1970–1978 UNCITRAL & Working Group

Relatively soon after the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) had been established in 1966, it created a "Working Group on the International Sale of Goods". The Working Group was comprised of the representatives of 14 UNCITRAL member states and began its work in January 1970.

Between 1970 and 1978, the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods met annually. It commenced by examining the provisions of the 1964 Hague Sales Law (ULIS), before preparing a draft text for a Convention on the international sale of goods that covered the rights, obligations and remedies of buyers and sellers (1970–1977). In 1977, the Working Group met twice and prepared a separate draft text for a Convention on the formation of contracts for the international sale of goods.

The Working Group regularly reported to UNCITRAL (the Commission) about its progress, and received guidance from UNCITRAL about further steps to be taken. One of the most important decisions, made by UNCITRAL in 1978, was to merge the hitherto separate draft provision on the formation of sales contracts with the draft provisions on the international sale of goods. The result was the 1978 New York Draft that subsequently formed the basis of the discussions at the 1980 Diplomatic Conference in Vienna.

  1. Report of UNCITRAL on the work of its eleventh session (New York, 30 May–16 June 1978) (A/33/17), UNCITRAL Yearbook IX (1978), pp 11–21

    •  Completion of the 1978 New York Draft

    •  Text of the 1978 New York Draft on pp 14-21

  2. Report of the Secretary-General: analytical compilation of comments by Governments and international organizations on the draft Convention on the Formation of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods as adopted by the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods and on the draft of a uniform law for the unification of certain rules relating to validity of contracts for the International Sale of Goods prepared by UNIDROIT (A/CN.9/146 and Add. 1–4), UNCITRAL Yearbook IX (1978), pp 127–146

  3. Report of the Secretary-General: incorporation of the provisions of the draft Convention on the Formation of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods into the draft Convention on the International Sale of Goods (A/CN.9/145), UNCITRAL Yearbook IX (1978), pp 121–126

  4. Report of the Secretary-General: commentary on the draft Convention on the Formation of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (A/CN.9/144), UNCITRAL Yearbook IX (1978), pp 106–121

  5. Report of the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods on the work of its ninth session (Geneva, 19–30 September 1977) (A/CN.9/142), UNCITRAL Yearbook IX (1978), pp 61–83

    •  Rules on interpretation, validity, completion of 1977 'Formation' Draft

    •  For Text of 1977 'Formation' Draft see Annex, pp 83-85, working papers at pp 85-105

  6. Report of UNCITRAL on the work of its tenth session (Vienna, 23 May–17 June 1977) (A/32/17), UNCITRAL Yearbook VIII (1977), pp 11–21

    •   Preparation of the 1977 UNCITRAL Sales Draft

    •   Text of the 1977 Draft on pp 15-21

  7. Report of the Secretary-General: draft convention on the International Sale of Goods; draft articles concerning implementation and other final clauses (A/CN.9/135), UNCITRAL Yearbook VIII (1977), pp 164–168

  8. Report of the Secretary-General: analysis of comments by Governments and international organizations on the draft convention on the International Sale of Goods as adopted by the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods (A/CN.9/126), UNCITRAL Yearbook VIII (1977), pp 142–163

  9. Comments by Governments and international organizations on the draft convention on the International Sale of Goods (A/CN.9/125 and A/CN.9/125/add.1 to 3), UNCITRAL Yearbook VIII (1977), pp 109–142 

  10. Report of the Secretary-General: formation and validity of contracts for the International Sale of Goods (A/CN.9/128, annex II), UNCITRAL Yearbook VIII (1977), pp 90–109

  11. Draft Convention on the formation of contracts for the International Sale of Goods as approved or deferred for further consideration by the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods at its eighth session (A/CN.9/128, annex I), UNCITRAL Yearbook VIII (1977), pp 88–90

  12. Report of the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods on the work of its eighth session (New York 4–14 January 1977) (A/CN.9/128), UNCITRAL Yearbook VIII (1977), pp 73–88

    •  Scope of the 1977 'Formation' Draft, offer and acceptance

  13. Commentary on the draft Convention on the International Sale of Goods (A/CN.9/116, annex II), UNCITRAL Yearbook VII (1976), pp 96–142

  14. Draft Convention on the International Sale of Goods (A/CN.9/116, annex I), UNCITRAL Yearbook VII (1976), pp 89–96

  15. Report of the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods on the work of its seventh session (Geneva, 5–16 January 1976) (A/CN.9/116), UNCITRAL Yearbook VII (1976), pp 87–89

    •  Action on the draft Convention on the International Sale of Goods

  16. Report of the Secretary-General: pending questions with respect to the revised text of a Uniform Law on the International Sale of Goods (A/CN.9/100, annex III and IV), UNCITRAL Yearbook VI (1975), pp 88–113

  17. Text of comments and proposals of representatives on the revised text of a Uniform Law on the International Sale of Goods as approved or deferred for further consideration by the Working Group at its first five sessions (A/CN.9/100, annex II), UNCITRAL Yearbook VI (1975), pp 70–87

  18. Revised text of the Convention on the International Sale of Goods as approved or deferred for further consideration by the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods at its first six sessions (A/CN.9/100, annex I), UNCITRAL Yearbook VI (1975), pp 63–69

  19. Report of the Secretary-General: general conditions of sale and standard contracts (A/CN.9/98), UNCITRAL Yearbook VI (1975), pp 114–118

  20. Report of the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods on the work of its sixth session (New York, 27 January–7 February 1975) (A/CN.9/100), UNCITRAL Yearbook VI (1975), pp 49–62

    •  Completion of the Working Group Sales Draft

  21. Report of the Secretary-General: issues presented by chapters IV to VI of ULIS (A/CN.9/87, annex IV), UNCITRAL Yearbook V (1974), pp 80–94

    •  Obligations of the buyer

    •  Provisions common to the obligations of the seller and of the buyer

    •  Passing of risk

  22. Texts of comments and proposals by representatives on articles 71–101 ULIS (A/CN.9/87, annex III), UNCITRAL Yearbook V (1974), pp 65–79

  23. Texts of comments and proposals by representatives on articles 56–70 ULIS (A/CN.9/87, annex II), UNCITRAL Yearbook V (1974), pp 60–65

  24. Revised text of the Uniform Law on the International Sale of Goods as approved or deferred for further consideration by the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods at its first five sessions (A/CN.9/87, annex I), UNCITRAL Yearbook V (1974), pp 51–65

  25. Progress Report of the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods on the work of its fifth session (Geneva, 21 January–1 February 1974) (A/CN.9/87), UNCITRAL Yearbook V (1974), pp 29–51

    •  Re-examination of Arts 58–70 ULIS

    •  Action on Arts 71–101 ULIS

  26. Progress report of the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods on the work of its fourth session (New York, 22 January–2 February 1973) (A/CN.9/75), UNCITRAL Yearbook IV (1973), pp 61–79

    •  Re-examination of Arts 18–55 ULIS

    •  Action on Arts 56–70 ULIS

  27. Report of the Secretary-General: Obligations of the Seller in an International Sale of Goods; consolidation of work done by the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods and suggested solutions for unresolved problems (A/CN.9/WG.2/WP.16), UNCITRAL Yearbook IV (1973), pp 36–61

  28. Note by the Secretary-General: Analysis of comments and proposals by Governments relating to Articles 56–70 of ULIS (A/CN.9/WG.2/WP.15), UNCITRAL Yearbook IV (1973), pp 31–35

  29. Progress report of the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods on the work of its third session, held in Geneva from 17–28 January 1972 (A/CN.9/62, Add.1 and Add.2), UNCITRAL Yearbook III (1972), pp 77–95

    •  Action on Arts 1–55 ULIS

  30. Analysis of comments and proposals relating to articles 1–17 of ULIS: note by the Secretary-General (A/CN.9/WG.2/WP.11), UNCITRAL Yearbook III (1972), pp 69–77

  31. 'Ipso facto avoidance’ in ULIS: report of the Secretary-General (A/CN.9/WG.2/WP.9), UNCITRAL Yearbook III (1972), pp 41–54

  32. Analysis of comments and proposals relating to articles 18–55 of ULIS: note by the Secretary-General (A/CN.9/WG.2/WP.10), UNCITRAL Yearbook III (1972), pp 54–69

  33. 'Delivery’ in ULIS: report of the Secretary-General (A/CN.9/WG.2/WP.8), UNCITRAL Yearbook III (1972), pp 31–41

  34. Working Group on the International Sale of Goods; report on the work of the Second Session (Geneva, 7–18 December 1970) (A/CN.9/52), UNCITRAL Yearbook II (1971), pp 50–66

    •  Action on Arts 1–17 ULIS

  35. Analysis of comments and proposals relating to articles 1–17 of ULIS 1964: note by the Secretary-General (A/CN.9/WG.2/WP.6), UNCITRAL Yearbook II (1971), pp 37–49

  36. Report of the Working Group on the International Sale of Goods, first session (New York 5–16 January 1970) (A/CN.9/35), UNCITRAL Yearbook I (1968–70), pp 176–202

    •  Organization of work

    •  Scope of uniform rules

  37. Analysis of replies and comments by governments on the Hague Conventions of 1964: report of the Secretary-General (A/CN.9/31), UNCITRAL Yearbook I (1968–70), pp 159–176