題目:在合同有效期內,雙方是否可以重新再談價
作者: 黃雲峰訴訟律師 翻譯: Benjamin Shi
魁北克省最近的一項法院判決涉及的問題是,當一方有意從市場變化中獲得意外利潤時,締約方是否有義務重新談判合同價格。
在這種情況下,魁北克水電公司簽訂了一份65年的合同,以固定價格購買發電廠產生的電力。在合同期限內,電力市場價格上漲。魁北克水電公司從低買高賣中獲利豐厚。該發電廠聲稱魁北克水電公司有義務以公平或誠意重新協商合同價格以反映市場變化。
加拿大最高法院駁回了這一建議,並認為由於合同屬於交易性質(而非關係性質),因此各方必須堅持討價還價。雖然這個案件是根據魁北克省的民法典決定的,但它提醒人們,在合同有效期內,當其經濟利益可能受到不可預測的市場波動影響時,必須謹慎簽署合同。
英語原文:
A recent Quebec court decision dealt with the issue of whether contracting parties have a duty to renegotiate contract price when a party is positioned to reap unanticipated profits from changes in the market.
In that case, Hydro Quebec entered into a 65-year contract to purchase electricity generated by a power plant at a fixed price. During the term of the contract, the market rate for the electricity increased. Hydro Quebec profited substantially from buying low and selling high. The power plant alleged that Hydro Quebec owed a duty in equity or good faith to renegotiate the contract price to reflect the market change.
The Supreme Court of Canada rejected that suggestion, and held that because the contract was of a transactional (instead of relational) nature, the parties must be held to their bargain. While this case was decided under Quebec』s civil code, it serves as a reminder that one must be careful in signing a contract when its financial benefit may be affected by unpredictable market fluctuation during the term of the contract.