I CONTRATTI DI "COUNTERTRADE"

Le eccezioni al principio della separazione dei contratti:

un accordo di "barter"

Ottavo di nove articoli pubblicati sulla Gazzetta Valutaria e del Commercio Internazionale, nel 1991

cod.: GV.91.02.COM.8

L'esperienza, gli usi e la dottrina suggeriscono che i rapporti contrattuali che in uno scambio compensativo regolano rispettivamente i flussi di aller e di retour siano espressi in due distinti documenti, il più possibile disgiunti fra loro, accompagnati eventualmente da un terzo atto ("frame agreement ") che abbia funzioni di coordinamento dell'intera operazione. Questa procedura è dettata da una pluralità di ragioni, fra le quali:

- la necessità di separare il più possibile le responsabilità dei varî operatori che intervengono nell'esecuzione dell'operazione (il fornitore primario ed il suo cliente estero, i produttori e gli esportatori dei prodotti di ritorno e gli importatori/utilizzatori degli stessi beni, eventuali ulteriori enti coinvolti nella gestione dell'operazione);

- l'opportunità di mantenere una comprensibile riservatezza sugli aspetti tecnico-economici e finanziari dell'intera transazione;

- la semplificazione delle pratiche finanziarie (anticipazioni bancarie sulle dilazioni concesse alla controparte) e di ottenimento delle assicurazioni sui crediti (tramite talune "Export Credit Agencies");

- una semplificazione per quanto concerne la stesura di accordi che, altrimenti, richiederebbero formulazioni troppo lunghe e complesse.

Nonostante siano state escogitate nel tempo varie modalità per raggiungere l'obiettivo di una netta e totale separazione dei varî rapporti contrattuali (come si è visto anche in alcuni casi esemplificativi presentati negli articoli precedenti) taluni "legami" sono spesso inevitabili e, in caso di serie controversie, potrebbero venire facilmente allo scoperto. Si riscontrano, peraltro, talune circostanze che suggeriscono addirittura di compendiare in un unico documento gli aspetti contrattuali regolanti l'intera operazione, e ciò è particolarmente evidente negli accordi di barter e/o in quelle transazioni che coinvolgono soltanto due operatori, che assumono le vesti -rispettivamente- di esportatore primario/importatore e di cliente estero/esportatore. L'esempio contenuto nel presente elaborato costituisce proprio una di queste eccezioni e trova le sue principali motivazioni nella circostanza che i contraenti sono, da una parte, un'importante azienda industriale statunitense che dispone al suo interno di una countertrade unit in grado di gestire autonomamente i prodotti di ritorno e, dall'altra, un'Ente di stato di un Paese arabo che esporta abitualmente fosfati, estratti anche con l'impiego di impianti forniti proprio dall'azienda citata. Inoltre il contratto, definito -seppure alquanto impropriamente- di barter, utilizza uno schema di regolamento finanziario dei flussi merceologici che rende opportuna la stesura di un unico documento. Si tratta, come già detto più sopra, di un barter improprio in quanto, nell'interpretazione più canonica, per barter (baratto) si intende uno scambio puro e semplice di beni ai quali non viene dato un valore monetario. In realtà operazioni di puro barter non avvengono più -se non in via del tutto eccezionale e, comunque, marginale- nella prassi commerciale moderna e spesso con il termine "barter" si definiscono semplicisticamente operazioni di countertrade generalizzato, o che non rientrano in altre tipologie meglio definibili (es.: controacquisto, buy-back, offset, ecc.). La formulazione di questo contratto è alquanto complessa e dettagliata, sia per quanto concerne il documento principale che per i numerosi allegati che ne corredano il contenuto (la presentazione di tali allegati è stata omessa in quanto non ritenuti indispensabili ai fini dell'elaborato), e denota l'utilizzo di una forma e di una "professionalità" che, purtroppo, non sempre si riscontrano nella contrattualistica corrente. Vale quindi la pena di scorrerlo con attenzione, potendovi trovare taluni spunti utilizzabili anche in altre circostanze. In considerazione della completezza del documento, verranno limitate al minimo indispensabile le ulteriori note di commento.

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Note Testo

Between

............ represented by..........., hereinafter referred to as "the Supplier"

and

............. represented by..........., hereinafter referred to as "the Buyer"

has been hereby agreed on the following Contract:

Article 1 - Definitions

The Supplier means ........

The Buyer means ........

Supplies mean equipment and attachments concerning the supply of .....products as per the Buyer's offer dated ......... as shown in Annex I to this Contract.

Contract Value means the amount mentioned in this Contract concerning the supply of ....... equipment. In case the Supplier requests increases of quantity up to 25 % as per Article 10 of this Contract, the Contract Value will be increased by the same value.

Phosphate Letter Of Credit means the Letter of Credit opened by .......... in favour of the Supplier as per Annex III to this Contract, covering the value of phosphate sold.

Supplies Letter Of Credit means the Letter of Credit opened by ........in favour of the Buyer as per Annex III to this Contract , covering the value of the Supplies.

1 Article 2 - Subject of the Contract

The purchase of ............. by a barter against phosphate, as specified in Annex V to this Contract.

Article 3 - Contract documents

The following documents are considered as integral part of this Contract and shall be referred to for any clause omitted by this Contract:

- This Contract and all Annexes,

- General conditions book, established ..........

- Buyer's offer dated ..........

Article 4 - Contract comprehension

Once the Buyer and the Seller have signed this Contract both parties are considered as having studied, understood and comprehended all Contract articles, technical specifications and all attached documents and that they will execute their commitments hereby as per Contract articles and conditions.

Article 5 - Contract Value

-The unit purchase price, FOB nominated vessel loading at ......Port of Exit, .... Ocean Freight collected and on Liners term, shall be US $............ Total for ...... is US $............

-The total price of the phosphate purchases sold by the Seller and purchased by the Buyer shall be as follows:

a)The phosphate price per metric ton for 30,5 % grade phosphate P 205 on dry basis shall be US $ .....FOB ......normally trimmed.

b)To determine the basic quantity of phosphate to be sold by the Seller and to be purchased by the Buyer, the Contract Value subject to this Article shall be divided by the FOB ...Port value per metric ton as outlined above which then shall be considered to be the total basic tonnage of phosphate to be sold by the Seller and to be purchased by the Buyer under this Contract.

c)In case a higher than 30,5 % grade phosphate is delivered by the Seller, the metric ton price of phosphate shall be increased according to the following formula:

(US $ ..... x P 205 Grade : 30,5)

d)The same formula shall apply for lower than 30,5 % grade phosphate supplied, i.e. price shall be reduced accordingly.

e)It is understood that depending on the final phosphate price the quantity of phosphate purchased/sold is reduced or increased to meet the Contract Value covering the Supplies.

The Buyer has the right to reject phosphate delivered with a grade lower than 30 % and/or phosphate with humidity in excess of 3 % whether loaded on board vessel or not, and all charges in conjunction with such reject, including demurrages, will be for the Seller account.

The quantity and quality of the phosphate shall be checked, controlled and certified by the Agent in ....... of ......... For each ship load a quantity and quality certificate shall be issued by the Seller which shall after verification be stamped and certified by the Agent of ..... in .......

This quantity and quality certificate shall be binding for the Buyer and the Seller.

Charges incurred for the quantity and quality control in ..... shall be for the Buyer account.

Variations in phosphate purchases versus the Buyer's supplies value shall be settled through spare parts deliveries.

Article 6 - Payment against barter of phosphate

2 a) Not later than seventy days from the signature date of this Contract, or fifteen days from the approval date of this Contract, if earlier, ........... Bank shall open a special blocked deposit account in US dollars in the name of ........ under the heading ...... with ......., through the intermediary of .......

This account shall be used for this Contract and will be credited with the payment of the phosphate export to the Buyer done by the Seller. This account shall be debited with the payment of the export of the Buyer's Supplies subject of this Contract.

b) The payment for the phosphate invoiced to the Buyer will be effected against a sight confirmed letter of credit, referred to Phosphate Letter Of Credit, opened in favour of the Seller for 100 % (hundred per cent) of the basic phosphate value, to be opened by the Buyer not later than ten days after opening the trade exchange account ......

This letter of credit will only become operative if a letter of credit of equivalent value, referred to as Supplies Letter Of Credit, will be opened by the ........ Bank on behalf of the Seller in favour of the Buyer, through the intermediary of ........and confirmed by the latter.

This Supplies Letter Of Credit shall be opened by the Seller not later than twenty days from opening date of the Phosphate Letter Of Credit and shall be valid and fully operational during one year from opening date.

Payment resulting from the negotiation of the Phosphate Letter of Credit will be effected to the blocked deposit account named ...... in the name of .........Bank , by .........through the intermediary of ........Bank , after presentation of the documents in good order as stipulated in the Phosphate Letter Of Credit sample in Annex III to this Contract.

c) This Supplies Letter Of Credit shall be opened by the ......Bank , on behalf of the Seller in favour of the Buyer with ......, confirmed by the latter, and shall have initial validity of twelve months from the opening date. This Supplies Letter Of Credit shall be operative upon receipt by the Buyer of a confirmation issued by .......Bank that sufficient funds to cover the value of this Supplies Letter of Credit are accumulated in the ........Account in the name of ..... Bank with ....... This Supplies Letter Of Credit shall be available at sight against presentation of documents outlined in Annex III of this Contract for total or partial shipments.

3 The Buyer shall not be obliged to ship the Supplies subject of this Contract prior to receipt of an acceptable Supplies Letter of Credit as stipulated in this Article 6 and in Annex III of this Contract.

The funds credited into the blocked account in favour of the Buyer at .....Bank shall be unblocked as drawdowns by the Seller under the Phosphate Letter of Credit occur and are credited to the ......Account. Interest at a rate determined between ......Bank and ......Bank - however not lower than LIBOR - shall be credited to the Buyer's account on the balance of this account during a maximum period of five months calculated from the credit of the funds into this account.

In case the Buyer has not taken phosphate delivery within the five months from the credit of the funds into the blocked Buyer's account, for other reasons than force majeure, the interest normally occur after the five months period shall be credited to the Seller through the blocked ......account in the name of .....Bank.

d) It is specifically agreed that the funds debited and credited in the special blocked deposit account named .... may not be used for any other purpose but the payment of the Supplies subject of this Contract.

e) Interest occurred in the ......account shall be in favour of .....Bank.

f) Letters of credit charges shall be paid as follows:

- charges and commissions resulting from the opening, advising, confirming, amending and negotiating of the Phosphate/Supplies Letter Of Credit incurred in ..... are for the account of the Buyer.

- all charges resulting from the opening, advising, confirming, amending and negotiating the Phosphate/Supplies Letter Of Credit incurred in ..... are for the Seller account.

g) Documents presented up to 21 days later than the Bill of Lading date but presented within the letter of credit validity are accepted.

h) Partial shipments under the Supplies Letter Of Credit are allowed.

Article 7 - Starting of Execution

The receipt date of the Supplies Letter Of Credit stipulated in Annex III of this Contract opened and confirmed by .....Bank in favour of the Buyer together with the receipt by the Buyer of the confirmation by ....Bank, that sufficient funds to cover Supplies Letter Of Credit are available, in accordance with the terms described in Article 6 of this Contract, shall be deemed to be the date for the Buyer to proceed with the preparation of the Supplies subject of this Contract.

4 Article 8 - Performance Bond

The Buyer shall open in favour of the Seller a performance bond as outlined in Annex IV of this Contract in the value of ... % of the Contract Value within fifteen working days from the approval date by ..... Authorities of this Contract. This performance bond shall expire eighteen months after the Supplies Letter Of Credit receipt date as stipulated in Article 6 by the Buyer or after two thousand operation hours of the Supplies whichever occurs first.

Article 9 - Shipment

The Supplies, subject of this Contract, shall be shipped ex ......port not later than ....weeks after the advice date from ....Bank that the Supplies Letter Of Credit opened by ....Bank on behalf of the Seller in favour of the Buyer, as stipulated in Article 6 of this Contract, is fully covered and workable. The Ocean Bill of Lading date shall be considered to be the delivery date.

The Buyer shall not be liable for any delays caused by the non or delayed receipt of forwarding instructions from the Seller's forwarder, or letter of credit amendment formalities in case the letter of credit is not issued in strict accordance with Article 6 of this Contract.

Not later than 20 days from the date of the approval of this Contract, the Buyer shall indicate to the Seller the approximate tonnage of phosphate to be taken per month.

Not later than 10 days from the receipt of the phosphate shipping programme given by the Buyer to the Seller as per paragraph 3 of this Article 9, the Seller shall agree on the detailed phosphate delivery conditions which shall be binding for both parties. In case the Seller does not agree on the shipping programme proposed by Buyer, the Seller has to submit their new proposal for approval in writing to the Buyer within the same ten days.

Article 10 - Modification of Contract

The Seller shall have the right to increase the quantity of Supplies by a percentage not exceeding 25 % of the total Contract Value with the same prices and conditions of this Contract.

The Buyer will accept such requests provided the Seller communicates such requests in writing to Buyer not later than two months from the approval date of this Contract.

Article 11 - Delay Penalty

1) If shipment of any of the Supplies is delayed for a reason other than as described in paragraph 2 below and Article 19 (force majeure), Buyer shall be liable to Seller for a per day penalty of 1-tenth of Supplies so delayed. Such penalty shall in no event exceed twenty percent of the purchase price of such delayed Supplies.

2) The Buyer assumes no obligation for shipment delays caused by failure of the Seller to sign this Contract in time and/or to complete the payment arrangement as specified, or Seller's forwarding agent's failure to issue shipping instructions in time to allow for timely performance by the Buyer.

Article 12 - Shipping, Insuring, Clearing and Discharging of Supplies

1) Not later than 30 days after the approval date of this Contract the Seller shall furnish to the Buyer instructions concerning marking and the name of the Sellers designated forwarder.

2)Buyer will use all reasonable efforts to comply with any instructions of Seller's forwarder, provided such instructions are in accordance with Buyer's commercial practices and the habit of the place of loading.

3) Legal title to, ownership of, right to possession of and control over, and risks of loss and damage to the Supplies shall transfer from Buyer to Seller FOB vessel .....port, liner terms.

4)The Buyer shall undertake to pack the Supplies seaworthy packing according to international rules of maritime transport. The Buyer is responsible for damages incurred due to poor or insufficient packing proven by the Seller.

5)The Buyer shall insure the Supplies up to FOB vessel ......liner's terms. Seller shall insure the Supplies from there on.

Article 13 - Duties, Taxes and Charges

1) All duties, taxes and charges resulting from this transaction or from the sale of the Supplies imposed by the Government of the country of export and ...... will be paid by the Buyer.

2) The Seller agrees to pay all duties, taxes and charges resulting from this transaction within ........, except the stamped duties - maximum ....% - of Contract Value, imposed on the Buyer's copy of this Contract, which shall be paid by the Buyer.

Article 14 - Assignment of Contract

The Buyer does not have the right to assign wholly or in part responsibilities of this Contract except that:

a) All training, as per Article 17 and 18, product support, warranty responsibilities and similar services, may be executed by Buyer's dealer in ......

b) The Buyer has the right to sub-contract the phosphate purchases/sales mentioned in this Contract to third parties who are specialised for such purchases/sales.

Article 15 - Patents

If any of the Supplies sold to the Seller infringes any patent, Buyer will at the option of the Seller:

a) replace the infringing Supplies with non infringing Supplies,

b) obtain the right for the Seller to use the Supplies, or

c) defend and pay any judgments based on suits brought against Seller for infringement of any patent because of the sale or use of such Supplies provided that the Seller gives the Buyer prompt notice and complete control of the defence of such suit.

Article 16 - Warranty

The products are sold subject to the warranty set forth in Annex II which is attached hereto and expressly incorporated into and made part of this Contract. The Seller hereby acknowledges receipt of this warranty and accepts it as the sole and exclusive warranty by the Buyer applying to the Supplies.

Article 17 - Testing of Supplies

Not later than two weeks from the arrival of the Supplies at the phosphate mines, the Seller shall inform the Buyer and Buyer's dealer in ..... about the ready date of Supplies for testing. The Buyer shall give free-of-charge to the Seller all the necessary instructions for the best operation of the Supplies. After the tests, if proved successful, a certificate attesting that the Supplies are in good operation and are in conformity as per this Contract and the Buyer's offer, will be signed by both parties.

Article 18 - Training and Technical Assistance

The Buyer will extend through his dealer in ..... two weeks operator and maintenance training for maximum six employees of the Seller. This training is free-of-charge for room and board within ...... for the Seller's employees sent for such training. This training will be held at the facilities of Buyer's dealer in ......

Article 19 - Force Majeure

(omissis)

Article 20 - Sale of Spare Parts and Tools

Not later than 45 day from the receipt of a workable Supplies Letter Of Credit in favour of the Buyer the Buyer shall present through his .... dealer to the Seller a list of recommended spare parts and tools for the Supplies together with their price list and a price list copy. The recommended spare parts will be for one year operation.

Not later than thirty days from the receipt date of the recommended spare parts and tool list and the quotation, the Seller shall place a spare parts order on the Buyer which shall be subject of a Contract amendment at that time. This Contract amendment shall stipulate the quantities, prices and delivery schedule of the spare parts and tools ordered and the total Contract Value increase.

Article 21 - Cancellation of Contract

The Seller has the right to cancel this Contract in case the delivery of the Supplies subject of this Contract are delayed by more than six calendar months or if the phosphate purchase orders are delayed by more than two months.

The Buyer has the right to cancel this Contract if the approval by the .....Authorities has not occurred within 90 days from the signature date of this Contract, and in case the ......account is not opened by .....Bank within latest 120 calendar days from the signature date of this Contract and in case committed phosphate shipments are delayed by more than 60 calendar days by fault of Seller.

In case any of the above mentioned reasons has occurred, either party wishing to cancel the Contract has to inform the other party by cable, confirmed by registered letter of their intention to cancel the Contract, stating the reason for the cancellation intent and allowing the other party 30 days to eliminate the alleged reasons for cancellation.

After those 30 days period, cancellation of the Contract is final unless the party who initially gave notice for cancellation withdraws their notice in writing.

Article 22 - Legal References

(omissis)

Article 23 - Notices

The Buyer and the Seller shall be deemed responsible for all their obligations and delay penalties as soon as the specified periods in this Contract have matured, without the need by the Seller/Buyer to proceed for any arrangement. Any other notices must be made in writing to the other party.

Article 24 - Notifications

(omissis)

Article 25 - Arbitration

(omissis)

Article 26 - Contract Language

(omissis)

Article 27 - Coming into Force of the Contract

This Contract will come into force after approving it by the competent ..... Authorities within 60 days as from its signature. The Seller shall inform the Buyer by telex confirmed by letter within five days from the approval date of this Contract by the .....competent Authorities.

Article 28 - Contract Establishment

This Contract has been made in two originals, one for each party.

...............on ...............19.......

............................................. .............................................

Annex I - Buyer's offer

Annex II - Buyer's Warranty

Annex III - Opening of an Irrevocable Letter of Credit

Annex IV - Performance Bond text

Annex V - Quality and Quantity Control

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Note:

1 - Oggetto del contratto

Benchè il documento principale tratti prevalentemente delle modalità di acquisto dei fosfati, gli allegati (che formano parte integrante del contratto) contengono tutte le specifiche relative alla cessione dei beni strumentali costituenti la fornitura primaria.

2 - Escrow account

La banca incaricata di intrattenere il conto fiduciario risiede in un Paese terzo, esente da limitazioni di trasferibilità delle valute.

3 - Pre-compensazione

La meccanica escogitata, attraverso l'accurato impiego dei crediti documentari, permette all'esportatore primario di garantirsi il pagamento delle proprie esportazioni. In pratica non verrebbe spedito nulla dagli Stati Uniti se, prima, non fossero stati costituiti i necessari fondi sull'escrow account.

4 - Performance bond

Il testo della fidejussione prevede la possibilità di escussione "a prima richiesta", ma tale domanda deve essere corredata, da parte della banca richiedente, di una serie di documenti comprovanti il diritto della controparte ad ottenere l'escussione. Uno di questi documenti consiste nella " ... copy of the written notice to the Buyer evidencing communication of the alleged contract breach. This notice must be dated at least 30 calendar days before the date of claim against this guarantee .... ". In pratica, la "prima richiesta" non potrà mai giungere inaspettata ed il fornitore primario avrà sempre la possibilità, se del caso, di attuare per tempo le più opportune contromisure.