Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse?

The remedial system is the most distinctive feature of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) 1980. The remedy of ‘avoidance’ is not available for every breach of contract, except for a fundamental one. Despite the fact that the term is specifically def...

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Main Author: Hamid, Abdul Ghafur@Khin Maung Sein
Format: Article
Language:English
English
Published: UPM Press, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/1/63855_Determining%20Fundamental%20Breach%20in%20International.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/2/63855_Determining%20Fundamental%20Breach%20in%20International_SCOPUS.pdf
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author Hamid, Abdul Ghafur@Khin Maung Sein
author_facet Hamid, Abdul Ghafur@Khin Maung Sein
author_sort Hamid, Abdul Ghafur@Khin Maung Sein
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
description The remedial system is the most distinctive feature of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) 1980. The remedy of ‘avoidance’ is not available for every breach of contract, except for a fundamental one. Despite the fact that the term is specifically defined in Article 25, many commentators are of the view that the meaning of “fundamental breach” is vague and uncertain. The present paper analyses the dual elements of ‘fundamental breach’, namely, substantial detriment and unforeseeability, on the basis of interpretative tools of the Convention, legislative history and an in-depth survey of judicial decisions on fundamental breach from various countries. The paper finds that it is too drastic to say that the meaning of fundamental breach defined in CISG is rather vague, and that on the contrary, the meaning is clearly instructive and can be refined through judicial interpretation. The paper concludes that though it will take time for case law to completely cover most possible situations of fundamental breach, it is pretty clear at this stage that a number of basic principles for the determination of fundamental breach are well settled and established.
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spelling iium-638552018-07-10T06:47:34Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/ Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse? Hamid, Abdul Ghafur@Khin Maung Sein HF5419 Wholesale trade K Law (General) The remedial system is the most distinctive feature of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) 1980. The remedy of ‘avoidance’ is not available for every breach of contract, except for a fundamental one. Despite the fact that the term is specifically defined in Article 25, many commentators are of the view that the meaning of “fundamental breach” is vague and uncertain. The present paper analyses the dual elements of ‘fundamental breach’, namely, substantial detriment and unforeseeability, on the basis of interpretative tools of the Convention, legislative history and an in-depth survey of judicial decisions on fundamental breach from various countries. The paper finds that it is too drastic to say that the meaning of fundamental breach defined in CISG is rather vague, and that on the contrary, the meaning is clearly instructive and can be refined through judicial interpretation. The paper concludes that though it will take time for case law to completely cover most possible situations of fundamental breach, it is pretty clear at this stage that a number of basic principles for the determination of fundamental breach are well settled and established. UPM Press, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2018-05 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/1/63855_Determining%20Fundamental%20Breach%20in%20International.pdf application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/2/63855_Determining%20Fundamental%20Breach%20in%20International_SCOPUS.pdf Hamid, Abdul Ghafur@Khin Maung Sein (2018) Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse? Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 26 (S). pp. 171-178. ISSN 0128-7702 E-ISSN 2231-8534 http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/Pertanika%20PAPERS/JSSH%20Vol.%2025%20(S)%20Oct.%202017/JSSH(S)-0547-2017.pdf
spellingShingle HF5419 Wholesale trade
K Law (General)
Hamid, Abdul Ghafur@Khin Maung Sein
Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse?
title Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse?
title_full Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse?
title_fullStr Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse?
title_full_unstemmed Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse?
title_short Determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse?
title_sort determining fundamental breach in international sale of goods: taming the unruly horse?
topic HF5419 Wholesale trade
K Law (General)
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/1/63855_Determining%20Fundamental%20Breach%20in%20International.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/63855/2/63855_Determining%20Fundamental%20Breach%20in%20International_SCOPUS.pdf