在国际大宗粮油商品贸易中,大量的交易商都会选择适用GAFTA或FOSFA的合同文本,或是在已有文本的基础上参照、并入GAFTA或FOSFA的部分合同条款。为了让大家更好地了解GAFTA及FOSFA的标准合同条款内容及其背后与法律相关的要点,在接下来的一段时间内,我们将以FOSFA和GAFTA中关于大豆的标准合同文本为例,陆续与大家进行分享。
本期,我们先从FOSFA的大豆标准合同( 第22、23、24号文本)入手。
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异:
同:
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1.首先在第2条中明确货物在出运时应当处于良好的状况。
2.在第18条中约定货物在起运港或是卸货港都可以被取样、分析;同时明确了在两地的取样分析结果不一致的时的处理方法。
3.作为进口买方,货物质量是其最为关注的内容之一。从目前的行业操作来看,大宗粮油进口合同大部分以起运港检验结果为最终结果,且这种情形可能仍将持续,这对进口买方而言是极大的风险。因此,在实际交易中,如果买方有一定的谈判空间,不妨借鉴第25号标准合同的约定尽量争取在卸货港对货物的复检,或在合同中补充约定:Quality as per certificate issued at load port by shippers to be final and binding upon both parties, unless it can be proved that testing and/ or sampling was incorrectly performed.
When the contract shipment period does not exceed 31 days the period of shipment can, at the request of the shipper, be extended by an additional period not exceeding 8 days, provided notice is given to the Buyer by any means of rapid written communication, of his intention to claim such extension not later than the first business day following the last day of the original contract shipment period. Successive Buyers must pass on this notification with due despatch. The Seller need not state the number of additional days claimed, but the contract price shall be reduced as follows by: 0.5% for 1, 2, 3 or 4 days; 1% for 5 or 6 days; 1.5% for 7 or 8 days.
If the Seller requests an extension and fails to ship within the 8 days, the original contract shipment period shall be considered to have been extended by 8 days and the contract price reduced by 1.5%.
1.卖方使用此等权利的前提条件:
(1)卖方应根据合同约定向买方发出书面声明;且书面通知的内容应当是明确告知买方其需要使用延期交货的权利(无需明确延期的具体时长)。
(2)卖方提出书面声明的时间应当是不晚于原合同约定出运日期后的第一个营业日。
只有满足了如上两个条件后,卖方才有权援引合同约定,使用延期交货的权利。
2.基于卖方延期交货的行为,根据合同约定卖方必须要在价格上给买方相应的折扣。此时买方应当注意,有时卖方为了避免给予买方此等折扣,可能会提出一个延期建议方案(extension proposal)。如果此等方案被买方接受了,意味着双方重新就出运时间达成新的合意,如果在这个合意确定时双方没有提及折扣问题,则买方无法主张折扣。
(Sometimes, in order to avoid having to give these discounts, Sellers will present an extension proposal. If this proposal is accepted the shipment time will be extended by a new agreement, then if no mention of discount is made at time of this agreement, there will be no discount in favour of Buyers.)1
Insurance in accordance with the Institute/FOSFA Trades Clauses (C) and the Institute War and Strikes Clauses (FOSFA Trades) to be effected with, at Sellers' option, first class underwriters and/or companies who are domiciled in the UK or for the purpose of any legal proceedings accept a British domicile and provide an address for service of process in London but for whose solvency the Sellers shall not be responsible. Claims to be payable in the currency of the contract. Policies and/or Certificates and/or Letters of Insurance required under this contract shall be for not less than 2% over the invoice amount including freight. Buyers shall accept insurance including Exclusion Clauses on the FOSFA Insurance Exclusion Clause List.
In default of fulfilment of this contract by either party, the other party at his discretion shall, after giving notice, have the right either to cancel the contract, or the right to sell or purchase, as the case may be, against the defaulter who shall on demand make good the loss, if any, on such sale or purchase. If the party liable to pay shall be dissatisfied with the price of such sale or purchase, or if neither of the above rights is exercised, the damages, if any, shall, failing amicable settlement, be determined by arbitration. The damages awarded against the defaulter shall be limited to the difference between the contract price and the actual or estimated market price on the day of default. Damages to be computed on the mean contract quantity. If the arbitrators consider the circumstances of the default justify it they may, at their absolute discretion, award damages on a different quantity and/or award additional damages.
Prior to the last day for making a declaration of shipment a Seller may notify his Buyer of his inability to ship but the date of such notice shall not become the default date without the agreement of the Buyer. If, for any other reason, either party fails to fulfil the contract and is declared to be in default by the other party and default is either agreed between the parties or subsequently found by arbitrators to have occurred, then the day of the default shall, failing amicable settlement, be decided by arbitration.
1.及时给予通知,宣布对方违约并主张权利(解除合同,或者主张有权购买/销售货物)。
在给予通知宣布对方违约时,买方应当注意,宣布对方违约的日期(default date)的选择非常重要。Default date应当是根据违约条款约定违约情形发生时的日期,而非英国法或是在普通交易思维中所认知的违约情形发生日期。如果买方在错误的日期宣布对方违约,则其自身反而有可能构成预期违约,且卖方可能由此向买方主张违约责任。且default date也将影响到赔偿金额的确定。
2.如违约情形发生后双方无法通过协商解决的,中国买方应尽快启动仲裁程序;此时,赔偿金额的确定应当仅限于合同约定的价格和违约当日(default date)实际或预计的市场价格之间的差额,按照平均合同数量计算。
3.中国买方还应注意,上述赔偿金额的计算并非绝对,一旦将争议提交仲裁后,仲裁员对于赔偿结果是有绝对的酌情认定权的,即,仲裁员可以酌情认定不同的受损数量和/或额额外的赔偿金额。
This contract shall be deemed to have been made in England and the construction, validity and performance thereof shall be governed in all respects by English Law. Any dispute arising out of or in connection therewith shall be submitted to arbitration in accordance with the Rules of the Federation.
The serving of proceedings upon any party by sending same to their last known address together with leaving a copy of such proceedings at the offices of the Federation shall be deemed good service, rule of law or equity to the contrary notwithstanding.
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作者 李昕婷
李昕婷,世礼律师事务所律师, 海法思享会原创团成员,世礼供应链团队骨干律师。厦门律协涉外专业委员会委员,主要处理各类民商事诉讼及非诉讼法律事务,尤其擅长涉外及专项法律服务。李律师担任多家企业的法律顾问,客户集中于跨境供应链行业,包括进出口贸易企业、航运物流企业、货运代理公司等。
作者 林雪菲
林雪菲,实习生,墨尔本大学Juris Doctor candidate。