Page 15 - 2021 Policy Watch

The American Chamber of Commerce in South China

request for contracting.20 An article regarding transpor- 资的紧急供应，保护社会公众的生命健康，国家
tation contracts states that a carrier engaged in public 可以向生产防护服或者呼吸机的企业下达强制订
transportation shall not refuse the normal and reason- 货任务，强制订立这类买卖合同，原则上企业不
able carriage request of a passenger or consignor;21 and 得拒绝订立这类合同。

ii. that such party has a mandatory obligation to en- b. 预约合同制度
ter into a contract to undertake national orders. When
the State issues national orders and directive tasks in 预约合同是指当事人双方约定在未来一定期限内
an emergency for disaster relief, epidemic prevention 订立合同的协议，是广泛采用的一种合同的订立
and control, the relevant civil subjects shall conclude 方式，如认购书、订购书、商品房预订协议书
contracts in accordance with the rights and obligations 等。
set forth in relevant laws and administrative regula-
tions.22 For example, during the outbreak of Covid-19, 原先的《合同法》未对预约合同做出规定，但在
in order to ensure the emergency supply of epidemic 《买卖合同司法解释》23第二条规定“当事人签
prevention materials and safeguard the public lives and 订认购书、订购书、预订书、意向书、备忘录等
health, the State may issue mandatory orders to com- 预约合同，约定在将来一定期限内订立买卖合
panies that manufacture protective clothing or ventila- 同，一方不履行订立买卖合同的义务，对方请
tors and force them to enter into such purchase and 求该不履行方承担预约合同违约责任或者要求解
sale contracts. In principle, companies shall not refuse 除预约合同并主张损害赔偿的，人民法院应予支
to enter into such contracts. 持。”《民法典》合同编将预约合同制度的范围
从买卖合同扩大到所有的合同，规定了当事人约
b. Preliminary Contract System 定在将来一定期限内订立合同的认购书、订购
书、预订书等，构成预约合同。当事人一方不履
A preliminary contract is an agreement where the par- 行预约合同约定的订立合同义务的，对方可以请
ties agree to conclude a contract by a certain time in 求其承担预约合同的违约责任。
the future. It is a kind of contract formation method
widely used in subscriptions, purchase orders, com- c. 格式条款制度
mercial housing reservation agreements, etc.
《民法典》扩大了格式条款提示和说明义务的适
The previous Contract Law did not set forth provisions 用范围。采用格式条款的一方除了需要提示原来
for a preliminary contract. However, Judicial Interpre- 《合同法》规定的提示免除或者限制责任的条款
tation of Purchase and Sales Contract23, Article 2 reads: 外，对所有与对方有重大利害关系的条款都应当
“if a party signs a preliminary contract such as a sub- 履行提示和说明义务。什么是重大利害关系条
scription, purchase order, reservation, letter of intent, 款？《民法典》第四百七十条规定了合同一般应
memorandum, and agrees to conclude a sales and pur- 包括的条款。一般来说，该条列举的标的、数
chase contract by a certain time in the future, but ei- 量、质量、价款或者报酬、履行期限、地点和方
ther party fails to perform its obligation to conclude 式、违约责任、解决争议的方法等条款均属于与
such sales and purchase contract, the other party may 对方有重大利害关系的条款。个别法律中也要重
request the non-performing party to assume liability 大利害关系条款的规定，例如，消费合同中经营
for breach of preliminary contract, or request termina- 者应当以显著方式提请消费者注意商品或者服务
tion of the preliminary contract, and claim damages. A 的数量和质量、价款或者费用、履行期限和方
people’s court shall sustain such request”. The chapter 式、安全注意事项和风险警示、售后服务、民事
on contracts in the Civil Code extends the scope of the 责任等24。

20 Civil Code, Article 648 and Article 656 提供格式条款的一方未履行提示和说明义务的，
21 Civil Code, Article 810 相对方有权主张该格式条款不成为合同内容的一
22 Civil Code, Article 494 部分，而非原先《合同法》的撤销。
23 The Judicial Interpretation of Purchase and Sales Contracts, refers
to the Interpretation by the Supreme People’s Court on Issues of Ap- 23 《买卖合同司法解释》的全称为《最高人民法院关于
plicable Laws for Review of Disputed Cases regarding Purchase and 审理买卖合同纠纷案件适用法律问题的解释》
Sales Contracts 24 《消费者权益保护法》第二十六条第一款

15