CHAPTER 1GENERAL INTRODUCTION 5
CHAPTER 2THE UN CONVENTION ON THE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTS2005 7
Ⅰ.Introduction 7
1.）Historical development of the Electronic Contracting Convention 7
2.）The goal of the Convention 10
3.）Core principles 11
4.）Status of ratification 12
Ⅱ.Scope of application of the Electronic Contracting Convention 12
1.）Positive determination of the scope of application 12
a.）Electronic communication in connection with formation and perform-ance of a contract 12
b.）International contracts 13
c.）Place of business 14
aa.）Determination of the place of business 14
bb.）No indication by virtual location 16
cc.）No obligation to disclosure of location 17
d.）Question of autonomous applicability 18
2.）Exclusions of scope of application 20
a.）Consumer contracts 20
b.）Transactions in certain financial markets 20
c.）Bill of Exchange，promissory and consignment notes，bill of lading，warehouse receipts or any transferable documents or instruments that entitle the bearer or beneficiary to claim delivery of goods or payment of money 21
3.） Declaration limiting the scope of application by contracting states 21
4.） Extension of the scope of application 23
Ⅲ.Key provisions： Use of electronic communications in international contracts 24
1.） Treatment of electronic communication and contracts 24
a.） Validity of electronic contracts： Article8 25
b.） Websites as invitations to make offers： Article 11 26
c.） Use of automated message systems for contract formation： Article12 29
d.） Contract terms： Article 13 31
e.） Electronic mistake： Article14 33
2.） Form requirements 36
a.） Freedom of form：Article9（1） 37
b.） Requirement of writing：Article9（2） 38
c.） Requirement of signature：Article9（3） 38
d.） Requirement of originality：Article 9（4）and（5） 40
3.） Contract formation； Time and place of dispatch and receipt of electronic communications： Article 10 42
a.） Formation of contract 42
b.） Time of dispatch of electronic communications 44
c.） Time of receipt of electronic communications 45
d.） Place of dispatch and receipt of electronic communications 47
Ⅳ. General provisions 48
1.） Party autonomy： Article3 48
2.） Interpretation： Article5 49
Ⅴ.Assessment of the success and importance of the Convention on Electronic Contracting for Trade 50
1.）Success in reaching goals 50
2.）Importance for international trade 53
CHAPTER 3 ELECTRONIC COMMERCE UNDER THE UN CONVENTION ON CONTRACTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SALE OF GOODS （CISG） 54
Ⅰ. Application of CISG to electronic communications 54
1.）‘Contracts of sale of goods’ in terms of article1（1）CISG 55
a.）Standard software 56
aa.）Purchase of standard software by ‘offline contract’on a data medium 56
bb.） Download of standard software 57
b.）Custom-made software 58
c.）Software licence agreements 59
d.）Online databases 60
e.）Conclusion 60
2.）Place of business in different States 61
Ⅱ.Electronic contracts under the CISG 63
1.）Treatment of electronic contracts 63
a.）Validity of electronic contracts 63
b.）Treatment of websites 64
c.）Automated data systems 65
d.）Errors in electronic contracts 66
e.）Contract terms 67
2.）Form requirements 69
a.）Freedom of form： Article 11 CISG 69
b.）Requirement of writing 70
aa.）Electronic communications stored and retrievable 71
bb.）Electronic communications not stored by the addressee 72
c.）Declaration under articles 96， 12 CISG 73
d.）Requirement of signature 74
e.）Requirement of originality 75
3.）Contract formation；Time and place of contracting 75
a.）Formation of contract 75
b.）Time of dispatch of electronic communications 75
c.）Time of receipt of electronic communications 77
aa.）Oral communications 77
bb.）Communications made by other means’ 78
cc.）Prevention from receipt of electronic communications 79
dd.）Allocation of risks； Burden of proof 80
d.）Place of dispatch and receipt of electronic communications 81
4.）Performance by electronic means 81
a.）Online performance of the seller’s obligations 81
b.）Online performance of the buyer’s obligation 82
5.）Remedies for breach of contract 83
Ⅲ.Results concerning electronic communication under the CISG 83
CHAPTER 4 GENERAL CONCLUSION 84
BIBLIOGRAPHY 86