涉外合同中的contract(合同)和agreement(协

涉外合同中的contract(合同)和agreement(协议)能否互换？

祁建平律师 整理

何谓“Contract”?

Steven H.Gifts的“Law Dictionary”中将contract 定义为“contract is a promise, or a set of promises, for breach of which the law gives remedy, or the performance of the which the law in some way recognize as a duty.”根据这一定义，合同是一种承诺，违反承诺可以得到法律救助。

L.B.Curzon的“A Dictionary of Law”给contract的定义是“Contract is a legally binding agreement”根据这一定义，合同就是有法律约束力的协议。

以上两者有一个相同点：“Contract is an agreement”，即可将事同说成是“An agreement which binds the parties concerned”或者说成是“An agreement which is enforceable by law”，也可以说：Contracts are promises that the law will enforce。

那么，何谓“Agreement”?

L.B.Curzon：“A consensus of mind, or evidence of such consensus, in spoke or written form, relating to anything done or to be done.”根据这一定义，协议是对已经做或准备做的相关事宜，经过谈判、协商后取得一致意见，以口头或书面形式做出的约定。

Black则有两个定义：（1）“A concord of understanding and intention between two or more parties with respect to the effect upon their relative rights and duties, of certain past or future facts or performance”根据这一定义，协议即双方或多方京某些过去或将来某些事实的相关权利、义务或相关权利、义务的履行而达成的一致理解和愿望。（2）The consent of two or more persons concurring respecting the transmission of some property, right or benefits, with the view of contacting an obligation, a mutual obligation.根据这一定义，协议即两个或多个当事人，为了约定单方责任或相互责任，就财产权利、利益的转移取得的一致同意。

Contract(合同)和Agreement(协议)是不是可以互换呢？

众所周知，合同的成立必须具备（要约和承诺构成的）协议、约因、设立法律关系的愿望和缔约能力四大部分组成。

L.B Curzon“A Diction of Law”提到“Contract generally involves”

1. offer and absolute and unqualified acceptance (要约和绝对接受)

2. consensus ad idem (意思表示一致，也叫meeting of minds)

3. intention to create legal relations (建立合同关系的意愿)

4. genuineness of consent (同意的真实性)

5. contractual capacity of the parties (合同当事人的缔约能力)

6. legality of object(标的物的合法性)

7. possibility of performance (履行的可能性)

8. certainty of terms(条款的确定性)

9. valuable consideration(等价有偿)

Black“Law Dictionary” 中解释道：Although often used as synonyms with "contract", agreement is a broader term, e.g. an agreement might lack an essential element of a contact." 即“协议”和“合同”经常用作同义词，但“协议”这一术语含义更广，例如协议可能缺乏合同的必备条款（essential clauses/provisions）。

实际使用当中，协议可不受必备条款的限制，而称为合同的文体肯定少不了必备条款，有的合同将其单列，称为一般条款（General provisions）。

1999中国《合同法》第十二条规定了八项一般条款，分别是：

1. title or name and domicile of the parities(当事人的名称或姓名和住址)

2. contract object(标的)

3. quantity(数量)

4. quality(质量)

5. price or remuneration(价款或者报酬)

6. time limit, place and method of performance (履行期限、地点和方式)

7. liability for breach of contract(违约责任)

8. methods to settle disputes (解决争议的方法)

上述解释说明，contract(合同)和agreement(协议)的概念虽然接近，但使用范围不同，不能互换使用。合同是协议的重要组成部分，所有合同一定是协议，而协议不见得都是合同。