Common use of Act or omission Clause in Contracts

Act or omission. II. Details 2 An exemption under Article 80 requires the non-performance to have been caused by the promisee’s own act or omission. There is no fault requirement.4 The promisee may not refer to Article 79.5 In general, the provision covers all kinds of acts or omissions that impede on the other side’s performance; it need not be a breach of contract.6 Exam- ples of such acts include the buyer’s incorrect or incomplete instructions to the seller re- xxxxxxx production or transportation of the goods.7 In addition, a buyer may fail to pro- vide for the required import licence or permit, or fail to properly instruct the seller about the delivery address.8 Also, a failure to accept a substitute delivery or to allow the seller to cure the goods’ non-conformity is included.9 Using a right of retention or exercising a right of suspension, however, is not an ‘act’ in the sense of Article 80.10 An act or omis- 1 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, ‘Article 80’ para. 2, in Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx (ed), Commentary on the UN Conven- tion on the International Sale of Goods (CISG) (4th edn, OUP 2016). 2 See Official Records, UN Doc. A/CONF.97/19 (1981), 386 et seq; see also Bundesgerichtshof (Ger- many), 26.9.2012, CISG-online 2348; Xxxxx Xxxxxx, ‘Article 80’ note 1.1, in X. Xxxxxxx Bianca & Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Commentary on the International Sales Law (Xxxxxxx 1987); Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, ‘Article 80’ note 1, in Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx (ed), Convention de Vienne sur les Contrats de Vente Interna- tionale de Marchandises (CEDIDAC 1993); Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, ‘Article 80’ para. 2, in J von Staudingers Kom- mentar zum Bürgerlichen Gesetzbuch – Wiener UN-Kaufrecht (CISG) (16th edn, Sellier 2013).