2011年10月14日 星期五

試析「船舶貨物裝卸承攬契約」之重要條款(捌)

拾柒、【管理階層變動(Change of Control)】:
(建議條文):
If at any time during the Term of this Agreement there shall be a proposed or actual Change of Control of Contractor, or of Customer, the affected Party shall promptly notify the other Party in writing thereof.

Within thirty (30) days of becoming aware or receiving notice of the change of control, the other Party may serve written notice on the affected Party terminating this Agreement.

For the purpose of this clause, Change of Control shall mean:
(a) any sale or transfer of shares to any 3rd party of minimum fifty (50) percent + one (1) share of the total shares in the relevant company, or
(b) the possession, direct or indirect by any person or entity other than as presently exists, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the parent or the Party, whether by the ownership of voting shares and/or exercise of voting rights, by contractual rights or otherwise.

For the avoidance of doubt, any internal reorganization or restructuring shall not be considered a Change of Control.
(譯文):
假設在契約期限內,無論係碼頭公司亦或是客戶,如果遇到可能的或實際上的管理階層變動,則變動的一方即應該以書面方式立即通知另一方。

契約的一方在知悉或收到前開書面通知的30天之內,有權以書面方式通知變動的一方終止本契約的繼續履行。

為本條款的目的,所謂「管理階層變動」意即:
(a) 將相關公司最少50%,外加一股的股份賣出或移轉予第三者,或
(b) 不論係依其所擁有的投票權股數亦或是依約行使投票權,凡直接或間接地由非目前的主體來擁有或控管契約一方或其母公司的管理階層與策略訂定能力者,稱之。

為避免疑義,任何屬於公司內部的組織重整或再造工程,均不得視為係前開所謂的「管理階層變動」。

(說明):
這裡所提到攸關簽約主體管理階層的變動問題,其實在其他契約中凡注重簽約一方的履約能力問題,大抵均會有類似條款的約束。蓋當初雙方會有簽約的合意,完全係看重對方的資格,是若資格有所變動,則勢必在未來履約能力上造成影響,所以應有條款特別來規範。若有此一現象(即原有的管理階層發生變動,而影響到其履約能力時),則授權另一方得自主決斷是否繼續契約的履行(當然其亦可以採取信任新經營團隊的態度,而主張契約的繼續履行)。祇不過若是屬於組織內部的調整、重組,其明顯不會影響原履約能力者,則明示排除在此一範圍之外。

拾捌、【分隔性(Severability)】:
(建議條文):
If any provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, in any respect that provision shall be severed from the remainder and the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not be affected or impaired in any way.
(譯文):
假設本契約中的任一條款有無效、不合法,或無法執行的情況發生時,則此一條款即應分隔出來,而不影響到其他條款的效力、合法性,與可執行性。

(說明):
此「分隔性」條款最主要的目的,乃係要將契約中所發現的無效、不合法,或無法執行的條款挑出來,讓其他條款、甚至於整體契約能夠繼續「存活」下去而不受到任何影響,此一條款亦可以在其他種類的契約中發現,係屬於所謂「一般性」的條款。

拾玖、【保密與公開性的限制(Confidentiality and Publicity Restrictions)】:
(建議條文):
The Parties undertakes that all documents, records, correspondence and transactions whether in hand or electric copy concerning the operation and business of the other Party shall always be held and be deemed confidential and shall, save as contemplated by this Clause not be disclosed to any third party. The Parties further agree and undertake that they and their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers, contractors, agents, servants, lawyers or advisers will treat and safeguard as strictly private and confidential the terms and conditions of this Agreement and will not at any time, without the prior written consent of the other, disclose or reveal such terms and conditions to any third party unless such matter is in the public domain (be reason other than disclosure by that party) or if that Party shall be compelled by any judicial authority to disclose any such information.

No Party shall make any announcement, statement or press release concerning the terms and conditions of this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other.

The provisions of this Clause shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the expiry of the Term or earlier termination of this Agreement (for whatever reason).

Neither party shall knowingly use or permit the use of any information obtained during their relationship to the disadvantage of the other Party or for the profit of its own or any third party’s interest.

Unless otherwise agreed, neither party shall at any time, whether during or after the Term hereof:
(a) Display or in any other way use the name, the Marks or any content of the other party in which the other Party or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries hold a copyright, in connection with publicity, advertisements, or promotion of a Party’s own business; or
(b) Identify the other Party or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries in any manner on its own customer list or its website (or on any third party website) or include its name in the metatags of any website.
(譯文):
雙方承諾所有有關對方的營運文件、紀錄、聯繫與交易資料(不論係手寫,亦或是電子版本),均應視之為機密,而不得對外揭露(除非本條款另有規定者外)。雙方更進一步同意與承諾其與個別的董事、主管、員工、顧問、承攬人、代理人、受任人,或律師,均應將本約的條款視為機密,且無論如何在沒有取得對方事前書面同意的情況之下,均不得對外揭露本約條款的內容(除非這些事項已經為公眾所知悉,或其係被司法機構所強制揭露的)。

在未得他方事前書面同意的情況下,任何一方均不得對外發表、聲明,或為任何新聞稿揭露攸關本契約條款的內容。

縱使本契約屆期失效或提前終止(無論任何原因),本條款亦持續有效。

任何一方絕不可以在知情的情況下,使用或允許使用在契約有效情況下所取得的任何資訊,去詆譭對方,或為自己或第三人擷取利益。

除非另有同意,否則任何一方均不得在任何時間(無論係在契約期限內或之後):
(a) 指示或以其他方式使用他方或其子公司、分公司,在公開場合、刊登廣告,或業務推廣上,擁有著作權保護的名稱、標誌,或任何其他內容;或
(b) 在其客戶名單或網頁上(或其他第三人的網頁上)標示他方或其子公司或分公司的名稱,或在任何網頁上將他方名稱列為「元標記」(meta tags)。

(說明):
這裡談到攸關保密與公開聲明的限制問題,事實上此一條款亦多可在其他不同類型的契約中見到,可說是一重要的條款,但亦常常為一般人所忽視。由於在契約的談判過程中,雙方多多少少均會釋放出一些攸關自己,或其子公司、分公司的營業機密或資訊,因此在談判之初或之前,其實雙方即應該就此部分,議定保密的條款或備忘錄,避免在談判破裂,無法簽署正式契約時,仍能夠確保之前所釋放的資訊,仍然能夠被保護。

至於負有保密責任的主體,則不限於契約主體一方,甚至包括其董事、職員、代理人、顧問等,均要求負起保密的責任。至於保密責任的存續期間,則不因為契約的提前或屆期終止而失效,是為另一需注意之點(保密的存續期間,可以視雙方與實際產業上的需求而訂定,並不一定是永久持續。蓋有可能保密資訊,經過一段期間,即有可能因為產業的水準進一步提昇,而失去其保密的意義矣)。

本條款中,另外提及攸關使用對方名稱或標誌上的限制,概公司名稱或標誌,大抵均會有商標權或其他智慧財產權的登記,因此在使用上應該要有所節制,並不因為此一契約的簽署,即視為對於此而有所開放。

貳拾、【安檢措施(Security Measures)】:
(建議條文):
Customer is a validated member of the U.S. C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism), and will enroll into similar frameworks under development, amongst others currently in the EU based on the WCO (World Customs Organization) Framework of Standards. It is Customer’s obligation to communicate its cargo custodial responsibilities under C-TPAT and other customs-to-business supply chain security partnerships to its transportation related service providers. These include, whether relevant to the services that Contractor provides to and for the Customer under this Agreement:

(a) Adequate physical containers and deterrents that guard against unauthorized access to Contractor’s facility;
(b) For all cargo and containers subject of this Agreement, container integrity must be maintained to protect against the introduction of unauthorized material and/or persons while in Contractor’s custody and/or control;
(c) In compliance with applicable laws and regulations, Contractor must have processes in place to screen prospective employees and to periodically check current employees, as appropriate.

Contractor will periodically be requested to confirm its commitment to Customer’s security expectations. For further information regarding the C-TPAT security commitment, please consult the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) website for the appropriate security criteria at: http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/import/commercial_enforcement/ctpat/security_criteria/
(譯文):
客戶係參與美國「海關-商貿反恐怖聯盟」(the U.S. C-TPAT)(註一) 的有效會員,除此之外其亦準備加入目前歐盟根據全球海關組織的標準架構,所發展出來的類似組織。客戶應盡的責任,包括將其在C-TPAT所應盡的貨物保管責任,與其他位於海關作業供給鍊上提供運送服務攸關的安管夥伴,取得溝通聯繫。這其中包括,在本約中碼頭公司所提供予客戶的若干服務內容:

(a) 適當的圍籬與阻隔,以防範外人非法入侵碼頭公司;
(b) 本約中所有的貨物或貨櫃,在碼頭公司的管領範圍內,必須防範貨櫃的完整性不被非法入侵的物質及(或)人員所破壞;
(c) 在相關法令許可的前提之下,碼頭公司在適當場合必須對於嫌疑員工進行監控措施,並對於目前員工進行不定期抽檢。

碼頭公司將會不定期地被客戶要求確認是否達到安檢需求。攸關C-TPAT安檢承諾需求,請直接上美國「海關邊境保護局」的網站,以擷取相關訊息:http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/import/commercial_enforcement/ctpat/security_criteria/

(說明):
碼頭公司所經營的範圍,通常非常遼闊,因此安檢措施必須非常嚴謹,始得確保客戶的貨物安全無虞。因此契約中要求碼頭公司必須依照美國C-TPAT所制定的相關要求,來執行安檢措施,應該不算係一過分的請求。至於C-TPAT詳細的需求,則在契約中亦提供美國「海關邊境保護局」的專屬網站,以供碼頭公司查詢(待續)。

(註解):
(註一):C-TPAT是美國國土安全部海關邊境保護局(即U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 簡稱CBP),在911事件發生後所提議成立的自願性計劃,並於西元2002年4月16日正式施行。C-TPAT全名為Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, 即「海關-商貿反恐怖聯盟」。透過C-TPAT的安全建議,CBP希望能與相關業界合作建立供應鍊安全管理系統,以確保供應鍊從起點到終點的運輸安全、安全訊息,及貨況的流通,從而阻止恐怖份子的滲入。

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