A Recent Case Study on the Formation of Contract in International Sale of Goods

국제물품매매거래에서 계약의 성립에 관한 최근 판례연구

This study mainly deals with a recent case held as to the formation of contract under the United Nations Convention on International Sale of Goods(CISG). In order to analyse the fact of the case and the justification of its holdings, it examines the rules on the formation of contract under the CISG, focusing on the requirements of offer and acceptance, the time when such offer and acceptance become effective, the issues on the battle of forms. In addition to these, it particularly investigates the rules on a delayed acceptance under the CISG. After looking into those rules, it criticizes the holdings and provides legal and practical advice to contracting parties who intend to conclude a contract under the CISG as a governing law. It finds that whose e-mail in the case amounts to an offer and an acceptance is depended upon the interpretation of intention of the parties expressed in their statement. According to such interpretation, even if a purchase order is requested by the seller for the formation of contract, a contract may be concluded by a simple statement which commits the buyer himself to purchase the seller's goods. This is particularly the case where such request is made only to clarify the buyer's intention to purchase them.

본 연구는 최근 구매주문서 발송을 조건으로 한 매도인의 승낙을 주요 이슈로 하는 CISG상 판례가 있어 이를 소개하고 심층 분석한 논문에 해당한다. 이러한 분석을 위해 CISG상 계약의 성립 관련 조항을 청약과 승낙으로 나누어 고찰하고, 특히 이 판례의 주요 이슈가 되고 있는 대응청약과 승낙의 요건 및 연착된 승낙의 인용 관련 조항을 주로 고찰하였다. 이와 더불어 판례의 분석과 CISG상 관련 조항의 분석을 통해 CISG를 준거법으로 하여 국제물품매매거래에 임하는 거래 당사자들이 유의하여야 할 실무적 시사점을 도출하였다.