Universität Wien

030557 KU Transnational Commercial Law (2025W)

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 3 - Rechtswissenschaften
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 46 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

Course participants are reminded that the written exam as part of the performance assessment will take place on Wednesday, 29 October.

Course participants will have 60 minutes for the exam, which will start at 11:30 after the break.

  • Montag 13.10. 09:30 - 12:30 Seminarraum SEM42 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 4.OG
  • Dienstag 14.10. 09:30 - 12:30 Seminarraum SEM52 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum 5.OG
  • Dienstag 21.10. 09:30 - 12:30 Seminarraum SEM34 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Mittwoch 22.10. 09:30 - 12:30 Hörsaal U16 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, KG1
  • Dienstag 28.10. 09:30 - 12:30 Seminarraum SEM62 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum 6.OG
  • Mittwoch 29.10. 09:30 - 12:30 Seminarraum SEM62 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum 6.OG

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

This course focuses on the fundamentals of transactional commercial law, its main areas of application, and the process of commercial law harmonisation: choice of harmonisation instrument and their respective advantages and disadvantages; harmonisation through specific binding instruments (CISG, Cape Town and New York Conventions); harmonisation through contract and institutional rules; harmonisation through model laws; the future development of transnational commercial law.
The course offers and overview of both the general framework, policies and problems of transnational commercial law, as well as of the main international commercial law conventions, standard terms and uniform rules, so that the student gains a perception of the way transnational law comes into being and can be used by international legal practitioners to bridge the gap between different legal systems. The course will then introduce the main instruments of transnational law, with a focus on contracts for the international sale of goods and ancillary transaction (transportation and letters of credit) and highlight the differences between the legal framework for international and domestic transactions.

Structure and schedule of topics:
13.10. Transnational Commercial Law: Scope and Sources (three hours)
14.10. Choice of Law and International Contract Drafting (three hours)
21.10. International Sale of Goods (three hours)
22.10. International Sale of Goods (three hours)
28.10. Transport Contracts and Carrier Liability (three hours)
29.10. Trade Documents and Letters of Credit (three hours)

The method of this course is both abstract and problem-oriented: at first, the background will be covered by a general introduction to the topic, explaining the legal sources and their role. Thereafter, specific problems will be discussed with the participants, often with a practical background. Students will receive original texts and documents. Powerpoint will be used.

Language:
All classes will be held in English.

The purpose of this course is to:
- offer students an overview of the main challenges faced by lawyers in international legal practice and familiarize them with the notion of transnational commercial law, its sources, elements and its relation to domestic law

- introduce to the students the use of the comparative law to risk assessment in international commercial contracts and explain the connection between transnational commercial law, dispute settlement and private international law

- enable students to understand how different transnational commercial law instruments apply and how they relate to one another and to domestic law, and offer an insight into the way these instruments are developed, what are their driving forces and how are they used in practice

- provide students with basic knowledge necessary about the main sources of law governing international transactions, with a focus on the international contract for the sale of goods and ancillary transaction (transportation and letters of credit).

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

test - tbs (40%) and performance in the class (60%)

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

see above.

Prüfungsstoff

tba

Literatur

United Nations Conventions on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (https://uncitral.un.org/en/texts/salegoods/conventions/sale_of_goods/cisg)

UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts 2016 (https://www.unidroit.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Unidroit-Principles-2016-English-i.pdf)

United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea (https://uncitral.un.org/en/texts/transportgoods/conventions/rotterdam_rules)

International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading, as Amended by the Brussels Protocol 1968 (“The Hague-Visby Rules”) (http://www.dutchcivillaw.com/legislation/haguevisbyrules.htm)

United Nations Convention on Independent Guarantees and Stand-by Letters of Credit (https://uncitral.un.org/en/texts/payments/conventions/independent_guarantees)

Additional recommended materials

Incoterms 2020

ICC Uniform Customs and Practices for Documentary Credits (UCP 600)

ICC Uniform Rules for Demand Guarantees (URDG)

Recommended textbook

Goode/Kronke/McKendrick/Wool, Transnational Commercial Law, 2nd. Ed., Oxford: University Press, 2012.

Additional recommended reading

Mankowski / Cuniberti / Lehmann, Commercial Law, 2nd. ed., Baden-Badne: Beck/Hart/Nomos 2025

Murray/Holloway/Timson-Hunt, Schmitthoff’s The Law and Practice of International Trade, 12th ed., London: Sweet & Maxwell, 2012

Schlechtriem/Schwenzer/Schroeter (eds.), Commentary on the UN Convention on the International Sale of Goods, 5th ed. Oxford: University Press, 2022

Vogenauer (ed.), Commentary on the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, 2nd ed. Oxford: University Press, 2015

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Letzte Änderung: Fr 24.10.2025 17:25