Impact of Art. 35 on the interpretation of non-CISG provisions

Beyond its actual sphere of application, Art. 35 CISG has occasionally been used as guidance by courts when interpreting provisions of domestic or international law. Some examples are listed below.

Dutch law:

Perpetual lease case
Parket bij de Hoge Raad (Advocate General at the Dutch Supreme Court)
Netherlands, 13 February 2004 – R02/072HR, CISG-online 4628

Reference made to Art. 35(2)(a) and (b) CISG to underline a difference of unharmonized Dutch law regarding the seller's liability for hidden defects

El Salvadorian law:

Las Cascadas Multiservicios S.A. de C.V. v. Operadora Del Sur, S.A. de C.V.
Corte Suprema de Justicia de El Salvador (Supreme Court of El Salvador)
El Salvador, 05 March 2018 – 183-CAC-2017, CISG-online 4595

Reference made to Art. 35(1) CISG and to international case law interpreting this provision in order to support the notion that, in modern contract law (and therefore also under the laws of El Salvador), the parties may (expressly or impliedly) agree that technical regulations, labor laws or human rights standards must be observed in the production of the goods sold

Spanish law:

Serviad 5 S.A. v. Hig-Tel S.L.
Audiencia Provincial de Barcelona (Court of Appeal Barcelona)
Spain, 03 July 2007 – 764/2006; 357/2007, CISG-online 1767

Reference made to Art. 35(2)(b) CISG in construing rules on contractual liability under Spanish domestic law