CISG CASE PRESENTATION

Germany 28 April 1993 District Court Krefeld (Shoes case)
[Cite as: http://cisgw3.law.pace.edu/cases/930428g1.html]

Primary source(s) for case presentation: CISG online case overview; Unilex abstract

Case Table of Contents

• Case identification
• Classification of issues present
• Editorial remarks
• Citations to case abstracts, texts, and commentaries
• Guide to links contained in case presentations

Case identification

DATE OF DECISION: 19930428 (28 April 1993)

JURISDICTION: Germany

TRIBUNAL: LG Krefeld [LG = Landgericht = District Court]

JUDGE(S): Unavailable

CASE NUMBER/DOCKET NUMBER: 11 O 210/92

CASE NAME: German case citations do not identify parties to proceedings

CASE HISTORY: 2nd instance OLG Düsseldorf 14 January 1994 [affirming (except as to ruling on damages for currency devaluation)]

SELLER'S COUNTRY: Italy (plaintiff)

BUYER'S COUNTRY: Germany (defendant)

GOODS INVOLVED: Shoes

Classification of issues present

APPLICATION OF CISG: Yes [Article 1(1)(a)]

APPLICABLE CISG PROVISIONS AND ISSUES

Key CISG provisions at issue: Articles 72(1) and 72(2) ; 74 ; 75 ; 76 ; 78

Classification of issues using UNCITRAL classification code numbers:

72A ; 72B [Avoidance prior to date for performance: when clear that party will commit fundamental breach; Advance notice of intent to avoid];

74A [Damages (general rules for measuring): loss suffered as consequence of breach (includes loss suffered due to currency devaluation; legal fees that arose until avoidance)];

75A ; 75C [Damages established by substitute transaction: substitute transaction after avoidance (resale by aggrieved seller); Damages recoverable: difference between contract price and price in substitute transaction];

76B [Avoidance without purchase or resale under Article 75; damages recoverable based on current price (difference between contract price and current value of goods)];

78B [Interest on delay in receiving price or any other sum in arrears: rate of interest]

Descriptors: Avoidance ; Anticipatory breach ; Damages ; Currency issues ; Legal costs ; Cover transactions ; Interest

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"The Court of first instance held that the seller had the right to declare the second contract avoided under art. 72(1) and (2) CISG, since even before the delivery of the goods it was clear that the buyer would not pay the purchase price and would thereby commit a fundamental breach of contract. The buyer had not performed under the prior contract although the seller had requested it several times and had even commenced a legal action . . . The Appellate Court affirmed." Kazimierska, Pace Review of the Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (1999-2000) n.237

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English: Unilex database <http://www.unilex.info/case.cfm?pid=1&do=case&id=85&step=Abstract>

Italian: Diritto del Commercio Internazionale (1195) 449-450 No. 68

CITATIONS TO TEXT OF DECISION

Original language (German): cisg-online.ch <http://www.cisg-online.ch/cisg/urteile/101.htm>; Unilex database <http://www.unilex.info/case.cfm?pid=1&do=case&id=85&step=FullText>

Translation: Unavailable

CITATIONS TO COMMENTS ON DECISION

English: Bernstein & Lookofsky, Understanding the CISG in Europe, 2d ed., Kluwer (2003) § 6-11 n.101; Article 78 and rate of interest: Mazzotta, Endless disagreement among commentators, much less among courts (2004) [citing this case and 275 other court and arbitral rulings]; [2005] Schlechtriem & Schwenzer ed., Commentary on UN Convention on International Sale of Goods, 2d (English) ed., Oxford University Press, Art. 8 para. 2 Art. 72 para. 12 Art. 74 paras. 16, 17, 20 Art. 75 para. 10

French: Witz, Les premières applications jurisprudentielles du droit uniforme de la vente internationale (L.G.D.J., Paris 1995) 96, 102 n.95, 103 n.99

German: Piltz, Neue Juristische Wochenschrift (NJW) 1994, 1101 [1105 n.78(-), 1106 n.87, 1106 n. 89, 1106 n.90]; Stoll in von Caemmerer/Schlechtriem, Kommentar zum Einheitlichen UN-Kaufrecht (2d ed. 1995) 74 n.78 [Art. 74]

Spanish: Piltz, La Ley (Buenos Aires: 5 September 1994) 1-4 n.57 n.64-66