International Commercial Agreements (Thorogood Professional Insights series)

230 Pages·2002·0.5 MB·English

by  Rebecca Attree

THOROGOOD
PROFESSIONAL
INSIGHTS
A SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED REPORT
INTERNATIONAL
COMMERCIAL
AGREEMENTS
Rebecca Attree
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THOROGOOD
PROFESSIONAL
INSIGHTS
A SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED REPORT
INTERNATIONAL
COMMERCIAL AGREEMENTS
Rebecca Attree
Published by Thorogood
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Professional Insights
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Commercial Contracts – Drafting
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Techniques and Precedents
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© Rebecca Attree 2002
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Commercial Contracts
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The author
Rebecca Attree is an international commercial lawyer working for her own
law practice, Attree & Co, based in Westminster, London. She advises UK and
overseas clients in relation to international commercial agreements.
Rebecca also lectures in Europe on international commercial law topics and
provides in-house legal training. She regularly contributes to various Croner
Journals and also wrote and co-edited with Patrick Kelly European Product Liabil-
ities(Butterworths). Rebecca also appears on radio and television in relation to
consumer and commercial law.
Rebecca is a member, former branch chairman and director of the Institute of
Export. She is also a member of the Court of Assistants of the Worshipful Company
of World Traders.
THOROGOOD PROFESSIONAL INSIGHTS
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Contents
INTRODUCTION 1
1 MASTERING THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF
INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATION 3
Introduction..................................................................................................4
Overview of negotiating theories..............................................................6
Negotiating styles and ethics......................................................................7
Communication..........................................................................................19
Cultural factors .........................................................................................20
Negotiating a written agreement.............................................................22
Conclusion..................................................................................................25
2 PRE-CONTRACT ISSUES 27
Introduction................................................................................................28
Commercial versus legal background.....................................................28
Duty of good faith......................................................................................30
Tactics to avoid pre-contractual liability.................................................31
Types of non-binding documents............................................................32
Drafting non-binding documents............................................................32
Checklist for drafting a pre-contract document....................................35
THOROGOOD PROFESSIONAL INSIGHTS
3 INTERNATIONAL LAW CONSIDERATIONS 37
Introduction................................................................................................38
Jurisdiction.................................................................................................40
Checklist: Jurisdiction...............................................................................46
Recognition and enforcement of judgments..........................................46
Checklist: Recognition and enforcement of judgments........................48
Choice of law..............................................................................................48
Checklist: Governing Laws.......................................................................52
Conclusion..................................................................................................53
4 RESOLVING INTERNATIONAL
COMMERCIAL DISPUTES 55
Introduction................................................................................................56
Arbitration and mediation contrasted....................................................56
Arbitration and litigation contrasted......................................................57
Potential disadvantages............................................................................58
The timing of the submission...................................................................58
Preliminary issues......................................................................................58
Governing law............................................................................................59
Selecting institutional or ad hoc arbitration...........................................59
Drafting an arbitration clause..................................................................59
Ad hoc arbitration clauses........................................................................60
Institutional arbitration clauses...............................................................60
Conclusion..................................................................................................61
5 COMPETITION LAW CONSIDERATIONS 63
Introduction................................................................................................64
Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty of Rome................................................65
EC law: the basic prohibitions.................................................................65
Article 81: Treaty of Rome........................................................................66
Infringementof Article 81........................................................................67
Minor agreements exempt........................................................................68
Article 82.....................................................................................................70
INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL AGREEMENTS