合同法律英语研究(三): 合同定义与解释

---以跨境股权并购买卖协议(SSA)为例

 

一、文本举例

《A项目SSA协议》：定义部分占正文篇幅31.7%,具体内容略。

Interpretation

In this agreement:

Headings andbold type are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of thisagreement.

The singularincludes the plural and the plural includes the singular.

Words of anygender include all genders.

Other parts ofspeech and grammatical forms of a word or phrase defined in this agreement havea corresponding meaning.

An expression importing a person includes any company, partnership,joint venture, association, corporation or other body corporate and anyGovernmental Agency as well as an individual.

A reference to aclause, party, schedule, attachment or exhibit is a reference to aclause of, and a party, schedule, attachment or exhibit to, thisagreement.

A reference toany legislation includes all delegated legislationmade under it and amendments, consolidations, replacements or re-enactments of anyof them.

A reference to adocument includes all amendments or supplements to, or replacements or novations of, that document.

A reference to aparty to a document includes that party’s successors and permittedassignees.

A reference toan agreement other than this agreement includes a deed and any legallyenforceable undertaking, agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether ornot in writing.

A reference toliquidation or insolvency includes appointment of an administrator, compromise,arrangement, merger,amalgamation,reconstruction, winding up, dissolution,deregistration,assignment for the benefit of creditors, scheme, composition or arrangementwith creditors, insolvency, bankruptcy, or any similar procedure or, where applicable, changes in the constitution of anypartnership or person, or death.

No provision of this agreement will be construedadversely to a party because that party was responsible for the preparation ofthis agreement or that provision.

A reference to abody, other than a party to this agreement (including an institute, associationor authority), whether statutory or not:

which ceases toexist; or

whose powers orfunctions are transferred to another body,

is a reference to the body which replaces it orwhich substantially succeeds to its powers or functions.

Unless otherwiseindicated, if a period of time is specified and dates from a given day or theday of an act or event, it is to be calculated exclusive of that day.

A reference to aday is to be interpreted as the period of time commencing at midnight andending 24 hours later.

If an actprescribed under this agreement to be done by a party on or by a given day isdone after 5.00pm on that day, it is taken to be done on the next day.

A reference totime is a reference to ×××time.

A reference to $is to ××× currency unless denominated otherwise.

Business Day

Where the day on or by which any thing is to be doneis not a Business Day, that thing must be done on or by the next Business Day.

Inclusive expressions

Specifyinganything in this agreement after the words ‘include’ or ‘for example’ orsimilar expressions does not limit what else is included.

Separate Transactions

The ×××Transaction and the ×××Transaction are separate and standalone agreements and transactions as betweenthe parties, notwithstanding that they are within this one document. Withoutlimiting the foregoing:

×××Completionis not conditional on ×××Completion or vice versa;

termination of the ×××Transaction does not affect the×××Transaction or vice versa; and

any illegality, unenforceability or invalidity ofthe××× Transaction will not affect the ××× Transaction or vice versa. This agreement must be read down to the extent necessary to exclude any illegal,unenforceable or invalid aspects of a transaction, without limiting oraffecting the other transaction.

Agreementcomponents

This agreement includes any schedule and attachment.

二、分析解读

1.定义作用：促进共识，减少争议。其背后根本精神是“订约自由”，当事人赋词以特殊意义。作为合同最重要部分之一，对权利义务影响深远，却往往不易引发我们的重视。

2.定义形式:通常全部大写或者首字母大写(一份合同一个术语可能同时出现大小写，意义不一样)（word：利用编辑-查找功能检索核查。） (大多以括号形式。)

3.效力优先原则:unlessthe context requires otherwise/ unless otherwise specified herein, the wordsappearing in this agreement in full capitals means the following.（定义部分开头套话）

4.定义方法：列举+概括与概括+列举的差别(include 与 include without limits)

比较:

1)All income tax, business tax, corporation tax,profit tax, and any other duties , charges, fees, or taxes arising out of or inconnection with this agreement shall be borne by the Seller.

2)ALL charges, fees, or taxes arising out of or inconnection with this agreement , including income tax, business tax,corporation tax, profit tax, shall be borne by the Seller.

5.集团采购、集团代理问题：优势与合同主体问题。

6.常见一般定义纠纷举例：

A．Working Day（bankholiday）。

B．Week（周的起算和终止时点）。

C．Employer’s Requirement(是否固定，是否包含工程变更，工程量增加与合同索赔)

D．Tax(如何列举)

E．Law(法律变更)

F.  Affiliate(关联公司)：(美国SEC标准：controls，controlled by or under common control)

三、跨境股权并购协议重要概念举例：

SigningDate

EffectiveDate (Evaluation Date/Accounts Date)

LongStop Date/Sunset date/Drop dead date (usually 3-9month)

CompletionDate

Earn-Out

Lockthe Box

Sandbagging

Anti-sandbagging

KnowledgeQualifier

MAC

Break-upFees (Reverse Break-up Fees)

InterimPrice Statement

Non-compete

RetainedLiability

ValueLeakage

ConditionsPrecedent

ConditionSubsequent

BestEndeavour

Hellor High Water Clause

Anyand All Steps

SoleDiscretion over Divesture

BringDown Fairness Opinion

KnowledgeQualifier

Actualknowledge

Constructiveknowledge

ImputedKnowledge

Tothe best knowledge/ To the reasonable knowledge

关于跨境股权并购协议主要术语概念，如果读者有需要，本公众号将另行完整罗列。

（文章来源：实务法律英语）