Chapter 11. Claims, Force Majeure and Arbitration In This Chapter： 11.1 Claims 索赔 11.2 Force Majeure 不可抗力 11.3 Arbitration 仲裁

11.1 Claims 1.Claims 索赔 Claim: a demand made upon a person or persons for payment on account of a loss sustained through its negligence. 索赔是指遭受损害的一方在争议发生后，向违约方提出赔偿的要求，在法律上指主张权利。 2. Penalty Clause 罚金条款 Penalty Clause: a clause included in the contract in case one party fails to implement the contract such as non-delivery, delayed delivery, delayed opening of L/C. Under this clause, the party who has failed to carry out the contract must pay a fine, a certain percentage of total contract value. 罚金条款又称罚则，主要规定当一方未履行或者未完全履行合同义务时，应向对方支付一定数额的罚金，作为对方损失的赔偿。就其性质而论，就是违约金。

11.1 Claims 3. Inspection and Claim Clause in Contract: “It is mutually agreed the Certificate of Quality and Weight(Quantity) issued by the China Import and Export Commodity Inspection Bureau at the port of shipment shall be part of the documents to be presented for negotiation under the relevant L/C. The Buyers shall have the right to reinspect the quality and weight (quantity) of the cargo. The reinspection fee shall be borne by the Buyers. Should the quality and/or weight (quantity) be found not in conformity with that of the Contract, the Buyers are entitled to lodge with the Sellers a claim which should be supported by survey reports issued by a recognized surveyor approved by the sellers. The claim, if any, shall be lodged within 30days after arrival of the cargo at the port of destination.”

The sellers may settle the claim in the following ways: (1) Agree to the rejection of the goods and refund to the buyers the value of the rejected goods in the same currency as contracted herein, and bear all direct losses and expenses incurred from the rejection ； (2) Devaluate the goods according to the degree of inferiority ； (3) Replace the defective goods with new ones which conform to the specification, quality and performance as stipulated in the contract, and bear all expenses incurred and direct losses sustained by the buyers.

11.2 Force Majeure 1. Definition Force Majeure: also called Act of God, is an event that can be neither anticipated nor reduced to control, e.g., an industrial strike that leads to loss of profits, or a war destroying a whole cargo, or some others of the kind. 不可抗力又称人力不可抗拒，是一项免责条款：免除不履行合同的 责任或免除延迟履行合同的责任。按照联合国《国际货物销售合同 公约》(第79条）解释：不可抗力事件是指非当事人所能控制，而且 没有理由预期他在订立合同时所能考虑到或能避免或克服它或它的 后果而使其不履行合同义务的障碍。

Summary 无法预见 无法预防 无法避免 无法克服 意外事故 推迟履行合同 免除履行合同

一般的贸易商业风险不属于不可抗力，如汇率 洪水 暴风 干旱 地震 自然原因 不可抗力 战争 罢工 禁运 社会原因 一般的贸易商业风险不属于不可抗力，如汇率 波动，商品价格升降

援引不可抗力条款应注意事项 1 发生不可抗事故后应立即采取最有效的 方式通知对方。 2 必须有合同规定的出证机构出具证明。我国一般有中国国际贸易促进委员会出证。 3 被通知方应及时答复，不能拖延或不予处理。 4 防止对方援引时任意扩大或缩小不可抗力的范围。

11.2 Force Majeure 2. Force Majeure clause: “If the shipment of the contracted goods is prevented or delayed in whole or in party by reason of war, earthquake, flood, fire, storm, heavy snow or other causes of Force Majeure, the seller shall not be liable for non-shipment or late shipment of the goods or non-performance of this contract. However, the seller shall notify the buyer by cable or telex and furnish the latter by registered airmail with a certificate issued by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade attesting such event or events.”

11.3 Arbitration Conciliation 调解 Arbitration 仲裁 Litigation 诉讼

11.3 Arbitration Arbitration: the resolution of a dispute between two parties through a voluntary or contractually required hearing and determination by an impartial third party. 仲裁是指买卖双方自行达成协议，愿将有关争议 交给双方所同意的仲裁机构进行裁决（award）。 由于仲裁是依照法律所允许的仲裁程序裁定争端， 因而具有法律约束力。

仲裁的特点 1、双方可在仲裁协议或仲裁条款中选择 仲裁机构和仲裁地点。 2、当事人可以选择适用的法律 3、在仲裁时当事人有权指定仲裁员。 4、仲裁审理一般不公开进行。 5、仲裁是终局的，对双方都有约束力。 6、仲裁程序简便，结案迅速及时，仲裁费 用也较低。

国际著名仲裁机构 中国国际经济贸易仲裁委员会、 瑞典斯德哥尔摩仲裁院、 瑞士苏黎士商会仲裁院、 巴黎的国际商会仲裁院、 香港国际仲裁中心、 英国伦敦国际仲裁院、 美国仲裁协会、 日本国际商事仲裁协会

11.3 Arbitration Arbitration Clause : “All disputes in connection with this Contract or the execution thereof shall be settled by negotiation between two parties. If no settlement can be reached, the case in dispute shall then be submitted for arbitration in the country of defendant country. The decision made by the arbitration organization shall be taken as final and binding upon both parties. The arbitration expenses shall be borne by the losing party unless otherwise awarded by the arbitration organization.”

11.3 Arbitration General Arbitration Procedures: Submit dispute to arbitration Appoint arbitrators Hear a case Issue an award