry of the issuer of the underlying equity securities and not the industry of the issuer of an equity access product.
 
Pursuant to the terms of the equity access product, the Fund may tender such product for cash payment in an amount that reflects the current market value of the underlying investments, less program expenses, such as trading costs, taxes and duties. They do not confer any right, title or interest in respect to the underlying equity securities or provide rights against the issuer of the underlying securities.
 
Direct equity investments.   The Fund may invest in direct equity investments that the investment manager expects will become listed or otherwise publicly traded securities. Direct equity investments consist of (i) the private purchase from an enterprise of an equity
 

 
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interest in the enterprise in the form of shares of common stock or equity interests in trusts, partnerships, joint ventures or similar enterprises, and (ii) the purchase of such an equity interest in an enterprise from a principal investor in the enterprise. Direct equity investments are generally considered to be illiquid. To the degree that the Fund invests in direct equity investments that it considers to be illiquid, it will limit such investments so that they, together with the Fund’s other illiquid investments, comply with the Fund’s investment restriction on illiquid securities.
 
In most cases, the Fund will, at the time of making a direct equity investment, enter into a shareholder or similar agreement with the enterprise and one or more other holders of equity interests in the enterprise. The investment manager anticipates that these agreements may, in appropriate circumstances, provide the Fund with the ability to appoint a representative to the board of directors or similar body of the enterprise, and eventually to dispose of the Fund’s investment in the enterprise through, for example, the listing of the securities or the sale of the securities to the issuer or another investor. In cases where the Fund appoints a representative, the representative would be expected to provide the Fund with the ability to monitor its investment and protect its rights in the investment and will not be appointed for the purpose of exercising management or control of the enterprise. In addition, the Fund intends to make its direct equity investments in such a manner as to avoid subjecting the Fund to unlimited liability with respect to the investments. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s direct equity investments will become listed, or that it will be able to sell any direct equity investment to the issuer or another investor. The extent to which the Fund may make direct equity investments may be limited by considerations relating to its status as a regulated investment company under U.S. tax law.
 
Direct equity investments may involve a high degree of business and financial risk that can result in substantial losses. Because of the absence of a public trading market for these investments, the Fund may take longer to liquidate these positions than would be the case for publicly traded securities and the prices on these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund or less than what may be considered the fair value of such securities. Further, issuers whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to disclosure and other investor protection requirements applicable to publicly traded securities. If such securities are required to be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being resold, the Fund may be required to bear the expenses of registration. Certain of the Fund’s direct equity investments may include investments in smaller, less-seasoned companies, which may involve greater risks. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management group.
 
Foreign securities   There are substantial risks associated with investing in the securities of governments and companies located in, or having substantial operations in, foreign countries, which are in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments. The value of foreign securities (like U.S. securities) is affected by general economic conditions and individual issuer and industry earnings prospects. Investments in depositary receipts also involve some or all of the risks described below.
 
There is the possibility of cessation of trading on foreign exchanges, expropriation, nationalization of assets, confiscatory or punitive taxation, withholding and other foreign taxes on income or other amounts, foreign exchange controls (which may include suspension of the ability to transfer currency from a given country), restrictions on removal of assets, political or social instability, military action or unrest, or diplomatic developments, including sanctions imposed by other countries or governmental entities, that could affect investments in securities of issuers in foreign nations. There is no assurance that the investment manager will be able to anticipate these potential events. In addition, the value of securities denominated in foreign currencies and of dividends and interest paid with respect to such securities will fluctuate based on the relative strength of the U.S. dollar.
 
There may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers comparable to the reports and ratings published about issuers in the U.S. Foreign issuers generally are not subject to uniform accounting or financial reporting standards. Auditing practices and requirements may not be comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers. Certain countries’ legal institutions, financial markets and services are less developed than those in the U.S. or other major economies. The Fund may have greater difficulty voting proxies, exercising shareholder rights, securing dividends and obtaining information regarding corporate actions on a timely basis, pursuing legal remedies, and obtaining judgments with respect to foreign investments in foreign courts than with respect to domestic issuers in U.S. courts. The costs associated with foreign investments, including withholding taxes, brokerage commissions, and custodial costs, are generally higher than with U.S. investments.
 
Certain countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company. Some countries limit the investment of foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous terms than securities of the issuer available for purchase by nationals. Although securities subject to such restrictions may be marketable abroad, they may be less liquid than foreign securities of the same class that are not subject to such restrictions. In some countries the repatriation of investment income, capital and proceeds of sales by foreign investors may require governmental registration and/or approval. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in or a refusal to grant any required governmental registration or approval for repatriation.
 

 
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From time to time, trading in a foreign market may be interrupted. Foreign markets also have substantially less volume than the U.S. markets and securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. The Fund, therefore, may encounter difficulty in obtaining market quotations for purposes of valuing its portfolio and calculating its net asset value.
 
In many foreign countries there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the U.S., which may result in greater potential for fraud or market manipulation. Foreign over-the-counter markets tend to be less regulated than foreign stock exchange markets and, in certain countries, may be totally unregulated. Brokerage commission rates in foreign countries, which generally are fixed rather than subject to negotiation as in the U.S., are likely to be higher. Foreign security trading, settlement and custodial practices (including those involving securities settlement where assets may be released prior to receipt of payment) are often less developed than those in U.S. markets, may be cumbersome and may result in increased risk or substantial delays. This could occur in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of, or breach of duty by, a foreign broker-dealer, securities depository, or foreign subcustodian.
 
To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or country, the Fund will have more exposure to economic risks related to such region or country than a fund whose investments are more geographically diversified. Adverse conditions or changes in policies in a certain region or country can affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated but are otherwise connected. In the event of economic or political turmoil, a deterioration of diplomatic relations or a natural or man-made disaster in a region or country where a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may have difficulty meeting a large number of shareholder redemption requests.
 
The holding of foreign securities may be limited by the Fund to avoid investment in certain Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFICs) and the imposition of a PFIC tax on the Fund resulting from such investments.
 
Developing markets or emerging markets.      Investments in companies domiciled or with significant operations in developing market or emerging market countries may be subject to potentially higher risks than investments in developed countries. These risks include, among others (i) less social, political and economic stability; (ii) smaller securities markets with low or nonexistent trading volume, which result in greater illiquidity and greater price volatility; (iii) certain national policies which may restrict the Fund’s investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; (iv) foreign taxation, including less transparent and established taxation policies; (v) less developed regulatory or legal structures governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property; (vi) the absence, until recently in many developing market countries, of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy; (vii) more widespread corruption and fraud; (viii) the financial institutions with which the Fund may trade may not possess the same degree of financial sophistication, creditworthiness or resources as those in developed markets; and (ix) the possibility that recent favorable economic developments in some developing market countries may be slowed or reversed by unanticipated economic, political or social events in such countries.
 
Due to political, military or regional conflicts or due to terrorism or war, it is possible that the United States, other nations or other governmental entities (including supranational entities) could impose sanctions on a country that is involved in such conflicts that limit or restrict foreign investment, the movement of assets or other economic activity in that country. Such sanctions or other intergovernmental actions could result in the devaluation of a country’s currency, a downgrade in the credit ratings of issuers in such country, or a decline in the value and liquidity of securities of issuers in that country. In addition, an imposition of sanctions upon certain issuers in a country could result in an immediate freeze of that issuer’s securities, impairing the ability of the Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver those securities. Countermeasures could be taken by the country’s government, which could involve the seizure of the Fund’s assets. In addition, such actions could adversely affect a country’s economy, possibly forcing the economy into a recession.
 
In addition, many developing market countries have experienced substantial, and during some periods, extremely high rates of inflation, for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries. Moreover, the economies of some developing market countries may differ unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, currency depreciation, debt burden, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. The economies of some developing market countries may be based on only a few industries, and may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions.
 
Settlement systems in developing market countries may be less organized than in developed countries. Supervisory authorities may also be unable to apply standards which are comparable with those in more developed countries. There may be risks that settlement may be delayed and that cash or securities belonging to the Fund may be in jeopardy because of failures of or defects in the settlement systems. Market practice may require that payment be made prior to receipt of the security which is being purchased or that delivery of a security must be made before payment is received. In such cases, default by a broker or bank (counterparty) through whom the relevant transaction is effected might result in a loss being suffered by the Fund. The Fund seeks, where possible, to use counterparties
 

 
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whose financial status reduces this risk. However, there can be no certainty that the Fund will be successful in eliminating or reducing this risk, particularly as counterparties operating in developing market countries frequently lack the substance, capitalization and/or financial resources of those in developed countries. Uncertainties in the operation of settlement systems in individual markets may increase the risk of competing claims to securities held by or to be transferred to the Fund. Legal compensation schemes may be non-existent, limited or inadequate to meet the Fund’s claims in any of these events.
 
Securities trading in developing markets presents additional credit and financial risks. The Fund may have limited access to, or there may be a limited number of, potential counterparties that trade in the securities of developing market issuers. Governmental regulations may restrict potential counterparties to certain financial institutions located or operating in the particular developing market. Potential counterparties may not possess, adopt or implement creditworthiness standards, financial reporting standards or legal and contractual protections similar to those in developed markets. Currency and other hedging techniques may not be available or may be limited.
 
The local taxation of income and capital gains accruing to non-residents varies among developing market countries and may be comparatively high. Developing market countries typically have less well-defined tax laws and procedures and such laws may permit retroactive taxation so that the Fund could in the future become subject to local tax liabilities that had not been anticipated in conducting its investment activities or valuing its assets.
 
Many developing market countries suffer from uncertainty and corruption in their legal frameworks. Legislation may be difficult to interpret and laws may be too new to provide any precedential value. Laws regarding foreign investment and private property may be weak or non-existent. Investments in developing market countries may involve risks of nationalization, expropriation and confiscatory taxation. For example, the Communist governments of a number of Eastern European countries expropriated large amounts of private property in the past, in many cases without adequate compensation, and there can be no assurance that similar expropriation will not occur in the future. In the event of expropriation, the Fund could lose all or a substantial portion of any investments it has made in the affected countries. Accounting, auditing and reporting standards in certain countries in which the Fund may invest may not provide the same degree of investor protection or information to investors as would generally apply in major securities markets. In addition, it is possible that purported securities in which the Fund invested may subsequently be found to be fraudulent and as a consequence the Fund could suffer losses.
 
Finally, currencies of developing market countries are subject to significantly greater risks than currencies of developed countries. Some developing market currencies may not be internationally traded or may be subject to strict controls by local governments, resulting in undervalued or overvalued currencies and associated difficulties with the valuation of assets, including the Fund’s securities, denominated in that currency. Some developing market countries have experienced balance of payment deficits and shortages in foreign exchange reserves. Governments have responded by restricting currency conversions. Future restrictive exchange controls could prevent or restrict a company’s ability to make dividend or interest payments in the original currency of the obligation (usually U.S. dollars). In addition, even though the currencies of some developing market countries, such as certain Eastern European countries, may be convertible into U.S. dollars, the conversion rates may be artificial to the actual market values and may be adverse to the Fund’s shareholders.
 
Foreign currency exchange rates.      Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the U.S. dollar market value of securities denominated in such foreign currencies and any income received or expenses paid by the Fund in that foreign currency. This may affect the Fund’s share price, income and distributions to shareholders. Some countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the U.S. dollar. It will be more difficult for the investment manager to value securities denominated in currencies that are fixed or managed. Certain currencies may not be internationally traded, which could cause illiquidity with respect to the Fund’s investments in that currency and any securities denominated in that currency. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets. The Fund endeavors to buy and sell foreign currencies on as favorable a basis as practicable. Some price spread in currency exchanges (to cover service charges) may be incurred, particularly when the Fund changes investments from one country to another or when proceeds of the sale of securities in U.S. dollars are used for the purchase of securities denominated in foreign currencies. Some countries may adopt policies that would prevent the Fund from transferring cash out of the country or withhold portions of interest and dividends at the source.
 
Certain currencies have experienced a steady devaluation relative to the U.S. dollar. Any devaluations in the currencies in which the Fund’s portfolio securities are denominated may have a detrimental impact on the Fund. Where the exchange rate for a currency declines materially after the Fund’s income has been accrued and translated into U.S. dollars, the Fund may need to redeem portfolio securities to make required distributions. Similarly, if an exchange rate declines between the time the Fund incurs expenses in U.S. dollars and the time such expenses are paid, the Fund will have to convert a greater amount of the currency into U.S. dollars in order to pay the expenses.
 

 
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Investing in foreign currencies for purposes of gaining from projected changes in exchange rates further increases the Fund’s exposure to foreign securities losses.
 
The Fund does not consider currencies or other financial commodities or contracts and financial instruments to be physical commodities (which include, for example, oil, precious metals and grains). Accordingly, the Fund interprets its fundamental restriction regarding purchasing and selling physical commodities to permit the Fund (subject to the Fund’s investment goals and general investment policies as stated in the Fund’s prospectus and SAI) to invest directly in foreign currencies and other financial commodities and to purchase, sell or enter into foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon, foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency options, currency, commodity- and financial instrument-related swap agreements, hybrid instruments, interest rate, securities-related or foreign currency-related futures contracts or other currency-, commodity- or financial instrument-related derivatives, subject to compliance with any applicable provisions of the federal securities or commodities laws. The Fund also interprets its fundamental restriction regarding purchasing and selling physical commodities to permit the Fund to invest in exchange-traded products or other entities that invest in physical and/or financial commodities, subject to the limits described in the Fund’s prospectus and SAI.
 
Illiquid securities   Generally, an “illiquid security” is any security that cannot be disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the instrument. Illiquid securities generally include securities for which no market exists or which are legally restricted as to their transfer (such as those issued pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the federal securities laws). Restricted securities are generally sold in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (1933 Act). If registration of a security previously acquired in a private transaction is required, the Fund, as the holder of the security, may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek registration and the time it will be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the security. To the extent the investment manager determines there is a liquid institutional or other market for restricted securities, the Fund considers them to be liquid securities. An example is a restricted security that may be freely transferred among qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, and for which a liquid institutional market has developed. Rule 144A securities may be subject, however, to a greater possibility of becoming illiquid than securities that have been registered with the SEC.
 
The Fund’s board will review on a periodic basis any determination by the investment manager to treat a restricted security as liquid. In determining whether a restricted security is properly considered a liquid security, the investment manager takes into account the following factors: (i) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (ii) the number of dealers willing to buy or sell the security and the number of other potential buyers; (iii) any dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (iv) the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades (e.g., any demand, put or tender features, the method of soliciting offers, the mechanics and other requirements for transfer, and the ability to assign or offset the rights and obligations of the security). The nature of the security and its trading includes the time needed to sell the security, the method of soliciting offers to purchase or sell the security, and the mechanics of transferring the security including the role of parties such as foreign or U.S. custodians, subcustodians, currency exchange brokers, and depositories.
 
The sale of illiquid securities often requires more time and results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses than the sale of securities eligible for trading on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter (OTC) markets. Illiquid securities often sell at a price lower than similar securities that are not subject to restrictions on resale.
 
The risk to the Fund in holding illiquid securities is that they may be more difficult to sell if the Fund wants to dispose of the security in response to adverse developments or in order to raise money for redemptions or other investment opportunities. Illiquid trading conditions may also make it more difficult for the Fund to realize a security’s fair value.
 
The Fund may also be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain security, issuer, or sector due to overall limitations on its ability to invest in illiquid securities and the difficulty in purchasing such securities.
 
Investment company securities   The Fund may invest in other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, SEC rules thereunder and exemptions thereto. With respect to unaffiliated funds in which the Fund may invest, Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act requires that, as determined immediately after a purchase is made, (i) not more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company, (ii) not more than 10% of the value of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in securities of investment companies as a group, and (iii) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by the Fund. The Fund will limit its investments in unaffiliated funds in accordance with the Section 12(d)(1)(A) limitations set forth above, except to the extent that any rules, regulations or no-action or exemptive relief under the 1940 Act permits the Fund’s investments to exceed such limits in unaffiliated underlying funds. To the extent that the Fund invests
 

 
14

 

in another investment company, because other investment companies pay advisory, administrative and service fees that are borne indirectly by investors, such as the Fund, there may be duplication of investment management and other fees. The Fund may also invest its cash balances in affiliated money market funds to the extent permitted by its investment policies and rules and exemptions granted under the 1940 Act.
 
Repurchase agreements   Under a repurchase agreement, the Fund agrees to buy securities guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities from a qualified bank, broker-dealer or other counterparty and then to sell the securities back to such counterparty on an agreed upon date (generally less than seven days) at a higher price, which reflects currently prevailing short-term interest rates. Entering into repurchase agreements allows the Fund to earn a return on cash in the Fund’s portfolio that would otherwise remain un-invested. The counterparty must transfer to the Fund’s custodian, as collateral, securities with an initial market value of at least 102% of the dollar amount paid by the Fund to the counterparty. The investment manager will monitor the value of such collateral daily to determine that the value of the collateral equals or exceeds the repurchase price.
 
Repurchase agreements may involve risks in the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty, including possible delays or restrictions upon the Fund’s ability to sell the underlying securities and additional expenses in seeking to enforce the Fund’s rights and recover any losses. The Fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with parties who meet certain creditworthiness standards, i.e., banks or broker-dealers that the investment manager has determined, based on the information available at the time, present no serious risk of becoming involved in bankruptcy proceedings within the time frame contemplated by the repurchase agreement. Although the Fund seeks to limit the credit risk under a repurchase agreement by carefully selecting counterparties and accepting only high quality collateral, some credit risk remains. The counterparty could default which may make it necessary for the Fund to incur expenses to liquidate the collateral. In addition, the collateral may decline in value before it can be liquidated by the Fund.
 
A repurchase agreement with more than seven days to maturity is considered an illiquid security and is subject to the Fund’s investment restriction on illiquid securities.
 
Securities lending   To generate additional income, the Fund may lend certain of its portfolio securities to qualified banks and broker-dealers (referred to as “borrowers”). In exchange, the Fund receives cash collateral from a borrower at least equal to the value of the security loaned by the Fund. Cash collateral typically consists of any combination of cash, securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities, and irrevocable letters of credit. The Fund may invest this cash collateral while the loan is outstanding and generally retains part or all of the interest earned on the cash collateral. Securities lending allows the Fund to retain ownership of the securities loaned and, at the same time, earn additional income.
 
For each loan, the borrower usually must maintain with the Fund’s custodian collateral with an initial market value at least equal to 102% of the market value of the domestic securities loaned (or 105% of the market value of foreign securities loaned), including any accrued interest thereon. Such collateral will be marked-to-market daily, and if the coverage falls below 100%, the borrower will be required to deliver additional collateral equal to at least 102% of the market value of the domestic securities loaned (or 105% of the foreign securities loaned).
 
The Fund retains all or a portion of the interest received on investment of the cash collateral or receives a fee from the borrower. The Fund also continues to receive any distributions paid on the loaned securities. The Fund seeks to maintain the ability to obtain the right to vote or consent on proxy proposals involving material events affecting securities loaned. The Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned within the normal settlement period for the security involved.
 
If the borrower defaults on its obligation to return the securities loaned because of insolvency or other reasons, the Fund could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities loaned or in gaining access to the collateral. These delays and costs could be greater for foreign securities. If the Fund is not able to recover the securities loaned, the Fund may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement investment in the market. Additional transaction costs would result, and the value of the collateral could decrease below the value of the replacement investment by the time the replacement investment is purchased. Until the replacement can be purchased, the Fund will not have the desired level of exposure to the security which the borrower failed to return. Cash received as collateral through loan transactions may be invested in other eligible securities, including shares of a money market fund. Investing this cash subjects the Fund to greater market risk including losses on the collateral and, should the Fund need to look to the collateral in the event of the borrower’s default, losses on the loan secured by that collateral.
 
The Fund will loan its securities only to parties who meet creditworthiness standards approved by the Fund’s board (i.e., banks or broker-dealers that the investment manager has determined are not apparently at risk of becoming involved in bankruptcy proceedings within the time frame contemplated by the loan). In addition, pursuant to the 1940 Act and SEC interpretations thereof, the aggregate
 

 
15

 

market value of securities that may be loaned by the Fund is limited to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets or such lower limit as set by the Fund or its board.
 
Subscription rights   Foreign corporations frequently issue additional capital stock by means of subscription rights offerings to existing shareholders at a price below the market price of the shares. The failure to exercise such rights would result in dilution of the Fund’s interest in the issuing company. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit the Fund from purchasing the securities of any issuer pursuant to the exercise of subscription rights distributed to the Fund by the issuer, except that no such purchase may be made if, as a result, the Fund would no longer be a diversified investment company as defined in the 1940 Act.
 
Temporary investments   The Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including cash, cash equivalents or other high quality short-term investments, such as short-term debt instruments, including U.S. government securities, high grade commercial paper, repurchase agreements, negotiable certificates of deposit, non-negotiable fixed time deposits, bankers acceptances, and other money market equivalents. To the extent allowed by exemptions from and rules under the 1940 Act and the Fund’s other investment policies and restrictions, the investment manager also may invest the Fund’s assets in shares of one or more money market funds managed by the investment manager or its affiliates. The investment manager may invest in these types of securities or hold cash on an ongoing basis for cash management purposes, to provide liquidity or for other reasons.  Temporary defensive investments can and do experience defaults.  When the Fund’s assets are invested in temporary investments, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment goal.
 
The following is a description of the general  risks  associated with the Fund’s investments:
 
Focus   The greater the Fund’s exposure to (or focus on) any single type of investment – including investment in a given industry, sector, country, region, or type of security – the greater the impact of adverse events or conditions in such industry, sector, country, region or investment will have on the Fund’s performance. To the extent the Fund has greater exposure to any single type of investment, the Fund’s potential for loss (or gain) will be greater than if its portfolio were invested more broadly in many types of investments.
 
Similar risks associated with focusing on a particular type of investment may result if real properties and collateral securing the Fund’s investments are located in the same geographical region or subject to the same risks or concerns.
 
Inside information   The investment manager (through its representatives or otherwise) may receive information that restricts the investment manager’s ability to cause the Fund to buy or sell securities of an issuer for substantial periods of time when the Fund otherwise could realize profit or avoid loss. This may adversely affect the Fund’s flexibility with respect to buying or selling securities.
 
Liquidity   Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are or become difficult to purchase or sell at the price at which the Fund has valued the security, whether because of current market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer, or the specific type of investment. If the market for a particular security becomes illiquid (for example, due to changes in the issuer’s financial condition), the Fund may be unable to sell such security at an advantageous time or price due to the difficulty in selling such securities. To the extent that the Fund and its affiliates hold a significant portion of an issuer’s outstanding securities, the Fund may also be subject to greater liquidity risk than if the issuer’s securities were more widely held. The Fund may also need to sell some of the Fund’s more liquid securities when it otherwise would not do so in order to meet redemption requests, even if such sale of the liquid holdings would be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint. Reduced liquidity may also have an adverse impact on a security’s market value and the sale of such securities often results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses. Reduced liquidity in the secondary market for certain securities will also make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain market quotations based on actual trades for purposes of valuing the Fund’s portfolio and thus pricing may be prone to error when market quotations are volatile, infrequent and/or subject to large spreads between bid and ask prices.
 
The market for certain equity or debt securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. For example, dealer capacity in certain fixed income markets appears to have undergone fundamental changes since the financial crisis of 2008, which may result in low dealer inventories and a reduction in dealer market-making capacity. An increase in interest rates due to the tapering of the Federal Reserve Board’s quantitative easing program and other similar central bank actions, coupled with a reduction in dealer market-making capacity, may decrease liquidity and increase volatility in the fixed income markets. Liquidity risk generally increases (meaning that securities become more illiquid) as the number, or relative need, of investors seeking to liquidate in a given market increases; for example, when an asset class or classes fall out of favor and investors sell their holdings in such classes, either directly or indirectly through investment funds, such as mutual funds and ETFs.
 

 
16

 


 
Market   The market value of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a single corporate borrower or security issuer. These general market conditions include real or perceived adverse economic or regulatory conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency exchange rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Market values may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or sector, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry, or a particular segment, such as mortgage or government securities. During a general downturn in the securities markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value simultaneously. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s securities will participate in or otherwise benefit from the advance.
 
Secondary listings risk   The Fund’s shares may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the U.S. stock exchange where the Fund’s primary listing is maintained. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s shares will continue to trade on any such stock exchange or in any market or that the Fund’s shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market. The Fund’s shares may be less actively traded in certain markets than others, and investors are subject to the execution and settlement risks and market standards of the market where they or their broker direct their trades for execution. Certain information available to investors who trade Fund shares on a U.S. stock exchange during regular U.S. market hours may not be available to investors who trade in other markets, which may result in secondary market prices in such markets being less efficient.
 
Tracking and Correlation   The Fund seeks to provide investment results that closely correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Underlying Index, although several factors may affect its ability to achieve this correlation, including, but not limited to: (1) the Fund’s expenses, including brokerage (which may be increased by high portfolio turnover) and the cost of the investment techniques employed by the Fund; (2) the Fund’s holding of less than all of the securities in the Underlying Index, including as part of a “representative sampling” strategy, and holding securities not included in the Underlying Index; (3) an imperfect correlation between the performance of a Fund’s investments and those of its Underlying Index; (4) bid-ask spreads (the effect of which may be increased by portfolio turnover); (5) holding instruments traded in a market that has become illiquid or disrupted; (6) the Fund’s share prices being rounded to the nearest cent; (7) changes to the Underlying Index that are not disseminated in advance; (8) the need to conform the Fund’s portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies, or regulatory or tax law requirements; (9) early and unanticipated closings of the markets on which the holdings of the Fund trade, resulting in the inability of the Fund to execute intended portfolio transactions; and (10) the Fund’s holdings of cash or cash equivalents, or otherwise not being fully invested in securities of its Underlying Index. While close tracking of the Fund to its Underlying Index may be achieved on any single trading day, over time the cumulative percentage increase or decrease in the NAV of the shares of the Fund may diverge significantly from the cumulative percentage decrease or increase in the Underlying Index due to a compounding effect.
 
Portfolio turnover   Portfolio turnover is a measure of how frequently the Fund’s portfolio securities are bought and sold. High portfolio turnover rates generally increase transaction costs, which are Fund expenses. Such portfolio transactions may also result in the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains, which are generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates for federal income tax purposes for shareholders subject to income tax and who hold their shares in a taxable account. Higher transaction costs reduce the Fund’s returns.
 
The SEC requires annual portfolio turnover to be calculated generally as the lesser of the Fund’s purchases or sales of portfolio securities during a given fiscal year, divided by the monthly average value of the Fund’s portfolio securities owned during that year (excluding securities with a maturity or expiration date that, at the time of acquisition, was less than one year). For example, a fund reporting a 100% portfolio turnover rate would have purchased and sold securities worth as much as the monthly average value of its portfolio securities during the year. The portfolio turnover rates for the Fund are disclosed in the sections entitled “Portfolio Turnover” and “Financial Highlights” of the Fund’s prospectus.
 
Policies and Procedures Regarding the Release of Portfolio Holdings
 
On each business day of the Fund, before commencement of trading in shares on a national securities exchange, the Fund will disclose on its website the identities and quantities of the Fund’s portfolio holdings that will form the basis for the Fund’s calculation of NAV at the end of that business day. Consistent with current law, the Fund also releases complete portfolio holdings information each fiscal quarter through regulatory filings with no more than a 60-day lag.
 
Each business day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information will be provided to Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors) or other agents for dissemination through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee-based subscription services, including large institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) that have been authorized by Distributors to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares pursuant to legal requirements, and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market.
 

 
17

 


 
Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information. The eligible third parties to whom portfolio holdings information may be released in advance of general release fall into the following categories: data consolidators (including rating agencies), fund rating/ranking services and other data providers and service providers to the Fund, including Authorized Participants and pricing services.
 
Continuous Offering
 
The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner that could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the 1933 Act.
 
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with Distributors, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells such shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.
 
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the 1933 Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the 1933 Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the 1933 Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Listing Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Listing Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is available only with respect to transactions on an exchange.
 
Officers and Trustees  
 
The Trust has a board of trustees. Each trustee will serve until that person resigns and/or a successor is elected and qualified. The board is responsible for the overall management of the Trust, including general supervision and review of the Fund’s investment activities. The board, in turn, appoints the officers of the Trust who are responsible for administering the Trust’s day-to-day operations. While none are expected, the board will act appropriately to resolve any material conflict that may arise.
 
The name, year of birth and address of the officers and board members, as well as their affiliations, positions held with the Trust, principal occupations during at least the past five years, number of portfolios overseen in the Franklin Templeton fund complex and other directorships held during at least the past five years are shown below.

 
Independent Board Members
Name, Year of Birth and Address
Position
Length of Time Served
Number of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by
Board Member 1
Other Directorships Held During at Least the Past 5 Years
Rohit Bhagat (1964)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
Trustee
Since 2016
4
Zentific Investment Management (hedge fund) (2015-present); Axis Bank (2013-present)
 
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Managing Member, Mukt Capital, LLC (private investment firm) (2014-present); and Advisor, Optimal Asset Management (investment technology and advisory services company) (2015-present); formerly , Chairman, Asia Pacific, BlackRock (2009-2012); Global Chief Operating Officer, Barclays Global Investors (2005-2009); and Senior Partner, The Boston Consulting Group (management consulting) (1992-2005).
         
Anantha Pradeep (1963)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
Trustee
Since 2016
4
None
 
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Chief Executive Officer, Smilables, Inc. (technology company) (2014-present); and Founder and Managing Partner, Consult Meridian, LLC (consulting company) (2009-present); formerly , Founder, BoardVantage.
 

 
18

 

 
Interested Board Members and Officers
Name, Year of Birth and Address
Position
Length of Time Served
Number of Portfolios
in Fund Complex
Overseen by
Board Member 1
Other Directorships Held During at Least the Past 5 Years
Jennifer M. Johnson 2 (1964)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Trustee and Chairperson of the Board
Since 2016
13
None
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Co-President, Franklin Resources, Inc.; officer and/or director or trustee, as the case may be, of some of the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of three of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments; formerly , Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Franklin Resources, Inc. (1994-2015); Executive Vice President of Operations and Technology, Franklin Resources, Inc. (2005-2010); and Senior Vice President, Franklin Resources, Inc. (2003-2005).
 
Alison E. Baur (1964)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Vice President
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Deputy General Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; and officer of some of the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
         
Laura F. Fergerson (1962)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Chief Executive Officer – Finance and Administration
Since 2015
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Senior Vice President, Franklin Templeton Services, LLC; Vice President, Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Franklin Templeton Institutional, LLC; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
         
Gaston Gardey (1967)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer
Since 2015
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Treasurer, U.S. Fund Administration & Reporting, Franklin Templeton Investments; and officer of 28 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.

 
19

 


         
Aliya S. Gordon (1973)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Vice President
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Senior Associate General Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
         
Steven J. Gray (1955)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Vice President
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Senior Associate General Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; Vice President, Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. and Franklin Alternative Strategies Advisers, LLC; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
         
Robert Lim (1948)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Vice President – AML Compliance
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Vice President, Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC; Chief Compliance Officer, Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. and Franklin Templeton Investor Services, LLC; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
 
Kimberly H. Novotny (1972)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Vice President
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Associate General Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; Vice President and Corporate Secretary, Fiduciary Trust International of the South; Vice President, Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC; Assistant Secretary, Franklin Resources, Inc.; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
         
Patrick O’Connor (1967)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
President and Chief Executive Officer – Investment Management
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Senior Vice President, Franklin Advisers, Inc.; officer of one of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments; and formerly , Managing Director, Head of iShares Product Canada, BlackRock (1998-2014).
         
Robert C. Rosselot (1960)
300 S.E. 2nd Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923
Chief Compliance Officer
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable

 
20

 


Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Director, Global Compliance, Franklin Templeton Investments; Vice President, Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC; officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments; and formerly, Senior Associate General Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments (2007-2013); and Secretary and Vice President, Templeton Group of Funds (2004-2013).
         
Karen L. Skidmore (1952)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Vice President
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Senior Associate General Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
 
Navid Tofigh (1972)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Vice President and Secretary
Since 2015
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Associate General Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
 
Craig S. Tyle (1960)
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
 
Vice President
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Franklin Resources, Inc.; and officer of some of the other subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
         
Lori A. Weber (1964)
300 S.E. 2nd Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923
 
Vice President
Since 2016
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Principal Occupation During at Least the Past 5 Years:
Senior Associate General Counsel, Franklin Templeton Investments; Assistant Secretary, Franklin Resources, Inc.; Vice President and Secretary, Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC; and officer of 45 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.
 
Note 1: Officer information is current as of the date of this SAI. It is possible that after this date, information about officers may change.
1. We base the number of portfolios on each separate series of the U.S. registered investment companies within the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex. These portfolios have a common investment manager or affiliated investment managers.
 
2. Jennifer M. Johnson is considered to be an interested person of the Fund under the federal securities laws due to her position as an officer of Resources, which is the parent company of the Fund’s investment manager and distributor.
 
The Trust’s independent board members constitute the sole independent board members of one investment company in the Franklin Templeton Investments complex for which each independent board member currently is paid a $20,000 annual retainer fee, together with a $5,000 per meeting fee for attendance at regularly scheduled board meetings. To the extent held, a $5,000 per meeting fee ($2,000 per meeting held via telephone) may also be paid for attendance at specially held board meetings. Board members who serve on the Audit Committee of the Trust receive a flat fee of $2,500 per Committee meeting attended in person and $1,000 per telephonic
 

 
21

 

meeting. Rohit Bhagat, who serves as chairman of the Audit Committee of the Trust receives an additional fee of $10,000 per year. Members of the Committee are not separately compensated for any committee meeting held on the day of a regularly scheduled board meeting. The following table provides the total fees paid to independent board members by the Trust and by other funds in Franklin Templeton Investments.
 
Name
Total Fees
Received
from
the Trust
($) 1
Total Fees
Received
from Franklin
Templeton
Investments
($) 1
Number
of Boards
in Franklin
Templeton
Investments
on which
Each
Serves 2
Anantha Pradeep
$41,566
$41,566
1
Rohit Bhagat
$51,099
$51,099
1

 
1. As of March 31, 2016, the Trust had not yet commenced operations. Fees are estimated for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017.
 
2. We base the number of boards on the number of U.S. registered investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments. This number does not include the total number of series or portfolios within each investment company for which the board members are responsible.
 
Independent board members are reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with attending board meetings and such expenses are paid pro rata by each fund in Franklin Templeton Investments for which they serve as director or trustee. No officer or board member received any other compensation, including pension or retirement benefits, directly or indirectly from the Fund or other funds in Franklin Templeton Investments. Certain officers or board members who are shareholders of Franklin Resources, Inc. (Resources) may be deemed to receive indirect remuneration by virtue of their participation, if any, in the fees paid to its subsidiaries.
 
Board members historically have followed a policy of having substantial investments in one or more of the Franklin Templeton funds, as is consistent with their individual financial goals. In February 1998, this policy was formalized through the adoption of a requirement that each board member invest one-third of fees received for serving as a director or trustee of a Templeton fund (excluding committee fees) in shares of one or more Templeton funds and one-third of fees received for serving as a director or trustee of a Franklin fund (excluding committee fees) in shares of one or more Franklin funds until the value of such investments equals or exceeds five times the annual retainer and regular board meeting fees paid to such board member. Investments in the name of family members or entities controlled by a board member constitute fund holdings of such board member for purposes of this policy, and a three-year phase-in period applies to such investment requirements for newly elected board members. In implementing such policy, a board member’s fund holdings existing on February 27, 1998, are valued as of such date with subsequent investments valued at cost.
 
The following tables provide the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the board members of the Trust on December 31, 2015.
 
Independent Board Members
 
Name of
Board Member
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities
in the Fund
Aggregate
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in
All Funds Overseen
by the Board
Member in the
Franklin Templeton
Fund Complex
Anantha Pradeep
None
None
Rohit Bhagat
None
None
 
 
 
22
 
 

 
 
Interested Board Members
 
Name of
Board Member
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities
in the Fund
Aggregate
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in
All Funds Overseen
by the Board
Member in the
Franklin Templeton
Fund Complex
Jennifer M. Johnson
None
Over $100,000

 
Board committees   The board maintains two standing committees: the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee. The Audit Committee is generally responsible for recommending the selection of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm (auditors), including evaluating their independence and meeting with such auditors to consider and review matters relating to the Fund’s financial reports and internal controls. The Audit Committee is comprised of the following independent trustees of the Fund: Rohit Bhagat (Chair) and Anantha Pradeep. The Nominating Committee is comprised of the following independent trustees of the Fund: Rohit Bhagat and Anantha Pradeep (Chair).
 
The Nominating Committee is responsible for selecting candidates to serve as board members and recommending such candidates (a) for selection and nomination as independent board members by the incumbent independent board member and the full board; and (b) for selection and nomination as interested board members by the full board.
 
When the board has or expects to have a vacancy, the Nominating Committee receives and reviews information on individuals qualified to be recommended to the full board as nominees for election as board members, including any recommendations by “Qualifying Fund Shareholders” (as defined below). To date, the Nominating Committee has been able to identify, and expects to continue to be able to identify, from its own resources an ample number of qualified candidates. The Nominating Committee, however, will review recommendations from Qualifying Fund Shareholders to fill vacancies on the board if these recommendations are submitted in writing and addressed to the Nominating Committee at the Trust’s offices at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 and are presented with appropriate background material concerning the candidate that demonstrates his or her ability to serve as a board member, including as an independent board member, of the Trust. A Qualifying Fund Shareholder is a shareholder who (i) has continuously owned of record, or beneficially through a financial intermediary, shares of the Fund having a net asset value of not less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) during the 24-month period prior to submitting the recommendation; and (ii) provides a written notice to the Nominating Committee containing the following information: (a) the name and address of the Qualifying Fund Shareholder making the recommendation; (b) the number of shares of the Fund which are owned of record and beneficially by such Qualifying Fund Shareholder and the length of time that such shares have been so owned by the Qualifying Fund Shareholder; (c) a description of all arrangements and understandings between such Qualifying Fund Shareholder and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the recommendation is being made; (d) the name, age, date of birth, business address and residence address of the person or persons being recommended; (e) such other information regarding each person recommended by such Qualifying Fund Shareholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC had the nominee been nominated by the board; (f) whether the shareholder making the recommendation believes the person recommended would or would not be an “interested person” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act; and (g) the written consent of each person recommended to serve as a board member of the Trust if so nominated and elected/appointed.
 
The Nominating Committee may amend these procedures from time to time, including the procedures relating to the evaluation of nominees and the process for submitting recommendations to the Nominating Committee.
 
Board role in risk oversight   The board, as a whole, considers risk management issues as part of its general oversight responsibilities throughout the year at regular board meetings, through regular reports that have been developed by management, in consultation with
 

 
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the board and its counsel. These reports address certain investment, valuation and compliance matters. The board also may receive special written reports or presentations on a variety of risk issues, either upon the board’s request or upon the investment manager’s initiative. In addition, the Audit Committee of the board meets regularly with the investment manager’s internal audit group to review reports on their examinations of functions and processes within Franklin Templeton Investments that affect the Fund.
 
With respect to investment risk, the board receives regular written reports describing and analyzing the investment performance of the Fund. In addition, the portfolio manager of the Fund meets regularly with the board to discuss portfolio performance, including investment risk. To the extent that the Fund changes a particular investment strategy that could have a material impact on the Fund’s risk profile, the board generally is consulted with respect to such change. To the extent that the Fund invests in certain complex securities, including derivatives, the board receives periodic reports containing information about exposure of the Fund to such instruments. In addition, the investment manager’s investment risk personnel meet regularly with the board to discuss a variety of issues, including the impact on the Fund of the investment in particular securities or instruments, such as derivatives and commodities.
 
With respect to valuation, the Fund’s administrator provides regular written reports to the board that enable the board to monitor the number of fair valued securities in a particular portfolio, the reasons for the fair valuation and the methodology used to arrive at the fair value. Such reports also include information concerning illiquid securities within the Fund’s portfolio. The board also reviews dispositional analysis information on the sale of securities that require special valuation considerations such as illiquid or fair valued securities. In addition, the Fund’s Audit Committee reviews valuation procedures and results with the Fund’s auditors in connection with such Committee’s review of the results of the audit of the Fund’s year-end financial statements.
 
With respect to compliance risks, the board receives regular compliance reports prepared by the investment manager’s compliance group and meets regularly with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) to discuss compliance issues, including compliance risks. In accordance with SEC rules, the independent board members meet regularly in executive session with the CCO, and the Fund’s CCO prepares and presents an annual written compliance report to the board. The Fund’s board adopts compliance policies and procedures for the Fund and approves such procedures for the Fund’s service providers. The compliance policies and procedures are specifically designed to detect and prevent violations of the federal securities laws.
 
The investment manager periodically provides an enterprise risk management presentation to the board to describe the way in which risk is managed on a complex-wide level. Such presentation covers such areas as investment risk, reputational risk, personnel risk, and business continuity risk.
 
Board structure   Seventy-five percent or more of board members consist of independent board members who are not deemed to be “interested persons” by reason of their relationship with the Fund’s management or otherwise as provided under the 1940 Act. While the Chairman of the Board is an interested person, the board is also served by a lead independent board member. The lead independent board member, together with independent counsel, reviews proposed agendas for board meetings and generally acts as a liaison with management with respect to questions and issues raised by the independent board members. The lead independent board member also presides at separate meetings of independent board members held in advance of each scheduled board meeting where various matters, including those being considered at such board meeting are discussed. It is believed such structure and activities assure that proper consideration is given at board meetings to matters deemed important to the Fund and its shareholders.
 
Trustee qualifications
 
Information on the Fund’s officers and board members appears above including information on the business activities of board members during the past five years and beyond. In addition to personal qualities, such as integrity, the role of an effective Fund board member inherently requires the ability to comprehend, discuss and critically analyze materials and issues presented in exercising judgments and reaching informed conclusions relevant to his or her duties and fiduciary obligations. The board believes that the specific background of each board member evidences such ability and is appropriate to his or her serving on the Fund’s board. As indicated, Dr. Pradeep has served as chief executive officer of consulting and technology companies, Rohit Bhagat has extensive experience in the asset management and financial services industries, and Jennifer M. Johnson is a high ranking executive officer of Franklin Templeton Investments.
 
Fair Valuation and Liquidity  
 
The Fund’s board of trustees has delegated to the investment manager the task of ensuring that regulatory guidelines governing the fair valuation for securities are applied to the Fund and that the required level of liquidity is maintained. The Fund’s administrator has formed a Valuation & Liquidity Oversight Committee (VLOC) to oversee these obligations. The VLOC oversees and administers the policies and procedures governing fair valuation and liquidity determination of securities. The VLOC meets monthly to review and approve fair value and liquidity reports and conduct other business, and meets whenever necessary to review potential significant
 

 
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market events and take appropriate steps to adjust valuations in accordance with established policies. The VLOC provides regular reports that document its activities to the board of trustees for its review and approval of pricing determinations at scheduled meetings.
 
The Fund’s policies and procedures governing fair valuation and liquidity determination of securities have been initially reviewed and approved by the board of trustees and any material amendments will also be reviewed and approved by the board. The investment manager’s compliance staff conducts periodic reviews of compliance with the policies and provides at least annually a report to the board of trustees regarding the operation of the policies and any material changes recommended as a result of such review.
 
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures  
 
The board of trustees of the Fund has delegated the authority to vote proxies related to the portfolio securities held by the Fund to the Fund’s investment manager, Franklin Advisers, Inc., in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (Policies) adopted by the investment manager.
 
The investment manager has delegated its administrative duties with respect to the voting of proxies for securities to the Proxy Group within Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC (Proxy Group), an affiliate and wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. All proxies received by the Proxy Group will be voted based upon the investment manager’s instructions and/or policies. The investment manager votes proxies solely in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders.
 
To assist it in analyzing proxies of equity securities, the investment manager subscribes to Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. (ISS), an unaffiliated third-party corporate governance research service that provides in-depth analyses of shareholder meeting agendas, vote recommendations, vote execution services, ballot reconciliation services, recordkeeping and vote disclosure services. In addition, the investment manager subscribes to Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC (Glass Lewis), an unaffiliated third-party analytical research firm, to receive analyses and vote recommendations on the shareholder meetings of publicly held U.S. companies, as well as a limited subscription to its international research. Also, the investment manager has a supplemental subscription to Egan Jones Proxy Services (Egan Jones), an unaffiliated third party proxy advisory firm, to receive analyses and vote recommendations. Although analyses provided by ISS, Glass Lewis, Egan Jones, and/or another independent third party proxy service provider (each a Proxy Service) are thoroughly reviewed and considered in making a final voting decision, the investment manager does not consider recommendations from a Proxy Service or any third party to be determinative of the investment manager’s ultimate decision. Rather, the investment manager exercises its independent judgment in making voting decisions. As a matter of policy, the officers, directors/trustees and employees of the investment manager and the Proxy Group will not be influenced by outside sources whose interests conflict with the interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Efforts are made to resolve all conflicts in the best interests of the investment manager’s clients. Material conflicts of interest are identified by the Proxy Group based upon analyses of client, distributor, broker-dealer and vendor lists, information periodically gathered from directors and officers, and information derived from other sources, including public filings. In situations where a material conflict of interest is identified, the Proxy Group may vote consistent with the voting recommendation of a Proxy Service; or send the proxy directly to the Fund’s board or a committee of the board with the investment manager’s recommendation regarding the vote for approval.
 
Where a material conflict of interest has been identified, but the items on which the investment manager’s vote recommendations differ from a Proxy Service and relate specifically to (1) shareholder proposals regarding social or environmental issues, (2) “Other Business” without describing the matters that might be considered, or (3) items the investment manager wishes to vote in opposition to the recommendations of an issuer’s management, the Proxy Group may defer to the vote recommendations of the investment manager rather than sending the proxy directly to the Fund’s board or a board committee for approval.
 
To avoid certain potential conflicts of interest, the investment manager will employ echo voting, if possible, in the following instances: (1) when the Fund invests in an underlying fund in reliance on any one of Sections 12(d) (1) (E), (F), or (G) of the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder, or pursuant to a SEC exemptive order thereunder; (2) when the Fund invests uninvested cash in affiliated money market funds pursuant to the rules under the 1940 Act or any exemptive orders thereunder; or (3) when required pursuant to the Fund’s governing documents or applicable law. Echo voting means that the investment manager will vote the shares in the same proportion as the vote of all of the other holders of the underlying fund’s shares.
 
The recommendation of management on any issue is a factor that the investment manager considers in determining how proxies should be voted. However, the investment manager does not consider recommendations from management to be determinative of the investment manager’s ultimate decision. As a matter of practice, the votes with respect to most issues are cast in accordance with the position of the company’s management. Each issue, however, is considered on its own merits, and the investment manager will not support the position of the company’s management in any situation where it deems that the ratification of management’s position would adversely affect the investment merits of owning that company’s shares.
 

 
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Engagement with issuers     The investment manager believes that engagement with issuers is important to good corporate governance and to assist in making proxy voting decisions. The investment manager may engage with issuers to discuss specific ballot items to be voted on in advance of an annual or special meeting to obtain further information or clarification on the proposals. The investment manager may also engage with management on a range of environmental, social or corporate governance issues throughout the year.
 
Investment manager’s proxy voting policies and principles     The investment manager has adopted general proxy voting guidelines, which are summarized below. These guidelines are not an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise and the investment manager cannot anticipate all future situations. In all cases, each proxy and proposal (including both management and shareholder proposals) will be considered based on the relevant facts and circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
 
Board of directors.   The investment manager supports an independent, diverse board of directors, and prefers that key committees such as audit, nominating, and compensation committees be comprised of independent directors. The investment manager supports boards with strong risk management oversight. The investment manager will generally vote against management efforts to classify a board and will generally support proposals to declassify the board of directors. The investment manager will consider withholding votes from directors who have attended less than 75% of meetings without a valid reason. While generally in favor of separating Chairman and CEO positions, the investment manager will review this issue as well as proposals to restore or provide for cumulative voting on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration factors such as the company’s corporate governance guidelines or provisions and performance. The investment manager generally will support non-binding shareholder proposals to require a majority vote standard for the election of directors; however, if these proposals are binding, the investment manager will give careful review on a case-by-case basis of the potential ramifications of such implementation.
 
In the event of a contested election, the investment manager will review a number of factors in making a decision including management’s track record, the company’s financial performance, qualifications of candidates on both slates, and the strategic plan of the dissidents and/or shareholder nominees.
 
Ratification of auditors of portfolio companies.   The investment manager will closely scrutinize the independence, role and performance of auditors. On a case-by-case basis, the investment manager will examine proposals relating to non-audit relationships and non-audit fees. The investment manager will also consider, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to rotate auditors, and will vote against the ratification of auditors when there is clear and compelling evidence of a lack of independence, accounting irregularities or negligence. The investment manager may also consider whether the ratification of auditors has been approved by an appropriate audit committee that meets applicable composition and independence requirements.
 
Management and director compensation.   A company’s equity-based compensation plan should be in alignment with the shareholders’ long-term interests. The investment manager believes that executive compensation should be directly linked to the performance of the company. The investment manager evaluates plans on a case-by-case basis by considering several factors to determine whether the plan is fair and reasonable, including the ISS quantitative model utilized to assess such plans and/or the Glass Lewis evaluation of the plans. The investment manager will generally oppose plans that have the potential to be excessively dilutive, and will almost always oppose plans that are structured to allow the repricing of underwater options, or plans that have an automatic share replenishment “evergreen” feature. The investment manager will generally support employee stock option plans in which the purchase price is at least 85% of fair market value, and when potential dilution is 10% or less.
 
Severance compensation arrangements will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, although the investment manager will generally oppose “golden parachutes” that are considered to be excessive. The investment manager will normally support proposals that require a percentage of directors’ compensation to be in the form of common stock, as it aligns their interests with those of shareholders.
 
The investment manager will review non-binding say-on-pay proposals on a case-by-case basis, and will generally vote in favor of such proposals unless compensation is misaligned with performance and/or shareholders’ interests, the company has not provided reasonably clear disclosure regarding its compensation practices, or there are concerns with the company’s remuneration practices.
 
Anti-takeover mechanisms and related issues.   The investment manager generally opposes anti-takeover measures since they tend to reduce shareholder rights. However, as with all proxy issues, the investment manager conducts an independent review of each anti-takeover proposal. On occasion, the investment manager may vote with management when the research analyst has concluded that the proposal is not onerous and would not harm the Fund or its shareholders’ interests. The investment manager generally supports proposals that require shareholder rights’ plans (often referred to as “poison pills”) to be subject to a shareholder vote and will closely evaluate such plans on a case-by-case basis to determine whether or not they warrant support. In addition, the investment manager will generally vote against any proposal to issue stock that has unequal or subordinate voting rights. The investment manager generally opposes any supermajority voting requirements as well as the payment of “greenmail.” The investment manager generally supports
 

 
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“fair price” provisions and confidential voting. The investment manager will review a company’s proposal to reincorporate to a different state or country on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration financial benefits such as tax treatment as well as comparing corporate governance provisions and general business laws that may result from the change in domicile.
 
Changes to capital structure.   The investment manager realizes that a company’s financing decisions have a significant impact on its shareholders, particularly when they involve the issuance of additional shares of common or preferred stock or the assumption of additional debt. The investment manager will review, on a case-by-case basis, proposals by companies to increase authorized shares and the purpose for the increase. The investment manager will generally not vote in favor of dual-class capital structures to increase the number of authorized shares where that class of stock would have superior voting rights. The investment manager will generally vote in favor of the issuance of preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock issuance are deemed reasonable. The investment manager will review proposals seeking preemptive rights on a case-by-case basis.
 
Mergers and corporate restructuring.   Mergers and acquisitions will be subject to careful review by the research analyst to determine whether they would be beneficial to shareholders. The investment manager will analyze various economic and strategic factors in making the final decision on a merger or acquisition. Corporate restructuring proposals are also subject to a thorough examination on a case-by-case basis.
 
Environmental and social issues.   The investment manager considers environmental and social issues alongside traditional financial measures to provide a more comprehensive view of the value, risk and return potential of an investment. Companies may face significant financial, legal and reputational risks resulting from poor environmental and social practices, or negligent oversight of environmental or social issues. Franklin Templeton’s “Responsible Investment Principles and Policies” describes the investment manager’s approach to consideration of environmental, social and governance issues within the investment manager’s processes and ownership practices.
 
In the investment manager’s experience, those companies that are managed well are often effective in dealing with the relevant environmental and social issues that pertain to their business. As such, the investment manager will generally give management discretion with regard to environmental and social issues. However, in cases where management and the board have not demonstrated adequate efforts to mitigate material environmental or social risks, have engaged in inappropriate or illegal conduct, or have failed to adequately address current or emergent risks that threaten shareholder value, the investment manager may choose to support well-crafted shareholder proposals that serve to promote or protect shareholder value. This may include seeking appropriate disclosure regarding material environmental and social issues. The investment manager will review shareholder proposals on a case-by-case basis and may support those that serve to enhance value or mitigate risk, are drafted appropriately, and do not disrupt the course of business or require a disproportionate or inappropriate use of company resources.
 
The investment manager will consider supporting a shareholder proposal seeking disclosure and greater board oversight of lobbying and corporate political contributions if the investment manager believes that there is evidence of inadequate oversight by the company’s board, if the company’s current disclosure is significantly deficient, or if the disclosure is notably lacking in comparison to the company’s peers.
 
Governance matters.   The investment manager generally supports the right of shareholders to call special meetings and act by written consent. However, the investment manager will review such shareholder proposals on a case-by-case basis in an effort to ensure that such proposals do not disrupt the course of business or require a disproportionate or inappropriate use of company resources.
 
Proxy access.   In cases where the investment manager is satisfied with company performance and the responsiveness of management, it will generally vote against shareholder proxy access proposals not supported by management. In other instances, the investment manager will consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors such as the size of the company, ownership thresholds and holding periods, nomination limits (e.g., number of candidates that can be nominated), the intentions of the shareholder proponent, and shareholder base.
 
Global corporate governance.   Many of the tenets discussed above are applied to the investment manager’s proxy voting decisions for international investments. However, the investment manager must be flexible in these worldwide markets. Principles of good corporate governance may vary by country, given the constraints of a country’s laws and acceptable practices in the markets. As a result, it is on occasion difficult to apply a consistent set of governance practices to all issuers. As experienced money managers, the investment manager’s analysts are skilled in understanding the complexities of the regions in which they specialize and are trained to analyze proxy issues germane to their regions.
 

 
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The investment manager will generally attempt to process every proxy it receives for all domestic and foreign securities. However, there may be situations in which the investment manager may be unable to vote a proxy, or may choose not to vote a proxy, such as where: (i) a proxy ballot was not received from the custodian bank; (ii) a meeting notice was received too late; (iii) there are fees imposed upon the exercise of a vote and it is determined that such fees outweigh the benefit of voting; (iv) there are legal encumbrances to voting, including blocking restrictions in certain markets that preclude the ability to dispose of a security if the investment manager votes a proxy or where the investment manager is prohibited from voting by applicable law, economic or other sanctions, or other regulatory or market requirements, including but not limited to, effective Powers of Attorney; (v) the investment manager held shares on the record date but has sold them prior to the meeting date; (vi) a proxy voting service is not offered by the custodian in the market; (vii) the investment manager believes it is not in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders to vote the proxy for any other reason not enumerated herein; or (viii) a security is subject to a securities lending or similar program that has transferred legal title to the security to another person.
 
In some foreign jurisdictions, even if the investment manager uses reasonable efforts to vote a proxy on behalf of the Fund, such vote or proxy may be rejected because of (a) operational or procedural issues experienced by one or more third parties involved in voting proxies in such jurisdictions; (b) changes in the process or agenda for the meeting by the issuer for which the investment manager does not have sufficient notice; or (c) the exercise by the issuer of its discretion to reject the vote of the investment manager. In addition, despite the best efforts of the Proxy Group and its agents, there may be situations where the investment manager’s votes are not received, or properly tabulated, by an issuer or the issuer’s agent.
 
The investment manager or its affiliates may, on behalf of one or more of the proprietary registered investment companies advised by the investment manager or its affiliates, determine to use its best efforts to recall any security on loan where the investment manager or its affiliates (a) learn of a vote on a material event that may affect a security on loan and (b) determine that it is in the best interests of such proprietary registered investment companies to recall the security for voting purposes.
 
Procedures for meetings involving fixed income securities.   From time to time, certain custodians may process events for fixed income securities through their proxy voting channels rather than corporate action channels for administrative convenience. In such cases, the Proxy Group will receive ballots for such events on the ISS voting platform. The Proxy Group will solicit voting instructions from the investment manager for each Fund involved. If the Proxy Group does not receive voting instructions from the investment manager, the Proxy Group will take no action on the event. The investment manager may be unable to vote a proxy for a fixed income security, or may choose not to vote a proxy, for the reasons described under the section entitled “Proxy Procedures.”
 
The Proxy Group will monitor such meetings involving fixed income securities for conflicts of interest in accordance with these procedures for fixed income securities. If a fixed income issuer is flagged as a potential conflict of interest, the investment manager may nonetheless vote as it deems in the best interests of the Fund.  The investment manager will report such decisions on an annual basis to the Fund board as may be required.
 
Shareholders may view the complete Policies online at libertyshares.com. Alternatively, shareholders may request copies of the Policies free of charge by calling the Proxy Group collect at (954) 527-7678 or by sending a written request to: Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC, 300 S.E. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-1923, Attention: Proxy Group. Copies of the Fund’s proxy voting records are available online at libertyshares.com and posted on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. The proxy voting records are updated each year by August 31 to reflect the most recent 12-month period ended June 30.
 
Management and Other Services  
 
Investment manager and services provided   The Fund’s investment manager is Franklin Advisers, Inc. The investment manager is a wholly owned subsidiary of Resources, a publicly owned company engaged in the financial services industry through its subsidiaries. Charles B. Johnson (former Chairman and Director of Resources) and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. are the principal shareholders of Resources.
 
The investment manager is responsible for placing purchase and sale orders and providing continuous supervision of the investment portfolio of the Fund. The investment manager also selects the brokers who execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions. The investment manager provides periodic reports to the board, which reviews and supervises the investment manager’s investment activities. To protect the Fund, the investment manager and its officers, directors and employees are covered by fidelity insurance.
 
The investment manager and its affiliates manage numerous other investment companies and accounts. The investment manager may give advice and take action with respect to any of the other funds it manages, or for its own account, that may differ from action taken by the investment manager on behalf of the Fund. Similarly, with respect to the Fund, the investment manager is not obligated to recommend, buy or sell, or to refrain from recommending, buying or selling any security that the investment manager and access
 

 
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persons, as defined by applicable federal securities laws, may buy or sell for its or their own account or for the accounts of any other fund. The investment manager is not obligated to refrain from investing in securities held by the Fund or other funds it manages.
 
The Fund, its investment manager and principal underwriter have each adopted a code of ethics, as required by federal securities laws. Under the code of ethics, employees who are designated as access persons may engage in personal securities transactions, including transactions involving securities that are being considered for the Fund or that are currently held by the Fund, subject to certain general restrictions and procedures. The personal securities transactions of access persons of the Fund, its investment manager and principal underwriter will be governed by the code of ethics. The code of ethics is on file with, and available from, the SEC.
 
Management fees   The Fund pays the investment manager a fee for managing the Fund’s assets. The fee is equal to the following annual rate of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
 
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF                                               0.40%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF                                                                  0.55%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF                                                                      0.45%
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF                                                                           0.35%
 
The fee is calculated daily and paid monthly according to the terms of the management agreement.
 
Portfolio managers   This section reflects information about the portfolio manager as of March 31, 2016.
 
The following table shows the number of other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and the total assets in the accounts managed within each category:
 
Name
Number of Other
Registered Investment
Companies Managed 1
Assets of Other
Registered Investment
Companies Managed
(x$1 million) 1
Number of Other
Pooled Investment
Vehicles Managed 2
Assets of Other
Pooled Investment
Vehicles Managed
(x$1 million) 2
Number of Other
Accounts Managed 2
Assets of Other
Accounts Managed
(x$1 million) 2
Dina Ting
0
N/A
0
N/A
0
N/A

 
1. These figures represent registered investment companies other than the Funds that are included in this SAI.
 
2. The various pooled investment vehicles and accounts listed are managed by a team of investment professionals. Accordingly, the portfolio manager listed would not be solely responsible for managing such listed amounts.
 
Portfolio managers that provide investment services to the Fund may also provide services to a variety of other investment products, including other funds, institutional accounts and private accounts. The advisory fees for some of such other products and accounts may be different than that charged to the Fund and may include performance based compensation (as noted in the chart above, if any). This may result in fees that are higher (or lower) than the advisory fees paid by the Fund. As a matter of policy, each fund or account is managed solely for the benefit of the beneficial owners thereof. As discussed below, the separation of the trading execution function from the portfolio management function and the application of objectively based trade allocation procedures help to mitigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the portfolio managers managing accounts with different advisory fees.
 
Conflicts.   The management of multiple funds, including the Fund, and accounts may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and other accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed by a portfolio manager are managed using the same investment strategies that are used in connection with the management of the Fund. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar
 

 
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across similar portfolios, which may minimize the potential for conflicts of interest. As noted above, the separate management of the trade execution and valuation functions from the portfolio management process also helps to reduce potential conflicts of interest. However, securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund. Moreover, if a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of that opportunity across all eligible funds and other accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such potential conflicts by using procedures intended to provide a fair allocation of buy and sell opportunities among funds and other accounts.
 
The structure of a portfolio manager’s compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio manager’s base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio manager’s marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
 
Finally, the management of personal accounts by a portfolio manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While the funds and the investment manager have adopted a code of ethics which they believe contains provisions designed to prevent a wide range of prohibited activities by portfolio managers and others with respect to their personal trading activities, there can be no assurance that the code of ethics addresses all individual conduct that could result in conflicts of interest.
 
The investment manager and the Fund have adopted certain compliance procedures that are designed to address these, and other, types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict arises.
 
Compensation.   The investment manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals. Portfolio managers receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of compensation is based on individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to favor one fund or account over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:
 
Base salary   Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.
 
Annual bonus   Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus. Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Resources and funds advised by the investment manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment Officer of the investment manager and/or other officers of the investment manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:
 
 
·
Investment performance. Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager. The pre-tax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate.
 
 
·
Non-investment performance. The more qualitative contributions of the portfolio manager to the investment manager’s business and the investment management team, including professional knowledge, productivity, responsiveness to client needs and communication, are evaluated in determining the amount of any bonus award.
 
 
·
Responsibilities. The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the investment manager’s appraisal.
 
Additional long-term equity-based compensation   Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more funds. Awards of such deferred equity-based compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
 
Portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees of the investment manager.
 
Ownership of Fund shares.   The investment manager has a policy of encouraging portfolio managers to invest in the funds they manage. Exceptions arise when, for example, a fund is closed to new investors or when tax considerations or jurisdictional constraints
 

 
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cause such an investment to be inappropriate for the portfolio manager. The following is the dollar range of Fund shares beneficially owned by the portfolio manager (such amounts may change from time to time):
 
Portfolio Manager
Dollar Range
of Fund Shares
Beneficially Owned
Dina Ting
None

 
Administrator and services provided   Franklin Templeton Services, LLC (FT Services) has an agreement with the investment manager to provide certain administrative services and facilities for the Fund. FT Services is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Resources and is an affiliate of the Fund’s investment manager and principal underwriter.
 
The administrative services FT Services provides include preparing and maintaining books, records, and tax and financial reports, and monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements.
 
Administration fees   Advisers pays FT Services a monthly fee equal to an annual rate of 0.075%.
 
Under an agreement with Advisers, FT Services provides administrative services to the Fund. The fee is paid by Advisers based on average daily net assets, and is not an additional expense of the Fund.
 
Transfer agent   State Street Bank and Trust Company (State Street), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, acts as the Fund’s transfer agent and dividend-paying agent.
 
Sub-administrator   State Street has an agreement with FT Services to provide certain sub-administrative services and facilities for the Fund. The administrative services State Street provides include, but are not limited to, certain fund accounting, financial reporting, tax, corporate governance and compliance and legal administration services.
 
Custodian   State Street also acts as custodian of the Fund’s securities and other assets. As foreign custody manager, the bank selects and monitors foreign sub-custodian banks, selects and evaluates non-compulsory foreign depositories, and furnishes information relevant to the selection of compulsory depositories.
 
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm   PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC, is the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm audits the financial statements included in the Fund’s Annual Report to shareholders.
 
Portfolio Transactions  
 
The investment manager selects brokers and dealers to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions in accordance with criteria set forth in the management agreement and any directions that the board may give.
 
When placing a portfolio transaction, the trading department of the investment manager seeks to obtain “best execution” -- the best combination of high quality transaction execution services, taking into account the services and products to be provided by the broker or dealer, and low relative commission rates with the view of maximizing value for the Fund and its other clients. Orders for fixed-income securities are ordinarily placed with market makers on a net basis, without any brokerage commissions. Purchases of portfolio securities from underwriters will include a commission or concession paid to the underwriter, and purchases from dealers will include a spread between the bid and ask price.
 
The investment manager may cause the Fund to pay certain brokers commissions that are higher than those another broker may charge, if the investment manager determines in good faith that the amount paid is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services it receives. This may be viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the investment manager’s overall responsibilities to client accounts over which it exercises investment discretion. The brokerage commissions that are used to acquire services other than brokerage are known as “soft dollars.” Research provided can be either proprietary (created and provided by the broker-dealer, including tangible research products as well as access to analysts and traders) or third party (created by a third party but provided by the broker-dealer). To the extent permitted by applicable law, the investment manager may use soft dollars to acquire both proprietary and third-party research.
 

 
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The research services that brokers may provide to the investment manager include, among others, supplying information about particular companies, markets, countries, or local, regional, national or transnational economies, statistical data, quotations and other securities pricing information, and other information that provides lawful and appropriate assistance to the investment manager in carrying out its investment advisory responsibilities. These services may not always directly benefit the Fund. They must, however, be of value to the investment manager in carrying out its overall responsibilities to its clients.
 
Since most purchases by the Fund are principal transactions at net prices, the Fund incurs little or no brokerage costs. The Fund deals directly with the selling or buying principal or market maker without incurring charges for the services of a broker on its behalf, unless it is determined that a better price or execution may be obtained by using the services of a broker. Purchases of portfolio securities from underwriters will include a commission or concession paid to the underwriter, and purchases from dealers will include a spread between the bid and ask price. The Fund seeks to obtain prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price. Transactions may be directed to dealers in return for research and statistical information, as well as for special services provided by the dealers in the execution of orders.
 
It is not possible to place an accurate dollar value on the special execution or on the research services the investment manager receives from dealers effecting transactions in portfolio securities. The allocation of transactions to obtain additional research services allows the investment manager to supplement its own research and analysis activities and to receive the views and information of individuals and research staffs from many securities firms. The receipt of these products and services does not reduce the investment manager’s research activities in providing investment advice to the Fund.
 
As long as it is lawful and appropriate to do so, the investment manager and its affiliates may use this research and data in their investment advisory capacities with other clients.
 
Because Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors) is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), it may sometimes receive certain fees when the Fund tenders portfolio securities pursuant to a tender-offer solicitation. To recapture brokerage for the benefit of the Fund, any portfolio securities tendered by the Fund will be tendered through Distributors if it is legally permissible to do so. In turn, the next management fee payable to the investment manager will be reduced by the amount of any fees received by Distributors in cash, less any costs and expenses incurred in connection with the tender.
 
If purchases or sales of securities of the Fund and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the investment manager are considered at or about the same time, transactions in these securities will be allocated among the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all by the investment manager, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount of securities to be purchased or sold. In some cases this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as the Fund is concerned. In other cases it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions may improve execution and reduce transaction costs to the Fund.
 
Because the Fund may, from time to time, invest in broker-dealers, it is possible that the Fund will own more than 5% of the voting securities of one or more broker-dealers through whom the Fund places portfolio brokerage transactions. In such circumstances, the broker-dealer would be considered an affiliated person of the Fund. To the extent the Fund places brokerage transactions through such a broker-dealer at a time when the broker-dealer is considered to be an affiliate of the Fund, the Fund will be required to adhere to certain rules relating to the payment of commissions to an affiliated broker-dealer. These rules require the Fund to adhere to procedures adopted by the board to ensure that the commissions paid to such broker-dealers do not exceed what would otherwise be the usual and customary brokerage commissions for similar transactions.
 
Distributions and Taxes  
 
The discussion below pertains to all Funds, unless otherwise noted.
 
The following discussion is a summary of certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders that are not described in the Fund’s prospectus. No attempt is made to present a complete detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or its shareholders. The discussions here and in the Prospectus are not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.
 
The following discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (Code), and applicable regulations in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative, regulatory or administrative changes, including provisions of current law that sunset and thereafter no longer apply, or court decisions may significantly change the tax rules applicable to the Fund and its shareholders. Any of these changes or court decisions may have a retroactive effect. Where indicated below, IRS refers to the United States Internal Revenue Service.
 

 
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This is for general information only and not tax advice. All investors should consult their own tax advisors as to the federal, state, local and foreign tax provisions applicable to them.
 
Distributions   Each Fund (except Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF) intends to declare and pay income dividends at least semi-annually from its net investment income. Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF intends to declare and pay income dividends at least quarterly from its net investment income. Capital gains, if any, may be paid by each Fund at least annually. The Fund may distribute income dividends and capital gains more frequently, if necessary or appropriate in the board’s discretion. The amount of any distribution will vary, and there is no guarantee the Fund will pay either income dividends or capital gain distributions. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund shares only if the broker through whom you purchased the shares makes such option available. Distributions declared in December to shareholders of record in such month and paid in January are taxable as if they were paid in December.
 
Distributions of net investment income.   The Fund receives income generally in the form of dividends and interest on its investments. The Fund may also recognize ordinary income from other sources, including, but not limited to, certain gains on foreign currency-related transactions. This income, less expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund, constitutes the Fund’s net investment income from which dividends may be paid to you. If you are a taxable investor, any income dividends (other than qualified dividends) the Fund pays are taxable to you at ordinary income tax rates. A portion of the income dividends paid to you may be qualified dividends eligible to be taxed at reduced rates.
 
Distributions of capital gains.   The Fund may realize capital gains and losses on the sale of its portfolio securities.
 
Distributions of short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions of long-term capital gains are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have owned your shares in the Fund. Any net capital gains realized by the Fund (in excess of any available capital loss carryovers) generally are distributed once each year, and may be distributed more frequently, if necessary, to reduce or eliminate excise or income taxes on the Fund.
 
Capital gain dividends and any net long-term capital gains you realize from the sale of Fund shares are taxable at the reduced long-term capital gains rates. For individuals in the 10% and 15% federal income tax brackets, the long-term capital gains tax rate is 0%. For individuals in higher tax brackets, the long-term capital gains rate is 15% (20% for certain high income taxpayers). A 3.8% Medicare tax may also be imposed as discussed below.
 
Returns of capital.   If the Fund’s distributions exceed its earnings and profits (i.e., generally, its taxable income and realized capital gains) for a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in that taxable year may be characterized as a return of capital to you. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce the cost basis in your Fund shares and will result in a higher capital gain or in a lower capital loss when you sell your shares. Any return of capital in excess of the basis in your Fund shares, however, will be taxable as a capital gain. In the case of a non-calendar year fund, earnings and profits are first allocated to distributions made on or before December 31 of its taxable year and then to distributions made thereafter. The effect of this provision is to “push” returns of capital into the next calendar year.
 
Undistributed capital gains.   The Fund may retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain for each taxable year. The Fund currently intends to distribute net capital gains. If the Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, the Fund will be taxed thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carryovers) at the highest corporate tax rate (currently 35%). If the Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, it is expected that the Fund also will elect to have shareholders treated as if each received a distribution of its pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report its pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, will receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain, and will increase the tax basis for its shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.
 
Dividend reinvestment.   Broker dealers, at their own discretion, may offer a dividend reinvestment service under which Fund shares are purchased in the secondary market at current market prices. Investors should consult their broker dealer for further information regarding any dividend reinvestment service offered by such broker dealer. Dividends which are reinvested will nevertheless be taxable to the same extent as if such dividends had not been reinvested.
 
Investments in foreign securities   The following paragraphs describe tax considerations that are applicable to the Fund’s investments in foreign securities.
 
Foreign income tax.   Investment income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income tax withheld at the source and the amount of tax withheld generally will be treated as an expense of the Fund. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries, which entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, tax on such
 

 
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income. Some countries require the filing of a tax reclaim or other forms to receive the benefit of the reduced tax rate; whether or when the Fund will receive the tax reclaim is within the control of the individual country. Information required on these forms may not be available such as shareholder information; therefore, the Fund may not receive the reduced treaty rates or potential reclaims. Other countries have conflicting and changing instructions and restrictive timing requirements which may cause the Fund not to receive the reduced treaty rates or potential reclaims. Other countries may subject capital gains realized by the Fund on sale or disposition of securities of that country to taxation. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of the Fund’s assets to be invested in various countries is not known. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may elect to pass-through foreign taxes paid by the Fund to shareholders, although it reserves the right not to do so. If the Fund makes such an election and obtains a refund of foreign taxes paid by the Fund in a prior year, the Fund may be eligible to reduce the amount of foreign taxes reported by the Fund to its shareholders, generally by the amount of the foreign taxes refunded, for the year in which the refund is received.
 
Pass-through of foreign taxes .  The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on income or gains from its investments in certain foreign securities. If more than 50% of the Fund’s total assets at the end of a fiscal year is invested in foreign securities, the Fund may elect to pass through to you your pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Both the Fund and you must meet certain holding period requirements in order for you to claim a credit for foreign taxes on foreign source dividends. The taxes will not be creditable unless the stock was held by the Fund for at least 16 days during the 31-day period beginning 15 days before the stock becomes ex-dividend (46-day holding period in respect of dividends on preferred stocks attributable to a period exceeding 366 days). Similarly, you must hold your Fund shares for at least 16 days during the 31-day period beginning 15 days before the Fund distribution goes ex-dividend. If the Fund elects to pass through foreign taxes, the Fund may report more taxable income  than it actually distributes because the Fund is required to include the foreign taxes passed through to you as additional dividend income. You will then be entitled either to deduct your share of these taxes in computing your taxable income, or to claim a foreign tax credit for these taxes against your U.S. federal income tax (subject to limitations for certain shareholders). The use of qualified dividends may reduce the otherwise available foreign tax credits on your federal income tax return.
 
The Fund will provide you with the information necessary to claim this deduction or credit on your personal income tax return if it makes this election.
 
Effect of foreign debt investments on distributions.   Most foreign exchange gains realized on the sale of debt securities are treated as ordinary income by the Fund. Similarly, foreign exchange losses realized on the sale of debt securities generally are treated as ordinary losses. These gains when distributed are taxable to you as ordinary income, and any losses reduce the Fund’s ordinary income otherwise available for distribution to you. This treatment could increase or decrease the Fund’s ordinary income distributions to you, and may cause some or all of the Fund’s previously distributed income to be classified as a return of capital.
 
PFIC securities.   The Fund may invest in securities of foreign entities that could be deemed for tax purposes to be passive foreign investment companies (PFICs). In general, a foreign company is classified as a PFIC if at least one-half of its assets constitute investment-type assets or 75% or more of its gross income is investment-type income. When investing in PFIC securities, the Fund intends to mark-to-market these securities and recognize any gains at the end of its fiscal and excise (described below) tax years. Deductions for losses are allowable only to the extent of any current or previously recognized gains. These gains (reduced by allowable losses) are treated as ordinary income that the Fund is required to distribute, even though it has not sold the securities. Foreign companies are not required to identify themselves as PFICs. Due to various complexities in identifying PFICs, the Fund can give no assurances that it will be able to identify portfolio securities in foreign corporations that are PFICs in time for the Fund to make a mark-to-market election. If the Fund is unable to identify an investment as a PFIC and thus does not make a mark-to-market election, the Fund may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.
 
The Fund’s designation of a foreign security as a PFIC security will cause the income dividends of any designated securities to fall outside of the definition of qualified foreign corporation dividends. These dividends generally will not qualify for the reduced rate of taxation on qualified dividends when distributed to you by the Fund.
 
Information on the amount and tax character of distributions   The Fund will inform you of the amount of your income dividends and capital gain distributions at the time they are paid, and will advise you of their tax status for federal income tax purposes shortly after the close of each calendar year. The amount of income dividends reported by the Fund to shareholders, consisting of qualified dividend income (which is relevant to U.S. investors) and interest-related and short-term capital gain dividends (which are relevant to non-U.S. investors) may exceed the total amount of income dividends paid. Such characterization will not result in more income being reported by the Fund, but rather will allow the Fund to report dividends in a manner that is more tax efficient to both U.S. and non-U.S. investors. If you have not owned your Fund shares for a full year, the Fund may report and distribute:
 

 
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·
as an ordinary income, qualified dividend, or capital gain dividend (a distribution of net long-term capital gains) if you are a U.S. investor, or
 
 
·
as an interest-related, short-term capital gain, or capital gain dividend if you are a non-U.S. investor
 
a percentage of income that may not be equal to the actual amount of each type of income earned during the period of your investment in the Fund.
 
The Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify income after you receive your tax reporting statement. This can result from rules in the Code that effectively prevent regulated investment companies such as the Fund from ascertaining with certainty until after the calendar year end the final amount and character of distributions the Fund has received on its investments during the prior calendar year. Franklin Templeton Investments makes every effort to identify reclassifications of income to reduce the number of corrected forms mailed to shareholders. However, when necessary, your broker will send you a corrected tax reporting statement to reflect reclassified information. If you receive a corrected tax reporting statement, use the information on this statement, and not the information on your original statement, in completing your tax returns.
 
Avoid “buying a dividend”   At the time you purchase your Fund shares, the price of shares may reflect undistributed income, undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation in the value of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. For taxable investors, a subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment, would be taxable. Buying shares in the Fund just before it declares an income dividend or capital gain distribution is sometimes known as “buying a dividend.”
 
Election to be taxed as a regulated investment company   The Fund intends to elect and continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to you. In order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, the Fund must satisfy the requirements described below.
 
Distribution requirement.   The Fund must distribute an amount equal to the sum of at least 90% of its investment company taxable income and 90% of its net tax-exempt income, if any, for the tax year (including, for purposes of satisfying this distribution requirement, certain distributions made by the Fund after the close of its taxable year that are treated as made during such taxable year).
 
Income requirement.   The Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived from its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from qualified publicly traded partnerships (QPTPs).
 
Asset diversification test.   The Fund must satisfy the following asset diversification test at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s tax year: (1) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets in securities of an issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer); and (2) no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) or of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or, in the securities of one or more QPTPs.
 
In some circumstances, the character and timing of income realized by the Fund for purposes of the income requirement or the identification of the issuer for purposes of the asset diversification test is uncertain under current law with respect to a particular investment, and an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to such type of investment may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to satisfy these requirements. In other circumstances, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio holdings in order to meet the income requirement, distribution requirement, or asset diversification test, which may have a negative impact on the Fund’s income and performance. In lieu of potential disqualification, the Fund is permitted to pay a tax for certain failures to satisfy the asset diversification test or income requirement, which, in general, are limited to those due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect.
 
If for any taxable year the Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders, and the dividends would be taxable to the shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Failure to qualify as a regulated investment company, subject to savings provisions for certain qualification failures, which, in general, are limited to those due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, would thus have a negative impact on the Fund’s income and performance. In that case, the Fund would be liable for federal, and possibly state,
 

 
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corporate taxes on its taxable income and gains, and distributions to you would be taxed as dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits. Even if such savings provisions apply, the Fund may be subject to a monetary sanction of $50,000 or more. Moreover, the board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company if it determines such a course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.
 
Capital loss carryovers   The capital losses of the Fund, if any, do not flow through to shareholders. Rather, the Fund may use its capital losses, subject to applicable limitations, to offset its capital gains without being required to pay taxes on or distribute to shareholders such gains that are offset by the losses. If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains), the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. Any such net capital losses of the Fund that are not used to offset capital gains may be carried forward indefinitely, subject to certain limitations, to reduce any future capital gains realized by the Fund in succeeding taxable years.
 
Excise tax distribution requirements
 
Required distributions.   To avoid federal excise taxes, the Code requires the Fund to distribute to you by December 31 of each year, at a minimum, the following amounts:
 
 
·
98% of its taxable ordinary income earned during the calendar year;
 
 
·
98.2% of its capital gain net income earned during the 12-month period ending October 31; and
 
 
·
100% of any undistributed amounts of these categories of income or gain from the prior year.
 
The Fund intends to declare and pay these distributions in December (or to pay them in January, in which case you must treat them as received in December), but can give no assurances that its distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all taxes.
 
Tax reporting for income and excise tax years.   Because the periods for measuring a regulated investment company’s income are different for income (determined on a fiscal year basis) and excise tax years (determined as noted above), special rules are required to calculate the amount of income earned in each period, and the amount of earnings and profits needed to support that income. For example, if the Fund uses the excise tax period ending on October 31 as the measuring period for calculating and paying out capital gain net income and realizes a net capital loss between November 1 and the end of the Fund’s fiscal year, the Fund may calculate its earnings and profits without regard to such net capital loss in order to make its required distribution of capital gain net income for excise tax purposes. The Fund also may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year, which may change the timing, amount, or characterization of Fund distributions.
 
A “qualified late year loss” includes (i) any net capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, or, if there is no such loss, any net long-term capital loss or any net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year (post-October capital losses), and (ii) the sum of (1) the excess, if any, of (a) specified losses incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, over (b) specified gains incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year and (2) the excess, if any, of (a) ordinary losses incurred after December 31 of the current taxable year, over (b) the ordinary income incurred after December 31 of the current taxable year. The terms “specified losses” and “specified gains” mean ordinary losses and gains from the sale, exchange, or other disposition of property (including the termination of a position with respect to such property), foreign currency losses and gains, and losses and gains resulting from holding stock in a passive foreign investment company (PFIC) for which a mark-to-market election is in effect. The terms “ordinary losses” and “ordinary income” mean other ordinary losses and income that are not described in the preceding sentence. Special rules apply to a Fund with a fiscal year ending in November or December that elects to use its taxable year for determining its capital gain net income for excise tax purposes. The Fund may only elect to treat any post-October capital loss, specified gains and specified losses incurred after October 31 as if it had been incurred in the succeeding year in determining its taxable income for the current year.
 
Because these rules are not entirely clear, the Fund may be required to interpret the “qualified late-year loss” and other rules relating to these different year-ends to determine its taxable income and capital gains. The Fund’s reporting of income and its allocation between different taxable and excise tax years may be challenged by the IRS, possibly resulting in adjustments in the income reported by the Fund on its tax returns and/or on your year-end tax statements.
 

 
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Medicare tax   The recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010, will impose a 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income earned by certain individuals, estates and trusts for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012. “Net investment income,” for these purposes, means investment income, including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares, reduced by the deductions properly allocable to such income. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (1) the shareholder’s net investment income or (2) the amount by which the shareholder’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the shareholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if the shareholder is married and filing separately) or $200,000 (in any other case). Any liability for this additional Medicare tax will be reported on, and paid with, your federal income tax return.
 
Sales of exchange-listed Fund shares   Sales of Fund shares are generally taxable transactions for federal and state income tax purposes. If you sell your Fund shares, you are required to report any gain or loss on your sale. If you owned your shares as a capital asset, any gain or loss that you realize is a capital gain or loss, and is long-term or short-term, depending on how long you owned your shares. Under current law, shares held one year or less are short-term and shares held more than one year are long-term. Capital losses in any year are deductible only to the extent of capital gains plus, in the case of a noncorporate taxpayer, $3,000 of ordinary income.
 
Sales at a loss within six months of purchase.   Any loss incurred on the sale or exchange of Fund shares owned for six months or less is treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gains distributed to you by the Fund on those shares.
 
Wash sales.     All or a portion of any loss that you realize on the sale or exchange of your Fund shares will be disallowed to the extent that you buy other shares in the Fund (through reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within 30 days before or after your sale or exchange. Any loss disallowed under these rules will be added to your tax basis in the new shares.
 
Reportable transactions.     Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper.
 
Cost basis reporting   The cost basis of Fund shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Fund sales generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Fund shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Fund shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.
 
Creations and redemptions of creation units.   An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.
 
Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six (6) months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gain with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).
 
A Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to sections 351 and 362 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. A Fund also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If a Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or group of purchasers) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.
 

 
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If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.
 
Tax certification and backup withholding   Tax laws require that you certify your tax information when you become an investor in the Fund. For U.S. citizens and resident aliens, this certification is made on IRS Form W-9. Under these laws, you may be subject to federal backup withholding at a rate of 28%, and possibly state backup withholding, on a portion of your taxable distributions and sales proceeds unless you:
 
 
·
provide your correct Social Security or taxpayer identification number,
 
 
·
certify that this number is correct,
 
 
·
certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, and
 
 
·
certify that you are a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).
 
Withholding is also imposed if the IRS requires it. When federal backup withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any taxable distributions. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS. Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding and information reporting.
 
U.S. government securities   The income earned on certain U.S. government securities is exempt from state and local personal income taxes if earned directly by you. States also grant tax-free status to investment company dividends paid to you from interest earned on these securities, subject in some states to minimum investment or reporting requirements that must be met by the Fund. The income on Fund investments in certain securities, such as repurchase agreements, commercial paper and federal agency-backed obligations (e.g., Ginnie Mae and Fannie Mae securities), generally does not qualify for tax-free treatment. The rules on exclusion of this income are different for corporations.
 
Qualified dividends and the corporate dividends-received deduction   For individual shareholders, a portion of the dividends paid by the Fund may be qualified dividend income eligible for taxation at long-term capital gain tax rates. For individuals in the 10% and 15% federal income tax brackets, the long-term capital gains tax rate is 0%. For individuals in higher tax brackets, the long-term capital gains rate is 15% (20% for certain high income taxpayers).
 
“Qualified dividend income” means dividends paid to the Fund (a) by domestic corporations, (b) by foreign corporations that are either (i) incorporated in a possession of the United States, or (ii) are eligible for benefits under certain income tax treaties with the United States that include an exchange of information program, or (c) with respect to stock of a foreign corporation that is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Both the Fund and the investor must meet certain holding period requirements to qualify Fund dividends for this treatment. Specifically, the Fund must hold the stock for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the stock becomes ex-dividend. Similarly, investors must hold their Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the Fund distribution goes ex-dividend. Income derived from investments in derivatives, fixed-income securities, U.S. REITs, PFICs, and income received “in lieu of” dividends in a securities lending transaction generally is not eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income. If the qualifying dividend income received by the Fund is equal to or greater than 95% of the Fund’s gross income (exclusive of net capital gain) in any taxable year, all of the ordinary income dividends paid by the Fund will be qualifying dividend income.
 
While the income received in the form of a qualified dividend is taxed at the same rates as long-term capital gains, such income will not be considered a long-term capital gain for other federal income tax purposes. For example, you will not be allowed to offset your long-term capital losses against qualified dividend income on your federal income tax return. Any qualified dividend income that you elect to be taxed at these reduced rates also cannot be used as investment income in determining your allowable investment interest expense.
 
For corporate shareholders, a portion of the dividends paid by the Fund may qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction. This deduction generally is available to corporations for dividends paid by a fund out of income earned on its investments in domestic corporations. The availability of the dividends-received deduction is subject to certain holding period and debt financing restrictions that apply to both the Fund and the investor. Specifically, the amount that the Fund may report as eligible for the dividends-received deduction will be reduced or eliminated if the shares on which the dividends earned by the Fund were debt-financed or held by the Fund for less than a minimum period of time, generally 46 days during a 91-day period beginning 45 days before the stock becomes ex-dividend. Similarly, if your Fund shares are debt-financed or held by you for less than a 46-day period then the dividends-received deduction for Fund dividends on your shares may also be reduced or eliminated. Even if reported as dividends eligible for the dividends-received deduction, all dividends (including any deducted portion) must be included in your alternative minimum taxable
 

 
38

 

income calculation. Income derived by the Fund from investments in derivatives, fixed-income and foreign securities generally is not eligible for this treatment.
 
Each year the Fund will report  the portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund that are eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income, if any, and for the corporate dividends-received deduction, if any. The amounts reported by the Fund may vary significantly each year depending on the particular mix of the Fund’s investments. If the percentage of qualified dividend income or dividend income eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction is quite small, the Fund reserves the right to not report the small percentage of qualified dividend income for individuals or income eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction for corporations.
 
Investment in complex securities   The Fund’s investment in certain complex securities could subject it to one or more special tax rules (including, but not limited to, the wash sale rules), which may affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments to the holding periods of the Fund’s securities. These rules, therefore, could affect the amount, timing and/or tax character of the Fund’s distributions to shareholders. Moreover, because the tax rules applicable to complex securities, including derivative financial instruments, are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether the Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid a fund-level tax.
 
In general.   Gain or loss recognized by the Fund on the sale or other disposition of its portfolio investments will generally be capital gain or loss. Such capital gain and loss may be long-term or short-term depending, in general, upon the length of time a particular investment position is maintained and, in some cases, upon the nature of the transaction. Portfolio investments held for more than one year generally will be eligible for long-term capital gain or loss treatment.
 
Derivatives.   The Fund may invest in certain derivative contracts, including some or all of the following types of investments: options on securities and securities indices; financial and futures contracts; options on financial or futures contracts and stock index futures; foreign currency contracts, and forward and futures contracts on foreign currencies. The tax treatment of certain futures contracts entered into by the Fund, as well as listed non-equity options written or purchased by the Fund on U.S. exchanges (including options on futures contracts, broad-based equity indices and debt securities), may be governed by section 1256 of the Code (section 1256 contracts). Gains or losses on section 1256 contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses (60/40), although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary in character. Also, any section 1256 contracts held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year (and, for purposes of the 4% excise tax, on certain other dates as prescribed under the Code) are “marked to market” with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they were realized and the resulting gain or loss is treated as ordinary or 60/40 gain or loss, as applicable, even though the Fund continues to hold the contracts. The Fund may be required to distribute this income and gains annually in order to avoid income or excise taxes on the Fund. Section 1256 contracts do not include any interest rate swap, currency swap, basis swap, interest rate cap, interest rate floor, commodity swap, equity swap, equity index swap, credit default swap, or similar agreement.
 
Constructive sales.   The Fund’s entry into certain derivative instruments, including options, forward contracts, and futures could be treated as the “constructive sale” of an “appreciated financial position,” causing it to realize gain, but not loss, on the position.
 
Securities lending transactions.   The Fund may obtain additional income by lending its securities, typically to brokers. All amounts that are paid to the Fund in a securities lending transaction, including substitute dividend or interest payments, are treated as a “fee” for the temporary use of property. As a result, any substitute dividend payments received by the Fund are neither qualified dividend income eligible for taxation at reduced long-term capital gain rates in the case of individual shareholders nor eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Similarly, any foreign tax withheld on payments made “in lieu of” dividends or interest will not qualify for the pass-through of foreign tax credits to shareholders.
 
Tax straddles.   If the Fund invests in certain derivative instruments, if it actively trades stock or otherwise acquires a position with respect to substantially similar or related property in connection with certain hedging transactions, or if it engages in spread, straddle or collar transactions, it could be deemed to hold offsetting positions in securities. If the Fund’s risk of loss with respect to specific securities in its portfolio is substantially diminished by the fact that it holds offsetting securities, the Fund could be deemed to have entered into a tax “straddle” or to hold a “successor position” that would require any loss realized by it to be deferred for tax purposes.
 
Structured investments.   The Fund may invest in instruments that are designed to restructure the investment characteristics of a security or securities, such as certain structured notes, swap contracts, or swaptions. By investing in these securities, the Fund could be subject to tax consequences that differ from those of an investment in traditional debt or equity securities.
 

 
39

 


 
Certain fixed-income investments.   Gain recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation purchased by the Fund with market discount (generally, at a price less than its principal amount) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the portion of the market discount that accrued during the period of time the Fund held the debt obligation, unless the Fund made an election to accrue market discount into income currently. Fund distributions of accrued market discount, including any current inclusions, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits. If the Fund purchases a debt obligation (such as a zero coupon security or pay-in-kind security) that was originally issued at a discount, the Fund generally is required to include in gross income each year the portion of the original issue discount that accrues during such year. Therefore an investment in such securities may cause the Fund to recognize income and make distributions to shareholders before it receives any cash payments on the securities. To generate cash to satisfy those distribution requirements, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities that it otherwise might have continued to hold or to use cash flows from other sources such as the sale of fund shares.
 
Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or in default.   The Fund may also hold obligations that are at risk of or in default. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as whether and to what extent the Fund should recognize market discount on such a debt obligation, when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent the Fund may take deductions for bad debts or worthless securities and how the Fund should allocate payments received on obligations in default between principal and income. These and other related issues will be addressed by the Fund in order to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a regulated investment company.
 
Investment in taxable mortgage pools (excess inclusion income).   Under a Notice issued by the IRS, the Code and Treasury regulations to be issued, a portion of the Fund’s income from a U.S. REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a real estate mortgage investment conduit (REMIC) or equity interests in a “taxable mortgage pool” (referred to in the Code as an excess inclusion) will be subject to federal income tax in all events. The excess inclusion income of a regulated investment company, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the regulated investment company in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or, if applicable, taxable mortgage pool directly. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions), (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income (UBTI), thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income, and (iii) in the case of a foreign stockholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (which generally includes certain cooperatives, governmental entities, and tax-exempt organizations not subject to UBTI) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the highest federal income tax rate imposed on corporations. The Notice imposes certain reporting requirements upon regulated investment companies that have excess inclusion income. There can be no assurance that the Fund will not allocate to shareholders excess inclusion income.
 
These rules are potentially applicable to a fund with respect to any income it receives from the equity interests of certain mortgage pooling vehicles, either directly or, as is more likely, through an investment in a U.S. REIT. It is not anticipated that these rules will apply to a fund that does not invest in any U.S. REITs.
 
State income taxes   Some state tax codes adopt the Code through a certain date. As a result, such conforming states may not have adopted the version of the Code that contains either the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, or other federal tax laws enacted after the applicable conformity date. Other states may have adopted an income or other basis of tax that differs from the Code.
 
The information furnished by the Fund annually with respect to the amount and character of dividends paid will be prepared on the basis of current federal income tax law to comply with the information reporting requirements of the Code, and not on the basis of the law of any state in which a shareholder is resident or otherwise subject to tax. Under the current California Revenue and Taxation Code, certain funds are required to report federal tax information to the California Franchise Tax Board annually.
 
Accordingly, the amount and character of income, gain or loss realized by a shareholder with respect to his or her investment in Fund shares for state income tax purposes may differ from that for federal income tax purposes. Franklin Templeton Investments provides tax information on franklintempleton.com (under the Tax Center) regarding tax-exempt income by jurisdiction and U.S. government interest to assist shareholders with the preparation of their state income tax returns. Shareholders are solely responsible for determining the amount and character of income, gain or loss to report on their federal, state and local income tax returns each year as a result of their purchase, holding and sale of Fund shares.
 

 
40

 


 
Non-U.S. investors   Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax, and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements.
 
In general.   The United States imposes a flat 30% withholding tax (or a tax at a lower treaty rate) on U.S. source dividends. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from long-term capital gains, interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income from U.S. sources, and short-term capital gain dividends, unless you are a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year. “Qualified interest income” includes, in general, the sum of the Fund’s U.S. source: i) bank deposit interest, ii) short-term original issue discount, iii) portfolio interest, and iv) any interest-related dividend passed through from another regulated investment company.
 
However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding tax at source, any taxable distributions and proceeds from the sale of your Fund shares will be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 28% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
 
It may not be practical in every case for the Fund to report, and the Fund reserves the right in these cases to not report, interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends. Additionally, the Fund’s reporting of interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends may not, in turn, be passed through to shareholders by intermediaries who have assumed tax reporting responsibilities for this income in managed or omnibus accounts due to systems limitations or operational constraints.
 
Effectively connected income.   Taxable ordinary income dividends paid by the Fund to non-U.S. investors on portfolio investments are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at 30% or a lower treaty rate. However, if you hold your Fund shares in connection with a U.S. trade or business, your income and gains may be considered effectively connected income and taxed in the U.S. on a net basis at graduated income tax rates in which case you may be required to file a nonresident U.S. income tax return.
 
U.S. estate tax.   An individual who is a non-U.S. investor will be subject to U.S. federal estate tax on all or a portion of the value of Fund shares owned at the time of death, unless a treaty exemption applies between the country of residence of the non-U.S. investor and the U.S. Even if a treaty exemption is available, a decedent’s estate may nevertheless be required to file a U.S. estate tax return to claim the exemption, as well as to obtain a U.S. federal transfer certificate. The transfer certificate will identify the property (i.e., Fund shares) on which a U.S. federal tax lien has been released, and is required before the Fund can release a nonresident alien decedent’s investment in the Fund to his or her estate. For estates with U.S. situs assets of not more than $60,000 (there is a statutory estate tax credit for this amount of property), the Fund may accept, in lieu of a federal transfer certificate, an affidavit from the executor of the estate or other authorized individual evidencing that the U.S. situs assets (excluding any exempt assets as noted below) are at or below this threshold amount. Transfers by gift of shares of the Fund by a non-U.S. investor who is a nonresident alien individual will not be subject to U.S. federal gift tax. The tax consequences to a non-U.S. investor entitled to claim the benefits of a treaty between the country of residence of the non-U.S. investor and the U.S. may be different from the consequences described above.
 
Tax certification and backup withholding as applied to non-U.S. investors.   Non-U.S. investors have special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding at a rate of 28% and, if applicable, to obtain the benefit of any income tax treaty between the non-U.S. investor’s country of residence and the United States. To claim these tax benefits, the non-U.S. investor must provide a properly completed Form W-8BEN (or other Form W-8, where applicable) to establish his or her status as a non-U.S. investor, to claim beneficial ownership over the assets in the account, and to claim, if applicable, a reduced rate of or exemption from withholding tax under the applicable treaty. A Form W-8BEN generally remains in effect for a period of three years beginning on the date that it is signed and ending on the last day of the third succeeding calendar year. In certain instances, Form W-8BEN may remain valid indefinitely unless the investor has a change of circumstances that renders the form incorrect and necessitates a new form and tax certification. Non-U.S. investors must advise of any change of circumstances that would render the information given on the form incorrect and must then provide a new W-8BEN to avoid the prospective application of backup withholding.
 
Investment in U.S. real property.   The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980 (FIRPTA) makes non-U.S. persons subject to U.S. tax on disposition of a U.S. real property interest (USRPI) as if he or she were a U.S. person. Such gain is sometimes referred to as FIRPTA gain. The Fund may invest in equity securities of corporations that invest in USRPI, including U.S. REITs, which may trigger FIRPTA gain to the Fund’s non-U.S. shareholders.
 
The Code provides a look-through rule for distributions of FIRPTA gain when a regulated investment company is classified as a qualified investment entity. A regulated investment company will be classified as a qualified investment entity if, in general, 50% or more of the regulated investment company’s assets consist of interests in U.S. REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations. If a regulated investment company is a qualified investment entity and the non-U.S. shareholder owns more than 5% of a class of Fund shares at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the FIRPTA distribution, the FIRPTA distribution to the non-U.S. shareholder is treated as gain from the disposition of a USRPI, causing the distribution to be subject to U.S. withholding
 

 
41

 

tax at a rate of 35% (unless reduced by future regulations), and requiring the non-U.S. shareholder to file a nonresident U.S. income tax return. In addition, even if the non-U.S. shareholder does not own more than 5% of a class of Fund shares, but the Fund is a qualified investment entity, the FIRPTA distribution will be taxable as ordinary dividends (rather than as a capital gain or short-term capital gain dividend) subject to withholding at 30% or a lower treaty rate.
 
Because the Fund expects to invest less than 50% of its assets at all times, directly or indirectly, in U.S. real property interests, it expects that neither gain on the sale or redemption of Fund shares nor Fund dividends and distributions should be subject to FIRPTA reporting and tax withholding.
 
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act   Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions (FFI) or non-financial foreign entities (NFFE) that are shareholders in the Fund may be subject to a 30% withholding tax on: (a) income dividends paid by the Fund, and (b) after December 31, 2018, certain capital gain distributions, return-of-capital distributions and the gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares paid by the Fund. The FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (a) by an FFI, if it reports certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI, and (b) by an NFFE, if it: (i) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners, or (ii) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them to the withholding agent, which will, in turn, report that information to the IRS. The U.S. Treasury has negotiated intergovernmental agreements (IGA) with certain countries and is in various stages of negotiations with a number of other foreign countries with respect to one or more alternative approaches to implement FATCA. An entity in one of those countries may be required to comply with the terms of an IGA and applicable local law instead of U.S. Treasury regulations.
 
An FFI can avoid FATCA withholding if it is deemed compliant or by becoming a “participating FFI,” which requires the FFI to enter into a U.S. tax compliance agreement with the IRS under section 1471(b) of the Code (FFI agreement) under which it agrees to verify, report and disclose certain of its U.S. accountholders and provided that such entity meets certain other specified requirements. The FFI will report to the IRS, or, depending on the FFI’s country of residence, to the government of that country (pursuant to the terms and conditions of an applicable IGA and applicable law), which will, in turn, report to the IRS. An FFI that is resident in a country that has entered into an IGA with the U.S. to implement FATCA will be exempt from FATCA withholding provided that the FFI shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.
 
An NFFE that is the beneficial owner of a payment from the Fund can avoid the FATCA withholding tax generally by certifying that it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or by providing the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each substantial U.S. owner. The NFFE will report information either (i) to the applicable withholding agent, which will, in turn, report information to the IRS, or (ii) directly to the IRS.
 
Such foreign shareholders also may fall into certain exempt, excepted or deemed compliant categories as established by U.S. Treasury regulations, IGAs, and other guidance regarding FATCA. An FFI or NFFE that invests in a Fund will need to provide documentation properly certifying the entity’s status under FATCA in order to avoid FATCA withholding. The requirements imposed by FATCA are different from, and in addition to, the U.S. tax certification rules to avoid backup withholding described above.
 
Organization, Voting Rights, Principal Holders and Additional Information Concerning the Trust  
 
The Fund is a diversified series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on October 9, 2015 and is registered with the SEC.
 
The Trust has noncumulative voting rights. For board member elections, this gives holders of more than 50% of the shares voting the ability to elect all of the members of the board. If this happens, holders of the remaining shares voting will not be able to elect anyone to the board.
 
The Trust does not intend to hold annual shareholder meetings. The Trust or a series of the Trust may hold special meetings, however, for matters requiring shareholder approval.
 
From time to time, the number of Fund shares held in the “street name” accounts of various securities dealers for the benefit of their clients or in centralized securities depositories may exceed 5% of the total shares outstanding.
 
Following the creation of the initial Creation Unit(s) of shares of the Fund and immediately prior to the commencement of trading in the Fund’s shares, a holder of shares may be a “control person” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. The Fund cannot predict the length of time for which one or more shareholders may remain a control person of the Fund.
 

 
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DTC as securities depository for shares of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.
 
DTC was created in 1973 to enable electronic movement of securities between its participants (DTC Participants), and NSCC was established in 1976 to provide a single settlement system for securities clearing and to serve as central counterparty for securities trades among DTC Participants. In 1999, DTC and NSCC were consolidated within the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) and became wholly owned subsidiaries of DTCC. The common stock of DTCC is owned by the DTC Participants, but the New York Stock Exchange and FINRA, through subsidiaries, hold preferred shares in DTCC that provide them with the right to elect one member each to the DTCC Board of Directors. Access to the DTC system is available to entities, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies, that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (Indirect Participants).
 
Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of shares. The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such laws may impair the ability of certain investors to acquire beneficial interests in shares.
 
Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
 
Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all shares of the Trust. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
 
The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants. DTC may decide to discontinue providing its service with respect to shares of the Trust at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.
 
Creation and Redemption of Creation Units  
 
General.   The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through Distributors or its agent, without a sales load, at a price based on the Fund’s NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined below), of an order received by Distributors or its agent in proper form.  On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to be placed earlier in the day.  The following table sets forth the number of shares of the Fund that constitute a Creation Unit for the Fund and the value of such Creation Unit as of June 1, 2016:
 
 
Fund
Shares Per Creation Unit
Value Per Creation Unit
(U.S. $)
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
200,000
5,000,000

 
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Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
200,000
5,000,000
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
200,000
5,000,000
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
200,000
5,000,000
 
In its discretion, the investment manager reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of the Fund’s shares that constitute a Creation Unit.  The board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of the Fund, and to make a corresponding change in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the board.
 
A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is any day on which the Listing Exchange on which the Fund is listed for trading is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the Listing Exchange observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
 
To the extent the Fund engages in in-kind transactions, the Fund intends to comply with the U.S. federal securities laws in accepting securities for deposit and satisfying redemptions with redemption securities by, among other means, assuring that any securities accepted for deposit and any securities used to satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act, will not be able to receive securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.
 
Fund Deposit.   The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Fund generally consists of the Deposit Securities (i.e., the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted)) and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which, when combined with the Fund’s portfolio securities, is designed to generate performance that has a collective investment profile similar to that of the Underlying Index. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund.
 
The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit.
 
The Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF (the “Partial Cash Fund”) generally offers Creation Units partially for cash. Please see the Cash purchase method section below and the following discussion summarizing the in-kind method for further information on purchasing Creation Units of the Fund.
 
Advisers makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange, the list of names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security and the amount of the Cash Component (if any) to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for the Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of the Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.
 
The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities and the amount of the Cash Component changes pursuant to changes in the composition of the Fund’s portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by Advisers with a view to the investment goal of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities and the amount of the Cash Component may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting the Underlying Index.
 
The Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through the facilities of DTC (DTC Facilities) or the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (NSCC Clearing Process), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC (as discussed below), or that the Authorized Participant is not able to trade due to a trading restriction. The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain
 

 
44

 

circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as defined below) would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (iii) in certain other situations.
 
Cash purchase method.   Although the Trust does not ordinarily permit partial or full cash purchases of Creation Units of the Fund, when partial or full cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for the Fund (Creation Units of the Partial Cash Fund are generally offered partially for cash), they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a partial or full cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser.
 
Creation Units.   To be eligible to place orders with Distributors and to create a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be: (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the NSCC Clearing Process, or (ii) a DTC Participant, and, in either case, must have executed an agreement with Distributors with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (Authorized Participant Agreement). A Participating Party or DTC Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement is referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” All shares of the Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.
 
Role of the Authorized Participant.   Creation Units may be purchased only by or through an Authorized Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with Distributors. Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the net asset value of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be an Authorized Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through an Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of Authorized Participants. A list of current Authorized Participants may be obtained from Distributors.
 
Placement of creation orders.   An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund, in proper form, generally before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time on any Business Day in order to receive that day’s NAV. Orders for Creation Units must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to Distributors or its agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach Distributors or its agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of the Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant non-U.S. market are closed may not be accepted. The Fund’s deadline specified above for the submission of purchase orders is referred to as the Fund’s “Cutoff Time.” Distributors or its agent, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Listing Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of Distributors’ or its agent’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose.
 
Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Distributors or its agent will provide a list of current Authorized Participants upon request. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to Distributors or its agent by the Cutoff Time on such Business Day.
 
Upon receiving an order for a Creation Unit, Distributors or its agent will notify Advisers and the custodian of such order. The custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate sub-custodian.
 
The Authorized Participant must make available on or before the prescribed settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Fund, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the applicable deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This
 

 
45

 

deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of the Fund. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.
 
The Authorized Participant is responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by the Fund, including any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.
 
Purchase orders, if accepted by the Trust, will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance in accordance with the Fund’s Cutoff Times as provided in the Authorized Participant Agreement and disclosed in this SAI.
 
Acceptance of orders for Creation Units.   Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Fund are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, the Fund will accept the order, subject to the Fund’s right (and the right of Distributors and Advisers) to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth below.
 
Once the Fund has accepted an order, upon the next determination of the net asset value of the shares, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such net asset value. Distributors or its agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.
 
The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by Distributors or its agent if: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of the Fund, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the discretion of the Fund or Advisers, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of the Fund make it impossible to process purchase orders for all practical purposes. Distributors or its agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Fund, the Fund’s custodian, the sub-custodian and Distributors or its agent are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.
 
Issuance of a Creation Unit.   Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the sub-custodian has confirmed to the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant sub-custodian or sub-custodians, Distributors or its agent and Advisers shall be notified of such delivery and the Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit.  Typically, Creation Units are issued on a “T+3 basis” (i.e., three Business Days after trade date). However, as discussed in the Regular Holidays section of this SAI, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+3 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances.
 
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant Agreement with Distributors, the Fund will issue Creation Units to an Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105% and up to 115%, which percentage the Trust may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Fund’s then-effective procedures. The Trust may use such cash deposit at any time to buy Deposit Securities for the Fund. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Fund is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 1:00 p.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date or such other time as designated by the Fund’s custodian. Information concerning the Fund’s current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from Distributors or its agent. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such securities and the value of the cash collateral including, without limitation, liability for related brokerage, borrowings and other charges.
 
In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, the Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Fund and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.
 
Costs associated with creation transactions.   A standard creation transaction fee is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance of Creation Units. The standard creation transaction fee is charged to the Authorized
 

 
46

 

Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the Fund. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to acquire Fund shares may be charged a fee for such services.
 
The following table sets forth the Fund’s standard creation transaction fees and maximum additional charge (as described above):
 
Fund
Standard Creation Transaction Fee
Maximum Additional Charge for Creations 1
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
$2,500
3%
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
$3,500
5%
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
$1,250
3%
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
$5,000
3%
1. As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit.
 
Redemption of Creation Units.   Shares of the Fund may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by Distributors or its agent and only on a Business Day. The Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market. The Fund generally redeems Creation Units for Fund Securities (as defined below).  The Partial Cash Fund generally redeems Creation Units partially for cash.  Please see the Cash redemption method section below and the following discussion summarizing the in-kind method for further information on redeeming Creation Units of the Fund.
 
Advisers makes available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (Fund Securities), and an amount of cash as described below (Cash Amount) (if any). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next announced composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units.
 
Unless cash redemptions are available or specified for the Fund, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).
 
The Fund may, in its sole discretion, substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security that may not be eligible for transfer through DTC Facilities or the NSCC Clearing Process or that the Authorized Participant is not able to trade due to a trading restriction. The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; (ii) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized Participant due to restrictions under applicable securities or other local laws; or (iii) in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as a Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. The Fund generally redeems Creation Units for Fund Securities, but the Fund reserves the right to utilize a cash option for redemption of Creation Units.  The Partial Cash Fund generally redeems Creation Units partially for cash.
 
Cash redemption method.   Although the Trust does not ordinarily permit partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund, when partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified (Creation Units of the Partial Cash Fund are
 

 
47

 

generally redeemed partially for cash) for the Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.
 
Costs associated with redemption transactions.   A standard redemption transaction fee is imposed to offset transfer and other transaction costs that may be incurred by the Fund. The standard redemption transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed by an Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Fund to their account on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary to dispose of Fund shares may be charged a fee for such services.
 
The following table sets forth the Fund’s standard redemption transaction fees and maximum additional charge (as described above):
 
Fund
Standard Redemption Transaction Fee
Maximum Additional Charge for Redemptions 1
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
$2,500
3%
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
$3,500
5%
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
$1,250
3%
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
$5,000
3%
1. As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the standard redemption transaction fee.
 
Placement of redemption orders.   Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Fund must be submitted to Distributors or its agent by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of the Fund, in proper form, generally before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time on any Business Day, in order to receive that day’s NAV.  On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier that day.  Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Distributors or its agent will provide a list of current Authorized Participants upon request.
 
The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by the Fund to Distributors or its agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Fund’s transfer agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.
 
A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if: (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Fund’s transfer agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Listing Exchange closing time on any Business Day; (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Fund is received by Distributors or its agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above; and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the transfer agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC Facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date, the redemption request may be deemed rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC Facilities may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC Facilities by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.
 
Upon receiving a redemption request, Distributors or its agent shall notify the Fund and the Fund’s transfer agent of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the
 

 
48

 

Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.
 
A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered.
 
The Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions later than T+3 but by T+7 if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. Delayed settlement may occur due to a number of different reasons, including, without limitation, settlement cycles for the underlying securities, unscheduled market closings, an effort to link distribution to dividend record dates and ex-dates and newly announced holidays. For example, the redemption settlement process may be extended beyond T+3 because of the occurrence of a holiday in a non-U.S. market or in the U.S. bond market that is not a holiday observed in the U.S. equity market.  The Regular Holidays section hereto identifies the instances, if any, where more than seven days would be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Pursuant to an order of the SEC, the Trust will make delivery of redemption proceeds within the number of days stated in the Regular Holidays section to be the maximum number of days necessary to deliver redemption proceeds.
 
If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Fund may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its shares based on the NAV of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above, to offset the Fund’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.
 
Although the Trust does not ordinarily permit cash redemptions of Creation Units (except that, as noted above, Creation Units of the Partial Cash Fund generally will be redeemed partially for cash), in the event that cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Trust, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (within seven calendar days thereafter, except for the instances listed in the Regular Holidays section in which more than seven calendar days would be needed).
 
To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant Agreement with Distributors, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to the Fund, at or prior to 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date, Distributors or its agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available funds, having a value at least equal to 105% and up to 115%, which percentage the Trust may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the prescribed settlement date and shall be held by the Fund’s custodian and marked-to-market daily. The fees of the Fund’s custodian and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to purchase missing Fund shares or acquire the Deposit Securities and the Cash Amount underlying such shares, and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost of the Fund acquiring such shares, the Deposit Securities or Cash Amount and the value of the cash collateral including, without limitation, liability for related brokerage and other charges.
 
Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant non-U.S. markets.
 
The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund: (i) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as is permitted by the SEC.
 

 
49

 


 
Regular Holidays.   For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable non-U.S. market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle may be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a non-U.S. market due to emergencies and delivery cycles for transferring securities to redeeming investors may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.
 
The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with non-U.S. market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days, in certain circumstances. The holidays applicable to the Fund during such periods are listed below, as are instances where more than seven days will be needed to deliver redemption proceeds. Although certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years, the number of days required to deliver redemption proceeds in any given year is not expected to exceed the maximum number of days listed below for the Fund. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” (e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays, or changes in local securities delivery practices, could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.
 
In calendar year 2016 (the only year for which holidays are known at the time of this SAI filing), the dates of regular holidays affecting the relevant securities markets in which the Fund invests are as follows (please note these holiday schedules are subject to potential changes in the relevant securities markets):
 
2016
Australia
January 1
March 29
June 14
November 1
January 26
April 12
August 1
November 2
March 7
April 25
August 10
December 23
March 8
May 2
August 17
December 26
March 14
May 16
September 26
December 27
March 25
June 6
September 30
December 28
March 28
June 13
October 3
December 30
 
Austria
January 1
May 5
October 26
December 30
January 6
May 16
November 1
 
March 25
May 26
December 8
 
March 28
August 15
December 26
 
       
Belgium
January 1
May 6
August 15
December 26
March 25
May 16
September 27
 
March 28
July 11
November 1
 
May 5
July 21
November 11
 
       
Brazil
January 1
February 9
May 26
November 15
January 20
February 10
September 7
December 30
January 25
March 25
October 12
 
February 8
April 21
November 2
 
       
Canada
January 1
March 25
August 1
December 26
January 4
May 23
September 5
December 27
February 8
June 24
October 10
 
February 15
July 1
November 11
 
       
Chile
January 1
June 27
September 19
December 8
March 24
August 15
October 10
December 23
March 25
September 16
October 31
December 30

 
50

 


May 23
September 18
November 1
 
       
China
January 1
February 16
June 9
October 5
January 18
April 4
June 10
October 6
February 8
May 2
July 4
October 7
February 9
May 3
September 5
October 10
February 10
May 4
September 15
November 11
February 11
May 5
September 16
November 24
February 12
May 6
October 3
December 26
February 15
May 30
October 4
 
       
Colombia
January 1
March 25
July 4
November 7
January 11
May 9
July 20
November 14
March 21
May 30
August 15
December 8
March 24
June 6
October 17
December 30
       
The Czech Republic
January 1
July 5
October 28
December 30
March 25
July 6
November 17
 
March 28
September 28
December 26
 
       
Denmark
January 1
March 28
May 6
 
March 24
April 22
May 16
 
March 25
May 5
December 26
 
       
Egypt
January 7
May 2
September 12
December 11
January 25
July 6
September 13
December 12
April 25
July 7
October 2
 
May 1
September 11
October 6
 
       
The Egyptian market is closed every Friday.
Finland
January 1
March 25
June 24
 
January 6
March 28
December 6
 
March 24
May 5
December 26
 
       
France
January 1
May 16
July 15
November 11
March 25
May 20
August 15
December 26
March 28
May 31
October 31
 
May 5
July 14
November 1
 
       
Germany
January 1
March 28
August 15
December 30
January 6
May 5
October 3
 
February 8
May 16
November 1
 
March 25
May 26
December 26
 
       
Greece
January 1
March 25
May 16
December 26
January 6
March 28
June 20
 
February 8
April 29
August 15
 

 
51

 


March 14
May 2
October 28
 
       
Hong Kong
January 1
March 25
June 9
December 26
February 8
March 28
July 1
December 27
February 9
April 4
September 16
 
February 10
May 2
October 10
 
       
Hungary
January 1
March 25
October 31
December 30
March 14
March 28
November 1
 
March 15
May 16
November 26
 
       
India
January 1
April 8
July 7
September 30
January 26
April 14
August 15
October 11
February 19
April 15
August 17
October 12
March 7
April 19
August 19
October 31
March 23
May 21
August 22
November 1
March 24
June 30
September 5
November 14
March 25
July 1
September 12
December 12
April 1
July 6
September 13
December 13
       
Indonesia
January 1
May 5
July 7
October 3
February 8
May 6
July 8
December 12
March 9
July 4
August 17
December 26
March 25
July 5
September 12
December 30
April 8
July 6
September 13
 
       
Ireland
January 1
May 2
December 23
December 30
March 17
June 6
December 26
 
March 25
August 1
December 27
 
March 28
October 31
December 28
 
       
Israel
March 24
May 11
October 4
October 20
April 24
May 12
October 11
October 23
April 25
May 13
October 12
October 24
April 26
June 12
October 16
December 25
April 27
August 14
October 17
 
April 28
October 2
October 18
 
April 29
October 3
October 19
 
The Israeli market is closed every Friday.
 
Italy
January 1
March 28
June 9
December 8
January 6
April 25
August 15
December 26
March 25
June 2
November 1
 
       
Japan
January 1
April 29
July 18
October 10
January 11
May 3
August 11
November 3
February 11
May 4
September 19
November 23
March 21
May 5
September 22
December 23

 
52

 


       
Malaysia
January 1
May 23
July 7
October 31
January 25
May 30
July 8
December 12
February 1
May 31
August 31
December 26
February 8
June 4
September 12
 
February 9
June 22
September 16
 
May 2
July 6
October 3
 
       
Mexico
January 1
March 21
September 16
December 12
February 1
March 24
November 2
 
February 5
March 25
November 21
 
       
The Netherlands
January 1
March 28
May 5
May 16
March 25
April 27
May 12
December 26
       
New Zealand
January 1
February 8
April 25
December 26
January 4
March 24
June 6
December 27
January 25
March 25
October 24
December 30
February 1
March 28
December 23
 
       
Norway
January 1
March 25
May 16
 
March 23
March 28
May 17
 
March 24
May 5
December 26
 
       
Peru
January 1
June 29
August 30
 
March 24
July 28
November 1
 
March 25
July 29
December 8
 
       
The Philippines
January 1
March 25
August 26
November 1
February 8
May 9
August 29
November 2
February 25
July 6
September 12
November 30
March 24
July 7
October 31
December 30
       
Poland
January 1
March 28
August 15
December 26
January 6
May 3
November 1
 
March 25
May 26
November 11
 
       
Portugal
January 1
April 25
August 15
December 8
February 9
May 26
October 5
December 26
March 25
June 10
November 1
 
March 28
June 13
December 1
 
       
Qatar
February 9
July 8
September 11
September 15
March 6
July 9
September 12
December 18
July 6
July 10
September 13
 

 
53

 


July 7
July 11
September 14
 
The Qatari market is closed every Friday.
   
     
Russia
January 1
January 7
March 7
May 9
January 4
January 8
March 8
May 10
January 5
February 22
May 2
June 13
January 6
February 23
May 3
November 4
       
Singapore
January 1
May 2
July 7
October 29
February 8
May 21
August 9
October 31
February 9
May 23
September 12
December 26
March 25
July 6
September 13
 
       
South Africa
January 1
April 27
December 16
December 30
March 21
May 2
December 23
 
March 25
June 16
December 26
 
March 28
August 9
December 27
 
       
South Korea
January 1
March 1
June 6
October 3
January 4
April 5
August 15
November 10
February 8
April 13
September 14
December 30
February 9
April 14
September 15
 
February 10
May 5
September 16
 
       
Spain
January 1
April 8
July 25
November 1
January 6
April 12
August 15
November 9
March 24
May 2
August 16
December 6
March 25
May 3
September 9
December 8
March 28
May 26
October 12
December 26
       
Sweden
January 1
March 25
May 13
November 4
January 5
March 28
June 6
December 23
January 6
May 4
June 23
December 26
March 24
May 5
June 24
December 30
       
Switzerland
January 1
May 5
August 1
December 8
January 6
May 16
August 15
December 26
March 25
May 26
September 8
 
March 28
June 29
November 1
 
       
Taiwan
January 1
February 10
April 5
September 16
February 4
February 11
May 2
October 3
February 5
February 12
June 9
October 4
February 8
February 29
June 10
October 5
February 9
April 4
September 15
October 10
       
Thailand

 
54

 


January 1
April 15
May 23
October 24
February 22
May 2
July 1
December 5
April 6
May 5
July 18
December 12
April 13
May 6
July 19
 
April 14
May 20
August 12
 
       
Turkey
January 1
July 5
September 12
October 28
April 23
July 6
September 13
October 29
May 1
July 7
September 14
 
May 19
July 8
September 15
 
July 4
August 30
September 16
 
       
The United Arab Emirates
January 2
July 7
September 13
December 4
May 4
August 6
September 14
December 11
May 5
September 10
October 2
December 12
July 5
September 11
November 30
 
July 6
September 12
December 3
 
The United Arab Emirates market is closed every Friday.
The United Kingdom
January 1
May 2
December 23
December 30
March 25
May 30
December 26
 
March 28
August 29
December 27
 
       
The United States Bond Market
January 1
May 29*
November 11
December 26
January 18
May 30
November 24
December 31*
February 15
July 4
November 25*
 
March 24*
September 5
December 24*
 
March 25
October 10
December 25
 
*The U.S. bond market has recommended early close.
 

 
Redemptions.   The longest redemption cycle for the Fund is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries and regions whose securities comprise the Fund. In calendar year 2016 (the only year for which holidays are known at the time of this SAI filing), the dates of regular holidays affecting the following securities markets present the worst-case redemption cycles 1 for the Fund as follows:
 
2016
Country
 
Trade 
Date
 
Settlement 
Date
 
Number of
Days to
Settle
Australia
 
03/22/16
 
12/29/16
 
8
   
12/20/16
 
12/29/16
 
9
   
12/21/16
 
01/02/17
 
12
   
12/22/16
 
01/03/17
 
12
             
Brazil
 
02/03/16
 
02/11/16
 
8
   
02/04/16
 
02/12/16
 
8
   
02/05/16
 
02/15/16
 
10
             
China
 
02/03/16
 
02/17/16
 
14
 
 
 
 
 
 
55

 
 
 
2016
Country
 
Trade 
Date
 
Settlement 
Date
 
Number of
Days to
Settle
   
02/04/16
 
02/18/16
 
14
   
02/05/16
 
02/19/16
 
14
   
04/27/16
 
05/09/16
 
12
   
04/28/16
 
05/10/16
 
12
   
04/29/16
 
05/11/16
 
12
   
09/28/16
 
10/11/16
 
13
   
09/29/16
 
10/12/16
 
13
   
09/30/16
 
10/13/16
 
13
             
Colombia
 
03/18/16
 
03/28/16
 
10
             
Indonesia
 
06/29/16
 
07/11/16
 
12
   
06/30/16
 
07/12/16
 
12
   
07/01/16
 
07/13/16
 
12
             
Ireland
 
12/21/16
 
12/29/16
 
8
   
12/22/16
 
01/02/17
 
11
             
Israel
 
04/20/16
 
05/01/16
 
11
   
04/21/16
 
05/02/16
 
11
   
10/10/16
 
10/25/16
 
15
   
10/13/16
 
10/26/16
 
13
             
Japan
 
04/27/16
 
05/06/16
 
9
   
04/28/16
 
05/09/16
 
11
   
05/02/16
 
05/10/16
 
8
             
Malaysia
 
07/01/16
 
07/11/16
 
10
   
07/04/16
 
07/12/16
 
8
   
07/05/16
 
07/13/16
 
8
             
Mexico
 
03/18/16
 
03/28/16
 
10
             
New Zealand
 
03/21/16
 
03/29/16
 
8
   
03/22/16
 
03/30/16
 
8
   
03/23/16
 
03/31/16
 
8
   
12/20/16
 
12/28/16
 
8
   
12/21/16
 
12/29/16
 
8
   
12/22/16
 
01/02/17
 
11
             
Norway
 
03/21/16
 
3/29/16
 
8
   
03/22/16
 
3/30/16
 
8
             
Philippines
 
10/26/16
 
11/03/16
 
8
 
 
 
 
 
56

 
 
 
2016
Country
 
Trade 
Date
 
Settlement 
Date
 
Number of
Days to
Settle
   
10/27/16
 
11/04/16
 
8
   
10/28/16
 
11/07/16
 
10
             
Qatar
 
07/03/16
 
07/12/16
 
9
   
07/04/16
 
07/13/16
 
9
   
07/05/19
 
07/14/16
 
9
   
09/06/16
 
09/18/16
 
12
   
09/07/16
 
09/19/16
 
12
   
09/08/16
 
09/20/16
 
12
             
South Africa
 
03/14/16
 
03/22/16
 
8
   
03/15/16
 
03/23/16
 
8
   
03/16/16
 
03/24/16
 
8
   
03/17/16
 
03/29/16
 
12
   
03/18/16
 
03/30/16
 
12
   
03/22/16
 
03/31/16
 
9
   
03/23/16
 
04/01/16
 
9
   
03/24/16
 
04/04/16
 
11
   
04/20/16
 
04/28/16
 
8
   
04/21/16
 
04/29/16
 
8
   
04/22/16
 
05/03/16
 
11
   
04/25/16
 
05/04/16
 
9
   
04/26/16
 
05/05/16
 
9
   
04/28/16
 
05/06/16
 
8
   
04/29/16
 
05/09/16
 
10
   
06/09/16
 
06/17/16
 
8
   
06/10/16
 
06/20/16
 
10
   
06/13/16
 
06/21/16
 
8
   
06/14/16
 
06/22/16
 
8
   
06/15/16
 
06/23/16
 
8
   
08/02/16
 
08/10/16
 
8
   
08/03/16
 
08/11/16
 
8
   
08/04/16
 
08/12/16
 
8
   
08/05/16
 
08/15/16
 
10
   
08/08/16
 
08/16/16
 
8
   
12/09/16
 
12/19/16
 
10
   
12/12/16
 
12/20/16
 
8
   
12/13/16
 
12/21/16
 
8
   
12/14/16
 
12/22/16
 
8
   
12/15/16
 
12/28/16
 
13
   
12/16/16
 
12/28/16
 
12
   
12/19/16
 
12/29/16
 
10
   
12/20/16
 
01/02/17
 
13
   
12/21/16
 
01/03/17
 
13
   
12/22/16
 
01/04/17
 
13
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
57

 
 
2016
Country
 
Trade 
Date
 
Settlement 
Date
 
Number of
Days to
Settle
   
12/28/16
 
01/05/17
 
8
   
12/29/16
 
01/06/17
 
8
             
Taiwan
 
02/02/16
 
02/15/16
 
13
   
02/03/16
 
02/16/16
 
13
             
Thailand
 
04/08/16
 
04/18/16
 
10
   
04/11/16
 
04/19/16
 
8
   
04/12/16
 
04/20/16
 
8
   
04/29/16
 
05/09/16
 
10
             
Turkey
 
06/30/16
 
07/11/16
 
11
   
07/01/16
 
07/11/16
 
11
   
09/08/16
 
09/19/16
 
11
   
09/09/16
 
09/20/16
 
11
             
United Arab Emirates
 
09/07/16
 
09/15/16
 
8
   
09/08/16
 
09/18/16
 
10
             


1. These worst-case redemption cycles are based on information regarding regular holidays, which may be out of date. Based on changes in holidays, longer (worse) redemption cycles are possible.
 
The Underwriter
 
Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors) acts as the principal underwriter in the continuous public offering of the Fund’s shares. Distributors is located at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906.
 
Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Fund through Distributors or its agent only in Creation Units, as described in the prospectus and above in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of this SAI. Fund shares in amounts less than Creation Units are generally not distributed by Distributors or its agent. Distributors or its agent will arrange for the delivery of the prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it or its agents and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it or its agents.
 
Distributors may enter into agreements with securities dealers (Soliciting Dealers) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of Fund shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants, DTC participants and/or investor services organizations.
 
Distributors may be entitled to payments from the Fund under the Rule 12b-1 plan, as discussed below. Except as noted, Distributors received no other compensation from the Fund for acting as underwriter.
 
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   The board has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for the Fund. However, no Rule 12b-1 plan fee is currently charged to the Fund, and there are no plans in place to impose a Rule 12b-1 plan fee. The plan is designed to benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The plan is expected to, among other things, increase advertising of the Fund, encourage purchases of Fund shares and service to its shareholders, and increase or maintain assets of the Fund so that certain fixed expenses may be spread over a broader asset base, with a positive impact on per share expense ratios. In addition, a positive cash flow into the Fund is useful in managing the Fund because the investment manager has more flexibility in taking advantage of new investment opportunities and handling shareholder redemptions.
 

 
58

 


 
Under the plan, the Fund pays Distributors or others for the expenses of activities that are primarily intended to sell shares of the Fund. These expenses also may include service fees paid to securities dealers or others who have executed a servicing agreement with the Fund, Distributors or its affiliates and who provide service or account maintenance to shareholders (service fees); and the expenses of printing prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes, of marketing support and of preparing and distributing sales literature and advertisements. Together, these expenses, including the service fees, are “eligible expenses.” The 12b-1 fees charged to the Fund are based only on the fees attributable to that particular Fund and are calculated, as a percentage of such Fund’s net assets, over the 12-month period of February 1 through January 31. Because this 12-month period may not match the Fund’s fiscal year, the amount, as a percentage of a Fund’s net assets, for the Fund’s fiscal year may vary from the amount stated under the applicable plan, but will never exceed that amount during the 12-month period of February 1 through January 31.
 
In addition to the payments that Distributors or others are entitled to under the plan, the plan also provides that to the extent the Fund, the investment manager or Distributors or other parties on behalf of the Fund, the investment manager or Distributors make payments that are deemed to be for the financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares within the context of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, then such payments shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to the plan.
 
To the extent fees are for distribution or marketing functions, as distinguished from administrative servicing or agency transactions, certain banks may not participate in the plan because of applicable federal law prohibiting certain banks from engaging in the distribution of fund shares. These banks, however, are allowed to receive fees under the plans for administrative servicing or for agency transactions.
 
Distributors must provide written reports to the board at least quarterly on the amounts and purpose of any payment made under the plans and any related agreements, and furnish the board with such other information as the board may reasonably request to enable it to make an informed determination of whether the plan should be continued.
 
The plan has been approved according to the provisions of Rule 12b-1. The terms and provisions of the plan also are consistent with Rule 12b-1.
 
Miscellaneous Information
 
The Fund may help you achieve various investment goals such as accumulating money for retirement, saving for a down payment on a home, college costs and other long-term goals. The Franklin College Savings Planner may help you in determining how much money must be invested on a monthly basis to have a projected amount available in the future to fund a child’s college education. (Projected college cost estimates are based upon current costs published by the College Board.) The Franklin Retirement Savings Planner leads you through the steps to start a retirement savings program. Of course, an investment in the Fund cannot guarantee that these goals will be met.
 
The Fund is a member of Franklin Templeton Investments, one of the largest fund organizations in the U.S., and may be considered in a program for diversification of assets. Founded in 1947, Franklin is one of the oldest fund organizations and now services more than 2 million shareholder accounts. In 1992, Franklin, a leader in managing fixed-income funds and an innovator in creating domestic equity funds, joined forces with Templeton, a pioneer in international investing. The Mutual Series team, known for its value-driven approach to domestic equity investing, became part of the organization four years later. In 2001, the Fiduciary Trust team, known for providing global investment management to institutions and high net worth clients worldwide, joined the organization. Together, Franklin Templeton Investments has, as of April 30, 2016, over $747 billion in assets under management for more than 3 million U.S. based fund shareholder and other accounts. Franklin Templeton Investments offers 131 U.S. based open-end investment companies to the public. The Fund may identify itself by its NYSE Arca ticker symbol or CUSIP number.
 
Description of Ratings
 
Corporate Obligation Ratings
 
Moody’s
 
INVESTMENT GRADE
 
Aaa: Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.
 
Aa: Bonds rated Aa are judged to be high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
 

 
59

 


 
A: Bonds rated A are considered upper medium-grade obligations and are subject to low credit risk.
 
Baa: Bonds rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk and are considered medium-grade obligations. As such they may have certain speculative characteristics.
 
BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE
 
Ba: Bonds rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.
 
B: Bonds rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
 
Caa: Bonds rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
 
Ca: Bonds rated Ca are considered highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
 
C: Bonds rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default. They have little prospects for recovery of principal or interest.
 
Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
 
S&P ®
 
The issue rating definitions are expressions in terms of default risk. As such, they pertain to senior obligations of an entity. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy. (Such differentiation applies when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.) Accordingly, in the case of junior debt, the rating may not conform exactly with the category definition.
 
INVESTMENT GRADE
 
AAA: This is the highest rating assigned by S&P to a debt obligation. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
 
AA: Obligations rated AA differ from AAA issues only in a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
 
A: Obligations rated A are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in the higher ratings categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
 
BBB: Obligations rated BBB exhibit adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
 
BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE
 
BB, B, CCC, CC, C: Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While these obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
 
BB: An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
 

 
60

 


 
B: An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
 
CCC: An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
 
CC: An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
 
C: A subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated C is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. The C rating is also assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is still making payments.
 
D: An obligation rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating is also used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on the obligation are jeopardized.
 
Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
 
r: This symbol is attached to the ratings of instruments with significant noncredit risks and highlights risks to principal or volatility of expected returns that are not addressed in the credit rating.
 
Short-Term Debt Ratings
 
Moody’s
 
Moody’s short-term debt ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs and to individual short-term debt instruments. These obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding 13 months, unless explicitly noted. Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment capacity of rated issuers:
 
P-1 (Prime-1): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
 
P-2 (Prime-2): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
 
P-3 (Prime-3): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have an acceptable ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
 
NP: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
 
S&P ®
 
S&P’s ratings are a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days -- including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating.
 
A-1: This designation indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
 

 
61

 


 
A-2: Issues carrying this designation are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations carrying the higher designations. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
 
A-3: Issues carrying this designation exhibit adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
 
B: Issues carrying this designation are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
 
C: Issues carrying this designation are currently vulnerable to nonpayment and are dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
 
D: Issues carrying this designation are in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the due date even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
 
Financial Statements
 
Set forth below are the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of May 6, 2016, and the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, dated May 12, 2016.
 
Franklin Templeton ETF Trust

Financial Statements
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF

Statement of Assets and Liabilities
 
May 6, 2016
 

Assets:
 
Cash
100,000
Total Assets
100,000
   
Net assets, at value
100,000
   
Net assets consist of:
 
Paid-in capital
100,000
Net assets, at value
100,000
   
Shares outstanding a
4,000
Net asset value per share
25.00
   

 
a  No par value, unlimited number of shares authorized
 

See Notes to Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
 

 
62

 

The Franklin Templeton ETF Trust

Notes to Statement of Assets and Liabilities

Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF

 
1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
The Franklin Templeton ETF Trust (Trust) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act), as an open-end investment company and applies the specialized accounting and reporting guidance in U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP). The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on October 9, 2015 and consists of four separate series: Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF (Fund), Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF and Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF.

The Trust has had no operations as of May 6, 2016, other than matters relating to its organization as an open-end management investment company with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act, registration of the Trust’s shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the sale and issuance of 4,000 shares of the Fund to Franklin Resources, Inc., in exchange for a contribution of $100,000. Accordingly, a statement of operations, statement of changes in net assets or financial highlights have not been presented.

The Fund is a passively managed exchange-traded fund and is not actively managed.

The following summarizes the Fund’s significant accounting policies.
 
a. Income Taxes
 
It is the Fund’s policy to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code. The Fund intends to distribute to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income and net realized gains to relieve it from federal income and excise taxes. As a result, no provision for U.S. federal income taxes is required.

The Fund may recognize an income tax liability related to its uncertain tax positions under U.S. GAAP when the uncertain tax position has a less than 50% probability that it will be sustained upon examination by the tax authorities based on its technical merits. As of May 6, 2016, the Fund has determined that no tax liability is required in its financial statements related to uncertain tax positions for any open tax years (or expected to be taken in future tax years).

b. Organization Costs
 
Organization costs were paid by Franklin Advisers, Inc. and are not reimbursable by the Fund.
 
c. Accounting Estimates
 
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
d.   Guarantees and Indemnifications
 
Under the Trust’s organizational documents, its officers and trustees are indemnified by the Trust against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, enters into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Trust and that have not yet occurred. Currently, the Trust expects the risk of loss to be remote.
 

 
63

 


 
2.   SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
 
On May 6, 2016, the Fund issued 4,000 shares to Franklin Resources, Inc., in exchange for a contribution of $100,000. As of May 6, 2016, there are no additional shareholders in the Fund.
 
3.   TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES
 
Franklin Resources, Inc. is the holding company for various subsidiaries that together are referred to as Franklin Templeton Investments. Certain officers and trustees of the Fund are also officers and/or directors of the following subsidiaries:
 
Subsidiary Affiliation
   
Subsidiary
Affiliation
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
Investment manager
Franklin Templeton Services, LLC (FT Services)
Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors)
Administrative manager
Principal underwriter

a. Management Fees
 
The Fund pays an investment management fee to Advisers of 0.35% per year of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
 
b. Administrative Fees
 
Under an agreement with Advisers, FT Services provides administrative services to the Fund. The fee is paid by Advisers based on average daily net assets, and is not an additional expense of the Fund.
 
c. Distribution Fees
 
The Board has adopted a distribution plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. The Fund has not activated the plan.
 
e. Waiver and Expense Reimbursements
 
Advisers has contractually agreed in advance to waive or limit its fees and to assume as its own certain expenses otherwise payable by the Fund so that the expenses for the Fund (other than acquired fund fees and expenses and certain non-routine expenses or costs, including those relating to litigation, indemnification, reorganizations, and liquidations) do not exceed 0.35% until May 31, 2017. 
 
f.   Other Affiliated Transactions
 
At May 6, 2016, Franklin Resources, Inc. owned 100.0% of the Fund’s outstanding shares.
 
4.   SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
 
The Fund has evaluated subsequent events through the issuance of the financial statements and determined that no events have occurred that require disclosure.
 

 
64

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
To the Board of Trustees and Shareholder of
 
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF:
 
In our opinion, the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF (the “Fund”, a series of Franklin Templeton ETF Trust) at May 6, 2016 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  The statement of assets and liabilities (hereafter referred to as the “financial statement”) is the responsibility of the Fund’s management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statement based on our audit.  We conducted our audit of the financial statement in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statement is free of material misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statement, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.  We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
San Francisco, California
May 12, 2016

 
65

 
 

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
File Nos. 811-23124 & 333-208873
 
PART C
Other Information
 
 
Item 28.  Exhibits.
 
The following exhibits are incorporated by reference to the previously filed documents indicated below, except as noted:
 
(a)           Agreement and Declaration of Trust
 
(i)
 
Certificate of Trust dated October 9, 2015
   
Filing:  Initial Filing on Form N-1A
   
File No. 333-208873
   
Filing Date:  January 5, 2016
 
(ii)
 
Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 9, 2015
   
Filing:  Initial Filing on Form N-1A
   
File No. 333-208873
   
Filing Date:  January 5, 2016
 
(b)           By-laws
 
(i)
 
By-Laws effective as of October 9, 2015
   
Filing:  Initial Filing on Form N-1A
   
File No. 333-208873
   
Filing Date:  January 5, 2016
 
(c)           Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders
 
(i)
 
Agreement and Declaration of Trust
 
(a)           Article III, Shares
(b)           Article V, Shareholders’ Voting Powers and Meetings
(c)           Article VI, Net Asset Value; Distributions; Redemptions;
Transfers
(d)           Article VIII, Certain Transactions: Section 4
(e)           Article X, Miscellaneous: Section 4
 
(ii)
 
By-Laws
 
(a)           Article II, Meetings of Shareholders
(b)           Article VI, Records and Reports: Section 1, 2 and 3
(c)           Article VII, General Matters: Section 3, 4, 6 and 7
(d)           Article VIII, Amendments: Section 1
 
(iii)
 
Part B, Statement of Additional Information – Item 22
 
(d)           Investment Advisory Contracts
 
(i)
 
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated April 18, 2016

 
 

 


 
(ii)
 
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated April 18, 2016
 
(iii)
 
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated April 18, 2016
 
(iv)
 
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated April 18, 2016
 
(e)           Underwriting Contracts
 
(i)
 
Form of Distribution Agreement, between the Registrant and Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc.
     
(ii)
 
Form of Authorized Participant Agreement
 
(f)           Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts
 
Not Applicable
 
(g)           Custodian Agreements
 
(i)
 
Master Custodian Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company dated April 18, 2016
 
(h)           Other Material Contracts
 
(i)
 
Sub-Contract for Fund Administrative Services between Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Franklin Templeton Services LLC dated April 18, 2016
 
(ii)
 
Sub-Contract for Administration and Fund Accounting Services between State Street Bank and Trust Company and Franklin Templeton Services LLC dated April 18, 2016
     
(iii)
 
Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company dated April 18, 2016
 
(i)           Legal Opinion
 
(i)
 
Opinion and Consent of Counsel
 
(j)           Other Opinions
 
(i)
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
(k)           Omitted Financial Statements
 
Not Applicable.
 
(l)           Initial Capital Agreements
 
   
To be filed by amendment.

 
 

 


 
(m)           Rule 12b-1 Plan
 
(i)
 
Form of Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1
 
(n)           Rule 18f-3 Plan
 
   
Not Applicable.
 
(p)           Code of Ethics
 
(i)
 
Code of Ethics
 
(q)           Power of Attorney
 
(i)
 
Power of Attorney dated April 18, 2016
   
Filing:  Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A
   
File No. 333-208873
   
Filing Date:  April 22, 2016
 
Item 29.  Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant
 
 
None
 
Item 30.  Indemnification
 
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”) provides that any person who is or was a Trustee, officer, employee or other agent, including the underwriter, of such Trust shall be liable to the Trust and its shareholders only for (1) any act or omission that constitutes a bad faith violation of the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing, or (2) the person’s own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person (such conduct referred to herein as Disqualifying Conduct) and for nothing else. Except in these instances and to the fullest extent that limitations of liability of agents are permitted by the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (the “Delaware Act”), these Agents (as defined in the Declaration) shall not be responsible or liable for any act or omission of any other Agent of the Trust or any investment adviser or principal underwriter. Moreover, except and to the extent provided in these instances, none of these Agents, when acting in their respective capacity as such, shall be personally liable to any other person, other than such Trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission or obligation of the Trust or any trustee thereof.
 
The Trust shall indemnify, out of its property, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, any of the persons who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (as defined in the Declaration) because the person is or was an Agent of such Trust. These persons shall be indemnified against any Expenses (as defined in the Declaration), judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the Proceeding if the person acted in good faith or, in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not in itself create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith or that the person had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful. There shall nonetheless be no indemnification for a person’s own Disqualifying Conduct.

 
 

 


 
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to Trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Trust pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Trust has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Trust of expenses incurred or paid by a Trustee, officer or controlling person of the Trust in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such Trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with securities being registered, the Trust may be required, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, to submit to a court or appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
 
Item 31.  Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser
 
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
 
The officers and directors of Advisers, Registrant’s investment manager, also serve as officers and/or directors/trustees for (1) Advisers' corporate parent, Franklin Resources, Inc.(Resources), and/or (2) other investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments.  For additional information please see Part B and Schedules A and D of Form ADV of Advisers (SEC File 801-26292), incorporated herein by reference, which set forth the officers and directors of Advisers and information as to any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by those officers and directors during the past two years.
 
 
Item 32.  Principal Underwriters
 
a)Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors) also acts as principal underwriter of shares of:
 
Franklin Alternative Strategies Funds
Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund
Franklin California Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Custodian Funds
Franklin ETF Trust
Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund
Franklin Fund Allocator Series
Franklin Global Trust
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund
Franklin High Income Trust
Franklin Investors Securities Trust
Franklin Managed Trust
Franklin Municipal Securities Trust
Franklin Mutual Series Funds
Franklin New York Tax-Free Income Fund
Franklin New York Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Real Estate Securities Trust
Franklin Strategic Mortgage Portfolio
Franklin Strategic Series
Franklin Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Templeton Global Trust
Franklin Templeton International Trust
Franklin Templeton Money Fund Trust

 
 

 


Franklin U.S. Government Money Fund
Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust
Franklin Value Investors Trust
Institutional Fiduciary Trust
Templeton China World Fund
Templeton Developing Markets Trust
Templeton Funds
Templeton Global Investment Trust
Templeton Global Opportunities Trust
Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund
Templeton Growth Fund, Inc.
Templeton Income Trust
Templeton Institutional Funds
 
(b)           The information required with respect to each director and officer of Distributors is incorporated by reference to Part B of this Form N-1A and Schedule A of Form BD filed by Distributors with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1934 (SEC File No. 008-05889).
 
(c)           Not Applicable.  Registrant's principal underwriter is an affiliated person of an affiliated person of the Registrant.
 
Item 33.  Location of Accounts and Records
 
The accounts, books or other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are kept by the Fund at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA  94403-1906.
 
Item 34.  Management Services
 
There are no management-related service contracts not discussed in Part A or Part B.
 
Item 35.  Undertakings
 
 
Not Applicable.
 

 
 

 


 
SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of San Mateo and the State of California, on the 17 th day of May, 2016.
 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
(Registrant)
 
 
By:   /s/ Navid J. Tofigh                                   
Navid J. Tofigh
Vice President and Secretary
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
 
Signature
 
Title
 
Date
         
/s/ Patrick O’Connor*
 
President and Chief Executive Officer – Investment Manager
   
Patrick O’Connor
   
 May 17, 2016
         
/s/ Laura F. Fergerson*
 
Chief Executive Officer – Finance
and Administration
   
Laura F. Fergerson
   
 May 17, 2016
         
/s/ Gaston Gardey*
 
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer
   
Gaston Gardey
   
 May 17, 2016
         
/s/ Jennifer M. Johnson*
       
Jennifer M. Johnson
 
Trustee
 
 May 17, 2016
         
/s/ Anantha Pradeep*
       
Anantha Pradeep
 
Trustee
 
 May 17, 2016
         
/s/ Rohit Bhagat*
       
Rohit Bhagat
 
Trustee
 
 May 17, 2016
         
         
         

 
*By: /s/ Navid J. Tofigh
Navid J. Tofigh
Attorney-in-Fact
(Pursuant to Power of Attorney previously filed)


 
 

 



FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
REGISTRATION STATEMENT

EXHIBITS INDEX

The following exhibits are attached:

EXHIBIT NO.
DESCRIPTION
EX-99(d)(i)
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated April 18, 2016
 
EX-99(d)(ii)
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated April 18, 2016
 
EX-99(d)(iii)
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated April 18, 2016
 
EX-99(d)(iv)
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant, on behalf of Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated April 18, 2016
 
EX-99(e)(i)
Form of Distribution Agreement, between the Registrant and Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc.
 
EX-99(e)(ii)
Form of Authorized Participant Agreement
 
EX-99(g)(i)
Master Custodian Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company dated April 18, 2016
 
EX-99(h)(i)
Sub-Contract for Fund Administrative Services between Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Franklin Templeton Services LLC dated April 18, 2016
 
EX-99(h)(ii)
Sub-Contract for Administration and Fund Accounting Services between State Street Bank and Trust Company and Franklin Templeton Services LLC dated April 18, 2016
 
EX-99(h)(iii)
Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company dated April 18, 2016
 
EX-99(i)(i)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel
 
EX-99(j)(i)
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
EX-99(m)(i)
Form of Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1
 
EX-99(p)(i)
Code of Ethics
 

 
EX-99(d)(i)
 

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
on behalf of
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ INTERNATIONAL EQUITY HEDGED ETF
 
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
 
THIS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of April 18, 2016, is made between FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ INTERNATIONAL EQUITY HEDGED ETF (the “Fund”), a series of the Trust, and FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC., a California corporation (the “Manager”).
 
WHEREAS, the Trust has been organized and intends to operate as an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), for the purpose of investing and reinvesting its assets in securities, as set forth in its Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws and its Registration Statement under the 1940 Act and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, all as heretofore and hereafter amended and supplemented; and the Trust desires to avail itself of the services, information, advice, assistance and facilities of an investment manager and to have an investment manager perform various management, statistical, research, investment advisory, administrative and other services for the Fund; and
 
WHEREAS, the Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), is engaged in the business of rendering management, investment advisory, counseling and supervisory services to investment companies and other investment counseling clients, and desires to provide these services to the Fund.
 
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, it is mutually agreed as follows:
 
1.             Employment of the Manager .  The Trust hereby employs the Manager to manage the investment and reinvestment of the Fund’s assets, to administer its affairs, and to provide or procure, as applicable, the administrative and other services described in Section 2.C. of this Agreement, as may be supplemented from time to time, subject to the direction of the Board of Trustees and the officers of the Trust, for the period and on the terms hereinafter set forth.  The Manager hereby accepts such employment and agrees during such period to render the services and to assume the obligations herein set forth for the compensation herein provided.  The Manager shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized (whether herein or otherwise), have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Trust.
 
2.             Obligations of and Services to be Provided by the Manager .  The Manager undertakes to provide the services hereinafter set forth and to assume the following obligations:
 

 
 

 


 
A.             Investment Management Services .
 
(a)            The Manager shall manage the Fund’s assets subject to and in accordance with the investment objectives and policies of the Fund and any directions which the Trust’s Board of Trustees may issue from time to time.  In pursuance of the foregoing, the Manager shall make all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund’s assets and the purchase and sale of its investment securities, and shall take such steps as may be necessary to implement the same.  Such determinations and services shall include determining the manner in which any voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action and any other rights pertaining to the Fund’s investment securities shall be exercised.  The Manager shall render or cause to be rendered regular reports to the Trust, at regular meetings of its Board of Trustees and at such other times as may be reasonably requested by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, of (i) the decisions made with respect to the investment of the Fund’s assets and the purchase and sale of its investment securities, (ii) the reasons for such decisions and (iii) the extent to which those decisions have been implemented.
 
(b)            The Manager, subject to and in accordance with any directions which the Trust’s Board of Trustees may issue from time to time, shall place, in the name of the Fund, orders for the execution of the Fund’s securities transactions.  When placing such orders, the Manager shall seek to obtain the best net price and execution for the Fund, but this requirement shall not be deemed to obligate the Manager to place any order solely on the basis of obtaining the lowest commission rate if the other standards set forth in this section have been satisfied.  The parties recognize that there are likely to be many cases in which different brokers are equally able to provide such best price and execution and that, in selecting among such brokers with respect to particular trades, it is desirable to choose those brokers who furnish research, statistical, quotations and other information to the Fund and the Manager in accordance with the standards set forth below.  Moreover, to the extent that it continues to be lawful to do so and so long as the Board of Trustees determines that the Fund will benefit, directly or indirectly, by doing so, the Manager may place orders with a broker who charges a commission for that transaction which is in excess of the amount of commission that another broker would have charged for effecting that transaction, provided that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of “brokerage and research services” (as defined in Section 28(e) (3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) provided by that broker.
 
Accordingly, the Trust and the Manager agree that the Manager shall select brokers for the execution of the Fund’s transactions from among:
 
(i)            Those brokers and dealers who provide quotations and other services to the Fund, specifically including the quotations necessary to determine the Fund’s net assets, in such amount of total brokerage as may reasonably be required in light of such services; and
 
(ii)            Those brokers and dealers who supply research, statistical and other data to the Manager or its affiliates which the Manager or its affiliates may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment management capacities, which relate directly to securities, actual or potential, of the Fund, or which place the Manager in a better position to
 

 
2

 

make decisions in connection with the management of the Fund’s assets and securities, whether or not such data may also be useful to the Manager and its affiliates in managing other portfolios or advising other clients, in such amount of total brokerage as may reasonably be required.
 
(c)            When the Manager has determined that the Fund should tender securities pursuant to a “tender offer solicitation,” Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.  (“Distributors”) shall be designated as the “tendering dealer” so long as it is legally permitted to act in such capacity under the federal securities laws and rules thereunder and the rules of any securities exchange or association of which Distributors may be a member.  Neither the Manager nor Distributors shall be obligated to make any additional commitments of capital, expense or personnel beyond that already committed (other than normal periodic fees or payments necessary to maintain its corporate existence and membership in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) as of the date of this Agreement.  This Agreement shall not obligate the Manager or Distributors (i) to act pursuant to the foregoing requirement under any circumstances in which they might reasonably believe that liability might be imposed upon them as a result of so acting, or (ii) to institute legal or other proceedings to collect fees which may be considered to be due from others to it as a result of such a tender, unless the Trust on behalf of the Fund shall enter into an agreement with the Manager and/or Distributors to reimburse them for all such expenses connected with attempting to collect such fees, including legal fees and expenses and that portion of the compensation due to their employees which is attributable to the time involved in attempting to collect such fees.
 
(d)            The Manager shall render regular reports to the Trust, not more frequently than quarterly, of how much total brokerage business has been placed by the Manager, on behalf of the Fund, with brokers falling into each of the categories referred to above and the manner in which the allocation has been accomplished.
 
(e)            The Manager agrees that no investment decision will be made or influenced by a desire to provide brokerage for allocation in accordance with the foregoing, and that the right to make such allocation of brokerage shall not interfere with the Manager’s paramount duty to obtain the best net price and execution for the Fund.
 
(f)            Decisions on proxy voting shall be made by the Manager unless the Board of Trustees determines otherwise.  Pursuant to its authority, the Manager shall have the power to vote, either in person or by proxy, all securities in which the Fund may be invested from time to time, and shall not be required to seek or take instructions from the Fund with respect thereto.  The Manager shall not be expected or required to take any action other than the rendering of investment-related advice with respect to lawsuits involving securities presently or formerly held in the Fund, or the issuers thereof, including actions involving bankruptcy.  In the case of class action suits involving issuers held in the Fund, the Manager may include information about the Fund for purposes of participating in any settlements.
 
B.             Provision of Information Necessary for Preparation of Securities Registration Statements, Amendments and Other Materials .  The Manager, its officers and employees will make available and provide accounting and statistical information required by the Fund in the preparation of registration statements, reports and other documents required by
 

 
3

 
 
 
federal and state securities laws and with such information as the Fund may reasonably request for use in the preparation of such documents or of other materials necessary or helpful for the underwriting and distribution of the Fund’s shares.
 
C.             Administrative Services .   The Manager agrees, during the term of this Agreement, to provide or procure, as applicable, at its own expense (unless otherwise agreed to by the parties), the following services to the Fund to the extent that any such services are not otherwise provided by any sub-adviser or other service provider to the Fund:  (a) providing office space, equipment and supplies appropriate for the effective administration of the Fund as contemplated in this Agreement; (b) providing trading desk facilities; (c) authorizing expenditures on behalf of the Fund; (d) supervising preparation of periodic reports to Fund shareholders, notices of distributions and attending to routine shareholder communications; (e) coordinating and supervising the daily pricing and valuation of the Fund’s investment portfolio; (f) providing fund accounting services, including preparing and supervising publication of daily net asset value quotations and other financial data; (g) monitoring and coordinating relationships with unaffiliated service providers; (h) supervising the Fund’s compliance with recordkeeping requirements under the federal securities, state and foreign laws and regulations and maintaining books and records for the Fund; (i) preparing and filing of domestic and foreign tax reports and monitoring the Fund’s compliance with all applicable tax laws and regulations; (j) establishing, maintaining and   monitoring the Fund’s compliance program with respect to the federal securities, state and foreign laws and regulations applicable to the operation of investment companies; the Fund’s investment goals, policies and restrictions; and the Code of Ethics and other policies applicable to the Fund; (k) preparing regulatory reports; (l) preparing and arranging for the filing of registration statements and other documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal, state and foreign or other regulatory authorities; (m) maintaining a review and certification program and internal controls and procedures in accordance with the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 as applicable; and (n) providing executive, clerical and other personnel needed to carry out the above responsibilities.
 
     Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Trust or the Fund to pay any compensation to the officers of the Trust who are officers, directors, stockholders or employees of the Manager or its affiliates.  Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Manager to pay for the services of third parties, including attorneys, auditors, printers, pricing services or others, engaged directly by the Trust to perform services on behalf of the Fund.
 
D.             Other Obligations and Services .  The Manager shall make its officers and employees available to the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussions regarding the administration and management of the Fund and its investment activities.
 
E.             Delegation of Services .  The Manager may, at its expense, select and contract with one or more investment advisers registered under the Advisers Act (each, a “Sub-Adviser”) to perform, and thereby delegates to any such Sub-Adviser, some or all of the services for the Fund for which it is responsible under Section 2.A. of this Agreement or as the Manager may otherwise determine to be necessary or appropriate to seek to implement the Fund’s investment goals and strategies, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, and the approval of the
 

 
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Fund’s shareholders, if required.  The Manager will compensate any Sub-Adviser for its services to the Fund. The Manager will evaluate and select the Sub-Advisers and will make recommendations to the Board of Trustees about the hiring, termination and replacement of a Sub-Adviser and will oversee, monitor and review the Sub-Advisers and their performance and their compliance with the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. The Manager may also terminate the services of any Sub-Adviser at any time in its sole discretion, and shall at such time assume the responsibilities of such Sub-Adviser unless and until a successor Sub-Adviser is selected and the requisite approval of the Fund’s shareholders, if any is required, is obtained.  The Manager will continue to have overall responsibility for the management and investment of the assets and responsibility for all advisory services furnished by any Sub-Adviser and will supervise each Sub-Adviser in its performance of its duties for the Fund with a view to preventing violations of all applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and the provisions of the Fund’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time.
 
The Manager may, at its expense, also delegate to one or more entities some or all of the services for the Fund for which the Manager is responsible under Section 2.C. of this Agreement.  The Manager will be responsible for the compensation, if any, of any such entities for such services to the Fund, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.  Notwithstanding any delegation pursuant to this paragraph, the Manager will continue to have responsibility and liability for all such services provided to the Fund under this Agreement and will supervise each delegate in its performance of its duties for the Fund with a view to preventing violations of the federal securities laws.
 
3.             Expenses of the Fund .  It is understood that the Fund will pay all of its own expenses other than those expressly assumed by the Manager herein, which expenses payable by the Fund shall include:
 
A.            Fees and expenses paid to the Manager as provided herein;
 
B.            Expenses of all audits by independent public accountants;
 
C.            Expenses of transfer agent, registrar, custodian, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder record-keeping services, including the expenses of issue, repurchase or redemption of its shares;
 
D.            Expenses of obtaining quotations for calculating the value of the Fund’s net assets;
 
E.            Salaries and other compensations of executive officers of the Trust who are not officers, directors, stockholders or employees of the Manager or its affiliates;
 
F.            Taxes levied against the Fund;
 
G.            Brokerage fees and commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund;
 
H.            Costs, including the interest expense, of borrowing money;
 

 
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I.            Costs incident to meetings of the Board of Trustees and shareholders of the Fund, reports to the Fund’s shareholders, the filing of reports with regulatory bodies and the maintenance of the Fund’s and the Trust’s legal existence;
 
J.            Legal fees, including the legal fees related to the registration and continued qualification of the Fund’s shares for sale;
 
K.            Trustees’ fees and expenses to trustees who are not directors, officers, employees or stockholders of the Manager or any of its affiliates;
 
L.            Costs and expense of registering and maintaining the registration of the Fund and its shares under federal and any applicable state laws; including the printing and mailing of prospectuses to its shareholders;
 
M.            Trade association dues;
 
N.            The Fund’s pro rata portion of fidelity bond, errors and omissions, and trustees and officer liability insurance premiums; and
 
O.            The Fund’s portion of the cost of any proxy voting service used on its behalf.
 
4.             Compensation of the Manager .  The Fund shall pay a management fee in cash to the Manager based upon a percentage of the value of the Fund’s net assets, calculated as set forth below, as compensation for the services rendered and obligations assumed by the Manager, during the preceding month, on the first business day of the month in each year.
 
A.            For purposes of calculating such fee, the value of the net assets of the Fund shall be determined in the same manner as that Fund uses to compute the value of its net assets in connection with the determination of the net asset value of its shares, all as set forth more fully in the Fund’s current prospectus and statement of additional information.  The rate of the management fee payable by the Fund shall be calculated daily at the annual rate of 0.40% of the value of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
 
B.            The management fee payable by the Fund shall be reduced or eliminated to the extent that Distributors has actually received cash payments of tender offer solicitation fees less certain costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith.  The Manager may waive all or a portion of its fees provided for hereunder and such waiver shall be treated as a reduction in purchase price of its services.  The Manager shall be contractually bound hereunder by the terms of any publicly announced waiver of its fee, or any limitation of the Fund’s expenses, as if such waiver or limitation were fully set forth herein.
 
C.            If this Agreement is terminated prior to the end of any month, the accrued management fee shall be paid to the date of termination.
 
5.             Activities of the Manager .  The services of the Manager to the Fund hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Manager and any of its affiliates shall be free to render similar services to others.  Subject to and in accordance with the Agreement and Declaration of
 

 
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Trust and By-Laws of the Trust and Section 10(a) of the 1940 Act, it is understood that trustees, officers, agents and shareholders of the Trust are or may be interested in the Manager or its affiliates as directors, officers, agents or stockholders; that directors, officers, agents or stockholders of the Manager or its affiliates are or may be interested in the Trust as trustees, officers, agents, shareholders or otherwise; that the Manager or its affiliates may be interested in the Fund as shareholders or otherwise; and that the effect of any such interests shall be governed by said Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and the 1940 Act.
 
6.             Performance of Services in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements; Furnishing of Books and Records In performing the services set forth in this Agreement, the Manager:
 
                           A.           shall conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, with all other applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and with the provisions of the Trust’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time;

           B.           will make available to the Trust, promptly upon request, any of the Fund’s books and records as are maintained under this Agreement, and will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any such books and records and any information or reports in connection with the Manager’s services under this Agreement that may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Trust are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

7.             Liabilities of the Manager .
 
A.            In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part of the Manager, the Manager shall not be subject to liability to the Trust or the Fund or to any shareholder of the Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund.
 
B.            Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Manager agrees to reimburse the Trust for any and all costs, expenses, and counsel and trustees’ fees reasonably incurred by the Trust in the preparation, printing and distribution of proxy statements, amendments to its Registration Statement, holdings of meetings of its shareholders or trustees, the conduct of factual investigations, any legal or administrative proceedings (including any applications for exemptions or determinations by the Securities and Exchange Commission) which the Trust incurs as the result of action or inaction of the Manager or any of its affiliates or any of their officers, directors, employees or stockholders where the action or inaction necessitating such expenditures (i) is directly or indirectly related to any transactions or proposed transaction in the stock or control of the Manager or its affiliates (or litigation related to any pending or proposed or future transaction in such shares or control) which shall have been undertaken without the prior, express approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees; or, (ii) is within the control of the Manager or any of its affiliates or any of their officers, directors, employees or stockholders.  The Manager shall not be obligated pursuant to the provisions of this Subparagraph 7.B., to reimburse the Trust for any expenditures related to the institution of an administrative
 

 
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proceeding or civil litigation by the Trust or a shareholder seeking to recover all or a portion of the proceeds derived by any stockholder of the Manager or any of its affiliates from the sale of his shares of the Manager, or similar matters.  So long as this Agreement is in effect, the Manager shall pay to the Trust the amount due for expenses subject to this Subparagraph 7.B. within 30 days after a bill or statement has been received by the Manager therefor.  This provision shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any claim the Trust may have or may assert against the Manager or others for costs, expenses or damages heretofore incurred by the Trust or for costs, expenses or damages the Trust may hereafter incur which are not reimbursable to it hereunder.
 
C.            No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to protect any trustee or officer of the Trust, or director or officer of the Manager, from liability in violation of Sections 17(h) and (i) of the 1940 Act.
 
8.             Renewal and Termination .
 
A.            This Agreement shall become effective on the date written below and shall continue in effect for two (2) years thereafter, unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided and shall continue in effect thereafter for periods not exceeding one (1) year so long as such continuation is approved at least annually (i) by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, and (ii) by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to the Agreement (other than as Trustees of the Trust) or “interested persons” of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Agreement.
 
B.            This Agreement:
 
(i)            may at any time be terminated without the payment of any penalty either by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the Manager;
 
(ii)            shall immediately terminate with respect to the Fund in the event of its assignment; and
 
 
(iii)            may be terminated by the Manager on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund.
 
C.            As used in this Paragraph the terms “assignment,” “interested person” and “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meanings set forth for any such terms in the 1940 Act.
 
D.            Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing addressed and delivered, or mailed post-paid, to the other party at any office of such party.
 
9.             Severability .  If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
 

 
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10.             Governing Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
 
11.             Limitation of Liability.   Each party acknowledges and agrees that all obligations of the Trust under this Agreement are binding only with respect to the assets of the Fund; that any liability of the Trust under this Agreement with respect to the Trust, or in connection with the matters contemplated herein with respect to the Fund, shall be discharged only out of the assets of the Fund; that no other series of the Trust shall be liable with respect to this Agreement or in connection with the matters contemplated herein; and the Manager shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation or liability from the shareholders of the Trust, the trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust, or from any other series of the Trust.
 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective on April 18, 2016.
 
 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST on behalf of
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ INTERNATIONAL EQUITY HEDGED ETF
 
By:            /s/ Navid J. Tofigh                                            
Name: Navid J. Tofigh                                                       
Title:    Vice President and Secretary                                                                 
 
 
FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
 
By:            /s/ Patrick O’Connor                                            
Name: Patrick O’Connor                                            
Title:    Senior Vice President                                                       
 
 
9
EX-99(d)(ii)
 

 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
on behalf of
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ EMERGING MARKETS ETF
 
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
 
THIS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of April 18, 2016, is made between FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ EMERGING MARKETS ETF (the “Fund”), a series of the Trust, and FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC., a California corporation (the “Manager”).
 
WHEREAS, the Trust has been organized and intends to operate as an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), for the purpose of investing and reinvesting its assets in securities, as set forth in its Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws and its Registration Statement under the 1940 Act and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, all as heretofore and hereafter amended and supplemented; and the Trust desires to avail itself of the services, information, advice, assistance and facilities of an investment manager and to have an investment manager perform various management, statistical, research, investment advisory, administrative and other services for the Fund; and
 
WHEREAS, the Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), is engaged in the business of rendering management, investment advisory, counseling and supervisory services to investment companies and other investment counseling clients, and desires to provide these services to the Fund.
 
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, it is mutually agreed as follows:
 
1.             Employment of the Manager .  The Trust hereby employs the Manager to manage the investment and reinvestment of the Fund’s assets, to administer its affairs, and to provide or procure, as applicable, the administrative and other services described in Section 2.C. of this Agreement, as may be supplemented from time to time, subject to the direction of the Board of Trustees and the officers of the Trust, for the period and on the terms hereinafter set forth.  The Manager hereby accepts such employment and agrees during such period to render the services and to assume the obligations herein set forth for the compensation herein provided.  The Manager shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized (whether herein or otherwise), have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Trust.
 
2.             Obligations of and Services to be Provided by the Manager .  The Manager undertakes to provide the services hereinafter set forth and to assume the following obligations:
 

 
 

 


 
A.             Investment Management Services .
 
(a)            The Manager shall manage the Fund’s assets subject to and in accordance with the investment objectives and policies of the Fund and any directions which the Trust’s Board of Trustees may issue from time to time.  In pursuance of the foregoing, the Manager shall make all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund’s assets and the purchase and sale of its investment securities, and shall take such steps as may be necessary to implement the same.  Such determinations and services shall include determining the manner in which any voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action and any other rights pertaining to the Fund’s investment securities shall be exercised.  The Manager shall render or cause to be rendered regular reports to the Trust, at regular meetings of its Board of Trustees and at such other times as may be reasonably requested by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, of (i) the decisions made with respect to the investment of the Fund’s assets and the purchase and sale of its investment securities, (ii) the reasons for such decisions and (iii) the extent to which those decisions have been implemented.
 
(b)            The Manager, subject to and in accordance with any directions which the Trust’s Board of Trustees may issue from time to time, shall place, in the name of the Fund, orders for the execution of the Fund’s securities transactions.  When placing such orders, the Manager shall seek to obtain the best net price and execution for the Fund, but this requirement shall not be deemed to obligate the Manager to place any order solely on the basis of obtaining the lowest commission rate if the other standards set forth in this section have been satisfied.  The parties recognize that there are likely to be many cases in which different brokers are equally able to provide such best price and execution and that, in selecting among such brokers with respect to particular trades, it is desirable to choose those brokers who furnish research, statistical, quotations and other information to the Fund and the Manager in accordance with the standards set forth below.  Moreover, to the extent that it continues to be lawful to do so and so long as the Board of Trustees determines that the Fund will benefit, directly or indirectly, by doing so, the Manager may place orders with a broker who charges a commission for that transaction which is in excess of the amount of commission that another broker would have charged for effecting that transaction, provided that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of “brokerage and research services” (as defined in Section 28(e) (3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) provided by that broker.
 
Accordingly, the Trust and the Manager agree that the Manager shall select brokers for the execution of the Fund’s transactions from among:
 
(i)            Those brokers and dealers who provide quotations and other services to the Fund, specifically including the quotations necessary to determine the Fund’s net assets, in such amount of total brokerage as may reasonably be required in light of such services; and
 
(ii)            Those brokers and dealers who supply research, statistical and other data to the Manager or its affiliates which the Manager or its affiliates may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment management capacities, which relate directly to securities, actual or potential, of the Fund, or which place the Manager in a better position to
 

 
2

 

make decisions in connection with the management of the Fund’s assets and securities, whether or not such data may also be useful to the Manager and its affiliates in managing other portfolios or advising other clients, in such amount of total brokerage as may reasonably be required.
 
(c)            When the Manager has determined that the Fund should tender securities pursuant to a “tender offer solicitation,” Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.  (“Distributors”) shall be designated as the “tendering dealer” so long as it is legally permitted to act in such capacity under the federal securities laws and rules thereunder and the rules of any securities exchange or association of which Distributors may be a member.  Neither the Manager nor Distributors shall be obligated to make any additional commitments of capital, expense or personnel beyond that already committed (other than normal periodic fees or payments necessary to maintain its corporate existence and membership in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) as of the date of this Agreement.  This Agreement shall not obligate the Manager or Distributors (i) to act pursuant to the foregoing requirement under any circumstances in which they might reasonably believe that liability might be imposed upon them as a result of so acting, or (ii) to institute legal or other proceedings to collect fees which may be considered to be due from others to it as a result of such a tender, unless the Trust on behalf of the Fund shall enter into an agreement with the Manager and/or Distributors to reimburse them for all such expenses connected with attempting to collect such fees, including legal fees and expenses and that portion of the compensation due to their employees which is attributable to the time involved in attempting to collect such fees.
 
(d)            The Manager shall render regular reports to the Trust, not more frequently than quarterly, of how much total brokerage business has been placed by the Manager, on behalf of the Fund, with brokers falling into each of the categories referred to above and the manner in which the allocation has been accomplished.
 
(e)            The Manager agrees that no investment decision will be made or influenced by a desire to provide brokerage for allocation in accordance with the foregoing, and that the right to make such allocation of brokerage shall not interfere with the Manager’s paramount duty to obtain the best net price and execution for the Fund.
 
(f)            Decisions on proxy voting shall be made by the Manager unless the Board of Trustees determines otherwise.  Pursuant to its authority, the Manager shall have the power to vote, either in person or by proxy, all securities in which the Fund may be invested from time to time, and shall not be required to seek or take instructions from the Fund with respect thereto.  The Manager shall not be expected or required to take any action other than the rendering of investment-related advice with respect to lawsuits involving securities presently or formerly held in the Fund, or the issuers thereof, including actions involving bankruptcy.  In the case of class action suits involving issuers held in the Fund, the Manager may include information about the Fund for purposes of participating in any settlements.
 
B.             Provision of Information Necessary for Preparation of Securities Registration Statements, Amendments and Other Materials .  The Manager, its officers and employees will make available and provide accounting and statistical information required by the Fund in the preparation of registration statements, reports and other documents required by
 

 
3

 
 
 
federal and state securities laws and with such information as the Fund may reasonably request for use in the preparation of such documents or of other materials necessary or helpful for the underwriting and distribution of the Fund’s shares.
 
C.             Administrative Services The Manager agrees, during the term of this Agreement, to provide or procure, as applicable, at its own expense (unless otherwise agreed to by the parties), the following services to the Fund to the extent that any such services are not otherwise provided by any sub-adviser or other service provider to the Fund:  (a) providing office space, equipment and supplies appropriate for the effective administration of the Fund as contemplated in this Agreement; (b) providing trading desk facilities; (c) authorizing expenditures on behalf of the Fund; (d) supervising preparation of periodic reports to Fund shareholders, notices of distributions and attending to routine shareholder communications; (e) coordinating and supervising the daily pricing and valuation of the Fund’s investment portfolio; (f) providing fund accounting services, including preparing and supervising publication of daily net asset value quotations and other financial data; (g) monitoring and coordinating relationships with unaffiliated service providers; (h) supervising the Fund’s compliance with recordkeeping requirements under the federal securities, state and foreign laws and regulations and maintaining books and records for the Fund; (i) preparing and filing of domestic and foreign tax reports and monitoring the Fund’s compliance with all applicable tax laws and regulations; (j) establishing, maintaining and   monitoring the Fund’s compliance program with respect to the federal securities, state and foreign laws and regulations applicable to the operation of investment companies; the Fund’s investment goals, policies and restrictions; and the Code of Ethics and other policies applicable to the Fund; (k) preparing regulatory reports; (l) preparing and arranging for the filing of registration statements and other documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal, state and foreign or other regulatory authorities; (m) maintaining a review and certification program and internal controls and procedures in accordance with the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 as applicable; and (n) providing executive, clerical and other personnel needed to carry out the above responsibilities.
 
        Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Trust or the Fund to pay any compensation to the officers of the Trust who are officers, directors, stockholders or employees of the Manager or its affiliates.  Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Manager to pay for the services of third parties, including attorneys, auditors, printers, pricing services or others, engaged directly by the Trust to perform services on behalf of the Fund.
 
D.             Other Obligations and Services .  The Manager shall make its officers and employees available to the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussions regarding the administration and management of the Fund and its investment activities.
 
E.             Delegation of Services .  The Manager may, at its expense, select and contract with one or more investment advisers registered under the Advisers Act (each, a “Sub-Adviser”) to perform, and thereby delegates to any such Sub-Adviser, some or all of the services for the Fund for which it is responsible under Section 2.A. of this Agreement or as the Manager may otherwise determine to be necessary or appropriate to seek to implement the Fund’s investment goals and strategies, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, and the approval of the
 

 
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Fund’s shareholders, if required.  The Manager will compensate any Sub-Adviser for its services to the Fund. The Manager will evaluate and select the Sub-Advisers and will make recommendations to the Board of Trustees about the hiring, termination and replacement of a Sub-Adviser and will oversee, monitor and review the Sub-Advisers and their performance and their compliance with the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. The Manager may also terminate the services of any Sub-Adviser at any time in its sole discretion, and shall at such time assume the responsibilities of such Sub-Adviser unless and until a successor Sub-Adviser is selected and the requisite approval of the Fund’s shareholders, if any is required, is obtained.  The Manager will continue to have overall responsibility for the management and investment of the assets and responsibility for all advisory services furnished by any Sub-Adviser and will supervise each Sub-Adviser in its performance of its duties for the Fund with a view to preventing violations of all applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and the provisions of the Fund’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time.
 
The Manager may, at its expense, also delegate to one or more entities some or all of the services for the Fund for which the Manager is responsible under Section 2.C. of this Agreement.  The Manager will be responsible for the compensation, if any, of any such entities for such services to the Fund, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.  Notwithstanding any delegation pursuant to this paragraph, the Manager will continue to have responsibility and liability for all such services provided to the Fund under this Agreement and will supervise each delegate in its performance of its duties for the Fund with a view to preventing violations of the federal securities laws.
 
3.             Expenses of the Fund .  It is understood that the Fund will pay all of its own expenses other than those expressly assumed by the Manager herein, which expenses payable by the Fund shall include:
 
A.            Fees and expenses paid to the Manager as provided herein;
 
B.            Expenses of all audits by independent public accountants;
 
C.            Expenses of transfer agent, registrar, custodian, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder record-keeping services, including the expenses of issue, repurchase or redemption of its shares;
 
D.            Expenses of obtaining quotations for calculating the value of the Fund’s net assets;
 
E.            Salaries and other compensations of executive officers of the Trust who are not officers, directors, stockholders or employees of the Manager or its affiliates;
 
F.            Taxes levied against the Fund;
 
G.            Brokerage fees and commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund;
 
H.            Costs, including the interest expense, of borrowing money;
 

 
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I.            Costs incident to meetings of the Board of Trustees and shareholders of the Fund, reports to the Fund’s shareholders, the filing of reports with regulatory bodies and the maintenance of the Fund’s and the Trust’s legal existence;
 
J.            Legal fees, including the legal fees related to the registration and continued qualification of the Fund’s shares for sale;
 
K.            Trustees’ fees and expenses to trustees who are not directors, officers, employees or stockholders of the Manager or any of its affiliates;
 
L.            Costs and expense of registering and maintaining the registration of the Fund and its shares under federal and any applicable state laws; including the printing and mailing of prospectuses to its shareholders;
 
M.            Trade association dues;
 
N.            The Fund’s pro rata portion of fidelity bond, errors and omissions, and trustees and officer liability insurance premiums; and
 
O.            The Fund’s portion of the cost of any proxy voting service used on its behalf.
 
4.             Compensation of the Manager .  The Fund shall pay a management fee in cash to the Manager based upon a percentage of the value of the Fund’s net assets, calculated as set forth below, as compensation for the services rendered and obligations assumed by the Manager, during the preceding month, on the first business day of the month in each year.
 
A.            For purposes of calculating such fee, the value of the net assets of the Fund shall be determined in the same manner as that Fund uses to compute the value of its net assets in connection with the determination of the net asset value of its shares, all as set forth more fully in the Fund’s current prospectus and statement of additional information.  The rate of the management fee payable by the Fund shall be calculated daily at the annual rate of 0.55% of the value of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
 
B.            The management fee payable by the Fund shall be reduced or eliminated to the extent that Distributors has actually received cash payments of tender offer solicitation fees less certain costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith.  The Manager may waive all or a portion of its fees provided for hereunder and such waiver shall be treated as a reduction in purchase price of its services.  The Manager shall be contractually bound hereunder by the terms of any publicly announced waiver of its fee, or any limitation of the Fund’s expenses, as if such waiver or limitation were fully set forth herein.
 
C.            If this Agreement is terminated prior to the end of any month, the accrued management fee shall be paid to the date of termination.
 
5.             Activities of the Manager .  The services of the Manager to the Fund hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Manager and any of its affiliates shall be free to render similar services to others.  Subject to and in accordance with the Agreement and Declaration of
 

 
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Trust and By-Laws of the Trust and Section 10(a) of the 1940 Act, it is understood that trustees, officers, agents and shareholders of the Trust are or may be interested in the Manager or its affiliates as directors, officers, agents or stockholders; that directors, officers, agents or stockholders of the Manager or its affiliates are or may be interested in the Trust as trustees, officers, agents, shareholders or otherwise; that the Manager or its affiliates may be interested in the Fund as shareholders or otherwise; and that the effect of any such interests shall be governed by said Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and the 1940 Act.
 
6.             Performance of Services in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements; Furnishing of Books and Records In performing the services set forth in this Agreement, the Manager:
 
                            A.           shall conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, with all other applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and with the provisions of the Trust’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time;

           B.           will make available to the Trust, promptly upon request, any of the Fund’s books and records as are maintained under this Agreement, and will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any such books and records and any information or reports in connection with the Manager’s services under this Agreement that may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Trust are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

7.             Liabilities of the Manager .
 
A.            In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part of the Manager, the Manager shall not be subject to liability to the Trust or the Fund or to any shareholder of the Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund.
 
B.            Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Manager agrees to reimburse the Trust for any and all costs, expenses, and counsel and trustees’ fees reasonably incurred by the Trust in the preparation, printing and distribution of proxy statements, amendments to its Registration Statement, holdings of meetings of its shareholders or trustees, the conduct of factual investigations, any legal or administrative proceedings (including any applications for exemptions or determinations by the Securities and Exchange Commission) which the Trust incurs as the result of action or inaction of the Manager or any of its affiliates or any of their officers, directors, employees or stockholders where the action or inaction necessitating such expenditures (i) is directly or indirectly related to any transactions or proposed transaction in the stock or control of the Manager or its affiliates (or litigation related to any pending or proposed or future transaction in such shares or control) which shall have been undertaken without the prior, express approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees; or, (ii) is within the control of the Manager or any of its affiliates or any of their officers, directors, employees or stockholders.  The Manager shall not be obligated pursuant to the provisions of this Subparagraph 7.B., to reimburse the Trust for any expenditures related to the institution of an administrative
 

 
7

 
 
 
proceeding or civil litigation by the Trust or a shareholder seeking to recover all or a portion of the proceeds derived by any stockholder of the Manager or any of its affiliates from the sale of his shares of the Manager, or similar matters.  So long as this Agreement is in effect, the Manager shall pay to the Trust the amount due for expenses subject to this Subparagraph 7.B. within 30 days after a bill or statement has been received by the Manager therefor.  This provision shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any claim the Trust may have or may assert against the Manager or others for costs, expenses or damages heretofore incurred by the Trust or for costs, expenses or damages the Trust may hereafter incur which are not reimbursable to it hereunder.
 
C.            No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to protect any trustee or officer of the Trust, or director or officer of the Manager, from liability in violation of Sections 17(h) and (i) of the 1940 Act.
 
8.             Renewal and Termination .
 
A.            This Agreement shall become effective on the date written below and shall continue in effect for two (2) years thereafter, unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided and shall continue in effect thereafter for periods not exceeding one (1) year so long as such continuation is approved at least annually (i) by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, and (ii) by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to the Agreement (other than as Trustees of the Trust) or “interested persons” of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Agreement.
 
B.            This Agreement:
 
(i)            may at any time be terminated without the payment of any penalty either by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the Manager;
 
(ii)            shall immediately terminate with respect to the Fund in the event of its assignment; and
 
 
(iii)            may be terminated by the Manager on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund.
 
C.            As used in this Paragraph the terms “assignment,” “interested person” and “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meanings set forth for any such terms in the 1940 Act.
 
D.            Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing addressed and delivered, or mailed post-paid, to the other party at any office of such party.
 
9.             Severability .  If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
 

 
8

 


 
10.             Governing Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
 
11.             Limitation of Liability.   Each party acknowledges and agrees that all obligations of the Trust under this Agreement are binding only with respect to the assets of the Fund; that any liability of the Trust under this Agreement with respect to the Trust, or in connection with the matters contemplated herein with respect to the Fund, shall be discharged only out of the assets of the Fund; that no other series of the Trust shall be liable with respect to this Agreement or in connection with the matters contemplated herein; and the Manager shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation or liability from the shareholders of the Trust, the trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust, or from any other series of the Trust.
 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective on April 18, 2016.
 
 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST on behalf of
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ EMERGING MARKETS ETF
 
By:            /s/ Navid J. Tofigh                                            
Name: Navid J. Tofigh                                                       
Title:    Vice President and Secretary                                                                 
 
 
FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
 
By:            /s/ Patrick O’Connor                                            
Name: Patrick O’Connor                                            
Title:    Senior Vice President                                                       
 
 
9
EX-99(d)(iii)

 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
on behalf of
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL DIVIDEND ETF
 
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
 
THIS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of April 18, 2016, is made between FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL DIVIDEND ETF (the “Fund”), a series of the Trust, and FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC., a California corporation (the “Manager”).
 
WHEREAS, the Trust has been organized and intends to operate as an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), for the purpose of investing and reinvesting its assets in securities, as set forth in its Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws and its Registration Statement under the 1940 Act and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, all as heretofore and hereafter amended and supplemented; and the Trust desires to avail itself of the services, information, advice, assistance and facilities of an investment manager and to have an investment manager perform various management, statistical, research, investment advisory, administrative and other services for the Fund; and
 
WHEREAS, the Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), is engaged in the business of rendering management, investment advisory, counseling and supervisory services to investment companies and other investment counseling clients, and desires to provide these services to the Fund.
 
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, it is mutually agreed as follows:
 
1.             Employment of the Manager .  The Trust hereby employs the Manager to manage the investment and reinvestment of the Fund’s assets, to administer its affairs, and to provide or procure, as applicable, the administrative and other services described in Section 2.C. of this Agreement, as may be supplemented from time to time, subject to the direction of the Board of Trustees and the officers of the Trust, for the period and on the terms hereinafter set forth.  The Manager hereby accepts such employment and agrees during such period to render the services and to assume the obligations herein set forth for the compensation herein provided.  The Manager shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized (whether herein or otherwise), have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Trust.
 
2.             Obligations of and Services to be Provided by the Manager .  The Manager undertakes to provide the services hereinafter set forth and to assume the following obligations:
 

 
 

 


 
A.             Investment Management Services .
 
(a)            The Manager shall manage the Fund’s assets subject to and in accordance with the investment objectives and policies of the Fund and any directions which the Trust’s Board of Trustees may issue from time to time.  In pursuance of the foregoing, the Manager shall make all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund’s assets and the purchase and sale of its investment securities, and shall take such steps as may be necessary to implement the same.  Such determinations and services shall include determining the manner in which any voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action and any other rights pertaining to the Fund’s investment securities shall be exercised.  The Manager shall render or cause to be rendered regular reports to the Trust, at regular meetings of its Board of Trustees and at such other times as may be reasonably requested by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, of (i) the decisions made with respect to the investment of the Fund’s assets and the purchase and sale of its investment securities, (ii) the reasons for such decisions and (iii) the extent to which those decisions have been implemented.
 
(b)            The Manager, subject to and in accordance with any directions which the Trust’s Board of Trustees may issue from time to time, shall place, in the name of the Fund, orders for the execution of the Fund’s securities transactions.  When placing such orders, the Manager shall seek to obtain the best net price and execution for the Fund, but this requirement shall not be deemed to obligate the Manager to place any order solely on the basis of obtaining the lowest commission rate if the other standards set forth in this section have been satisfied.  The parties recognize that there are likely to be many cases in which different brokers are equally able to provide such best price and execution and that, in selecting among such brokers with respect to particular trades, it is desirable to choose those brokers who furnish research, statistical, quotations and other information to the Fund and the Manager in accordance with the standards set forth below.  Moreover, to the extent that it continues to be lawful to do so and so long as the Board of Trustees determines that the Fund will benefit, directly or indirectly, by doing so, the Manager may place orders with a broker who charges a commission for that transaction which is in excess of the amount of commission that another broker would have charged for effecting that transaction, provided that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of “brokerage and research services” (as defined in Section 28(e) (3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) provided by that broker.
 
Accordingly, the Trust and the Manager agree that the Manager shall select brokers for the execution of the Fund’s transactions from among:
 
(i)            Those brokers and dealers who provide quotations and other services to the Fund, specifically including the quotations necessary to determine the Fund’s net assets, in such amount of total brokerage as may reasonably be required in light of such services; and
 
(ii)            Those brokers and dealers who supply research, statistical and other data to the Manager or its affiliates which the Manager or its affiliates may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment management capacities, which relate directly to securities, actual or potential, of the Fund, or which place the Manager in a better position to
 

 
2

 

make decisions in connection with the management of the Fund’s assets and securities, whether or not such data may also be useful to the Manager and its affiliates in managing other portfolios or advising other clients, in such amount of total brokerage as may reasonably be required.
 
(c)            When the Manager has determined that the Fund should tender securities pursuant to a “tender offer solicitation,” Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.  (“Distributors”) shall be designated as the “tendering dealer” so long as it is legally permitted to act in such capacity under the federal securities laws and rules thereunder and the rules of any securities exchange or association of which Distributors may be a member.  Neither the Manager nor Distributors shall be obligated to make any additional commitments of capital, expense or personnel beyond that already committed (other than normal periodic fees or payments necessary to maintain its corporate existence and membership in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) as of the date of this Agreement.  This Agreement shall not obligate the Manager or Distributors (i) to act pursuant to the foregoing requirement under any circumstances in which they might reasonably believe that liability might be imposed upon them as a result of so acting, or (ii) to institute legal or other proceedings to collect fees which may be considered to be due from others to it as a result of such a tender, unless the Trust on behalf of the Fund shall enter into an agreement with the Manager and/or Distributors to reimburse them for all such expenses connected with attempting to collect such fees, including legal fees and expenses and that portion of the compensation due to their employees which is attributable to the time involved in attempting to collect such fees.
 
(d)            The Manager shall render regular reports to the Trust, not more frequently than quarterly, of how much total brokerage business has been placed by the Manager, on behalf of the Fund, with brokers falling into each of the categories referred to above and the manner in which the allocation has been accomplished.
 
(e)            The Manager agrees that no investment decision will be made or influenced by a desire to provide brokerage for allocation in accordance with the foregoing, and that the right to make such allocation of brokerage shall not interfere with the Manager’s paramount duty to obtain the best net price and execution for the Fund.
 
(f)            Decisions on proxy voting shall be made by the Manager unless the Board of Trustees determines otherwise.  Pursuant to its authority, the Manager shall have the power to vote, either in person or by proxy, all securities in which the Fund may be invested from time to time, and shall not be required to seek or take instructions from the Fund with respect thereto.  The Manager shall not be expected or required to take any action other than the rendering of investment-related advice with respect to lawsuits involving securities presently or formerly held in the Fund, or the issuers thereof, including actions involving bankruptcy.  In the case of class action suits involving issuers held in the Fund, the Manager may include information about the Fund for purposes of participating in any settlements.
 
B.             Provision of Information Necessary for Preparation of Securities Registration Statements, Amendments and Other Materials .  The Manager, its officers and employees will make available and provide accounting and statistical information required by the Fund in the preparation of registration statements, reports and other documents required by
 

 
3

 
 
 
federal and state securities laws and with such information as the Fund may reasonably request for use in the preparation of such documents or of other materials necessary or helpful for the underwriting and distribution of the Fund’s shares.
 
C.             Administrative Services .    The Manager agrees, during the term of this Agreement, to provide or procure, as applicable, at its own expense (unless otherwise agreed to by the parties), the following services to the Fund to the extent that any such services are not otherwise provided by any sub-adviser or other service provider to the Fund:  (a) providing office space, equipment and supplies appropriate for the effective administration of the Fund as contemplated in this Agreement; (b) providing trading desk facilities; (c) authorizing expenditures on behalf of the Fund; (d) supervising preparation of periodic reports to Fund shareholders, notices of distributions and attending to routine shareholder communications; (e) coordinating and supervising the daily pricing and valuation of the Fund’s investment portfolio; (f) providing fund accounting services, including preparing and supervising publication of daily net asset value quotations and other financial data; (g) monitoring and coordinating relationships with unaffiliated service providers; (h) supervising the Fund’s compliance with recordkeeping requirements under the federal securities, state and foreign laws and regulations and maintaining books and records for the Fund; (i) preparing and filing of domestic and foreign tax reports and monitoring the Fund’s compliance with all applicable tax laws and regulations; (j) establishing, maintaining and   monitoring the Fund’s compliance program with respect to the federal securities, state and foreign laws and regulations applicable to the operation of investment companies; the Fund’s investment goals, policies and restrictions; and the Code of Ethics and other policies applicable to the Fund; (k) preparing regulatory reports; (l) preparing and arranging for the filing of registration statements and other documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal, state and foreign or other regulatory authorities; (m) maintaining a review and certification program and internal controls and procedures in accordance with the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 as applicable; and (n) providing executive, clerical and other personnel needed to carry out the above responsibilities.
 
        Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Trust or the Fund to pay any compensation to the officers of the Trust who are officers, directors, stockholders or employees of the Manager or its affiliates.  Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Manager to pay for the services of third parties, including attorneys, auditors, printers, pricing services or others, engaged directly by the Trust to perform services on behalf of the Fund.
 
D.             Other Obligations and Services .  The Manager shall make its officers and employees available to the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussions regarding the administration and management of the Fund and its investment activities.
 
E.             Delegation of Services .  The Manager may, at its expense, select and contract with one or more investment advisers registered under the Advisers Act (each, a “Sub-Adviser”) to perform, and thereby delegates to any such Sub-Adviser, some or all of the services for the Fund for which it is responsible under Section 2.A. of this Agreement or as the Manager may otherwise determine to be necessary or appropriate to seek to implement the Fund’s investment goals and strategies, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, and the approval of the
 

 
4

 
 
 
Fund’s shareholders, if required.  The Manager will compensate any Sub-Adviser for its services to the Fund. The Manager will evaluate and select the Sub-Advisers and will make recommendations to the Board of Trustees about the hiring, termination and replacement of a Sub-Adviser and will oversee, monitor and review the Sub-Advisers and their performance and their compliance with the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. The Manager may also terminate the services of any Sub-Adviser at any time in its sole discretion, and shall at such time assume the responsibilities of such Sub-Adviser unless and until a successor Sub-Adviser is selected and the requisite approval of the Fund’s shareholders, if any is required, is obtained.  The Manager will continue to have overall responsibility for the management and investment of the assets and responsibility for all advisory services furnished by any Sub-Adviser and will supervise each Sub-Adviser in its performance of its duties for the Fund with a view to preventing violations of all applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and the provisions of the Fund’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time.
 
The Manager may, at its expense, also delegate to one or more entities some or all of the services for the Fund for which the Manager is responsible under Section 2.C. of this Agreement.  The Manager will be responsible for the compensation, if any, of any such entities for such services to the Fund, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.  Notwithstanding any delegation pursuant to this paragraph, the Manager will continue to have responsibility and liability for all such services provided to the Fund under this Agreement and will supervise each delegate in its performance of its duties for the Fund with a view to preventing violations of the federal securities laws.
 
3.             Expenses of the Fund .  It is understood that the Fund will pay all of its own expenses other than those expressly assumed by the Manager herein, which expenses payable by the Fund shall include:
 
A.            Fees and expenses paid to the Manager as provided herein;
 
B.            Expenses of all audits by independent public accountants;
 
C.            Expenses of transfer agent, registrar, custodian, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder record-keeping services, including the expenses of issue, repurchase or redemption of its shares;
 
D.            Expenses of obtaining quotations for calculating the value of the Fund’s net assets;
 
E.            Salaries and other compensations of executive officers of the Trust who are not officers, directors, stockholders or employees of the Manager or its affiliates;
 
F.            Taxes levied against the Fund;
 
G.            Brokerage fees and commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund;
 
H.            Costs, including the interest expense, of borrowing money;
 

 
5

 


 
I.            Costs incident to meetings of the Board of Trustees and shareholders of the Fund, reports to the Fund’s shareholders, the filing of reports with regulatory bodies and the maintenance of the Fund’s and the Trust’s legal existence;
 
J.            Legal fees, including the legal fees related to the registration and continued qualification of the Fund’s shares for sale;
 
K.            Trustees’ fees and expenses to trustees who are not directors, officers, employees or stockholders of the Manager or any of its affiliates;
 
L.            Costs and expense of registering and maintaining the registration of the Fund and its shares under federal and any applicable state laws; including the printing and mailing of prospectuses to its shareholders;
 
M.            Trade association dues;
 
N.            The Fund’s pro rata portion of fidelity bond, errors and omissions, and trustees and officer liability insurance premiums; and
 
O.            The Fund’s portion of the cost of any proxy voting service used on its behalf.
 
4.             Compensation of the Manager .  The Fund shall pay a management fee in cash to the Manager based upon a percentage of the value of the Fund’s net assets, calculated as set forth below, as compensation for the services rendered and obligations assumed by the Manager, during the preceding month, on the first business day of the month in each year.
 
A.            For purposes of calculating such fee, the value of the net assets of the Fund shall be determined in the same manner as that Fund uses to compute the value of its net assets in connection with the determination of the net asset value of its shares, all as set forth more fully in the Fund’s current prospectus and statement of additional information.  The rate of the management fee payable by the Fund shall be calculated daily at the annual rate of 0.45% of the value of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
 
B.            The management fee payable by the Fund shall be reduced or eliminated to the extent that Distributors has actually received cash payments of tender offer solicitation fees less certain costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith.  The Manager may waive all or a portion of its fees provided for hereunder and such waiver shall be treated as a reduction in purchase price of its services.  The Manager shall be contractually bound hereunder by the terms of any publicly announced waiver of its fee, or any limitation of the Fund’s expenses, as if such waiver or limitation were fully set forth herein.
 
C.            If this Agreement is terminated prior to the end of any month, the accrued management fee shall be paid to the date of termination.
 
5.             Activities of the Manager .  The services of the Manager to the Fund hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Manager and any of its affiliates shall be free to render similar services to others.  Subject to and in accordance with the Agreement and Declaration of
 

 
6

 
 
 
Trust and By-Laws of the Trust and Section 10(a) of the 1940 Act, it is understood that trustees, officers, agents and shareholders of the Trust are or may be interested in the Manager or its affiliates as directors, officers, agents or stockholders; that directors, officers, agents or stockholders of the Manager or its affiliates are or may be interested in the Trust as trustees, officers, agents, shareholders or otherwise; that the Manager or its affiliates may be interested in the Fund as shareholders or otherwise; and that the effect of any such interests shall be governed by said Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and the 1940 Act.
 
6.             Performance of Services in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements; Furnishing of Books and Records In performing the services set forth in this Agreement, the Manager:
 
                               A.           shall conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, with all other applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and with the provisions of the Trust’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time;

          B .           will make available to the Trust, promptly upon request, any of the Fund’s books and records as are maintained under this Agreement, and will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any such books and records and any information or reports in connection with the Manager’s services under this Agreement that may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Trust are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

7.             Liabilities of the Manager .
 
A.            In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part of the Manager, the Manager shall not be subject to liability to the Trust or the Fund or to any shareholder of the Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund.
 
B.            Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Manager agrees to reimburse the Trust for any and all costs, expenses, and counsel and trustees’ fees reasonably incurred by the Trust in the preparation, printing and distribution of proxy statements, amendments to its Registration Statement, holdings of meetings of its shareholders or trustees, the conduct of factual investigations, any legal or administrative proceedings (including any applications for exemptions or determinations by the Securities and Exchange Commission) which the Trust incurs as the result of action or inaction of the Manager or any of its affiliates or any of their officers, directors, employees or stockholders where the action or inaction necessitating such expenditures (i) is directly or indirectly related to any transactions or proposed transaction in the stock or control of the Manager or its affiliates (or litigation related to any pending or proposed or future transaction in such shares or control) which shall have been undertaken without the prior, express approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees; or, (ii) is within the control of the Manager or any of its affiliates or any of their officers, directors, employees or stockholders.  The Manager shall not be obligated pursuant to the provisions of this Subparagraph 7.B., to reimburse the Trust for any expenditures related to the institution of an administrative
 

 
7

 
 
 
proceeding or civil litigation by the Trust or a shareholder seeking to recover all or a portion of the proceeds derived by any stockholder of the Manager or any of its affiliates from the sale of his shares of the Manager, or similar matters.  So long as this Agreement is in effect, the Manager shall pay to the Trust the amount due for expenses subject to this Subparagraph 7.B. within 30 days after a bill or statement has been received by the Manager therefor.  This provision shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any claim the Trust may have or may assert against the Manager or others for costs, expenses or damages heretofore incurred by the Trust or for costs, expenses or damages the Trust may hereafter incur which are not reimbursable to it hereunder.
 
C.            No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to protect any trustee or officer of the Trust, or director or officer of the Manager, from liability in violation of Sections 17(h) and (i) of the 1940 Act.
 
8.             Renewal and Termination .
 
A.            This Agreement shall become effective on the date written below and shall continue in effect for two (2) years thereafter, unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided and shall continue in effect thereafter for periods not exceeding one (1) year so long as such continuation is approved at least annually (i) by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, and (ii) by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to the Agreement (other than as Trustees of the Trust) or “interested persons” of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Agreement.
 
B.            This Agreement:
 
(i)            may at any time be terminated without the payment of any penalty either by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the Manager;
 
(ii)            shall immediately terminate with respect to the Fund in the event of its assignment; and
 
 
(iii)            may be terminated by the Manager on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund.
 
C.            As used in this Paragraph the terms “assignment,” “interested person” and “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meanings set forth for any such terms in the 1940 Act.
 
D.            Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing addressed and delivered, or mailed post-paid, to the other party at any office of such party.
 
9.             Severability .  If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
 

 
8

 


 
10.             Governing Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
 
11.             Limitation of Liability.   Each party acknowledges and agrees that all obligations of the Trust under this Agreement are binding only with respect to the assets of the Fund; that any liability of the Trust under this Agreement with respect to the Trust, or in connection with the matters contemplated herein with respect to the Fund, shall be discharged only out of the assets of the Fund; that no other series of the Trust shall be liable with respect to this Agreement or in connection with the matters contemplated herein; and the Manager shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation or liability from the shareholders of the Trust, the trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust, or from any other series of the Trust.
 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective on April 18, 2016.
 
 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST on behalf of
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL DIVIDEND ETF
 
By:            /s/ Navid J. Tofigh                                            
Name: Navid J. Tofigh                                                       
Title:    Vice President and Secretary                                                                 
 
 
FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
 
By:            /s/ Patrick O’Connor                                            
Name: Patrick O’Connor                                            
Title:    Senior Vice President                                                       
 
 
 
9
EX-99(d)(iv)
 

 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
on behalf of
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL EQUITY ETF
 
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
 
THIS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of April 18, 2016, is made between FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL EQUITY ETF (the “Fund”), a series of the Trust, and FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC., a California corporation (the “Manager”).
 
WHEREAS, the Trust has been organized and intends to operate as an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), for the purpose of investing and reinvesting its assets in securities, as set forth in its Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws and its Registration Statement under the 1940 Act and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, all as heretofore and hereafter amended and supplemented; and the Trust desires to avail itself of the services, information, advice, assistance and facilities of an investment manager and to have an investment manager perform various management, statistical, research, investment advisory, administrative and other services for the Fund; and
 
WHEREAS, the Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), is engaged in the business of rendering management, investment advisory, counseling and supervisory services to investment companies and other investment counseling clients, and desires to provide these services to the Fund.
 
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, it is mutually agreed as follows:
 
1.             Employment of the Manager .  The Trust hereby employs the Manager to manage the investment and reinvestment of the Fund’s assets, to administer its affairs, and to provide or procure, as applicable, the administrative and other services described in Section 2.C. of this Agreement, as may be supplemented from time to time, subject to the direction of the Board of Trustees and the officers of the Trust, for the period and on the terms hereinafter set forth.  The Manager hereby accepts such employment and agrees during such period to render the services and to assume the obligations herein set forth for the compensation herein provided.  The Manager shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized (whether herein or otherwise), have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Trust.
 
2.             Obligations of and Services to be Provided by the Manager .  The Manager undertakes to provide the services hereinafter set forth and to assume the following obligations:
 
A.             Investment Management Services .
 
(a)            The Manager shall manage the Fund’s assets subject to and in accordance with the investment objectives and policies of the Fund and any directions which the
 

 
 

 
 
 
Trust’s Board of Trustees may issue from time to time.  In pursuance of the foregoing, the Manager shall make all determinations with respect to the investment of the Fund’s assets and the purchase and sale of its investment securities, and shall take such steps as may be necessary to implement the same.  Such determinations and services shall include determining the manner in which any voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action and any other rights pertaining to the Fund’s investment securities shall be exercised.  The Manager shall render or cause to be rendered regular reports to the Trust, at regular meetings of its Board of Trustees and at such other times as may be reasonably requested by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, of (i) the decisions made with respect to the investment of the Fund’s assets and the purchase and sale of its investment securities, (ii) the reasons for such decisions and (iii) the extent to which those decisions have been implemented.
 
(b)            The Manager, subject to and in accordance with any directions which the Trust’s Board of Trustees may issue from time to time, shall place, in the name of the Fund, orders for the execution of the Fund’s securities transactions.  When placing such orders, the Manager shall seek to obtain the best net price and execution for the Fund, but this requirement shall not be deemed to obligate the Manager to place any order solely on the basis of obtaining the lowest commission rate if the other standards set forth in this section have been satisfied.  The parties recognize that there are likely to be many cases in which different brokers are equally able to provide such best price and execution and that, in selecting among such brokers with respect to particular trades, it is desirable to choose those brokers who furnish research, statistical, quotations and other information to the Fund and the Manager in accordance with the standards set forth below.  Moreover, to the extent that it continues to be lawful to do so and so long as the Board of Trustees determines that the Fund will benefit, directly or indirectly, by doing so, the Manager may place orders with a broker who charges a commission for that transaction which is in excess of the amount of commission that another broker would have charged for effecting that transaction, provided that the excess commission is reasonable in relation to the value of “brokerage and research services” (as defined in Section 28(e) (3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) provided by that broker.
 
Accordingly, the Trust and the Manager agree that the Manager shall select brokers for the execution of the Fund’s transactions from among:
 
(i)            Those brokers and dealers who provide quotations and other services to the Fund, specifically including the quotations necessary to determine the Fund’s net assets, in such amount of total brokerage as may reasonably be required in light of such services; and
 
(ii)            Those brokers and dealers who supply research, statistical and other data to the Manager or its affiliates which the Manager or its affiliates may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment management capacities, which relate directly to securities, actual or potential, of the Fund, or which place the Manager in a better position to make decisions in connection with the management of the Fund’s assets and securities, whether or not such data may also be useful to the Manager and its affiliates in managing other portfolios or advising other clients, in such amount of total brokerage as may reasonably be required.
 

 
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(c)            When the Manager has determined that the Fund should tender securities pursuant to a “tender offer solicitation,” Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.  (“Distributors”) shall be designated as the “tendering dealer” so long as it is legally permitted to act in such capacity under the federal securities laws and rules thereunder and the rules of any securities exchange or association of which Distributors may be a member.  Neither the Manager nor Distributors shall be obligated to make any additional commitments of capital, expense or personnel beyond that already committed (other than normal periodic fees or payments necessary to maintain its corporate existence and membership in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) as of the date of this Agreement.  This Agreement shall not obligate the Manager or Distributors (i) to act pursuant to the foregoing requirement under any circumstances in which they might reasonably believe that liability might be imposed upon them as a result of so acting, or (ii) to institute legal or other proceedings to collect fees which may be considered to be due from others to it as a result of such a tender, unless the Trust on behalf of the Fund shall enter into an agreement with the Manager and/or Distributors to reimburse them for all such expenses connected with attempting to collect such fees, including legal fees and expenses and that portion of the compensation due to their employees which is attributable to the time involved in attempting to collect such fees.
 
(d)            The Manager shall render regular reports to the Trust, not more frequently than quarterly, of how much total brokerage business has been placed by the Manager, on behalf of the Fund, with brokers falling into each of the categories referred to above and the manner in which the allocation has been accomplished.
 
(e)            The Manager agrees that no investment decision will be made or influenced by a desire to provide brokerage for allocation in accordance with the foregoing, and that the right to make such allocation of brokerage shall not interfere with the Manager’s paramount duty to obtain the best net price and execution for the Fund.
 
(f)            Decisions on proxy voting shall be made by the Manager unless the Board of Trustees determines otherwise.  Pursuant to its authority, the Manager shall have the power to vote, either in person or by proxy, all securities in which the Fund may be invested from time to time, and shall not be required to seek or take instructions from the Fund with respect thereto.  The Manager shall not be expected or required to take any action other than the rendering of investment-related advice with respect to lawsuits involving securities presently or formerly held in the Fund, or the issuers thereof, including actions involving bankruptcy.  In the case of class action suits involving issuers held in the Fund, the Manager may include information about the Fund for purposes of participating in any settlements.
 
B.             Provision of Information Necessary for Preparation of Securities Registration Statements, Amendments and Other Materials .  The Manager, its officers and employees will make available and provide accounting and statistical information required by the Fund in the preparation of registration statements, reports and other documents required by federal and state securities laws and with such information as the Fund may reasonably request for use in the preparation of such documents or of other materials necessary or helpful for the underwriting and distribution of the Fund’s shares.
 

 
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C.             Administrative Services The Manager agrees, during the term of this Agreement, to provide or procure, as applicable, at its own expense (unless otherwise agreed to by the parties), the following services to the Fund to the extent that any such services are not otherwise provided by any sub-adviser or other service provider to the Fund:  (a) providing office space, equipment and supplies appropriate for the effective administration of the Fund as contemplated in this Agreement; (b) providing trading desk facilities; (c) authorizing expenditures on behalf of the Fund; (d) supervising preparation of periodic reports to Fund shareholders, notices of distributions and attending to routine shareholder communications; (e) coordinating and supervising the daily pricing and valuation of the Fund’s investment portfolio; (f) providing fund accounting services, including preparing and supervising publication of daily net asset value quotations and other financial data; (g) monitoring and coordinating relationships with unaffiliated service providers; (h) supervising the Fund’s compliance with recordkeeping requirements under the federal securities, state and foreign laws and regulations and maintaining books and records for the Fund; (i) preparing and filing of domestic and foreign tax reports and monitoring the Fund’s compliance with all applicable tax laws and regulations; (j) establishing, maintaining and   monitoring the Fund’s compliance program with respect to the federal securities, state and foreign laws and regulations applicable to the operation of investment companies; the Fund’s investment goals, policies and restrictions; and the Code of Ethics and other policies applicable to the Fund; (k) preparing regulatory reports; (l) preparing and arranging for the filing of registration statements and other documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal, state and foreign or other regulatory authorities; (m) maintaining a review and certification program and internal controls and procedures in accordance with the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 as applicable; and (n) providing executive, clerical and other personnel needed to carry out the above responsibilities.
 
       Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Trust or the Fund to pay any compensation to the officers of the Trust who are officers, directors, stockholders or employees of the Manager or its affiliates.  Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Manager to pay for the services of third parties, including attorneys, auditors, printers, pricing services or others, engaged directly by the Trust to perform services on behalf of the Fund.
 
D.             Other Obligations and Services .  The Manager shall make its officers and employees available to the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussions regarding the administration and management of the Fund and its investment activities.
 
E.             Delegation of Services .  The Manager may, at its expense, select and contract with one or more investment advisers registered under the Advisers Act (each, a “Sub-Adviser”) to perform, and thereby delegates to any such Sub-Adviser, some or all of the services for the Fund for which it is responsible under Section 2.A. of this Agreement or as the Manager may otherwise determine to be necessary or appropriate to seek to implement the Fund’s investment goals and strategies, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, and the approval of the Fund’s shareholders, if required.  The Manager will compensate any Sub-Adviser for its services to the Fund. The Manager will evaluate and select the Sub-Advisers and will make recommendations to the Board of Trustees about the hiring, termination and replacement of a Sub-Adviser and will oversee, monitor and review the Sub-Advisers and their performance and
 

 
4

 
 
 
their compliance with the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions. The Manager may also terminate the services of any Sub-Adviser at any time in its sole discretion, and shall at such time assume the responsibilities of such Sub-Adviser unless and until a successor Sub-Adviser is selected and the requisite approval of the Fund’s shareholders, if any is required, is obtained.  The Manager will continue to have overall responsibility for the management and investment of the assets and responsibility for all advisory services furnished by any Sub-Adviser and will supervise each Sub-Adviser in its performance of its duties for the Fund with a view to preventing violations of all applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and the provisions of the Fund’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time.
 
The Manager may, at its expense, also delegate to one or more entities some or all of the services for the Fund for which the Manager is responsible under Section 2.C. of this Agreement.  The Manager will be responsible for the compensation, if any, of any such entities for such services to the Fund, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.  Notwithstanding any delegation pursuant to this paragraph, the Manager will continue to have responsibility and liability for all such services provided to the Fund under this Agreement and will supervise each delegate in its performance of its duties for the Fund with a view to preventing violations of the federal securities laws.
 
3.             Expenses of the Fund .  It is understood that the Fund will pay all of its own expenses other than those expressly assumed by the Manager herein, which expenses payable by the Fund shall include:
 
A.            Fees and expenses paid to the Manager as provided herein;
 
B.            Expenses of all audits by independent public accountants;
 
C.            Expenses of transfer agent, registrar, custodian, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder record-keeping services, including the expenses of issue, repurchase or redemption of its shares;
 
D.            Expenses of obtaining quotations for calculating the value of the Fund’s net assets;
 
E.            Salaries and other compensations of executive officers of the Trust who are not officers, directors, stockholders or employees of the Manager or its affiliates;
 
F.            Taxes levied against the Fund;
 
G.            Brokerage fees and commissions in connection with the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund;
 
H.            Costs, including the interest expense, of borrowing money;
 
I.            Costs incident to meetings of the Board of Trustees and shareholders of the Fund, reports to the Fund’s shareholders, the filing of reports with regulatory bodies and the maintenance of the Fund’s and the Trust’s legal existence;
 

 
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J.            Legal fees, including the legal fees related to the registration and continued qualification of the Fund’s shares for sale;
 
K.            Trustees’ fees and expenses to trustees who are not directors, officers, employees or stockholders of the Manager or any of its affiliates;
 
L.            Costs and expense of registering and maintaining the registration of the Fund and its shares under federal and any applicable state laws; including the printing and mailing of prospectuses to its shareholders;
 
M.            Trade association dues;
 
N.            The Fund’s pro rata portion of fidelity bond, errors and omissions, and trustees and officer liability insurance premiums; and
 
O.            The Fund’s portion of the cost of any proxy voting service used on its behalf.
 
4.             Compensation of the Manager .  The Fund shall pay a management fee in cash to the Manager based upon a percentage of the value of the Fund’s net assets, calculated as set forth below, as compensation for the services rendered and obligations assumed by the Manager, during the preceding month, on the first business day of the month in each year.
 
A.            For purposes of calculating such fee, the value of the net assets of the Fund shall be determined in the same manner as that Fund uses to compute the value of its net assets in connection with the determination of the net asset value of its shares, all as set forth more fully in the Fund’s current prospectus and statement of additional information.  The rate of the management fee payable by the Fund shall be calculated daily at the annual rate of 0.35% of the value of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
 
B.            The management fee payable by the Fund shall be reduced or eliminated to the extent that Distributors has actually received cash payments of tender offer solicitation fees less certain costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith.  The Manager may waive all or a portion of its fees provided for hereunder and such waiver shall be treated as a reduction in purchase price of its services.  The Manager shall be contractually bound hereunder by the terms of any publicly announced waiver of its fee, or any limitation of the Fund’s expenses, as if such waiver or limitation were fully set forth herein.
 
C.            If this Agreement is terminated prior to the end of any month, the accrued management fee shall be paid to the date of termination.
 
5.             Activities of the Manager .  The services of the Manager to the Fund hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Manager and any of its affiliates shall be free to render similar services to others.  Subject to and in accordance with the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Trust and Section 10(a) of the 1940 Act, it is understood that trustees, officers, agents and shareholders of the Trust are or may be interested in the Manager or its affiliates as directors, officers, agents or stockholders; that directors, officers, agents or stockholders of the Manager or its affiliates are or may be interested in the Trust as trustees,
 

 
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officers, agents, shareholders or otherwise; that the Manager or its affiliates may be interested in the Fund as shareholders or otherwise; and that the effect of any such interests shall be governed by said Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and the 1940 Act.
 
6.             Performance of Services in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements; Furnishing of Books and Records .  In performing the services set forth in this Agreement, the Manager:
 
                                A.           shall conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, with all other applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and with the provisions of the Trust’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time;

           B.           will make available to the Trust, promptly upon request, any of the Fund’s books and records as are maintained under this Agreement, and will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any such books and records and any information or reports in connection with the Manager’s services under this Agreement that may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Trust are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

7.             Liabilities of the Manager .
 
A.            In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part of the Manager, the Manager shall not be subject to liability to the Trust or the Fund or to any shareholder of the Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund.
 
B.            Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Manager agrees to reimburse the Trust for any and all costs, expenses, and counsel and trustees’ fees reasonably incurred by the Trust in the preparation, printing and distribution of proxy statements, amendments to its Registration Statement, holdings of meetings of its shareholders or trustees, the conduct of factual investigations, any legal or administrative proceedings (including any applications for exemptions or determinations by the Securities and Exchange Commission) which the Trust incurs as the result of action or inaction of the Manager or any of its affiliates or any of their officers, directors, employees or stockholders where the action or inaction necessitating such expenditures (i) is directly or indirectly related to any transactions or proposed transaction in the stock or control of the Manager or its affiliates (or litigation related to any pending or proposed or future transaction in such shares or control) which shall have been undertaken without the prior, express approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees; or, (ii) is within the control of the Manager or any of its affiliates or any of their officers, directors, employees or stockholders.  The Manager shall not be obligated pursuant to the provisions of this Subparagraph 7.B., to reimburse the Trust for any expenditures related to the institution of an administrative proceeding or civil litigation by the Trust or a shareholder seeking to recover all or a portion of the proceeds derived by any stockholder of the Manager or any of its affiliates from the sale of his shares of the Manager, or similar matters.  So long as this Agreement is in effect, the Manager shall pay to the Trust the amount due for expenses subject to this Subparagraph 7.B.
 

 
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within 30 days after a bill or statement has been received by the Manager therefor.  This provision shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any claim the Trust may have or may assert against the Manager or others for costs, expenses or damages heretofore incurred by the Trust or for costs, expenses or damages the Trust may hereafter incur which are not reimbursable to it hereunder.
 
C.            No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to protect any trustee or officer of the Trust, or director or officer of the Manager, from liability in violation of Sections 17(h) and (i) of the 1940 Act.
 
8.             Renewal and Termination .
 
A.            This Agreement shall become effective on the date written below and shall continue in effect for two (2) years thereafter, unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided and shall continue in effect thereafter for periods not exceeding one (1) year so long as such continuation is approved at least annually (i) by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by a vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, and (ii) by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to the Agreement (other than as Trustees of the Trust) or “interested persons” of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Agreement.
 
B.            This Agreement:
 
(i)            may at any time be terminated without the payment of any penalty either by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the Manager;
 
(ii)            shall immediately terminate with respect to the Fund in the event of its assignment; and
 
(iii)            may be terminated by the Manager on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund.
 
C.            As used in this Paragraph the terms “assignment,” “interested person” and “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meanings set forth for any such terms in the 1940 Act.
 
D.            Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing addressed and delivered, or mailed post-paid, to the other party at any office of such party.
 
9.             Severability .  If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
 
10.             Governing Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
 

 
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11.             Limitation of Liability.   Each party acknowledges and agrees that all obligations of the Trust under this Agreement are binding only with respect to the assets of the Fund; that any liability of the Trust under this Agreement with respect to the Trust, or in connection with the matters contemplated herein with respect to the Fund, shall be discharged only out of the assets of the Fund; that no other series of the Trust shall be liable with respect to this Agreement or in connection with the matters contemplated herein; and the Manager shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation or liability from the shareholders of the Trust, the trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust, or from any other series of the Trust.
 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective on April 18, 2016.
 
 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST on behalf of
FRANKLIN LIBERTYQ GLOBAL EQUITY ETF
 
By:            /s/ Navid J. Tofigh                                            
Name: Navid J. Tofigh                                                       
Title:    Vice President and Secretary                                                                 
 
 
FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
 
By:            /s/ Patrick O’Connor                                            
Name: Patrick O’Connor                                            
Title:    Senior Vice President                                                       
 
 
9
EX-99(e)(i)
 

 
Franklin Templeton ETF Trust
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, California 94403-1906



Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906


Re:
Distribution Agreement

Gentlemen:

We, Franklin Templeton ETF Trust (the “Trust”), are a Delaware statutory trust operating as an open-end management investment company, which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and whose shares are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).  We desire to issue one or more series of our authorized but unissued shares of beneficial interest (the “Shares”), generally only in aggregations constituting a Creation Unit, as such term is defined in the registration statement filed from time to time by the Trust with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and effective under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act (the “Registration Statement”), only to Authorized Participants (as that term is defined in the Registration Statement) in accordance with applicable Federal and State securities laws.  The Trust’s Shares may be made available in one or more separate series.  Shares are anticipated to be listed for trading on one or more national securities exchanges (“Exchanges”).

           You have informed us that your company is registered as a broker-dealer under the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and that your company is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).  You have indicated your desire to act as the exclusive selling agent and distributor for Shares of each series of the Trust listed on Exhibit A hereto (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) in the manner set forth in the statutory prospectuses or summary prospectuses (individually or collectively, the “Prospectus”) and statements of additional information (individually or collectively, the “SAI”) relating to each applicable Fund and included in the most current effective Registration Statement, and as supplemented from time to time.  We have been authorized to execute and deliver this Distribution Agreement (“Agreement”) to you by a resolution of our Board of Trustees (“Board”) passed at a meeting at which a majority of Board members, including a majority who are not otherwise interested persons of the Trust and who are not interested persons of any investment adviser to the Funds, its related organizations or of you or your related organizations (the “Independent Trustees”), were present and voted in favor of the resolution approving this Agreement at a meeting called for that purpose.

1)  
Appointment of Underwriter.   Upon the execution of this Agreement and in consideration of the agreements on your part herein expressed and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, we hereby appoint you as the exclusive sales agent to receive all orders for purchases of Creation Units of each Fund only from Authorized Participants that have entered into an agreement (a “Participant Agreement”) for book-entry of The Depository Trust Company and the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) as described in the Prospectus and SAI to transmit such orders to the Trust, all in accordance with the Prospectus and SAI.

The Trust retains the right to make direct sales of Shares consistent with the terms of the then current Prospectus and SAI and applicable law, and to engage in other legally authorized transactions in its Shares which do not involve sales to the general public.  Such other transactions may include, without limitation: (i) transactions between the Trust or any Fund and its shareholders only; (ii) transactions involving the reorganization of the Trust or any Fund; (iii) transactions involving the merger or combination of the Trust or any Fund with another corporation, trust,  series of a trust or similar entity; or (iv) transactions with other registered or unregistered investment companies in accordance with any rule, regulation, or order of the Commission (including, without limitation, any exemptive order issued to the Trust, any investment adviser to a Fund or any of their affiliates by the Commission (individually or collectively, the “ETF Order”)).

 
 

 
 


 


2)  
Duties of Underwriter.

a)  
You shall act as agent of the Trust in connection with the issuance and distribution of Creation Units of each Fund through Authorized Participants.  You shall, at your own expense, execute Participant Agreements with registered broker-dealers and other eligible entities to act as Authorized Participants, and provide for the purchase of Creation Units of the Funds by such Authorized Participants.  You agree to use your best efforts to promote the sale of Shares or Creation Units to Authorized Participants, but are not obligated to sell any specific number of Creation Units.

b)  
The Participant Agreement shall instruct Authorized Participants that the Prospectus must be distributed in accordance with: (i) the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations made or adopted thereunder; (ii) the ETF Order (iii) the rules of FINRA; and (iv) the rules of, and orders issued by the Commission to, the Exchanges ((i) through (iv) collectively, “Rules and Regulations”).  You shall not be liable for an Authorized Participant’s failure to comply with these requirements.  You shall use commercially reasonable efforts to fulfill all direct requests from Authorized Participants for the Prospectus, SAI, and periodic Fund reports, as applicable.  In addition, you will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide each Exchange with copies of the Prospectus to be provided to purchasers in the secondary market.  You will use commercially reasonable efforts to make it known in the brokerage community that the Prospectus and SAI are available, including (i) advising each Exchange on behalf of their member firms of the same, (ii) making such disclosure in all marketing and advertising materials prepared and/or filed by you with FINRA, and (iii) as may otherwise be required by the Commission.

c)  
You shall accept orders for the purchase of Creation Units by Authorized Participants only to the extent of purchase orders actually received from Authorized Participants and not in excess of such orders, and will not avail yourself of any opportunity of making a profit by expediting or withholding orders.  The Trust may reject purchase orders where, in the judgment of the Trust, such rejection is in the best interest of the Trust or a Fund.  You shall generate and transmit confirmations of Creation Unit purchase order acceptances to the Authorized Participant. You shall maintain telephonic, facsimile and/or access to direct computer communications links with our transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”).

3)  
Independent Contractor.   You will undertake and discharge your obligations hereunder as an independent contractor and shall have no authority or power to obligate or bind us by your actions, conduct or contracts except that you are authorized to promote and process the sale of Creation Units to Authorized Participants.

4)  
Offering Price.   A Creation Unit of a Fund shall be offered for sale at a price equivalent to the net asset value per Share (“NAV”) of that Fund next determined after receipt, on any Business Day (as defined in the Fund’s SAI), of an order received by you or your agent in proper form, multiplied by the number of Shares per Creation Unit, generally in exchange for (i) cash or portfolio securities in specified amounts (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) together with a specified cash component, as posted each Business Day by the Fund (a “Deposit Basket”); or (ii) such other specified amounts of cash and/or portfolio securities as may be agreed upon by the Fund and an Authorized Participant from time to time (a “Custom Basket”); in each case, in accordance with the ETF Order and as set forth in the  Prospectus or SAI.  On each Business Day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for business, we will furnish you with the NAV of the Shares and Deposit Basket of each available Fund, which shall be determined in accordance with the  Prospectus, SAI and the ETF Order.  All Creation Units will be sold in the manner set forth in the Prospectus, SAI and ETF Order, and in compliance with applicable law.

5)  
Compensation.   No compensation shall be due or payable by the Trust or any Fund to you pursuant to this Agreement.

6)  
Terms and Conditions of Sales.   You shall offer Creation Units for sale only in those jurisdictions where: (i) they have been properly registered; (ii) they are exempt from registration; or (iii) for which appropriate notice filings have been made.  You shall offer Creation Units for sale only to Authorized Participants.


 
 

 
 


 

7)  
Orders and Payment for Creation Units.   Orders for Creation Units shall be directed to the applicable Fund’s Transfer Agent, for acceptance on behalf of such Fund.  At or prior to the time of delivery of any of our Creation Units, you will pay or cause to be paid to the custodian of the Fund’s assets, for our account, an amount in cash or other consideration as described from time to time in the Fund’s Prospectus equal to the aggregate NAV of such Creation Units.  Sales of Creation Units shall be deemed to be made when and where accepted by the Fund’s Transfer Agent.  The Fund’s custodian and Transfer Agent shall be identified in its Prospectus or SAI.
 
8)  
Allocation of Expenses.   We will pay (or enter into arrangements providing that persons other than us shall pay) the expenses of:

a)  
Preparing and typesetting of our audited and certified financial statements to be included in any Post-Effective Amendments (“Amendments”) to our Registration Statement under the 1933 Act or 1940 Act, including the Prospectus and SAI included therein;

b)  
Preparing (including legal fees) and typesetting of all Amendments or supplements filed with the Commission, including the copies of the Prospectus and SAI included in the Amendments, other than those necessitated by your (including your affiliates’) activities or Rules and Regulations related to your activities where such Amendments or supplements result in expenses which we would not otherwise have incurred;

c)  
Preparing, printing, mailing and distributing any reports or communications which we send to our existing shareholders, including expenses associated with printing, mailing and distributing annually any updated Prospectus, report or SAI to existing shareholders, other than those necessitated by your (including your affiliates’) activities or Rules and Regulations related to your activities where such communications result in expenses which we would not otherwise have incurred;

d)  
Printing, mailing and distributing any Prospectus included with the confirmation of any purchase order of Creation Units to an Authorized Participant; and
 
e)
Any filings or fees to Federal and State securities regulatory authorities necessary to continue offering our Shares to Authorized Participants.

You will pay (or enter into arrangements providing that persons other than you shall pay) the expenses of:

a)  
Preparing (including legal fees), typesetting, printing, and distributing (including mailing) of all Amendments and supplements to our Prospectus and SAI, if the Amendment or supplement arises from your (including your affiliates’) activities or Rules and Regulations related to your activities, and those expenses would not otherwise have been incurred by us;

b)  
Printing and distributing (including mailing) additional copies, for use by you as sales literature or for other marketing or offering purposes, of reports, Prospectuses, SAIs, supplements or other communications, other than those that we have prepared for distribution to our existing shareholders; and

c)  
Your advertising, promoting and selling our Shares.

9)  
Furnishing of Information.   We will furnish to you such information with respect to each Fund and its Shares, in such form and signed by such of our officers as you may reasonably request, and we warrant that the statements therein contained, when so signed, will be true and correct.  We will also furnish you with such information and will take such action as you may reasonably request in order to qualify our Shares for sale to Authorized Participants under the Blue Sky Laws of jurisdictions in which you may wish to offer them.  We will furnish you with annual audited financial statements of our books and accounts certified by independent public accountants, with semi-annual financial statements prepared by us, with Registration Statements and, from time to time, with such additional information regarding our financial condition as you may reasonably request.


 
 

 
 


 

10)  
Conduct of Business.   Other than our Prospectus, you will not issue any sales material or statements except literature or advertising that conforms to the requirements of the Rules and Regulations, and State securities laws and regulations, and that have been filed, where necessary, with the appropriate regulatory authorities, including but not limited to FINRA.  You will furnish us with copies of all such materials prior to their use and no such material shall be published if we shall reasonably and promptly object.

You shall comply with the applicable Rules and Regulations, and State laws and regulations, where our Shares are offered for sale and conduct your affairs with us and with Authorized Participants in accordance with FINRA rules.

11)  
Other Activities.   Your services pursuant to this Agreement shall not be deemed to be exclusive, and you may render similar services and act as an underwriter, distributor or dealer for other investment companies in the offering of their shares.

12)  
Term of Agreement.   This Agreement shall become effective on the date of its execution, and shall remain in effect for a period of two (2) years.  The Agreement is renewable annually thereafter with respect to the Trust or, if the Trust has more than one Fund, separately with respect to each Fund, for successive periods not to exceed one year (i) by a vote of (a) a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or, if the Trust has more than one Fund, of each Fund separately, or (b) by a vote of the Board, and (ii) by a vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Agreement.

This Agreement may at any time be terminated by the Trust, or by any Fund with respect to that Fund, without the payment of any penalty, (i) either by vote of the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or any Fund on 90 days’ written notice to you; or (ii) by you on 90 days’ written notice to the Trust; and shall immediately terminate with respect to the Trust and each Fund in the event of its assignment.

13)  
Suspension of Sales.   We reserve the right at all times to suspend or limit the public offering of Creation Units upon two days’ written notice to you.  Nothing in the forgoing sentence shall prevent us from rejecting a sale of Creation Units in accordance with Section 2(c) hereof.

14)  
Miscellaneous.   This Agreement shall be subject to the laws of the State of California and shall be interpreted and construed to further promote the operation of the Trust as an open-end investment company.  As used herein, the terms “net asset value,” “offering price,” “investment company,” “open-end management investment company,” “assignment,” “principal underwriter,” “interested person,” “affiliated person,” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meanings set forth in the 1933 Act or the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the term “assignment” shall have the meaning as set forth in the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Nothing herein shall be deemed to protect you against any liability to us or to our securities holders to which you would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of your duties hereunder, or by reason of your reckless disregard of your obligations and duties hereunder.






 
 

 
 


 
If the foregoing meets with your approval, please acknowledge your acceptance by signing each of the enclosed copies, whereupon this will become a binding agreement as of the date set forth below.


Very truly yours,

Franklin Templeton ETF Trust


By: ______________________________
Navid J. Tofigh
Vice President and Secretary


Accepted:

Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.


By: _____________________________
Dan O’Lear
President


Dated:  April 18, 2016


 
 

 
 


 
Exhibit A

Franklin Liberty International Opportunities ETF
Franklin Liberty Investment Grade Corporate ETF
Franklin Liberty U.S. Low Volatility ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
EX-99(e)(ii)
 
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT
FOR
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST

This Authorized Participant Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into by and between Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”) and ________________ (the “Authorized Participant” or the “AP”) and is subject to acceptance by State Street Bank and Trust Company   (the “Transfer Agent”).  The Transfer Agent serves as the transfer agent for Franklin Templeton ETF Trust (the “Trust”) and is a Receipt Agent as that term is defined in the rules of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”).  The Distributor, the Transfer Agent and the Authorized Participant acknowledge and agree that the Trust shall be a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement and shall receive the benefits contemplated by this Agreement, to the extent specified herein.  The Distributor has been retained to provide services as principal underwriter of the Trust acting on an agency basis in connection with the sale and distribution of shares of beneficial interest, without par value (sometimes referred to as “Shares”), of each of the separate investment portfolios of the Trust (each such portfolio a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) named on Annex I to this Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time.

As specified in the Trust’s prospectus and statement of additional information (“SAI”) incorporated therein (collectively, the “Prospectus”) included as part of its registration statement, as amended, on Form N-1A (No. 811-23124) (“Registration Statement”), the Shares of any Fund offered thereby may be purchased or redeemed only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares referred to therein and herein as a “Creation Unit.”  All references to “cash” shall refer to U.S. Dollars (“USD”).  The number of Shares constituting a Creation Unit of each Fund is set forth in the Prospectus.  Creation Units of Shares may be purchased only by or through an Authorized Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. The Prospectus provides that Creation Units generally will be sold either (1) in exchange for an in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and an amount of cash computed as described in the Prospectus including any cash collateral (collectively, the “Cash Component”), or (2) in a Creation Unit that consists entirely of a Cash Component, in each case plus a purchase “Transaction Fee” as described in the Prospectus, delivered to the Trust by the Authorized Participant for its own account or acting on behalf of another party.  Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Creation Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for Shares of any Fund of the Trust.  References to the Prospectus are to the then-current Prospectus as it may be supplemented or amended from time to time with notice in accordance with this agreement.  Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein are used herein as defined in the Prospectus.

This Agreement is intended to set forth certain premises and the procedures by which the Authorized Participant may purchase and/or redeem Creation Units of Shares (i) through the Continuous Net Settlement (“CNS”) clearing processes of NSCC as such processes have been enhanced to effect purchases and redemptions of Creation Units, such processes being referred to herein as the “CNS Clearing Process,” or (ii) outside the CNS Clearing Process (i.e., through the manual process of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (the “DTC Process”).  The procedures for processing an order to purchase Shares (each a “Purchase Order”) and an order to
 
 
 

 
redeem Shares (each a “Redemption Order”) are described in Annex II to this Agreement and in the Prospectus.  All Purchase and Redemption Orders must be made pursuant to the Prospectus and the procedures set forth in Annex II hereto, as it may be amended by the Trust from time to time as set forth in Section 17 herein.  An Authorized Participant may not cancel a Purchase Order or a Redemption Order after an order is placed by the Authorized Participant.  The Distributor, however, agrees to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to accommodate requests by the Authorized Participant to cancel any Purchase Order or Redemption Order.

Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Authorized Participant to create or redeem one or more Creation Units of Shares or to sell, offer or promote the Shares.
 
The parties hereto in consideration of the premises and of the mutual
agreements contained herein agree as follows:

1. STATUS OF AUTHORIZED  PARTICIPANT AND DISTRIBUTOR .

(a) Status of Authorized Participant .  The Authorized Participant hereby represents, covenants and warrants that with respect to Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders of Creation Units of Shares of any Fund (i) through the CNS Clearing Process, it is a member of NSCC and an authorized participant in the CNS System of NSCC (as defined in each Fund’s Prospectus, a “Participating Party”), and/or (ii) outside the CNS Clearing Process, it is a DTC Participant (as defined in the Fund’s Prospectus, a “DTC Participant”), and (iii) it has the ability to transact through the Federal Reserve System. Any change in the foregoing status of the Authorized Participant shall automatically terminate this Agreement, and the Authorized Participant shall give prompt written notice to the Distributor and the Transfer Agent of such change.  The Authorized Participant may place Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders for Creation Units either through the CNS Clearing Process or outside the CNS Clearing Process, subject to the procedures for purchase and redemption set forth in the Prospectus and this Agreement, including Annex II hereto (“Execution of Orders”).

(b) Licenses and Compliance .  If the Authorized Participant and the Distributor are offering or selling Shares of any Fund of the Trust in the several states, territories and possessions of the United States, each hereby represents and warrants that it (i) is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“the “1934 Act”); (ii) is qualified to act as a broker or dealer in the states or other jurisdictions where it transacts business with respect to this Agreement; and (iii) is a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), and the Authorized Participant agrees that it will maintain such registrations, qualifications and membership in good standing and in full force and effect throughout the term of this Agreement. The Authorized Participant and the Distributor each agrees to comply in all material respects with all applicable U.S. federal securities laws, the laws of the states or other jurisdictions concerned, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and to comply in all material respects with the Constitution, By-Laws and Conduct Rules of the FINRA (together with the NASD Conduct Rules, as applicable, collectively “FINRA Rules”) to the extent such law, rules and regulations relate to each party’s obligations under this Agreement, in the case of the Authorized Participant, and to the offer, sale, promotion, creation and redemption of the Shares and related transactions in, and activities with respect to, the Shares in connection with its obligations under this Agreement, in the case of the Distributor.

 
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Each of the Authorized Participant and the Distributor further represent and warrant that it will not offer or sell or promote Shares of any Fund of the Trust in any state or jurisdiction where they may not lawfully be offered and/or sold.  In that regard, the Authorized Participant may rely upon any applicable Blue Sky memos and other directions from Distributor regarding where it is and is not lawful to offer and sell the Shares and any related conditions.

(c) Unregistered Authorized Participant . If the Authorized Participant is offering or selling Shares of any Fund of the Trust in jurisdictions outside the several states, territories and possessions of the United States and is not otherwise required to be registered, qualified, or a member of FINRA as set forth above, the Authorized Participant nevertheless agrees (i) to observe the applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which such offer and/or sale is made; (ii) to comply with applicable disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (iii) to conduct its business in accordance with the spirit of NASD Conduct Rules (or of comparable FINRA Conduct Rules, if such NASD Conduct Rules are subsequently repealed, rescinded or otherwise replaced by FINRA Conduct Rules) in each case to the extent the foregoing relate to the Authorized Participant’s transactions in, and activities with respect to, the Shares.

(d) Anti-Money Laundering .  The Authorized Participant represents, covenants and warrants that it has, and will maintain throughout the term of this Agreement, written policies, procedures and internal controls in place that are reasonably designed to (i) comply with anti-money laundering laws, regulations and rules  applicable to it, including the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), and (ii) screen all new and existing customers against the Office of Foreign Asset Control list and any other government list that is or becomes required under the USA PATRIOT ACT.

(e) Continuous Offering and Distribution .  The Authorized Participant understands and acknowledges that the method by which Creation Units will be created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. For example, because new Creation Units may be issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, depending upon the facts and circumstances, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may be deemed to have occurred. The Authorized Participant understands and acknowledges that some activities on its part, depending on the circumstances and under certain possible interpretations of applicable law, may result in its being deemed a participant in a distribution in a manner which could subject it to the prospectus delivery and related provisions of the 1933 Act that normally would be applicable to a statutory underwriter. The Authorized Participant should review the “Continuous Offering” section of the SAI and consult with its own counsel in connection with entering into this Agreement and placing an Order (defined below). The Authorized Participant also understands and acknowledges that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, may be required to deliver a prospectus.

(f) Communications Capability .  The Authorized Participant has the capability to send and receive authenticated communications to and from the (i) Distributor, (ii) the Custodian (as defined below in Section 5 hereof), (iii) the Subcustodian (as defined below in Section 5 hereof)
 
 
 
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in the case of International Funds (see Section 7(b) below), and (iv) the Authorized Participant’s custodian. The Authorized Participant shall confirm such capability to the reasonable satisfaction of the Distributor, the Custodian and the Subcustodian prior to placing its first order with the Transfer Agent (whether it is a Purchase Order or a Redemption Order).

2.     EXECUTION OF PURCHASE ORDERS AND REDEMPTION ORDERS .

(a) Procedures .  All Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders shall be made in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus and, where applicable, the procedures described in Annex II hereto. Each party hereto agrees to comply with the provisions of such documents to the extent applicable to it. In the event of a conflict between the Prospectus and Annex II, the Prospectus shall control.  It is contemplated that the telephone lines used by the Transfer Agent will be recorded, and the Authorized Participant hereby consents to the recording of all calls with the Transfer Agent and the Distributor in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units, provided that the Transfer Agent and the Distributor, as applicable, shall promptly provide copies of recordings of any such calls to the Authorized Participant upon the reasonable request of the Authorized Participant, unless such recordings have been erased or destroyed prior to receipt of such request in the normal course of business in accordance with the recording party’s general record keeping policies and procedures.   The parties agree that either party may use such recordings in connection with any dispute or proceeding relating to this Agreement.  The Trust reserves the right to issue additional or other procedures relating to the manner of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units and the Authorized Participant agrees to comply with such procedures as may be issued from time to time, upon reasonable notice thereof, including but not limited to the procedures that are referenced in Annex II hereto.

(b) Cancellation .  The Distributor and the Transfer Agent on behalf of the Trust each agrees to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to accommodate requests by the Authorized Participant to cancel any Purchase Order or Redemption Order.  Nonetheless, the Authorized Participant acknowledges and agrees that delivery of a Purchase Order or Redemption Order shall be irrevocable upon acceptance by the Transfer Agent or the Distributor; provided that the Trust and the Distributor on behalf of the Trust reserves the right to reject any Purchase Order in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus and related documents until the trade is released, as described in Annex II hereto, and any Redemption Order that is not in “proper form” as defined in the Prospectus; provided further that, in any case, the Distributor will use reasonable efforts to notify the Authorized Participant prior to such rejection of its intention to reject such Purchase Order or Redemption Order and (to the extent it is permitted to do so) the reason for such rejection, and in the event that the rejection was due to the Purchase Order or Redemption Order not being in proper form, to the extent possible, provide the Authorized Participant an opportunity to place the Purchase Order or Redemption Order in proper form prior to rejection.  The Distributor will promptly return to the Authorized Participant upon rejection of a Purchase Order all consideration, including Deposit Securities and cash tendered by the Authorized Participant, including any transaction fees, in respect of such rejected Purchase Order.

(c) Dividends and Distributions .  With respect to any Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant also acknowledges and agrees to return to the Trust any dividend, distribution or other corporate action paid to it in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the

 
4

 

Authorized Participant that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should, in accordance with the terms of the instrument or corporate action and industry custom in the applicable market, have been paid to the Trust. With respect to any Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant also acknowledges and agrees that, alternatively, the Trust is entitled to reduce the amount of money or other proceeds due to the Authorized Participant by an amount equal to any dividend, distribution or other corporate action to be paid to it in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Authorized Participant that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should be paid to the Fund. With respect to any Purchase Order, the Trust acknowledges and agrees to return to the Authorized Participant any dividend, distribution or other corporate action paid to the Trust in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Trust that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should have been paid to the Authorized Participant.  With respect to any Purchase Order, the Trust also acknowledges and agrees that the Authorized Participant is entitled to reduce the amount of money or other proceeds due to the Trust by an amount equal to any dividend, distribution or other corporate action to be paid to it in respect of any Deposit Security that is transferred to the Trust that, based on the valuation of such Deposit Security at the time of transfer, should be paid to the Authorized Participant.

3.   NSCC.
 
       Solely with respect to Purchase Orders or Redemption Orders effected through the CNS Clearing Process, the Authorized Participant, as a Participating Party, hereby authorizes the Transfer Agent to transmit to the NSCC on behalf of the Authorized Participant such instructions, including amounts of the Deposit Securities and Cash Component as are necessary, consistent with the instructions issued by the Authorized Participant to the Transfer Agent.   The Authorized Participant agrees to be bound by the terms of such instructions issued by the Transfer Agent and reported to NSCC as though such instructions were issued by the Authorized Participant directly to NSCC.

4.  PROSPECTUS, MARKETING MATERIALS AND REPRESENTATIONS .

(a) Fund Materials .  The Distributor will provide to the Authorized Participant copies of the then-current Prospectus or summary prospectus, if applicable and any printed supplemental information in reasonable quantities upon request and at no cost to the Authorized Participant. The Distributor represents, warrants and agrees that it will promptly notify the Authorized Participant when a revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus for any Fund is available and deliver or otherwise make available to the Authorized Participant copies of such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus or summary prospectus at such time and in such numbers as the Authorized Participant may reasonably request so as to enable the Authorized Participant to comply with any obligation it may have to deliver such Prospectus and or summary prospectus to customers. The Distributor will make such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus available to the Authorized  Participant no later than its effective date. The Distributor shall be deemed to have complied with this Section 4 when the Authorized  Participant has received such revised, supplemented or amended Prospectus by e-mail at [i nsert e-mail address ] , in printable form, with such number of hard copies as may be agreed from time to time by the parties promptly thereafter.

 
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(b) Representations and Warranties of Distributor .  The Distributor represents and warrants that (i) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained therein each conforms in all material respects to the requirements of the 1933 Act, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) the sale and distribution of the Shares as contemplated herein will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Trust, any Fund or the Distributor; (iii) no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issuance and sale of the Shares, except the registration under the 1933 Act of the Shares, which has occurred and is in effect for the Shares and the Trust; (iv) the Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the SEC has not issued any stop order or other order or notice preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted, are pending or, to the best of its knowledge, are being contemplated or threatened by the SEC; (v) the Shares, when issued and delivered against payment of consideration, as provided in this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free of statutory and contractual preemptive rights, rights of first refusal and similar rights; (vi) prior to the launch of each Fund, such Fund’s Shares have been approved for listing on the NYSE Arca, Inc.; and (vii) all marketing and promotional materials prepared by the Trust, the Distributor, the Funds’ adviser or any of their agents on their behalf, or to be prepared by any of them in the future and provided to the Authorized Participant in connection with the offer and sale of Shares, comply with applicable law, including without limitation, as applicable, the provisions of the 1933 Act, FINRA’s marketing rules, and the rules and regulations of the SEC.

(c) Representations and Warranties of Authorized Participant .  The Authorized Participant represents, warrants and agrees that it will not make any representations involving statements of fact concerning Shares in connection with the offer and sale of Shares other than those that are consistent with the Trust’s then-current Prospectus or in any promotional materials or sales literature furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Distributor. Subject to Section 4(d) below, the Authorized Participant agrees not to furnish or cause to be furnished to any person or display or publish any information or materials relating to Shares, including, without limitation, promotional materials and sales literature, advertisements, press releases, announcements, statements, posters, signs or other similar materials (“Marketing Materials), except ( x ) such information and materials as may be furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Distributor; ( y ) such other information and materials as may be approved by the Distributor, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; and ( z ) “Authorized Participant Institutional Sales Literature,” as defined in Section 4(d) below. Marketing Materials shall not include: (i) written materials of any kind which relate to asset allocation or strategic or economic matters that generally mention a Fund without recommending or describing the Fund; (ii) materials prepared and used for the Authorized Participant’s internal use only; (iii) brokerage
 
 
 
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communications prepared by the Authorized Participant in the normal course of its business; and (iv) research reports as described in Section 4(d) of this Agreement. The Authorized Participant understands that neither the Trust nor any of its Funds will be advertised or marketed as an open-end investment company (i.e., as a mutual fund), which offers redeemable securities, and that any advertising materials will prominently disclose that the Shares are not redeemable shares of the Trust.  In addition, the Authorized Participant understands that any advertising material that addresses redemptions of Shares, including the Prospectus, will disclose that the owners of Shares may acquire Shares and tender Shares for redemption to the Trust in whole Creation Units only.

(d) Authorized Participant Materials .  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Authorized Participant may, without the written approval of the Distributor, prepare and circulate, in the regular course of its business, sales commentary and   research reports that include information, opinions or recommendations relating to Shares (i) for public dissemination, provided that such research reports compare the relative merits and benefits of Shares with other products and are not used for purposes of marketing Shares, and (ii) for internal use by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant may, without the written approval of the Distributor, prepare and circulate in the regular course of its business or for internal use, research reports, institutional communications (as such term in defined in FINRA Rule 2210 or any successor rule), correspondence (as such term is defined in FINRA Rule 2210 or any successor rule) and other similar materials that include information, opinions or recommendations relating to Shares (the “Authorized Participant Institutional Sales Literature”), provided that such Authorized Participant Institutional Sales Literature complies with applicable FINRA rules.

(e) Due Diligence .  The Distributor agrees to cooperate with the Authorized Participant in carrying out its reasonable due diligence with respect to this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authorized Participant shall bear its own expenses incurred in connection with such due diligence investigation.

(f)   Limitation on Publicity or Advertising Regarding Authorized Participant .  Except as required by court order or requested by any regulatory or self-regulatory authority of competent jurisdiction, the Distributor agrees that it will not, without prior written consent of the Authorized Participant, use in advertising or publicity the name of the Authorized Participant or any affiliate of the Authorized Participant, any trade name, trademark, trade device, service mark, symbol or any abbreviation, contraction or simulation thereof owned by the Authorized Participant or any of its affiliates or represent, directly or indirectly, that any product or any service provided or distributed by the Trust or the Distributor has been approved or endorsed by the Authorized Participant or any of its affiliates or that the Authorized Participant acts as underwriter, distributor or selling group member with respect to the Shares.  This provision shall survive termination or expiration of this Agreement.

(g)   Identification of Authorized Participant in Fund Materials .  The Distributor, on its own behalf and on behalf of the Trust, agrees, for as long as this Agreement is effective, not to identify or name the Authorized Participant in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials for any Fund without the prior written consent of the Authorized Participant, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.  If the Authorized Participant
 
 
 
7

 
 
agrees to be identified in any of such documents, upon the termination of this Agreement, (i) the Distributor shall remove any reference to the Authorized Participant from such documents and (ii) the Distributor shall promptly update the Trust’s and the Distributors’ respective websites to remove any identification of the Authorized Participant as an authorized participant of the Trust.

5.     SUBCUSTODIAN ACCOUNT.

The Authorized Participant understands and agrees that in the case of each International Fund, the Trust has caused State Street Bank and Trust Company acting in its capacity as the Trust’s custodian (“Custodian”) to maintain with the applicable subcustodian (“Subcustodian”) for such Fund an account in the relevant foreign jurisdiction to which the Authorized Participant shall deliver or cause to be delivered in connection with the purchase of a Creation Unit the securities and any other cash amounts (or the cash value of all or a part of such securities, in the case of a permitted or required cash purchase or “cash in lieu” amount), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by such Fund, in accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to such account in such jurisdiction.

6.   TITLE TO SECURITIES; RESTRICTED SHARES .

(a)   Creations .  The Authorized Participant represents that, upon delivery of a portfolio of Deposit Securities to the Custodian and/or the relevant Subcustodian in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus, and assuming that the Trust has not pledged, mortgaged, encumbered or otherwise disposed of the Deposit Securities, and further assuming that the Trust and its affiliated persons are not affiliates of the issuers of any of the Deposit Securities, (i) the Trust will acquire good and unencumbered title to such securities, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances, and not subject to any adverse claims, including, without limitation, any restriction upon the sale or transfer of such securities imposed by (a) any agreement or arrangement entered into by the Authorized Participant in connection with a Purchase Order, or (b) any provision of the 1933 Act, and any regulations thereunder (except that portfolio securities of issuers other than U.S. issuers shall not be required to have been registered under the 1933 Act if exempt from such registration), or of the applicable laws or regulations of any other applicable jurisdiction; and (ii) no such securities are “restricted securities” as such term is used in Rule 144(a)(3)(i) promulgated under the 1933 Act in the hands of the Authorized Participant immediately prior to any such delivery.  The representation provided in this Section 6 excludes restrictions due to the status of the Trust or any Fund as an “affiliate” of such issuer of the Deposit Securities under Rule 144 under the 1933 Act and any other restriction, of which the Authorized Participant is not aware, that derives from facts, status or events that are particular to the Trust or any Fund.

(b)   Redemptions .  The Distributor represents that upon delivery of Deposit Securities to the Authorized Participant in connection with a Redemption Order, the Authorized Participant will acquire good and unencumbered title to such securities, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances, and not subject to any adverse claims, and that such Deposit Securities will not be “restricted securities” as such term is used in Rule 144(a)(3)(i) under the 1933 Act.

 
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7.     CASH COMPONENT AND FEES .

(a)            For Domestic Funds:   The Authorized Participant hereby agrees that in connection with a Purchase Order for any Domestic Fund, it will make available in same day funds for each purchase of Shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component and any other amounts of cash due to the Trust in connection with the purchase of any Creation Unit of Shares (including the purchase Transaction Fee for in-kind and cash purchases, and the additional variable charge for cash purchases when, in the sole discretion of the Trust, cash purchases are available or specified as described in the Prospectus) (the “Cash Amount”) which shall be made through DTC to an account maintained by the Custodian and shall be provided in same day or immediately available funds in accordance with the Trust’s Prospectus (“Contractual Settlement Date”). The Authorized Participant hereby agrees to ensure that the Cash Amount will be received by the Trust on or before the Contractual Settlement Date, and in the event payment of such Cash Amount has not been made by such Contractual Settlement Date, the Authorized Participant agrees, in connection with a Purchase Order, to pay the full cash amount, plus interest, computed at such reasonable rate as may be specified by the Trust from time to time.

(b)            For International Funds :  The Authorized Participant hereby agrees that in connection with a Purchase Order for any International Fund, it will make available in same day funds for each purchase of Shares the Cash Amount as described in Section 7(a) above, which shall be made via Fed Funds Wire to an account maintained by the Custodian and shall be provided in same day or immediately available funds at least one business day before the Contractual Settlement Date, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The Authorized Participant hereby agrees to ensure that the Cash Amount will be received by the Trust on or before the Contractual Settlement Date, and in the event payment of such Cash Amount has not been made by such Contractual Settlement Date, the Authorized Participant agrees, in connection with a Purchase Order, to pay the full Cash Amount, plus interest, computed at such reasonable rate as may be specified by the Trust from time to time.

8.  ROLE OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT; PROXY.

(a)   No Agency .  Each party acknowledges and agrees that for all purposes of this Agreement, the Authorized Participant will be deemed to be an independent contractor, and will have no authority to act as agent for the Trust, any Fund, the Distributor, the Custodian, the Subcustodian or the Transfer Agent in any matter or in any respect.

(b)   DTC Participant .  In executing this Agreement, the Authorized Participant agrees that it shall be bound by the applicable obligations of a DTC Participant in addition to any obligations that it undertakes hereunder or in accordance with the Prospectus.

(c)   Records of Sales .  The Authorized Participant agrees, to the extent required by applicable law, to maintain records of all sales of Shares made by or through it and to furnish copies of such records to the Trust or the Distributor upon the reasonable written request of the Trust or the Distributor, subject to its applicable customer information protection rules, regulations, internal policies and undertakings to maintain such information in confidence.

 
9

 



(d)   Issuance of Power of Attorney and Proxy to Distributor .  The Authorized Participant represents that from time to time it may be a beneficial owner of Shares. To the extent that it is a beneficial owner of Shares, the Authorized Participant agrees irrevocably to appoint the Distributor as its attorney and proxy with full authorization and power to vote (or abstain from voting) its beneficially owned Shares; provided that , for the avoidance of doubt, such appointment would be limited in scope to the matters described in this Section 8(d). The Distributor, as attorney and proxy for the Authorized Participant under this Section 8(d): (i) is hereby given full power of substitution and revocation; (ii) may act through such agents, nominees, or attorneys as it may appoint from time to time; and (iii) may provide voting instructions to such agents, nominees, or substitute attorneys. In connection with this grant by the Authorized Participant to the Distributor of its irrevocable proxy, which the Distributor hereby accepts, the Distributor represents and warrants to the Authorized Participant that it has an interest in the Fund sufficient to support enforceability of this irrevocable proxy in accordance with applicable law.  Upon request of Distributor and in connection with the exercise of the proxy granted herein, Authorized Participant shall disclose the number of shares beneficially owned by the Authorized Participant on any record date established by the Trust.

(e)   Renewal of Power of Attorney and Proxy to Distributor .  The appointment of the Distributor as attorney and proxy shall be deemed renewed each time Authorized Participant acquires Shares as a beneficial owner.  The Distributor shall serve as an irrevocable attorney and proxy for the Authorized Participant under Sections 8(d) and (e) for so long (and only so long) as this Agreement remains in effect.  The Authorized Participant hereby agrees to execute and deliver such additional documentation as may be necessary to cause the Distributor to serve as its attorney and proxy for the purposes discussed in this Agreement. This irrevocable proxy shall automatically terminate with respect to any Fund or the Trust as a whole if the Distributor ceases to act as Distributor to any Fund or the Trust, as applicable, provided that the Distributor shall use reasonable efforts to arrange for the successor distributor to serve as irrevocable attorney and proxy for the Authorized Participant. The Distributor shall provide notice to the Authorized Participant of the identity of any successor distributor.

9.   AUTHORIZED PERSONS OF THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT.

(a)   Authorized Persons .  Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter as may be requested by the the Distributor or the Transfer Agent, the Authorized Participant shall deliver to the Distributor and the Transfer Agent, duly certified as appropriate by its Secretary or other duly authorized official, a certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex III to this Agreement, setting forth the names and signatures of all persons authorized to give instructions relating to any activity contemplated hereby or any other notice, request or instruction on behalf of the Authorized Participant (each such person an “Authorized Person”). Such certificate may be accepted and relied upon by the Distributor and the Transfer Agent as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until delivery to the Distributor and the Transfer Agent of a superseding certificate bearing a subsequent date (or the termination of this Agreement, if earlier). Upon the termination or revocation of authority of such Authorized Person by the Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant shall give prompt written notice of such fact
 
 
 
 
10

 

to the Distributor and the Transfer Agent and such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Distributor or the Transfer Agent.

(b)   PIN Number .  The Transfer Agent shall issue to each Authorized Person a unique personal identification number (“PIN Number”) by which such Authorized Person shall be identified and instructions issued by the Authorized Participant hereunder shall be authenticated. The PIN Number shall be kept confidential and only provided to Authorized Persons and other employees of the Authorized Participant who have a reasonable need-to-know, unless required under applicable law. If after issuance, an Authorized Person’s PIN Number is changed, the new PIN Number will become effective on a date mutually agreed upon by the Authorized Participant and the Transfer Agent.  Upon the termination or revocation of authority of such Authorized Person by the Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant shall give prompt written notice of such fact to the Distributor, Transfer Agent and the Trust and such notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Distributor, Transfer Agent and the Trust.   The Transfer Agent agrees promptly to cancel the PIN Number assigned to an Authorized Person upon receipt of written notice from the Authorized Participant that an Authorized Person’s authority to act for it has been terminated.

(c)   Verification . The Transfer Agent and Distributor shall assume that all instructions issued to them using a PIN have been properly placed by an Authorized Person, unless the Transfer Agent or Distributor, as the case may be, has actual knowledge to the contrary or the Participant has properly revoked such PIN as provided herein. Neither the Distributor nor the Transfer Agent shall have any obligation to verify that an Order is being placed by an Authorized Person.

10.  REDEMPTION.

(a)   Business Day .  The Authorized Participant understands and agrees that Redemption Orders may be submitted only on days that the U.S. stock exchange where the Shares are principally listed (as specified in the Prospectus) (the “Listing Exchange”) is open for trading or business (“Business Day”).

(b)   Transferability of Fund Shares . The Authorized Participant represents and warrants that it will not attempt to place a Redemption Order for the purpose of redeeming any Creation Unit of Shares of any Fund unless it first ascertains (i) that it owns outright or has full legal authority and legal and beneficial right to tender for redemption the requisite number of Creation Units of Shares of the relevant Fund to be redeemed and to the entire proceeds of the redemption; and (ii) that such Shares are not the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or any other arrangement that would preclude the delivery of such Shares to the Transfer Agent in accordance with the Prospectus or as otherwise required by the Trust.  In the event that the Distributor, Transfer Agent and/or Trust reasonably believes that the Authorized Participant does not have the requisite number of Shares to be redeemed as a Creation Unit, the Distributor, Transfer Agent and/or Trust may reject without liability the Authorized Participant’s Redemption Order.

 
11

 



  (c)   Australian or New Zealand Holders .  In the case of a resident Australian or New Zealand holder, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Authorized Participant understands and agrees that such holder is only entitled to receive cash upon its redemption of Creation Units of Shares. In the Redemption Order the Authorized Participant will be required to use commercially reasonable efforts to confirm that an in-kind redemption request has not been submitted on behalf of a beneficial owner who is an Australian or New Zealand resident.

11.  BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP .

(a)   Single Beneficial Owner of Shares . The Authorized Participant represents and warrants to the Distributor, the Transfer Agent and the Trust that, based upon the number of outstanding Shares of each Fund made publicly available by the Trust, either (i) it does not, and will not in the future, hold for the account of any single Beneficial Owner of Shares of a Fund, eighty percent (80%) or more of the currently outstanding Shares of such Fund, so as to cause the Fund to have a basis in the portfolio securities deposited with the Fund different from the market value of such portfolio securities on the date of such deposit, pursuant to section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; or (ii) it is carrying the Deposit Securities as a dealer and as inventory in connection with its market making activities.

(b)   Supporting Information .  The Distributor and the Transfer Agent shall have the right to reasonably require information from the Authorized Participant regarding Share ownership of each Fund if the Authorized Participant does not provide the representation in Section 11(a)(ii) above, and to rely thereon to the extent necessary to make a determination regarding ownership of eighty percent (80%) or more of the currently outstanding Shares of any Fund by a Beneficial Owner as a condition to the acceptance of a deposit of Deposit Securities, to the extent the Authorized Participant can do so in a manner consistent with applicable customer information protection rules, regulations and internal policies.

12.  INDEMNIFICATION.
 
 
(a)   Indemnification by the Authorized Participant .  The Authorized Participant hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor, the Trust, the Transfer Agent and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each an “AP Indemnified Party”) from and against any loss, liability, damage and reasonable cost and expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such AP Indemnified Party as a result of: (i) any material breach by the Authorized Participant of any provision of this Agreement that relates to such Authorized Participant; (ii) any representation provided by the Authorized Participant herein that is false or misleading in any material respect or omits material information necessary to make the statement contained therein complete; (iii) any material failure on the part of the Authorized Participant to perform any of its obligations set forth in the Agreement; (iv) any failure by the Authorized Participant to comply with applicable laws to the extent relating to its role as an authorized participant hereunder, including applicable rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations; (v) actions of such AP Indemnified Party taken pursuant to any instructions issued in accordance with Annex II hereto (as may be amended from time to time) reasonably believed by the Distributor and/or the Transfer Agent to be genuine and to have been
 
12

 
 
 
given by the Authorized  Participant, except to the extent that the Authorized Participant had previously revoked a PIN Number used in giving such instructions or representations (where applicable) and such revocation was given by the Authorized Participant in writing and received by the Transfer Agent and Distributor in accordance with the terms of Section 9(b) hereto; or (vi) any (1) representation by the Authorized Participant, its employees or its agents or other representatives about the Shares or any AP Indemnified Party that is not consistent with the Trust’s then-current Prospectus made in connection with the offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell Shares, or (2) untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any research reports, marketing material and sales literature described in Section 4 hereof, or any alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, to the extent that such statement or omission relates to factual information about the Shares, or any AP Indemnified Party, unless, in either case, such representation, statement or omission ( x ) was made or included by the Distributor in materials furnished by the Distributor to the Authorized Participant, or by the Authorized Participant at the written direction of the Distributor, or ( y ) is based upon any misstatement of a material fact or   omission or alleged omission by the Trust or the Distributor to state a material fact in connection with such representation, statement or omission necessary to make such representation, statement or omission not misleading. The Authorized Participant shall not have any obligation to indemnify the AP Indemnified Party for any damages to the extent arising out of mistakes or errors in data provided to the Authorized Participant by such AP Indemnified Party.  The Authorized Participant shall not be liable under the indemnity contained in this Section with respect to any claim made against any AP Indemnified Party unless the AP Indemnified Party shall have notified the Authorized Participant in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the AP Indemnified Party (or after the AP Indemnified Party shall have received notice of service on any designated agent).  However, failure to notify the Authorized Participant of any claim shall not relieve the Authorized Participant from any liability that it may have to any AP Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section and shall only release it from such liability under this Section to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such failure to receive notice.

(b)   Indemnification by the Distributor .  The Distributor hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Authorized Participant and its respective subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls such persons within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each a “Distributor Indemnified Party”) from and against any loss, liability, damage and reasonable cost and expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by such Distributor Indemnified Party as a result of: (i) any material   breach by the Distributor of any provision of this Agreement that relates to the Distributor; (ii) any representations provided by the Distributor herein relating to this Agreement, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or the issuance or distribution of Shares that is false or misleading in any material respect or omits material information necessary to make the statement contained therein complete; (iii) any material failure on the part of the Distributor to perform any of its obligations set forth in this Agreement; (iv) any failure by the Distributor to comply with applicable laws in connection with this Agreement and the offer, sale, creation, redemption and marketing of the Shares, including rules and regulations of self-regulatory organizations, except

 
 
13

 
 
 
the Distributor shall not be required to indemnify a Distributor Indemnified Party to the extent that such failure was caused by the Distributor’s reasonable reliance on instructions given or representations made by one or more Distributor Indemnified Parties; (v) actions of such Distributor Indemnified Party taken in reasonable reliance upon any instructions issued or representations made in accordance with Annex II hereto (as amended from time to time) reasonably believed by the Distributor Indemnified Party to be genuine and to have been given by or on behalf of the Distributor; (vi) any (1) representation by the Distributor, its employees or its agents or other representatives about the Trust, the Shares or any affiliated person of any Fund that is not consistent with the Trust’s then-current Prospectus made in connection with the offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell Shares, and (2) untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement of the Trust as originally filed with the SEC or in any amendment thereof, or in any prospectus or any statement of additional information, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (vii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact, or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, made in any promotional material or sales literature furnished to the Authorized Participant by the Distributor or the Trust or any agent on behalf of the Distributor or the Trust, or any disclosure provided by the Distributor to the Authorized Participant for inclusion in marketing material or sales literature prepared by the Authorized Participant. The Distributor shall not be liable to any Distributor Indemnified Party for any damages arising directly out of ( w ) mistakes or errors in data provided to the Distributor by a Distributor Indemnified Party, ( x ) mistakes or errors by, or out of interruptions or delays of communications with, the Distributor Indemnified Parties, to the extent such errors, mistakes or delays were caused by a breakdown in communications networks outside of the control of the Distributor or the Transfer Agent, ( y ) extreme weather, an Act of God or other similar event outside the control of the Distributor or the Transfer Agent, or ( z ) any action of a service provider to the Trust, except to the extent such service provider acted under the direction of the Distributor, Transfer Agent or Trust, or such service provider is an affiliate of any of them, and acted negligently in taking or failing to take an action.  The Distributor shall not be liable under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section with respect to any claim made against any Distributor Indemnified Party unless the Distributor Indemnified Party shall have notified the Distributor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Distributor Indemnified Party (or after the Distributor Indemnified Party shall have received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability that it may have to any Distributor Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of the indemnity agreement contained in this Section and shall only release it from such liability under this Section to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by such failure to receive notice.

(c)   Excuse from Indemnification .  Other than with respect to Section 12(b)(i), (vi) and (vii), this Section 12 shall not apply and a party shall not have an obligation to indemnify an AP Indemnified Party or Distributor Indemnified Party, as the case may be, and its related indemnified persons to the extent that any such losses, liabilities, damages, costs and expenses (“Losses”) are directly caused by, incurred as a result of, or in connection with, any gross

 
 
14

 
 
 
negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct on the part of the party seeking to be indemnified.  The term “affiliate” in this Section 12 shall include, with respect to any person, entity or organization, any other person, entity or organization which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such person, entity or organization.

(d)   Defense & Settlement .  The applicable indemnifying party shall be entitled, at its option, to exercise sole control and authority over the defense and settlement of such action.  The indemnifying party is not authorized to accept any settlement that does not provide the applicable indemnified party with a complete release or that imposes liability not covered   by these indemnifications or places restrictions on the indemnified party or causes reputational harm to the indemnified party, in each case, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party.
 
  13.  LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.

(a)   No Implied Covenants or Obligations .  The parties undertake to perform such duties and only such duties as are expressly set forth herein, or expressly incorporated herein by reference, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against any party.
 
(b)   Miscellaneous Limitations on Liability .  Other than in connection with a material misstatement or omission of a material fact in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, arising from information provided by a party hereto, in the absence of bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct on its part, neither the Distributor nor the Authorized Participant, whether acting directly or through agents or attorneys, shall be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted or for any error of judgment made by either of them in the performance of their duties hereunder.  Neither the Distributor nor the Authorized Participant shall be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith unless the party exercising such shall have been negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts necessary to make such judgment.  In the absence of bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, the Transfer Agent, whether acting directly or through agents or attorneys, shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted or for any error of judgment made in the performance of its duties hereunder.  The Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith unless it shall have been grossly negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts necessary to make such judgment.  In no event shall the Distributor, Transfer Agent or Authorized Participant be liable for special, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profit), even if such parties have been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.  In no event shall the Distributor, Transfer Agent or Authorized Participant be liable for the acts or omissions of DTC, NSCC or any other securities depository or clearing corporation.
 
(c)   Force Majeure .  The Distributor, Transfer Agent and Authorized Participant shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of their obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; civil or military disturbances; terrorism; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or
 
 
 
 
15

 
 
malfunction of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communications service; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority or governmental actions.

(d)     Reliance on Instructions The Distributor and Transfer Agent may conclusively rely upon, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any communication authorized hereby and upon any written or oral instruction, notice, request, direction or consent reasonably believed by them to be genuine.

(e)    Financial Liability of Transfer Agent .  The Transfer Agent shall not be required to advance, expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur or become exposed to financial liability in the performance of its duties hereunder, except as may be required as a result of its own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.

( f )   Tax Liability . To the extent any payment of any transfer tax, sales or use tax, stamp tax, recording tax, value added tax or any other similar tax or government charge applicable to the creation or redemption of any Creation Unit of Shares of any Fund made pursuant to this Agreement is imposed, the Authorized Participant shall be responsible for the payment of such tax or government charge regardless of whether or not such tax or charge is imposed directly on the Authorized Participant. To the extent the Trust or the Distributor is required by law to pay any such tax or charge, the Authorized Participant agrees to promptly indemnify such party for any such payment, together with any applicable penalties, additions to tax or interest thereon.  The Distributor agrees to use its best efforts to notify the Authorized Participant of all transfer taxes, sales or use taxes, stamp taxes, recording taxes, value added taxes or any other similar tax or government charge that the Authorized Participant may incur in the future in connection with the creation or redemption of any Creation Unit of Shares.

(g)   Trust as a Third Party Beneficiary .  The Authorized Participant and the Distributor understand and agree that the Trust is a third-party beneficiary to this Agreement, and is entitled, and intends, to proceed directly against the Authorized Participant in the event that the Authorized Participant fails to honor any of its obligations pursuant to this Agreement that benefit the Trust.

14.  INFORMATION ABOUT CREATION DEPOSITS.

The Distributor represents and the Authorized Participant acknowledges that the number and names of the designated portfolio of Deposit Securities to be included in the current Creation Deposit for each Fund will be made available by NSCC on each day that the Listing Exchange is open for trading and will also be made available on each such day through the facilities of the NSCC.

15.  ACKNOWLEDGMENT .

The Authorized Participant acknowledges receipt of the Prospectus and represents that it has reviewed and understands such documents.

 
16

 



16.  NOTICES.

Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, all notices required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in writing and delivered by personal delivery or by postage prepaid registered or certified United States first class mail, return receipt requested, or by electronic mail or facsimile or similar means of same day delivery (with a confirming copy by mail). Unless otherwise notified in writing, all notices to the Trust shall be at the address, electronic mail address or telephone or facsimile numbers as follows:

Attn:        Craig S. Tyle
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
(650) 312-2000
CTyle@FRK.com

All notices to the Authorized Participant, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent shall be directed to the address, electronic mail address, or telephone or facsimile numbers indicated below the signature line of such party.

17.  EFFECTIVENESS, TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT.

(a)   Effectiveness .  This Agreement shall become effective upon delivery to and execution by the Distributor.

(b)     Termination .  This Agreement may be terminated at any time by any party upon sixty (60) calendar days’ prior written notice to the other parties and may be terminated earlier by the Trust or the Distributor at any time in the event of a breach by the Authorized Participant of any provision of this Agreement or the procedures described or incorporated herein, or upon the insolvency of the Authorized Participant. This Agreement may be terminated immediately by a party at such time as the Trust, the Distributor or the Authorized Participant becomes insolvent or becomes the subject of a bankruptcy proceeding or winding up.

(c)   Amendment .  This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument executed by all the parties; provided, however, that if an amendment to the Agreement is required in order to conform the Agreement to applicable law (including, without limitation, a change to the exemptive relief and/or adoption of a rule on which the Trust relies to operate as an exchange-traded fund), then the Distributor shall provide the Authorized Participant and the Transfer Agent with prompt notice of such amendment, and the next Creation Unit created by the Authorized Participant shall be deemed to constitute the Authorized Participant’s acceptance of such amendment.

18.  GOVERNING LAW; CONSENT TO JURISDICTION .

 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York (regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable New York conflict of laws principles) as to all matters, including matters of validity, construction,

 
 
17

 
 
 
effect, performance and remedies. Each party hereto irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in the Borough of Manhattan and of the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York and the appellate courts therefrom in such State in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any action taken or omitted hereunder, and waives any claim of forum non conveniens and any objections as to laying of venue. Each party further waives personal service of any summons, complaint or other process and agrees that service thereof may be made by certified or registered mail directed to such party at such party’s address for purposes of notices hereunder.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

19.  SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.

This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

20.  ASSIGNMENT.

Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of the other parties, except that any entity into which a party hereto may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated or any entity resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such party hereunder shall be a party, or any entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the business of the party, shall be the successor of the party under this Agreement. The party resulting from any such merger, conversion, consolidation or succession shall notify the other parties hereto of the change. Any purported assignment in violation of the provisions hereof shall be null and void.

21.  INTERPRETATION.

The section and sub-section headings contained in this Agreement are solely for the purpose of reference, are not part of the agreement of the parties and shall not in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

22.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

This Agreement, along with any other agreement or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement, supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

23.  SEVERANCE.

           If any provision of this Agreement is held by any court or any act, regulation, rule or decision of any other governmental or supra national body or authority or regulatory or self-regulatory organization to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason, it shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable only to the extent so held and shall not affect the validity, legality or

 
18

 

enforceability of the other provisions of this Agreement and this Agreement will be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein; provided, however , that if a party to this Agreement determines in its reasonable judgment that the provision of this Agreement that was held invalid, illegal or unenforceable does affect the validity, legality or enforceability of one or more other provisions of this Agreement, and that this Agreement should not be continued without the provision that was held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then the party shall notify the other party to this Agreement of such determination, whereupon this Agreement shall immediately terminate.

24.  NO STRICT CONSTRUCTION.

The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction will be applied against any party.

25.  SURVIVAL.

Sections 4 (Prospectus, Marketing Materials and Representations), 12 (Indemnification), 13 (Limitation of Liability) and 18 (Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof, as well as this Section 25, shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

26.  OTHER USAGES.

The following usages shall apply in interpreting this Agreement: (i) references to a governmental or quasigovernmental agency, authority or instrumentality shall also refer to a regulatory body that succeeds to the functions of such agency, authority or instrumentality; and (ii) “including” means “including, but not limited to.”

27.  COUNTERPARTS.
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original copy of this Agreement and all of which, when taken together, will be deemed to constitute one and the same agreement.  A telecopied facsimile of an executed counterpart of this Agreement, or an electronically transmitted PDF copy of an executed counterpart of this Agreement, shall be sufficient to evidence the binding agreement of each party to the terms hereof.


[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 
 

 
19

 

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the day and year written below.

DATED:  ____________


                                 FRANKLIN TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.

                                 BY:___________________________________
NAME: ________________________________
TITLE:________________________________
ADDRESS:______________________________
TELEPHONE:____________________________
FACSIMILE:___________________________________
ELECTRONIC MAIL:  ______________________


                                  [NAME OF AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT]

BY:___________________________________
                                 NAME: ________________________________
TITLE:________________________________
                                 ADDRESS:______________________________
                                 TELEPHONE:____________________________
                                 FACSIMILE:___________________________________
ELECTRONIC MAIL:  ______________________


ACCEPTED BY:            STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
AS TRANSFER AGENT
 
 
BY:__________________________________________
NAME: _______________________________________
TITLE:_______________________________________
                                 ADDRESS:                           One Lincoln Street
     Boston, Massachusetts 02111

                                 TELEPHONE:                                                           
                                 FACSIMILE:___________________________________
                                 ELECTRONIC MAIL:

 
20

 

ANNEX I
TO
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT
FOR FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
( effective as of _______  ____, 20__ )

   
   
   
   



 
21

 

ANNEX II
TO
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT
FOR FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST


PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING
PURCHASE ORDERS AND REDEMPTION ORDERS

This document supplements the Prospectus with respect to the procedures to be used by (i) the Transfer Agent and Distributor in processing orders for the purchase of Creation Units of a Fund (“Creation Orders”) and (ii) the Transfer Agent in processing orders redeeming Creation units of a Fund (“Redemption Orders,” and together with Creation Orders, “Orders”).

A Participant is required to have signed the Participant Agreement.  Upon acceptance by the Trust of the Participant Agreement, the Transfer Agent or Distributor, as the case may be, will assign a personal identification number (“PIN”) to each Authorized Person authorized to act for the Participant.  This will allow a Participant through its Authorized Person(s) to place an order with respect to Creation Units.

TO PLACE AN ORDER FOR PURCHASE OR REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

1.
Orders by Telephone .
 
a. Order Number.  Call to Receive an Order Number.  An Authorized Person for the Participant will call the telephone representative at the number listed on the applicable Fund’s order form (“Order Form”) not later than the cut-off time for placing Orders with the applicable Fund as set forth in the Order Form (the “Order Cut-Off Time”) to receive an Order Number.  Non-standard Orders generally must be arranged with a Trust in advance of Order placement.  The Order Form (as may be revised from time to time) is incorporated into and made a part of this Agreement.

Upon verifying the authenticity of the caller (as determined by the use of the appropriate PIN) and the terms of the Order, the telephone representative will issue a unique Order Number.  All Orders with respect to the purchase or redemption of Creation Units are required to be in writing and accompanied by the designated Order Number.  Incoming telephone calls are queued and will be handled in the sequence received.  Calls placed before the Order Cut-Off Time will be processed even if the call is taken after this cut-off time.  ACCORDINGLY, DO NOT HANG UP AND REDIAL.  INCOMING CALLS THAT ARE ATTEMPTED LATER THAN THE ORDER CUT-OFF TIME WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

NOTE THAT THE TELEPHONE CALL IN WHICH THE ORDER NUMBER IS ISSUED INITIATES THE ORDER PROCESS BUT DOES NOT ALONE CONSTITUTE THE ORDER.  AN ORDER IS ONLY COMPLETED AND PROCESSED UPON RECEIPT OF WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS VIA THE ORDER FORM CONTAINING THE DESIGNATED ORDER NUMBER, AUTHORIZED INDIVIDUALS’ SIGNATURES AND TRANSMITTED BY FACSIMILE.

 
b. Place the Order.  An Order Number is only valid for a limited time.  The Order Form for purchase or redemption of Creation Units must be sent by facsimile to the telephone representative within 20 minutes of the issuance of the Order Number.  In the event that the Order

 
22

 

 
Form is not received within such time period, the telephone representative will attempt to contact the Participant to request immediate transmission of the Order.  Unless the Order Form is received by the telephone representative upon the earlier of (i) within 15 minutes of contact with the Participant or (ii) 45 minutes after the Order Cut-Off Time, the Order will be deemed invalid.

c. Await Receipt of Confirmation.

 
(i)
Clearing Process .  The Distributor (in the case of purchases) or the Transfer Agent (in the case of redemptions) shall issue a confirmation of Order acceptance within approximately 15 minutes of its receipt of an Order Form received in good form.  In the event the Participant does not receive a timely confirmation from the Distributor or the Transfer Agent, it should contact the telephone representative at the business number indicated.

 
(ii)
Outside the Clearing Process .  In lieu of receiving a confirmation of Order acceptance, the DTC Participant will receive an acknowledgment of Order acceptance.  The DTC Participant shall deliver on settlement date the Deposit Securities and/or cash (in the case of purchases) or the Creation Unit size aggregation of Shares on trade date plus one (in the case of redemptions) to the Trust through DTC.  The Trust shall settle the transaction on the prescribed settlement date.

 
d. Ambiguous Instructions.  In the event that an Order Form contains terms that differ from the information provided in the telephone call at the time of issuance of the Order Number, the telephone representative will attempt to contact the Participant to request confirmation of the terms of the Order.  If an Authorized Person confirms the terms as they appear in the Order Form then the Order will be accepted and processed.  If an Authorized Person contradicts its terms, the Order will be deemed invalid and a corrected Order Form must be received by the telephone representative not later than the earlier of (i) within 15 minutes of such contact with the Participant or (ii) 45 minutes after the Order Cut-Off Time.  If the telephone representative is not able to contact an Authorized Person, then the Order shall be accepted and processed in accordance with the terms of the Order Form notwithstanding any inconsistency from the terms of the telephone information.  In the event that an Order Form contains terms that are illegible, as determined in the sole discretion of the Transfer Agent or Distributor (in the case of a Creation Order) or the Transfer Agent (in the case of a Redemption Order), the Order will be deemed invalid and will not be processed.  A telephone representative will attempt to contact the Participant to request retransmission of the Order Form, and a corrected Order Form must be received by the telephone representative not later than the earlier of (i) within 15 minutes of such contact with the Participant or (ii) 45 minutes after the Order Cut-Off Time.
 
2.
Election to Place Orders by Internet .
 
a.  General.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, Orders may be submitted through the Internet (“Web Order Site” or “Fund Connect”), but must be done so in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Prospectus, the Web Order Site, the State Street Fund Connect Buy-Side User Agreement (which must be separately entered into by the Participant) (the “Fund Connect Agreement”) and the applicable Fund Connect User Guide (or any successor documents).  To the extent that any provision of this Agreement is inconsistent with any provision of any Fund Connect Agreement, the Fund Connect Agreement shall control with respect to State Street’s provision of the Web Order Site; provided, however, it is not the intention of the parties to otherwise modify the rights, duties and obligations of the parties under

 
23

 

the Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect until otherwise expressly modified or terminated in accordance with its terms. Notwithstanding the forgoing, the Participant acknowledges that references to the applicable Fund Connect User Guide (or any successor documents) contained herein are for instructional purposes only, and such Fund Connect User Guide (or any successor documents) does not contain any additional representations, warranties or obligations by the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Distributor or their respective agents.

b. Certain Acknowledgements. The Participant acknowledges and agrees (i) that the Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Distributor and their respective agents may elect to review any Order placed through the Web Order Site manually before it is executed and that such manual review may result in a delay in execution of such Order; (ii) that  during periods of heavy market activity or other times, it may be difficult to place Orders via the Web Order Site and the Participant may place Orders as otherwise set forth in Attachment A; and (iii) that any transaction information, content, or data downloaded or otherwise obtained through the use of the Web Order Site are done at the Participant’s own discretion and risk.

EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED IN THE FUND CONNECT AGREEMENT AND TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE WEB ORDER SITE IS PROVIDED “AS IS,” “AS AVAILABLE” WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.  SPECIFICALLY, WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, ALL WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS, OTHER CONTRACTUAL TERMS, REPRESENTATIONS, INDEMNITIES AND GUARANTEES WITH RESPECT TO THE WEB ORDER SITE, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, ARISING BY LAW, CUSTOM, PRIOR ORAL OR WRITTEN STATEMENTS BY THE TRUST, THE TRANSFER AGENT, THE DISTRIBUTOR OR THEIR RESPECTIVE AGENTS, AFFILIATES, LICENSORS OR OTHERWISE (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO AS TO TITLE, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, UNINTERRUPTED USE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, TIMELINESS, TRUTHFULNESS, SEQUENCE, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS AND OTHER CONTRACTUAL TERMS ARISING FROM TRADE USAGE, COURSE OF DEALING OR COURSE OF PERFORMANCE) ARE HEREBY OVERRIDDEN, EXCLUDED AND DISCLAIMED.

c.   Election to Terminate Placing Orders by Internet .  The Participant may elect at any time to discontinue placing Orders through the Web Order Site without providing notice under the Agreement.

3.
Acknowledgment Regarding Telephone and Internet Transactions.   During periods of heavy market activity or other times, the Participant acknowledges it may be difficult to reach the Trust by telephone or to transact business over the Internet via the Web Order Site.  Technological irregularities may also make the use of the Internet and Web Order Site slow or unavailable at times.  The Trust may terminate the receipt of redemption or exchange Orders by telephone or the Internet at any time, in which case you may redeem or exchange Shares by other means.

4.
Purchase of Creation Units Without Receipt of Deposit Securities.
Creation Units of the Fund may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities, provided that the Participant deposits an initial deposit of cash with such Trust having a value greater than the net asset value of the Shares on the date the Order is placed in proper form.  In addition to available Deposit Securities and cash that generally comprise a Creation Unit, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to 115% of the market value of any

 
24

 

 
undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”).  The Order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the Order is placed provided that the Order is placed in proper form prior to Order Cut-Off Time on such date and cash in the appropriate amount is deposited with the Custodian by 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time or such other time as designated by the Custodian on settlement date.  If the Order is not placed in proper form by Order Cut-Off Time or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on settlement date, then the Order may be deemed to be rejected and the Participant shall be liable to the Trust for losses, if any, resulting therefrom.  An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain an amount of cash on deposit at least equal to 115% of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. In the event that additional cash is not paid, such Trust may use the cash on deposit to purchase the missing Deposit Securities.  The Participant will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by such Trust in connection with any such purchases and the Participant shall be liable to the Trust for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing any missing Deposit Securities and the value of the collateral.  These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such Deposit Securities on the day the Creation Order was deemed received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases.  The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. The Trust shall charge and the Participant agrees to pay to the Trust the Transaction Fee and any additional fees prescribed in the Prospectus.  The delivery of Creation Units of the Fund so created will occur no later than the prescribed settlement date following the day on which the Creation Order is deemed received by the Distributor.




 
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ANNEX III
TO
AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT
FOR FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST


FORM OF CERTIFIED AUTHORIZED PERSONS
OF THE AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT


Participant Name                                                                           NSCC #

 
NAME (1)
 
TITLE (1)
 
SIGNATURE (1)
TELEPHONE NUMBER (2)
E-MAIL ADDRESS (2)
CITY OF BIRTH (2)
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           

Date:                                                                

Certified By (Signature):                                                                

Print Name:                                                                

Title:                                                                


 
 
(1)
Required information.
 
(2)
Required information to use the Web Order Site.

 
26
EX-99(g)(i)
 

 
Master Custodian Agreement

           This Agreement is made as of April 18, 2016 (this “ Agreement ”), between each management investment company identified on Appendix A and each management investment company which becomes a party to this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof (in each case, a “ Fund ”), including, if applicable, each series of the Fund identified on Appendix A and each series which becomes a party to this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof, and State Street Bank and Trust Company , a Massachusetts trust company (the “ Custodian ”).

W itnesseth:

Whereas , each Fund desires for the Custodian to provide certain custodial services relating to securities and other assets of the Fund;

Whereas , the Custodian is willing to provide the services upon the terms contained in this Agreement; and

Whereas , each Fund is an exchange-traded fund and will issue and redeem shares of each Portfolio only in aggregations of Portfolio Interests (as defined in Section 8.1) known as “ Creation Units ,” generally in exchange for a basket of certain equity or fixed income securities and a specified cash payment, as more fully described in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information of the Fund related to the Portfolio (collectively, the “ Prospectus ”).

Section 1.                       Definitions .  In addition to terms defined in Section 4.1 (Rule 17f-5 and Rule 17f-7 related definitions) or elsewhere in this Agreement, (a) terms defined in the UCC have the same meanings herein as therein and (b) the following other terms have the following meanings for purposes of this Agreement:

1940 Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time.

Board ” means, in relation to a Fund, the board of directors, trustees or other governing body of the Fund.

Client Publications ” means the general client publications of State Street Bank and Trust Company available from time to time to clients and their investment managers.

Deposit Account Agreement ” means the Deposit Account Agreement and Disclosure, as may be amended from time to time, issued by the Custodian and available on the Custodian’s internet customer portal, “my.statestreet.com”.

Domestic securities ” means securities held within the United States.

Foreign securities ” means securities held primarily outside of the United States.

Held outside of the United States ” means not held within the United States.

 
 

 




Held within the United States ” means (a) in relation to a security or other financial asset, the security or other financial asset (i) is a certificated security registered in the name of the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee or is endorsed to the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee or in blank and the security certificate is located within the United States, (ii) is an uncertificated security or other financial asset registered in the name of the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee at an office located in the United States, or (iii) has given rise to a security entitlement of which the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee is the entitlement holder against a U.S. Securities System or another securities intermediary for which the securities intermediary’s jurisdiction is within the United States, and (b) in relation to cash, the cash is maintained in a deposit account denominated in U.S. dollars with the banking department of the Custodian or with another bank or trust company’s office located in the United States.

Investment Advisor ” means, in relation to a Portfolio, the investment manager or investment advisor of the Fund.

On book currency ” means (a) U.S. dollars or (b) a foreign currency that, when credited to a deposit account of a customer maintained in the banking department of the Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Custodian maintains on its books as an amount owing as a liability by the Custodian to the customer.

Portfolio ” means (a) in relation to a Fund that is a series organization, a series of the Fund and (b) in relation to a Fund that is not a series organization, the Fund itself.

Proper Instructions ” means instructions in accordance with Section 9 received by the Custodian from a Fund, the Fund’s Investment Advisor, or an individual or organization duly authorized by the Fund or the Investment Advisor.  The term includes standing instructions.

SEC ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Series organization ” means an organization that, pursuant to the statute under which the organization is organized, has the following characteristics: (a) the organic record of the organization provides for creation by the organization of one or more series (however denominated) with respect to specified property of the organization, and provides for records to be maintained for each series that identify the property of or associated with the series, (b) debt incurred or existing with respect to the activities of, or property of or associated with a particular series is enforceable against the property of or associated with the series only, and not against the property of or associated with the organization or of other series of the organization, and (c) debt incurred or existing with respect to the activities or property of the organization is enforceable against the property of the organization only, and not against the property of or associated with any series of the organization.

UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as in effect from time to time.


 

 
2

 




Underlying Portfolios ” means a group of investment companies as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act.

Underlying Shares ” means shares or other securities, issued by a U.S. issuer, of Underlying Portfolios and other registered “investment companies” (as defined in Section 3(a)(1) of the 1940 Act), whether or not in the same “group of investment companies” (as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the 1940 Act).

Underlying Transfer Agent ” means State Street Bank and Trust Company or such other organization which may from time to time be appointed by the Fund to act as a transfer agent for the Underlying Portfolios and with respect to which the Custodian is provided with Proper Instructions.

U.S. Securities System ” means a securities depository or book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or a “clearing corporation” as defined in Section 8-102 of the UCC.

Section 2.                       E mployment of Custodian .

            Section 2.1                                 General .  Each Fund hereby employs the Custodian as a custodian of (a) securities and cash of each of the Portfolios and (b) other assets of each of the Portfolios that the Custodian agrees to treat as financial assets.  Each Fund, on behalf of each of its Portfolios, agrees to deliver to the Custodian (i) all securities and cash of the Portfolios, (ii) all other assets of each Portfolio that the Fund desires the Custodian, and the Custodian is willing, to treat as a financial asset and (iii) all cash and other proceeds of the securities and financial assets held in custody under this Agreement.   The holding of confirmation statements that identify Underlying Shares as being recorded in the Custodian’s name on behalf of the Portfolios will be custody for purposes of this Section 2.1.  This Agreement does not require the Custodian to accept an asset for custody hereunder or to treat any asset that is not a security as a financial asset.

            Section 2.2                                 Sub-custodians .  Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall on behalf of a Fund appoint one or more banks, trust companies or other entities located in the United States and designated in the Proper Instructions to act as a sub-custodian for the purposes of effecting such transactions as may be designated by the Fund in the Proper Instructions.  The Custodian may place and maintain each Fund’s foreign securities with foreign banking institution sub-custodians employed by the Custodian or foreign securities depositories, all in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 4 and 5.  An entity acting in the capacity of Underlying Transfer Agent is not an agent or sub-custodian of the Custodian for purposes of this Agreement.

Section 2.3                                  Relationship .  With respect to securities and other financial assets, the Custodian is a securities intermediary and the Portfolio is the entitlement holder.  With respect to cash maintained in a deposit account and denominated in an “on book” currency, the Custodian is a bank and the Portfolio is the bank’s customer.  If cash is maintained in a deposit account with a bank other than the Custodian and the cash is denominated in an “on book” currency, the Custodian is that bank’s customer.  The Custodian agrees to treat the claim to the cash as a


 

 
3

 


financial asset for the benefit of the Portfolio . The Custodian does not otherwise agree to treat cash as a financial asset.  The duties of the Custodian as securities intermediary and bank set forth in the UCC are varied by the terms of this Agreement to the extent that the duties may be varied by agreement under the UCC.

Section 3.
Activities of the Custodian with Respect to Property Held in the United States .

            Section 3.1                                 Holding Securities .  The Custodian may deposit and maintain securities or other financial assets of a Portfolio in a U.S. Securities System in compliance with the conditions of Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act.  Upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of the Portfolio and into which account or accounts may be transferred cash or securities and other financial assets, including securities and financial assets maintained in a U.S. Securities System.  Except as precluded by the Section 8-501(d) of the UCC, the Custodian shall hold all securities and other financial assets, other than cash, of a Portfolio that are delivered to it in a “securities account” with the Custodian for and in the name of such Portfolio and except as precluded by Section 8-501(d) of the UCC shall treat all such assets other than cash as “financial assets” as those terms are used in the UCC.  The Custodian shall hold and physically segregate for the account of each Portfolio all securities and other financial assets held by the Custodian in the United States, including all domestic securities of the Portfolio, other than (a) securities or other financial assets maintained in a U.S. Securities System and (b) Underlying Shares maintained pursuant to Section 3.10 in an account of an Underlying Transfer Agent.  The Custodian shall identify on its books and records as belonging to a Portfolio the securities and other financial assets, constituting Portfolio assets held by (a) the Custodian, its delegates and subcustodians, (b) a U.S. Securities System or (c) an Underlying Transfer Agent in accordance with Section 3.10.  To the extent that the Custodian or any of its subcustodians holds securities constituting the Portfolio’s assets in an omnibus account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers, the records of the Custodian shall identify which of such securities constitute a Portfolio’s assets.  The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion appoint any other bank or trust company, qualified under the 1940 Act to act as a custodian, as the Custodian’s agent to carry out such of the provisions of this Section as the Custodian may from time to time direct.    The appointment of any agent shall not relieve the Custodian of any of its duties or obligations hereunder.  The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion remove the bank or trust company as the Custodian’s agent.

            Section 3.2                                 Registration of Securities .  Domestic securities or other financial assets held by the Custodian and that are not bearer securities shall be registered in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio or of any nominee of the Custodian, or in the name or nominee name of any agent or any sub-custodian permitted hereby.  All securities accepted by the Custodian on behalf of the Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement shall be in “street name” or other good delivery form.  If a Fund directs the Custodian to maintain securities or other financial assets in “street name,” the Custodian shall utilize commercially reasonable efforts to timely collect income due the Fund on the securities and other financial assets and to notify the Fund on a commercially reasonable


 

 
4

 


basis of relevant issuer actions including, without limitation, pendency of calls, maturities, tender or exchange offers.

            Section 3.3                                 Bank Accounts .  The Custodian shall open and maintain upon the terms of the Deposit Account Agreement a separate deposit account or accounts in the United States in the name of each Portfolio, subject only to draft or order by the Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.  The Custodian shall credit to the deposit account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by the Custodian from or for the account of the Portfolio, other than cash maintained by the Portfolio in a deposit account established and used in accordance with Rule 17f-3 under the 1940 Act.  Funds held by the Custodian for a Portfolio may be deposited by the Custodian to its credit as Custodian in the banking department of the Custodian or in such other banks or trust companies as it may in its discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that (a) every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a custodian under the 1940 Act and (b) each such bank or trust company and the funds to be deposited with each such bank or trust company shall on behalf of each applicable Portfolio of a Fund be approved by vote of a majority of the Fund’s Board.  The funds shall be deposited by the Custodian in its capacity as Custodian and shall be withdrawable by the Custodian only in that capacity.  Upon request of the Portfolio, the Custodian commits to evaluate in good faith the feasibility of implementing such reasonable accommodations as the Portfolio has reasonably determined to be necessary or appropriate to cause each bank account established by the Custodian pursuant to this Section 3.3 to be insured to the maximum extent possible by all applicable deposit insurers, including without limitation the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“ FDIC ”).

            Section 3.3A                                 Determination of Fund Deposit, etc.   Subject to and in accordance with the directions of the Investment Advisor, the Custodian shall determine for each Portfolio after the end of each trading day on the New York Stock Exchange (the “ NYSE ”), in accordance with the respective Portfolio’s policies as adopted from time to time by the Board and in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Prospectus, (i) the identity and weighting of the securities in the Deposit Securities and the Fund Securities (each as defined in the Prospectus), (ii) the cash component, and (iii) the amount of cash redemption proceeds (all as described in the Prospectus) required for the issuance or redemption, as the case may be, of Portfolio Interests in Creation Unit aggregations of such Portfolio on such date.  The Custodian shall provide or cause to be provided this information to the Portfolios’ distributor and other persons as instructed according to the policies established by the Board and shall disseminate such information on each day that the NYSE is open, including through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “ NSCC ”), prior to the opening of trading on the NYSE.

Section 3.3B                       Allocation of Deposit Security Shortfalls .  Each Fund acknowledges that the Custodian maintains only one account on the books of the NSCC for the benefit of all exchange traded funds for which the Custodian serves as custodian, including the Fund (collectively, the “ ETF Custody Clients ”).  In the event that (a) two or more ETF Custody Clients require delivery of the same Deposit Security in order to purchase a Creation Unit, and (b) the NSCC, pursuant to its Continuous Net Settlement system, delivers to the Custodian’s NSCC account less than the full amount of such Deposit Security necessary to satisfy in full each affected ETF Custody Client’s required amount (a “ Common Deposit Security Shortfall ”), then,



 
5

 


until all Common Deposit Security Shortfalls for a given Deposit Security are satisfied in full, the Custodian will allocate to each affected ETF Custody Client, on a pro rata basis, securities and/or cash received in the Custodian’s NSCC account relating to such shortfall, first to satisfy any prior unsatisfied Common Deposit Security Shortfall, and then to satisfy the current Common Deposit Security Shortfall.

Section 3.4                                 Collection of Income .  Subject to the domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States being registered as provided in Section 3.2, the Custodian shall and shall cause each sub-custodian to collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to the securities and other financial assets and to which a Portfolio shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business. The Custodian shall and shall cause each sub-custodian to collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer, the securities are held by the Custodian or its agent, and shall credit such income, as collected, to such Portfolio’s custodian account.  The Custodian shall and shall cause each sub-custodian to present for payment all income items requiring presentation as and when they become due and shall collect interest when due on securities and other financial assets held hereunder.

The Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund in writing by facsimile transmission, electronic communication, or in such other manner as the Fund and the Custodian may agree in writing, if any amount payable with respect to portfolio securities or other assets of the Portfolios of the Fund  is not received by the Custodian when due.  In the event that extraordinary measures are required to collect such income, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures.  The Custodian shall not be responsible for the collection of amounts due and payable with respect to portfolio securities or other assets that are in default.

            Section 3.5                                 Delivery Out .  The Custodian shall release and deliver out domestic securities and other financial assets of a Portfolio held in a U.S. Securities System, or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon (a) receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, specifying the domestic securities or financial assets held in the United States to be delivered out and the person or persons to whom delivery is to be made.   The Custodian shall pay out cash of a Portfolio upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, specifying the amount of the payment and the person or persons to whom the payment is to be made.

            Section 3.6                                 Exercise of Rights; Tender Offers .  Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall: (a) deliver warrants, puts, calls, rights or similar securities to the issuer or trustee thereof, or to the agent of such issuer or trustee, for the purpose of exercise or sale, provided that the new securities, cash or other assets, if any, acquired as a result of such actions are to be delivered to the Custodian; and (b) deposit securities upon invitations for tenders thereof, provided that the consideration for such securities is to be paid or delivered to the Custodian, or the tendered securities are to be returned to the Custodian.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Custodian shall take all necessary action, unless otherwise directed to the contrary in Proper Instructions, to comply with the terms of all mandatory or compulsory exchanges, calls, tenders, redemptions, or similar rights of security



 
6

 


ownership  (“ Mandatory Corporate Actions ”), and shall promptly notify the Fund of such Mandatory Corporate Action in writing by facsimile transmission, electronic communication, or in such other manner as the Fund and the Custodian may agree in writing.   

In the event that Custodian is provided notice (in industry standard form) of (a) a proposed merger, recapitalization, reorganization, conversion, consolidation, subdivision, tender offer, takeover offer or other electable or voluntary corporate action or (b) a proposed issuance of securities or rights to participate in the issuance of securities, in each case by or with respect to the issuer of securities held by it for the account of a Portfolio (each a “ Voluntary Corporate Action ”), the Custodian shall provide written notice to the  Fund or its designee promptly upon being provided such notice of the Voluntary Corporate Action.  The notice provided by the Custodian shall include (i) a copy of any offering materials provided to the Custodian by the issuer or its agent in connection with the Voluntary Corporate Action (including any letters or attestations requested by an issuer to be executed by the Fund in connection with such Voluntary Corporate Action) and (ii) the date on which the Custodian is required to take action to exercise rights or powers with respect to the Voluntary Corporate Action.  Provided that the Custodian shall have delivered timely notice of the Voluntary Corporate Action to the Fund, the Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any Voluntary Corporate Action or other right or power in connection with domestic securities or other property of the Portfolios at any time held by it unless (i) the Custodian is in actual possession of such securities or property and (ii) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of any such right or power, and both (i) and (ii) occur at least two (2) business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise such right or power.  If the Fund provides the Custodian with such notification after such deadline, the Custodian shall use its reasonable best efforts to process such election.

Section 3.7                                 Stock Dividends, Rights, Etc .  The Custodian shall receive and collect all stock dividends, rights and other items of like nature and, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, take action with respect to the same as directed in such Proper Instructions.

Section 3.8                                 Borrowing .  Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall deliver securities of a Portfolio to lenders or their agents, or otherwise establish a segregated account as agreed to by the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio and the Custodian, as collateral for borrowings effected by such Portfolio.

Section 3.9                                 Segregated Account .  Upon the receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall establish and maintain a segregated account or segregated accounts for and on behalf of any Portfolio, into which account or accounts may be transferred cash and/or securities of the Portfolio and collateral provided to the Portfolio by its counterparties, (a) in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and a broker-dealer (registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Portfolio, (b) in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and any futures commission merchant (registered


 

 
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under the Commodity Exchange Act) relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or any registered contract market, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Portfolio, (c) for purposes of segregating cash or government securities in connection with options purchased, sold or written by the Portfolio or commodity futures contracts or options thereon purchased or sold by the Portfolio, (d) for the purposes of compliance by the Fund with the procedures required by Investment Company Act Release No. 10666, or any subsequent release of the SEC, or interpretative opinion of the staff of the SEC, relating to the maintenance of segregated accounts by registered management investment companies, and (e) for any other purpose in accordance with Proper Instructions.

Section 3.10                                 Deposit of Fund Assets with the Underlying Transfer Agent .  Underlying Shares of a Fund, on behalf of a Portfolio, shall be deposited and held in an account or accounts maintained with an Underlying Transfer Agent.  The Custodian’s only responsibilities with respect to the Underlying Shares shall be limited to the following:

 
1)
Upon receipt of a confirmation or statement from an Underlying Transfer Agent that the Underlying Transfer Agent is holding or maintaining Underlying Shares in the name of the Custodian (or a nominee of the Custodian) for the benefit of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall identify by book-entry that the Underlying Shares are being held by it as custodian for the benefit of the Portfolio.

 
2)
Upon receipt of Proper Instructions to purchase Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall pay out cash of the Portfolio as so directed to purchase the Underlying Shares and record the payment from the account of the Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records.

 
3)
Upon receipt of Proper Instructions for the sale or redemption of Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall transfer the Underlying Shares as so directed to sell or redeem the Underlying Shares, record the transfer from the account of the Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records and, upon the Custodian’s receipt of the proceeds of the sale or redemption, record the receipt of the proceeds for the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records.

 
4)
The Custodian will implement procedures to ensure that the Underlying Transfer Agent’s records of each Portfolio’s holdings of Underlying Shares are properly reconciled with the Custodian’s records.

            Section 3.11                                 Proxies .   The Custodian shall deliver to the Fund, in the most expeditious manner practicable, all forms of proxies, all notices of meetings, and any other notices or announcements affecting or relating to securities owned by one or more of the Fund’s Portfolios that are received by the Custodian, any sub-custodian, or any nominee of either of them (or with the exercise of reasonable care that the Custodian, any sub-custodian, or any nominee of either of them should have become aware), and, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall execute and deliver, or cause such sub-custodian or nominee to execute and deliver, such proxies


 

 
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or other authorizations as may be required.    Except as directed pursuant to Proper Instructions, neither the Custodian nor any sub-custodian or nominee shall vote upon any such securities, or execute any proxy to vote thereon, or give any consent or take any other action with respect thereto.  In the event that the Custodian is unable to vote upon any such securities in accordance with Proper Instructions for any reason including, but not limited to, the failure of the Fund to deliver any necessary powers of attorney or other documentation, the Custodian shall promptly notify (subject to market practices and rules) the Fund.  The Fund acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of the Fund to exercise shareholder rights.

            Section 3.12                                 Communications .  Subject to the domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States being registered as provided in Section 3.2, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund for each Portfolio all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities and other financial assets being held for the Portfolio.  The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities and other financial assets whose tender or exchange is sought and from the party or its agent making the tender or exchange offer.  The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the applicable Fund for each Portfolio all written information received by the Custodian regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to Portfolio securities or other financial assets issued in the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian for the account of the Fund for the Portfolio, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. The Custodian does not support class-action participation by a Fund beyond such forwarding of written information received by the Custodian.

Section 4.                       Provisions Relating to Rules 17f-5 and 17f-7 .

            Section 4.1                                  Definitions .   As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:

Country Risk ” means all factors reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding Foreign Assets in a particular country.  The factors include but are not limited to risks arising from the country’s political environment, economic and financial infrastructure (including any Eligible Securities Depository operating in the country); prevailing or developing custody, tax and settlement practices; nationalization, expropriation or other  government actions; currency restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations; market conditions affecting the orderly execution of securities transactions or the value of assets; the  regulation of the banking and securities industries, including changes in market rules; and laws and regulations applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Foreign Assets held in custody in that country.

Covered Foreign Country ” means a country listed on Schedule A, which list of countries may be amended from time to time at the request of any Fund and with the agreement of the Foreign Custody Manager.

Eligible Foreign Custodian ” has the meaning set forth in Section (a)(1) of Rule 17f-5.


 

 
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Eligible Securities Depository ” has the meaning set forth in Section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7.

Foreign Assets ” means, in relation to a Portfolio, any of the Portfolio’s securities or other investments (including foreign currencies) for which Custodian serves as custodian, for which the primary market is outside the United States, and any cash and cash equivalents that are reasonably necessary to effect transactions of the Portfolio in those investments.
Foreign Custody Manager ” has the meaning set forth in Section (a)(3) of Rule 17f-5.

Foreign Securities System ” means an Eligible Securities Depository listed on Schedule B.

Rule 17f-5 ” means Rule 17f-5 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

Rule 17f-7 ” means Rule 17f-7 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

           Section 4.2                                 The Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager .

                       4.2.1             Delegation .   Each Fund, by resolution adopted by its Board, hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Section (b) of Rule 17f-5, the responsibilities set forth in this Section 4.2 with respect to Foreign Assets of the Portfolios held outside the United States.  The Custodian hereby accepts such delegation.  By giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Fund, the Foreign Custody Manager may withdraw its acceptance of the delegated responsibilities generally or with respect to a Covered Foreign Country designated in the notice.  Following the withdrawal, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund generally or, as the case may be, with respect to the Covered Foreign Country so designated.
 
         4.2.2            Exercise of Care as Foreign Custody Manager .   The Foreign Custody Manager shall exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of the Foreign Assets of management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act would exercise in performing the delegated responsibilities. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Custodian acting as Foreign Custody Manager of a Portfolio is subject to the standard of care provided for in Section 14.1 of this Agreement.

                       4.2.3             Foreign Custody Arrangements .   The Foreign Custody Manager shall be responsible for performing the delegated responsibilities only with respect to Covered Foreign Countries.  The Foreign Custody Manager shall list on Schedule A for a Covered Foreign Country each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager to maintain the Foreign Assets of the Portfolios with respect to the Covered Foreign Country. The list of Eligible Foreign Custodians may be amended from time to time upon notice in the sole discretion of the Foreign Custody Manager.  This Agreement constitutes a Proper Instruction by a Fund, on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, to open an account, and to place and maintain Foreign Assets, for the Portfolio in each applicable Covered Foreign Country.  The Fund, on behalf of the Portfolios, shall satisfy the account opening requirements for the Covered Foreign Country, and the delegation with respect to the Portfolio for the Covered Foreign Country will not be considered to have been accepted by the Custodian until that satisfaction.  If the Foreign


 

 
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Custody Manager receives from the Fund Proper Instructions directing the Foreign Custody Manager to close the account, the delegation shall be considered withdrawn, and the Custodian shall immediately cease to be the Foreign Custody Manager with respect to the Portfolio for the Covered Foreign Country.

                       4.2.4             Scope of Delegated Responsibilities :   Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.2, the Foreign Custody Manager may place and maintain Foreign Assets in the care of an Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in each applicable Covered Foreign Country.  The Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that (a) the Foreign Assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which the Foreign Assets will be held by the Eligible Foreign Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1) and (b) the contract between the Foreign Custody Manager and the Eligible Foreign Custodian governing the foreign custody arrangements will satisfy the requirements of Rule 17f-5(c)(2).  The Foreign Custody Manager shall establish a system to monitor (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Foreign Assets with the Eligible Foreign Custodian and (ii) the performance of the contract governing the custody arrangements.  If the Foreign Custody Manager determines that the custody arrangements with an Eligible Foreign Custodian are no longer appropriate, the Foreign Custody Manager shall so notify the Fund.

                       4.2.5             Reporting Requirements .   The Foreign Custody Manager shall (a) report the withdrawal of Foreign Assets from an Eligible Foreign Custodian and the placement of Foreign Assets with another Eligible Foreign Custodian by providing to the Fund’s Board an amended Schedule A at the end of the calendar quarter in which the action has occurred, and (b) after the occurrence of any other material change in the foreign custody arrangements of the Portfolios described in this Section 4.2, make a written report to the Board containing a notification of the change.

                      4.2.6            Certification Regarding Eligible Foreign Custodians .  Each report presented to the Board of the Fund, on behalf of itself or its applicable Portfolio(s), by the Custodian pursuant to Section 4.2.5 above shall be accompanied by a certificate representing that (a) the Custodian has established a system to monitor the appropriateness of maintaining a Portfolio’s Foreign Assets with each Eligible Foreign Custodian pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5 and to monitor the performance of each Eligible Foreign Custodian under the sub-custodian agreement between the Custodian and the Eligible Foreign Custodian, (b) the Custodian has monitored all Eligible Foreign Custodians and each Eligible Foreign Custodian continues to be an Eligible Foreign Custodian, (c) each Eligible Foreign Custodian continues to provide the standard of care set forth in Section 4.2.2 hereof, after considering all relevant factors, including without limitation, those factors set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5, (d) all foreign custody agreements between the Custodian and the Eligible Foreign Custodians continue to meet the requirements of paragraph (c)(2) of Rule 17f-5, (e) since the submission of the last report pursuant to Section 4.2.5 above, there have been no material adverse changes to the Custodian’s foreign custody network or arrangements other than those reported to the Board or other governing body or entity of the Fund, on behalf of itself or its applicable Portfolios, in the accompanying report or notified to the Fund through the Custodian’s Global Market


 

 
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Bulletins, distributed to designated officers of the Fund and available on the Custodian’s internet client portal, my.statestreet.com (which information shall be included in the accompanying report to the Board), and (f) the information included in the report is true, accurate and complete in all material respects.
 
         4.2.7             Representations .   The Foreign Custody Manager represents to each Fund that it is a U.S. Bank as defined in Section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5.  Each Fund represents to the Custodian that its Board has determined that it is reasonable for the Board to rely on the Custodian to perform the responsibilities delegated pursuant to this Agreement to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios.

                       4.2.8             Termination by a Portfolio of the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager .   By giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Custodian, a Fund, on behalf of a Portfolio, may terminate the delegation to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager for the Portfolio.  Following the termination, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Portfolio.

            Section   4.3                                 Eligible Securities Depositories and Related Monitoring .
 
     The Custodian shall (a) provide the Fund   or its Investment Advisor with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Eligible Securities Depositories set forth on Schedule B in accordance with Section (a)(1)(i)(A) of Rule 17f-7 and (b) monitor such risks on a continuing basis and  promptly notify the Fund or its Investment Advisor of any material change in such risks, in accordance with Section (a)(1)(i)(B) of Rule 17f-7.

Section 5.
Activities of the Custodian with Respect to Property Held Outside the United States .

            Section   5.1                                 Holding Securities .  Foreign securities and other financial assets held outside of the United States shall be maintained in a Foreign Securities System in a Covered Foreign Country through arrangements implemented by the Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian, as applicable, in the Covered Foreign Country.  The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the Portfolios the foreign securities and other financial assets held by each Eligible Foreign Custodian or Foreign Securities System.  The Custodian may hold foreign securities and other financial assets for all of its customers, including the Portfolios, with any Eligible Foreign Custodian in an account that is identified as the Custodian’s account for the benefit of its customers; provided however, that (a) the records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities or other financial assets of a Portfolio maintained in the account shall identify those securities and  other financial assets as belonging to the Portfolio and (b) to the extent permitted and customary in the market in which the account is maintained, the Custodian shall require that securities and other financial assets so held by the Eligible Foreign Custodian be held separately from any assets of the Eligible Foreign Custodian or of other customers of the Eligible Foreign Custodian.


 

 
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            Section   5.2                                  Registration of Foreign Securities .   Foreign securities and other financial assets held outside of the United States maintained in the custody of an Eligible Foreign Custodian and that are not bearer securities shall be registered in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any Eligible Foreign Custodian or in the name of any nominee of any of  the foregoing.  The Fund on behalf of the Portfolio agrees to hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of the foreign securities or other financial assets.  The Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian reserves the right not to accept securities or other financial assets on behalf of a Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement unless the form of the securities or other financial assets and the manner in which they are delivered are in accordance with local market practice.

            Section   5.3                                  Indemnification by Eligible Foreign Custodians .   Each contract pursuant to which the Custodian employs an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall, to the extent possible, require the Eligible Foreign Custodian to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian from and against any loss, damage, cost, liability, claim, or expense arising out of or in connection with the Eligible Foreign Custodian’s performance of its obligations.  At a Fund’s election, a Portfolio shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against an Eligible Foreign Custodian as a consequence of any such loss, cost or expense if and to the extent that the Portfolio has not been made whole for the loss, cost or expense.  In no event shall the Custodian be obligated to bring suit in its own name or to allow suit to be brought in its name.  The foregoing notwithstanding, the Custodian acting as Foreign Custody Manager of a Portfolio is subject to the standard of care provided in Section 14.1 of this Agreement and is liable for the actions or omissions of a Foreign Custodian as provided in Section 14.4.

            Section 5.4                                  Bank Accounts .

5.4.1            General .  The Custodian shall identify on its books as for the account of the applicable Portfolio the amount of cash (including cash denominated in foreign currencies) deposited with the Custodian.  The Custodian shall maintain cash deposits in on book currencies on its balance sheet. The Custodian shall be liable for such balances.  If the Custodian is unable to maintain, or market practice does not facilitate the maintenance for the Portfolio of a cash balance in a currency as an on book currency, a deposit account shall be opened and maintained by the Custodian outside the United States on behalf of the Portfolio with an Eligible Foreign Custodian.  The Custodian shall not maintain the cash deposit on its balance sheet.  The Eligible Foreign Custodian will be liable for such balance directly to the Portfolio.  All deposit accounts referred to in this Section shall be subject only to draft or order by the Custodian or, if applicable, the Eligible Foreign Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.  Cash maintained in a deposit account and denominated in an “on book” currency will be maintained under and subject to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The Custodian will not have any deposit liability for deposits in any currency that is not an “on book” currency.

5.4.2            Non-U.S. Branch and Non-U.S. Dollar Deposits .  In accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Custodian shall not be required to repay any deposit made at a non-U.S. branch of the Custodian or any deposit made with the Custodian and denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency, if repayment of the deposit or the use of assets


 

 
13

 


denominated in the non-U.S. dollar currency is prevented, prohibited or otherwise blocked due to (a) an act of war, insurrection or civil strife; (b) any action by a non-U.S. government or instrumentality or authority asserting governmental, military or police power of any kind, whether such authority be recognized as a de facto or a de jure government, or by any entity, political or revolutionary movement or otherwise that usurps, supervenes or otherwise materially impairs the normal operation of civil authority; or (c) the closure of a non-U.S. branch in order to prevent, in the reasonable judgment of the Custodian, harm to the employees or property of the Custodian.

            Section   5.5                                  Collection of Income .   The Custodian shall use and shall cause each Eligible Foreign Custodian to use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to the Foreign Assets held hereunder to which a Portfolio shall be entitled and shall credit such income, as collected, to the applicable Portfolio.  The Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund in writing by facsimile transmission, electronic communication, or in such other manner as the Fund and the Custodian may agree in writing, if any amount payable with respect to portfolio securities or other assets of the Portfolios of the Fund  is not received by the Custodian when due.  If extraordinary measures are required to collect the income or payment, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures .

            Section 5.6                                 Transactions in Foreign Custody Account .

                       5.6.1             Delivery Out .   The Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall release and deliver foreign securities or other financial assets held outside of the United States owned by a Portfolio and held by the Custodian or such Eligible Foreign Custodian, or in a Foreign Securities System account, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions, specifying the foreign securities to be delivered and  the person or persons to whom delivery is to be made. The Custodian shall pay out, or direct the respective Eligible Foreign Custodian or the respective Foreign Securities System to pay out, cash of a Portfolio only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying the amount of the payment and  the person or persons to payment is to be made.  The Custodian shall make available to the Fund no later than the next succeeding business day, or at such other time or times as the Fund and the Custodian may agree in writing, daily transaction reports which shall include each day’s transactions in the Eligible Securities Depository for the account of each applicable Portfolio.  Such transaction reports shall be made available to the Fund or any agent designated by the Fund pursuant to Proper Instructions, by electronic device or system (including without limitation, computers) or in such other manner as the Fund and the Custodian may agree in writing.

                       5.6.2             Market Conditions .   Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, settlement and payment for Foreign Assets received for the account of the Portfolios and delivery of Foreign Assets maintained for the account of the Portfolios may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or processing practices and procedures in the country or market in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivering Foreign Assets to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) with the expectation of receiving later payment for the Foreign Assets from such purchaser or dealer.

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                      5.6.3            Settlement Practices .  The Custodian shall provide to each Board the information with respect to custody and settlement practices in countries in which the Custodian employs an Eligible Foreign Custodian described on Schedule C  at the time or times set forth on the Schedule.  The Custodian may revise Schedule C from time to time, but no revision shall result in a Board being provided with substantively less information than had been previously provided on Schedule C.

            Section   5.7                                  Shareholder or Bondholder Rights .   The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder and bondholder rights with respect to foreign securities and other financial assets held outside the United States, subject always to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where the securities or other financial assets are issued.  The Custodian may utilize Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. or another proxy service firm of recognized standing as its delegate to provide proxy services for the exercise of shareholder and bondholder rights.  Local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of a Fund to exercise shareholder and bondholder rights.

            Section   5.8                                  Communications .   The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials received by the Custodian through Eligible Foreign Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities and other financial asset assets being held outside the United States for the account of a Portfolio.  The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials so received by the Custodian from issuers of foreign securities whose tender or exchange is sought or from the party or its agent making the tender or exchange offer.  The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder rights, subject to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where such securities are issued.  In the event that the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities in a market in which the Custodian does not offer proxy voting services, the Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund.  The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the Fund all written information received by the Custodian through  Eligible Foreign Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities or other financial assets issued outside of the United States and being held for the account of the Portfolio regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to the Portfolio’s foreign securities or other financial assets issued outside the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian via an Eligible Foreign Custodian for the account of the Fund for the Portfolio, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. The Custodian does not support class-action participation by a Fund beyond such forwarding of written information received by the Custodian.

     Section 6.                       Foreign Exchange .

Section   6.1                                 Generally .   Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which for purposes of this section may also include security trade advices, the Custodian shall facilitate the processing

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and settlement of foreign exchange transactions.  Such foreign exchange transactions do not constitute part of the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement.

Section   6.2                                 Fund Elections .   Each Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) may elect to enter into and execute foreign exchange transactions with third parties that are not affiliated with the Custodian, with State Street Global Markets, which is the foreign exchange division of State Street Bank and Trust Company and its affiliated companies (“ SSGM ”), or with a sub-custodian.  Where the Fund or its Investment Advisor gives Proper Instructions for the execution of a foreign exchange transaction using an indirect foreign exchange service described in the Client Publications, the Fund (or its Investment Advisor) instructs the Custodian, on behalf of the Fund, to direct the execution of such foreign exchange transaction to SSGM or, when the relevant currency is not traded by SSGM, to the applicable sub-custodian.  The Custodian shall not have any agency (except as contemplated in preceding sentence), trust or fiduciary obligation to the Fund, its Investment Advisor or any other person in connection with the execution of any foreign exchange transaction.  The Custodian shall have no responsibility under this Agreement for the selection of the counterparty to, or the method of execution of, any foreign exchange transaction entered into by the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) or the reasonableness of the execution rate on any such transaction.
 
Section   6.3                                 Fund Acknowledgement   Each Fund  acknowledges that in connection with all foreign exchange transactions entered into by the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) with SSGM or any sub-custodian, SSGM and each such sub-custodian:

 
(i)
shall be acting in a principal capacity and not as broker, agent or fiduciary to the Fund or its Investment Advisor;

 
(ii)
shall seek to profit from such foreign exchange transactions, and are entitled to retain and not disclose any such profit to the Fund or its Investment Advisor; and

(iii)
shall enter into such foreign exchange transactions pursuant to the terms and conditions, including pricing or pricing methodology, (a) agreed with the Fund or its Investment Advisor from time to time or (b) in the case of an indirect foreign exchange service, (i) as established by SSGM and set forth in the Client Publications with respect to the particular foreign exchange execution services selected by the Fund or the Investment Advisor or (ii) as established by the sub-custodian from time to time.

Section   6.4                                 Transactions by State Street .   The Custodian or its affiliates, including SSGM, may trade based upon information that is not available to the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf), and may enter into transactions for its own account or the account of clients in the same or opposite direction to the transactions entered into with the Fund (or its Investment Manager), and shall have no obligation, under this Agreement, to share such information with or consider the interests of their respective counterparties, including, where applicable, the Fund or the Investment Advisor.

 
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Section 6A.                                 Contractual Settlement Services (Purchase/Sales) .

Section 6A.1 General.  The Custodian shall, in accordance with the terms set out in this Section 6A, debit or credit the appropriate deposit account of each Portfolio on a contractual settlement basis in connection with the purchase of securities or other financial assets for the Portfolio or the receipt of the proceeds of the sale or redemption of securities or other financial assets.

Section 6A.2 Provision of Services.  The services described in Section 6A.1 (the “Contractual Settlement Services”) shall be provided for the securities and other financial assets and in such markets as the Custodian may advise from time to time. The Custodian may terminate or suspend any part of the provision of the Contractual Settlement Services at its sole discretion immediately upon notice to the applicable Fund on behalf of each Portfolio, including, without limitation, in the event of force majeure events affecting settlement, any disorder in markets, or other changed external business circumstances affecting the markets or the Fund.

Section 6A.3 Purchase Consideration.  The consideration payable in connection with a purchase transaction shall be debited from the appropriate deposit account of the Portfolio as of the time and date that funds would ordinarily be required to settle the transaction in the applicable market.  The Custodian shall promptly recredit the amount at the time that the Portfolio or the Fund notifies the Custodian by Proper Instruction that the transaction has been canceled.

Section 6A.4 Sales and Redemptions.  A provisional credit of an amount equal to the net sale price for a sale or redemption of securities or other financial assets shall be made to the account of the Portfolio as if the amount had been received as of the close of business on the date on which good funds would ordinarily be immediately available in the applicable market.  The provisional credit will be made conditional upon the Custodian having received Proper Instructions with respect to, or reasonable notice of, the transaction, as applicable; and the Custodian or its agent having possession of the securities of other financial assets (excluding financial assets subject to any third party lending arrangement entered into by a Portfolio) associated with the transaction in good deliverable form and not being aware of any facts which would lead the Custodian or its agent to believe that the transaction will not settle in the time period ordinarily applicable to such transactions in the applicable market.

Section 6A.5  Reversals of Provisional Credits or Debits.  The Custodian shall have the right to reverse any provisional credit or debit given in connection with the Contractual Settlement Services at any time when the Custodian believes, in its reasonable judgment, that such transaction will not settle in accordance with its terms or amounts due pursuant thereto, will not be collectable or where the Custodian has not been provided Proper Instructions with respect thereto, as applicable.  The Portfolio shall be responsible for any costs or liabilities resulting from such reversal.  Upon such reversal, a sum equal to the credited or debited amount shall become immediately payable by the Portfolio to the Custodian and may be debited from any deposit or other account held for benefit of the Portfolio.

 
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Section 7.                       Tax Services .

Section 7.1                                  General .

(a)           The Fund will provide documentary evidence of its tax domicile, organisational specifics and other documentation and information as may be required by the Custodian from time to time for tax purposes, including, without limitation, information relating to any special ruling or treatment to which the Fund may be entitled that is not applicable to the general nationality and category of person to which the Fund belongs under general laws and treaty obligations and documentation and information required in relation to countries where the Fund engages or  proposes to engage in investment activity or where Portfolio assets are or will be held.  The provision of such documentation and information shall be deemed to be a Proper Instruction, upon which the Custodian shall be entitled to rely and act.  In giving such documentation and information, the Fund represents and warrants that it is true and correct in all material respects and that it will promptly provide the Custodian with all necessary corrections or updates upon becoming aware of any changes or inaccuracies in the documentation or information supplied.

(b)           The Fund shall be liable for all taxes, including any withholding or capital gains tax, stamp duty, levy, impost, charge, assessment, deduction or related liability, including any addition to tax, penalty or interest imposed on or in respect of (i) cash or securities or (ii) the transactions effected under this Agreement (“Tax” or “Taxes”).  Subject to compliance by the Fund with its obligations under Section 7(a), the Custodian shall withhold (or cause to be withheld) the amount of any Tax which is required to be withheld under applicable law in connection with the collection on behalf of the Fund pursuant to this Agreement of any dividend, interest income or other distribution with respect to any security and the proceeds or income from the sale or other transfer of any security held by the Custodian.  If any Taxes become payable with respect to any prior payment made to the Fund by the Custodian or otherwise, the Custodian may apply any credit balance in the Fund’s deposit account to the extent necessary to satisfy such Tax obligation.  The Fund shall remain liable for any tax deficiency.  The Custodian is not liable for any tax obligations relating to the Portfolio or the Fund, other than those Tax services as set out specifically in this Section.  The Fund agrees that the Custodian is not, and shall not be deemed to be, providing tax advice or tax counsel.

(c)           The Custodian will provide tax relief services in relation to designated markets as may be specified from time to time in the Client Publications.  Subject to the preceding sentence and compliance by the Fund with its obligations under Section 7(a), the Custodian will apply for a reduction of withholding tax and refund of any tax paid or tax credits which apply in each applicable market in respect of income payments on Securities for the benefit of the Fund.  Unless otherwise informed by the Fund, the Custodian shall be entitled to apply categorical treatment of the Fund according to its nationality, particulars of its organization and other relevant details supplied by the Fund.

Section 8 .                       Payments for Sales or Redemptions of Portfolio Interests .

            Section 8.1                                  Payment for Portfolio Interests Issued .  The Custodian shall receive from the distributor of beneficial interests in a Portfolio (“ Portfolio Interests ”) of a Fund or from

 
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the Fund’s transfer agent (the “ Transfer Agent ”) and deposit into the account of the Portfolio such payments as are received for Portfolio Interests, in Creation Unit aggregations, issued or sold from time to time by the Fund.  The Custodian will provide timely notification to the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio and the Transfer Agent of any receipt of the payments by the Custodian.

            Section 8.2                                  Payment for Portfolio Interests Redeemed .  Upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent, the Custodian shall set aside funds and securities of a Portfolio to the extent available for payment to, or in accordance with the instructions of, Authorized Participants (as defined in the Prospectus) who have delivered to the Transfer Agent a request for redemption of their Portfolio Interests, in Creation Unit aggregations, which shall have been accepted by the Transfer Agent, the applicable Fund Securities (or such securities in lieu thereof as may be designated by the Investment Advisor in accordance with the Prospectus) for such Portfolio and the Cash Amount (as defined in the Prospectus), if applicable, less any applicable Redemption Transaction Fee (as defined in the Prospectus).  The Custodian will transfer the applicable Fund Securities to or on the order of the Authorized Participant.  Any cash redemption payment (less any applicable Redemption Transaction Fee) due to the Authorized Participant on redemption shall be effected through the DTC system or through wire transfer in the case of redemptions effected outside of the DTC system.

Section 9 .                       Proper Instructions .

            Section 9.1                                  Form and Security Procedures .  Proper Instructions may be in writing signed by the authorized individual or individuals or may be in a tested communication or in a communication utilizing access codes effected between electro-mechanical or electronic devices or may be by such other means and utilizing such intermediary systems and utilities as may be agreed to from time to time by the Custodian and the individual or organization giving the instruction, provided that the Fund has followed any security procedures agreed to from time to time by the applicable Fund and the Custodian including, but not limited to, the security procedures selected by the Fund by reference to the form of Funds Transfer Addendum hereto, the terms of which are part of this Agreement.  The Custodian may agree to accept oral instructions, and in such case oral instructions will be considered Proper Instructions.  The Fund shall cause all oral instructions to be confirmed in writing, provided that the Fund’s failure to do so shall not impact the Custodian’s authority to rely on such oral instructions.

Section 9.2                       Reliance on Officer’s Certificate .  Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter, as appropriate, each Fund shall deliver to the Custodian an officer’s certificate setting forth the names, titles, signatures and scope of authority of all individuals authorized to give Proper Instructions or any other notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund.  The certificate may be accepted and conclusively relied upon by the Custodian and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of a similar certificate to the contrary and the Custodian has had a reasonable time to act thereon.

Section 9.3                       Untimely Proper Instructions .  If the Custodian is not provided with reasonable time to execute a Proper Instruction (including any Proper Instruction not to execute,

 
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or any other modification to, a prior Proper Instruction), the Custodian will use good faith efforts to execute the Proper Instruction but will not be responsible or liable if the Custodian’s efforts are not successful (including any inability to change any actions that the Custodian had taken pursuant to the prior Proper Instruction).  The inclusion of a statement of purpose or intent (or any similar notation) in a Proper Instruction shall not impose any additional obligations on the Custodian or condition or qualify its authority to effect the Proper Instruction.  The Custodian will not assume a duty to ensure that the stated purpose or intent is fulfilled and will have no responsibility or liability when it follows the Proper Instruction without regard to such purpose or intent.  

Section 10 .                                 Actions Permitted without Express Authority .

The Custodian may in its discretion, without express authority from the applicable Fund on behalf of each Portfolio:

 
1)
Make payments to itself or others for minor expenses of handling securities or other financial assets relating to its duties under this Agreement; provided that all such payments shall be accounted for to the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio;

 
2)
Surrender securities or other financial assets in temporary form for securities or other financial assets in definitive form;

 
 
3)
Endorse for collection, in the name of the Portfolio, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments; and

 
 
4)
In general, attend to all non-discretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with the securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio except as otherwise directed by the applicable Board.

Section 11.
Reserved .

Section 12.                                 Records .

The Custodian shall with respect to each Portfolio create and maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will meet the obligations of each Fund under the 1940 Act, with particular attention to Section 31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder.  All such records shall be the property of the Fund, copies shall be furnished promptly to the Fund or any successor custodian upon request, and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be open for inspection and use by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of the Fund and employees and agents of the SEC.  The Custodian shall, at the Fund’s request, supply the Fund with a tabulation of securities owned by each Portfolio and held by the Custodian and shall, when requested to do so by the Fund and for such compensation as shall be agreed upon between the Fund and the Custodian, include certificate numbers in such tabulations.  In the event that the Custodian is requested or authorized by a Fund, or required by subpoena, administrative order, court order or other legal process,

 
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applicable law or regulation, or required in connection with any investigation, examination or inspection of the Fund by state or federal regulatory agencies, to produce the records of the Fund or the Custodian’s personnel as witnesses, the Fund agrees to pay the Custodian for the Custodian’s time and expenses, as well as the fees and expenses of the Custodian’s counsel, incurred in responding to such request, order or requirement.

Section 13.                                 Fund’s Independent Accountants; Reports .

            Section 13.1                                  Opinions .  The Custodian shall take all reasonable action, as a Fund with respect to a Portfolio may from time to time request, to obtain from year to year favorable opinions from the Fund’s independent accountants with respect to its activities hereunder in connection with the preparation of the Fund’s Form N-1A or Form N-2, as applicable, N-CSR and Form N-SAR or other annual reports to the SEC and with respect to any other requirements thereof.

            Section 13.2                                  Reports .  Upon reasonable request of the Fund, the Custodian shall provide the Fund with a copy of the Custodian’s Service Organizational Control (SOC) 1 reports  prepared in accordance with the requirements of AT section 801, Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization (formerly Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16).  The Custodian shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Fund with such other reports as the Fund may reasonably request or otherwise reasonably require to fulfill its duties under Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act or similar legal and regulatory requirements.  Upon reasonable request to the Fund, the Custodian shall also provide to the Fund sub-certifications in connection with Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 certification requirements.

Section 14.                                 Custodian’s Standard of Care; Exculpation .

Section 14.1                                 Standard of Care.   In carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, the Custodian shall act in good faith and without negligence and agrees to exercise the reasonable level of skill, care and diligence of a professional provider of custody services in carrying out all of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, and shall have no liability for any loss, damage or expense unless caused by or resulting from the Custodian’s or its employees’ or agents’ negligence, bad faith, fraud, willful misconduct or reckless disregard of duties hereunder.

  Section 14.2                                  Reliance on Proper Instructions .  The Custodian shall be entitled to rely and act upon Proper Instructions until the Custodian has received notice of any change from the Fund and has had a reasonable time to act thereon.  The Custodian may act on a Proper Instruction if it reasonably believes that it contains sufficient information and may refrain from acting on any Proper Instructions until such time that it has determined, in its sole discretion, that is has received any required clarification or authentication of Proper Instructions.  In the event the Custodian decides to refrain from acting on any Proper Instructions it shall promptly notify the Fund and request any additional clarification or authentication that it reasonably requires.  The Custodian may rely upon and shall be protected in acting upon any Proper Instruction or any other instruction, notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument or paper believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been properly executed by or on behalf of the applicable Fund.

 
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  Section 14.3                                  Other Reliance .  The Custodian is authorized and instructed to rely upon the information that the Custodian receives from the Fund or any third party on behalf of the Fund.  The Custodian shall have no responsibility to review, confirm or otherwise assume any duty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any information supplied to it by or on behalf of any Fund.  The Custodian shall have no liability in respect of any loss, cost or expense incurred or sustained by the Fund arising from the performance of the Custodian’s duties hereunder in reliance upon records that were maintained for the Fund by any individual or organization, other than the Custodian, prior to the Custodian’s appointment as custodian hereunder.  The Custodian shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel at the Custodian’s expense (who may be counsel for the Fund) on all matters and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to the advice; provided however, with respect to the performance of any action or omission of any action upon such advice, the Custodian shall be required to conform to the standard of care set forth in Section 14.1.

Section 14.4                                 Liability for Foreign Custodians .   The Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of an Eligible Foreign Custodian to the same extent as if the action or omission were performed by the Custodian itself, taking into account the facts and circumstances and the established local market practices and laws prevailing in the particular jurisdiction in which the Fund elects to invest.

  Section 14.5                                  Insolvency and Country Risk .  The Custodian shall in no event be liable for (a) the insolvency of any Eligible Foreign Custodian; provided, however, that the foregoing exculpation of the Custodian with respect to the insolvency of a particular Foreign Custodian shall not be applicable if the Custodian fails to comply with its obligations under this Agreement or as a Foreign Custody Manager pursuant to Rule 17f-5 with respect to such Foreign Custodian; (b) the insolvency of any depositary bank maintaining in a deposit account cash denominated in any currency other than an “on book” currency, or (c) any loss, cost or expense incurred or sustained by a Fund or Portfolio resulting from or caused by Country Risk.  For the avoidance of doubt, if the Custodian has met its standard of care hereunder and has fulfilled its obligations as a Foreign Custody Manager pursuant to Rule 17f-5 with respect to an Eligible Foreign Custodian, then the Custodian shall be without liability for any loss, damage or expense caused by or resulting from the insolvency of such Eligible Foreign Custodian.

Section 14.6                                 Force Majeure and Third Party Actions .  The Custodian shall be without responsibility or liability to any Fund or Portfolio for:  (a) events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian, including, without limitation, the interruption, suspension or restriction of trading on or the closure of any currency or securities market or system, power or other mechanical failures, computer viruses or communications disruptions, work stoppages by personnel not under Custodian’s control, natural disasters, acts of war, revolution, riots or terrorism or other similar force majeure events or acts; (b) errors by any Fund, its Investment Advisor or any other duly authorized person in their instructions to the Custodian; (c) the insolvency of or acts or omissions by a U.S. Securities System, Foreign Securities System, Underlying Transfer Agent or domestic sub-custodian designated pursuant to Section 2.2; (d) the failure of any Fund, its Investment Advisor, Portfolio or any duly authorized individual or organization to adhere to the Custodian’s operational policies and procedures; (e)

 
22

 


any delay or failure of any broker, agent, securities intermediary or other intermediary, central bank or other commercially prevalent payment or clearing system to deliver to the Custodian’s sub-custodian or agent securities or other financial assets purchased or in the remittance or payment made in connection with securities or other financial assets sold; (f) any delay or failure of any organization in charge of registering or transferring securities or other financial assets in the name of the Custodian, any Fund, any Portfolio, the Custodian’s sub-custodians, nominees or agents including non-receipt of bonus, dividends and rights and other accretions or benefits; (g) delays or inability to perform its duties due to any disorder in market infrastructure with respect to any particular security, other financial asset, U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System; and (h) the effect of any provision of any law or regulation or order of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or any other country, or political subdivision thereof or of any court of competent jurisdiction.

Section  14.7                                 Indirect/Special/Consequential Damages .  Notwithstanding any other provision set forth herein, in no event shall either party be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential damages of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, lost profits) with respect to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement, regardless of whether either party has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Section 14.8                                  Delivery of Property . So long as the Custodian has met its standard of care as specified in Section 14.1 of this Agreement, the Custodian shall not be responsible for any securities or other assets of a Portfolio which are not received by the Custodian or which are delivered out in accordance with Proper Instructions. The Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any securities or other assets or evidence of title thereto received by it or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement.

            Section 14.9                                  No Investment Advice .  The Custodian has no responsibility to monitor or oversee the investment activity undertaken by a Fund or its Investment Advisor or by an Portfolio.  The Custodian has no duty to ensure or to inquire whether an Investment Advisor complies with any investment objectives or restrictions agreed upon between a Fund and the Investment Advisor or whether the Investment Advisor complies with its legal obligations under applicable securities laws or other laws, including laws intended to protect the interests of investors.   The Custodian shall neither assess nor take any responsibility or liability for the suitability or appropriateness of the investments made by a Fund or a Portfolio or on its behalf.

            Section 14.10   Communications .  The Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with foreign securities or other financial assets of a Portfolio at any time held by the Custodian unless (a) the Custodian or the Eligible Foreign Custodian is in actual possession of such foreign securities or other financial assets, (b) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of the right or power, and (c) both of the conditions referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) have been satisfied at least three business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise the right or power.

Section 14.11   Loaned Securities .  Income due to each Portfolio on securities or other financial assets loaned shall be the responsibility of the applicable Fund.  The Custodian will

 
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have no duty or responsibility in connection with loaned securities or other financial assets, other than to provide the Fund with such information or data as may be necessary to assist the Fund in arranging for the timely delivery to the Custodian of the income to which the Portfolio is entitled.

Section  14.12   Trade Counterparties .  A Fund’s receipt of securities or other financial assets from a counterparty in connection with any of its purchase transactions and its receipt of cash from a counterparty in connection with any sale or  redemption of securities or other financial assets will be at the Fund’s sole risk, and the Custodian shall not be obligated to make demands on the Fund’s behalf if the Fund’s counterparty defaults.  If a Fund’s counterparty fails to deliver securities, other financial assets or cash, the Custodian will, as its sole responsibility, notify the Fund’s Investment Advisor of the failure within a reasonable time after the Custodian became aware of the failure.

Section  14.13   Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity .  The Custodian shall take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions in the event of equipment failure, work stoppage, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance beyond the Custodian’s control.  The Custodian shall enter into and shall maintain in effect at all times during the term of this Agreement with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Fund and (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment as necessary to provide services under this Agreement.  Upon reasonable request, the Custodian shall discuss with the Fund any business continuity/disaster recovery plan of the Custodian and/or provide a high-level presentation summarizing such plan

Section 15.                                 Compensation of Custodian; Indemnification AND Security Interest .

            Section 15.1                                  Compensation .  The Custodian shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses as agreed upon from time to time between each Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio and the Custodian.

Section 15.2                                  Indemnification .  Each Portfolio agrees to indemnify the Custodian and to hold the Custodian harmless from and against any loss, cost or expense sustained or incurred by the Custodian in acting or omitting to act under or in respect of this Agreement in good faith, in accordance with the standard of care, and without negligence, willful misconduct, fraud, bad faith, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder, including, without limitation, (i) the Custodian’s compliance with Proper Instructions and (ii) in connection with the provision of services to a Fund pursuant to Section 7, any obligations, including taxes, withholding and reporting requirements, claims for exemption and refund, additions for late payment, interest, penalties and other expenses, that may be assessed against the Fund, the Portfolio or the Custodian as custodian of the assets of the Fund or the Portfolio.  If a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio instructs the Custodian to take any action with respect to securities or other financial assets, and the action involves the payment of money or may, in the opinion of the Custodian, result in the Custodian or its nominee assigned to the Fund or the Portfolio being liable therefor, the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, as a prerequisite to the Custodian taking the action, shall

 
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provide to the Custodian at the Custodian’s request such further indemnification in an amount and form satisfactory to the Custodian.

Section 15.4                                  Security Interest .  Each Fund hereby grants to the Custodian, to secure the payment and performance of the Fund’s obligations under this Agreement, whether contingent or otherwise, a security interest in and right of recoupment and setoff against all cash and all securities and other financial assets at any time held for the account of a Portfolio by or through the Custodian.  The obligations include, without limitation, the Fund’s obligations to reimburse the Custodian if the Custodian or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents advances cash or securities or other financial assets to a Fund for any purpose (including but not limited to settlements of securities or other financial assets foreign exchange contracts and assumed settlement), or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from its or its nominee’s own negligence, as well as the Fund’s obligation to compensate the Custodian pursuant to Section 15.1 or indemnify the Custodian pursuant to Section 15.2.  Should a Fund fail to reimburse or otherwise pay the Custodian promptly, the Custodian shall have the rights and remedies of a secured party under this Agreement, the UCC and other applicable law, including the right to utilize available cash and to sell or otherwise dispose of such Portfolio’s assets to the extent necessary to obtain payment or reimbursement.  The Custodian may at any time decline to follow Proper Instructions to deliver out cash, securities or other financial assets if the Custodian determines in its reasonable discretion that, after giving effect to the Proper Instructions, the cash, securities or other financial assets remaining will not have sufficient value fully to secure the Fund's payment or reimbursement obligations, whether contingent or otherwise.

Section 16.                                 Effective Period and Termination .

Section 16.1                                  Term .  This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for an initial three (3) year term ending May 31, 2019.  After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by the non-renewing party no later than sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the initial term or any renewal term, as the case may be.  A written notice of non-renewal may be given as to a Fund or a Portfolio.

Section 16.2                                  Termination .  Either party may terminate this Agreement as to a Fund or a Portfolio: (a) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either failed to cure, or failed to establish a remedial plan to cure that is reasonably acceptable to the non-breaching party, within 60 days’ written notice being given by the non-breaching party of the breach, or (b) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party, the commencement by or against the other party of a bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding, or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 16.3                                  Payments Owing to the Custodian .  Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 16.1 or 16.2  with respect to any Fund or Portfolio, the applicable Fund shall pay to the Custodian any compensation then due and shall reimburse the Custodian

 
25

 


for its other fees, expenses and charges.  In the event of: (a) any Fund's termination of this Agreement with respect to such Fund or a Portfolio of the Fund for any reason other than as set forth in Section 16.1 or 16.2 or (b) a transaction not in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which the Custodian is not retained to continue providing services hereunder to a Fund or Portfolio (or its respective successor), the applicable Fund shall pay to the Custodian any compensation due through the end of the then-current term (based upon the average monthly compensation previously earned by the Custodian with respect to the Fund or Portfolio) and shall reimburse the Custodian for its other fees, expenses and charges.  Upon receipt of such payment and reimbursement, the Custodian will deliver the Fund’s or Portfolio’s cash and its securities and other financial assets as set forth in Section 17.

Section 16.4                                  Exclusions.   No payment will be required pursuant to clause (b) of Section 16.3 in the event of any transaction consisting of (a) the liquidation or dissolution of a Fund or a Portfolio and distribution of the Fund’s or Portfolio’s assets as a result of the Board’s determination in its reasonable business judgment that the Fund or Portfolio is no longer viable, (b) a merger of a Fund or Portfolio into, or the consolidation of a Fund or Portfolio with, another organization or series, or (c) the sale by a Fund or Portfolio of all or substantially all of its assets to another organization or series and, in the case of a transaction referred to in the foregoing clause (b) or (c)  the Custodian is retained to continue providing services to the Fund or Portfolio (or its respective successor) on substantially the same terms as this Agreement.

Section 16.5                                  Effect of Termination .  Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Fund or Portfolio shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to any other Fund or Portfolio.  Following termination with respect to a Fund or Portfolio, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility to forward information under Section 3.12 or 5.8.  The provisions of Sections 7, 12, 14, 15 17 and 20.11 of this Agreement shall survive termination of this Agreement.

Section 17.                                 Successor Custodian .

            Section 17.1                                  Successor Appointed .  If a successor custodian shall be appointed for a Portfolio by its Board, the Custodian shall, upon termination of this Agreement and receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver to the successor custodian at the office of the Custodian, duly endorsed and in the form for transfer, all cash and all securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio then held by the Custodian hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio held in a U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.  If requested by the Fund, the Custodian agrees to continue performing the services contemplated in this Agreement pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement at the rates set forth in the then current fee schedule and for a reasonable period of time to be agreed upon by the parties in good faith, in order to provide for the orderly transition of services.  The Fund shall reimburse the Custodian for additional costs (to be mutually agreed upon by the parties) which are reasonably incurred by the Custodian in the transition.

            Section 17.2                                  No Successor Appointed .  If no such successor custodian shall be appointed, the Custodian shall, in like manner, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver at the

 
26

 


office of the Custodian and transfer the cash and the securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio in accordance with the Proper Instructions.

            Section 17.3                                  No Successor Appointed and No Property Instructions .  If no successor custodian has been appointed and no Proper Instructions have been delivered to the Custodian on or before the termination of this Agreement, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company, which is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, doing business in San Francisco, California, Boston, Massachusetts or New York, New York of its own selection, all cash and all securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio then held by the Custodian hereunder, and to transfer to an account of the bank or trust company all of the securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio held in any U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.  The transfer will be on such terms as are contained in this Agreement or as the Custodian may otherwise reasonably negotiate with the bank or trust company.  Any compensation payable to the bank or trust company, and any cost or expense incurred by the Custodian, in connection with the transfer shall be for the account of the Portfolio.

            Section 17.4                                  Remaining Property .  If any cash or any securities or other financial assets of the Portfolio held by the Custodian hereunder remain held by the Custodian after the termination of this Agreement owing to the failure of the applicable Fund to provide Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall be entitled to fair compensation for its services during such period as the Custodian holds the cash or the securities or other financial assets (the existing agreed-to compensation at the time of termination shall be one indicator of what is considered fair compensation).  The provisions of this Agreement relating to the duties, exculpation and indemnification of the Custodian shall apply in favor of the Custodian during such period.

Section 17.5                                  Reserves .  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 17, the Custodian may retain cash or securities or other financial assets of the Fund or Portfolio as a reserve reasonably established by the Custodian to secure the payment or performance of any obligations of the Fund or Portfolio secured by a security interest or right of recoupment or setoff in favor of the Custodian.

Section 18.   Remote Access Services Addendum .   The Custodian and each Fund agree to be bound by the terms of the Remote Access Services Addendum hereto.

Section 19.   Loan Services Addendum .    If a Fund directs the Custodian in writing to perform loan services, the Custodian and the Fund will be bound by the terms of the Loan Services Addendum attached hereto.  The Fund shall reimburse Custodian for its fees and expenses related thereto as agreed upon from time to time in writing by the Fund and the Custodian.
 
Section 20 .   General .

            Section 20.1   Governing Law .   Any and all matters in dispute between the parties hereto, whether arising from or relating to this Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without giving effect to any

 
27

 


conflict of laws rules.  Likewise, the law applicable to all issues in Article 2(1) of the Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Certain Rights in respect of Securities Held with an Intermediary is the law in force in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Section 20.2  [Reserved]

            Section 20.3   Prior Agreements ; Amendments .   This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements between each Fund on behalf of each of the Fund’s Portfolios and the Custodian relating to the custody of the Fund’s assets.  This Agreement may be amended at any time in writing by mutual agreement of the parties hereto.

            Section 20.4      Assignment .   This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) any Fund without the written consent of the Custodian or (b) the Custodian without the written consent of each applicable Fund.  However, without the consent any Fund or any Portfolio, the Custodian may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of its business, or to a party controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Custodian.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian may employ, engage, associate or contract with such person or persons, including, without limitation, affiliates and subsidiaries of the Custodian, as the Custodian may deem desirable to assist it in performing certain of its non-custodial obligations under this Agreement without the consent of any Fund; provided, however , that the compensation of such person or persons shall be paid by the Custodian and that the Custodian shall be as fully responsible to the Fund for the acts and omissions of any such person or persons as it is for its own acts and omissions under this Agreement.

            Section 20.5     Interpretive and Additional Provisions.   In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and each Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios, may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement.  Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable laws or regulations or any provision of a Fund’s organic record and Prospectus.  No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be an amendment of this Agreement.

            Section 20.6     Additional Funds and Portfolios .

20.6.1             Additional Fund .   If any management investment company in addition to those listed on Appendix A desires the Custodian to render services as custodian under the terms of this Agreement, the management investment company shall so notify the Custodian in writing.  If the Custodian agrees in writing to provide the services, the management investment company shall become a Fund hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof including, without limitation, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 20.7 below.

20.6.2            Additional Portfolio .  If any Fund establishes a series in addition to the Portfolios set forth on Appendix A with respect to which the Fund desires the Custodian to  render services as custodian under the terms of this Agreement, the Fund shall so notify the

 
28

 


Custodian in writing.  If the Custodian agrees in writing to provide the services, the series shall become a Portfolio hereunder.

            Section 20.7          The Parties; Representations and Warranties .  All references in this Agreement to the “Fund” are to each of the management investment companies listed on Appendix A, and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 20.6 above, individually, as if this Agreement were between the individual Fund and the Custodian.  In the case of a series organization, all references in this Agreement to the “Portfolio” are to the individual series of the series organization on behalf of the individual series.  Any reference in this Agreement to “the parties” shall mean the Custodian and such other individual Fund as to which the matter pertains.

20.7.1            Fund Representations and Warranties .   Each Fund hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is duly organized and validly existing in good standing in its jurisdiction of organization; (b) it has the requisite power and authority under applicable law and its organic record to enter into and perform this Agreement; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Fund’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; (e) its entering into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Fund or any law or regulation applicable to it; and (f) it shall comply with all laws and regulations applicable to it.

20.7.2            Custodian Representations and Warranties . The Custodian hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is a trust company, duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (b) it has the requisite power and authority to carry on its business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Custodian’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; (e) its entering into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Custodian or any law or regulation applicable to it; and (f) it shall comply with all laws and regulations applicable to it as such laws and regulations relate to the Custodian’s performance of the services hereunder.

            Section 20.8 Notices .  Any notice, instruction or other communication required to be given hereunder will, unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, be in writing and may be sent by hand, or by facsimile transmission, or overnight delivery by any recognized delivery service, to the parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time.

To any Fund:                                           c/o FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
3310 Quality Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Attention:  Gaston Gardey
Telephone:  916-463-5509

 
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Telecopy:  916-463-1558

With a copy to:                                           c/o FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
One Franklin Parkway
San Matteo, CA  94403
Attention: Navid J. Tofigh
Telephone: 650-312-3492
Telecopy: 650-525-7141

To the Custodian:                                  State Street Bank and Trust Company
                                                     Channel Center
                                                     1 Iron Street
   Boston, MA 02210
                                                     Attention: Benedict D’Agostino
                                                     Telephone: 617-662-9307

with a copy to:                                            State Street Bank and Trust Company
Legal Division – Global Services Americas
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA  02111
Attention:  Senior Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel

            Section 20.9                                  Counterparts .   This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement .   Counterparts may be executed in either original or electronically transmitted form (e.g., faxes or emailed portable document format (PDF) form), and the parties hereby adopt as original any signatures received in electronically transmitted form.

            Section 20.10 Severability; No Waiver .   If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.  The failure of a party hereto to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion or the failure of a party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any the  term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or remedies, and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy.

Section 20.11   Confidentiality .  All information provided under this Agreement by a party (the “ Disclosing Party ”) to the other party (the “ Receiving Party ”) regarding the Disclosing Party’s business and operations shall be treated as confidential (“ Confidential Information ”).  Subject to Section 20.12 below, all Confidential Information provided under this Agreement by Disclosing Party shall be used, including disclosure to third parties, by the Receiving Party, or its agents or service providers, solely for the purpose of performing or receiving the services and discharging the Receiving Party’s other obligations under the Agreement or managing the business of the Receiving Party and its affiliates, including financial

 
30

 


and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.    The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (b) that is independently derived by the Receiving Party without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement, (c) that is disclosed to comply with any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, (d) that is disclosed as required by operation of law or regulation or as required to comply with the requirements of any market infrastructure that the Disclosing Party or its agents direct the Custodian or its affiliates to employ (or which is required in connection with the holding or settlement of instruments included in the assets subject to this Agreement), or (e) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld .   Further, each party agrees and represents that in no case would information it provides under this Agreement be used against it in a manner that is adverse to its interests (including its interests in competitive businesses).

Section 20.12   Use of Data .

(a)           In connection with the provision of the services and the discharge of its other obligations under this Agreement, the Custodian (which term for purposes of this Section 20.12 includes each of its parent company, branches and affiliates (“ Affiliates ”)) may collect and store information regarding a Fund and share such information with its Affiliates, agents and service providers who have a need to know such information in order and to the extent reasonably necessary (i) to carry out the provision of services contemplated under this Agreement and other agreements between the Fund and the Custodian or any of its Affiliates and (ii) to carry out management of its businesses, including, but not limited to, financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.
 
(b)           Subject to paragraph (c) below, the Custodian and/or its Affiliates (except those Affiliates or business divisions principally engaged in the business of asset management) may use any data or other information (“ Data ”) obtained by such entities in the performance of their services under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Fund and the Custodian or one of its Affiliates, including Data regarding transactions and portfolio holdings relating to the Fund, and publish, sell, distribute or otherwise commercialize the Data; provided that, unless the Fund otherwise consents, Data is combined, or aggregated with information relating to (i) other customers of the Custodian and/or its Affiliates or (ii) information derived from other sources, in each case such that any published information will be displayed in a manner designed to prevent attribution to or identification of such Data with the Fund, and in the case of (i) or (ii) such Data shall not be presented in a format which permits such Data to be reverse engineered to identify a Fund.  The Fund agrees that Custodian and/or its Affiliates may seek to profit and realize economic benefit from the commercialization and use of the Data, that such benefit will constitute part of the Custodian’s compensation for services under this Agreement or such other agreement, and the Custodian and/or its Affiliates shall be entitled to retain and not be required to disclose the amount of such economic benefit and profit to the Fund.

(c)           Except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, nothing in this Section 20.12 shall

 
31

 


limit the confidentiality and data-protection obligations of the Custodian and its Affiliates under this Agreement and applicable law.  The Custodian shall cause any Affiliate, agent or service provider to which it has disclosed Data pursuant to this Section 20.12 to comply at all times with confidentiality and data-protection obligations as if it were a party to this Agreement.

Section 20.13   Reserved.

            Section 20.14   Reproduction of Documents .  This Agreement and all schedules, addenda, exhibits, appendices, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process.  Any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

Section 20.15   Regulation GG .  Each Fund  represents and warrants that it does not engage in an “Internet gambling business,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(r) of Federal Reserve Regulation GG (12 CFR 233) and covenants that it shall not engage in an Internet gambling business.  In accordance with Regulation GG, each Fund is hereby notified that “restricted transactions,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(y) of Regulation GG, are prohibited in any dealings with the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise between or among any party hereto.

Section 20.16   Portfolio by Portfolio Basis .  This Agreement is executed by the Fund with respect to each of its Portfolios and the obligations hereunder are not binding upon any of the directors, officers or shareholders of the Fund individually.  Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, each and every obligation, liability or undertaking of a particular Portfolio under this Agreement shall constitute solely an obligation, liability or undertaking of, and be binding upon, such particular Portfolio and shall be payable solely from the available assets of such particular Portfolio and shall not be binding upon or affect any assets of any other Portfolio.

  Section 20.17   Shareholder Communications Election .   SEC Rule 14b-2 requires banks that hold securities, as that term is used in federal securities laws, for the account of customers to respond to requests by issuers of securities for the names, addresses and holdings of beneficial owners of securities of that issuer held by the bank unless the beneficial owner has expressly objected to disclosure of this information.  In order to comply with the rule, as may be applicable, the Custodian needs each Fund to indicate whether it authorizes the Custodian to provide such Fund’s name, address, and share position to requesting companies whose securities the Fund owns.  If a Fund tells the Custodian “no,” the Custodian will not provide this information to requesting companies.  If a Fund tells the Custodian “yes” or does not check either “yes” or “no” below, the Custodian is required by the rule, as applicable, to treat the Fund as consenting to disclosure of this information for all securities owned by the Fund or any funds or accounts established by the Fund.  For a Fund’s protection, the Rule, as applicable, prohibits the requesting company from using the Fund’s name and address for any purpose other than

 
32

 


corporate communications.  Please indicate below whether the Fund consents or objects by checking one of the alternatives below.

 
YES [  ]
The Custodian is authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions.

 
NO  [X]
The Custodian is not authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions.



 

 
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Signature Page


In Witness Whereof , each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative under seal as of the date first above-written.

 
EACH OF THE MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES AND SERIES
SET FORTH ON APPENDIX A HERETO


By: /s/ Laura F. Fergerson                                                                 
         Name: Laura F. Fergerson
         Title: Chief Executive Officer, Finance and Administration



STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY


By: /s/ Gunjan Kedia                                                                            
Name:  Gunjan Kedia
Title:    Executive Vice President



Master Custodian Agreement

 
 

 



APPENDIX A
to
Master Custodian Agreement


Management Investment Companies Registered with the SEC and Portfolios thereof, If Any


Franklin Templeton ETF Trust
Franklin Liberty U.S. Low Volatility ETF
Franklin Liberty Investment Grade Corporate ETF
Franklin Liberty International Opportunities ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF


A-1
EX-99(h)(i)
 
 

 
SUBCONTRACT FOR
FUND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

 

This Subcontract, dated as of April 18, 2016, is between Franklin Advisers, Inc. (the “Investment Manager”), and Franklin Templeton Services, LLC (the “Administrator”).
 
In consideration of the mutual agreements herein made, the parties hereby agree as follows:
 
Section 1.                       Prime Contract .  This Subcontract is made in order to assist the Investment Manager in fulfilling certain of the Investment Manager’s obligations under the investment management agreement (“IM Agreement”) between the Investment Manager and Franklin Templeton ETF Trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of each of the series listed on Exhibit A (each, a “Fund”).

Section 2.                       Appointment .    The Investment Manager hereby appoints the Administrator to provide or procure, as applicable, for each Fund the administrative and other services described in Section 3 of this Subcontract for the period and on the terms set forth in this Subcontract, as may be supplemented from time to time. The Administrator accepts such appointment and agrees during such period to render or procure, as applicable, the services herein set forth for the compensation provided in Section 6 below.
 
         Section 3.                       Services .  The Administrator agrees, during the term of this Subcontract, to provide or procure, as applicable, at its own expense (unless otherwise agreed to by the parties), the following services to each Fund to the extent that any such services are not otherwise provided by the Investment Manager (including any subadviser) or any other service provider to the Fund:
 
(a)           providing office space, telephone, office equipment and supplies for the Fund necessary or appropriate for the effective administration of the Fund as contemplated in this Subcontract;
 
(b)           providing trading desk facilities for the Fund, unless these facilities are provided by the Investment Manager or any subadviser to the Fund;
 
(c)           authorizing expenditures and approving bills for payment on behalf of the Fund;
 
(d)           supervising preparation of periodic reports to Fund shareholders, notices of dividends, capital gains distributions and tax credits; and attending to routine correspondence and other communications with individual Fund shareholders when asked to do so by the Fund’s shareholder servicing agent or other agents of the Fund;
 
(e)           coordinating and supervising the daily pricing and valuation of the Fund’s investment portfolio, including collecting quotations from pricing services engaged by the Fund, in accordance with the policies and procedures adopted from time to time by the Fund;
 
(f)           providing fund accounting services, including preparing and supervising publication of daily net asset value quotations and other financial data;
 

 
 

 


 

 
(g)           monitoring and coordinating, where appropriate, relationships with organizations serving the Fund, including custodians, public accounting firms, law firms, printers, pricing services and other unaffiliated service providers;
 
(h)           supervising the Fund’s compliance with recordkeeping requirements under the federal securities laws, including the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder, supervising compliance with recordkeeping requirements imposed by state or foreign laws or regulations, and maintaining books and records for the Fund;
 
(i)           preparing and filing of domestic and foreign tax reports, including the Fund’s income tax returns, and monitoring the Fund’s compliance with subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, and all other applicable tax laws and regulations;
 
(j)           establishing, maintaining and monitoring the Fund’s compliance program with respect to: the 1940 Act and other federal securities laws, and rules and regulations thereunder; state and foreign laws and regulations applicable to the operation of investment companies; the Fund’s investment goals, policies and restrictions; and the Code of Ethics and other policies adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (“Board”) or by the Investment Manager or any subadviser to the Fund and applicable to the Fund;
 
(k)           preparing regulatory reports, including without limitation, N-SARs, N-CSRs, N-PXs, N-Qs, proxy statements, information statements, and U.S. and foreign ownership reports;
 
(l)           preparing and arranging for the filing of such registration statements and other documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other federal, state and foreign or other regulatory authorities as may be required to (i) register or otherwise qualify the shares of the Fund for sale and maintain any such registration or qualification; (ii) amend or otherwise update the Fund’s disclosures as required by applicable Federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of any applicable regulatory agency or stock exchange; (iii) qualify the Fund to do business; and (iv) maintain the Fund’s corporate existence, and as otherwise required by applicable law;
 
(m)           maintaining a review and certification program and internal controls and procedures in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 as applicable to registered investment companies; and
 
(n)           providing executive, clerical, secretarial and other personnel needed to carry out the above responsibilities.
 
Nothing in this Subcontract shall obligate the Administrator to pay for the services of third parties, including attorneys, auditors, printers, pricing services or others, engaged directly by the Fund to perform services on behalf of the Fund.
 
Section 4.                       Delegation of Services.   The Administrator may, at its expense, delegate to one or more entities some or all of the services for the Fund for which the Administrator is responsible under this Subcontract.  The Administrator will be responsible for the compensation, if

 
2

 


 
any, of any such entities for such services to the Fund, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties or with the Fund. Notwithstanding any delegation pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrator will continue to have responsibility and liability for all such services provided to the Fund under this Subcontract.

Section 5.                       Performance of Services in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements; Furnishing of Books and Records .  In performing the services set forth in Section 3 of this Subcontract, the Administrator:

(a)           shall conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, with all other applicable federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Fund’s Board, and with the provisions of the Fund’s Registration Statement filed on Form N-1A as supplemented or amended from time to time;

(b)           will make available to the Fund, promptly upon request, any of the Fund’s books and records as are maintained under this Subcontract, and will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any such books and records and any information or reports in connection with the Administrator’s services under this Subcontract that may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Fund are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

Section 6.                       Fees . The Investment Manager agrees to pay to the Administrator as compensation for such services a monthly fee equal on an annual basis to 0.075% of the average daily net assets of each Fund .

From time to time, the Administrator may waive all or a portion of its fees provided for hereunder.  The Administrator shall be contractually bound hereunder by the terms of any publicly announced waiver of its fee, or any limitation of the Fund’s expenses, as if such waiver or limitation were fully set forth herein.
 
Section 7.                       Term .    Unless otherwise terminated, this Subcontract shall remain in full force and effect for a Fund so long as the IM Agreement for such Fund remains in effect.

Section 8.                       Termination .    This Subcontract will terminate as to any Fund immediately upon the termination of the IM Agreement applicable to that Fund and, in addition, may be terminated by either party at any time on sixty (60) days’ written notice without payment of penalty.

Section 9.                       Standard of Care .  In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Administrator, or of reckless disregard of its duties and obligations hereunder, the Administrator shall not be subject to any liability for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder.

Section 10.                       Severability .  If any provision of this Subcontract shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Subcontract shall not be affected thereby.

 
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Section 11.               Governing Law .  This Subcontract shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Subcontract to be duly executed by their duly authorized officers.
 


FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.


By:           /s/ Patrick O’Connor                                                       
Patrick O’Connor
Title:       Senior Vice President


FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SERVICES, LLC


By:            /s/ Laura F. Fergerson                                                       
 Laura F. Fergerson
Title:        Senior Vice President






 
 
4

 



EXHIBIT A

SUBCONTRACT FOR FUND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
between
FRANKLIN ADVISERS, INC.
and
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SERVICES, LLC


INVESTMENT COMPANY
SERIES
   
Franklin Templeton ETF Trust
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
Franklin Liberty U.S. Low Volatility ETF
Franklin Liberty Investment Grade Corporate ETF
Franklin Liberty International Opportunities ETF
 

EX-99(h)(ii)
 
 

 
SUBCONTRACT FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICES
 
This Subcontract for Administration and Fund Accounting Services (“Agreement”) dated and effective as of April 18, 2016, is by and between State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (“State Street”), and Franklin Templeton Services LLC (“FT Services”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc.
 
WHEREAS, the Franklin Templeton ETF Trust (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), on behalf of each series of the Trust listed on Schedule A hereto (as such Schedule may be amended from time to time) (each a “Fund”), has entered into an Investment Management Agreement dated April 20, 2016 with Franklin Advisers, Inc., an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Adviser”), for the provision of investment advisory, fund administration and fund accounting services to the Funds; and
 
WHEREAS, the Adviser has entered into a Subcontract for Fund Administrative Services dated April 20, 2016 with FT Services, for the provision of fund administration services to the Funds (the “FT Services Agreement”); and
 
WHEREAS, FT Services desires to retain State Street to provide the fund administration and fund accounting services described herein to the Funds, and State Street is willing to provide such services, all as more fully set forth below.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained, the parties, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:
 
1.
Appointment of S TATE S TREET
 
FT Services hereby appoints State Street to act as administrator with respect to the Trust for purposes of providing certain administrative and fund accounting services for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement.  State Street accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services stated herein.
 
The Trust currently consists of the Fund(s) and their respective classes of shares as listed in Schedule A to this Agreement.  In the event that the Trust establishes one or more additional Fund(s) with respect to which FT Services wishes to retain State Street to act as administrator hereunder, FT Services shall notify State Street in writing.  Upon written acceptance by State Street, such Fund(s) shall become subject to the provisions of this Agreement to the same extent as the existing Fund, except to the extent that such provisions (including those relating to compensation and expenses payable) may be modified with respect to such Fund in writing by FT Services and State Street at the time of the addition of such Fund.
 
2.
Delivery of Documents
 
FT Services will promptly deliver or will cause the Trust to promptly deliver to State Street copies of each of the following documents with respect to the Trust and/or FT Services and all future amendments and supplements as they become available, if any:
 

 
 

 



 
 
a.
The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-laws (“Governing Documents”);
 
 
b.
The Trust’s currently effective Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the 1940 Act and each Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) relating to the Funds and all amendments and supplements thereto as in effect from time to time;
 
 
c.
A certificate of an officer of FT Services that certifies that FT Services is authorized to enter into this Agreement and lists certain individuals on behalf of FT Services to (a) give instructions to State Street pursuant to this Agreement and (b) sign checks and pay expenses;
 
 
d.
A copy of the Fund Administrative Services Agreement and any other service agreements between the Adviser and FT Services;
 
 
e.
A copy of the investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser; and
 
 
f.
Such other certificates, documents or opinions which State Street may, in its reasonable discretion, deem necessary or appropriate in the proper performance of its duties.
 
3.
Representations and Warranties of State Street
 
State Street represents, warrants and covenants to FT Services that:
 
 
a.
It is a Massachusetts trust company, duly organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
 
 
b.
It has the requisite power and authority to carry on its business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
 
 
c.
All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
 
 
d.
No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair State Street’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
 
 
e.
Its entrance into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of State Street or any law or regulation applicable to it; and
 
 
f.
It will promptly notify FT Services if any of the above ceases to be true or if it is unable to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement for any reason.
 

 
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4.
Representations and Warranties of FT Services
 
FT Services represents, warrants and covenants to State Street that:
 
 
a.
It is duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of formation;
 
 
b.
It has the requisite power and authority under applicable laws and by its charter documents to enter into and perform this Agreement;
 
 
c.
All requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
 
 
d.
No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair FT Services’ ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
 
 
e.
Its entrance into this Agreement will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of FT Services or any law or regulation applicable to it; and
 
 
f.
Where information provided by FT Services includes information about an identifiable individual (“Personal Information”), FT Services represents and warrants that it has obtained all consents and approvals, as required by all applicable laws, regulations, by-laws and ordinances that regulate the collection, processing, use or disclosure of Personal Information, necessary to disclose such Personal Information to State Street, and as required for State Street to use and disclose such Personal Information in connection with the performance of the services hereunder. FT Services acknowledges that State Street may perform any of the services, and may use and disclose Personal Information outside of the jurisdiction in which it was initially collected by FT Services, including the United States and that information relating to FT Services, including Personal Information may be accessed by national security authorities, law enforcement and courts.  Subject to the satisfaction of the standard of care in section 8 of the Agreement, State Street shall be kept indemnified by and be without liability to FT Services or the Trust for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon this representation and warranty, including without limitation, any liability or costs in connection with claims or complaints for failure to comply with any applicable law that regulates the collection, processing, use or disclosure of Personal Information.
 
 
g.
With respect to the Trust:
 
 
(1)
The Trust is a statutory trust duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its formation;
 
 
(2)
The Trust is an investment company properly registered under the 1940 Act;
 

 
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(3)
The registration statement under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act has been filed by the Trust and is currently or will be effective or will remain effective during the term of this Agreement;
 
 
(4)
As of the effective date of this Agreement, all necessary filings under the securities laws of the states in which the Trust offers or sells shares have been made; and
 
 
(5)
As of the close of business on the date of this Agreement, the Trust is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest.
 
 
h.
It will promptly notify State Street if any of the above ceases to be true or if it is unable to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement for any reason.
 
5.
Sub-Administration and Fund Accounting Services
 
State Street shall provide the services as listed on Schedule B, subject to the authorization and direction of FT Services and, in each case where appropriate, the review and comment by the Trust’s independent accountants and legal counsel and in accordance with procedures which may be established from time to time between FT Services and State Street.
 
State Street shall perform such other services for FT Services that are mutually agreed to by the parties from time to time, for which FT Services will pay such fees as may be mutually agreed upon, including State Street’s reasonable out-of-pocket expenses directly relating to such services.  The provision of such services shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
 
State Street shall provide the office facilities and the personnel determined by it to perform the services contemplated herein.
 
 
6.
Compensation of State S TREET ; Expense Reimbursement; Trust Expenses
 
State Street shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses, as agreed upon from time to time in writing between FT Services and State Street.
 
State Street will bear its own operating expenses.  FT Services acknowledges and agrees that FT Services and/or the Trust, as the case may be, will bear all expenses that are incurred in operation of the Trust and not specifically assumed by State Street.  For the avoidance of doubt, Trust expenses not assumed by State Street include, but are not limited to:  organizational expenses; cost of services of the Trust’s independent accountants and outside legal and tax counsel (including such counsel’s review of the Registration Statement, Form N-CSR, Form N-Q, Form N-PX, Form N-MFP, Form N-SAR, proxy materials, federal and state tax qualification as a regulated investment company and other notices, registrations, reports, filings and materials prepared by State Street under this Agreement); cost of any services contracted for by FT Services or the Trust directly from parties other than State Street; cost of trading operations and brokerage fees, commissions and transfer taxes in connection with the purchase and sale of securities for the Trust; investment advisory fees; taxes, insurance premiums and other fees and
 

 
4

 

 
expenses applicable to the Trust’s operation; costs incidental to any meetings of shareholders of the Trust, including, but not limited to, legal and accounting fees, proxy filing fees and the costs of preparation (e.g., typesetting, XBRL-tagging, page changes and all other print vendor and EDGAR charges, collectively referred to herein as “Preparation”), printing, distribution and mailing of any proxy materials; costs incidental to Board meetings, including fees and expenses of Board members; the salary and expenses of any officer, trustee or employee of the Trust; costs of Preparation, printing, distribution and mailing, as applicable, of the Trust’s Registration Statements and any amendments and supplements thereto and shareholder reports; cost of Preparation and filing of the Trust’s tax returns, Form N-1A, Form N-CSR, Form N-Q, Form N-PX, Form N-MFP and Form N-SAR, and all notices, registrations and amendments associated with applicable federal and state tax and securities laws; all applicable registration fees and filing fees required under federal and state securities laws; the cost of the Trust’s fidelity bond and D&O/E&O liability insurance; and the cost of independent pricing services used in computing the Fund(s)’ net asset value.
 
7.
Instructions and Advice
 
At any time, State Street may apply to any officer of FT Services or his or her designee identified to State Street in writing from time to time for instructions with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by State Street under this Agreement.  State Street may consult with its own legal counsel at its own expense, or with counsel to FT Services at FT Services’ expense with the prior approval of FT Services, with respect to questions of law arising in connection with the services to be performed by State Street under this Agreement and, subject to its carrying out such actions with the standard of care set forth in section 8 of the Agreement, shall be fully protected with respect to any action taken or omitted in accordance with such advice.
 
State Street shall not be liable, and shall be indemnified by FT Services, for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith in reasonable reliance upon any such instructions or advice or upon any paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons; provided, and notwithstanding the foregoing any action taken or omitted by it shall be in accordance with State Street’s standard of care as set forth in section 8 of this Agreement.
 
State Street shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person until receipt of written notice thereof from FT Services.  Nothing in this section shall be construed as imposing upon State Street any obligation to seek such instructions or advice, or to act in accordance with such advice when received.
 
8.
Limitation of Liability and Indemnification
 
State Street shall be responsible for the performance only of such duties as are set forth in this Agreement and, except as otherwise provided under Section 14, shall have no responsibility for the actions or activities of any other party, including other service providers.  State Street shall have no liability in respect of any loss, damage or expense suffered by FT Services insofar as such loss, damage or expense arises from the performance of State Street’s duties hereunder in reliance upon records that were maintained for FT Services or the Trust by entities other than
 

 
5

 

 
State Street prior to State Street’s appointment as sub-administrator for FT Services.  State Street shall have no liability for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss or damage resulting from the performance or nonperformance of its duties hereunder unless caused by or resulting from the negligence, fraud, bad faith, willful misconduct, reckless disregard or failure of State Street, its officers or employees to exercise the level of skill, care and diligence of a professional provider of administration and fund accounting services in connection with their performance hereunder.  In no event shall either party be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential damages, including lost profits, of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) under any provision of this Agreement or for any such damages arising out of any act or failure to act hereunder, each of which is hereby excluded by agreement of the parties regardless of whether such damages were foreseeable or whether either party or any entity had been advised of the possibility of such damages.  In any event, State Street’s cumulative liability for each calendar year (a “Liability Period”) with respect to the services performed under this Agreement regardless of the form of action or legal theory shall be limited to its total annual compensation earned and fees payable hereunder during the preceding Compensation Period, as defined herein, for any liability or loss suffered by FT Services.  “Compensation Period” shall mean the calendar year ending immediately prior to each Liability Period in which the event(s) giving rise to State Street’s liability for that period have occurred.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Compensation Period for purposes of calculating the annual cumulative liability of State Street for the Liability Period commencing on the date of this Agreement and terminating on December 31, 2016 shall be the date of this Agreement through December 31, 2016, calculated on an annualized basis, and the Compensation Period for the Liability Period commencing January 1, 2017 and terminating on December 31, 2017 shall be the date of this Agreement through December 31, 2016, calculated on an annualized basis.
 
FT Services shall indemnify and hold State Street and its directors, officers, and employees harmless from all loss, cost, damage and expense, including reasonable fees and expenses for counsel, incurred by State Street resulting from any claim, demand, action or suit in connection with State Street’s acceptance of this Agreement, any action or omission by State Street in the performance of its duties hereunder, or as a result of acting upon any instructions reasonably believed by it to have been duly authorized by FT Services or the Trust or upon reasonable reliance on information or records given or made by FT Services or the Trust or the Investment Adviser, provided that this indemnification shall not apply to actions or omissions of State Street, its officers or employees in cases of its or their own failure to satisfy the standard of care set forth in this Section 8 of the Agreement.
 
The limitation of liability and indemnification contained herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
 
9.
Confidentiality
 
All information provided under this Agreement by a party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving Party”) regarding the Disclosing Party’s business and operations shall be treated as confidential.  Subject to Section 10 below, all confidential information provided under this Agreement by Disclosing Party shall be used, including disclosure to third parties, by the Receiving Party, or its agents or service providers, solely for the purpose of
 

 
6

 

 
performing or receiving the services and discharging the Receiving Party’s other obligations under the Agreement or managing the business of the Receiving Party and its Affiliates (as defined in Section 10 below), including financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.  The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (b) that is independently derived by the Receiving Party without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement, (c) that is disclosed to comply with any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, (d) that is disclosed as required by operation of law or regulation or as required to comply with the requirements of any market infrastructure that the Disclosing Party or its agents direct State Street or its Affiliates to employ (or which is required in connection with the holding or settlement of instruments included in the assets subject to this Agreement), or (e) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.  Further, each party agrees and represents that in no case would information it provides under this Agreement be used against it in a manner that is adverse to its interests (including its interests in competitive businesses).
 
10.
Use of Data
 
(a)            In connection with the provision of the services and the discharge of its other obligations under this Agreement, State Street (which term for purposes of this Section 10 includes each of its parent company, branches and affiliates (“Affiliates”)) may collect and store information regarding FT Services or the Trust or Fund and share such information with its Affiliates, agents and service providers who have a need to know such information in order and solely to the extent reasonably necessary (i) to carry out the provision of services contemplated under this Agreement and other agreements between the Trust and State Street or any of its Affiliates and (ii) to carry out management of its business, including, but not limited to, financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.
 
(b)            Subject to paragraph (c) below, State Street and/or its Affiliates (except those Affiliates or business divisions principally engaged in the business of asset management) may use any data or other information (“Data”) obtained by such entities in the performance of their services under this Agreement or any other agreement between FT Services and State Street or one of its Affiliates, including Data regarding transactions and portfolio holdings relating to the Trust/Fund, and publish, sell, distribute or otherwise commercialize the Data; provided that, unless FT Services otherwise consents, Data is combined or aggregated with information relating to (i) other customers of State Street and/or its Affiliates or (ii) information derived from other sources, in each case such that any published information will be displayed in a manner designed to prevent attribution to or identification of such Data with the Trust/Fund. and, in the case of (i) or (ii), such Data shall not be presented in a format which permits such Data to be reverse engineered to identify the Trust/Fund.  FT Services agrees that State Street and/or its Affiliates may seek to profit and realize economic benefit from the commercialization and use of the Data, that such benefit will constitute part of State Street’s compensation for services under this Agreement or such other agreement, and State Street and/or its Affiliates shall be entitled to
 

 
7

 

 
retain and not be required to disclose the amount of such economic benefit and profit to FT Services or the Trust/Fund.
 
(c)            Except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, nothing in this Section 10 shall limit the confidentiality and data-protection obligations of State Street and its Affiliates under this Agreement and applicable law.  State Street shall cause any Affiliate, agent or service provider to which it has disclosed Data pursuant to this Section 10 to comply at all times with confidentiality and data-protection obligations as if it were a party to this Agreement.
 
11.
Compliance with Governmental Rules and Regulations; Records
 
FT Services acknowledges that FT Services and the Trust assume full responsibility for complying with all securities, tax, commodities and other laws, rules and regulations applicable to each respectively.  State Street shall comply with all laws and regulations applicable to it as such laws and regulations relate to State Street’s performance of the services hereunder.
 
In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, State Street agrees that all records which it maintains for the Trust shall at all times remain the property of the Trust, shall be readily accessible during normal business hours, and shall be promptly surrendered upon the termination of the Agreement or otherwise on written request except as otherwise provided in Section 13.  State Street further agrees that all records that it maintains for the Trust pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act will be preserved for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act unless any such records are earlier surrendered as provided above.  Records may be surrendered in either written or machine-readable form, at the option of State Street. In the event that State Street is requested or authorized by FT Services, or required by subpoena, administrative order, court order or other legal process, applicable law or regulation, or required in connection with any investigation, examination or inspection of FT Services or Trust by state or federal regulatory agencies, to produce the records of FT Services or Trust or State Street’s personnel as witnesses or deponents, FT Services agrees to pay State Street for State Street’s time and expenses, as well as the fees and expenses of State Street’s counsel incurred in such production
 
12.
Services Not Exclusive
 
The services of State Street are not to be deemed exclusive, and State Street shall be free to render similar services to others.  State Street shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided herein or authorized by FT Services or the Trust from time to time, have no authority to act or represent FT Services or the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of FT Services or the Trust.
 
13.
Effective Period and Termination
 
This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for an initial three year term ending May 31, 2019 (the “Initial Term”).  After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms (each, a “Renewal Term”) unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by the non-renewing party no later than sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, as the case may be.  During the Initial
 

 
8

 

 
Term and thereafter, either party may terminate this Agreement: (i) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either (a) failed to cure or (b) failed to establish a remedial plan to cure that is reasonably acceptable, within 60 days’ written notice of such breach, or (ii) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction.  Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph with respect to the Trust or any Fund, the Trust or applicable Fund shall pay State Street its compensation due and shall reimburse State Street for its costs, expenses and disbursements.
 
In the event of: (i) the Trust’s termination of this Agreement with respect to the Trust or its Fund(s) for any reason other than as set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph or (ii) a transaction not in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which State Street is not retained to continue providing services hereunder to the Trust or a Fund (or its respective successor), FT Services shall pay State Street its compensation due through the end of the then-current term (based upon the average monthly compensation previously earned by State Street with respect to the Trust or such Fund) and shall reimburse State Street for its costs, expenses and disbursements.  Upon receipt of such payment and reimbursement, State Street will deliver the Trust’s or such Fund’s records as set forth herein.  For the avoidance of doubt, no payment will be required pursuant to clause (ii) of this paragraph in the event of any transaction such (a) the liquidation or dissolution of the Trust or a Fund and distribution of the Trust’s or such Fund’s assets as a result of the Board’s determination in its reasonable business judgment that the Trust or such Fund is no longer viable (b) a merger of the Trust or a Fund into, or the consolidation of the Trust or a Fund with, another entity, or (c) the sale by the Trust or a Fund of all, or substantially all, of the Trust’s or Fund’s assets to another entity, in each of (b) and (c) where State Street is retained to continue providing services to the Trust or such Fund (or its respective successor) on substantially the same terms as this Agreement.
 
Should the Agreement be terminated by either party for any reason and if requested by FT Services, State Street agrees to continue performing the services contemplated in this Agreement pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement at the rates set forth in the then current fee schedule and for a reasonable period of time to be agreed upon by the parties in good faith, in order to provide for the orderly transition of services to an alternative service provider designated by FT Services so that, to the extent feasible, the services are maintained without interruption.  FT Services shall reimburse State Street for additional costs (to be mutually agreed upon by the parties) which are reasonably incurred by State Street in the transition.   Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Fund shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to the Trust or any other Fund.
 
14.
Employment of Others
 
State Street may employ, engage, associate or contract with such person or persons (“Engagements”), including, without limitation, affiliates and subsidiaries of State Street, as State Street may deem desirable to assist it in performing its duties under this Agreement without the consent of FT Services; provided, however, that the compensation of such person or persons shall be paid by State Street and that State Street shall be as fully responsible to FT Services for
 

 
9

 

 
the acts and omissions of any such person or persons as it is for its own acts and omissions under this Agreement.
 
15.
Interpretive and Additional Provisions
 
In connection with the operation of this Agreement, State Street and FT Services may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement.  Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable laws or regulations or any provision of the Trust’s Governing Documents.  No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of the Agreement.
 
16.
Notices
 
Any notice, instruction or other instrument required to be given hereunder will be in writing and may be sent by hand, or by facsimile transmission, or overnight delivery by any recognized delivery service, to the parties at the following address or such other address as may be notified by any party from time to time:
 
If to the Trust:
 
Franklin Templeton Services LLC
3310 Quality Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Attn: Gaston Gardey
Telephone: 916-463-5509
Facsimile: 916-463-1558
 
If to State Street:
 
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Channel Center
1 Iron Street
Boston, MA 02210
Attention: Benedict D’Agostino
Telephone: 617-662-9307
 
with a copy to:
 
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Legal Division – Global Services Americas
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA  02110
Attention:  Senior Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel
 

 
10

 



 
17.
Amendment
 
This Agreement may be amended at any time in writing by mutual agreement of the parties hereto.
 
18.
Assignment
 
This Agreement shall not be assigned by either party hereto without the prior consent in writing of the other party, except that State Street may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of its business, or to a party controlling, controlled by or under common control with State Street.  .
 
19.
Successors
 
This Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the benefit of FT Services and State Street and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
 
20.
Reserved
 

 
21.
Entire Agreement
 
This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all previous representations, warranties or commitments regarding the services to be performed hereunder whether oral or in writing.
 
22.
Waiver
 
The failure of a party to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion shall not be considered a waiver, nor shall it deprive such party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any term of this Agreement.  The failure of a party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any such term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or remedies, and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy.  Any waiver must be in writing signed by the waiving party.
 
23.
Severability
 
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.
 

 
11

 



 
24.
Governing Law
 
This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflicts of laws rules.
 
25.
Reproduction of Documents
 
This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, xerographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.
 
26.
Counterparts
 
This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.  Counterparts may be executed in either original or electronically transmitted form (e.g., faxes or emailed portable document format (PDF) form), and the parties hereby adopt as original any signatures received via electronically transmitted form.
 
27.
Reports/Certifications
 
Upon reasonable request of the Trust, the State Street shall provide the Trust with a copy of State Street’s Service Organizational Control (SOC) 1 reports prepared in accordance with the requirements of AT section 801, Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization (formerly Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16).  State Street shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Trust with such reports as the Trust may reasonably request or otherwise reasonably require to fulfill its duties under Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act or similar legal and regulatory requirements.
 
28.
Insurance
 
State Street will maintain, at all times during the term of this Agreement, insurance of the types and in the amounts as are commercially reasonable, taking into account the nature of its business, the associated risks and the cost and availability of insurance having commercially viable terms and conditions.  State Street agrees to provide to FT Services with certificates of its applicable insurance coverage, and shall provide an update at FT Services’ written request, but no more frequently than annually.
 
29.
Business Continuity
 
State Street shall enter into and shall maintain if effect at all times during the term of this Agreement with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Trust or FT Services and (ii)
 

 
12

 

 
emergency use of electronic data processing equipment as necessary to provide services under this Agreement.  Upon reasonable request, State Street shall discuss with the Trust or FT Services any business continuity/disaster recovery plan of State Street and/or provide a high-level presentation summarizing such plan.
 
30.
Cooperation with Trust’s Accountants
 
State Street shall cooperate with the Trust’s independent public accountants and take all reasonable actions in the performance of its obligations under this Agreements to provide such information, as may be reasonably requested by FT Services from time to time, to such accountants for the expression of their opinion.
 
31.
Force Majeure.  
 
State Street shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control, including without limitation, work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, computer virus, natural disaster, governmental action or communication disruption.
 

 

 
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]
 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their officers designated below as of the date first written above.
 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON SERVICES LLC
 

By:        /s/ Laura F. Fergerson                                                                 
Name:   Laura F. Fergerson
Title:   Senior Vice President
 
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
 

By:            /s/ Gunjan Kedia                                                                 
Name:           Gunjan Kedia
Title:           Executive Vice President
 
 

 
 
14

 


SUBCONTRACT FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICES
 
SCHEDULE A
 
Listing of Fund(s)
 

 
Franklin Templeton ETF Trust
Franklin Liberty U.S. Low Volatility ETF
Franklin Liberty Investment Grade Corporate ETF
Franklin Liberty International Opportunities ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF





A-1

 
 

 

SUBCONTRACT FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICES
 
SCHEDULE B
 
LIST OF SERVICES
 
I.           Fund Administration Treasury Services as described in Schedule B1 attached hereto;
 
II.           Fund Administration Tax Services as described in Schedule B2 attached hereto;
 
III.
Fund Accounting Services as described in Schedule B3 attached hereto.
 

B-1

 
 

 


Schedule B1
 
Fund Administration Treasury Services
 
 
a.
Prepare for the review by FT Services and the Trust’s Treasurer and legal counsel financial information regarding the Funds that will be included in the Trust’s semi-annual and annual shareholder reports, Form N-Q reports and other quarterly reports (as mutually agreed upon), including tax footnote disclosures where applicable;
 
 
b.
Coordinate the audit of the Trust’s financial statements by the Trust’s independent accountants, including the preparation of supporting audit workpapers and other schedules;
 
 
c.
Prepare for the review by FT Services and the Trust’s Treasurer and legal counsel the Trust’s periodic financial reports required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-SAR and financial information required by Form N-1A, proxy statements and such other reports, forms or filings as may be mutually agreed upon;
 
 
d.
Prepare for the review by FT Services and the Trust’s Treasurer and legal counsel annual, semi-annual, quarterly or monthly fund expense budgets (as requested), perform accrual analyses and roll-forward calculations and recommend changes to fund expense accruals on a periodic basis, arrange for payment of the Trust’s expenses, review calculations of fees paid to the Trust’s investment adviser, custodian, fund accountant, distributor and transfer agent, and obtain authorization of accrual changes and expense payments;
 
 
e.
Provide periodic testing of the Funds with respect to compliance with the Internal Revenue Code’s mandatory qualification requirements, the requirements of the 1940 Act, and limitations for the Funds contained in the Registration Statement of the Funds as may be mutually agreed upon, including quarterly compliance reporting to FT Services and the designated officer(s) of the Trust as well as preparation of Board compliance materials;
 
 
f.
Prepare and furnish total return performance information for the Funds, including such information on an after-tax basis, calculated in accordance with applicable U.S. securities laws and regulations, as may be reasonably requested by Trust management;
 
 
g.
Prepare and disseminate vendor survey information;
 
 
h.
Prepare and coordinate the filing of Rule 24f-2 notices, including coordination of payment;
 
 
i.
Provide sub-certificates in connection with the certification requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 with respect to the services provided by State Street;
 

B1-1

 
 

 



 
 
j.
Maintain certain books and records of the Trust as required under Rule 31a-1(b) of the 1940 Act, as may be mutually agreed upon;
 
 
k.
Perform for each Fund the compliance tests as mutually agreed, which tests shall be specific to each Fund.  The compliance summary reports listing the results of such tests are subject to review and approval by FT Services or the Trust.  Such reports shall be provided to FT Services and the Trust at such times as FT Services and State Street may agree, but in no event later than 2:00 p.m. New York time on each business day; and
 
 
l.
Assist with and/or coordinate such other filings, notices and regulatory matters on such terms and conditions as the parties hereto may mutually agree upon in writing from time to time.
 

B1-2

 
 

 



SCHEDULE B2
 
Fund Administration Tax Services
 
 
a.
Prepare the Funds’ annual federal, state, and local income tax returns and excise tax returns and extension requests for review and for execution and filing by the Trust’s treasurer or assistant treasurer, including Form 1120-RIC, Form 8613 and Form 1099-MISC;
 
 
b.
Preparation of financial information relating to  Form 1099-DIV, including completion of the ICI Primary and Secondary forms, Qualified Dividend Income, Dividends Received Deduction, Alternative Minimum Tax, Foreign Tax Credit, United States Government obligations and any other tax attribute as mutually agreed upon by the parties that may apply;
 
 
c.
Review, as requested, annual, and for other periods as mutually agreed to by the parties, minimum distribution calculations (income and capital gain) for both federal and excise tax purposes prior to their declaration;
 
 
d.
Participate in discussions of potential tax issues with the Funds and the Funds’ audit firm; and
 
 
e.
Prepare annual tax basis provisions for both excise and income tax purposes, including wash sales, all other required book/tax differences to be mutually agreed upon by the parties, all tax financial statement disclosure and items listed below:
 
 
Tax Provision Preparation
 
Prepare fiscal year-end tax provision analysis;
 
Process tax adjustments on securities and transactions identified by State Street and/or FT Services that require such treatment and prepare supporting schedules detailing those differences;
 
Prepare ROCSOP adjusting entries; and
 
Prepare financial statement footnote disclosures;

 
Excise Tax Distributions Calculations
 
Prepare calendar year tax distribution analysis;
 
Process tax adjustments on securities and transactions identified by State Street and/or FT Services that require such treatment and prepare supporting schedules detailing those differences;
 
As needed, prepare annual tax-based distribution estimates for each Fund; and
 
Provide FT Services with a recommended distribution amount sufficient to meet the applicable requirements under Subchapter M and the applicable excise tax requirements;

B2-1

 
 

 



 
Uncertain Tax Positions
 
Document all material tax positions taken by a Fund with respect to specified fiscal years identified by State Street and/or FT Services (“Tax Positions”);
 
Review of a Fund’s: (i) tax provision work papers, (ii) excise tax distribution work papers, (iii) income and excise tax returns, (iv) tax policies and procedures, (v) Subchapter M compliance work papers, and (vi) any other tax work papers or calculations;
 
Determine as to whether or not Tax Positions have been consistently applied, and document any inconsistencies;
 
Review relevant statutory authorities;
 
Review tax opinions and legal memoranda prepared by tax counsel or tax auditors to a Fund;
 
Review standard mutual fund industry practices, to the extent such practices are known to, or may reasonably be determined by, State Street; and
 
Delivery of a written report to FT Services detailing such items.

Tax services, as described in this Schedule, do not include identification of passive foreign investment companies, or IRC Section 1272(a)(6) tax calculations for asset backed securities.

 

B2-1

 
 

 



SCHEDULE B3
 
Fund Accounting Services
 
State Street shall maintain the books of account of each Fund and shall perform the following duties in the manner prescribed by such Fund's Governing Documents:
 
 
a.
Record general ledger entries;
 
 
b.
Accrue/calculate daily expenses;
 
 
c.
Calculate daily income;
 
 
d.
Reconcile daily activity to the trial balance;
 
 
e.
Calculate net asset value (“NAV”);
 
 
f.
Prepare account balances;
 
 
g.
Transmit the NAV per share of each Fund to the Fund’s transfer agent and distributor, the New York Stock Exchange (“ NYSE” ) and such other entities as directed in writing to State Street; and
 
 
h.
On each day a Fund is open for the purchase or redemption of shares of such Fund compute the number of shares of each Deposit Security (as defined in the Prospectus) to be included in the current Fund Deposit (as defined in the Prospectus) and shall transmit such information to the National Securities Clearing Corporation.
 
 
i.
Advise Fund and Transfer Agent of the daily amount of net income and if instructed, in writing by an officer of the Fund to do so, advise the Transfer Agent periodically of the division of net income among its various components.

Each Fund shall provide timely prior notice to State Street of any modification in the manner in which such calculations are to be performed as prescribed in any revision to such Fund's Governing.  State Street shall not be responsible for any revisions to calculations methods unless such revisions are communicated in writing to State Street.
 
 
 
B3-1
EX-99(h)(iii)
 
 

 
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
 
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of April 18, 2016, by and between STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, Massachusetts trust company having its principal office and place of business at One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111 (“State Street” or the “Transfer Agent”), and FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust having its principal office and place of business at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, California 94403 (the “Trust”).
 
WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets;
 
WHEREAS, the Trust intends to initially offer Shares in one or more series, each as named in the attached Schedule A, which may be amended by the parties from time to time (such series, together with all other series subsequently established by the Trust and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 12 of this Agreement, being herein referred to as a “Portfolio,” and collectively as the “Portfolios”);
 
WHEREAS, each Portfolio will issue and redeem Shares only in aggregations of Shares known as “Creation Units” as described in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information of the Trust (collectively, the “Prospectus”);
 
WHEREAS, only those entities (“Authorized Participants”) that have entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the distributor of the Trust, currently Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), are eligible to place orders for Creation Units with the Distributor;
 
WHEREAS, the Depository Trust Company, a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York (“DTC”) or its nominee will be the record or registered owner of all outstanding Shares;
 
WHEREAS, Trust desires to appoint Transfer Agent to act as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent in connection with certain activities; and Transfer Agent is willing to accept such appointment.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:
 
1.
TERMS OF APPOINTMENT
 
 
1.1
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Trust and each Portfolio hereby employs and appoints the Transfer Agent to act as, and the Transfer Agent agrees to act as, transfer agent for the Creation Units and dividend disbursing agent of the Trust and each Portfolio, all as more fully described herein and in accordance with the terms of the applicable provisions of the Trust’s current registration statement and effective amendments thereto. The Trust shall promptly provide the Transfer Agent with copies of such material as soon as
 

 
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available and, upon request, copies of any applicable resolutions by the Trust’s Board of Trustees that relate to the Creation Units.
 
 
1.2
Transfer Agency Services .  In accordance with procedures established from time to time by agreement between the Trust and each Portfolio, as applicable, and the Transfer Agent, the Transfer Agent shall:
 
 
(i)
establish each Authorized Participant’s account in the applicable Portfolio on the Transfer Agent’s recordkeeping system and maintain such account for the benefit of such Authorized Participant;
 
 
(ii)
receive and process orders for the purchase of Creation Units from the Distributor or the Trust, subject to a determination of acceptance by the Distributor or the Trust, and prompt delivery of payment and appropriate documentation thereof to the custodian of the applicable Portfolio as identified by the Trust (the “Custodian”);
 
 
(iii)
generate or cause to be generated and transmitted confirmation of receipt of such purchase orders and redemption requests to the Authorized Participants and, if applicable, transmit appropriate trade instructions to the National Securities Clearance Corporation (“NSCC”) and/or DTC;
 
 
(iv)
receive and process redemption requests and redemption directions from the Distributor or the Trust and deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Custodian;
 
 
(v)
with respect to items (i) through (iv) above, the Transfer Agent may execute transactions directly with Authorized Participants;
 
 
(vi)
at the appropriate time as and when it receives monies paid to it by the Custodian with respect to any redemption, pay over or cause to be paid over in the appropriate manner such monies, if any, to the redeeming Authorized Participant as instructed by the Distributor or the Trust;
 
 
(vii)
prepare and transmit by means of DTC’s book-entry system payments for any dividends and distributions declared by the Trust on behalf of the applicable Portfolio;
 
 
(viii)
record the issuance of Shares of the applicable Portfolio and maintain a record of the total number of Shares of each Portfolio which are issued and outstanding; and provide the Trust on a regular basis with the total number of Shares of each Portfolio which are issued and outstanding but Transfer Agent shall have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares to determine if there are authorized Shares available for issuance or to take cognizance of any laws relating to, or corporate actions required for, the issuance or sale of such Shares, which functions shall be the sole responsibility of the Trust and each Portfolio; and, excluding DTC or its nominee as the record or
 

 
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registered owner, the Transfer Agent shall have no obligations or responsibilities to account for, keep records of, or otherwise related to, the beneficial owners of the Shares;
 
 
(ix)
maintain and manage, as agent for the Trust and each Portfolio, such bank accounts as the Transfer Agent shall deem necessary for the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including but not limited to, the processing of Creation Unit purchases and redemptions and the payment of a Portfolio’s dividends and distributions.  The Transfer Agent may maintain such accounts at the bank or banks deemed appropriate by the Transfer Agent in accordance with applicable law;
 
 
(x)
process any request from an Authorized Participant to change its account registration; and
 
 
(xi)
except as otherwise instructed by the Trust, the Transfer Agent shall process all transactions in each Portfolio in accordance with the procedures mutually agreed upon by the Trust and the Transfer Agent with respect to the proper net asset value to be applied to purchase orders received in good order by the Transfer Agent or by the Trust or any other person or firm on behalf of such Portfolio or from an Authorized Participant before cut-offs established by the Trust.  The Transfer Agent shall report to the Trust any known exceptions to the foregoing.
 
 
1.3
Additional Services .  In addition to, and neither in lieu of nor in contravention of, the services set forth in Section 1.2 above, the Transfer Agent shall perform the following services:
 
 
(i)
The Transfer Agent shall perform such other services for the Trust that are mutually agreed to by the parties from time to time, for which the Trust will pay such fees as may be mutually agreed upon, including the Transfer Agent’s reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.  The provision of such services shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
 
 
(ii)
DTC and NSCC .  The Transfer Agent shall:  (a) accept and effectuate the registration and maintenance of accounts, and the purchase and redemption of Creation Units in such accounts, in accordance with instructions transmitted to and received by the Transfer Agent by transmission from DTC or NSCC on behalf of Authorized Participants; and (b) issue instructions to a Portfolio’s banks for the settlement of transactions between the Portfolio and DTC or NSCC (acting on behalf of the applicable Authorized Participant).
 
 
1.4
Authorized Persons .  The Trust and each Portfolio hereby agree and acknowledge that the Transfer Agent may rely on the current list of authorized persons, including the Distributor, as provided or agreed to by the Trust and as may be amended from time to time, in receiving instructions to issue or redeem Creation
 

 
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Units.  The Trust and each Portfolio, agrees and covenants for itself and each such authorized person that any order or sale of or transaction in Creation Units received by it after the order cut-off time as set forth in the Prospectus or such earlier time as designated by such Portfolio (the “Order Cut-Off Time”), shall be effectuated at the net asset value determined on the next business day or as otherwise required pursuant to applicable Portfolio’s then effective Prospectus, and the Trust or such authorized person shall so instruct the Transfer Agent of the proper effective date of the transaction.
 
 
1.5
Anti-Money Laundering and Client Screening .  With respect to the Trust’s or any Portfolio’s offering and sale of Creation Units at any time, and for all subsequent transfers of such interests, the Trust or its delegate shall, to the extent applicable, directly or indirectly and to the extent required by law:  (i) conduct know your customer/client identity due diligence with respect to potential investors and transferees in the Shares and Creation Units and shall obtain and retain due diligence records for each investor and transferee; (ii) use its best efforts to ensure that each investor’s and any transferee’s funds used to purchase Creation Units or Shares shall not be derived from, nor the product of, any criminal activity; (iii) if requested, provide periodic written verifications that such investors/transferees have been checked against the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control database for any non-compliance or exceptions; and (iv) perform its obligations under this Section in accordance with all applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations.  In the event that the Transfer Agent has received advice from counsel that access to underlying due diligence records pertaining to the investors/transferees is necessary to ensure compliance by the Transfer Agent with relevant anti-money laundering (or other applicable) laws or regulations, the Trust shall, upon receipt of written request from the Transfer Agent, provide the Transfer Agent copies of such due diligence records.
 
 
1.6
State Transaction (“Blue Sky”) Reporting .  If applicable, the Trust shall be solely responsible for its “blue sky” compliance and state registration requirements.
 
 
1.7
Tax Law .  The Transfer Agent shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on the Trust, a Portfolio, any Creation Units, any Shares, a beneficial owner thereof, an Authorized Participant or the Transfer Agent in connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent hereunder by the tax laws of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof.  It shall be the responsibility of the Trust to notify the Transfer Agent of the obligations imposed on the Trust, a Portfolio, the Creation Units, the Shares, or the Transfer Agent in connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent hereunder by the tax law of countries, states and political subdivisions thereof, including responsibility for withholding and other taxes, assessments or other governmental charges, certifications and governmental reporting.
 
 
1.8
The Transfer Agent shall provide the office facilities and the personnel determined by it to perform the services contemplated herein.
 

 
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2.
FEES AND EXPENSES
 
 
2.1
Fee Schedule .  For the performance by the Transfer Agent of services provided pursuant to this Agreement, the Transfer Agent shall be entitled to receive the fees and expenses set forth in a written fee schedule.
 
3.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TRANSFER AGENT
 
The Transfer Agent represents, warrants and covenants to the Trust that:
 
 
3.1
It is a trust company duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
 
 
3.2
It is duly registered as a transfer agent under Section 17A(c)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), it will remain so registered for the duration of this Agreement, and it will promptly notify the Trust in the event of any material change in its status as a registered transfer agent.
 
 
3.3
It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
 
 
3.4
It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into and perform the services contemplated in this Agreement.
 
 
3.5
All requisite organizational proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
 
 
3.6
No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Transfer Agent’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
 
 
3.7
Its execution of this Agreement will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Transfer Agent or any law or regulation applicable to it.
 
 
3.8
It shall comply with all laws and regulations applicable to it as such laws and regulations relate to the Transfer Agent’s performance of the services hereunder.
 
 
3.9
It will notify the Trust promptly if any of the representations and warranties above cease to be true.
 

 
4.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TRUST AND THE PORTFOLIOS
 
The Trust and each Portfolio represents, warrants and covenants to the Transfer Agent that:
 

 
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4.1
The Trust is a business trust duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its formation.
 
 
4.2
The Trust is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into and perform this Agreement.
 
 
4.3
All requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize the Trust to enter into, perform and receive services pursuant to this Agreement.
 
 
4.4
The Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) as an open-end management investment company.
 
 
4.5
A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is currently or will be effective and will remain effective, and all appropriate state securities law filings have been or will be made and will continue to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Trust being offered for sale.
 
 
4.6
Where information provided by the Trust or a Trust’s investors includes information about an identifiable individual (“Personal Information”), the Trust represents and warrants that it has obtained all consents and approvals, as required by all applicable laws, regulations, by-laws and ordinances that regulate the collection, processing, use or disclosure of Personal Information, necessary to disclose such Personal Information to the Transfer Agent, and as required for the Transfer Agent to use and disclose such Personal Information in connection with the performance of the services hereunder.  The Trust acknowledges that the Transfer Agent may perform any of the services, and may use and disclose Personal Information outside of the jurisdiction in which it was initially collected by the Trust, including the United States and that information relating to the Trust, including Personal Information of investors may be accessed by national security authorities, law enforcement and courts.  Subject to the satisfaction of the standard of care in Section 7 of this Agreement, the Transfer Agent shall be kept indemnified by and be without liability to the Trust for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon this representation and warranty, including without limitation, any liability or costs in connection with claims or complaints for failure to comply with any applicable law that regulates the collection, processing, use or disclosure of Personal Information.
 
 
4.7
The execution by the Trust, on behalf of the Portfolios, of this Agreement will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Trust or any law or regulation applicable to it.
 
 
4.8
No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Trust’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement
 
 
4.9
The Trust shall comply with all laws and regulations applicable to it.
 

 
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4.10
The Trust will notify the Transfer Agent promptly if any of the representations and warranties above cease to be true.
 
5.
DATA ACCESS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
 
 
5.1
The Trust acknowledges that the databases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation manuals furnished to the Trust by the Transfer Agent as part of the Trust’s ability to access certain Trust-related data maintained by the Transfer Agent or another third party on databases under the control and ownership of the Transfer Agent (“Data Access Services”) constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information (collectively, “Proprietary Information”) of substantial value to the Transfer Agent or another third party.  In no event shall Proprietary Information be deemed Authorized Participant information or the confidential information of the Trust.  The Trust and each Portfolio agree to treat all Proprietary Information as proprietary to the Transfer Agent and further agree that it shall not divulge any Proprietary Information to any person or organization except as may be provided hereunder.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Trust agrees for itself and its officers and trustees and their agents, to:
 
 
(i)
use such programs and databases solely on the Trust’s, or such agents’ computers, or solely from equipment at the location(s) agreed to between the Trust and the Transfer Agent, and solely in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s applicable user documentation;
 
 
(ii)
refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the Proprietary Information;
 
 
(iii)
refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion of the Proprietary Information, and if such access is inadvertently obtained, to inform the Transfer Agent in a timely manner of such fact and dispose of such information in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s instructions;
 
 
(iv)
refrain from causing or allowing Proprietary Information transmitted from the Transfer Agent’s computers to the Trust’s, or such agents’ computer to be retransmitted to any other computer facility or other location, except with the prior written consent of the Transfer Agent;
 
 
(v)
allow the Trust or such agents to have access only to those authorized transactions agreed upon by the Trust and the Transfer Agent; and
 
 
(vi)
honor all reasonable written requests made by the Transfer Agent to protect at the Transfer Agent’s expense the rights of the Transfer Agent in Proprietary Information at common law, under federal copyright law and under other federal or state law.
 
 
5.2
Proprietary Information shall not include all or any portion of any of the foregoing items that are or become publicly available without breach of this
 

 
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Agreement; that are released for general disclosure by a written release by the Transfer Agent; or that are already in the possession of the receiving party at the time of receipt without obligation of confidentiality or breach of this Agreement.
 
 
5.3
The Trust may disclose Proprietary Information in the event that it is required to be disclosed:  (i) by law or in a judicial or administrative proceeding; or (ii) by an appropriate regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Trust; provided that all reasonable legal remedies for maintaining such information in confidence have been exhausted, including, but not limited to, giving the Transfer Agent as much advance notice of the possibility of such disclosure as practical so the Transfer Agent may attempt to prevent such disclosure or obtain a protective order concerning such disclosure.
 
 
5.4
If the Trust notifies the Transfer Agent that any of the Data Access Services do not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued user documentation for such services, the Transfer Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts in a timely manner to correct such failure.  Organizations from which the Transfer Agent may obtain certain data included in the Data Access Services are solely responsible for the contents of such data, and the Trust agrees to make no claim against the Transfer Agent arising out of the contents of such third-party data, including, but not limited to, the accuracy thereof.
 
 
5.5
If the transactions available to the Trust include the ability to originate electronic instructions to the Transfer Agent in order to effect the transfer or movement of cash or Creation Units or transmit Authorized Participant information or other information, then in such event the Transfer Agent shall be entitled to rely on the validity and authenticity of such instruction without undertaking any further inquiry as long as such instruction is undertaken in conformity with security procedures established by the Transfer Agent from time to time.
 
 
5.6
Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their obligations pursuant to this Section.  The obligations of this Section shall survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.
 
 
5.7
DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS, AS AVAILABLE” BASIS.  THE TRANSFER AGENT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
 
 
5.8
Notwithstanding Section 5.1, the Trust is granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable and perpetual right to use reports generated in connection with the Trust’s receipt of transfer agency services hereunder; provided, however, that (i) such use is limited to the Trust’s internal business purposes and (ii) such reports
 

 
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may not be re-distributed by the Trust except in the ordinary course of its business to Authorized Participants and internal organizations for informational purposes.
 
6.
RESERVED
 
7.
STANDARD OF CARE / LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
 
 
7.1
The Transfer Agent shall at all times act in good faith and without negligence and agrees to exercise the reasonable level of skill, care and diligence of a professional provider of transfer agency services and use all reasonable efforts in its performance of all services performed under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for loss or damage due to errors, including encoding and payment processing errors, unless said errors are caused by its, or its employees’ or agents’, negligence, bad faith, fraud, willful misconduct or reckless disregard of duties hereunder.  The parties agree that any encoding or payment processing errors shall be governed by this standard of care, and that Section 4-209 of the Uniform Commercial Code is superseded by this Section.
 
 
7.2
In any event, the Transfer Agent’s cumulative liability for each calendar year (a “Liability Period”) with respect to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement regardless of the form of action or legal theory shall be limited to its total annual compensation earned and fees payable hereunder during the preceding Compensation Period, as defined herein, for any liability or loss suffered by the Trust or the Portfolios including, but not limited to, any liability relating to qualification of the Trust or a Portfolio as a regulated investment company or any liability relating to the Trust’s or a Portfolio’s compliance with any federal or state tax or securities statute, regulation or ruling during such Liability Period.  “Compensation Period” shall mean the calendar year ending immediately prior to each Liability Period in which the event(s) giving rise to the Transfer Agent’s liability for that period have occurred.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Compensation Period for purposes of calculating the annual cumulative liability of the Transfer Agent for the Liability Period commencing on the date of this Agreement and terminating on December 31, 2016 shall be the date of this Agreement through December 31, 2016, calculated on an annualized basis, and the Compensation Period for the Liability Period commencing January 1, 2017 and terminating on December 31, 2017 shall be the date of this Agreement through December 31, 2016, calculated on an annualized basis.  In no event shall the Transfer Agent or the Trust be liable for any special, incidental, indirect, punitive or consequential damages, regardless of the form of action and even if the same were foreseeable.
 
8.
INDEMNIFICATION
 
 
8.1
The Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for, and the Trust and each Portfolio shall indemnify and hold the Transfer Agent harmless from and against, any and all direct losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees (including the
 

 
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defense of any lawsuit in which the Transfer Agent or affiliate is a named party), payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to the following:
 
 
(i)
all actions of the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such actions are taken in accordance with the standard of care and without negligence, fraud, bad faith, willful misconduct, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder;
 
 
(ii)
the Trust’s breach of any representation, warranty or covenant of the Trust hereunder;
 
 
(iii)
the Trust’s lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct;
 
 
(iv)
reliance upon, and any subsequent use of or action taken or omitted in reliance on, by the Transfer Agent, or its agents or subcontractors:  (a) any information, records, documents, data, stock certificates or services, which are received by the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors by machine readable input, facsimile, electronic data entry, electronic instructions or other similar means authorized by the Trust, and which have been prepared, maintained or performed by the Trust or any other person or firm on behalf of the Trust, including but not limited to any broker-dealer, third party administrator or previous transfer agent; (b) any instructions or requests of the Trust or its officers or the Trust’s agents or subcontractors or their officers or employees; (c) any instructions or opinions of legal counsel to the Trust or any Portfolio with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement which are provided to the Transfer Agent after consultation with such legal counsel; or (d) any paper or document, reasonably believed to be genuine, authentic, or signed by the proper person or persons;
 
 
(v)
the offer or sale of Creation Units in violation of any requirement under federal or state securities laws or regulations requiring that such Creation Units be registered, or in violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal or state agency with respect to the offer or sale of such Creation Units;
 
 
(vi)
the negotiation and processing of any checks, wires and ACH transmissions, including without limitation, for deposit into, or credit to, the Trust’s demand deposit accounts maintained by the Transfer Agent;
 
 
(vii)
all actions relating to the transmission of Trust, Creation Unit or Authorized Participant data through the NSCC clearing systems, if applicable; and
 
 
(viii)
any tax obligations under the tax laws of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof, including taxes, withholding and reporting requirements, claims for exemption and refund, additions for late payment,
 

 
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interest, penalties and other expenses (including legal expenses) that may be assessed, imposed or charged against the Transfer Agent as transfer agent hereunder, but excluding income, excise, franchise or other similar taxes ordinarily imposed on the Transfer Agent’s income, properties or business generally.
 
 
8.2
At any time the Transfer Agent may apply to any officer of the Trust for instructions, and may consult with legal counsel (which may be Trust counsel)  with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement, and the Transfer Agent and its agents or subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the Trust and the applicable Portfolio for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel.  The Transfer Agent, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected and indemnified in acting upon any paper or document furnished by or on behalf of the Trust or the applicable Portfolio, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or documents provided the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors by machine readable input, electronic data entry or other similar means authorized by the Trust and the Portfolios, and shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the Trust.
 
9.
ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE TRUST AND THE TRANSFER AGENT
 
 
9.1
Delivery of Documents .  The Trust shall promptly furnish to the Transfer Agent the following:
 
 
(i)
A copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Trust certified by the Trust’s Secretary authorizing the appointment of the Transfer Agent and the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
 
 
(ii)
A copy of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Trust and all amendments thereto.
 
 
9.2
Certificates, Checks, Facsimile Signature Devices .  The Transfer Agent hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and procedures for the secure safekeeping of any stock certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices; and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of, such certificates, forms and devices.
 
 
9.3
Records .  The Transfer Agent shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder, in the form, manner and for such periods as it may deem advisable and as may be required by the laws and regulations applicable to its services as a transfer agent as contemplated hereunder.  To the extent required by Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the Rules thereunder, the Transfer Agent agrees that all such records prepared or maintained by the Transfer Agent relating to the services to be performed by the Transfer Agent hereunder are the property of the
 

 
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Trust and will be preserved, maintained and made available in accordance with such Section and Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the Trust on and in accordance with its request.  Records may be surrendered in either written or machine readable form, as mutually agreed upon by the Trust and the Transfer Agent.  The Trust and any authorized person thereof shall have access to such records in possession or under control of Transfer Agent at all times during the Transfer Agent’s normal business hours.  Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such records in the possession or under the control of the Transfer Agent shall be provided by Transfer Agent to the Trust or any authorized person thereof.
 
 
9.4
In the event that the Transfer Agent is requested or authorized by the Trust, or required by subpoena, administrative order, court order or other legal process, applicable law or regulation, or required in connection with any investigation, examination or inspection of the Trust by state or federal regulatory agencies, to produce the records of the Trust or the Transfer Agent’s personnel as witnesses or deponents, the Trust agrees to pay the Transfer Agent for the Transfer Agent’s time and expenses, as well as the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent’s counsel, incurred in such production.
 
10.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND USE OF DATA
 
 
10.1
All information provided under this Agreement by a party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving Party”) regarding the Disclosing Party’s business and operations shall be treated as confidential.  Subject to Section 10.2 below, all confidential information provided under this Agreement (“Confidential Information”) by Disclosing Party shall be used, including disclosure to third parties, by the Receiving Party, or its agents or service providers, solely for the purpose of performing or receiving the services and discharging the Receiving Party’s other obligations under the Agreement or managing the business of the Receiving Party and its Affiliates (as defined in Section 10.2 below), including financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.  The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (b) that is independently derived by the Receiving Party without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement, (c) that is disclosed to comply with any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, (d) that is disclosed as required by operation of law or regulation or as required to comply with the requirements of any market infrastructure that the Disclosing Party or its agents direct the Transfer Agent or its Affiliates to employ (or which is required in connection with the holding or settlement of instruments included in the assets subject to this Agreement), or (e) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.  Further, each Party agrees and represents that in no case would
 

 
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information it provides under this Agreement be used against it in a manner that is adverse to its interests (including its interests in competitive businesses).
 
          10.2
i)
In connection with the provision of the services and the discharge of its other obligations under this Agreement, the Transfer Agent (which term for purposes of this Section 10.2 includes each of its parent company, branches and affiliates (“ Affiliates ”)) may collect and store information regarding the Trust or a Portfolio and share such information with its Affiliates, agents and service providers who have a need to know such information in order and to the extent reasonably necessary (i) to carry out the provision of services contemplated under this Agreement and other agreements between the Trust and the Transfer Agent or any of its Affiliates and (ii) to carry out management of its businesses, including, but not limited to, financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.
 
 
(ii)
Subject to paragraph (iii) below, the Transfer Agent and/or its Affiliates (except those Affiliates or business divisions principally engaged in the business of asset management) may use any data or other information (“Data”) obtained by such entities in the performance of their services under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Trust and the Transfer Agent or one of its Affiliates, including Data regarding transactions and portfolio holdings relating to the Trust/Portfolio, and publish, sell, distribute or otherwise commercialize the Data; provided that, unless the Trust otherwise consents, Data is combined or aggregated with information relating to (i) other customers of the Transfer Agent and/or its Affiliates or (ii) information derived from other sources, in each case such that any published information will be displayed in a manner designed to prevent attribution to or identification of such Data with the Trust/Portfolio and in the case of (i) or (ii), such Data shall not be presented in a format which permits such Data to be reverse engineered to identify the Trust/Portfolio.  The Trust agrees that the Transfer Agent and/or its Affiliates may seek to profit and realize economic benefit from the commercialization and use of the Data, that such benefit will constitute part of the Transfer Agent’s compensation for services under this Agreement or such other agreement, and the Transfer Agent and/or its Affiliates shall be entitled to retain and not be required to disclose the amount of such economic benefit and profit to the Trust/Portfolio.
 
 
(iii)
Except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, nothing in this Section 10.2 shall limit the confidentiality and data-protection obligations of the Transfer Agent and its Affiliates under this Agreement and applicable law.  The Transfer Agent shall cause any Affiliate, agent or service provider to which it has disclosed Data pursuant to this section 10.2 to comply at all times with confidentiality and data-protection obligations as if it were a party to this Agreement.
 

 
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10.3
The Transfer Agent affirms that it has, and will continue to have throughout the term of this Agreement, procedures in place that are reasonably designed to protect the privacy of non-public personal consumer/customer financial information to the extent required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
 
11.
EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION
 
This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for an initial three-year term ending May 31, 2019 (the “Initial Term”).  After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms (each, a “Renewal Term”) unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by the non-renewing party no later than sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, as the case may be.  During the Initial Term and thereafter, either party may terminate this Agreement:  (i) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either (a) failed to cure or (b) failed to establish a remedial plan to cure that is reasonably acceptable, within 60 days’ written notice of such breach, or (ii) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction.  Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph with respect to the Trust or any Portfolio, the Trust or applicable Portfolio shall pay Transfer Agent its compensation due and shall reimburse Transfer Agent for its costs, expenses and disbursements.
 
In the event of:  (i) the Trust’s termination of this Agreement with respect to the Trust or its Portfolio(s) for any reason other than as set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph or (ii) a transaction not in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which the Transfer Agent is not retained to continue providing services hereunder to the Trust or a Portfolio (or its respective successor), the Trust or applicable Portfolio shall pay the Transfer Agent its compensation due through the end of the then-current term (based upon the average monthly compensation previously earned by Transfer Agent with respect to the Trust or such Portfolio) and shall reimburse the Transfer Agent for its costs, expenses and disbursements.  Upon receipt of such payment and reimbursement, the Transfer Agent will deliver the Trust’s or such Portfolio’s records as set forth herein.  For the avoidance of doubt, no payment will be required pursuant to clause (ii) of this paragraph in the event of any transaction such as (a) the liquidation or dissolution of the Trust or a Portfolio and distribution of the Trust’s or Portfolio’s assets as a result of the Board’s determination in its reasonable business judgment that the Trust or such Portfolio is no longer viable, (b) a merger of the Trust or a Portfolio into, or the consolidation of the Trust of a Portfolio with, another entity, or (c) the sale by the Trust or a Portfolio of all, or substantially all, of its assets to another entity, in each of (b) and (c) where the Transfer Agent is retained to continue providing services to the Trust or such Portfolio (or its respective successor) on substantially the same terms as this Agreement.
 
Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Portfolio shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to the Trust or any other Portfolio.
 
Should the Agreement be terminated by either party for any reason and if requested by the Trust, the Transfer Agent agrees to continue performing the services contemplated in this
 

 
14

 
 
 
Agreement pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement at the rates set forth in the then current fee schedule and for a reasonable period of time to be agreed upon by the parties in good faith, in order to provide for the orderly transition of services to an alternative service provider designated by the Trust so that, to the extent feasible, the services are maintained without interruption. The Trust shall reimburse the Transfer Agent for additional costs (to be mutually agreed upon by the parties) which are reasonably incurred by the Transfer Agent in the transition.
 
12.
ADDITIONAL PORTFOLIOS
 
In the event that the Trust establishes one or more series of Shares in addition to the Portfolios listed on the attached Schedule A, with respect to which the Trust desires to have the Transfer Agent render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Transfer Agent in writing, and if the Transfer Agent agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall become a Portfolio hereunder.
 
13.
ASSIGNMENT
 
 
13.1
Except as provided in Section 14 below, neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without the written consent of the other party.
 
 
13.2
Except as explicitly stated elsewhere in this Agreement, nothing under this Agreement shall be construed to give any rights or benefits in this Agreement to anyone other than the Transfer Agent and the Trust and the Portfolios, and the duties and responsibilities undertaken pursuant to this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Transfer Agent and the Trust and the Portfolios.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
 
 
13.3
This Agreement does not constitute an agreement for a partnership or joint venture between the Transfer Agent and the Trust.  Other than as provided in Section 14.1, neither party shall make any commitments with third parties that are binding on the other party without the other party’s prior written consent.
 
14.
SUBCONTRACTORS
 
The Transfer Agent may, without further consent on the part of the Trust, subcontract for the performance hereof with a transfer agent which is duly registered pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2) of the 1934 Act, including, but not limited to:  (i) Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (“BFDS”); (ii) a BFDS subsidiary; (iii) a BFDS affiliate; or (iv) another affiliated or unaffiliated third party duly registered as a transfer agent; provided, however, that the Transfer Agent shall remain liable to the Trust for the acts and omissions of any subcontractor under this Section as it is for its own acts and omissions under this Agreement.
 

 
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15.
MISCELLANEOUS
 
 
15.1
Amendment .  This Agreement may be amended by a written agreement executed by both parties.
 
 
15.2
Massachusetts Law to Apply .  This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts without giving effect to any conflicts of law rules thereof.
 
 
15.3
Force Majeure .  Transfer Agent shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control, including without limitation, work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, computer virus, natural disaster, governmental action or communication disruption.
 
 
15.4
Reserved .
 
 
15.5
Survival .  All provisions regarding indemnification, warranty, liability, and limits thereon, and confidentiality and/or protections of proprietary rights and trade secrets shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
 
 
15.6
Severability .  If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.
 
 
15.7
Priorities Clause .  In the event of any conflict, discrepancy or ambiguity between the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement and any schedules or attachments hereto, the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement shall take precedence.
 
 
15.8
Waiver .  The failure of a party to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion shall not be considered a waiver nor shall it deprive such party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any term of this Agreement.  The failure of a party hereto to exercise, or any delay in exercising, any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any such term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or remedies, and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy.  Any waiver must be in writing signed by the waiving party.
 
 
15.9
Entire Agreement .  This Agreement and any schedules, exhibits, attachments or amendments hereto constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof, whether oral or written.
 

 
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15.10
Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.  Counterparts may be executed in either original or electronically transmitted form (e.g., faxes or emailed portable document format (PDF) form), and the parties hereby adopt as original any signatures received via electronically transmitted form.
 
 
15.11
Reproduction of Documents .  This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process.  Each party hereto agrees that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.
 
 
15.12
Notices .  Any notice instruction or other instrument required to be given hereunder will be in writing and may be sent by hand, or by facsimile transmission, or overnight delivery by any recognized delivery service, to the parties at the following address or such other address as may be notified by any party from time to time:
 
(a)           If to Transfer Agent, to:

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
Transfer Agency
Attention:  Compliance
100 Huntington Ave
Copley Place Tower 2, Floor 3
Boston, MA 02116

With a copy to:

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
Legal Division – Global Services Americas
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA  02111
Attention:  Senior Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel

(b)           If to the Trust, to:

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
3310 Quality Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Attn: Gaston Gardey
Telephone: 916-463-5509

 
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Facsimile: 916-463-1558

With a copy to:

c/o Franklin Advisers, Inc.
One Franklin Parkway
San Matteo, CA  94403
Attention: Navid J. Tofigh
Telephone: 650-312-3492
Telecopy: 650-525-7141

 
15.13
Interpretive and Other Provisions .  In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Transfer Agent and the Trust, on behalf of each Portfolio, may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement.  Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable laws or regulations or any provision of the Trust’s governing documents.  No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Agreement.
 
 
15.14
Employment of Others .  The Transfer Agent may employ, engage, associate or contract with such person or persons, including, without limitation, affiliates and subsidiaries of the Transfer Agent, as the Transfer Agent may deem desirable to assist it in performing its duties under this Agreement without the consent of the Trust; provided, however, that the compensation of such person or persons shall be paid by the Transfer Agent and that the Transfer Agent shall be as fully responsible to the Trust for the acts and omissions of any such person or persons as it is for its own acts and omissions under this Agreement.
 
 
15.15
Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders .  It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any shareholder, Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust, as provided in its Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trust and neither such authorization nor such execution and delivery shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in its Declaration of Trust and By-Laws.
 
 
15.16
Several Obligations of the Portfolios .  This Agreement is an agreement entered into between the Transfer Agent and the Trust with respect to each Portfolio.  With respect to any obligation of the Trust on behalf of any Portfolio arising out of this Agreement, the Transfer Agent shall look for payment or satisfaction of such obligation solely to the assets of the Portfolio to which such obligation
 

 
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relates as though the Transfer Agent had separately contracted with the Trust by separate written instrument with respect to each Portfolio.
 
 
15.17
Reports/Certifications .  Upon reasonable request of the Trust, the Transfer Agent shall provide the Trust with a copy of the Transfer Agent’s Service Organizational Control (SOC) 1 reports prepared in accordance with the requirements of AT section 801, Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization (formerly Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16).  The Transfer Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Trust with such reports as the Trust may reasonably request or otherwise reasonably require to fulfill its duties under Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act or similar legal and regulatory requirements.
 
 
15.18
Cooperation with Trust’s Accountants .  Transfer Agent shall cooperate with the Trust’s independent public accountants and take all reasonable actions in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to provide such information, as may be reasonably requested by the Trust from time to time, to such accountants for the expression of their opinion.
 
 
15.19
Business Continuity .  The Transfer Agent shall enter into and shall maintain in effect, at all times during the term of this Agreement, with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Trusts and Portfolios; and (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to provide services under this Agreement.
 
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
 



 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, as of the day and year first above written.
 

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY



By:            /s/ Gunjan Kedia                                                                 
Name:              Gunjan Kedia                                                                 
Title:              Executive Vice President                                                                 


FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST



By:            /s/ Laura F. Fergerson                                                                                      
Name:            Laura F. Fergerson                                                                            
Title:            Chief Executive Officer, Finance and Administration




 
20

 

Schedule A
 
LIST OF PORTFOLIOS
 
Franklin Liberty U.S. Low Volatility ETF
Franklin Liberty Investment Grade Corporate ETF
Franklin Liberty International Opportunities ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Entity ETF
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF

EX-99(i)(i)


 
 
 
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
Suite 2600
2005 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA  19103-7018
215.564.8000
www.stradley.com


May 13, 2016

Board of Trustees of Franklin Templeton ETF Trust
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906


 
Subject:
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A relating to Franklin Templeton ETF Trust,
 
a Delaware statutory trust
File Nos. 333-208873; 811-23124

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Franklin Templeton ETF Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), including its new series, Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF, Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF and Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF (the “Series”), in connection with the preparation and filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Registration Statement of the Trust on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933 and Amendment No. 3 to such Registration Statement under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Amendment”).

We have reviewed the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws, and resolutions adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, and such other legal and factual matters as we have deemed appropriate.

This opinion is based exclusively on the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and does not extend to the securities or “blue sky” laws of the State of Delaware or other States.

We have assumed the following for purposes of this opinion:

 
1.
The shares of the Series will be issued in accordance with the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws (each as amended to date) and resolutions of the Trust’s Board of Trustees relating to the creation, authorization and issuance of shares of the Series.

 
 

 


 
2.
The Series’ shares will be issued against payment therefor as described in the Series’ then-current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information relating thereto and that such payment will have been at least equal to the applicable offering price.

On the basis of the foregoing, it is our opinion that, when issued and paid for upon the terms provided in the Amendment, the shares of beneficial interest, without par value, of the Series to be issued pursuant to the Amendment will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Amendment.

Very truly yours,

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP


By:    /s/ Kristin H. Ives         
Kristin H. Ives, a Partner                                                  
         

EX-99(j)(i)

 
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated May 12, 2016,   relating to the financial statement of Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF, a series of Franklin Templeton ETF Trust, which appears in such Registration Statement.  We also consent to the references to us under the headings “Financial Statements” and “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in such Registration Statement.
 
 
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
San Francisco, California
May 12, 2016
EX-99(m)(i)
 

 
DISTRIBUTION PLAN

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST
on behalf of each of its series listed on Exhibit A

 
Preamble to Distribution Plan
 
The following Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) has been adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”), by FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST (the “Trust”) for use with each of its series listed in Exhibit A (each a “Fund”), which Plan shall take effect with respect to a Fund on the date the shares of such Fund are first offered for sale (the “Effective Date of the Plan”).  The Plan has been approved by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”), including a majority of the trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (the “Independent Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan.
 
In reviewing the Plan, the Board considered the schedule and nature of payments and terms of the Investment Management Agreement between the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, and Franklin Advisers, Inc. (the “Manager”) and the terms of the Distribution Agreement between the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. (“Distributors”).  The Board concluded that the compensation of the Manager, under the Investment Management Agreement, and of Distributors, under the Distribution Agreement, was fair and not excessive; however, the Board also recognized that uncertainty may exist from time to time with respect to whether payments to be made by each Fund to the Manager, Distributors, or others or by the Manager or Distributors to others may be deemed to constitute distribution expenses of the Fund.  Accordingly, the Board determined that the Plan should provide for such payments and that adoption of the Plan would be prudent and in the best interests of each Fund and its shareholders.  Such approval included a determination that in the exercise of their reasonable business judgment and in light of their fiduciary duties, there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit each Fund and its shareholders.
 
DISTRIBUTION PLAN
 
1.           The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, shall pay Distributors or others a fee as compensation for the promotion and distribution of the shares of the Fund, as well as for shareholder services provided for existing shareholders of the Fund.  Payments made for the promotion and distribution of the Fund’s shares may be used for, among other things, the printing of prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes, preparing and distributing sales literature (and any related expenses), advertisements, and other distribution-related expenses; certain promotional distribution charges and shareholder financial planning needs, placement on dealers’ lists of offered funds, access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of dealers, participation in and/or presentation at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other dealer sponsored events, and ticket charges; or payment of dealer commissions and wholesaler compensation in connection with sales of the Fund’s shares.  Payments made for shareholder services may be used for, among other things, the expenses of assisting in the establishment and maintenance of customer accounts and records, assisting with purchase and redemption requests, arranging for bank wires, monitoring dividend payments from the Fund on behalf of customers, forwarding certain shareholder communications from a Fund to customers, receiving and answering correspondence, and aiding in the maintenance of investments of their respective customers in the Fund.  These payments may also include any distribution or service fees paid to securities dealers or their firms or others.  Agreements for the payment of distribution and service fees to securities dealers or their firms or others shall be in a form which has been approved from time to time by the Board, including the Independent Trustees.
 
2.           The maximum amount which may be paid by the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, to Distributors or others pursuant to Paragraph 1 herein shall be 0.25% per annum of the average daily net assets of the Fund.  Said payment shall be made quarterly by the Fund to Distributors or others.

 
 

 
 


 

 
3.         In addition to the payments which the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, is authorized to make pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 hereof, to the extent that the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, the Manager, Distributors or other parties on behalf of the Fund, the Manager or Distributors make payments that are deemed to be payments by the Fund for the financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares issued by the Fund within the context of Rule 12b-1 under the Act, then such payments shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to the Plan.

            In no event shall the aggregate asset-based sales charges which include payments specified in paragraphs 1 and 2, plus any other payments deemed to be made pursuant to the Plan under this paragraph, exceed the amount permitted to be paid pursuant to the Rule 2830(d) of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any successor thereto, if applicable.

4.         Distributors shall furnish to the Board, for its review, on a quarterly basis, a written report of the monies paid to it and to others under the Plan, including the purposes thereof, and shall furnish the Board with such other information as the Board may reasonably request in connection with the payments made under the Plan in order to enable the Board to make an informed determination of whether the Plan should be continued.

5.         The Plan, and any agreements related to this Plan, shall continue in effect for a period of more than one year only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of the Board, and of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan and any related agreements.
  
6.         The Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by vote a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, as and to the extent required by the Act and the rules thereunder, including Rule 18f-3(a)(3).

7.         Any agreement related to this Plan:

(a)        may be terminated at any time with respect to any Fund, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by vote a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on not more than 60 days’ written notice to any other party to the agreement; and

(b)        will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the Act).
 
8.         The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount to be spent for distribution pursuant to Paragraph 2 hereof without approval by a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as and to the extent required by the Act and the rules thereunder, including Rule 18f-3(a)(3)).

9.         All material amendments to the Plan shall be approved by a vote of the Board, and of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan.

10.       So long as the Plan is in effect, the Board shall satisfy the fund governance standards as defined in Rule 0-1(a)(7) under the Act, including that the selection and nomination of the Trust’s Independent Trustees shall be committed to the discretion of such incumbent Independent Trustees.

            

 
 

 
 


 
This Plan and the terms and provisions thereof are hereby accepted and agreed to by the Trust and Distributors as evidenced by their execution hereof.
 

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON ETF TRUST on behalf of each of its series listed on Exhibit A


By:      ___________________________   
Navid J. Tofigh
Title:       Vice President and Secretary


FRANKLIN/TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.


By:       ___________________________    
Dan O’Lear
Title:       President


Dated:            April 18, 2016

 
 

 
 


 
Exhibit A
 
Franklin Liberty International Opportunities ETF
Franklin Liberty Investment Grade Corporate ETF
Franklin Liberty U.S. Low Volatility ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Emerging Markets ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Dividend ETF
Franklin LibertyQ Global Equity ETF
Franklin LibertyQ International Equity Hedged ETF
 

EX-99(p)(i)
 
 
PERSONAL INVESTMENTS AND INSIDER TRADING POLICY
May 2013


 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON INVESTMENTS
 
PERSONAL INVESTMENTS AND INSIDER TRADING POLICY (“The Policy”)
 
(This Policy serves as a code of ethics adopted pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the
 
Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940)
 

 
Revised May 1, 2013
 

 
SECTION 1.                      PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
1.1           Scope and Purpose of the Policy
1.2           Statement of Principles
1.3           Prohibited Activities
1.4           Monitoring of the Policy and Additional Information
 
SECTION 2.                      PERSONAL INVESTMENTS
2.1           Statement on Covered Employee Investments
2.2           Categories of Persons Subject to the Policy
2.3           Accounts and Transactions Covered by the Policy
2.4           Prohibited Transactions
2.5     Additional Prohibitions and Requirements for Access Persons and Portfolio Persons
2.6           Reporting Requirements
2.7           Pre-Clearance Requirements
2.8           Requirements for Independent Directors
 
SECTION 3.                      INSIDER TRADING
3.1           Policy on Insider Trading
 
SECTION 4.                      RELATED POLICIES AND REQUIREMENTS
4.1           Statement on Other Policies and Requirements
 
SECTION 5.                      ADMINISTRATION OF THE POLICY, WAIVERS & REPORTING VIOLATIONS
5.1     Code of Ethics Committee; Reporting to FT Fund Boards
5.2           Violations of the Policy
5.3           Waivers of the Policy
5.4           Reporting Violations
 
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This document is the proprietary product of Franklin Templeton Investments. Any unauthorized use, reproduction or transfer of this document is strictly prohibited. Franklin Templeton Investments © 2012.  All Rights Reserved.
 
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON INVESTMENTS

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
PERSONAL INVESTMENTS AND INSIDER TRADING POLICY
May 2013
 

 
SECTION 1. PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
 
 
 
1.1
Scope and Purpose of the Policy
 
The Franklin Templeton Investments Personal Investments and Insider Trading Policy (the “Policy) applies to the personal investment activities of all Covered Employees (as defined in section 2.2 of the Policy) of Franklin Resources, Inc. (“FRI”) and  all of its subsidiaries (collectively, “Franklin Templeton”).
 
Franklin Templeton provides services to the funds that are advised or sub-advised by a Franklin Templeton investment adviser (the “FT Funds”) and other client accounts (“Client Accounts”).  Thus, for purposes of this Policy, “FT Fund” includes all open-end and closed-end funds within the Franklin Templeton Group of Funds, as well as any other fund that is advised or sub-advised by a Franklin Templeton investment adviser.
 
The purpose of the Policy is to summarize the values, principles and business practices that guide Franklin Templeton’s business conduct and to establish a set of principles to guide Covered Employees regarding the conduct expected of them when managing their personal investments.
 
 
 
1.2
Statement of Principles
 
All Covered Employees are required to conduct themselves in a lawful, honest and ethical manner in their business practices and to maintain an environment that fosters fairness, respect and integrity.
 
Franklin Templeton’s policy is that the interests of the FT Funds and Client Accounts are paramount and come before the interests of any employee.  Information concerning the securities 1 holdings and financial circumstances of the FT Funds and Client Accounts, as well as the identity of certain Client Accounts, is confidential and Covered Employees are required to safeguard this information.
 
The personal investment activities of Covered Employees must be conducted in a manner to avoid actual or potential conflicts of interest with the FT Funds and Client Accounts.  In particular, to the extent that a Covered Employee learns of an investment opportunity because of his or her position with Franklin Templeton (e.g., internal or third party research, Franklin Templeton or company sponsored conferences, or communications with company officers), the Covered Employee must give preference to the FT Funds or Client Accounts.
 
Personal transactions in a security may not be executed, regardless of quantity, if the Covered Employee has access to information regarding, or knowledge or even a presumed knowledge of, FT Fund or Client Account activity in such security, including proposed activity and recommendations.
 
 
 
1.3
Prohibited Activities
 
Covered Employees generally are prohibited from engaging or participating in any activity that has the potential to cause harm to an FT Fund or Client Account.  Examples of prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:
 
 
Making investment decisions, changes in research ratings and trading decisions other than exclusively for the benefit of, and in the best interest of, the FT Funds or Client Accounts;
 
 
Taking, delaying or omitting to take any action with respect to any research recommendation, report or rating or any investment or trading decision for an FT Fund or Client Account in order to avoid economic injury to themselves or anyone other than the FT Funds or Client Accounts;
 
 
Purchasing or selling a security on the basis of knowledge of a possible trade by or for an FT Fund or Client Account with the intent of personally profiting from, or avoiding a loss with respect to, personal holdings in the same or related securities;
 
 
 
 
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1. For purposes of this Policy, the term “securities” also includes derivatives, such as futures, options and swaps.
 
 
Revealing to any other person (except in the normal course of the Covered Employee’s duties on behalf of an
 
 
FT Fund or Client Account) any information regarding securities transactions by any FT Fund or Client Account or the consideration by any FT Fund or Client Account of any such securities transactions; or
 
 
Engaging in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on an FT Fund or Client Account or engaging in any manipulative practice with respect to any FT Fund or Client Account.
 
 
 
1.4
Monitoring of the Policy and Additional Information
 
Questions regarding the Policy and related requirements should be directed to the Code of Ethics Department located in San Mateo, CA.  The Code of Ethics Department can be reached by e-mail at lpreclear@frk.com or by phone at (650) 312-3693 or extension 112-3693.  The Code of Ethics Department uses PTA, http://coeprod/pta/index.jsp , an automated transaction pre-clearance system, to manage the oversight of personal investments.  Administration of the Policy is the responsibility of the Code of Ethics Committee.
 
 
SECTION 2. PERSONAL INVESTMENTS
 
 
 
2.1
Statement on Covered Employee Investments
 
Franklin Templeton recognizes the importance to Covered Employees of managing their own financial resources.  However, because of the potential conflicts of interest inherent in its business, Franklin Templeton has implemented this Policy with regard to personal investments of Covered Employees.  This Policy is designed to minimize these conflicts and help ensure that Franklin Templeton focuses on meeting its duties as a fiduciary to the FT Funds or Client Accounts.
 
Covered Employees should be aware that their ability to invest in certain securities and to liquidate those positions may be severely restricted under this Policy due to trading by the FT Funds or Client Accounts, including during times of market volatility. Therefore, as a general matter, Franklin Templeton encourages Covered Employees to exercise caution when investing in individual securities, particularly in situations where a Covered Employee wishes to invest in securities held or likely to be held by the FT Funds or Client Accounts.
 
Franklin Templeton also discourages Covered Employees from engaging in a pattern of securities transactions that is so excessively frequent as to potentially impact the Covered Employee’s ability to carry out their assigned responsibilities, increases the possibility of potential conflicts or violates the Policy or the FT Funds’ prospectuses.
 
 
 
2.2
Categories of Persons Subject to the Policy
 
All persons subject to the Policy are assigned to the following categories based on their access to information regarding, or involvement in, investment activities.  Persons subject to other personal trading policies or codes of ethics adopted by Franklin Templeton or its affiliates generally are exempt from this Policy. 2 Please consult the Code of Ethics Department if you have any questions about how this Policy applies to you.
 
Covered Employees: Covered Employees are: (1) partners, officers, directors (or persons occupying a similar status or having similar functions) and employees (including certain designated temporary employees or consultants) of any Franklin Templeton investment adviser, as well as any other persons who provide advice on behalf of any Franklin Templeton investment adviser and are subject to the supervision and control of that investment adviser; (2) Access Persons, as defined below; and (3) Independent directors of FT Funds within the Franklin Templeton Group of Funds and independent directors of Franklin Templeton investment advisers (collectively, “Independent Directors”).
 
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2. In limited circumstances, certain affiliates of FRI may adopt separate policies or codes of ethics governing personal trading in order to address the specific features of their investment activities and operations.  Individuals subject to such separate policies or codes of ethics generally are exempt from this Policy.
 
Access Persons: Access Persons, a subset of Covered Employees, are those who have access to non-public information regarding FT Funds’ or Client Accounts’ securities transactions; or have access to recommendations that are non-public; or have access to non-public information regarding the portfolio holdings of the FT Funds or Client Accounts.
 
Portfolio Persons: Portfolio Persons, a subset of Access Persons, are those who, in connection with their regular functions or duties, make or participate in the decision to purchase or sell a security by an FT Fund or Client Account or if his or her functions relate to the making of any recommendations about those purchases or sales.
 
Please see the Appendix to this Policy for a table indicating how the provisions of the Policy apply to each category of persons.  In addition, please see section 2.8 of the Policy for a description of the requirements for Independent Directors.
 
 
 
2.3
Accounts and Transactions Covered by the Policy
 
The Policy covers two types of securities accounts and transactions: (1) those in which Covered Employees have or share investment control, and (2) those in which Covered Employees have direct or indirect beneficial ownership.  Generally, a person has a beneficial ownership in a security if he or she, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the security.  “Pecuniary interest” has the same meaning as in Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Generally, a pecuniary interest in a security means the opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in any profit derived from a transaction in the security.  Covered Employees are presumed to have a pecuniary interest in securities held by members of their immediate family sharing the same household.
 
Certain types of securities are exempt from the Policy.  These exempt securities include, but are not limited to, direct obligations of the U.S. government, money market instruments, and registered open-end funds other than the FT Funds.  Please consult the Code of Ethics Department or PTA for further information about specific types of securities that are exempt from the Policy.
 
 
 
2.4
Prohibited Transactions
 
Trading that Conflicts with FT Funds or Client Accounts
 
Covered Employees are prohibited from any trading activity that conflicts with the FT Funds’ or Client Accounts’ trading activity.  Examples of prohibited trading activity include, but are not limited to:
 
 
“front running” or trading ahead of an FT Fund or Client Account; and
 
 
trading parallel to or against an FT Fund or Client Account.
 
Short Sales of Securities Issued by Franklin Resources and Closed-end FT Funds
 
Covered Employees are prohibited from effecting short sales, including “short sales against the box,” of securities issued by FRI or any closed-end FT Funds.  This prohibition includes economically equivalent transactions such as call or put options, swap transactions or other derivatives.
 
Trading in Shares of the FT Funds
 
A Covered Employee is prohibited from buying and selling shares of an FT Fund if in possession of material non-public information about the FT Fund.  Specifically, Covered Employees are prohibited from taking personal advantage of their non-public knowledge of recent or impending investment activities of FT Funds or the FT Funds’
 
 
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investment advisers or any other non-public information that a reasonable investor would likely consider important in making his or her investment decisions, including information that may have a material effect on an FT Fund’s share price or net asset value.
 
Covered Employees must keep confidential at all times any non-public information they may obtain about an FT Fund, including but not limited to information such as portfolio holdings, pricing or valuation of an FT Fund’s portfolio holdings, recent or impending securities transactions by an FT Fund, activities of an FT Fund’s investment advisers, offerings of new FT Funds, changes to investment minimums, closings of FT Funds, changes to investment personnel, FT Fund flow activity, and information on current or prospective FT Fund shareholders.
 
Short-Term Trading in Open-end FT Funds
 
Franklin Templeton discourages short-term or excessive trading, often referred to as “market timing,” in shares of the open-end FT Funds.  Covered Employees must be familiar with the “Frequent Trading Policy” or its equivalent described in the prospectus of each open-end FT Fund in which they invest and must not engage in trading activity that might violate the purpose or intent of such policy.  Accordingly, all Covered Employees must comply with the purpose and intent of each open-end FT Fund’s Frequent Trading Policy or its equivalent and must not engage in any short-term or excessive trading in open-end FT Funds.
 
For open-end FT Funds within the Franklin Templeton Group of Funds, the Trade Control Team of each FT Fund’s transfer agent will monitor trading activity in shares of the FT Funds by Covered Employees and will report any trading patterns or behaviors that may constitute short-term or excessive trading to the Code of Ethics Department.  These reports will include descriptions of any actions taken and any sanctions or penalties imposed in response to such trading activity.  This policy applies to the open-end FT Funds including those FT Funds purchased through a 401(k) plan, but does not apply to purchases and sales of money market funds.
 
 
 
2.5
Additional Prohibitions and Requirements for Access Persons and Portfolio Persons
 
Initial Public Offerings
 
Access Persons are prohibited from investing in securities sold in an initial public offering or a secondary offering
 
by an issuer except for offerings of securities made by closed-end FT Funds advised or sub-advised by
 
Franklin Templeton.
 
Short Sales of Securities
 
Portfolio Persons are prohibited from selling short any security held by the FT Funds, including “short sales against the box.” This prohibition also applies to effecting economically equivalent transactions, including, but not limited to, sales of uncovered call options, purchases of put options while not owning the underlying security, and short sales of bonds that are convertible into equity positions, swaps or other derivatives.
 
Short Swing Rule
 
Portfolio Persons are subject to a short swing rule whereby they cannot profit from the purchase and sale or sale and purchase of any security within a 60 calendar day period, including transactions in derivatives and transactions that may occur in margin and option accounts.  For purposes of this rule, profits will be determined based upon the maximum gain that could be realized on the purchases and sales (or sales and purchases) occurring during the 60 calendar day period.  Please consult the Code of Ethics Department about how profits are calculated for purposes of this rule.
 
Disclosure of Interest in Securities
 
Portfolio Persons are required to disclose any interest they have in the securities of an issuer if they are involved in either analysis or investment decisions related to the issuer.  Portfolio Persons must re-disclose any such interest if they participate in later recommendations or investment decisions related to the issuer.
 
 
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Portfolio Persons must also disclose any personal transactions they are contemplating in the securities referenced above, any position they hold with the issuer and any proposed business relationship between the issuer and the Portfolio Person or any party in which the Portfolio Person has a significant interest.
 
The disclosures above must be made to their Chief Investment Officer and /or Director of Research.
 
 
 
2.6
Reporting Requirements
 
All Covered Employees must complete an Initial Code of Ethics Certification no later than 10 calendar days after the date the person is notified by a member of the Human Resources Department of the requirement to do so.  Additionally, by February 15 th of each subsequent year they must complete an annual certification that they have complied with and will comply with the Policy.
 
Access Persons must also file an Initial Broker Accounts Certification and Initial Holdings Certification no later than 10 calendar days after the date the person is notified by a member of the Human Resources Department of the requirement to do so.   Additionally, by February 15 th of each subsequent year, Access Persons must file a then current annual report of all personal securities accounts and securities holdings and must certify that they have complied with and will comply with the Policy.
 
On a quarterly basis, and no later than 30 calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter, every Access Person must report all transactions in securities covered by this Policy, except for those executed through an Automatic Investment Plan or that would duplicate information already provided in broker confirmations or statements sent to the Code of Ethics Department directly from the broker.
 
No later than 30 calendar days after the calendar quarter, Access Persons must report any account established in which any securities were held during that calendar quarter.
 
 
 
2.7
Pre-Clearance Requirements
 
Pre-Clearance of Securities Transactions
 
Access Persons must obtain pre-clearance from the Code of Ethics Department before buying or selling any security (other than those not requiring pre-clearance, a full list of which is available from the Code of Ethics Department) and are always prohibited from executing transactions in a security if aware that the FT Funds or Client Accounts are active or contemplate being active in the security (even if the transactions have been pre-cleared).  Pre-clearance requests should be submitted via PTA.
 
Private Investments and Limited Offerings
 
Access Persons must obtain pre-clearance from the Code of Ethics Department before investing in a private placement or purchasing other securities in a limited offering.  For example, investments in private or unregistered funds (i.e., hedge funds) are required to be pre-cleared under the Policy.
 
Discretionary Accounts
 
Transactions in discretionary accounts do not need to be pre-cleared if satisfactory evidence has been provided to the Code of Ethics Department that sole investment discretion has been granted to an investment manager.  The Access Person must certify initially and annually thereafter that they do not have investment control of the account other than the right to terminate.  If the Access Person makes, or participates in, an investment decision for an account that has been reported as discretionary, transactions related to that decision must be pre-cleared.  If there is any uncertainty about whether a particular account would be deemed discretionary for purposes of the Policy, please consult the Code of Ethics Department.
 
Exemptions from Pre-Clearance
 
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Certain types of securities and transactions are exempt from pre-clearance requirements.  Examples of these types of securities and transactions include, but are not limited to, shares issued by FRI; shares of open-end and closed-end funds (including the FT Funds); shares of ETFs; certain government obligations and transactions effected pursuant to dividend reinvestment plans.  In addition, transactions in small quantities of securities (e.g., in the case of equity securities, 500 shares within a 30 calendar day period) are not required to be pre-cleared.  Please consult the Code of Ethics Department for further information about the types of securities and transactions that are exempt from the pre-clearance requirements of the Policy.
 
“Intent” Is Important
 
While pre-clearance of Access Persons’ transactions is a cornerstone of Franklin Templeton’s compliance efforts, it cannot detect inappropriate or illegal transactions where the intent conflicts with the principles of the Policy.  Thus, the fact that a proposed transaction received pre-clearance is not a defense against a charge of violating the Policy or the securities laws.  For example, even if an Access Person received pre-clearance for a transaction, that transaction might constitute front-running if it occurred shortly before a transaction by an FT Fund or Client Account that the Access Person was aware of.  In cases like this, the intent may not be evident when a particular transaction request is analyzed for pre-clearance.
 
 
 
2.8
Requirements for Independent Directors
 
Pre-clearance and Reporting Requirements
 
An Independent Director is subject to the pre-clearance and transaction reporting requirements of the Policy only if such Independent Director, at the time of his or her transaction, knew or should have known that, during the 15 calendar day period before or after the date of the Independent Director’s transaction, the security was purchased or sold or considered for purchase or sale by an FT Fund or Client Account.  The pre-clearance and reporting requirements of the Policy do not apply to securities transactions conducted in an account where an Independent Director has granted full investment discretion to a brokerage firm, bank or investment adviser or conducted in a trust account in which the trustee has full investment discretion.  Independent Directors are not required to disclose any securities holdings or brokerage accounts, including brokerage accounts where he/she has granted discretionary authority to a brokerage firm, bank or investment adviser.
 
Initial and Annual Acknowledgment Reports
 
An Independent Director must complete and return an executed Acknowledgment Form to the Code of Ethics Department no later than 10 calendar days after the date the person becomes an Independent Director.  Independent Directors will be asked to certify by February 15 th of each year that they have complied with and will comply with the Policy by filing the Acknowledgment Form with the Code of Ethics Department.
 
 
SECTION 3. INSIDER TRADING
 
 
 
3.1
Policy on Insider Trading
 
Insider trading, or trading on material non-public information, is against the law and penalties are severe, both for individuals involved in such unlawful conduct and their employers.  No Covered Employee may (1) trade, either personally or on behalf of the FT Funds or Client Accounts, while in possession of material non-public information, or (2) communicate material non-public information to others.
 
Material non-public information may be obtained by many means, both in connection with a Covered Employee’s job functions (e.g., from meetings with company executives or consultations with expert networks) or independent of the Covered Employee’s employment or relationship with Franklin Templeton (e.g., from friends or relatives).
 
 
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Before trading for themselves or others (including FT Funds and Client Accounts) in the securities of a company about which a Covered Employee potentially may have material non-public information, the Covered Employee should consider the following questions:
 
 
First, is the information material?  Information is considered material if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider the information to be important in making his or her investment decision, or if it is reasonably certain to have a substantial effect on the price of the company’s securities.
 
 
Second, is the information non-public?  Information is non-public until it has been effectively communicated to the marketplace.  For example, information in a report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or that appears in a publication of general circulation (e.g., The Wall Street Journal or Reuters) would be considered public.  If the information has been obtained from someone who is betraying an obligation not to share the information (e.g., a company insider), that information is very likely to be non-public.
 
If, after consideration of these questions, the Covered Employee believes that the information that they have about a company may be material and non-public, or if the Covered Employee has questions as to whether the information is material or non-public, he or she must report the matter immediately to Trading Desk Compliance/GIAC, the designated Compliance Officer or Legal Department.  In addition, the Covered Employee must not purchase or sell any securities issued by such company on behalf of themselves or others (including on behalf of any FT Fund or Client Account), or communicate the information inside or outside Franklin Templeton.
 
Trading Desk Compliance/GIAC or the Compliance Officer will promptly contact the Legal Department for advice. After review of the facts, the Legal Department, Trading Desk Compliance/GIAC or the Compliance Officer will provide instructions to the Covered Employee.  If the information in the Covered Employee’s possession is determined to be material and non-public, the Covered Employee is required to keep the information confidential and secure.  Those securities for which the Covered Employee has material non-public information will be placed on restricted trading lists for a timeframe determined by the Compliance Officer.
 
 
SECTION 4. RELATED POLICIES AND REQUIREMENTS
 
 
 
4.1
Statement on Other Policies and Requirements
 
In addition to the Policy, Covered Employees are required to observe the applicable policies and procedures prescribed in the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct , the policies contained in the U.S. and non-U.S. employee handbooks (as applicable), and various other policies adopted by Franklin Templeton.
 
 
SECTION 5. ADMINISTRATION OF THE POLICY, WAIVERS & REPORTING VIOLATIONS
 
 
 
5.1
Code of Ethics Committee; Reporting to FT Fund Boards
 
The Code of Ethics Committee is responsible for the administration of the Policy and provides oversight of compliance with the personal trading requirements of the Policy.  Among other things, the Committee has the authority and responsibility to review the Policy periodically, review sanction guidelines for violations of the Policy and review trading violations and waivers granted.
 
 
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At least annually, the Franklin Templeton Fund Boards will be provided with a report describing any issues arising under the   Policy.
 
 
 
5.2
Violations of the Policy
 
A Covered Employee that violates this Policy will be sanctioned in a manner commensurate with the violation.  Prescribed sanctions range from reminder memos for a first time failure to pre-clear a transaction that would have been approved to the immediate sale of positions, disgorgement of profits, personal trading suspensions and other sanctions, up to and including termination and reporting to regulatory authorities for more serious violations .
 
 
 
5.3
Waivers of the Policy
 
The Director of Global Compliance or the Chief Compliance Officer may, in his or her discretion, waive compliance by any Covered Employee with the provisions of the Policy, if he or she finds that such a waiver:
 
 
(1)
is necessary to alleviate undue hardship or in view of unforeseen circumstances or is otherwise appropriate under all the relevant facts and circumstances;
 
 
(2)
will not be inconsistent with the purposes and objectives of the Policy;
 
 
(3)
will not adversely affect the interests of the FT Funds or Client Accounts or the interests of Franklin Templeton; and
 
 
(4)
will not result in a transaction or conduct that would violate provisions of applicable laws or regulations.
 
Any waiver will be in writing, will contain a statement of the basis for it, and any waivers granted by the Chief Compliance Officer of the relevant investment adviser will be reported to the Director of Global Compliance.
 
 
 
5.4
Reporting Violations
 
Covered Employees are required to report violations of the Policy or the related Procedures, whether by themselves or by others.
 
Franklin Templeton is dedicated to providing Covered Employees with the means and opportunity to report violations of the Policy or the related Procedures, or other instances of wrongdoing, or any concerns they may have regarding ethical violations or accounting, internal control or auditing matters, including fraud.  Several means are provided by which reports can be made including:
 
Compliance and Ethics Hotline:                                                             1-800-636-6592                                      http://intranet/codeofethics/hotline/op_principles.htm
 
Funds Compliance Hotline:                                                                    1-888-678-8852                                      http://intranet/codeofethics/hotline/op_principles.htm
 
Corporate Ombudsman:                                                                          1-650-312-2832                                      http://intranet/codeofethics/ombudsman/index.htm
 
Franklin Templeton will not allow retaliation against any Covered Employee who has submitted a report of a violation of the Policy or the related Procedures in good faith.
 
 
 
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Appendix
 
 
Covered Employees
Access Persons
Portfolio Persons
Independent Directors
Prohibited Activities (Section 1.3)
X
X
X
X
Prohibited Transactions and Other Requirements (Sections 2.4 and 2.5)
Prohibition on Trading Activity that Conflicts with FT Funds or Client Accounts
X
X
X
X
Prohibition on Short Sales of FRI and Closed-end FT Funds
X
X
X
X
Trading in Shares of the FT Funds When in Possession of Material Non-Public Information
X
X
X
X
Short-Term Trading in Open-end FT Funds
X
X
X
X
Prohibition on Investments in Initial Public Offerings
 
X
X
 
Prohibition on Short Sales of All Securities
   
X
 
Short Swing Rule
   
X
 
Disclosure of Interest in Securities
   
X
 
Reporting Requirements (Section 2.6)
Initial Certification/Acknowledgment
X
X
X
X
Initial Disclosure of Accounts and Holdings
 
X
X
 
Annual Disclosure of Accounts and Holdings
 
X
X
 
Annual Certification of Compliance
X
X
X
X
Quarterly Disclosure of Transactions
 
X
X
X*
Quarterly Disclosure of New Accounts
 
X
X
 
 
 
 
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Pre-Clearance Requirements (Section 2.7)
 
X
X
X*
Insider Trading (Section 3)
X
X
X
X
Requirement to Report Violations (Section 5.4)
X
X
X
X

*Only applicable if the Independent Director, at the time of his or her transaction, knew or should have known that, during the 15 calendar day period before or after the date of the Independent Director’s transaction, the security was purchased or sold or considered for purchase or sale by an FT Fund or Client Account.
 
 

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