Issues on Application between Letters of Credit Provisions of the UCC and the UCP

미국(美國) 통일상법전(統一商法典)의 신용장규정(信用狀規定)과 신용장통일규칙적용상(信用狀統一規則適用上)의 주요(主要) 쟁점(爭點)

  • Published : 1999.02.28

Abstract

Although Uniform Customs and practice for Documentary(UCP) is not a law, it applies to most documentary credits and is binding on all parties unless otherwise expressly stipulated. Besides, Uniform Commercial Code(UCC) Article 5 was codified by the United States and was adopted by every state. Moreover, the New York version of the UCC Article 5-102(4) specifically providing that the UCC does not apply to letters of credit where the parties agree to be governed by the UCP. Identical nonuniform Articles were latter added in Alabama, Arizona, and Missouri. The fact that courts in forty-six of the fifty states are bound by Article 5. Until now, Article 5 of the UCC has probably had an impact on the decisions in New York and the New York common law. Therefore, I examined a few issues on application between Article 5 of the UCC and the UCP. First, although the UCP attempt to introduce a new for examination of document by incorporating "standard practice of financial institutions" and "international banking practice", the standards for documentary compliance are not clear. The UCC attempt to rely on the matter of interpretation for the court, but the UCP would probably be interested in examining in about bank's internal practices as reflected in UCP Articles. Second, the rule for nondocumentary conditions is a useful for stand-by credit transactions under the UCC, but these conditions would probably put the bank in an even worse position in case of documentary credit transactions under the UCP. Third, the UCP does not contain any provision governing the fraud exception, but the UCC codified the fraud and forgery rules developed through American case law. Fourth, the UCP treats the issue of transfer in much more detail than the UCC does. In contract, the UCP's treatment of assignment of proceeds is brief. Finally, I suggest that the fraud exception rules should be prescribed in the UCP in order to protect the issuing bank and the applicant when an unscrupulous party attempts to defraud.

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