律师文集

林芳律师
林芳律师
浙江-杭州
主办律师

代表德国公司在华提起商事诉讼——口罩没有CE认证引发的纠纷

国际贸易2020-10-27|人阅读

经过三十多年的改革开放,国际贸易在我国经济中的占比呈逐年上升趋势。新冠肺炎疫情爆发期间,我国出口商也没有停下出口贸易的步伐,与疫情战斗的同时积极向各国提供防疫物资。大量的出口贸易活动暗藏合同履行的问题。近期,浙江智仁律师事务所涉外律师团队就成功处理多起买卖防疫物资导致的国际货物买卖合同纠纷。本文所述的是一起民用一次性口罩因没有有效CE认证导致德国公司维权的问题。

After more than 30 years of reform and opening-up, the proportion of international trade in our country's economy has been increasing year by year. During the outbreak of COVID-19, Chinese exporters have not stopped their export trade, and actively provide prevention materials to other countries while fighting the epidemic.

一、案情简介

1. Brief Introduction of the case

2020年4月初,德国T公司为了抗击疫情,委托中国F公司向中国的S公司多次以预付全款的方式采购具有CE认证的民用一次性口罩。货物到达德国后,在销售过程中,德国T公司发现中国S公司提供的口罩CE认证是由不具备出具CE证书的机构所签发,该CE认证在德国系无效证书。口罩没有有效的CE认证在德国无法销售,故德国T公司要求中国S公司退款,纠纷遂成。

In early April 2020, in order to fight the epidemic, German company T commissioned Chinese company F to purchase CE-certified civilian disposable masks from Chinese company S several times with full prepayment. After the goods arrive in Germany, during the sales process, German company T found that the CE certification provided by Chinese company S was issued by an organization without qualification. The CE certification is invalid in Germany. Masks cannot be sold in Germany without a valid CE certification. So German company T requires Chinese S company to refund.

二、案件分析

2. Analysis of the case

1.本案包括委托代理法律关系和国际货物买卖法律关系两种法律关系,德国T公司是有权主体。

(1)This case includes two legal relationships: effective agency legal relationship and international sales of goods legal relationship, German company T is the subject of the authority.

浙江智仁律师事务所涉外律师团队承接此案后,经过与德国T公司以及T公司在中国的代理商F公司充分沟通,仔细研究分析了现存的电子、书面等证据,认为本案存在两种法律关系——委托代理法律关系和国际货物买卖法律关系。德国T公司与中国供货商S公司之间关于口罩买卖合同的交流联络,除了货款支付外,都是通过中国F公司进行的。在采购口罩之初,中国F公司也明确向中国供货商S公司表示是代表德国T公司采购,有委托协议和授权书为证。在货物发生无效CE认证事件后,中国F公司也多次代表德国T公司向中国供货商S公司表明退款的要求。故德国T公司与中国F公司之间成立有效的委托代理合同关系。中国F公司代理德国T公司与中国供应商S公司订立国际货物买卖合同的权利义务应由德国T公司承受,德国T公司是本案纠纷的有权主体。

After the foreign business lawyer department of Zhejiang Zhiren Law Firm undertook the case, they fully communicated with German company T and T company's agent F in China, carefully studied and analyzed the existing electronic and written evidences. They believe that there are two legal relationships in this case----effective agency legal relationship and international sales of goods legal relationship. The contact between German company T and Chinese supplier S company on the purchase and sale contract of masks, except for the payment for the goods, was carried out through the Chinese company F. At the beginning of the purchase of masks, Chinese company F also clearly stated to Chinese supplier S company that it was purchasing on behalf of German company T, as evidenced by the entrustment agreement and authorization letter. After discovering that the CE certification was invalid, the Chinese company F also indicated to the Chinese supplier S company the refund request on behalf of the German company T. Therefore, an effective agency legal relationship was established between German company T and Chinese F company. The rights and obligations of the Chinese company F on behalf of the German company T to enter into an international goods sales contract with the Chinese supplier S company shall be taken by the German company T, German company T is the subject of the authority in this case.

2.诉讼国选择

(2) The choice of litigation country

德国T公司希望案件能够在德国本土起诉。因我国与德国没有签订民商事司法协助协定,两国没有关于承认与执行法院民商事裁决的协定或条约,目前,在德国的生效判决无法在中国大陆得到申请承认与执行。本案中,如果在德国起诉,即便胜诉,假使中国S公司不主动履行裁判书确定的责任,德国T公司也无法通过申请我国法院对德国裁决书的承认与执行维护其合法权益。故我们建议在中国提起诉讼,以最终实现货款返还的目的。

German company T hopes that the case can be prosecuted in Germany. Because China and Germany have not signed a civil and commercial judicial assistance agreement, the two countries have no agreement on the recognition and enforcement of civil and commercial rulings. Currently, effective judgments in Germany cannot be applied for recognition or enforcement in China (A list of countries that have signed civil and commercial judicial assistance agreements or treaties with China is attached to the end of the article). In this case, if the lawsuit is filed in Germany, even if the case is won, when the Chinese company S cannot actively perform the responsibilities determined in the judgment. The German company T will not be able to apply for the recognition and enforcement of the German ruling by the Chinese court to protect its legal rights. Therefore, in order to finally achieve the purpose of refunding the purchase price, we suggest to file a lawsuit in China.

3.代理律师选择

(3) The choice of lawyer

德国T公司合作的德国律师事务所在中国上海设有代表处,德国T公司认为可以委托德国律师事务所在中国上海代表处的德国律师在我国代理诉讼。我国《民事诉讼法》第二百六十三条规定“外国人、无国籍人、外国企业和组织在人民法院起诉、应诉,需要委托律师代理诉讼的,必须委托中华人民共和国的律师。”如果德国T公司在中国提起诉讼需要委托律师代理的,必须委托我国律师从事诉讼代理行为。当然,外国律所在中国的代表处可以提供境外法律帮助以及非诉协作。

The German law firm cooperated with German company T has a representative office in Shanghai, China. German company T believes that it can entrust German lawyers in the Shanghai representative office of German law firms to represent the litigation in China. Civil Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that “When a foreigner, stateless person, foreign enterprise or organization needs to entrust a lawyer to act as his agent in bringing a suit or responding to a lawsuit in a people's court, he must entrust a lawyer of the people's Republic of China.” If the German company T needs to entrust a lawyer to represent a lawsuit in China, it must entrust a Chinese lawyer. Of course, the representative offices of foreign law firms in China can provide overseas legal assistance and non-litigation cooperation.

4.本案证据的有效形式

(4)The effective form of evidence in this case

德国T公司作为主体在我国提起诉讼,除需要准备国内案件要求的诉讼材料外,还需提供德国T公司注册信息、存续证明,代表人的身份信息和授权委托书,以上材料因涉及身份关系,根据《最高人民法院关于民事诉讼证据的若干规定》第十六条第二款 “中华人民共和国领域外形成的涉及身份关系的证据,应当经所在国公证机关证明并经中华人民共和国驻该国使领馆认证,或者履行中华人民共和国与该所在国订立的有关条约中规定的证明手续。” 之规定,对于涉及身份关系的证据材料需要进行公证、认证手续。对于在德国形成的公文书证,根据《最高人民法院关于民事诉讼证据的若干规定》第十六条第一款“当事人提供的公文书证系在中华人民共和国领域外形成的,该证据应当经所在国公证机关证明,或者履行中华人民共和国与该所在国订立的有关条约中规定的证明手续。”之规定,应当经德国所在地公证机关证明。除了公文书证以及涉及身份关系的境外证据,我国法律对其有效形式没有做特别规定,适用一般证据规则即可。

German company T, as the subject of the authority, brings a lawsuit in China. In addition to preparing the litigation materials required by domestic cases, it also needs to provide the registration information, the existence certificate, the identity information of the representative and the power of attorney of the German T company. Due to the several provisions of the supreme people’s court on evidence in civil procedures Article 16, paragraph 2,it is necessary to provide the registration information, the existence certificate, the identity information of the representative and the power of attorney ,evidence involving identity relationship formed outside the territory of the people's Republic of China shall be certified by a notary organ in the country where it is located and authenticated by the embassy or consulate of the people's Republic of China in that country, or the certification procedures specified in the relevant treaties concluded between the people's Republic of China and the host country. As for the certification of the materials, the notarization procedures are required. For the documentary evidence formed in Germany, according to the first paragraph of Article 16 of the "several provisions of the Supreme People's Court on evidence in civil procedure", the document and documentary evidence provided by the party concerned is formed outside the territory of the people's Republic of China, and the evidence shall be proved by the notary organ of the country where it is located, or the witness specified in the relevant treaties concluded between the people's Republic of China and the host country Continued. It should be certified by the notary office in Germany. In addition to official documents and documentary evidence and overseas evidence involving identity relationship, there is no special provision on its effective form in China's law, and the general evidence rules can be applied.

三、特别提示——类案参考适用

3. Special tips - reference for similar cases

本案国际货物买卖合同法律关系的发生和合同履行都是在2020年4月初,此时,我国海关尚未实行进出口声明制度,本案以合同约定的质量标准为准。但2020年4月25日,中华人民共和国商务部、海关总署和国家市场监督管理总局联合发布2020年第 12号《关于进一步加强防疫物资出口质量监管的公告》,公告规定自4月26日起出口的非医用口罩应当符合中国质量标准或国外质量标准,非医用口罩出口企业报关时需提交电子或书面的出口方和进口方共同声明,声明确认产品符合中国质量标准或国外质量标准。即如果非医用口罩的出口发生在4月26日之后,海关会要求出口方和进口方提交共同声明,声明确认符合中国质量标准,即便出口贸易合同约定了诸如CE认证等质量标准,因出口时进口方声明出口产品是符合中国质量标准,我们认为进口方以在后的行为变更了双方在前对于合同质量的约定,如果进口方再以产品没有有效CE认证作为退款条件,我们认为能够得到我国法院支持的概率不大。庆幸的是本案的出口行为发生在2020年4月初,此时出口产品报关时尚不需要提供符合中国质量标准的声明,关于产品质量标准以双方约定为准。

经过我们客观全面的分析,德国T公司决定与我所合作。

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