| See also: | UNCITRAL Digest cases plus added cases Above plus annotations and added material |
The UNCITRAL Digest of case law on the United
Nations Convention on the International Sale of Goods
A/CN.9/SER.C/DIGEST/CISG/20 [8 June 2004].
Reproduced with the permission of UNCITRAL.
| ARTICLE 20
(1) A period of time for acceptance fixed by the offeror in a telegram or a letter begins to run from the moment the telegram is handed in for dispatch or from the date shown on the letter or, if no such date is shown, from the date shown on the envelope. A period of time for acceptance fixed by the offeror by telephone, telex or other means of instantaneous communication, begins to run from the moment that the offer reaches the offeree. (2) Official holidays or non-business days occurring during the period for acceptance are included in calculating the period. However, if a notice of acceptance cannot be delivered at the address of the offeror on the last day of the period because that day falls on an official holiday or a non-business day at the place of business of the offeror, the period is extended until the first business day which follows. |
DIGEST OF ARTICLE 20 CASE LAW
1. Article 20 sets out rules for determining the calculation of the time period for communications to reach the other party.
2. Paragraph (1) provides for when the time period begins to run. The paragraph distinguishes between communications at a distance (sentence 1) and instantaneous communications (sentence 2). There are no reported cases applying this paragraph.
3. Paragraph (2) addresses the effect of official holidays and non-business days on the calculation of the time period. There are no reported cases applying this paragraph.
Pace Law School Institute of International Commercial Law - Last updated July 21, 2005