徐冬根

• 1:上海交通大学凯原法学院

摘要(Abstract)：

根据当事人意思自治原则,信用证的当事人,即信用证开证行与信用证受益人,可以选择UCP600或者相关国家的国内实体法作为信用证的准据法。如果当事人未作选择的,法院应适用与信用证有最密切联系的国家的法律。而确定最密切联系地的核心是界定信用证的履行地。英美国家司法判例表明,法院对信用证履行地的界定经历了从付款地到信用证开证地的发展历程,体现了信用证法律适用的新趋势。而美国《统一商法典(信用证篇)》第5-116(b)将信用证履行地界定为信用证开证行所在地,并规定适用信用证开证行所在地国家的法律,进一步佐证了这种新趋势。

关键词(KeyWords)： 信用证;法律适用;新趋势;UCP600;统一商法典

Abstract:

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基金项目(Foundation):

作者(Author): 徐冬根

参考文献(References)：

• ①For cases providing general definitions of a commercial letter of credit see,e.g.,East Girard Sav.Ass’n v.Citizens Nat’l Bank&Trust Co.,593F.2d598,601-02(5th Cir.1979);Venizelos,S.A.v.Chase Manhattan Bank,425F.2d461,464-65(2d.Cir.1970);Voest-Alpine Int’l Corp.v.Chase Manhattan Bank,N.A.,545F.Supp.301,303-04(S.D.N.Y.1982);Consolidated Aluminum Corp.v.Bank of Va.,544F.Supp386,393-95(D.Md.1982).
• ②“Issuer”is defined as“a bank or other person that issues a letter of credit.”U.C.C.§5-102(a)(9)(1995).In other words,provided the beneficiary-seller complies with the terms of the letter of credit,the issuer is the party committed to honoring the beneficiary-seller’s demands for pay-ment under the letter of credit.
• ③“Beneficiary”is defined as“any person who under the terms of a letter of credit is entitled to have its complying presentation honored.”U.C.C.§5-102(a)(3)(1995).
• ②The current version of Article5of the U.C.C.was adopted in August,1995after four years of revisions.
• ③准据法,是指经冲突规范指定援引用来具体确定国际民商事法律关系当事人权利义务的特点的实体法律,包括国内实体法、国际条约和国际惯例。参见黄进主编:《国际私法》,法律出版社2005年第2版,第221页。
• ④See U.C.P.600art.1(2007).
• ⑤这些强制性规范是指《美国统一商法典》第1-102(3)条中的“禁止合同当事人排除诚实信用(good faith)、尽职(diligence)、合理(rea-sonableness)和谨慎(care)等法律义务”。See U.C.C.§1-102(3)(1995).
• ①See Franck Chantayan:Choice of Law Under Revised Article5of The Uniform Commercial Code5-116,14St.John’s J.L.Comm.199(1999).See also George P.Graham,International Commercial Letters of Credit and Choice of Law:So Whose Law Should Apply Anyway?47Wayne L.Rev.201(2001).前者主张纽约州统一商法典立法不要采纳美国《统一商法典》之第5-116的条款;后者强烈反对《统一商法典(信用证篇)》之第5-116(b)对信用证法律适用作出相反规定。
• ②333N.E.2d168(N.Y.1975).
• ③See333N.E.2d173(N.Y.1975).
• ④1W.L.R.1233(C.A.1981).
• ①A letter of credit must be paid in“the place where it is in fact payable against documents.”See id.at1240(Lord Denning).
• ②9B.R.414(Bankr.S.D.N.Y.1981),aff’d,15B.R.650(Bankr.S.D.N.Y.1981).
• ③The bankruptcy court had already correctly held that Chemical and Baroda N.Y.,who had both expressly limited their roles to that of advisersand payers,could not be held liable on the letters of credit.See Baroda,9B.R.at416(Bankr.S.D.N.Y.1981),aff’d.
• ①734F.Supp.415(C.D.Cal.1990),aff’d,976F.2d561(9th Cir.1992).
• ②See U.C.C.§5-116comment.(1995).
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