《民法典》中不可抗力的体系构造

The System of Force Majeure in the Civil Code

在《民法典》有关不可抗力的体系构造中,不可抗力应划分为三个不同面向,即不可抗力事件、不可抗力规则和不可抗力约款。不可抗力事件指不能预见、不能避免并不能克服的客观情况,区别于不能预见、不能避免但可以克服的意外事件。不可抗力规则指不可抗力事件在法律规定的条件下产生免责法律效果的规则。不可抗力约款有广义和狭义之分。广义的不可抗力约款,是指当事人就不可抗力事件进行约定并旨在产生免责法律效果的合同条款,包含构成和法律效果两个方面:前者指当事人约定对不可抗力事件进行范围上的扩张或者限缩;后者则是指当事人对扩张或者限缩的不可抗力事件在约定条件下产生免责法律效果之约定。狭义的不可抗力约款,仅包含构成层面,即当事人约定对不可抗力事件进行范围上的扩张或者限缩。不可抗力事件或狭义不可抗力约款还会引发合同解除、风险负担、情势变更及诉讼时效中止等规则的适用,后者可以被称为不可抗力的关联规则。

In the system of the Chinese Civil Code,force majeure shall be divided into three different aspects,namely,force majeure events,force majeure rule and force majeure clauses.A force majeure event is an objective circumstance that cannot be foreseen,avoided and overcome,as distinguished from an event that cannot be foreseen,avoided but can be overcome.The force majeure rule refers to the rule by which a force majeure event produces the legal effect of exemption under conditions prescribed by law.Force majeure clauses can be broadly or narrowly defined.A force majeure clause in the broad sense is a contractual clause agreed upon by the parties in respect of a force majeure event and intended to produce the legal effect of exemption.It consists of elements and legal effects.The former refers to an agreement by the parties to expand or limit the scope of events of force majeure.The latter refers to the agreement of the parties to the expansion or limitation of the force majeure events under the agreed conditions to produce the legal effect of exemption.The force majeure clause in the narrow sense only includes the level of elements,that is,the agreement by the parties to expand or limit the scope of the force majeure events.An event of force majeure or a force majeure clause in the narrow sense may also trigger the application of the rules of the rescission of the contract,the rule of the burden of risks,the changed circumstances and the suspension of the prescription.All these rules may be called the associated rules of force majeure.