合同法實(shí)施以后成立的合同發(fā)生糾紛起訴到人民法院的,適用合同法的規(guī)定;合同法實(shí)施以前成立的合同發(fā)生糾紛起訴到人民法院的,除本解釋另有規(guī)定的以外,適用當(dāng)時的法律規(guī)定,當(dāng)時沒有法律規(guī)定的,可以適用合同法的有關(guān)規(guī)定。中英雙語版的最高人民法院關(guān)于適用《中華人民共和國合同法》若干問題的解釋(一)內(nèi)容如下:
最高人民法院關(guān)于適用《中華人民共和國合同法》若干問題的解釋(一)
為了正確審理合同糾紛案件,根據(jù)《中華人民共和國合同法》(以下簡稱合同法)的規(guī)定,對人民法院適用合同法的有關(guān)問題作出如下解釋:
一、法律適用范圍
第一條合同法實(shí)施以后成立的合同發(fā)生糾紛起訴到人民法院的,適用合同法的規(guī)定;合同法實(shí)施以前成立的合同發(fā)生糾紛起訴到人民法院的,除本解釋另有規(guī)定的以外,適用當(dāng)時的法律規(guī)定,當(dāng)時沒有法律規(guī)定的,可以適用合同法的有關(guān)規(guī)定。
第二條合同成立于合同法實(shí)施之前,但合同約定的履行期限跨越合同法實(shí)施之日或者履行期限在合同法實(shí)施之后,因履行合同發(fā)生的糾紛,適用合同法第四章的有關(guān)規(guī)定。
第三條人民法院確認(rèn)合同效力時,對合同法實(shí)施以前成立的合同,適用當(dāng)時的法律合同無效而適用合同法合同有效的,則適用合同法。
第四條合同法實(shí)施以后,人民法院確認(rèn)合同無效,應(yīng)當(dāng)以全國人大及其常委會制定的法律和國務(wù)院制定的行政法規(guī)為依據(jù),不得以地方性法規(guī)、行政規(guī)章為依據(jù)。
第五條人民法院對合同法實(shí)施以前已經(jīng)作出終審裁決的案件進(jìn)行再審,不適用合同法。
二、訴訟時效
第六條技術(shù)合同爭議當(dāng)事人的權(quán)利受到侵害的事實(shí)發(fā)生在合同法實(shí)施之前,自當(dāng)事人知道或者應(yīng)當(dāng)知道其權(quán)利受到侵害之日起至合同法實(shí)施之日超過一年的,人民法院不予保護(hù);尚未超過一年的,其提起訴訟的時效期間為二年。
第七條技術(shù)進(jìn)出口合同爭議當(dāng)事人的權(quán)利受到侵害的事實(shí)發(fā)生在合同法實(shí)施之前,自當(dāng)事人知道或者應(yīng)當(dāng)知道其權(quán)利受到侵害之日起至合同法施行之日超過二年的,人民法院不予保護(hù);尚未超過二年的,其提起訴訟的時效期間為四年。
第八條合同法第五十五條規(guī)定的“一年”、第七十五條和第一百零四條第二款規(guī)定的“五年”為不變期間,不適用訴訟時效中止、中斷或者延長的規(guī)定。
三、合同效力
第九條依照合同法第四十四條第二款的規(guī)定,法律、行政法規(guī)規(guī)定合同應(yīng)當(dāng)辦理批準(zhǔn)手續(xù),或者辦理批準(zhǔn)、登記等手續(xù)才生效,在一審法庭辯論終結(jié)前當(dāng)事人仍未辦理批準(zhǔn)手續(xù)的,或者仍未辦理批準(zhǔn)、登記等手續(xù)的,人民法院應(yīng)當(dāng)認(rèn)定該合同未生效;法律、行政法規(guī)規(guī)定合同應(yīng)當(dāng)辦理登記手續(xù),但未規(guī)定登記后生效的,當(dāng)事人未辦理登記手續(xù)不影響合同的效力,合同標(biāo)的物所有權(quán)及其他物權(quán)不能轉(zhuǎn)移。
合同法第七十七條第二款、第八十七條、第九十六條第二款所列合同變更、轉(zhuǎn)讓、解除等情形,依照前款規(guī)定處理。
第十條當(dāng)事人超越經(jīng)營范圍訂立合同,人民法院不因此認(rèn)定合同無效。但違反國家限制經(jīng)營、特許經(jīng)營以及法律、行政法規(guī)禁止經(jīng)營規(guī)定的除外。
四、代位權(quán)
第十一條債權(quán)人依照合同法第七十三條的規(guī)定提起代位權(quán)訴訟,應(yīng)當(dāng)符合下列條件:
(一)債權(quán)人對債務(wù)人的債權(quán)合法;
(二)債務(wù)人怠于行使其到期債權(quán),對債權(quán)人造成損害;
(三)債務(wù)人的債權(quán)已到期;
(四)債務(wù)人的債權(quán)不是專屬于債務(wù)人自身的債權(quán)。
第十二條合同法第七十三條第一款規(guī)定的專屬于債務(wù)人自身的債權(quán),是指基于扶養(yǎng)關(guān)系、撫養(yǎng)關(guān)系、贍養(yǎng)關(guān)系、繼承關(guān)系產(chǎn)生的給付請求權(quán)和勞動報酬、退休金、養(yǎng)老金、撫恤金、安置費(fèi)、人壽保險、人身傷害賠償請求權(quán)等權(quán)利。
第十三條合同法第七十三條規(guī)定的“債務(wù)人怠于行使其到期債權(quán),對債權(quán)人造成損害的”,是指債務(wù)人不履行其對債權(quán)人的到期債務(wù),又不以訴訟方式或者仲裁方式向其債務(wù)人主張其享有的具有金錢給付內(nèi)容的到期債權(quán),致使債權(quán)人的到期債權(quán)未能實(shí)現(xiàn)。
次債務(wù)人(即債務(wù)人的債務(wù)人)不認(rèn)為債務(wù)人有怠于行使其到期債權(quán)情況的,應(yīng)當(dāng)承擔(dān)舉證責(zé)任。
第十四條債權(quán)人依照合同法第七十三條的規(guī)定提起代位權(quán)訴訟的,由被告住所地人民法院管轄。
第十五條債權(quán)人向人民法院起訴債務(wù)人以后,又向同一人民法院對次債務(wù)人提起代位權(quán)訴訟,符合本解釋第十三條的規(guī)定和《中華人民共和國民事訴訟法》第一百零八條規(guī)定的起訴條件的,應(yīng)當(dāng)立案受理;不符合本解釋第十三條規(guī)定的,告知債權(quán)人向次債務(wù)人住所地人民法院另行起訴。
受理代位權(quán)訴訟的人民法院在債權(quán)人起訴債務(wù)人的訴訟裁決發(fā)生法律效力以前,應(yīng)當(dāng)依照《中華人民共和國民事訴訟法》第一百三十六條第(五)項(xiàng)的規(guī)定中止代位權(quán)訴訟。
第十六條債權(quán)人以次債務(wù)人為被告向人民法院提起代位權(quán)訴訟,未將債務(wù)人列為第三人的,人民法院可以追加債務(wù)人為第三人。
兩個或者兩個以上債權(quán)人以同一次債務(wù)人為被告提起代位權(quán)訴訟的,人民法院可以合并審理。
第十七條在代位權(quán)訴訟中,債權(quán)人請求人民法院對次債務(wù)人的財產(chǎn)采取保全措施的,應(yīng)當(dāng)提供相應(yīng)的財產(chǎn)擔(dān)保。
第十八條在代位權(quán)訴訟中,次債務(wù)人對債務(wù)人的抗辯,可以向債權(quán)人主張。
債務(wù)人在代位權(quán)訴訟中對債權(quán)人的債權(quán)提出異議,經(jīng)審查異議成立的,人民法院應(yīng)當(dāng)裁定駁回債權(quán)人的起訴。
第十九條在代位權(quán)訴訟中,債權(quán)人勝訴的,訴訟費(fèi)由次債務(wù)人負(fù)擔(dān),從實(shí)現(xiàn)的債權(quán)中優(yōu)先支付。
第二十條債權(quán)人向次債務(wù)人提起的代位權(quán)訴訟經(jīng)人民法院審理后認(rèn)定代位權(quán)成立的,由次債務(wù)人向債權(quán)人履行清償義務(wù),債權(quán)人與債務(wù)人、債務(wù)人與次債務(wù)人之間相應(yīng)的債權(quán)債務(wù)關(guān)系即予消滅。
第二十一條在代位權(quán)訴訟中,債權(quán)人行使代位權(quán)的請求數(shù)額超過債務(wù)人所負(fù)債務(wù)額或者超過次債務(wù)人對債務(wù)人所負(fù)債務(wù)額的,對超出部分人民法院不予支持。
第二十二條債務(wù)人在代位權(quán)訴訟中,對超過債權(quán)人代位請求數(shù)額的債權(quán)部分起訴次債務(wù)人的,人民法院應(yīng)當(dāng)告知其向有管轄權(quán)的人民法院另行起訴。
債務(wù)人的起訴符合法定條件的,人民法院應(yīng)當(dāng)受理;受理債務(wù)人起訴的人民法院在代位權(quán)訴訟裁決發(fā)生法律效力以前,應(yīng)當(dāng)依法中止。
五、撤銷權(quán)
第二十三條債權(quán)人依照合同法第七十四條的規(guī)定提起撤銷權(quán)訴訟的,由被告住所地人民法院管轄。
第二十四條債權(quán)人依照合同法第七十四條的規(guī)定提起撤銷權(quán)訴訟時只以債務(wù)人為被告,未將受益人或者受讓人列為第三人的,人民法院可以追加該受益人或者受讓人為第三人。
第二十五條債權(quán)人依照合同法第七十四條的規(guī)定提起撤銷權(quán)訴訟,請求人民法院撤銷債務(wù)人放棄債權(quán)或轉(zhuǎn)讓財產(chǎn)的行為,人民法院應(yīng)當(dāng)就債權(quán)人主張的部分進(jìn)行審理,依法撤銷的,該行為自始無效。
兩個或者兩個以上債權(quán)人以同一債務(wù)人為被告,就同一標(biāo)的提起撤銷權(quán)訴訟的,人民法院可以合并審理。
第二十六條債權(quán)人行使撤銷權(quán)所支付的律師代理費(fèi)、差旅費(fèi)等必要費(fèi)用,由債務(wù)人負(fù)擔(dān);第三人有過錯的,應(yīng)當(dāng)適當(dāng)分擔(dān)。
六、合同轉(zhuǎn)讓中的第三人
第二十七條債權(quán)人轉(zhuǎn)讓合同權(quán)利后,債務(wù)人與受讓人之間因履行合同發(fā)生糾紛訴至人民法院,債務(wù)人對債權(quán)人的權(quán)利提出抗辯的,可以將債權(quán)人列為第三人。
第二十八條經(jīng)債權(quán)人同意,債務(wù)人轉(zhuǎn)移合同義務(wù)后,受讓人與債權(quán)人之間因履行合同發(fā)生糾紛訴至人民法院,受讓人就債務(wù)人對債權(quán)人的權(quán)利提出抗辯的,可以將債務(wù)人列為第三人。
第二十九條合同當(dāng)事人一方經(jīng)對方同意將其在合同中的權(quán)利義務(wù)一并轉(zhuǎn)讓給受讓人,對方與受讓人因履行合同發(fā)生糾紛訴至人民法院,對方就合同權(quán)利義務(wù)提出抗辯的,可以將出讓方列為第三人。
七、請求權(quán)競合
第三十條債權(quán)人依照合同法第一百二十二條的規(guī)定向人民法院起訴時作出選擇后,在一審開庭以前又變更訴訟請求的,人民法院應(yīng)當(dāng)準(zhǔn)許。對方當(dāng)事人提出管轄權(quán)異議,經(jīng)審查異議成立的,人民法院應(yīng)當(dāng)駁回起訴。
Interpretations the Supreme People's Court of Certain Issues Concerning the Application of the Contract Law of the People's Republic of China(part One)
Pursuant to The Contract Law of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter the "Contract Law"), and with a view to facilitating the proper adjudication of contractual disputes, we hereby promulgate the following interpretations of certain issues concerning the application of the Contract Law by People's Courts:
I. Scope of Application of the Law
Article 1Where a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute arising out of a contract formed after the operative date of the Contract Law, the provisions of the Contract Law shall apply; where a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute concerning a contract formed before the operative date of the Contract Law, except otherwise provided herein, the provisions of the law in effect at the time shall apply, provided that if the law in effect at the time did not provide for such matter, the relevant provision of the Contract Law may apply.
Article 2Where a contract was formed before the operative date of the Contract Law, but the prescribed time limit for performance extends beyond, or commences after, the operative date of the Contract Law, if a dispute arises out of its performance, the relevant provisions of Chapter Four of the Contract Law shall apply.
Article 3In determining the validity of a contract formed before the operative date of the Contract Law, if application of the law in effect at the time leads to its invalidation, but application of the Contract Law leads to affirmation of its validity, the People's Court shall apply the Contract Law.
Article 4After the Contract Law became operative, a People's Court may only invalidate a contract in accordance with laws adopted by the National People's Congress or its Standing Committee, or administrative regulations adopted by the State Council, and may not invalidate a contract in accordance with any local statutes or administrative rules.
Article 5Where a People's Court re-adjudicates a case on which a final judgment has been rendered, the Contract Law does not apply.
II. Time Limit for Action
Article 6In a dispute arising out of a technology contract, where infringement of the right of a party occurred before the operative date of the Contract Law, if there was a lapse of more than one year between the date on which the party knew or should have known that its right was infringed and the operative date of the Contract Law, the People's Court will no longer enforce such right; where the lapse was less than one year, the time limit during which the party may bring a suit shall be two years.
Article 7In a dispute arising out of a technology import/export contract, where infringement of the right of a party occurred before the operative date of the Contract Law, if there was a lapse of more than two years between the date on which the party knew or should have known that its right was infringed and the operative date of the Contract Law, the People's Court will no longer enforce such right; where the lapse was less than two years, the time limit during which the party may bring a suit shall be four years.
Article 8The time period of "one year" set out in Article 55, and the time period of "five years" set out in Article 75 and Paragraph 2 of Article 104 of the Contract Law are fixed, and are not subject to the rules governing the suspension, termination or extension of time limit for action.
III. Validity of Contracts
Article 9Where as set forth in Paragraph 2 of Article 44 of the Contract Law, the relevant law or administration regulation provides that the effectiveness of a certain contract is subject to completion of the relevant approval procedure, or the relevant approval and registration procedures, if before completion of court debate by the parties in the trial of first instance, the parties still fail to carry out the relevant approval procedure, or approval and registration procedures, as the case may be, the People's Court shall rule that the contract has not yet taken effect; if the relevant law or administration regulation requires that a certain contract be registered without subjecting its effectiveness to such registration, then failure to effect registration shall not impair the effectiveness of the contract, provided that such failure constitutes an impediment to the conveyance of title to, or such other real right in, the subject matter of the contract.
In the case of amendment, assignment or termination of a contract as set forth in Paragraph 2 of Article 77, Article 87, and Paragraph 2 of Article 96 of the Contract Law, the provisions of the previous Paragraph apply.
Article 10Where the parties entered into a contract the subject matter of which was outside their scope of business, the People's Court shall not invalidate the contract on such ground, except where conclusion of the contract was in violation of state restriction concerning, or licensing requirement for, a particular business sector, or in violation of any law or administrative regulation prohibiting the parties from participation in a particular business sector.
IV. Subrogation
Article 11Where an obligee is to bring a suit of subrogation pursuant to Article 73 of the Contract Law, the following conditions shall be met:
(1)The obligee's creditor's right against the obligor is lawful;
(2)The obligor's delay in exercising the creditor's right due to it has caused harm to the obligee;
(3)The creditor's right of the obligor is due;
(4)The creditor's right of the obligor is not exclusively personal to it.
Article 12As referred to in Paragraph 1 of Article 73, a creditor's right exclusively personal to the obligor means a claim for alimony, child support, parental support or succession, or, a claim for wage, retirement pension, old age pension, death benefits, relocation allowance or life insurance, or, a personal injury claim.
Article 13The article "Where the obligor delayed in exercising its creditor's right against a third person that was due, thereby harming the obligee" in Article 73 of the Contract Law refers to the following circumstance: The obligor fails to render performance which is due to the obligee, and further, it has failed to enforce a creditor's right which is due to it and which involves the payment of money against an obligor either through a suit in court or through arbitration, thereby frustrating the obligee's realization of the creditor's right due to it.
Where the secondary obligor (i.e. the obligor of the original obligor) denies that the obligor has delayed in exercising its creditor's right due to it, the secondary obligor bears the burden of proof.
Article 14Where an obligee brings a suit of subrogation pursuant to Article 73 of the Contract Law, jurisdiction shall vest in the People's Court in the place where the defendant is domiciled.
Article 15Where after bringing a suit against an obligor to a People's Court, an obligee brings a suit of subrogation against a secondary obligor to the same court, if such suit complies with the provisions of Article 13 hereof as well as the conditions for bringing a suit set forth in Article 108 of the Civil Procedural Law of the People's Republic of China, the court shall accept such suit; where such suit does not comply with Article 13 hereof, the court shall direct the obligee to bring a separate suit to the People's Court in the place where the secondary obligor is domiciled.
Before judgment on the suit brought by the obligee against the obligor takes legal effect, the People's Court adjudicating the suit of subrogation against the secondary obligor shall stay such suit in accordance with Item (5) of Article 136 of the Civil Procedural Law of the People's Republic of China.
Article 16Where in a suit of subrogation brought to a People's Court, an obligee names only the secondary obligor as the defendant without also naming the original obligor as an interested third person, the People's Court may add the original obligor as an interested third person.
Where in suits of subrogation brought separately by two or more obligees, the same secondary obligor is named as the defendant, the People's Court may combine the suits for adjudication.
Article 17In a suit of subrogation, if the obligee petitions the People's Court for preservative measure against the assets of the secondary obligor, it shall provide appropriate financial assurance.
Article 18In a suit of subrogation, the secondary obligor may, in respect of the obligee, avail itself of any defense it has against the original obligor. In a suit of subrogation, where the obligor raises a defense against the obligee's claim, if the People's Court affirms the defense, it shall dismiss the suit brought by the obligee.
Article 19In a suit of subrogation, if the obligee prevails, the court fee shall be borne by the secondary obligor, and shall be paid in priority out of the proceeds from the enforced creditor's right.
Article 20Where an obligee brings a suit of subrogation against a secondary obligor, and the People's Court affirms the subrogation, the secondary obligor shall perform the payment obligation, whereupon the respective obligee-obligor relationships between the obligee and the obligor, and between the obligor and the secondary obligor, are discharged accordingly.
Article 21In a suit of subrogation, where the amount in subrogation claimed by the obligee exceeds the amount owed by the obligor or the amount owed to the obligor by the secondary obligor, the People's Court shall not enforce the claim to the extent the claimed amount exceeds the actual amount.
Article 22In a suit of subrogation, if the obligor also brings a claim against the secondary obligor for the difference between the amount owed to it and the amount in subrogation claimed by the obligee, the People's Court shall direct the obligor to bring a separate suit to the People's Court with the proper jurisdiction.
Where such suit brought separately by the obligor meets the legally prescribed conditions, the People's Court shall accept such suit; the People's Court accepting the suit brought by the obligor shall stay such suit in accordance with the law pending the legal effectiveness of the judgment on the suit of subrogation.
V. Cancellation Right
Article 23Where an obligee brings a suit to enforce its cancellation right pursuant to Article 74 of the Contract Law, jurisdiction shall vest in the People's Court in the place where the defendant is domiciled.
Article 24If in a suit to enforce its cancellation right pursuant to Article 74 of the Contract Law, the obligee only names the obligor as the defendant without also naming the beneficiary or the assignee as an interested third person, the People's Court may add such beneficiary or assignee as an interested third person.
Article 25Where an obligee brings a suit to enforce its cancellation right pursuant to Article 74 of the Contract Law and petitions the People's Court for cancellation of the obligor's act of waiving its creditor's right or transferring its property, the People's Court shall adjudicate the case to the extent of the amount claimed by the obligee, and if the obligor's act is canceled in accordance with the law, such act is of no effect.
Where suits on the same subject matter are filed separately by two or more obligees to enforce their respective cancellation rights, and the same obligor is named as the defendant, the People's Court may combine the suits for adjudication.
Article 26The necessary expenses incurred by the obligee in enforcing its cancellation right, such as attorney's fee and travel expenses, shall be borne by the obligor; where the interested third person was also at fault, it shall share such expenses as appropriate.
VI. Interested Third Person in Case of Assignment of Contracts
Article 27If subsequent to the obligee's assignment of its contractual right, a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute between the obligor and the assignee which arose from the performance of the contract, and the obligor raises a defense against the contractual right of the obligee, it may name the obligee as an interested third person.
Article 28If with the consent of the obligee, the obligor has delegated its contractual obligation, and subsequently a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute between the obligee and the delegatee which arose from the performance of the contract, and the delegatee, in defense against the obligee, avails itself of the obligor's right against the obligee, it may name the obligor as an interested third person.
Article 29If with the consent of the other party, a party concurrently assigned its contractual rights and delegated its contractual obligations to an assignee, and subsequently a suit is brought to a People's Court in respect of a dispute between the other party and the assignee which arose from the performance of the contract, and the other party raises a defense in respect of the rights and obligations under the contract, it may name the obligor as an interested third person.
VII. Merger of Claims
Article 30Where at the time the obligee brought a suit to a People's Court, it made an election of claim in accordance with Article 122 of the Contract Law, and subsequently it changes its election, if the change is made before the commencement of hearing in the trial of first instance, the People's Court shall allow such change. In the event the other party objects to the jurisdiction of the court and such objection is sustained, the People's Court shall dismiss such suit.
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