Table of Contents |
pt. I | Introduction | |
1). | Introduction | 3 |
| References | 4 |
pt. II | Treatment of Impossibility in Modern Laws and Unification Instruments | |
2). | Treatment of Impossibility in German Law | 7 |
I). | German Law of Contracts in General | 7 |
II). | Regulation of Impossibility Before the Reform of the German Law of Contracts | 8 |
III). | Regulation of Impossibility After the Reform of the German Law of Contracts | 9 |
1). | Impossibility and Unexpectedness of Performance Under German Law | 10 |
a). | Impossibility of Performance ([§] 275 I BGB) | 10 |
b). | Unexpectedness of Performance due to Gross Disproportionality ([§] 275 II BGB) | 18 |
aa). | Required Expenses and Efforts | 19 |
bb). | Creditor's Interest in Performance | 21 |
cc). | Gross Disproportion | 22 |
dd). | Difference Between Practical Impossibility and the Interference with the Basis of the Transaction ([§] 313 BGB) | 26 |
c). | Unexpectedness of Performance due to Personal Reasons ([§] 275 III BGB) | 28 |
2). | Legal Results of Impossibility Under German Law | 30 |
a). | In General | 30 |
b). | Responsibility of the Debtor | 30 |
c). | Legal Results of Impossibility for Which the Debtor Is Not Responsible | 32 |
aa). | Extinguishment of the Primary Obligation ([§] 275 I, II and III BGB) | 32 |
(1). | Extinguishment of the Primary Obligation Under [§] 275 I BGB | 32 |
(2). | Extinguishment of the Primary Obligation Under [§] 275 II BGB | 33 |
(3). | Extinguishment of the Primary Obligation Under [§] 275 III BGB | 33 |
bb). | Counter-Obligation | 33 |
cc). | Substitutes | 38 |
dd). | Return of Already Performed Counter-Obligation | 41 |
ee). | Creditor's Right to Revocation | 42 |
d). | Legal Results of Impossibility for Which the Debtor Is Responsible | 44 |
aa). | Extinguishment of the Primary Obligation ([§] 275 I, II and III BGB) | 44 |
bb). | Compensation Payment | 44 |
(1). | Compensation Claim for Subsequent Impossibility | 45 |
(2). | Compensation Claim for Initial Impossibility | 46 |
cc). | Reimbursement of Futile Expenses | 49 |
dd). | Counter-Obligation | 51 |
ee). | Substitutes | 52 |
ff). | Return of Already Performed Counter-Obligation | 53 |
gg). | Creditor's Right to Revocation | 53 |
| References | 54 |
3). | Treatment of Impossibility in Swiss and Turkish Laws | 61 |
I). | Swiss Law of Contracts in General | 61 |
II). | Turkish Law of Contracts in General | 62 |
III). | Mommsen's Impossibility Doctrine | 63 |
IV). | Regulation of Impossibility in Swiss and Turkish Laws | 65 |
1). | In General | 65 |
2). | Initial Impossibility of Performance | 66 |
a). | The General Principle | 66 |
b). | Elements of Initial Impossibility | 67 |
c). | Legal Results of Initial Impossibility | 68 |
aa). | Voidness of the Contract | 68 |
(1). | Voidness of the Entire Contract | 68 |
(2). | Partial Voidness | 70 |
bb). | Counter-Obligation and Return of Already Performed Counter-Obligation | 71 |
cc). | Compensation Payment | 71 |
3). | Subsequent Impossibility of Performance | 72 |
a). | In General | 72 |
b). | Elements of Subsequent Impossibility | 73 |
c). | Interference with the Basis of the Contract | 74 |
d). | Responsibility of the Debtor for the Occurrence of Subsequent Impossibility | 76 |
e). | Legal Results of Subsequent Impossibility | 78 |
aa). | Legal Results of Impossibility for Which the Debtor Is Not Responsible | 79 |
(1). | Extinguishment of the Obligation | 79 |
(2). | Counter-Obligation and Return of Already Performed Counter-Obligation | 79 |
(3). | Substitutes | 81 |
bb). | Legal Results of Impossibility for Which the Debtor Is Responsible | 82 |
(1). | Compensation Payment | 82 |
(2). | Counter-Obligation and Return of Already Performed Counter-Obligation | 83 |
(3). | Substitutes | 84 |
(4). | Creditor's Right to Revocation | 84 |
cc). | Duty of Notification | 85 |
4). | Special Provisions Regarding Partial Impossibility of Performance | 85 |
5). | A Closer Look to the Legal Results: Voidness and Validity of the Contract | 86 |
a). | Negative Results of Voidness | 86 |
b). | Overcoming the Negative Results of Voidness | 88 |
| References | 89 |
4). | Treatment of Impossibility in CISG and Other Unification Instruments | 93 |
I). | Unification Instruments in General | 93 |
1). | CISG | 94 |
2). | PICC | 94 |
3). | PECL | 95 |
4). | DCFR | 96 |
5). | CESL | 96 |
II). | An Overview of the Relevant Rules | 97 |
III). | Conditions for Exemption from Liability | 100 |
1). | Impediment Beyond Control | 100 |
2). | Unforeseeability | 103 |
3). | Unavoidability | 104 |
4). | Causation | 106 |
5). | Notice | 106 |
IV). | Scopes of Exemption Provisions | 108 |
1). | Hardship (Interference with the Basis of the Transaction/Excessive Performance Difficulty) | 108 |
2). | Non-conformity of the Goods with the Contract | 111 |
3). | Temporary Impediments to Performance | 112 |
4). | Partial Impediments to Performance | 114 |
5). | Liability for Third Persons | 114 |
6). | Exemption due to Interference by the Other Party | 116 |
7). | Initial Impossibility | 117 |
a). | CISG | 117 |
b). | PICC | 122 |
c). | PECL AND DCFR | 123 |
d). | CESL | 124 |
V). | Legal Results of Exemption from Liability | 125 |
1). | CISG | 126 |
2). | PICC | 129 |
3). | PECL | 131 |
4). | DCFR | 132 |
5). | CESL | 133 |
VI). | Damages in Unification Instruments | 134 |
| References | 136 |
pt. III | Comparative Assessment of the Laws | |
5). | Utility of Impossibility as a Dogmatic Concept | 143 |
| References | 148 |
6). | Scope of Impossibility | 151 |
I). | Generally | 151 |
II). | The Classical Distinction of Logical and Legal Impossibility | 151 |
1). | Logical Impossibility | 152 |
a). | Physical Impossibility | 152 |
b). | Practical Impossibility | 152 |
2). | Legal Impossibility (Rechtliche Unmoglichkeit) | 153 |
III). | The "Ideal" Scope of Impossibility | 154 |
a). | Overview | 154 |
b). | Practical Impossibility and Moral Impossibility | 154 |
c). | Interference with the Basis of the Transaction | 157 |
d). | The Concept of Legal Impossibility | 157 |
e). | Accomplishment of Purpose (Zweckerreichung) and Destruction of Purpose (Zweckfortfall) | 158 |
| References | 160 |
7). | Types of Impossibility and Their Treatment | 163 |
I). | Objective Impossibility --- Subjective Impossibility | 163 |
II). | Impossibility for Which the Debtor Is Responsible --- Impossibility for Which the Debtor Is Not Responsible | 167 |
III). | Partial Impossibility --- Total Impossibility | 168 |
IV). | Permanent Impossibility --- Temporary Impossibility | 171 |
V). | Initial Impossibility --- Subsequent Impossibility | 173 |
| References | 175 |
pt. IV | Final Conclusions | |
8). | The Use of Impossibility as a Dogmatic Concept | 181 |
9). | Different Types and Scope of Impossibility | 183 |
10). | Legal Results of Impossibility | 185 |
| Bibliography | 187 |