The need for a harmonious interpretation of the rules applicable to international contracts

Abstract

International trade, as of result of globalization and the consequent exponential growth in the operations volume, has brought a movement of reflection on the disciplinary rules of international trade relations. In this context and considering the significant divergences between the legal regimes of the different States, the instruments of standardization and harmonization of the international contracts’ disciplinary rules assume special importance. Notwithstanding the existence of normative instruments that guide the formation and execution of the signed agreements, it is imperative that the hermeneutic activity of such texts is also harmonious, under penalty of distorting the purpose for which they were conceived. Through the analytical method, we will approach the unifying rules and principles of the process of interpreting contracts in the international scenario. Initially, we will present the principle that guides the entire process of interpreting international contracts, pointing out the fundamental principles in conducting the interpreter's activity. We will also note the importance of usages and customs in the interpretive process. Finally, we will analyze the rules on the interpretation of contracts and unilateral declarations of the parties contained in the Vienna Convention on the International Sale of Goods 1980, CISG, and in the UNIDROIT Principles applicable to international commercial contracts, version 2016.