Befrielsegrunden force majeure i den kommersiella avtalsrätten – I teori, praktik och i ljuset av samtida rättsutveckling
(2023) JURM02 20231Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract
- In recent years, numerous unexpected events and phenomena have emerged, with the covid 19-pandemic serving as a prominent example. This unforeseen occurrence abruptly paralyzed society in many ways, presenting significant challenges. Unanticipated events, such as the pandemic, also have pro- found implications for commercial contract law, often invoking the exemption clause of force majeure. This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the force majeure exemption in commercial contract law by examining both theoretical and practical aspects, considering the absence of a legal definition and guiding case law. Additionally, the subordinate purpose is to explore whether notions of loyalty and “relational contracting” are reflected in the... (More)
- In recent years, numerous unexpected events and phenomena have emerged, with the covid 19-pandemic serving as a prominent example. This unforeseen occurrence abruptly paralyzed society in many ways, presenting significant challenges. Unanticipated events, such as the pandemic, also have pro- found implications for commercial contract law, often invoking the exemption clause of force majeure. This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the force majeure exemption in commercial contract law by examining both theoretical and practical aspects, considering the absence of a legal definition and guiding case law. Additionally, the subordinate purpose is to explore whether notions of loyalty and “relational contracting” are reflected in the application of force majeure in legal practice.
Force majeure serves as a provision to release a party from liability in situations where contract fulfillment is hindered due to extraordinary events. If the events are so pervasive that performance becomes nearly impossible, a party is typically released from its performance obligations. Generally, commercial contracts include force majeure clauses that consists of four cumulative requirements that must be met for the exemption to have effect. The importance of a clearly defined force majeure clause is emphasized, along with the significance of contractual interpretation, as these clauses function as disclaimer clauses and should generally be interpreted restrictively. Further- more, there seems to be a relatively similar regulation in the context of Swe- dish standard contract law, with some variations in areas such as the obligation to notify, the legal consequences triggered by force majeure, and the specific grounds for exemption.
Practicing lawyers within commercial contract law, that are interviewed in the study, collectively agree that force majeure was previously treated as a boilerplate clause, often incorporated into contracts without careful consideration. However, they observe that the regulation of force majeure was rigorously tested during the pandemic, posing numerous questions for practicing lawyers. These questions revolved mainly around the wording of the clauses, as well as what happens in cases where a clause is either absent or unsatisfactory. Regarding the secondary purpose of the essay, it is concluded that loyality and "relational contracting" seems to be rather significant factors in handling force majeure issues in legal practice, particularly during the pandemic. Instances of contentious legal disputes arising from force majeure appear to be relatively infrequent. Despite the absence of guiding precedents and limited case law, the interviews reveal somewhat of a prevailing sentiment among lawyers to approach disputes arising from force majeure with loyalty and a collaborative mindset, aiming mutually beneficial resolutions when a force majeure situation affects the contractual relationship. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Det är ingen nyhet att de senare åren har kantats av flera oförutsedda händelser och företeelser. Inte minst utgör covid 19-pandemin ett exempel på en händelse som oväntat lamslog samhället och föranledde stora utmaningar. Oförutsedda händelser, likt pandemin, har också en betydande påverkan på den kommersiella avtalsrätten, och aktualiserar inte sällan befrielsegrunden force majeure. Denna uppsats syftar till att, i avsaknad av legal- definition och vägledande praxis avseende begreppet force majeure i svensk rätt, bidra med kunskap om force majeure som befrielsegrund i den kommersiella avtalsrätten. Som ett led i att uppfylla syftet studeras begreppet i teorin såväl som i den juridiska praktiken. Ett underordnat syfte är att under- söka... (More)
- Det är ingen nyhet att de senare åren har kantats av flera oförutsedda händelser och företeelser. Inte minst utgör covid 19-pandemin ett exempel på en händelse som oväntat lamslog samhället och föranledde stora utmaningar. Oförutsedda händelser, likt pandemin, har också en betydande påverkan på den kommersiella avtalsrätten, och aktualiserar inte sällan befrielsegrunden force majeure. Denna uppsats syftar till att, i avsaknad av legal- definition och vägledande praxis avseende begreppet force majeure i svensk rätt, bidra med kunskap om force majeure som befrielsegrund i den kommersiella avtalsrätten. Som ett led i att uppfylla syftet studeras begreppet i teorin såväl som i den juridiska praktiken. Ett underordnat syfte är att under- söka huruvida idéer om lojalitet och ”relational contracting” avspeglas när det kommer till force majeure i den juridiska praktiken.
Befrielsegrunden force majeure används i syfte att friskriva en part från an- svar för dröjsmål på grund av händelser av extrem art som hindrar att avtalet fullgörs. Sker händelser av så genomgripande karaktär att det är i stort sett uteslutet att prestera är tanken att parten ska befrias från den annars gällande prestationsskyldigheten. Vanligtvis inkorporeras force majeure-klausuler i kommersiella avtal bestående av fyra kumulativa rekvisit som måste vara uppfyllda för att befrielsegrunden ska kunna aktualiseras. I förhållande till innebörden av force majeure tydliggörs vikten för parterna att ha en tydligt utformad klausul men också avtalstolknings relevans när det kommer till force majeure-klausuler. Särskilt eftersom de utgör friskrivningsklausuler som, som utgångspunkt, ska tolkas restriktivt. I undersökningen av den svenska standardavtalsrätten framstår regleringen av force majeure relativt likartad. Vissa skillnader identifieras emellertid avseende exempelvis underrättelsepliktens omfattning och vilken rättsföljd som force majeure aktualiserar, men också avseende vilka befrielsegrunder som räknas upp i klausulen.
Verksamma jurister som intervjuas i uppsatsen delar bilden av att force majeure tidigare i många fall betraktats som en boiler plate-klausul som kanske närmast slentrianmässigt lagts in i avtal. Intervjupersonerna konstaterar emellertid att regleringen av force majeure under pandemin ställdes på sin spets och vållade en del frågor att ta ställning till vid utformningen av klausulerna, men också hur parterna och deras ombud ska förhålla sig till brist på- eller en icke tillfredställande force majeure-klausul. I förhållande till det underordnade syftet tyder studien på att lojalitet och ”relational contracting” är relevanta faktorer i hanteringen av force majeure-frågor i den juridiska praktiken, åtminstone under pandemin. Skarpa tvister med anledning av force majeure verkar inte vara särskilt vanligt förekommande. Med beaktande av bristen på klargörande praxis och ett förhållandevis begränsat underlag visar studien att en lojalitetsbetonad inställning och strävan efter gemensamma lösningar inte sällan aktualiseras. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9116327
- author
- Aspelin, Hedvig LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Force majeure in commercial contract law – In theory, in practice and in the light of contemporary legal developments
- course
- JURM02 20231
- year
- 2023
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- Avtalsrätt, kommersiell avtalsrätt, förmögenhetsrätt, force majeure, lojalitet, rättsvetenskap
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9116327
- date added to LUP
- 2023-06-13 08:40:10
- date last changed
- 2023-06-13 08:40:10
@misc{9116327,
abstract = {{In recent years, numerous unexpected events and phenomena have emerged, with the covid 19-pandemic serving as a prominent example. This unforeseen occurrence abruptly paralyzed society in many ways, presenting significant challenges. Unanticipated events, such as the pandemic, also have pro- found implications for commercial contract law, often invoking the exemption clause of force majeure. This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the force majeure exemption in commercial contract law by examining both theoretical and practical aspects, considering the absence of a legal definition and guiding case law. Additionally, the subordinate purpose is to explore whether notions of loyalty and “relational contracting” are reflected in the application of force majeure in legal practice.
Force majeure serves as a provision to release a party from liability in situations where contract fulfillment is hindered due to extraordinary events. If the events are so pervasive that performance becomes nearly impossible, a party is typically released from its performance obligations. Generally, commercial contracts include force majeure clauses that consists of four cumulative requirements that must be met for the exemption to have effect. The importance of a clearly defined force majeure clause is emphasized, along with the significance of contractual interpretation, as these clauses function as disclaimer clauses and should generally be interpreted restrictively. Further- more, there seems to be a relatively similar regulation in the context of Swe- dish standard contract law, with some variations in areas such as the obligation to notify, the legal consequences triggered by force majeure, and the specific grounds for exemption.
Practicing lawyers within commercial contract law, that are interviewed in the study, collectively agree that force majeure was previously treated as a boilerplate clause, often incorporated into contracts without careful consideration. However, they observe that the regulation of force majeure was rigorously tested during the pandemic, posing numerous questions for practicing lawyers. These questions revolved mainly around the wording of the clauses, as well as what happens in cases where a clause is either absent or unsatisfactory. Regarding the secondary purpose of the essay, it is concluded that loyality and "relational contracting" seems to be rather significant factors in handling force majeure issues in legal practice, particularly during the pandemic. Instances of contentious legal disputes arising from force majeure appear to be relatively infrequent. Despite the absence of guiding precedents and limited case law, the interviews reveal somewhat of a prevailing sentiment among lawyers to approach disputes arising from force majeure with loyalty and a collaborative mindset, aiming mutually beneficial resolutions when a force majeure situation affects the contractual relationship.}},
author = {{Aspelin, Hedvig}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Befrielsegrunden force majeure i den kommersiella avtalsrätten – I teori, praktik och i ljuset av samtida rättsutveckling}},
year = {{2023}},
}