Sixth Annual International Alternative Dispute Resolution Mooting Competition
Sixth Annual International Alternative Dispute Resolution Mooting Competition
Sixth Annual International Alternative Dispute Resolution Mooting Competition
MOOTING COMPETITION
HONG KONG
v.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 4
INDEX OF AUTHORITIES 8
LEGAL INSTRUMENTS 17
STATEMENT OF FACTS 18
ARGUMENTS ADVANCED 21
I. THE TRIBUNAL HAS JURISDICTION TO DEAL WITH THE PAYMENT CLAIMS RAISED BY THE
CLAIMANTS 21
II. THE CISG GOVERNS CLAIMS ARISING UNDER THE SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT NO.1
A. THE CHOICE OF LAW CLAUSE IN THE SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT DIRECTS THIS TRIBUNAL
TO APPLY CISG. 24
C. THE SALE AND PURCHASE AGREEMENTS CONSTITUTE A SALES CONTRACT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF
CISG. 26
III. ASSUMING CISG APPLIES, ITS PROVISIONS BEEN INVOKED ON THE ACCOUNT OF: 27
C. NON-CONFORMITY OF GOODS: 27
2
IV. COUNTERCLAIM COMPENSATION CLAIMED BY THE RESPONDENT STANDS INVALID. 29
3
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
& and
AC Advisory Council
Art. Article
Arbitration Commission
Goods
Cl. Claimant
Co. Company
4
Comm. Commission
d. Division
E.g. Example
Ex. Exhibit
Fr. France
Ger. Germany
Hist. History
Hon’ble Honourable
Hung. Hungary
5
ICC International Commercial Arbitration
Investment Disputes
Id. Ibid
Inc. Incorporate
Ins. Insurance
Int’l International
Leg. Legislative
Ltd. Limited
NE North Eastern
No. Number
Op. Opinion
6
pp. Pages
Rep. Reporter
s. Section
St. Saint
of Private Law
v. Versus
7
INDEX OF AUTHORITIES
Part I
1997
1998
Zoccolillo, Alan F
2002
2012
8
Fouchard Galiard International Commercial Arbitration, Gaillard and
Goldman Savage
1999
2013
Huber, Peter & Mullis, The CISG: A New Textbook for Students and
2007
use
1986
9
Schlechtriem/Schwenzer Ingeborg Schwenzer, Schlechtriem & Schwenzer,
3rd Ed.
2010
5th Ed.
2012
Winship, Peter
1995
10
Awards and Cases
(V. v. B.)
11
Cited as: Paul Smith
Yarn Case
12
ICC Case No. 17050/GZ
on Objections to Jurisdiction
Zealand
Charter Limited
13
[2009] SGHC 13
[2013] SGCA 55
Association
Egol v. Egol
68 N.Y.2d. 893
Jewelers Ltd
Lodging Corporation,
14
309 A.D. 2d 166
2002 WL 465312
de Ecuador
Laboratories, Inc.
15
Systems
Incorporated
Tractor, Inc.
Corporation
16
Legal Instruments
Ordinance, 2015
Rules, 2012
17
STATEMENT OF FACTS
The parties to the Contract are Albas Watchstraps Mfg. Co. Ltd. (CLAIMANT) and Gamma
CLAIMANT is a company based in Yanyu since 1973. It sells its watchstraps to various
Note:
18
14.08.2014 As agreed between the parties, CLAIMANT sent an approval
that the goods were lost at sea and due to this, CLAIMANT sent a
29.12.2014 Upon receiving the balance payment for the initial Sale and
19
date.
the balance amount as it was not satisfied with the quality of the
Commission.
20
ARGUMENTS ADVANCED
I. The Tribunal has jurisdiction to deal with the payment claims raised by the
CLAIMANTS.
1. It is respectfully submitted that the Hon’ble Tribunal has jurisdiction as per the
arbitration clause contained in the Sale and Purchase Agreement No. 2 [CL. EX. 6].
The lex arbitri governing the arbitration is the Laws of Hong Kong which is also the
2. The issue of jurisdiction of this tribunal shall be dealt as under (A) The tribunal has
competence to determine its jurisdiction, (B) the claims raised by CLAIMANT are
payment claims and (C) the arbitration agreement is valid and there was consensus
LIBYA]. The same has also been codified in Hong Kong laws [S.34, ARBITRATION
ORDINANCE, 2015] as well as in Article 75 CIETAC Rules, which has been adopted as
per Article 19(a) of Sale and Purchase agreement No. 2 [CL. EX. 6]
4. This Tribunal has the first right to determine the validity of the arbitration agreement
and the Courts of State of New York have a mere supervisory jurisdiction over the
5. CLAIMANT further submits that the arbitration is not premature as CLAIMANT is under
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there being “acrimonious” correspondence between the parties. [AITION V.
6. The claim raised by CLAIMANT is for the payment of the balance amount under Sale
and Purchase Agreement No.2 and is thus a payment claim. [SGS; NIKO; ICC CASE NO.
17050/GZ] The parties have agreed to submit all payment related disputes to this
Tribunal which has jurisdiction to deal with the claims raised by CLAIMANT.
[FOUCHARD ¶512] RESPONDENT has failed to make the balance payment of $9.6
million within the prescribed time of 14 days after receiving the goods i.e. within 14
days of 27th February 2015. On RESPONDENTS’ failure to make the payment before the
expiry of the term and refusing to pay therein after, CLAIMANT became entitled to the
remainder. [LUFTHANSA]
7. The arbitration agreement is valid as there is exists a clear consensus to arbitrate. The
mere use of the term “may” does not make the arbitration optional and it is binding.
[ROCHESTER]. The purpose of the “may” language is to give the aggrieved party the
can also be inferred as the parties intended the award to be final and binding.
8. Furthermore, if the parties had no intention to arbitrate they would have never
inserted an arbitration clause in the agreement. [FOUCHARD ¶490] The clause should
be interpreted by considering that if the parties had not wished to submit their
disputes to arbitration, they would have refrained from mentioning the possibility of
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doing so. Thus, the act of insertion of an arbitration clause shows that there exists a
9. CLAIMANT further submits that there is no conflict between the jurisdiction of the
arbitral tribunal and the Hong Kong courts. Article 19(a) provides for arbitration of
payment disputes and Article 19(b) provides for the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong
courts. Thus the parties wished to only submit payment disputes to arbitration and
disputes not related to payment fall under the jurisdiction of Hong Kong Courts.
10. In a recent case, the Supreme Court of New York upheld an arbitration clause that
was limited to the amount of the purchase price and all other disputes regarding the
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II. The CISG governs claims arising under the Sale and Purchase agreement No.1 and
11. According Article 20 of the Sale and Purchase agreements [Cl. Ex. 2 & 6], the
national law of Wulaba is to be applied. However the Tribunal should apply CISG
to the claims arising out of the Sale and Purchase agreements furthermore, the Sale
A. The choice of law clause in the Sale and Purchase agreement directs this Tribunal
to apply CISG.
12. Article 20 of the Sale and Purchase agreement [Cl. Ex. 2 & 6], must direct the
Tribunal to apply CISG. Both Yanyu and Wulaba are signatories to the convention
and CISG has been integrated into the Wulaban legal order to apply to
international sales contracts [RF CCI 105/2005; ST. PAUL GUARDIAN INS. CO. V.
NEUROMED (U.S.)]. Parties need not “opt in” to CISG through an explicit reference
13. The Sale and Purchase agreements deal with “sale of goods” as envisaged under
CISG [Arts. 1 & 3 CISG] and CLAIMANT and RESPONDENT have their places of
business in different States, Yanyu and Wulaba, which are both Contracting States
to the CISG. Therefore, to stipulate that the law of Wulaba governs the Sale and
Purchase agreements is, in these circumstances, to ensure that CISG governs the
contract [COKE CASE (ICC); MARBLE SLAB CASE (GER.); CÉRAMIQUE CULINAIRE
(FR.); STEEL BARS CASE (ICC); SURFACE PROTECTIVE FILM CASE (GER.)].
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B. There is no “clear indication” by the parties to opt out of CISG.
14. In various Countries, courts have held that parties must clearly opt out of CISG
GLASS CASE (AUSTRIA); SPORT CLOTHING CASE (GER.); ST. PAUL GUARDIAN INS.
(U.S.)]. Art. 6 CISG also provides that “parties may exclude its application”
specifically emphasize that the contract should contain “clear language” conveying
the parties’ intention to exclude the application of CISG to their contract [ASANTE
(U.S.), P. 1150]. Clear and unambiguous language stating that CISG would not be
otherwise apply [GASOLINE AND GAS OIL CASE (AUSTRIA); WASTE CONTAINER CASE
(HUNG.)]. Merely specifying the general law of a contracting state is not sufficient
15. This position is supported by the legislative history of CISG [CISG Leg. Hist., Rep.
1st Comm. 1980]. During the drafting process, amendments to Art. 6 suggesting
otherwise were rejected, with a majority of delegates favoring the French position
that “the parties” choice of a national law means that CISG applies if that state has
tribunals must find that the parties showed a “clear indication” that they intended
WINSHIP]. For example, choice of law provisions can read “the law of France
excluding CISG,” or “the laws of Pennsylvania not including the 1980 U.N. CISG”
[Id.].
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16. In the Sale and Purchase agreements [Cl. Ex. 2 & 6], Article 20 only mentions that
the “The contract shall be governed by the national law of Wulaba” and followed
indication” to opt out of CISG can be inferred from this ambiguous statement as
commentators above. Article 20 of the Sale and Purchase Agreement [Cl. Ex. 2 &
excluded as it forms an integral part of the Wulaban legal order especially with
C. The Sale and Purchase agreements constitute a sales contract within the scope of
CISG.
17. The Sale and Purchase agreements [Cl. Ex. 2 & 6], envisages the sale and purchase
of various types of leather watchstraps [Id.]. This constitutes a sale of goods within
the scope of CISG [Art. 3 CISG; Art. 1(1) CISG; SCAFFOLD FITTINGS CASE (ICC)]
for two reasons. Firstly, the predominant obligations of CLAIMANT under the Sale
and Purchase agreements concern the sale of goods (hardware & software) and not
services (installation & personal training), which under Article 3(2) brings the Sale
and Purchase agreements within the scope of CISG. Second, CLAIMANT has
provided all the manufacturing materials under Article 3(1). By applying Article 3
displace the prima facie application of CISG, which is presumed [CISG-AC Op. 4,
¶ 2.10, ¶ 4.4].
26
III. Assuming CISG applies, its provisions been invoked on the account of:
18. The parties are bound by usage and practice of the parties or industries that are impliedly
incorporated into the agreement unless otherwise agreed [GENEVA TECHNOLOGY V. BARR
INC.]. Pursuant to Article 9 (2) of the CISG, INCOTERMS definitions shall apply by its
19. The claimant has agreed to bear the cost related to transport as per incoterm DDP, and
DDP does not impose any obligation on CLAIMANT to purchase insurance, thus the
CLAIMANT isn’t liable for any lack of purchase of insurance [JAN RAMBERG].
20. It’s respectfully submitted that the payment was made on 31st July to CLAIMANT’S bank and
the prototypes were dispatched by 14th August, which was received by RESPONDENT on 15th
August. RESPONDENT claims that it amounts to a breach as it was delayed by one day.
CLAIMANT disputes this claim as the date of delivery of receipt is unknown and more the
term used is ‘provide’ and not ‘deliver’ and hence the Claimant isn’t liable as he provided
21. Assuming but not conceding that there is a delay, it wouldn’t amount to a fundamental
introduce the goods during Christmas sale and that such delay of one day wouldn’t deprive
C. Non-conformity of goods.
22. CLAIMANT cant be held liable for goods delivered provided that the goods conform with
samples held out to RESPONDENT [ARTICLE 35(2) (C) CISG] and the buyer knew or couldn’t
27
be unaware of lack of conformity [ARTICLE 35 (3) CISG]. CLAIMANT was obliged to deliver
according to the size as prescribed in the prototype and there is proof that the size of final
23. The buyer loses the right to claim for lack on conformity if he fails to give a notice
[ARTICLE 39 CISG] and it’s the duty of RESPONDENT to give a complete picture of lack of
24. However with regards to the quality goods, in leather industry it’s a standard usage
that the leather isn’t always consistent and moreover the manufacturing process was
discussed about during the negotiations and it’s reasonable the final goods might not
25. CLAIMANT further submits that the 2nd contract was concluded on the sole condition that
RESPONDENT makes the balance payment of the first transaction. This was a condition to
be met before any new sale purchase agreement was agreed. Its a condition precedent for
agreement No. 2 and must be fulfilled before any binding obligations can be created [KIM
LEWISON; MONA V. FLEMING] and its clear that agreement No. 2 came into existence upon
26. The alleged non-conformity if any as the claim states is only a minor non-conformity to
which the respondent is still required to pay for the contract, despite the non-conformity
conformity would not justify withholding the amount due under the contract [BOWLING
28
IV. Counterclaim compensation claimed by the Respondent stands invalid.
27. It is respectfully submitted before this Tribunal that counter claim (b) and (c) weigh no
agreement provides for payment disputes and not for expenses incurred by
connection between the website development cost and the present dispute.
28. The CLAIMANT submits that RESPONDENT’S claim is for the costs incurred in the
development of the website for the purpose of marketing and the same has no direct
29. CLAIMANT further submits that CIETAC rules provide that RESPONDENT must attach
the facts and grounds for the counterclaim and must pay the required arbitration fees in
accordance with the rules. RESPONDENT has not set out any grounds for the
counterclaim nor have they deposited the requisite arbitration fee. Thus, the
grounds of non-compliance with the procedures. [ARTICLE 16(2) AND 16(3), CIETAC
RULES]
30. The parties have agreed to submit only payment disputes to arbitration and this
Tribunal can only arbitrate a dispute if it falls under the ambit of payment disputes.
and the same has no direct relation to the present payment dispute. [ART SHY V.
31. CLAIMANT firmly contends that the cost claimed by RESPONDENT for the development
of the website is not in direct relation with the present dispute. If there is any
29
ambiguity then it must be resolved in the favour of arbitration even when an arbitration
clause is limited in scope. CLAIMANT submits that the present arbitration is limited to
the costs directly mentioned in the agreement. Claim for the cost of website
32. CLAIMANT humbly submits before this Tribunal that the counterclaim made by
stipulation of a yet to be launched products’ success rate and in turn the success rate
of the accessories for the same. RESPONDENT does not have any experience in the
33. CLAIMANT contends that in the present dispute there is no breach of contract with
regard to future loss in the contract nor is there any reasonable measure to see the
superficial and abnormal. [TWIN DISC, INCORPORATED, V. BIG BUD TRACTOR, INC]
30
REQUEST FOR RELIEF
In light of the arguments advanced, CLAIMANT respectfully requests the Tribunal to find that:
1. This Tribunal has jurisdiction to deal with the payment claims raised by the
CLAIMANT;
2. CISG governs the claims arising under Sale and Purchase agreement No.1 and Sale
31