INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL
1
, Contents
COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS..............................................................................................................................................5
What is Commercial Law.........................................................................................................................................5
Types of Commercial Contracts...............................................................................................................................5
Drafting a commercial contract...................................................................................................................................6
‘boiler-plate’ clause.................................................................................................................................................6
Common and civil law..................................................................................................................................................7
International aspects of commercial law.....................................................................................................................7
Sale of goods act 1979.................................................................................................................................................8
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.............................................................................................................................................9
Price, payment and delivery......................................................................................................................................10
Seller’s main concerns:..........................................................................................................................................10
Price........................................................................................................................................................................... 10
PRICE NOT INCLUDED IN CONTRACT.....................................................................................................................10
VAT......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Payment (duty to pay the price)................................................................................................................................11
TIME FOR PAYMENT...............................................................................................................................................11
Delivery..................................................................................................................................................................... 12
DUTIES OF THE SELLER...........................................................................................................................................12
DUTIES OF THE BUYER...........................................................................................................................................12
PASSING OF RISK....................................................................................................................................................12
Rights and remedies of the seller..............................................................................................................................14
SELLERS RIGHTS AGAINST THE GOODS..................................................................................................................14
PERSONAL RIGHTS OF THE UNPAID SELLER...........................................................................................................14
Rights and remedies of the buyer..............................................................................................................................15
Breach of contract structure for liability of the seller............................................................................................15
RETENTION OF TITLE.....................................................................................................................................................16
STRUCTURE FoR DEALING WITH RIGHTS OF THE UNPAID SELLER IN A SALE OF GOODS CONTRACT (ROT)...............16
Retention of title........................................................................................................................................................18
What if the Goods are Mixed or used for Manufacturing......................................................................................18
What if the Goods are Sold on?.............................................................................................................................18
Effective Retention of Title Clause.............................................................................................................................18
EXAMPLE ROT CLAUSES.............................................................................................................................................20
International ROT......................................................................................................................................................21
LIABILITY AND EXCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................23
2
, Terms imposing liability on the Seller Structure....................................................................................................23
1)What are the relevant terms which may impose liability on the seller?.................................................................23
2)Have those terms been Breached?.........................................................................................................................24
3)WHAT REMEDY IS SOUGHT?...................................................................................................................................26
4)Have the terms been excluded UCTA 1977?...........................................................................................................26
Incorporation.........................................................................................................................................................26
Construction..........................................................................................................................................................26
UCTA...................................................................................................................................................................... 27
ENTIRE AGREEMENT CLAUSE.................................................................................................................................28
ENTIRE AGREEMENT STATEMENT..........................................................................................................................28
EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR MISREP...................................................................................................................28
Non contractual liability............................................................................................................................................29
Exclusion clause checklist......................................................................................................................................29
Drafting an exclusion clause......................................................................................................................................30
CONTRACTS FOR INTERNATIONAL SALES.......................................................................................................................32
EFFECT OF TRANSFER OF THE DOCUMENTS..........................................................................................................33
Bill of exchange & Documentary credit.....................................................................................................................33
METHODS OF PAYMENT.........................................................................................................................................33
Documentary Credits.............................................................................................................................................35
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF DOCUMENTARY CREDIT..............................................................................35
Incoterms.................................................................................................................................................................. 36
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND TREATIES............................................................................................................39
Choice of law and jurisdiction....................................................................................................................................41
JURISDICTION........................................................................................................................................................41
Choice of Law........................................................................................................................................................42
Electrosteel Europe – sale of good contract..........................................................................................................43
MARKETING STRATEGIES...............................................................................................................................................44
Types of Marketing Arrangement..........................................................................................................................45
EXCLUSIVITY...........................................................................................................................................................45
CHOICE BETWEEN AGENCY AND DISTRIBUTION....................................................................................................46
Agency....................................................................................................................................................................... 47
AUTHORITY QUESTION STRUCTURE......................................................................................................................48
Agent’s Authority...................................................................................................................................................48
Commercial Agent (Council Directive) Regulations 1993 – termination of agency....................................................49
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS........................................................................................................................................52
Structure for article 101/Chapter 1...........................................................................................................................54
3
, Article 102/s.18 CA 1998...........................................................................................................................................58
ECOMMERCE & DATA PROTECTION...............................................................................................................................59
The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2013)...........................................................59
The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/2334).....................................................60
The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/2426)..............................61
European regulation..................................................................................................................................................62
Main intellectual property rights...........................................................................................................................63
Data protection..........................................................................................................................................................64
4
, COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS
The law of trade and about the way a business makes money
A business’s success may depend on:
o Reputation
WHAT IS
o The way the products are packaged and sold
COMMERCIAL
o The technology necessary to create them
LAW
o Intellectual property rights
Sale of goods; provision of services; distribution, agency and franchising; competition law
UPSTREAM
Are typically those which provide the client with the resources needed in order to carry on his business
i. supply of goods
ii. supply of services
iii. supply of funds through loan agreements
iv. permission to manufacture through IP licences
TYPES OF
v. overhead contracts; employees, utilities, software, maintenance and security
COMMERCIAL
CONTRACTS DOWNSTREEM
Are typically those under which the client passes on the fruits of his labour
i. simple sale contract
ii. contracts for the supply of services
iii. agency
iv. distribution and franchising contracts
v. contracts for the exploration of the client IP rights
5
1
, Contents
COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS..............................................................................................................................................5
What is Commercial Law.........................................................................................................................................5
Types of Commercial Contracts...............................................................................................................................5
Drafting a commercial contract...................................................................................................................................6
‘boiler-plate’ clause.................................................................................................................................................6
Common and civil law..................................................................................................................................................7
International aspects of commercial law.....................................................................................................................7
Sale of goods act 1979.................................................................................................................................................8
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.............................................................................................................................................9
Price, payment and delivery......................................................................................................................................10
Seller’s main concerns:..........................................................................................................................................10
Price........................................................................................................................................................................... 10
PRICE NOT INCLUDED IN CONTRACT.....................................................................................................................10
VAT......................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Payment (duty to pay the price)................................................................................................................................11
TIME FOR PAYMENT...............................................................................................................................................11
Delivery..................................................................................................................................................................... 12
DUTIES OF THE SELLER...........................................................................................................................................12
DUTIES OF THE BUYER...........................................................................................................................................12
PASSING OF RISK....................................................................................................................................................12
Rights and remedies of the seller..............................................................................................................................14
SELLERS RIGHTS AGAINST THE GOODS..................................................................................................................14
PERSONAL RIGHTS OF THE UNPAID SELLER...........................................................................................................14
Rights and remedies of the buyer..............................................................................................................................15
Breach of contract structure for liability of the seller............................................................................................15
RETENTION OF TITLE.....................................................................................................................................................16
STRUCTURE FoR DEALING WITH RIGHTS OF THE UNPAID SELLER IN A SALE OF GOODS CONTRACT (ROT)...............16
Retention of title........................................................................................................................................................18
What if the Goods are Mixed or used for Manufacturing......................................................................................18
What if the Goods are Sold on?.............................................................................................................................18
Effective Retention of Title Clause.............................................................................................................................18
EXAMPLE ROT CLAUSES.............................................................................................................................................20
International ROT......................................................................................................................................................21
LIABILITY AND EXCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................23
2
, Terms imposing liability on the Seller Structure....................................................................................................23
1)What are the relevant terms which may impose liability on the seller?.................................................................23
2)Have those terms been Breached?.........................................................................................................................24
3)WHAT REMEDY IS SOUGHT?...................................................................................................................................26
4)Have the terms been excluded UCTA 1977?...........................................................................................................26
Incorporation.........................................................................................................................................................26
Construction..........................................................................................................................................................26
UCTA...................................................................................................................................................................... 27
ENTIRE AGREEMENT CLAUSE.................................................................................................................................28
ENTIRE AGREEMENT STATEMENT..........................................................................................................................28
EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR MISREP...................................................................................................................28
Non contractual liability............................................................................................................................................29
Exclusion clause checklist......................................................................................................................................29
Drafting an exclusion clause......................................................................................................................................30
CONTRACTS FOR INTERNATIONAL SALES.......................................................................................................................32
EFFECT OF TRANSFER OF THE DOCUMENTS..........................................................................................................33
Bill of exchange & Documentary credit.....................................................................................................................33
METHODS OF PAYMENT.........................................................................................................................................33
Documentary Credits.............................................................................................................................................35
ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF DOCUMENTARY CREDIT..............................................................................35
Incoterms.................................................................................................................................................................. 36
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND TREATIES............................................................................................................39
Choice of law and jurisdiction....................................................................................................................................41
JURISDICTION........................................................................................................................................................41
Choice of Law........................................................................................................................................................42
Electrosteel Europe – sale of good contract..........................................................................................................43
MARKETING STRATEGIES...............................................................................................................................................44
Types of Marketing Arrangement..........................................................................................................................45
EXCLUSIVITY...........................................................................................................................................................45
CHOICE BETWEEN AGENCY AND DISTRIBUTION....................................................................................................46
Agency....................................................................................................................................................................... 47
AUTHORITY QUESTION STRUCTURE......................................................................................................................48
Agent’s Authority...................................................................................................................................................48
Commercial Agent (Council Directive) Regulations 1993 – termination of agency....................................................49
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS........................................................................................................................................52
Structure for article 101/Chapter 1...........................................................................................................................54
3
, Article 102/s.18 CA 1998...........................................................................................................................................58
ECOMMERCE & DATA PROTECTION...............................................................................................................................59
The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2013)...........................................................59
The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/2334).....................................................60
The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/2426)..............................61
European regulation..................................................................................................................................................62
Main intellectual property rights...........................................................................................................................63
Data protection..........................................................................................................................................................64
4
, COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS
The law of trade and about the way a business makes money
A business’s success may depend on:
o Reputation
WHAT IS
o The way the products are packaged and sold
COMMERCIAL
o The technology necessary to create them
LAW
o Intellectual property rights
Sale of goods; provision of services; distribution, agency and franchising; competition law
UPSTREAM
Are typically those which provide the client with the resources needed in order to carry on his business
i. supply of goods
ii. supply of services
iii. supply of funds through loan agreements
iv. permission to manufacture through IP licences
TYPES OF
v. overhead contracts; employees, utilities, software, maintenance and security
COMMERCIAL
CONTRACTS DOWNSTREEM
Are typically those under which the client passes on the fruits of his labour
i. simple sale contract
ii. contracts for the supply of services
iii. agency
iv. distribution and franchising contracts
v. contracts for the exploration of the client IP rights
5
