Page 10 - 2021 Policy Watch

Policy Watch: A Milestone in Legal Development: China Promulgates a Civil Code

to the notice of publications of the new judicial inter- 利和利益而作的特别规定除外。”此种所谓“
pretation or the revocation, such judicial interpretation 有利溯及”在刑法的适用上表现为“从旧兼从
remains valid. Fifth, if the interpretations involve other 轻”，但民法的适用上，却没有一个统一的规
related laws that are or will be amended, they will be 则，需要根据具体情况具体分析，看适用《民
revised after the amendment of the laws, such as certain 法典》更有利于当事人合法权益的保护还是适
judicial interpretations related to the Company Law.7” 用当时的法律更有利于当事人权益的保护。例
如，《最高人民法院关于适用<中华人民共和
In this regard, on 30th December 2020, the Supreme 国民法典>时间效力的若干规定》规定，“民
People’s Court announced the comprehensive “clean- 法典施行前成立的合同,适用当时的法律、司
ing up” of its prior explanation of laws. 364 items con- 法解释的规定合同无效而适用民法典的规定合
sistent with the provisions of the Civil Code have not 同有效的,适用民法典的相关规定。”16“ 民
been modified and will continue to be applicable; 111 法典施行前订立的合同,提供格式条款一方未
items required changes of some provisions in accor- 履行提示或者说明义务,涉及格式条款效力认
dance with the Civil Code, will come into force on 1st 定的,适用民法典第四百九十六条的规定。”17
January 2021 after being revised and promulgated; and
116 judicial interpretations will be cancelled. 16 《最高人民法院关于适用<中华人民共和国民法典>时
间效力的若干规定》第八条
The 111 revised judicial interpretations include 27 re- 17 《最高人民法院关于适用<中华人民共和国民法典>时
lated to civil matters, 29 related to commercial matters, 间效力的若干规定》第九条
18 related to intellectual property, 19 related to litiga-
tion and 18 related to enforcement.

Of the 116 judicial interpretations that were cancelled,
24 of them have new corresponding judicial interpre-
tations at the time of abolishment, and 3 of them will
have new corresponding judicial interpretations in
time.

At the same time, the Supreme People’s Court issued 7
new judicial interpretations supporting the Civil Code,
which will be implemented simultaneously with the
Civil Code on 1st January 2021, involving the statute
of limitations8, guarantees9, property rights10, marriage

7 The Speech titled Implementation of the Civil Code and the Clean-
ing up and Draft of Judicial Interpretation made by Ren Guofeng,
Deputy Director of the Research Office of the Supreme People’s Court,
at the seminar regarding the major issues on application of the Civil
Code, on 27th November 2020
8 Several Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on the Application
of Statute of Limitations in the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of
China
9 Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on the Application
of the Guarantee System in the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of
China
10 Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on the Application of
the Property Rights Chapter in the Civil Code of the People’s Republic
of China (1)

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