论特征性履行说在国际海上运输合同关系中的误用

On the Misapplication of the Theory of Characteristic Performance in the International Contract of Carriage by Sea

目前,中国《海商法》正在修订过程中。2018年公开的《海商法(修订征求意见稿)》在国际海上运输合同关系的法律适用中,引入特征性履行说,主张当事人未协议选择准据法时适用特征性履行方经常居所地法。然而,国际海上运输合同中,虽然存在特征性履行一方即承运人,但是承运人的经常居所地并不当然与合同存在最密切联系,甚至毫无联系。仅将特征性履行说单一地理解为特征性履行方经常居所地法,并直接适用于未协议选择准据法的国际海上运输合同,有违最密切联系原则,是对特征性履行说的错误理解和错误适用。基于对国际海上运输合同的特殊性和其在法律适用上的实际立法需求的分析,应当沿用最密切联系原则,维持《海商法》现行规定。

In the process of amending the China Maritime Code,the theory of characteristic performance was incorporated into the draft for comments issued in 2018 and in the absence of a choice of applicable law by parties,the international contract of carriage by sea are proposed to be governed by the law of the place of the habitual residence of one party whose performance of obligations can best embody the characteristic of the contract,namely,the law of carrier’s habitual residence.However,the proposed law is not necessarily most closely connected with the contract and even hardly connected.The application of the law of the habitual residence of the party owing the characteristic performance in the international contract of carriage by sea would violate the closest connection doctrine,as a result of the misunderstanding and misapplication of characteristic performance.