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CONTRIBUTION TO THE INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE 39 OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON CONTRACTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SALE OF GOODS

Marko Jovanović

10.55836/PiP_24403A
ABSTRACT /

Article 39 of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (the CISG) governs the buyer’s duty to inform the seller of the non-conformity of delivered goods. Although at first sight this provision does not seem to bear a crucial role in the system of the Convention, since it is primarily aimed at enabling the application of other rules which govern buyer’s rights in case of receiving non-conforming goods, a closer inspection of Article 39 CISG shows that the wording of this provision causes certain problems and dilemmas both in theory and case law. This paper examines the purpose and key elements of buyer’s notice of non-conformity. On the basis of those analyses, the author seeks to develop certain instructions for interpretation and more proper application of Article 39 CISG. Those instructions include the duty to consider the international character of the said provision and to avoid its interpretation in light of standards adopted by national laws, the need to give regard to the aim and purpose of the notice of non-conformity, as well as the necessity to consider international case law. These instructions are likely to promote legal certainty regarding the application of the CISG and to enhance the predictability of outcomes in international trade. Alongside these considerations, which may be qualified as general, one should also keep in mind that certain unofficial translations of Article 39 CISG, such as the Serbian one, contain some inaccuracies. Therefore, it is vitally important for the proper application of this provision to double-check its content against the version drafted in one of the official languages of the Convention.

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Serbian (cyr)  
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