商務英語中contract與agreement不同

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商務英語中contract與agreement的不同：

一、什麼是“Contract”?

1999年中國《合同法》第二條對contract定義爲：A contact in t his Law refers to an agreement establishing, modifying and terminating the civil rights and obligations between subjects of equal footing, that is ,between natural persons, legal persons or other organizations. 根據這一定義，合同平等主體之間設立的確定民事權利和義務的協議。

Steven H. Gifts編著的“Law Dictionary”中將contract 定義爲“contract is a promise, or a set of promises, for breach of which the law gives remedy, or the performance of the which the law in some way recognize as a duty.”根據這一定義，合同是一種承諾，違反承諾可以得到法律救助，某種意義上法律將履行該承諾看做是一種補償。

綜合起來，有一個相同點，就是“Contract is an agreement”，即可將事同說成是“An agreement which binds the parties concerned”或者說成是“An agreement which is enforceable by law”，也可以說：Contracts are promises that the law will enforce。

二、什麼是“Agreement”?

L.B “A consensus of mind, or evidence of such consensus, in spoke or written form, relating to anything done or to be done.”根據這一定義，協議是對已經做或準備做的相關事宜，經過談判、協商後取得一致意見，以口頭或書面形式做出的約定。

Black “Law Dictionary”有兩個定義。一個是：“A concord of understanding and intention between two or more parties with respect to the effect upon their relative rights and duties, of certain past or future facts or performance”根據這一定義，協議即雙方或多方京某些過去或將來某些事實的相關權利、義務或相關權利、義務的履行而達成的一致理解和願望。

另一個是：The consent of two or more persons concurring respecting the transmission of some property, right or benefits, with the view of contacting an obligation, a mutual obligation.根據這一定義，協議即兩個或多個當事人，爲了約定單方責任或相互責任，就財產權利、利益的轉移取得的一致同意。

三、Contract和Agreement是否可互換

合同的成立必須具備幾個主要因素。它們(要約和承諾構成的)協議、約因、設立法律關係的願望和締約能力四大部分組成。L.B Curzon編著的“A Diction of Law”提到“Contract generally involves”：

1. offer and absolute and unqualified acceptance (要約和絕對接受)

2. consensus ad idem (意思表示一致，也叫meeting of minds)

3. intention to create legal relations (建立合同關係的意願)

4. genuineness of consent (同意的真實性)

5. contractual capacity of the parties (合同當事人的締約能力)

6. legality of object(標的物的合法性)

7. possibility of performance (履行的可能性)

8. certainty of terms(條款的確定性)

9. valuable consideration(等價有償)

Black “Law Dictionary” 中解釋道：Although often used as synonyms with "contract", agreement is a broader term, e.g. an agreement might lack an essential element of a contact." 即“協議”和“合同”經常用作同義詞，但“協議”這一術語含義更廣，例如協議可能缺乏合同的必備條款(essential clauses/provisions)。

實際使用當中，協議可不受必備條款的限制，而稱爲合同的文體肯定少不了必備條款，有的合同將其單列，稱爲一般條款(General provisions)。1999中國《合同法》第十二條規定了八項一般條款，分別是：

1. title or name and domicile of the parities(當事人的名稱或姓名和住址)

2. contract object(標的)

3. quantity(數量)

4. quality(質量)

5. price or remuneration(價款或者報酬)

6. time limit, place and method of performance (履行期限、地點和方式)

7. liability for breach of contract(違約責任)

8. methods to settle disputes (解決爭議的方法)

上述解釋說明，contract(合同)和agreement(協議)的概念雖然接近，但使用範圍不同，不能互換使用。合同是協議的重要組成部分，所有合同一定是協議，而協議不見得都是合同。可以說具備合同成立要求的具有強制執行力的協議纔是合同。

　四、商務英語合同結構特點

合同類法律文件用以規定當事人的權利與義務，是預防與解決爭議的依據。合同英語行文慎密而準確，歷史悠久，深含法律文化底蘊。中文的合同開頭一般先羅列當事人的名稱、姓名、住所或營業場所，然後是合同正文，結尾是當事人印章、授權代表簽字、職務及簽字日期。而英語合同一般以下面這類句式爲開頭：

This agreement/contract is made and entered in to this ____ day of _____(month), _______ (year) by and between Party A (hereinafter called " Party A ")and Party B(hereinafter called " Party B ")

然後是開始陳述：

EFORE

… It is hereby agreed as follows:

或以：

WITNESSETH, WHEREAS…

NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties hereby covenant and agree as follows:

接着是正文，最後是證明部分：

IN WITNESS WHEREOF，the parties hereto have hereunto set their hands the day and years first above written.

隨後還包括當事人和見證人的簽字。簽字日期一般在英文合同最搬弄是非是找不到的。

五、新加坡合同格式

Agreement

THIS AGREEMENT is made the 9th day of August, 2001 between LUCKY INTERNATIONAL LTD, a company incorporated in Singapore and having its registered office at Telek Blongar Rise, Singapore 19569 (hereinfater called "The Company") of the part and JACK Wong (NRIC No._________ /A) of 108 Orchar Road, Singapore 01688 (hereinfater called "The Mangager") of the other part.

WHEREAS:

1. The company is engaged in IT business and requires a person with the necessary qualifications and experience to manage its business.

2.

….

NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:

1. The company shall employ the Manager and the Manager shall serve the Company as manager of the Company’s IT business for a period of two years commencing on 1st day of September

2.

….

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have set their hand the day and year first above written.

THE SCHEDULE ABOVE REFERRED TO

Duties of Manger

1. To manage, maintain and promote the business of the Company.

SIGNED by Roger Tan

For and on behalf of LUCKY INTERANTIONAL LTD

In the presence of

SIGNED by TERESA WONG

In the presence of

新加坡的通用合同分五部分：

第一部分：稱爲parties，主要介紹合同各方的姓名或名稱，註冊地國及地址、郵編及各自在合同的簡稱。開頭框架一般爲：

THIS AGREEMENT is made the ---------__________ day of _____ (month),____ (year) between A _______ (hereinafter called "The Company") of the part and B______, (hereinafter called "The Manager") of the other part.

句子開頭THIS AGREEMENT 或CONTRACT和當事人的姓名和名稱，都應大寫。當事人是自然人的，用“of”和其後的住址相連;是法人或非法人單位的，用“having its registered office at”和其後註冊地址相連。

第二部分：稱爲recital。以WHEREAS開頭，進入敘述部分，用陳述正式說明當事人訂立合同的原因。

第三部分：稱爲habendum　具體約定當事人的權利和義務。正文部分的結束段爲：

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have set their hand the day and year first above written. 這段作用相當於中文合同的“雙方簽字蓋章，特此爲證”。

第四部分：稱爲schedule或addendum，附錄。是對前述合同部分條款的必要補充。不是所有合同都有這一項。

第五部分：稱爲attestation，證明部分。當事人如果自然人，用“SIGNED by __”;連接後填寫見證姓名的表達部分“In the presence of ____”。