Germany 21 April 2004 Appellate Court Düsseldorf [15 U 222/02] (Thread case) [detailed abstract available]
[Cite as: http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/040421g2.html]
DATE OF DECISION:
JURISDICTION:
TRIBUNAL:
JUDGE(S):
CASE NUMBER/DOCKET NUMBER: 15 U 222/02
CASE NAME:
CASE HISTORY: 1st instance Landgericht Düsseldorf (32 O 173/01) 10 December 2002
SELLER'S COUNTRY: Italy
BUYER'S COUNTRY: Germany
GOODS INVOLVED: Thread
GERMANY: Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf [I-15 U 222/02], 21 April 2004
Case abstract prepared by dr. Andrea Vincze [*]
Pursuant to Arts. 53 and 62 CISG, Plaintiff [Seller] requested the Court to order Defendant [Buyer] to pay the price of goods (thread) delivered to "A. Italia S.r.l." upon [Buyer]'s instruction. The governing law the CISG since the parties' places of business are in Italy and Germany, Contracting States that had ratified the CISG at the time of the conclusion of the contract. The parties do not dispute that [Buyer] ordered "Type 2/32" thread from [Seller] on 30 August 2000. Thread was delivered and [Seller]'s invoice of 30 September 2000 was based upon that delivery.
[Buyer] contended that the thread that was delivered was "Frassino 2.26", which is not the same as the "Type 2/32" thread that was ordered. Citing Arts. 35(1) and 39(1) CISG, the Court ruled against the [Buyer], holding that:
| - | Although the seller is obliged to deliver goods which conform in quantity, quality and to contractual specifications according to trade practices, differences in quantity and contractual requirements can only be regarded as non-conforming goods under Art. 35 CISG if the defects reach a certain level of seriousness, and the buyer must raise timely objections as required by Art. 39 CISG. |
| - | In the instant case, [Buyer] objected to insignificant defects and alleged differences in thickness (2/26 instead of 2/32) and only during the course of the proceedings. That complaint is delayed and inadmissible. |
| - | [Buyer] is therefore obliged to pay the amount specified in [Seller]'s invoice of 30 September 2000. A deduction of Italian lira [It£] 1,618,500 shall also be taken into account, which is based on other invoices. |
[Seller] also sought to have [Buyer] required to pay the contract price of other goods ordered on 30 August 2000. As [Seller] failed to explain upon what facts the price of that delivery was calculated, a request to pay the price for these goods is not substantiated. Therefore, [Seller] can only claim It£ 15,803,880 minus It£. 1,224,000 (Farb-No. 191) [equals Euro 7,529.88] which was the amount originally claimed by [Seller] under the disputed invoice.
Concerning other aspects, the Court held [Seller]'s claim inadmissible. The Court ruled that [Seller] cannot require [Buyer] to comply with the amounts included in other invoices. In resolving these matters, the Court ruled on evidentiary issues not connected with the CISG [representation of a "GmbH" (German limited liability company) by its "general manager" (Geschäftsführer), etc.]
The Court then ruled that [Seller]'s request for interest on the claim that was allowed is founded and that, as the CISG does not provide for rate of interest, this issue is governed by Italian law.
FOOTNOTES
* Dr. Andrea Vincze is a Fellow of the Institute of International Commercial Law of the Pace University School of Law. She received her law degree from the University of Miskolc, Hungary, in 2002. Currently, she is a Ph.D. candidate at that university, working on her research project on international commercial arbitration and ICSID arbitration. She has also dealt with cross-border and Internet-related copyright issues.
Go to Case Table of ContentsAPPLICATION OF CISG: Yes [Article 1(1)(a)]
APPLICABLE CISG PROVISIONS AND ISSUES
Key CISG provisions at issue:
Classification of issues using UNCITRAL classification code numbers:
35A [Conformity of goods: quality, quantity and description required by contract]; 39A2 [Requirement to notify seller of lack of conformity: buyer must notify seller within reasonabletime]; 78B [Rate of interest]
Descriptors:
CITATIONS TO ABSTRACTS OF DECISION
(a) UNCITRAL abstract: Unavailable
(b) Other abstracts
Unavailable
CITATIONS TO TEXT OF DECISION
Original language (German): CISG-online.ch website <http://www.cisg-online.ch/cisg/urteile/914.pdf>
Translation: Unavailable
CITATIONS TO COMMENTS ON DECISION
English: [2005] Schlechtriem & Schwenzer ed., Commentary on UN Convention on International Sale of Goods, 2d (English) ed., Oxford University Press, Art. 35 para. 10
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