International Commercial Agreements

Michala Meiselles is a solicitor in England and Wales and law lecturer specialising in advising multinational enterprises, public sector clients and UN agencies on international commercial agreements. She is currently a lecturer of law at the Law School of Université Jean Moulin (in Lyon, France), teaching European Business Law and International Corporate Law. She is a contributing author to The Civil Law Consequences of Corruption (Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2009).

• Dedication; Acknowledgements; Table of Cases; Table of Statutes; Preface; Guide to the Book; 1. Planning an International Commercial Agreement; Index; Overview of chapter; Abbreviations; Glossary; General planning concerns; I. Form of international commercial agreements; II. Subject matter of the contract; III. Parties contracting; IV. Trade barriers; V. Implied terms; Planning for dispute resolution; VI. Adaption of the contract; VII. Renegotiation of terms; VIII. Dispute resolution; IX. Researching local law; Entry strategies; X. Available entry strategies; Summary; Useful links; Further reading; 2. Drafting an International Commercial Agreement; Index; Overview of chapter; Glossary; I. Freedom of contract; II. Legality; III. International instruments; IV. Dispute resolution; V. Choice of law in international agreements; VI. Requirements relating to the form of the contract; VII. Missing or vague terms; VIII. Defined terms; IX. Language of contract; X. Checklist of provisions; XI. Structure; XII. Front of the contract; XIII. Body of the contract; XIV. Boilerplate clauses; XV. Back of the contract; Summary; Useful links; Further reading; 3. International Sales Agreement; Index; Overview of chapter; Glossary; I. The law applicable to the sales agreement; II. International law applicable to international sales of goods; III. English law governing international sales of goods; IV. Trade terms; V. Incoterms®; VI. Trade terms under English law; VII. Checklist of provisions; VIII. Front of the contract; IX. Body of the contract; X. Boilerplate clauses; XI. Back of the contract; Summary; Useful links; Further reading; 4. International Distribution Agreement; Index; Overview of chapter; Glossary; I. Vertical integration; II. The set up in a distribution relationship; III. Strategies when working with a distributor; IV. The relationship between the principal and distributor; V. Choosing between a traditional buyer and distributor; VI. Choosing between an agent and distributor; VII. The law governing international distribution agreements; VIII. Choice of law under European Union law; IX. European competition law and the treatment on distribution and agency agreements; X. Motives and concerns of distributor; XI. Motives and concerns of principal; XII. Distribution agreement and sales agreement; XIII. Checklist of provisions; XIV. Front of the contract; XV. Body of the contract; XVI. Boilerplate clauses; XVII. Back of the contract; General provisions; Summary; Useful links; Further reading; 5. International Agency Agreement; Index; Overview of chapter; Glossary; I. Agency arrangements – When and why?; II. Fundamentals of agency law; III. Common types of agency relationships; IV. The sources of law governing the agency relationship; V. Governing law under European Union law; VI. Formation of the agency agreement; VII. Creation of an agency relationship; VIII. Consequences of agency; IX. Termination of the agency agreement; X. Liability of the principal to the third party; XI. Disclosed and undisclosed agency; XII. Civil law contrasted with common law; XIII. Concerns of the principal; XIV. Concerns of the agent; XV. Third party’s concerns; XVI. Agency agreements under EU law; XVII. Agency law and international instruments; XVIII. Checklist of provisions; XIX. Front of the contract; XX. Body of the contract; XXI. Boilerplate clauses and back of contract; Summary; Useful links; Further reading; 6. International Licensing Agreement; Index; Overview of chapter; Glossary; I. Intellectual property defined; II. Intellectual property law defined; III. The role of intellectual property law; IV. The role of intellectual property; V. The concerns of the different actors; VI. Characteristics of IPR; VII. Main categories of IPRs; VIII. The role of international licensing agreements; IX. Role of licensing; X. General format of a licensing agreement; XI. Main categories of international licensing agreements; XII. Licensing of a patent; XIII. Licensing a trade mark; XIV. Licensing a copyright; XX. Technology transfer agreement; XXI. Franchising; XXII. Principal’s benefits under a licensing agreement; XXIII. Licensee’s benefits under a licensing agreement; XXIV. Principal’s concerns; XXV. Licensee’s concerns; XXVI. Governing law under European Union law; XXVII. Checklist of provisions; XXVIII. Front of the contract; XXIX. Body of the contract; XXX. Boilerplate clauses; XXXI. Back of the contract; Summary; Useful links; Further reading; 7. International Instruments governing International Commercial Agreements; Index; Overview of chapter; Glossary; I. Introduction; II. UNIDROIT Principles and PECL; III. CISG; IV. Draft Common Frame of Reference (DCFR) and Common European Sales Law (CESL); Useful links; Further reading.