The effect of contract cancellation and liability for breach of contract
【Abstract】The 'restitution' of Article 97 of the 'Contract Law' belongs to the right to return independent claims and has the effect of claims. According to the 'restitution' of the article, there is no legal basis for claiming the improper return or return of ownership. The discounted compensation when the physical object is returned after the cancellation, and the costs incurred by the return are the contents of the return obligation rather than the damage compensation obligation. The “loss of compensation” in Article 97 of the “Contract Law” does not give rise to an independent claim for damages. Where breach of contract results in the rescission of the contract, the parties may claim compensation for damages in accordance with Article 107 of the Contract Law. Except for the exercise of arbitrary right of cancellation, the parties can in principle claim reliance interest damage compensation based on the criterion of contractual negligence under Article 42 of the Contract Law. In addition, the contract cancellation and liability for breach of contract can coexist. The right to request for breach of contract is in principle not affected by the cancellation of the contract.
First, the order
Some basic issues in civil law often have doubts in practice, causing difficulties in interpretation. Among them, the contract cancellation effect and liability for breach of contract is one of the most noteworthy controversies. On this issue, although there has been much discussion between theory and practice, it has not been possible to reach a consensus for more than ten years, resulting in a strange phenomenon. On the one hand, people still enjoy reading and arguing over the 'Contract Law of the People#39;s Republic of China'. The 'original meaning' of Article 97 regarding the effect of the cancellation of contracts; [1] On the other hand, behind 'a flourishing scene', it is indifferent to a series of practical problems related to the lifting of the effect, or it is incapable of doing enough. [2]
With regard to the effect of the cancellation of the contract, the Supreme People#39;s Court seems to have some 'swing'. The Supreme People#39;s Court Bulletin No. 5 of 2010 had a special case of guidance - the Supreme People#39;s Court#39;s case concerning the 'Dispute over the Sale and Purchase Contract between Guiguan Power and Yongchen Real Estate Property' (hereinafter referred to as 'the Guiguan Power Case'). Its [referee#39;s summary] held that: 'Article 97 of the 'PRC Contract Law': 'After the contract is cancelled, if it has not been performed, the performance is terminated, and it has been performed, the parties may request restitution and take other actions according to the performance and the nature of the contract. Remedy, and the right to claim damages.#39;The termination of the contract results in the cancellation of the contractual relationship, so the legal consequences of the termination of the contract do not appear to be a breach of contract responsibility, but return the civil liability in the form of unjust enrichment, compensation for losses and so on.' [3] This point of view clearly states that the legal consequences of the termination of the contract are 'Civil Responsibility in the form of improper return, compensation for damage, etc.' On the other hand, it strictly distinguishes it from the liability for breach of contract and clearly grants the 'Contract Law' No. 97 Article concerning the discharge of the resulting refund obligation and damages liability is independent of the special status of breach of contract. On the basis of this, the court further considered that the legal consequences of the rescission of the contract must not be compatible with the liability for breach of contract. Once the parties choose to rescind the contract, they can no longer claim the corresponding breach of contract liability through the breach of contract clause. Such a decision seems to indicate that the Supreme People#39;s Court adopted the “direct effect statement” position on the issue of the effect of the cancellation of the contract,[4] in order to solve the endless disputes between academic and practical issues since the enactment of the “Contract Law”. [5] Interestingly, only two years later, in Article 26 of the “Interpretation of the Legal Issues Concerning the Trial of Purchase and Sale Contract Disputes Cases” (Legal Interpretation [2012] No. 7), the Supreme Peoplersquo;s Court made it clear After referring to “the contractorrsquo;s claim for the continued application of the penalty clause after the sale contract was terminated due to the breach of contract, the peoplersquo;s court shall support it”. It can be seen that whether or not the cancellation effect is compatible with the liability for breach of contract is actually necessary to further comb the theoretical evidence. In this regard, the author does not ask for advice, write this article, try from the perspective of the basis of the right to request, the 'Contract Law' 97 of the standard function of the analysis and review to seek advice from colleagues.
Second, 'restitution' of Article 97 of the 'Contract Law'
(I) Functional orientation in the legislative system
The 'Contract Law' only refers to 'restitution' in Article 97, and after the contract provided for in Article 58 is invalid or has been revoked, it does not adopt the same expression: 'After the contract is invalid or has been revoked, it is obtained because of the contract. The property shall be returned; if it cannot be returned or if it is not necessary to return it, it shall be compensated at a discount. The party in error shall compensate the other party for the losses suffered thereby, and if both parties are at fault, they shall bear their respective responsibilities.'
In civil law, 'restitution' and the return of property, repairs, remakes, replacements,
全文共29440字,剩余内容已隐藏,支付完成后下载完整资料
合同解除效果与违约责任
【摘要】《合同法》第97条的“恢复原状”属于返还上独立的请求权基础,具有债权效力。依据该条的“恢复原状”主张不当得利返还或所有权返还并无法律依据。解除后实物返还不能时的折价补偿,以及因返还产生的费用均属返还义务而非损害赔偿义务的内容。《合同法》第97条的“赔偿损失”并非因解除而生独立的损害赔偿请求权。在违约导致合同解除的场合,当事人可依据《合同法》第107条主张履行利益的损害赔偿。除行使任意解除权外,当事人原则上只能依据《合同法》第42条的缔约过失责任规范来主张信赖利益损害赔偿。另外,合同解除与违约责任可以并存。违约金请求权原则上不受合同解除的影响。
一、序说
民法上若干基本问题,在实务上经常发生疑义,造成解释适用上的困难。其中,合同解除效果与违约责任问题,就是最值得注意的争议之一。就此问题,学理和实务虽多有讨论,但历时十余载,依然无法达成共识,由此造成一种奇怪的现象,即:一方面,人们依然乐此不疲地解读和争论着《中华人民共和国合同法》第97条关于合同解除效果规定的“本义”;[1]另一方面,在“一片繁华”背后,是对一系列与解除效果相关的实际问题漠不关心,又或者力不从心。[2]
在合同解除效果问题上,最高人民法院似乎同样有些“摇摆不定”。《最高人民法院公报》2010年第5期曾专门刊载指导案例——最高人民法院关于“桂冠电力与泳臣房产房屋买卖合同纠纷案”(以下简称“桂冠电力案”)。其[裁判摘要]认为:“《中华人民共和国合同法》第97条:lsquo;合同解除后,尚未履行的,终止履行,已经履行的,根据履行情况和合同性质,当事人可以请求恢复原状、采取其他补救措施,并有权要求赔偿损失。rsquo;合同解除导致合同关系归于消灭,故合同解除的法律后果不表现为违约责任,而是返还不当得利、赔偿损失等形式的民事责任”。[3]此项观点一方面明确合同解除的法律后果为“返还不当得利、赔偿损失等形式的民事责任”,另一方面将其与违约责任严格区分,显然赋予了《合同法》第97条关于解除引起的返还义务和损害赔偿义务以独立于违约责任的特殊地位。法院又以此为基础,进而认为合同解除的法律后果与违约责任不得兼容,一旦当事人选择解除合同,就不得再以违约金条款主张相应的违约责任。如此判决,似乎表明了最高人民法院在合同解除效果问题上采“直接效果说”的立场,[4]以期解决前述《合同法》颁布以来学理和实务争议不休之局面。[5]但有意思的是,仅仅过了两年,在最近公布的《关于审理买卖合同纠纷案件适用法律问题的解释》(法释[2012]7号)第26条中,最高人民法院又明确提到“买卖合同因违约而解除后,守约方主张继续适用违约金条款的,人民法院应予支持”。可见,究竟解除效果与违约责任能否兼容,实有进一步梳理论证的必要。对此,笔者不揣浅陋,特撰此文,试从请求权基础的视角出发,对《合同法》第97条的规范功能加以分析检讨,以求教于同仁。
二、《合同法》第97条之“恢复原状”
(一)立法体系中的功能定位
《合同法》仅在第97条提到“恢复原状”,而在第58条规定的合同无效或者被撤销后并没有采取同样的表述方式:“合同无效或者被撤销后,因该合同取得的财产,应当予以返还;不能返还或者没有必要返还的,应当折价补偿。有过错的一方应当赔偿对方因此所受到的损失,双方都有过错的,应当各自承担相应的责任。”
在民事法律中,“恢复原状”与返还财产、修理、重作、更换、赔偿损失等并列为承担民事责任的主要方式之一(《民法通则》第134条、《侵权责任法》第15条)。可见,“恢复原状”区别于返还财产和赔偿损失,是一种独立的民事责任承担方式。另外,“恢复原状”还规定在《民法通则》第117条:“损坏他人财产的,应当恢复原状或者折价赔偿。”《物权法》第36条同样规定:“造成不动产或者动产毁损的,权利人可以请求修理、重作、更换或者恢复原状。”从后两个条文看,“恢复原状”的含义十分狭窄,似指使物回复遭受物理毁损前的状态。从体系解释的角度看,似乎《合同法》第97条的“恢复原状”应采取同样的解释,但如此狭义解释,则解除后的返还义务大多只能归入“其他补救措施”之中,理论上颇难认同。
值得注意的是,《合同法》第97条没有采取前述第58条的表述方式,直接就双方因合同取得的财产的返还和折价补偿问题加以规范,而是仅仅提到根据解除权人可以基于合同性质和履行情况等主张“恢复原状”等救济方式。如此,是否必须理解为在返还问题上,合同解除后的返还在性质和适用规则上应与合同无效、可撤销的返还区别对待,还是应该理解为在合同解除上立法者没有采取第58条的表述方式,主要在于继续性合同解除时双方当事人原则上并无返还义务,而一旦在存在返还义务的场合(非继续性合同),在返还规则上与合同无效、可撤销的返还并无本质区别?此问题不仅涉及《合同法》第97条“恢复原状”的规范功能,同时涉及合同解除与合同无效、可撤销制度在合同法救济体系中的相互关系,颇有解释厘清之必要。
(二)理论
关于解除后“恢复原状”的性质,学者见解素不一致,究其根本,在于对解除的性质存在争议。关于解除的性质,有两种理论:一为直接效果说,二为折衷说。
直接效果说以崔建远先生为代表,主张合同因解除而溯及地归于消灭,尚未履行的债务免于履行,已经履行的部分发生返还请求权。关于此返还请求权的性质,崔先生认为,由于我国法律未承认物权行为独立性理论和无因性理论,给付人请求受领人返还给付物的权利是所有物返还请求权,它优先于普通债权得到满足。[6]在范围上,它以给付时的价值额为标准进行返还,受领人获得利益多少,在所不问。据此,《合同法》第97条的“恢复原状”仅指物的返还请求权,[7]在给付物为动产时是指“有体物的返还”,给付物为不动产且已经办理了移转登记时,则为先将受领人的登记注销,使登记恢复到给付人名下;而该条中的“采取其他补救措施”适用于给付劳务、物品利用、交付金钱、受领的原物毁损灭失等场合。从权利的角度看,属于不当得利返还请求权。[8]
折衷说以韩世远先生为代表,主张对于尚未履行的债务自解除时归于消灭,对于已经履行的债务并不消灭,而是发生新的返还债务。解除并不溯及地消灭合同关系,因此解除前的受领仍然具有相应的法律上的原因,所以恢复原状义务并非不当得利返还义务。同时,这种恢复原状请求权也不是物的返还请求权,盖在我国法律虽不承认物权行为无因性理论,但采物权行为与原因行为的区分原则,在物权变动上,除了要求当事人变动物权的意思外,尚需交付登记。因此,解除后给付物的所有权并非随着解除的意思表示的到达而自动当然地复归于解除权人。另外,由于解除前的合同关系依然有效,以恢复原状为目的的请求权应为债权,通过这种债权来实现“恢复原状”的结果,实现权利的逆变动(复归)。据此,《合同法》第97条的“恢复原状”是指财产(给付)返还的债的请求权,而不是物的返还请求权,也不是不当得利返还请求权。“恢复原状”的具体内容是指给付的全面返还,包括标的物的返还(原物返还或作价返还)、利息、果实及使用利益的返还、投入费用偿还等,甚至包括原物返还不能时的风险负担。[9]
崔建远和韩世远两位学者在合同法领域的研究造诣颇深,前者直接参与《合同法》第97条的立法起草过程,[10]而后者以德国及欧洲法上近年来盛行的清算关系说为基础解读本国合同解除制度,在此问题上有此截然不同的看法,实值重视。[11]综合比较两者观点,在对解除后的“恢复原状”的解读上,涉及以
下基本问题有待澄清:
1.两位学者所理解的合同解除后的“恢复原状”,都区别于狭义上所理解的使物回复遭受毁损前的物理状态。从解释论的角度看,合同解除的“恢复原状”是否有独立的规范意义,可否作不同于狭义“恢复原状”的理解。
2.崔建远先生所理解的“恢复原状”是指物的返还请求权,而韩世远先生所理解的“恢复原状”是指具有债的效力的返还请求权。究竟应采何者?崔先生主张解除具有直接效果,解除后的返还属于物的返还请求权,理由在于我国不采物权行为独立性和无因性理论。然而解除后采何种效果与物权变动模式之间有无必然联系,殊值探讨。
3.原物返还不能时的折价返还是否属于《合同法》第97条“恢复原状”的范畴,还是属于“其他补救措施”或者“赔偿损失”范畴。
4.利息、果实及使用利益的返还、投入费用偿还以及返还不能时的风险负担是否属于《合同法》第97条“恢复原状”的范畴,还是属于“其他补救措施”或者“赔偿损失”范畴也需要探讨。
对问题3和问题4,两位学者显然立场不同。崔建远先生所理解的“恢复原状”仅指原物所有权返还,而将其他返还内容都归于“其他补救措施”范畴,同时又主张此时涉及不当得利返还请求权,但究竟“其他补救措施”与不当得利返还请求权是否等同,前者是否具有独立明确的规范内容,实有澄清的必要。另外,在原物返还时强调以给付时的价值额为标准进行返还,而不问受领人的受益情况,而在其余给付返还场合则主张依据不当得利要求返还,究竟价值判断上有何依据不得而知。而韩世远先生所理解的“恢复原状”范围较广,包含折价返还、利息、果实及使用利益的返还、投入费用偿还以及返还不能时的风险负担规则。但在返还具体内容及相应法律依据的阐释上,论述未详,似有补充说明之必要。
(三)实务(三则最高人民法院公报案例)
学者研究解除的法律后果,多重学理之分析,对法院实务上的见解向少注意。而司法实务常常欠缺请求权基础的思维方式,只是形式上引用《合同法》第97条,对合同解除后的返还义务性质及内容不作深入分析论证。因此,即使是最高人民法院的公报案例,在解释《合同法》第97条“恢复原状”的规范意义上,也无法发挥真正的指导功能。此种法律适用上的混沌状态,殊值重视。最高人民法院公报上除桂冠电力案外,尚有两例涉及解除后果与损害赔偿关系的案件,在此一一简要说明检讨。
1.桂冠电力案
(1)判决理由
在桂冠电力案中,[12]一审法院认为泳臣公司
全文共7009字,剩余内容已隐藏,支付完成后下载完整资料
资料编号:[16437],资料为PDF文档或Word文档,PDF文档可免费转换为Word
以上是毕业论文外文翻译,课题毕业论文、任务书、文献综述、开题报告、程序设计、图纸设计等资料可联系客服协助查找。