Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits

Article 1 Application of UCP

The Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, 2007 Revision, ICC Publication no. 600 (“UCP”) are rules that apply to any documentary credit (“credit”) (including, to the extent to which they may be applicable, any standby letter of credit) when the text of the credit expressly indicates that it is subject to these rules. They are binding on all parties thereto unless expressly modified or excluded by the credit.

Article 2 Definitions

For the purpose of these rules: Advising bank means the bank that advises the credit at the request of the issuing bank. Applicant means the party on whose request the credit is issued. Banking day means a day on which a bank is regularly open at the place at which an act subject to these rules is to be performed. Beneficiary means the party in whose favor a credit is issued. Complying presentation means a presentation that is in accordance with the terms and conditions of the credit, the applicable provisions of these rules and international standard banking practice. Confirmation means a definite undertaking of the confirming bank, in addition to that of the issuing bank, to honor or negotiate a complying presentation. Confirming bank means the bank that adds its confirmation to a credit upon the issuing bank’s authorization or request. Credit means any arrangement, however named or described, that is irrevocable and thereby constitutes a definite undertaking of the issuing bank to honor a complying presentation.

Honor means:

a. to pay at sight if the credit is available by sight payment.

b. to incur a deferred payment undertaking and pay at maturity if the credit is available by deferred payment.

c. to accept a bill of exchange (“draft”) drawn by the beneficiary and pay at maturity if the credit is available by acceptance.

Issuing bank means the bank that issues a credit at the request of an applicant or on its own behalf. Negotiation means the purchase by the nominated bank of drafts (drawn on a bank other than the nominated bank) and/or documents under a complying presentation, by advancing or agreeing to advance funds to the beneficiary on or before the banking day on which reimbursement is due to(to be paid the nominated bank. Nominated bank means the bank with which the credit is available or any bank in the case of a credit available with any bank. Presentation means either the delivery of documents under a credit to the issuing bank or nominated bank or the documents so delivered. Presenter means a beneficiary, bank or other party that makes a presentation.

Article 3 Credits v. Contracts

A. Credits, by their nature, are separate transactions from the sales or other contract(s) on which they may be based and banks are in no way concerned with or bound by such contract(s), even if any reference whatsoever to such contract(s) is included in the Credit. Consequently, the undertaking of a bank to pay, accept and pay Draft(s) or negotiate and/or to fulfill any other obligation under the Credit, is not subject to claims or defenses by the Applicant resulting from his relationships with the Issuing Bank or the Beneficiary.

B. A Beneficiary can in no case avail himself of the contractual relationships existing between the banks or between the Applicant and the Issuing Bank.

Article 4 Instructions to Issue/Amend Credits

A. Instructions for the issuance of a Credit, the Credit itself, instructions for an amendment thereto, and the amendment itself, must be complete and precise.

In order to guard against confusion and misunderstanding, banks should discourage any attempt:

i. to include excessive detail in the Credit or in any amendment thereto;

ii. to give instructions to issue, advise or confirm a Credit by reference to a Credit previously issued (similar Credit) where such previous Credit has been subject to accepted amendment(s), and/or unaccepted amendment(s).

B. All instructions for the issuance of a Credit and the Credit itself and, where applicable, all instructions for an amendment thereto and the amendment itself, must state precisely the document(s) against which payment, acceptance or negotiation is to be made.

Article 5 Revocable v. Irrevocable Credits

A. A Credit may be either

i. revocable,

or

ii. Irrevocable.

B. the Credit, therefore, should clearly indicate whether it is revocable or irrevocable.

C. In the absence of such indication the Credit shall be deemed to be irrevocable.

Article 6 Advising Bank's Liability

A. A Credit may be advised to a Beneficiary through another bank (the "Advising Bank") without engagement on the part of the Advising Bank, but that bank, if it elects to advise the Credit, shall take reasonable care to check the apparent authenticity of the Credit which it advises. If the bank elects not to advise the Credit, it must so inform the Issuing Bank without delay.

B. If the Advising Bank cannot establish such apparent authenticity it must inform, without delay, the bank from which the instructions appear to have been received that it has been unable to establish the authenticity of the Credit and if it elects nonetheless to advise the Credit it must inform the Beneficiary that it has not been able to establish the authenticity of the Credit.

Article 7 Revocation of a Credit

A. A revocable Credit may be amended or canceled by the Issuing Bank at any moment and without prior notice to the Beneficiary.

B. However, the Issuing Bank must:

i. reimburse another bank with which a revocable Credit has been made available for sight payment, acceptance or negotiation for any payment, acceptance or negotiation made by such bank prior to receipt by it of notice of amendment or cancellation, against documents which appear on their face to be in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Credit;

ii. Reimburse another bank with which a revocable Credit has been made available for deferred payment, if such a bank has, prior to receipt by it of notice of amendment or cancellation, taken up documents which appear on their face to be in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Credit.

Article 8 Liability of Issuing and Confirming Banks

A. An irrevocable Credit constitutes a definite undertaking of the Issuing Bank, provided that the stipulated documents are presented to the Nominated Bank or to the Issuing Bank and that the terms and conditions of the Credit are complied with:

i. if the Credit provides for sight payment to pay at sight;

ii. if the Credit provides for deferred payment to pay on the maturity date(s) determinable in accordance with the stipulations of the Credit; iii. if the Credit provides for acceptance;

a. by the Issuing Bank to accept Draft(s) drawn by the Beneficiary on the Issuing Bank and pay them at maturity,

or

b. by another drawer bank to accept and pay at maturity Draft(s) drawn by the Beneficiary on the Issuing Bank in the event the drawer bank stipulated in the Credit does not accept Draft(s) drawn on it, or to pay Drafts(s) accepted but not paid by such drawer bank at maturity;

iv. If the Credit provides for negotiation to pay without recourse to drawers and/or bona fide holders, Draft(s) drawn by the Beneficiary and/or document(s) presented under the Credit. A Credit should not be issued available by Draft(s) on the Applicant. If the Credit nevertheless calls for Draft(s) on the Applicant, banks will consider such Draft(s) as an additional document(s).

B. A confirmation of an irrevocable Credit by another bank (the "Confirming Bank") upon the authorization or request of the Issuing Bank, constitutes a definite undertaking of the Confirming Bank, in addition to that of the issuing Bank, provided that the stipulated documents are presented to the Confirming Bank or to any other Nominated Bank and that the terms and conditions of the Credit are complied with:

i. If the Credit provides for sight payment to pay at sight;

ii. if the Credit provides for deferred payment to pay on the maturity date(s) determinable in accordance with the stipulations of the Credit;

iii. if the Credit provides for acceptance:

a. by the Confirming Bank to accept Draft(s) drawn by the Beneficiary on the Confirming Bank and pay them at maturity,

or

b. by another drawer bank to accept and pay at maturity Draft(s) drawn by the Beneficiary on the Confirming Bank, in the event the drawer bank stipulated in the Credit does not accept Draft(s) drawn on it, or to pay Draft(s) accepted but not paid by such drawer bank at maturity;

iv. if the Credit provides for negotiation to negotiate without recourse to drawers and/or bona fide holders, Draft(s) drawn by the Beneficiary and/or document(s) presented under the Credit. A Credit should not be issued available by Draft(s) on the Applicant. If the Credit nevertheless calls for Draft(s) on the Applicant, banks will consider such Draft(s) as an additional document(s).

C. i. If another bank is authorized or requested by the Issuing Bank to add its confirmation to a Credit but is not prepared to do so, it must so inform the Issuing Bank without delay.

ii. Unless the Issuing Bank specifies otherwise in its authorization or request to add confirmation, the Advising Bank may advise the Credit to the Beneficiary without adding its confirmation.

D. i. except as otherwise provided by Article 48, an irrevocable Credit can neither be amended nor canceled without the agreement of the Issuing Bank, the Confirming Bank, if any, and the Beneficiary.

ii. The Issuing Bank shall be irrevocably bound by an amendment(s) issued by it from the time of the issuance of such amendment(s). A Confirming Bank may extend its confirmation to an amendment and shall be irrevocably bound as of the time of its advice of the amendment. A Confirming Bank may, however, choose to advise an amendment to the Beneficiary without extending its confirmation and if so, must inform the Issuing Bank and the Beneficiary without delay.

iii. The terms of the original Credit (or a Credit incorporating previously accepted amendment(s)) will remain in force for the Beneficiary until the Beneficiary communicates his acceptance of the amendment to the bank that advised such amendment. The Beneficiary should give notification of acceptance or rejection of amendment(s). If the Beneficiary fails to give such notification, the tender of documents to the Nominated Bank or Issuing Bank, that conform to the Credit and to not yet accepted amendment(s), will be deemed to be notification of acceptance by the Beneficiary of such amendment(s) and as of that moment the Credit will be amended.

iv. Partial acceptance of amendments contained in one and the same advice of amendment is not allowed and consequently will not be given any effect.

Article 9 Teletransmitted and Pre Advised Credit

A. i. When an Issuing Bank instructs an Advising Bank by an authenticated teletransmission to advise a Credit or an amendment to a Credit, the teletransmission will be deemed to be the operative Credit instrument or the operative amendment, and no mail confirmation should be sent. Should a mail confirmation nevertheless be sent, it will have no effect and the Advising Bank will have no obligation to check such mail confirmation against the operative Credit instrument or the operative amendment received by teletransmission.

ii. If the teletransmission states "full details to follow" (or words of similar effect) or states that the mail confirmation is to be the operative Credit instrument or the operative amendment, then the teletransmission will not be deemed to be the operative Credit instrument or the operative amendment. The Issuing Bank must forward the operative Credit instrument or the operative amendment to such Advising Bank without delay.

B. If a bank uses the services of an Advising Bank to have the Credit advised to the Beneficiary, it must also use the services of the same bank for advising an amendment(s).

C. A preliminary advice of the issuance or amendment of an irrevocable Credit (pre advice), shall only be given by an Issuing Bank if such bank is prepared to issue the operative Credit instrument or the operative amendment thereto. Unless otherwise stated in such preliminary advice by the Issuing Bank, an Issuing Bank having given such pre advice shall be irrevocably committed to issue or amend the Credit, in terms not inconsistent with the pre advice, without delay.

Article 10 Incomplete or Unclear Instructions

If incomplete or unclear instructions are received to advise, confirm or amend a Credit, the bank requested to act on such instructions may give preliminary notification to the Beneficiary for information only and without responsibility. This preliminary notification should state clearly that the notification is provided for information only and without the responsibility of the Advising Bank. In any event, the Advising Bank must inform the Issuing Bank of the action taken and request it to provide the necessary information.

The Issuing Bank must provide the necessary information without delay. The Credit will be advised, confirmed or amended, only when complete and clear instructions have been received and if the Advising Bank is then prepared to act on the instructions.

跟单信用证统一惯例

第一条 UCP的适用范围

《跟单信用证统一惯例——2007年修订本，国际商会第600号出版物》（简称“UCP” ）乃一套规则，适用于所有的其文本中明确表明受本惯例约束的跟单信用证（下称信用证）（在其可适用的范围内，包括备用信用证。）除非信用证明确修改或排除，本惯例各条文对信用证所有当事人均具有约束力。

第二条 定义

就本惯例而言通知行 指应开证行的要求通知信用证的银行。申请人 指要求开立信用证的一方。银行工作日 指银行在其履行受本惯例约束的行为的地点通常开业的一天。受益人 指接受信用证并享受其利益的一方。相符交单 指与信用证条款、本惯例的相关适用条款以及国际标准银行实务一致的交单。保兑 指保兑行在开证行承诺之外做出的承付或议付相符交单的确定承诺。保兑行 指根据开证行的授权或要求对信用证加具保兑的银行。信用证 指一项不可撤销的安排，无论其名称或描述如何，该项安排构成开证行对相符交单予以交付的确定承诺。承付 指： a.如果信用证为即期付款信用证，则即期付款。b.如果信用证为延期付款信用证，则承诺延期付款并在承诺到期日付款。c.如果信用证为承兑信用证，则承兑受益人开出的汇票并在汇票到期日付款。开证行 指应申请人要求或者代表自己开出信用证的银行。议付 指指定银行在相符交单下，在其应获偿付的银行工作日当天或之前向受益人预付或者同意预付款项，从而购买汇票（其付款人为指定银行以外的其他银行）及/或单据的行为。指定银行 指信用证可在其处兑用的银行，如信用证可在任一银行兑用，则任何银行均为指定银行。交单 指向开证行或指定银行提交信用证项下单据的行为，或指按此方式提交的单据。交单人 指实施交单行为的受益人、银行或其他人。

第三条 信用证与合同

a．就性质而言，信用证与可能作为其依据的销售合同或其它合同，是相互独立的两种交易。即使信用证中提及该合同，银行亦与该合同完全无关，且不受其约束。因此，一家银行作出付款、承兑并支付汇票或议付及／或履行信用证项下其它义务的承诺，并不受申请人与开证行之间或与受益人之间在已有关系下产生的索偿或抗辩的制约。

b．受益人在任何情况下，不得利用银行之间或申请人与开证行之间的契约关系。

第四条 开立或修改信用证的指示

a．开证指示、信用证本身、对信用证的修改指示或修改书本身均必须完整和明确。为防止混淆和误解，银行应劝阻有关方：

Ⅰ．勿在信用证或其任何修改书中，加注过多细节

Ⅱ．在指示开立、通知或保兑一个信用证时，勿引用先前开立的信用证（参照前证），而该前证受到已被接受及／或未被接受的修改所约束。

b．有关开立信用证的一切指示和信用证本身，如有修改时，有关修改的一切指示和修改书本身都必须明确表明据以付款、承兑或议付的单据。

第五条 可撤销信用证与不可撤销信用证

a．信用证可以是：Ⅰ．可撤销的，或Ⅱ．不可撤销的。

b．因此信用证上应明确注明是可撤销的或是不可撤销的。

c．如无此项注明，应视为不可撤销的。

第六条 通知行的责任

a．信用证可经另一家银行（“通知行”）通知受益人，但通知行无须承担付款承诺之责任。如通知行决定通知，就应合理审慎地核验所通知的信 用证的表面真实性。如通知行决定不通知，就必须不延误地告知开证行。

b．如通知行不能确定信用证的表面真实性，就必须不延误地告知发出该指示的银行，说明本行不能确定该信用证的真实性。如通知行仍决定通 知，则必须告知受益人本行不能核对信用证的真实性。

第七条 信用证的撤销

a．可撤销的信用证可以由开证行随时修改或撤销，不必事先通知受益人。

b．然而，开证行必须做到：

Ⅰ．对办理可撤销信用证项下即期付款、承兑或议付的另一家银行，在其收到修改或撤销通知之前已凭表面与信用证条款相符的单据作出的任何 付款、承兑或议付者，予以偿付；

Ⅱ．对办理可撤销信用证项下延期付款的另一家银行，在其收到修改或撤销通知之前已接受表面与信用证条款相符的单据者，予以偿付。

第八条 开证行与保兑行的责任

a．对不可撤销的信用证而言，在信用证规定的单据全部提交指定银行或开证行，并且这些单据又符合信用证条款的规定时，便构成开证行的确定 承诺：

　　Ⅰ．对即期付款的信用证－－开证行应即期付款；

　　Ⅱ．对延期付款的信用证－－开证行应按信用证规定所确定的到期日付款；

　　Ⅲ．对承兑信用证，分两种情况：

　　 （a）凡汇票由开证行承兑者－－开证行应承兑受益人出具的以开证行为付款人的汇票，并于到期日支付票款；或

　　 （b）凡汇票由另一受票银行承兑者－－如信用证上规定的受票银行对以其为付款人的汇票不予承兑时，应由开证行承兑并在到期日支付受益人出 具的以开证行为付款人的汇票；或者，如受票银行对汇票已承兑，但到期不付时，则开证行应予支付；

　　Ⅳ．对议付信用证－－开证行应根据受益人依照信用证出具的汇票及／或提交的单据向出票人及／或善意持票人履行付款，不得追索。开立信用 证时不应以信用证申请人作为汇票付款人。如信用证仍规定汇票付款人为申请人，银行将视此汇票为附加的单据。

　　b．根据开证行的授权或要求另一家银行（“保兑行”）对不可撤销信用证加具保兑，当信用证规定的单据提交到保兑行或任何另一家指定银行 时，在单据符合信用证规定的情况下，则构成保兑行在开证行的承诺之外的确定承诺，即：

　　Ⅰ．对即期付款的信用证－－保兑行应即期付款；

　　Ⅱ．对延期付款的信用证－－保兑行应按信用证规定所确定的到期日付款；

　　Ⅲ．对承兑信用证，分两种情况：

　（a）凡汇票由保兑行承兑者－－保兑行应承兑受益人出具的以保兑行为付款人的汇票，并于到期日支付票款，或

　　（b）凡汇票由另一受票银行承兑者－－如信用证规定的受票银行对于以其为付款人的汇票不予承兑，则应由保兑行承兑并在到期日支付受益人出 具的以保兑行为付款人的汇票，或者，如受票银行对汇票已承兑但到期不付者，则保兑行应予支付。

　　Ⅳ．对议付信用证－－保兑行应根据受益人依照信用证出具的汇票及／或提交的单据，对出票人及／或善意持票人予以议付，不得追索。开立信用证时不应以信用证申请人作为汇票付款人。如信用证仍规定汇票付款人为申请人，银行将视此汇票为附加的单据。

　　c．

Ⅰ．如开证行授权或要求另一家银行对信用证加具保兑，而该银行不准备照办时，就必须不延误地告知开证行。

　　Ⅱ．除非开证行在其授权或要求加具保兑的指示中另有专门规定，否则通知行可以不加保兑就把未经保兑的信用证通知给受益人。

　　d．

　　Ⅰ．除本惯例第４８条另有规定外，凡未经开证行、保兑行（如有）以及受益人同意，不可撤销信用证既不能修改也不能撤销。

　　Ⅱ．自发出信用证修改书之时起，开证行就不可撤销地受本行发出的修改的约束。保兑行可将其保兑承诺扩展至修改内容，且自其通知该修改之 时起，即不可撤销地受修改的约束。然而，保兑行可选择仅将修改通知受益人而不对其加具保兑，但必须不延误地将此情况通知开证行和受益 人。

　　Ⅲ．在受益人向通知修改的银行表示接受该修改内容之前，原信用证（或先前已接受修改的信用证）的条款对受益人仍然有效。受益人应发出接 受修改或拒绝接受修改的通知。如受益人未提供上述通知，当他提交给指定银行或开证行的单据与信用证以及尚未表示接受的修改的要求一致 时，则该事实即视为受益人已作出接受修改的通知，并从此时起，该信用证已作了修改。

　　Ⅳ．对同一修改通知中的修改内容不允许部分接受，因而，部分接受修改内容当属无效。

第九条 电讯传递的信用证与预先通知的信用证

a．Ⅰ．当开证行使用密码证实的电讯方式指示通知行通知信用证或修改信用证时，该电讯即视为有效的信用证文件或有效的修改书，不应再寄送电 报证实书。如仍寄送证实书，则该证实书当属无效，通知行也没有义务将证实书与所收到的以电讯方式传递的有效信用证文件或有效的修改书进 行核对。

Ⅱ．若该电讯说明“详情后告”（或类似词语）或声明嗣后寄出的证实书将是有效的信用证文件或有效的修改，则该电讯系无效的信用证文件或 修改书。开证行必须不延误地向通知行寄送有效的信用证文件或有效的修改书。

b．如一家银行利用另一家通知行的服务将信用证通知给受益人，它也必须利用同一家银行的服务通知修改书。

c．只有准备开立有效信用证或修改书的开证行，才可以对不可撤销信用证开立或修改书发出预先通知书。除非开证行在其预先通知书中另有规定，否则，发出预先通知的开证行应不可撤销地保证不延误地开出或修改信用证，且条款不能与预先通知书相矛盾。

第十条 不完整或不清楚的指示

　　如所收到的有关通知、保兑或修改信用证的指示不完整或不清楚，则被要求执行该指示的银行可以给受益人一份预先通知，仅供其参考，但该行 不负任何责任。该预先通知书应清楚地声明本通知书仅供参考，且通知行不承担责任。但通知行必须将所采取的行动告知开证行，并要求开证行 提供必要的内容。

　　开证行必须不延误地提供必要的内容。只有通知行收到完整明确的指示，并准备执行时，方得通知、保兑或修改信用证。

Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits

跟单信用证统一惯例

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