Convention Relating to a Uniform Law on the International Sale of Goods

General Information

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What is it about?

States signatory to this Convention agree to establish standardized rules governing the international sale of goods. The provisions of this Convention codify the obligations of the seller and the buyer in an international transaction. It regulates delivery of goods, handing over of documents, date and place of delivery and the obligations of the buyer, like payment and acceptance of delivery. The Convention also contains sanctions in case of non-delivery and compensation regulation. The Convention on a Uniform Law on the Formation of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods was adopted at the same time.

Why is it relevant?

This Convention is a compilation of rules selected from existing national commercial laws that did not meet the practical needs of merchants in many cases. A new initiative by UNCITRAL resulted in the 1980 United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. This Convention specifies the criteria for determining what is an international contract, what is meant by a sale of goods (a sale between professionals, excluding for example sales of goods for personal or household use), and sets out a distinction between a contract of sale and a work contract. It has been far more widely accepted. As of 2003, only the United Kingdom, St Martin and Gambia remained parties to the 1964 Convention. All other State parties denounced this Convention upon ratifying the 1980 United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.

Additional Information

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Related treaties

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