作者:夏东霞 杨婷 金杜律师事务所争议解决

最高人民法院《关于审理买卖合同纠纷案件适用法律问题的解释》(“《解释》”)于2012年6月5日公布,并于2012年7月1日起施行。《解释》分为八个部分四十六条,分别针对买卖合同的成立及效力、标的物交付和所有权转移、标的物风险负担、标的物检验、违约责任、所有权保留、特种买卖等问题作出了明确规定。《解释》不仅澄清了司法实践中诸多困惑问题,还弥补了《合同法》的部分空白和漏洞,对司法实践具有重要意义。本文现就《解释》的重点内容简要作如下介绍。

 一、承认预约合同的独立契约效力

合同缔结过程中,当事人签订认购书、意向书等,约定在将来一定期限内签订正式合同,在买卖合同领域,尤其是商品房买卖领域非常普遍。理论上,此类认购书、意向书为“预约”,系相对于正式合同,即“本约”而言的。
Continue Reading 解读《关于审理买卖合同纠纷案件适用法律问题的解释》

By Chen Changhui and Jiang Zhipei King & Wood Mallesons’ IP Legal  Group

For decades, more and more Chinese overseas students and experienced employees in foreign enterprises have been flocking to domestic enterprises. In some cases, these employees have successfully developed products, that had been monopolized by enterprises in western countries in the name of trade secrets. Thus, Chinese enterprises are highly vulnerable to allegations by transnational enterprises of trade secret infringement. For Chinese enterprises, how to avoid falling into the pitfall of trade secret infringement and relevant legal risks, is the more immediate issue.

A trade secret falls within the protective scope of intellectual property (“IP”) laws. It refers to technical or business information which is not generally known to the public, but which has utility and can bring economic benefits to the right holder; the right holder must also have taken security measures to keep the information secret.
Continue Reading Coping Mechanisms for Trade Secret Infringement in Outbound Investment

By Susan Ning, Huang Jing and Angie Ng

 

We understand from press reports that the China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) has complained that a large automobile manufacturer has allegedly been imposing unreasonable restraints on its distributors, including determining a minimum resale price and allocating territory.  There has been some suggestion in the press that the conduct allegedly undertaken by the automobile manufacturer is in breach of the Anti-Monopoly Law (AML).

 

This article identifies the AML provision governing such vertical restraints; and also outlines how certain vertical restraints in relation to the motor industry are being dealt with in Europe.Continue Reading Complaint re resale price maintenance in the automobile industry