Software contracts and the CISG

Whether a software contract falls into the 1980 Sales Convention's scope of application can appear questionable on a number of grounds: Is software a "good" under Art. 1(1) CISG? Does it make a difference whether the software is being transferred in physical form (on a data carrier like a CD or DVD) or being downloaded? Is a software contract a contract of sale, or is it a licence and therefore not governed by the Convention? Does the respective contract call for the software to be adapted to the "buyer's" wishes and specific requirements to such a degree that it triggers the exception in Art. 3(2) CISG?

 

 

Software contracts which were held to be subject to the CISG

 
Czech Republic
Industrial ink-jet printers case I
Oberlandesgericht Koblenz (Court of Appeal Koblenz)
Germany, 17 September 1993 – 2 U 1230/91, CISG-online 91

The term "goods” in Art. 1(1) CISG is to be interpreted widely and comprises all objects that can be the subject of a commercial sale, including computer software

 
Czech Republic
Software case II
Handelsgericht des Kantons Zürich (Commercial Court Canton Zurich)
Switzerland, 17 February 2000 – HG 980472, CISG-online 637

Computer programs (software) are "goods" in the sense of the Sales Convention

 
Czech Republic
Software case III
Oberster Gerichtshof (Austrian Supreme Court)
Austria, 21 June 2005 – 5 Ob 45/05m, CISG-online 1047

The permanent transfer of a standard software stored on a data carrier against a one-time payment is regarded as a sale of a movable good and is therefore governed by the CISG.

 
Czech Republic
Silicon Biomedical Instruments B.V. v. Erich Jaeger GmbH
Rechtbank Arnhem (District Court Arnhem)
Netherlands, 28 June 2006 – 82879 / HA ZA 02-105, CISG-online 1265

Software is a movable "good" in the sense of the Sales Convention

 
Czech Republic
Corporate Web Solutions Ltd. v. Vendorlink B.V.
Rechtbank Midden-Nederland (District Court Midden-Nederland)
Netherlands, 25 March 2015 – C/16/364668 / HA ZA 14-217, CISG-online 2591

A software licence agreement can be regarded as a “contract for the sale of goods” within the meaning of Art. 1(1) CISG

 

Cases that touched on software contracts but did not decide on the applicability of the CISG

 
Czech Republic
X-steel software case
Rechtbank Arnhem (District Court Arnhem)
Netherlands, 15 January 2007 – 444360\CV EXPL 06-3872, CISG-online 4692

The software-contract was not qualified and the applicability of the CISG not discussed, as the court declared itself not to be compentent for other reasons

 


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