5.2. The mechanism of international settlements

Trade implies equivalence, so transfer the object of trade is always accompanied by what lawyers call consideration². Foreign contracts provide for the transfer of goods, or documents that are forwarded by the bank of the exporter or importer's bank to the bank of the country – the payer to pay in a timely manner. The calculations are carried out by various means of payment used in international circulation: bills, checks, money orders, wire transfers.

When paying with foreign buyers interested exporter to export proceeds for goods and services as quickly as possible came to his account. It depends not only on the forms, but also on the types of calculations. Types of calculations used in the global foreign trade practices, are as follows:

– Payment in cash;

– Calculation of credit;

– Mixed (combined) calculations³.

Schematically, the mechanism of international payments is as follows:

– The importer buys from a bank wire transfer, cashier's check, promissory note or other payment document and sends the exporter;

– Exporter receives payment from the importer, this paper and sells it to his bank for local currency, which it needs for production and other purposes;

– The exporter's bank sends abroad its correspondent bank payment document;

– From the sale of this document, amount of foreign currency is credited by the bank of the importer to exporter's bank's correspondent account.

This mechanism allows for international settlements through correspondent banks by offsetting counterclaims and obligations without the use of cash.

Banks tend to support the necessary foreign exchange positions in different currencies according to the structure and timing of payments, as well as carrying out monetary and financial conditions and payment of foreign trade transactions include the following elements:

– Exchange rates, the choice of which along with its level, the interest rate and currency exchange rate depends on the degree of efficiency of the transaction;

– The currency of payment, which must be repaid the obligation of the importer (or borrower); mismatch of currency rates and currency of payment – the simplest method of exchange risk insurance;

– Payment terms – an important element of foreign trade transactions. Among them are distinguished: cash payments, payments to a loan, a loan with an option (the right to choose) cash payment.

By cash international settlements are settlements in the period from the date of readiness of the exported goods to the transfer of documents of the importer.

Provision of credit has a definite influence on the conditions of international payments. If his calculations are carried out after the international transfer of goods in the ownership of the importer, exporter that lends it’s usually in the form of issuing a bill. If the importer pays for goods in advance, he credits the exporter.

Loan with an option for cash payment, if the importer, exercise the right of deferral of payment for goods purchased, he is deprived of discounts offered by cash payment.