Class Guarantees in Commercial and International Contracts

In a Master's course in company law, a course unit dealing with the subject of guarantees in international commercial contracts is mandatory.

It is consolidated practice in international contracts, more than in domestic contracts, to demand the provision of guarantees, since, often, the parties to the contract have not previous knowledge from each other and the simple fact that they are located in different countries makes it very difficult to collect credits in the event of a default.

PART I

1. Commercial Contracts. Notion, in domestic law, and the need to develop an autonomous concept with respect to international trade.
2. Contract models in international trade, with focus on the 1980 United Nations Convention on the Contract for the Purchase and International Sale of Goods (Vienna Convention).
3. Institutional aspects: the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the United Nations Commission for International Trade (UNCITRAL), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and, at a regional level, the Organization for Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).
4. Detailed study of INCOTERMS 2020.

PART II

1. The general guarantee of obligations and means of conservation.
2. Personal guarantees.
3. Real guarantees (securities).
4. The use of the property with a guarantee function.
5. Banking guarantees.
6. Documentary credit.
7. Warranty clauses.

With respect to all themes, there will be an initial presentation by the teacher, with debate at the end.

Later, presentation of papers resulting from an investigation by the students and their discussion (seminar classes).

In the spirit of Bologna, students will be given greater freedom in choosing the topics to be addressed, respecting their preferences and individuality.

Evaluation: research work: 70%; presentation: 30%.

• ANTUNES, J. A. E., Direito dos Contratos Comerciais, Coimbra, Almedina, 2017.

• BORTOLOTTI, F. , Manuale di Diritto Commerciale Internazionale, Vol. II, 2.ª Ed., CEDAM, Padova, 2002.

• BRITO, M. H., Direito do Comércio Internacional, Coimbra, Almedina, 2009,

• CORDEIRO, A. M. (com a colab. de CORDEIRO, A. Barreto M.), Tratado de Direito Civil, X, Direito das Obrigações, Garantias, Coimbra, Almedina, 2015.

• LEITÃO, L. T. M., Garantias das Obrigações, 6.ª Edição, Coimbra, Alme­dina, 2018.

• PINHEIRO, L. L., Direito Comercial Internacional, Coimbra, Almedina, 2005.

• SIGMAN, H. C. / KIENINGER, E.-M., Cross-Border Security over Tangibles, Sellier, München, 2007

• SILVA; João Calvão da Silva, Banca, Bolsa e Seguros - Direito Europeu e Português, Tomo I, Coimbra, Almedina, 2005.

• VARELA, João de Matos Antunes, Das Obrigações em Geral, Vol. II, Reimpressão da 7.ª Edição, Coimbra, Almedina, 2007.

• VASCONCELOS, L. M. P., Direito das Garantias, 3.ª Ed., Coimbra, Al­medina, 2019.