Convention of 15 June 1955 on the law applicable to international sales of goods

General Detail

General Information

  1. Type: Convention
  2. Date of signature:
  3. Place of signature: The Hague, The Netherlands
  4. Depositary:
  5. Date of entry into force: 01/09/1964

Category

Contracts

Sub category

Conflict of laws

Groups

HCCH

What is it about?

This instrument defines the law applicable to international sales contracts. It has largely been replaced by the Convention on the Law Applicable to Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (Hague, 22 December 1986). According to the Convention the parties themselves may determine the law governing a contract of sale. If no law is specifically chosen, the contract is governed by the law of the State where the seller is established at the time of the conclusion of the contract, unless the contract was concluded in the State of the buyer, which requires the contract to be governed by the law of that State. In case of a sale at an exchange or at a public auction, the domestic law of the country in which the exchange is situated or the auction takes place governs the sale. The Convention does not apply to sales of securities, to sales of ships and of registered boats or aircraft, or to sales upon judicial order or by way of execution.

Why is it relevant?

The weak success of this Convention led to the adoption of the Convention on the Law Applicable to Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (Hague, 22 December 1986), which addresses the same subject and is destined to replace the present instrument.

Additional Information

The application of the law determined by this Convention may be excluded on grounds of public policy. A State Party to the Convention on the Law Applicable to Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (Hague, 22 December 1986) automatically ceases being a party to the present Convention.

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Country ratifications
CountryRatification date
Denmark03/07/1964
Finland03/07/1964
France30/07/1963
Italy17/03/1958
Niger11/10/1971
Norway03/07/1964
Sweden08/07/1964
Switzerland29/08/1972
Treaties analysis
YearRatifications
19581
19631
19645
19711
19721
Total9
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