Министерство образования республики беларусь

Уо «Белорусский государственный экономический университет»

Н.И. Виршиц

Contracts

Контракты

Электронное учебно-методическое пособие

по дисциплинам «Деловой иностранный язык (английский)», «Профессионально ориентированный иностранный язык (английский)»

Минск 2010

Рецензенты: зав. кафедрой теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ, канд. филол. наук, доцент Т.Ф. Солонович, преподаватель кафедры теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ В.И. Сабанов

Рекомендовано кафедрой теории и практики английской речи БГЭУ

Виршиц Н.И.

Контракты = Contracts: Электронное учебно-методическое пособие /

Н.И. Виршиц – Минск: БГЭУ, 2010. – с.32

Учебно-методическое пособие содержит тексты для изучающего и ознакомительного чтения, лексический материал, комплекс упражнений и заданий для формирования англоязычных коммуникативных навыков студентов в рамках темы «Контракты» по дисциплине «Деловой иностранный язык (английский)», «Профессионально ориентированный иностранный язык (английский)». Предназначено для студентов БГЭУ дневной формы обучения.

Contracts getting started

1. Scan the extract below to get the gist of it and say why the contracts are so important.

Many people think of a contract as a written agreement between people stating the exact details of promises they have made to each other. For example, when a farm agrees to supply fruit and vegetables to a supermarket, the two businesses will probably draw up a contract containing many clauses about what kind of goods are to be supplied, how often and in what quantities; who is to pay for transport and unpacking; what prices are to be paid, what happens if some of the vegetables arrive in a poor condition and just what is meant by poor condition, and what happens if delivery is made too late for the shop to sell the goods. The contractors will try to think of all the possible circumstances, which may arise — even unlikely events such as the vegetables being stolen by a third party while they are being trans­ported.

USEFUL VOCABULARY

1. Make sure that you know the following words and word combinations:

сontract - контракт, соглашение, договор. Syn. agreement

contractual - контрактный, основанный на договоре; contractual delinquency –нарушение договора или договорных обязательств; contractual obligations - контрактные обязательства; to cease to be under any contractual obligations -прекращать выполнение контрактных обязательств; to evade the fulfillment of contractual obligations - уклоняться от выполнения контрактных обязательств; sanctions for the non-fulfillment of contractual obligations - санкции за невыполнение контрактных обязательств

clause - статья; пункт; оговорка; клаузула; условие

seller and buyer - продавец и пoкупатель. Syn.vendor and purchaser. Другие наименования сторон, используемые при составлении контрактов: supplier and customer - поставщик и заказчик

contractor - подрядчик

licensor and licensee - лицензиар (сторона, продающая лицензию) и лицензиат (сторона, ее приобретающая)

agent and principal - агент и принципал (при заключении агентского соглашения)

charterers and (ship) owners - фрахтователи и судовладельцы (при заключении фрахтового контракта)

carrier (hauler) - перевозчик

party - сторона (в договоре)

offer – оферта, формальное предложение заключить договор, содержащее все его существенные условия. Как правило, адресуется определенному лицу (адресат оферты - offeree). В оферте иногда указывается срок ответа (акцепта - acceptance), иногда - нет. При указании в оферте срока оферент (offerer) связан своим предложением, т.е. не вправе отменить или изменить его (твердая оферта - firm offer). Ответ о согласии заключить договор на иных, чем было предложено, условиях, рассматривается как новая - встречная оферта (counter offer);

acceptance – акцепт, cтадия заключения договора, т.е. согласие с офертой другой стороны, причем это согласие влечет за собой правовые последствия. Безусловное согласие с офертой признается акцептом, если оно получено предлагающей стороной в оговоренные предложением сроки.

consideration - встречное удовлетворение. В денежной форме определено как некое право, интерес, прибыль или выгода, получаемая одной из сторон, или некое воздержание от действия, ущерб, убыток или ответственность, осуществляемая, понесенная или взятая на себя другой стороной.

capacity of the contractors - способность сторон заключать договор Syn. competence, competency.

legally bound - обязанный по закону, праву

effective date of a contract - время вступления контракта в силу

fulfillment, performance, execution, implementation of a сontract - выполнение контракта

due and faithful performance of a сontract - точное и своевременное выполнение контракту

proper performance of a сontract - надлежащее выполнение контракта

course of the implementation of а сontract - ход выполнения контракта

terms and provisions, reservations of а сontract - условия и оговорки контракта

as stated (specified) in а сontract - как указано (оговорено) в контракте

to draw up / make up а сontract - составлять контракт

to interpret a document - толковать документ

supplement / addendum to a сontract - дополнение к контракту

as per supplement ... to a contract…, in accordance with supplement ... to a contract- в соответствии с дополнением ... к контракту

contract law - договорное право

to select the law for a contract - выбрать закон контракта

in the performance of a contract - во исполнение контракта

under the present contract - по настоящему контракту

void/invalid contract - недействительный контракт

contract awarded/gained - полученный контракт

terminal/fixed-term contract - срочный контракт

remarks on a contract - замечания по контракту

alterations and amendments to a contract - изменения и поправки к контракту

to annul /cancel a contract - аннулировать контракт

to hold a contract - действовать по контракту

to forward a contract - направлять контракт

to break / breach / infringe a contract - нарушать контракт

to negotiate a contract - обсуждать контракт

to initial a contract - парафировать контракт

to revise a contract - пересматривать контракт

to terminate a contract - расторгать контракт

relevant contract number - соответствующий номер контракта

obligations / commitment / liabilities (of the parties) under contract -обязательства (сторон) по контракту

to cease to be under any contractual obligations - прекращать выполнение контрактных обязательств

to evade the fulfillment of contractual obligations - уклоняться от выполнения контрактных обязательств

sanctions for the non-fulfilment of contractual obligations - санкции за невыполнение контрактных обязательств

to bear responsibility for - нести ответственность за ...

outside / beyond the extent of the contract obligations - внe объема контрактных обязательств

within the extent of the contract - объеме контрактных обязательств

within the limits of the contract - в рамках контрактных обязательств

Types of Contracts:

contract for carrying out design and survey works - контракт на выполнение проектно-изыскательских работ

contract for the preparation of feasibility report - контракт на выполнение технико-экономического обоснования (ТЭО)

production sharing сontract - контракт на компенсационных условиях

contract for training local operating personnel - контракт на обучение местного эксплутационного персонала

contract for the supply of the complete equipment - контракт на поставку комплектного оборудования

research-and-development сontract - контракт на проведение научных исследований

research-development-test-and-evaluation сontract - контракт на проведение научных исследований, разработок, испытаний и оценок

contract for the sale of know-how — контракт на продажу лицензий "know-how"

development сontract - контракт на разработку

"turn-key"contract-контракт на строительство объекта на условиях "под ключ"

risk сontract - контракт на условиях риска

flat fee сontract - контракт с заранее условленной ценой

fixed-price сontract with escalation - контракт с корректировочной фиксированной ценой по скользящей шкале цен

cost-plus-fixed-fee сontract контракт с оплатой издержек плюс твердая прибыль

READING

Reading 1

1. Read the text carefully and do the tasks that follow:

The Concept of a Contract

A contract is an agreement which legally binds the parties. Sometimes contracts are referred to as "enforceable agreements". This is rather misleading since one party cannot usually force the other to fulfill its part of the bargain. The usual remedy is damages. The underlying theory is that a contract is the outcome of "consenting minds", each party being free to accept or reject the terms of the other.

The essential elements of a contract are:

• That an agreement is made as a result of an offer and acceptance.

• The agreement contains an element of value known as consideration, although a gratuitous promise is binding if it is made by deed. The parties intend to create legal relations.

• The validity of a contract may also be affected by the following factors:

Capacity. Some persons, e.g. children have limited capacity to make contracts.

Form. Most contracts can be made verbally (parole contracts), but others must be by deed, i.e. in writing. Some verbal contracts must be supported by written evidence.

Content. The parties may generally agree any terms, although they must be reasonably precise and complete. In addition some terms will be implied by courts, custom or statute and some express terms may be overridden by statute.

Genuine consent. Misrepresentation, mistake, duress and undue influence may invalidate a contract.

Illegality. A contract will be void if it is illegal or contrary to public policy.

A contract that does not satisfy the relevant requirements may be void, voidable or unenforceable. A void contract has no legal effect. The expression 'void contract' is a contradiction in terms since if an agreement is void it cannot be a contract. However the term usually describes a situation where parties have attempted to contract, but the law will not give effect to their agreement because, for example there is a common mistake on some major term (such as the existence of the subject matter). When the contract is void ownership of any property 'sold' will not pass to the buyer, so he will not be able to sell it to any one else. The original seller (i.e. the owner) will therefore be able to recover the property from the person in possession.

When the contract is voidable the law will allow one of the parties to withdraw from it if he wishes, thus rendering it void. Voidable contracts include some agreements made by minors and his part of the contract the other party cannot compel him to do so. The contract will be unenforceable when the required written evidence of its terms is not available, e.g. the written evidence for the sale of land.

The Formation and Form of Contracts

The methods by which the courts determine whether an agreement has been reached are to enquire whether one party has made an offer (a definite promise to be bound on certain terms) which the other party has accepted. For most types of contract the offer and acceptance may be made orally or in writing, or they may be implied from the conduct of the parties. The person who makes the offer is known as the offeror and the person to whom the offer is made is the offeree. In addition to offer and acceptance the law imposes the requirements of consideration (value) and intention to create legal relations. The other requirements in the formation of a contract are contractual capacity and legality of object.

The general rule is that a contract may be in writing, or oral, or inferred from conduct, or a combination of any of these. It is a common mistake to think that a binding contract must be in writing. Writing makes it easier to prove the contents of the contract, but it is not usually necessary. A contract may contain three types of clause, namely express terms, implied terms, and exemption clauses.

Layout of the Contract

There is no unique layout of the contract. We may find different formats of this document which can be caused by the traditions of the country in business documents as well as in business communications and also by the development of business as such in the country. The former is determined by the degree of trustworthiness of the partners in business. Therefore in the countries with the developed business traditions and legislation system we find that contracts are short and contain the major provisions while other business procedures may be reflected (specified) in numerous supplements and appendices. In the countries where business relationship has been introduced recently a party to the contract should specify all the particulars about the contract matter.

A contract forms the basis of a transaction between the Buyers and the Sellers and great care is exercised when the Contract is being prepared that all the legal obligations have been stated. As a rule the Contract contains a number of clauses, such as:

• Subject of the Contract

• Price

• Terms of Payment

• Delivery (Transport)

• Inspection and Test

• Guarantee

• Packing and Marking

• Arbitration

• Insurance (Indemnity) and other terms

2. Define the terms below:

contract, offer, acceptance, consideration, capacity, remedy, damages, deed, void, voidable, enforceable, unenforceable

3. Answer the questions:

1) What is the procedure of concluding a contract?

2) Is it necessary for a legal contract to be in writing?

3) What are the relevant requirements for a valid contract?

4. In each of the following select the word or phrase that best completes the statement:

a) Agreements which are made in the course of carrying on a business may be called:

• policies

• obligations

• contracts

• checks

b) The consideration to the contract is

• cash

• service

• goods

• all of these

c) A competent party to the contract is one

• who starts a new business

• who is a client of an insurance company

• who has legal capacity (competence) to enter a contract

d) The party which is in breach of contract is one

• who rejects the offer of another party

• who takes legal action

• who breaks terms of the contract

Reading 2

1. Study the following clauses of buy-sell contract, say what information each of the clauses gives and complete the exercises that follow.