The Principles of Interpretation of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods

Abstract

Although the drafters of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods did not expressly establish methods for interpreting this instrument, they did foresee certain principles that, broadly speaking, constitute an “autonomous system of interpretation”—in accordance with the demands of its international nature—which translates into an operation of legal logic aimed at determining the scope and meaning of the terms used in the Convention and in the contracts entered into by the parties. This paper seeks to examine the international character of the Convention, the need to promote uniformity in its application, and the need to ensure good faith in international trade. The second part analyzes the criteria provided in the Convention for the specific interpretation of the declarations and acts performed by the parties.