【线上云德】疫情期间律师说（十六）|新冠疫情下企业合同履行应当采取哪些措施规避风险？

全国人大常委会法工委2020年2月10日在针对疫情防控相关法律问题接受采访时关于疫情是否能定性为不可抗力首次做出权威解答：对于因此不能履行合同的当事人来说，属于不能预见、不能避免并不能克服的不可抗力。根据合同法的相关规定，因不可抗力不能履行合同的，根据不可抗力的影响，部分或者全部免除责任，但法律另有规定的除外。

In an interview on February 10, 2020 on legal issues related to epidemic prevention and control, the Law Working Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress gave an authoritative answer for the first time on whether the epidemic can be characterized as force majeure: for the parties who cannot perform the contract as a result, it is an unforeseeable, unavoidable and insurmountable force majeure. According to the relevant provisions of the Contract Law, if the contract cannot be performed due to force majeure, the liability shall be partially or completely exempted according to the influence of force majeure, except as otherwise provided by law.

那么对于此次疫情下合同履行受到影响的企业应当采取哪些措施规避法律风险呢？赵晓川律师给大家提出解决方案。

What measures should enterprises whose contract performance is affected by this epidemic take to avoid legal risks? Lawyer Zhao Xiaochuan proposed a solution for everyone.

问：在买卖合同关系中，因本次疫情导致合同不能及时、全面履行，企业应如何处理商务合同的履行以规避法律风险？A

从维护交易稳定、降低交易成本等角度来看， 企业可以首先考虑能否与合同相对方通过协商的形式，通过合同的延期履行或者变更合同履行形式等来实现双方利益的最大化。若无法协商，根据企业在合同中所处地位，进行区分：

From the perspective of maintaining transaction stability and reducing transaction costs, enterprises can first consider whether they can maximize the interests of both parties through negotiation with the other parties to the contract, postponing the performance of the contract or changing the form of performance of the contract. If negotiation is not possible, the distinction shall be made according to the position of the enterprise in the contract:

（1）企业作为卖方，应当立即对照具体商务合同以及自身的生产经营安排，排查是否还能按照合同约定履行。如果因此次疫情影响，企业无法按照合同履行义务的，建议企业立即向合同相对方发送书面通知，将此次疫情情况、此次疫情对企业生产经营的影响及其导致无法按约履行的情况明确告知合同相对方；如果企业已经完全无法按照合同履行相应义务的，建议企业立即向合同相对方发送《解除合同通知书》，并提出按合同约定或《合同法》规定解除合同。

(1) As the seller, the enterprise shall immediately check whether it can still perform in accordance with the contract according to the specific commercial contract and its own production and operation arrangements. If the enterprise is unable to perform its obligations according to the contract due to the impact of the epidemic situation, it is recommended that the enterprise immediately send a written notice to the other party to the contract to clearly inform the other party of the epidemic situation, the impact of the epidemic situation on the production and operation of the enterprise and the situation that the enterprise cannot perform according to the contract. If the enterprise has been completely unable to perform its corresponding obligations in accordance with the contract, it is suggested that the enterprise immediately send a Notice of Dissolution of the Contract to the other party to the contract and propose to dissolve the contract in accordance with the contract agreement or the provisions of the Contract Law.

（2）企业作为买方，应当立即排查企业需求，将立即、短期需要的货物或服务清点核查；清点核查后，建议企业向合同相对方核实其生产经营是否受到此次疫情影响、是否影响合同的履行，从而做好从其他渠道购买或者延迟自身生产经营的准备。如经过与合同相对方核实，其生产经营受到此次疫情严重影响，已经无法满足企业作为买方的及时性或者其他需求、导致双方合同目的已经无法实现，建议企业立即向合同相对方发送《解除合同通知书》。

(2) As the buyer, the enterprise shall immediately check the needs of the enterprise and count and check the goods or services needed immediately and in the short term; After checking, it is suggested that the enterprise verify with the other party to the contract whether its production and operation are affected by the epidemic and whether the performance of the contract is affected, so as to be ready to purchase or delay its own production and operation from other channels. If, after verification with the other party to the contract, its production and operation are seriously affected by the epidemic situation and can no longer meet the timeliness or other needs of the enterprise as the buyer, resulting in the failure of both parties to realize the contract purpose, it is recommended that the enterprise immediately send the Notice of Termination of the Contract to the other party to the contract.

问：由于此次疫情导致的合同不能履行，应当如何处理？A

根据每份合同的特点及目的等具体情况，分析该合同受疫情影响导致的不能履行属于以下哪种类型（1）暂时不能履行；（2）部分不能履行；（3）全部不能履行。基于不同类型可采取不同的处理方式:（1）延期履行；（2）部分履行；（3）全部不履行；（4）变更或者解除合同。在此次疫情发生后，如果出现合同不能履行的情况，应当及时履行通知义务以及证明义务。应当及时向对方发出通知，并在合理期限内提供证明（政府的通知或者命令等），通知应当采用双方约定的通知方式，尽量采用书面、邮件、短信等多种形式发送通知，并保留通知发出以及合同相对方收到通知的证据。

According to the characteristics and purposes of each contract and other specific circumstances, analyze which of the following types of non-performance of the contract caused by the epidemic situation (1) temporary non-performance; (2) Partial failure to perform; (3) All cannot be performed. Based on different types, different treatment methods can be adopted: (1) postponing performance; (2) Partial performance; (3) all non-performance; (4) Change or terminate the contract. After the outbreak of the epidemic, if the contract cannot be performed, the obligation of notification and the obligation of proof shall be performed in a timely manner. A notice shall be sent to the other party in a timely manner and proof (government notice or order, etc.) shall be provided within a reasonable time limit. The notice shall be sent in writing, mail, short message and other forms as far as possible by the notice agreed by both parties, and the evidence of the notice being sent and the receipt of the notice by the other party to the contract shall be retained.

如果由于疫情致使合同的目的无法达成的，一方可以解除合同，属于法律规定的法定解除事由。并可以根据不可抗力的影响，要求部分免责或者全部免责。解除合同的一方应当及时通知对方并履行上述的证明义务，以减小可能给对方带来的损失，如果另一方收到通知后由于未采取措施造成的扩大损失，不应当由合同解除通知方承担。

If the purpose of the contract cannot be achieved due to the epidemic situation, one party may terminate the contract, which is a legal reason for termination stipulated by law. And may request partial or complete exemption according to the influence of force majeure. The party terminating the contract shall promptly notify the other party and perform the above-mentioned obligation of proof to reduce the losses that may be brought to the other party. If the other party fails to take measures after receiving the notice, the party notifying the termination of the contract shall not bear the expanded losses.

问：如果合同可以继续履行，但继续履行会造成明显不公平应当如何处理？A

可以援用情势变更、公平原则请求法院予以变更或者解除合同。

The principle of change of circumstances and fairness can be invoked to request the court to change or terminate the contract.

《最高人民法院关于适用<中华人民共和国合同法>若干问题的解释(二)》（情势变更）第二十六条：合同成立以后客观情况发生了当事人在订立合同时无法预见的、非不可抗力造成的不属于商业风险的重大变化，继续履行合同对于一方当事人明显不公平或者不能实现合同目的，当事人请求人民法院变更或者解除合同的，人民法院应当根据公平原则，并结：本次疫情虽然属于法律意义上的“不可抗力”，但对于每一份合同而言，只有在疫情真正影响到合同目的的实现，导致合同不能履行的情况下，方构成“不可抗力”情形，不得一概而论。是否可以免责应当需要根据双方合同目的、合同履行情况进行严格确认。

Article 26 of the Interpretation of the Supreme People's Court on Several Issues Concerning the Application of the Contract Law of the People's Republic of China (II) (Change of Circumstances): After the establishment of the contract, the objective situation has undergone major changes that cannot be foreseen by the parties at the time of conclusion of the contract and are not commercial risks caused by force majeure. Continuing to perform the contract is obviously unfair to one party or cannot realize the purpose of the contract. If a party requests the people's court to change or terminate the contract, The people's court shall, in accordance with the principle of fairness, conclude that although the epidemic situation is a "force majeure" in the legal sense, for each contract, only if the epidemic situation really affects the realization of the purpose of the contract and leads to the failure to perform the contract, can it constitute a "force majeure" situation and cannot be generalized. Whether it can be exempted from liability should be strictly confirmed according to the purpose of the contract and the performance of the contract.

《合同法》第一百一十七条：“因不可抗力不能履行合同的，根据不可抗力的影响，部分或者全部免除责任，但法律另有规定的除外。当事人迟延履行后发生不可抗力的，不能免除责任。本法所称不可抗力， 是指不能预见、不能避免并不能克服的客观情况。”的规定，若合同不能履行，且原因不能全部归责于合同当事人的，根据本次疫情的影响，部分或者全部免除责任，但如果此次疫情是在签订合同以前或者当事人迟延履行之后发生的，则当事人不能以不可抗力为由免除责任。如果疫情并非导致合同不能履行的原因， 当事人同样不能免除责任。合案件的实际情况确定是否变更或者解除。

Article 117 of the Contract Law: "If the contract cannot be performed due to force majeure, the liability shall be partially or completely exempted according to the influence of force majeure, except as otherwise provided by law. If force majeure occurs after the delay in performance, the party concerned cannot be exempted from liability. The term "force majeure" as used in this Law refers to objective circumstances that cannot be foreseen, avoided or overcome. " If the contract cannot be performed and the reason cannot be fully attributed to the parties to the contract, part or all of the liability shall be exempted according to the impact of the epidemic situation. However, if the epidemic situation occurred before the signing of the contract or after the parties delayed performance, the parties cannot be exempted from liability on the grounds of force majeure. If the epidemic situation is not the cause of the failure to perform the contract, the parties concerned cannot be exempted from liability either. According to the actual situation of the case to determine whether to change or dissolve. Q

问：如果一方确因本次新冠肺炎影响而无法履行合同约定义务时，为证明系因本次疫情“不可抗力”影响不应构成违约需准备哪些证据？

（1）尽量收集遭受本次疫情影响导致合同不能履行的证据。包括当地省一级政府及下级政府等发布的具有强制性命令的文件，比如陕西省政府发布的陕西省启动重大突发公共卫生事件一级响应状态的文件，除此之外，市级政府、区政府、街道办发布的命令、通知等都可以作为证据。

(1)Try to collect evidence that the contract cannot be performed due to the impact of this epidemic. Including documents with mandatory orders issued by local provincial governments and lower-level governments, such as documents issued by Shaanxi Provincial Government to initiate the first-level response status of major public health emergencies in Shaanxi Province. In addition, orders and notices issued by municipal governments, district governments and subdistrict offices can be used as evidence.

（2）主动“制造”证据。如果收集的证据不能特别明确或者有针对性的证明合同义务方无法履行义务的特别情况，则针对可能导致重大违约责任的合同一方，在必要的时候，应主动“制造”一些证据，比如以书面形式，如书面函件、电子邮件、微信等方式询问政府有关部门本企业是否可以生产经营，并请求相关部门给予书面答复。

(2) Take the initiative to "create" evidence. If the evidence collected cannot be particularly clear or targeted to prove the special circumstances in which the contractual obligor is unable to perform its obligations, Then, for the party to the contract that may lead to major liability for breach of contract, when necessary, it should take the initiative to "manufacture" some evidence, such as asking the relevant government departments whether the enterprise can produce and operate in written form, such as written letters, e-mails, WeChat, etc., and requesting the relevant departments to give a written reply.

（3）及时履行通知对方的义务及与对方协商变通的办法，必要的时候双方应签订关于合同变更的补充协议。

(3) Fulfilling the obligation to notify the other party in a timely manner and negotiating with the other party for flexibility. When necessary, both parties shall sign a supplementary agreement on the change of the contract.

①合同义务方应及时将本地疫情情况及政府采取的强制措施的情况书面通报合同相对方，此处的“及时”建议应在通过相关新闻报道、当地政府发布的通知等渠道了解到确定疫情为不可抗力事件时，立即向合同对方发出通知，而非取得正式的证明文件后再行通知。

①The Contractor shall promptly notify the Contractor in writing of the local epidemic situation and the compulsory measures taken by the Government. The "timely" suggestion here should immediately send a notice to the other party to the contract when it is known through relevant news reports, notices issued by the local government and other channels that the epidemic situation is determined to be a force majeure event, instead of obtaining formal supporting documents before giving a notice.

②在通知对方疫情的情况下，同时应主动提出因本次疫情，己方无法履行某合同的某义务，并载明己方所在地区、合同主要义务履行地区本次疫情的情况、己方遭受行政防控措施(如停工、停产)的具体情况、合同履行受本次疫情影响的具体情况(如交通运输延误) 等。并要求给予合同延期履行的宽限期，这时候的宽限期在疫情没有结束的情况下，尽量不要再将合同履行期约定成某一具体日期，而应约定为诸如“政府正式文件宣布疫情结束”之日等，必要时候对所谓的“政府正式文件”的级别和形式也要做出约定。

②under the condition of notifying the other party of the epidemic situation, At the same time, it should take the initiative to propose that due to the epidemic situation, one's own party cannot perform one's obligations under a certain contract, and specify the epidemic situation in one's own region, the region where the main obligations of the contract are performed, the specific situation of administrative prevention and control measures (such as shutdown and shutdown) suffered by one's own party, and the specific situation of contract performance affected by the epidemic situation (such as transportation delay), etc. And requested a grace period to extend the performance of the contract. At this time, when the grace period is not over, try not to set the contract performance period as a specific date, but should be set as the date when "official government documents declare the end of the epidemic", etc. When necessary, the level and form of the so-called "official government documents" should also be set.

③如果可以，双方应签订补充协议对合同进行变更，如果对方认为没有必要，则应保留双方往来邮件备用，为以后可能发生的争议解决提供依据。

③If possible, both parties shall sign a supplementary agreement to change the contractMoreover, if the other party thinks it is not necessary, it should keep the mail exchanged between the two parties for standby to provide basis for the settlement of disputes that may occur in the future.Q

问：买卖合同关系中，因本次疫情导致合同不能及时、全面履行，企业应如何应对？因本次疫情所引起的合同不能正常履行的，是否能当然解除合同？

从维护交易稳定、降低交易成本等角度来看， 建议企业优先考虑能否通过协商的形式与合同相对方沟通，通过延期履行或者变更合同履行形式等来实现双方利益的最大化。

From the perspective of maintaining transaction stability and reducing transaction costs, it is suggested that enterprises give priority to whether they can communicate with the other parties to the contract through negotiation, and maximize the interests of both parties by postponing performance or changing the form of contract performance.

如果合同中已明确约定因不可抗力所引起的不能正常履行可以解除合同，或合同各方在本次疫情发生后协商一致同意解除合同，则该合同可以解除。如无前述约定或未能协商一致，根据《合同法》第 94 条“因不可抗力致使不能实现合同目的，当事人可以解除合同”的规定，则只有在本次疫情“致使不能实现合同目的”的特定情形下，即合同已彻底无法履行、或嗣后履行无法实现商业目的的程度，当事人才可以要求解除合同。如本次疫情只是暂时影响合同交货期限、方式、价格等的正常履行，则当事人无权单方解除该合同。

If it is clearly stipulated in the contract that the contract may be terminated due to failure to perform normally due to force majeure, or if all parties to the contract agree to terminate the contract through negotiation after the outbreak of this epidemic, the contract may be terminated. In the absence of the aforesaid agreement or failure to reach a consensus through consultation, according to Article 94 of the Contract Law, " If the force majeure causes the failure to realize the purpose of the contract, the parties may terminate the contract ", the parties may only request the termination of the contract under the specific circumstances of the epidemic" causing the failure to realize the purpose of the contract ", i.e. The degree to which the contract has been completely unable to be performed or the subsequent performance cannot realize the commercial purpose. If this epidemic only temporarily affects the normal performance of the contract delivery period, method and price, the parties have no right to unilaterally terminate the contract.Q

问：关于疫情及合同不能履行或迟延履行的情况，应如何通知对方以避免可能产生的争议？A

通知的形式应按合同所约定的通知形式进行， 包括通知的方式、收件地址、收件人等都应该严格按照合同约定方式进行。

The form of notice should be carried out in accordance with the form of notice agreed in the contract, including the way of notice, the address of receipt, the recipient, etc. should be carried out in strict accordance with the way agreed in the contract.

如合同中未对通知形式作出明确约定的，从沟通效率的角度出发，可在选择电子邮件、电话、短信、社交 APP(如 QQ、微信)等多种即时通讯方式通知的同时，以书面邮件形式(EMS 邮寄)留存已履行通知义务的证据。

If there is no clear agreement on the notification form in the contract, from the perspective of communication efficiency, evidence that the notification obligation has been fulfilled can be retained in the form of written mail (EMS mail) while various instant messaging methods such as e-mail, telephone, short message, social APP (such as QQ and WeChat) are selected for notification.

如合同中未对送达地址(或联系地址)、联系人、电子邮箱做出明确约定的，则应向对方的法定注册地址发送，具体收件人以对方的法定代表人为妥。EMS 邮寄前应留存送达文件的扫描件或复印件；填写 EMS 邮寄单时应特别注明送达文件的名称并留存扫描件或复印件及邮寄存根；EMS 寄出后，应尽快登录 EMS 网站查看邮递详情并留存截图。

If the contract does not clearly stipulate the address of delivery (or contact address), contact person and e-mail address, it shall be sent to the legal registered address of the other party, and the specific recipient shall be the legal representative of the other party. Scanned copies or photocopies of delivered documents shall be kept before EMS mailing; Fill in EMS Post ，The name of the delivered document shall be specially indicated when sending the form, and the scanned copy or photocopy and mailing stub shall be kept; After the EMS is mailed, you should log on the EMS website as soon as possible to check the mailing details and keep screenshots.