The Unecic: International Trade in The Digital Era

S Eiselen

doi:10.17159/1727-3781/2007/v10i2a2807

Authors

S Eiselen University of South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2007/v10i2a2807

Keywords:

electronic communications, international trade communications, legal validity, legal certainty

Abstract

The use of electronic communications in international trade communications and transactions has raised some concerns about the legal validity and legal certainty of such communications. The perception that this type of communication causes legal uncertainty has caused UNCITRAL to develop a draft convention which has now been adopted by the United Nations as the Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts, 2005 (UNECIC). This contribution traverses the legislative history of the UNECIC, its scope and purpose as a background for an initial analysis of the provisions of the Convention.

The author refers to interpretational methods and techniques developed and used for the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, 1980 (CISG) as a possible approach to the interpretation and application of the UNECIC. The CISG is a highly successful convention and there will be an inevitable interaction between the two conventions once the UNECIC comes into operation due to the provisions of article 20 of the UNECIC. It is argued that the UNECIC will be able to draw on the experience with the CISG due to the similarity in the interpretational provisions of the two conventions. For this purpose a number of the underlying principles of the UNECIC is abstracted and discussed.

The article concludes with a brief critical exposition of the provisions of the

UNECIC. The convention is very new and consequently very little analysis on it

has been published to date. It is concluded that the convention represents a clear and sensible solution to the issues and perceptions of legal uncertainty raised by electronic communications in international transactions and should be widely adopted.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bibliography

Audit Vienna Sales Convention 154-155

Audit B "The Vienna Sales Convention and the Lex Mercatoria" in Carbonneau TE (ed) Lex Mercatoria and Arbitration (Transnational Ardsleyon-Hudson 1990)

Bell 2005 Singapore Year Book of International Law 55-73

Bell GF “Why Singapore Should Withdraw Its [Article 95] Reservation to the

United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods

(CISG)” 2005 9 Singapore Year Book of International Law 55-73

Bianca and Bonell Commentary 91

Bianca CM and Bonell MJ Commentary on the International Sales law: The

Vienna Sales Convention (Giuffre Milan 1987)

Cheeseman Business and Online Commerce Law

Cheeseman HR Essentials of Business and Online Commerce Law (2006 Upper Saddle River Pearson)

Christie Law of Contract 76-85

Christie RH The Law of Contract 4th ed (Butterworth Durban 2001)

Connolly 2006 Computer Law & Security Report

Connolly C "First UN Convention on eCommerce finalised" 2006 Computer

Law & Security Report 31-38

DiMatteo et al International Sales

DiMatteo LA et al International Sales Law: A Critical Analysis of CISG

Jurisprudence (Cambridge University Press Cambridge 2005)

Dugard International Law 339

Dugard J International Law – A South African Perspective 2nd ed (Juta

Cape Town 2000)

Eiselen 1999 EDI Law Review 21-46

Eiselen S "Electronic commerce and the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) 1980” 1999 EDI Law Review 21-46

Enderlein and Maskow International Sales Law 14-15

Enderlein F and Maskow D International Sales Law: United Nations

Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (Ocean New York 1992)

Flechtner Pace ILR 295-337

Flechtner H “Comparing the General Good Faith Provisions of the PECL and the UCC: Appearance and Reality” 2001 Pace International Law Review 295-337

Flechtner 1998 Journal of Law and Commerce 187-217

Flechtner H “The Several Texts of the CISG in a Decentralized System:

Observations on Translations, Reservations and other Challenges to the

Uniformity Principle in Article 7(1)” 1998 Journal of Law and Commerce 187-217

Forsyth Private International Law

Forsyth C Private International Law 4th ed (Juta Cape Town 2003)

Honnold Uniform Words and Uniform Application 143-135

Honnold JO "Uniform Words and Uniform Application. The 1980 Sales

Convention and International Juridical Practice" in Schlechtriem P (ed)

Einheitliches Kaufrecht und Nationales Obligationenrecht (Nomos BadenBaden 1987);

Honnold Uniform Law for International Sales 99-100

Honnold JO, Uniform Law for International Sales under the 1980 United

Nations Convention 3rd ed (Kluwer Deventer 1999)

Kastely 1988 NW J Intl L & Bus 594

Kastely AH "Rhetorical Analysis of the Convention" 1988 Northwestern

Journal of International Law and Business 574-622

Lookofsky UN Convention on Contracts 18

Lookofsky J "The 1980 United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods" in Blanpain R (ed) International Encyclopaedia of Law (Kluwer Deventer 1993)

Magnus 1995 RabelsZ 469-494

Magnus U "Die Allgemeinen Grundsätze im UN-Kaufrecht" 1995 RabelsZ

-494 translated in 1997 International Trade and Business Law Annual 33-56

Magnus Von Staudingers Kommentar

Magnus U Von Staudingers Kommentar zum Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch mit

Eimführungsgesetz and Nebengesetze – Wiener UN-Kaufrecht (Sellier

Berlin 2005)

Maskow "The Convention” 54

Maskow D "The Convention on the International Sale of Goods from the

Perspectives of Socialist Countries" La Vendita Internazionale, Congress at S. Margherita Ligure September 26-28, 1980 (Giuffre Milan 1981)

Rabinowitz 1993 Lex Mundi World Reports 7

Rabinowitz D "Implications of South Africa's Accession to the United Nations

Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods" 1993 Lex Mundi World Reports (Supplement)

Raymond 2006 The Computer & Internet Lawyer 9

Raymond AH "Electronic Commerce and the New UNCITRAL Draft

Convention" 2006 The Computer & Internet Lawyer 9

Reed and Angel (eds) Computer Law

Reed C and Angel J (eds) Computer Law – The Law and Regulation of

Information Technology 6th rev ed (Oxford University Press Oxford 2007)

Schlechtriem 1983 Israel LR 325-326

Schlechtriem P "Recent Developments in International Sales Law" 1983 18 Israel LR 325-326

Schlechtriem Uniform Sales Law

Schlechtriem P Uniform Sales Law - The UN-Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (Manz Vienna 1986)

Schlechtriem and Schwenzer (eds) Commentary

Schlechtriem P and Schwenzer I (eds) Commentary on the UN Convention on the International Sale of Goods (CISG) 2nd ed (Oxford University Press Oxford 2005)

Van der Merwe et al Contract General Principles 66

Van der Merwe SWJ et al Contract General Principles 2nd ed (Juta Cape Town 2003)

Vogel, Shannon and Doernberg Income Tax Treaties 30

Vogel K, Shannon H and Doernberg R United States Income Tax Treaties

Part I (Kluwer Deventer 1989)

Wang and Andersen 2004 Vindobona JICL & A 148

Wang X and Andersen CB "The Chinese Declaration against Oral

Contracts under the CISG" 2004 Vindobona Journal of International

Commercial Law & Arbitration 148-164

Register of Legislation South African:

Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002

Foreign:

Canada

Uniform Electronic Commerce Act 1999

United Kingdom

Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977

German

Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB) Allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen Gesetz 1974

Register of Case Law South African:

Cape Explosive Works Ltd v SA Oil and Fat Industries (Ltd) 1921 CPD 244

Crawley v R 1909 TS 1105

Jamieson v Sabingo 2002 (4) SA 49 (SCA)

Kergeulen Sealing and Whaling Co Ltd v CIR 1939 AD 487

Sonap Petroleum SA (Pty) Ltd v Papadogianis 1992 3 SA 234

Foreign:

Austria

Pork case 7 March 2002 Oberlandesgericht [Appellate Court] Graz [Found on internet] http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/020307a3.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Spacers for insulation glass case 8 August 2005 Oberlandesgericht [Appellate Court] Linz [Found on internet]

http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/050808a3.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Tantalum powder case 17 December 2003 Oberster Gerichtshof [Supreme

Court] [Found on internet] http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/031217a3.html

[Date of use 8 August 2007]

Belgium

NV A.R. v. NV I 15 May 2002 Hof van Beroep [Appellate Court] Gent [Found on internet] http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/020515b1.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Germany

Circuit boards case 5 October 1998 Oberlandesgericht [Appellate Court]

Hamburg http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/981005g1.html [Date of use 6 August 2007]

Frozen pork case 2 March 2005 Bundesgerichtshof [Federal Supreme Court] [Found on internet] http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/050302g1.html [Date of use 6 August 2007]

Machinery case 31 October 2001 Bundesgerichtshof [Supreme Court] [Found on internet] http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/011031g1.html [Date of use 6 August 2007]

Hungary

Mushrooms case 17 November 1995 Budapest Arbitration proceeding Vb

http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/951117h1.html [Date of use 6 August 2007]

Italy

Agricultural products case (Padova) 25 February 2004 Tribunale [District Court] http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/040225i3.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Netherlands

Rynpoort Trading v. Meneba Meel 23 April 2003 Gerechtshof [Appellate Court] Gravenhage [Found on internet]

http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/030423n1.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Spain

Motors case 22 September 2003 Audiencia Provincial [Appellate Court] Navarra [Found on internet]

http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/030922s4.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Register of UNCITRAL Documentation

UNCITRAL 1996 Guide to Enactment

UNCITRAL 1996 Model Law on Electronic Commerce with Guide to

Enactment [Found on internet]

http://www.uncitral.org/uncitral/en/uncitral_texts/electronic_commerce/1996

Model.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

UNCITRAL 2004 Agenda of the Working Group for the 44th Session in A/CN.9/WG.IV/WP.109 [Found on internet]

http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/V04/562/31/PDF/V0456231.pdf

?OpenElement [Date of use 6 August 2007]

UNCITRAL A/CN.9/WG.IV/WP.94 (14 February 2002)

UNCITRAL Documentation http://www.uncitral.org/ 8 Aug UNCITRAL Documentation [Found on internet]

http://www.uncitral.org/uncitral/en/uncitral_texts/electronic_commerce/2005 Convention.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

UNCITRAL G.A.Res.51/162 (16 December 1996)

UN Doc.A/RES/51/162 (30 January 1997)

UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Signature (1991)

UNCITRAL Report of the Working Group on Electronic Commerce on the Work of its 38th Session (New York 12-23 March 2001) A/CN.9/484 (24 April 2001)

UNCITRAL Secretariat Explanatory Note http://www.uncitral.org/ 8 Aug UNCITRAL Secretariat Explanatory Note [Found on internet] http://www.uncitral.org/pdf/english/texts/electcom/06-57452_Ebook.pdf [Date of use 8 August 2007]

UNCITRAL Working Group on Electronic Commerce Report on the work of its forty-fourth session (Vienna, 11-22 October 2004) A/CN.9/571

UNCITRAL Working Group on Electronic Commerce Report on the Work of its

th Session (New York 12-23 March 2001) A/CN.9/484 (24 April 2001)

UNICITRAL Working Group Report 5-9 May 2003 A/CN.9/528 (19 May 2003)

Register of International Conventions

Convention on the Limitation Period in the International Sale of Goods, 1974 Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, 1958

Protocol to Convention on the Limitation Period in the International Sale of Goods, 1980

UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, 1980

UN Convention on Independent Guarantees and Stand-by Letters of Credit, 1995

UN Convention on the Assignment of Receivables in International Trade, 2001

UN Convention on the Liability of Operators of Transport Terminals in International Trade, 1991

UN Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts, 2005

Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969

Register of internet resources

Andersen 1998 Pace ILR 403-410 http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/ 8 Aug

Andersen CB “Furthering the Uniform Application of the CISG: Sources of Law on the Internet” 1998 Pace International Law Review 403-410 [Found on internet] http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/biblio/andersen1.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

DoC 2000 Green Paper on eCommerce http://www.polity.org.za/ 19 Nov

Department of Communications 2000 Green Paper on Electronic Commerce for South Africa [Found on internet]

http://www.polity.org.za/polity/govdocs/green_papers/greenpaper/index.html [Date of use 19 November 2007]

Farnsworth TLDB http://tldb.uni-koeln.de/ 8 Aug

Farnsworth EA “Duties of Good Faith and Fair Dealing under the UNIDROIT Principles, Relevant International Conventions, and National Laws” Transnational Law Digest & Bibliography 47-63 [Found on internet] http://tldb.uni-koeln.de/php/pub_show_document.php?pubdocid=122100 [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Ferrari 1994 Georgia JICL 183-228 http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/ 8 Aug

Ferrari F “Uniform Interpretation of the 1980 Uniform Sales Law” 1994 Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law 183-228 [Found on internet] http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/biblio/franco.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Ferrari 1999 Journal of Law and Commerce 245-261 http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/ 8 Aug

Ferrari F “CISG Case Law: A New Challenge for Interpreters” 1999 Journal of Law and Commerce 245-261 [Found on internet]

http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/biblio/ferrari3.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Rosett 1984 Ohio State LJ 265-305 http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/ 8 Aug Rosett A “Critical Reflections on the United Nations Convention on

Contracts for the International Sale of Goods” 1984 45 Ohio State Law Journal 265-305 [Found on internet]

http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/cisg/biblio/bib2.html [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Stephan 1999 http://ssrn.com/abstract=169209 8 Aug

Stephan PB “The Futility of Unification and Harmonization in International

Commercial Law” 1999 University of Virginia School of Law, Legal Studies Working Paper No 99-10 [Found on internet]

http://ssrn.com/abstract=169209 [Date of use 8 August 2007]

Van Alstine 1998 Univ Pennsylvania LR 687-793 http://www.cisg.law.pace.edu/

Aug