Contracting internationally. How to understand and negotiate key contract clause: адвокат Салатин Ходжалиєва

Про міжнародні контракти: як зрозуміти та узгодити ключове положення контракту розповіла адвокат АО “Юридичне Бюро Сергєєвих”, член Центру правничої лінгвістики ВША НААУ Салатин Ходжалиєва під час заходу з підвищення кваліфікації адвокатів, що відбувся у Вищій школі адвокатури.

Лекторка докладно проаналізувала разом з учасниками міжнародні контракти, а саме:

  • 1. Обговорення термінів “international contract” та “cross-border contract”.
  • 2. Ключові контрактні застереження, приклади формулювань та судових справ.
  • 3. Практичні поради щодо узгодження положень контракту із контрагентом.
  • 4. Стратегії для успішних контрактних переговорів.

У рамках характеристики міжнародних контрактів акцентовано на наступному:

  1. Обговорення термінів “international contract” та “cross-border contract”
  • Approach in international law instruments:

Contracts are “international” when the parties concluding the agreement come from two or more different States

see United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (Vienna, 1980) (the “CISG”), Article 1(1); Principles on Choice of Law in International Commercial Contracts (2015) (the “Hague Principles”), Article 1(2)).

  • More flexible definitions are possible, such as contracts with “significant connections with more than one State, ‘involving a choice between the laws of different States’, or ‘affecting the interests of international trade'”.

(see UNIDROIT PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS with commentary, 2016).

  • Theoretical approach:

International contracts are legally binding agreements between parties who are based in separate countries.

  • LEGAL ENGLISH TERMINOLOGY

CROSS BORDER CONTRACTS (AGREEMENTS)

a legally binding agreement that governs business relationships across borders and is the primary tool to mitigate risk in the transaction.

Forms of contracts

  • ”TAILOR-MADE”
  • STANDARD FORM, e.g. Gafta
  • MODEL FORM, e.g. ICC

2. Ключові контрактні застереження:

  1. Parties – to verify the party (e.g., AoA, MoA, extract from company house).
  2. Duties – to be described in the contract with as much specificity as possible (e.g, INCOTERMS rules).
  3. Language – to state the controlling language (English prevails).
  4. Anti-corruption – contract shall include a provision which forbids the parties (and its subcontractors) from making “prohibited payments” (The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act).
  5. Sanctions clause – contract shall include a provision which forbids the parties (and its subcontractors) from deals with persons that are under sanctions and trade embargoes (the United Kingdom and the United States of America).
  6. Governing law – contract shall include a provision which describes substantive law to be applied (The law of England and Wales, Switzerland).
  7. DRC – contract shall include a provision which describes a method of dispute settlement (ADR, mediation, arbitration etc.).
  8. Force-majeure clause – contract shall include a scope of events to be considered as unavoidable (Acts of God, disasters etc.).
  9. Termination of the contract – defines under what conditions an agreement can be terminated, and defines the provisions for damages as a result of the termination (Breach, at-will etc.).
  10. Confidentiality – prohibits or restricts the ability of the parties to disclose confidential information to third parties (Non-disclosure provision).

3. Практичні поради щодо узгодження положень контракту із контрагентом

Legal and cultural considerations:

  • 1. Legal due diligence
  • 2. Establish your intentions and expectations
  • 3. Analyse legal environment of your counterparty

4. Стратегії для успішних контрактних переговорів:

  • 1. Reasonable risk assessment
  • 2. Understand the substance of the transaction
  • 3. Be prepared in terms of how to negotiate and how to proceed
  • 4. NDA (if it needed)

Аби першими отримувати новини, підпишіться на телеграм-канал ADVOKAT POST.