General Terms of Delivery from SCHIEBEL Antriebstechnik GmbH
of the Austrian Association for the Machine-Building and Steel Construction
Industry dated 01 January 2002
The present General Terms of Delivery have primarily been drafted
for legal transactions between companies. If, in exceptional cases,
they are used as a basis for legal transactions with consumers,
as defined in § 1, paragraph 1, item 2 of the Consumer Protection
Act, Federal Law Gazette No. 49/1979, they shall only apply to the
extent that they do not conflict with the provisions of the first
main section of the aforementioned law.
It is mutually agreed that the UN Convention on Contracts for the
International Sale of Goods (CISG) of 11 April1980, Federal Law
Gazette No. 1988/96, is expressly excluded.
1. Introduction
1.1 Unless the contracting parties have expressly agreed otherwise
in writing, the present General Terms of Delivery shall apply.
1.2 The below provisions on the delivery of goods shall also apply
mutatis mutandis to performances.
1.3 The Terms of Assembly of the Austrian Association for the Machine-Building
and Steel Construction Industry shall additionally apply to assembly
projects.
2. Making of a Contract
2.1 A contract shall be deemed to have been made if SCHIEBEL has
sent a written order confirmation upon receipt of an order and if
there is no evidence that Buyer has opposed it within ten days.
2.2 SCHIEBEL shall confirm in writing any modifications of and amendments
to a con-tract in order to make these valid. SCHIEBEL shall be bound
by Buyer's conditions of purchase only if SCHIEBEL has accepted
them separately.
2.3 In the event that import and/or export licences or foreign-currency
permits or similar authorizations are required for the performance
of a contract, the party responsible for obtaining such documents
shall make every reasonable effort in order to obtain the necessary
licences or permits in due time.
3. Drawings and Documents
3.1 The data on weights, measures, content, prices, performances,
or alike, as contained in catalogues, brochures, circular letters,
advertisements, pictures and price lists, etc. shall only be definitive
if the cost estimate and/or order confirmation expressly refers
to them.
3.2 Drawings, design drafts, cost estimates and other technical
documents, which may also be part of the cost estimate, as well
as samples, catalogues, brochures, pictures and alike shall always
remain the intellectual property of SCHIEBEL. Any use, copying,
reproduction, dissemination and transfer to third par-ties, and
any publication and presentation thereof may only be effected with
the express approval of the owner.
4. Packaging
4.1 Unless other arrangements have been agreed upon
a) the listed prices are without packaging;
b) the goods are packaged according to normal trade practice in
order to avoid, under normal transport conditions, any damage to
the goods on the way to their agreed destination. The goods are
packaged at Buyer's expense, and the packaging material will only
be taken back if so agreed by the parties.
5. Passage of Risk
5.1 Unless otherwise agreed, the goods shall be deemed to have been
sold "ex works" (EXW) (ready for collection).
5.2 Furthermore, the INCOTERMS shall apply in the version valid
on the date when a contract is signed.
6. Period of Delivery
6.1 In the absence of any other agreement, the period of delivery
shall begin at the latest of the following dates:
a) the date of the order confirmation;
b) the date on which Buyer has complied with all technical, commercial
and financial preconditions for which Buyer is responsible under
the contract;
c) the date on which SCHIEBEL has received a payment on account
that is due prior to the delivery of the goods, and/or a payment
guarantee has been issued or otherwise provided.
6.2 SCHIEBEL shall have the right to make partial or advance deliveries.
6.3 If a delivery is delayed on account of a circumstance on SCHIEBEL's
part that constitutes a reason for relief according to Article 14,
a reasonable extension of the period of delivery shall be granted.
6.4 If SCHIEBEL has caused a delay in delivery, Buyer may either
demand the performance of the contract or withdraw from the contract,
granting a reasonable respite.
6.5 If the respite according to Article 6.4 is not used, due to
SCHIEBEL's negligence, Buyer may withdraw from the contract by means
of a written notice, regarding all undelivered goods. The same shall
apply to delivered goods which, how-ever, cannot be used appropriately
without the outstanding goods. In this event, Buyer shall have the
right to be refunded any payments made for the undelivered goods
or for the goods that cannot be used. Moreover, in the event that
the delay in delivery is due to a gross negligence on SCHIEBEL's
part, Buyer shall be entitled to a refund of any justified expenses
that Buyer has had to incur up to the dissolution of the contract
and which cannot be used for any further purpose. Buyer shall return
to SCHIEBEL any delivered goods and the goods that cannot be used.
6.6 If Buyer does not accept the goods supplied under the contract
in the contractually agreed place or at the contractually agreed
time, and if the delay is not due to any action or omission on SCHIEBEL's
part, SCHIEBEL may either demand the performance of the contract
or withdraw from the contract, granting a respite. When the goods
have been segregated, SCHIEBEL may store the goods at Buyer's cost
and risk. SCHIEBEL shall also be entitled to claim a refund of any
justified expenses that SCHIEBEL had to incur in connection with
performing the contract and that are not covered by the payments
received.
6.7 Any other claims of Buyer against SCHIEBEL for SCHIEBEL's delay
than those listed in Article 6 shall be precluded.
7. Acceptance Test
7.1 If Buyer wishes to have an acceptance test made, such a test
shall be agreed expressly in writing when entering a contract. Unless
otherwise agreed, the acceptance test shall be made at the place
of manufacture, or at a place to be indicated by Buyer respectively,
during the normal working hours of SCHIEBEL. In this connection,
the general practice of the industry in question shall govern the
acceptance test. SCHIEBEL shall inform Buyer in due time of the
acceptance test so that Buyer may be present during the test, or
may be represented by an authorized representative respectively.
If the delivery item proves to be contrary to the contract during
the acceptance test, SCHIEBEL shall remedy any defect immediately
and produce the contractual condition of the delivery item. Buyer
may ask that the test be repeated only in cases of a major defect.
An acceptance record shall be drawn up following the acceptance
test. If the acceptance test has demonstrated that the delivery
item has been manufactured according to contract and operates properly,
the two contracting parties shall confirm this at any rate. If Buyer
or Buyer's authorized representative is not present during the acceptance
test, in spite of having been informed there-of in due time by SCHIEBEL,
only SCHIEBEL shall sign the acceptance record. In any event, SCHIEBEL
shall send Buyer a copy of the acceptance record, the correct-ness
of which Buyer may not contest, not even in those cases where Buyer
or Buyer's authorized representative was unable to sign it for lack
of attending the test. Unless otherwise agreed, SCHIEBEL shall bear
the costs for performing the acceptance test. Buyer shall, however,
bear any costs incurred by Buyer or Buyer's representative in connection
with the acceptance test, such as, for example, travel expenses,
per diems or similar expenses.
8. Prices
8.1 Unless otherwise agreed, all prices shall be ex works of SCHIEBEL,
without loading.
8.2 The prices shall be based on the costs at the time of the quotation,
unless otherwise agreed. In the event that costs change during the
period until delivery, these changes shall be in favor, or at the
expense of SCHIEBEL respectively.
9. Payment
9.1 The payments shall be made in keeping with the agreed conditions
of payment. Unless specific conditions of payment have been agreed
upon, the price shall be due upon receipt of the order confirmation.
Irrespective of the foregoing, the value-added tax included in the
invoice shall be paid within 30 days after the invoice date, at
the latest, in all events.
9.2 Buyer shall not have the right to withhold payments due to warranty
claims or any other counter-claims that SCHIEBEL has not accepted.
9.3 If SCHIEBEL defaults on one of the agreed payments or any other
performance, SCHIEBEL may either insist on the performance of the
contract and
a) postpone compliance with SCHIEBEL's own obligations until Buyer
has paid the arrears in payment or provided any other performance,
b) use a reasonable extension of the period of delivery,
c) call for the payment of the full remaining purchase price,
d) charge interest on arrears, as of the due date, in the amount
of 7.5% above the respective base rate of the European Central Bank,
unless Buyer can claim a reason for relief under Article 14 (see
Directive 2000/35/EC of 29 June 2000 on combating late payment in
commercial transactions),
or announce the withdrawal from the contract, granting a reasonable
respite.
9.4 In all events, Buyer shall refund to SCHIEBEL the dunning charges
and collection costs which constitute a further damage caused by
the delayed performance.
9.5 If Buyer has not made the payment due or provided any other
performance within the respite according to 9.3, SCHIEBEL may withdraw
from the contract by means of a written notice. Buyer shall return
to SCHIEBEL, upon SCHIEBEL's request, any delivered goods and compensate
SCHIEBEL for any reduction in the value of the goods that has occurred,
as well as refund to SCHIEBEL all justified expenses that SCHIEBEL
had to incur in connection with the performance of the contract.
Regarding undelivered goods, SCHIEBEL is entitled to make available
to Buyer the completed parts, or the parts with incipient processing
respectively, and ask for a pro-rated part of the sales price.
9.6 The contracting parties agree mutually that the rights and obligations
covered by the contract shall not be affected by the introduction
of the euro. Payment obligations, especially the established values
of the money shall be deemed to have been agreed in euro as soon
as the euro has become the only accept-able means of payment. In
all events, any conversion will be made on the basis of the officially
established exchange rates. It is mutually agreed that the conversion
to the euro neither creates a right to terminate, to withdraw from
or to contest the contract, nor a claim for dam-ages or modification
of the contract.
10. Reservation of Ownership
10.1 Buyer shall reserve the ownership in the object sold until
Buyer has met all financial obligations. SCHIEBEL is entitled to
document SCHIEBEL's ownership on the outside of the delivery item.
Buyer shall comply with the required formal regulations to safeguard
the reservation of ownership. In case of an attachment or any other
recourse, Buyer shall be obliged to claim Buyer's ownership and
to inform the latter without delay.
11. Warranty
11.1 Subject to the below provisions, SCHIEBEL shall undertake to
remedy any defect affecting the fitness for use which is due to
a deficiency in design, material or workmanship. SCHIEBEL shall
also be responsible for any defects concerning expressly requested
properties.
11.2 The above obligation shall only apply to such defects that
appear within a period of one year, when working a one-shift operation,
as of the passage of risk, or as of the completed assembly, in case
of a delivery with assembly respectively.
11.3 Buyer may claim the present article only if he informs SCHIEBEL
in writing and without delay of any defects that have appeared.
The arrangements on presumption according to § 924 of the Austrian
General Civil Law Code are excluded. Once SCHIEBEL has been informed
of defects in this way, SCHIEBEL shall - if the defects must be
remedied according to the provisions of the present article -at
SCHIEBEL's choice:
a) rework the defective goods on site;
b) have the defective goods or the defective parts shipped back
for reworking;
c) replace the defective parts;
d) replace the defective goods.
11.4 If SCHIEBEL arranges for the defective goods or parts to be
returned to SCHIEBEL for the purpose of reworking or replacement,
Buyer shall bear the costs and the risk of the transport, unless
otherwise agreed. The re-shipment of the rework-ed or replaced goods
or parts to Buyer shall be at SCHIEBEL's costs and risk, unless
otherwise agreed.
11.5 The defective goods or parts, which are replaced according
to the present article, shall be at SCHIEBEL's disposal.
11.6 SCHIEBEL shall only refund any costs for remedying a defect,
undertaken by Buyer himself, if SCHIEBEL has agreed to this procedure
in writing.
11.7 SCHIEBEL's warranty obligation shall only apply to defects
that appear when observing the applicable operating conditions and
putting the item to normal use. His obligation shall, in particular,
not apply to defects that are due to in-adequate installation on
the part of Buyer or Buyer's representative, inadequate maintenance,
inadequate repairs or modifications undertaken by other persons
than SCHIEBEL or SCHIEBEL's representative without the written agreement
of SCHIEBEL, normal wear.
11.8 SCHIEBEL shall be liable for those parts of the goods that
SCHIEBEL obtained from sub-contractors prescribed by Buyer only
to the extent of SCHIEBEL's own warranty claims vis-à-vis
the sub-contractor. If SCHIEBEL produces items on the basis of Buyer's
design data, drawings or models, SCHIEBEL's liability shall not
extend to the accuracy of the design but as to whether the workmanship
complies with Buyer's instructions. In such cases, Buyer shall keep
SCHIEBEL harmless and free from any court action, in the event of
an infringement of proprietary rights. When accepting repair jobs
or reworking or modifying old as well as third-party goods, or when
delivering second-hand goods, SCHIEBEL shall not accept any warranty.
11.9 As of the beginning of the warranty period, SCHIEBEL shall
not accept any liability that extends beyond the scope defined in
the present article.
12. Liability
12.1 It is expressly agreed that SCHIEBEL shall not be liable to
Buyer for damages in the event of personal injuries, or for damage
to goods that are not the subject of a specific contract, as well
as for other damage and loss of profit, unless the circumstances
of a specific case reveal that SCHIEBEL acted with gross negligence.
The reversal of the burden of proof according to § 1298 of
the Austrian General Civil Law Code is excluded.
12.2 The purchased object provides only that level of safety that
may be expected on the basis of the registration provisions, the
operating instructions, SCHIEBEL's rules on the handling of the
purchased object - especially with regard to any possible inspections
- and other instructions given.
12.3 For cases of SCHIEBEL's minor negligence, the damages are limited
to 5% of the order amount, or EUR 727,000 as a maximum, unless Article
12.1 applies.
12.4 All claims for damages due to defects in deliveries and/or
performances must be filed in court within one year after the expiry
of the contractually agreed warranty period if SCHIEBEL does not
expressly accept the defect; otherwise all claims become extinct.
13. Consequential Damage
13.1 Subject to any provisions of a different effect in the present
Terms, SCHIEBEL's liability vis-à-vis Buyer shall be precluded
for any standstill in production, loss of profit, loss of use, loss
of contract or any other economic or indirect consequential damage.
14. Reasons for Relief
14.1 The parties shall be released in part or in toto from the timely
performance of the contract if they are prevented by events of force
majeure. Events of force majeure shall solely be such events that
the parties are unable to foresee and avoid and that are beyond
their domain. However, strike and industrial dis-pute shall be considered
to be events of force majeure. A Buyer affected by an event of force
majeure may, however, only claim the existence of force majeure
if Buyer informs SCHIEBEL without delay, at the latest, though,
within 5 calendar days, about the onset and anticipated end of an
obstruction, by sending by registered mail a statement, confirmed
by the respective government authority or chamber of commerce of
the delivery country respectively, on the reason, the anticipated
effects and the duration of the delay. In the event of force majeure,
the parties shall make every effort to remove, or to mitigate respectively,
the difficulties and the anticipated damage, as well as to keep
the respectively other party continuously informed thereof; otherwise
they shall be liable to pay damages to the respectively other party.
Deadlines or dates that cannot be observed on account of events
of force majeure shall be extended by the duration of such events
of force majeure, as a maximum, or, if applicable, by a period to
be determined by mutual consent. If a circumstance of force majeure
prevails by more than four weeks, Buyer and SCHIEBEL shall seek
a solution for handling the technicalities of its effects by means
of negotations. If no solution can be reached by mutual consent,
SCHIEBEL may withdraw from the contract in part or in toto.
15. Data Protection
15.1 SCHIEBEL shall have the right to store, to communicate, to
process and delete per-son-related data of Buyer in the framework
of their business relations.
15.2 The parties shall undertake to keep absolutely confidential
vis-à-vis third par-ties any knowledge obtained in the course
of their business relationship.
16. Place of Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Place of Performance,
Language
16.1 The place of jurisdiction for all disputes arising directly
or indirectly from a con-tract shall be the relevant Austrian court
with competences for SCHIEBEL's principal place of business. SCHIEBEL
may, however, also resort to the court with jurisdiction for Buyer.
16.2 The parties may agree that an arbitral tribunal has jurisdiction.
16.3 Contracts shall be subject to Austrian law to the exclusion
of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of
Goods (CISG) of 11 April 1980, Federal Law Gazette No. 1988/96.
16.4 SCHIEBEL's principal place of business shall be the place of
performance for deliveries and payments, also in the event that
the transfer is agreed to be in a different place.
16.5 In the event of disputes arising from the present certified
translation of the contract, the German text shall prevail.
Vienna, 05.02.2002
|