UCP600

Uniform Customs And Practices for Documentary Credits

ARTICLE 1 APPLICATION OF UCP

The Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, 2007 Revision, ICC Publication no. 600 (UCP) are rules that apply to any documentary credit (credit) (including, to the extent to which they may be applicable, any standby letter of credit) when the text of the credit expressly indicates that it is subject to these rules. They are binding on all parties thereto unless expressly modified or excluded by the credit.

ARTICLE 2 DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of these rules: Advising bank means the bank that advises the credit at the request of the issuing bank. Applicant means the party on whose request the credit is issued. Banking day means a day on which a bank is regularly open at the place at which an act subject to these rules is to be performed. Beneficiary means the party in whose favour a credit is issued. Complying presentation means a presentation that is in accordance with the terms and conditions of the credit, the applicable provisions of these rules and international standard banking practice.

ARTICLE 2 DEFINITIONS
Confirmation means a definite undertaking of the confirming bank, in addition to that of the issuing bank, to honour or negotiate a complying presentation. Confirming bank means the bank that adds its confirmation to a credit upon the issuing banks authorization or request. Credit means any arrangement, however named or described, that is irrevocable and thereby constitutes a definite undertaking of the issuing bank to honour a complying presentation.

ARTICLE 2 DEFINITIONS
Honour means: a. to pay at sight if the credit is available by sight payment. b. to incur a deferred payment undertaking and pay at maturity if the credit is available by deferred payment. c. to accept a bill of exchange (draft) drawn by the beneficiary and pay at maturity if the credit is available by acceptance

ARTICLE 2 DEFINITIONS

Issuing bank means the bank that issues a credit at the request of an applicant or on its own behalf. Negotiation means the purchase by the nominated bank of drafts (drawn on a bank other than the nominated bank) and/or documents under a complying presentation, by advancing or agreeing to advance funds to the beneficiary on or before the banking day on which reimbursement is due to the nominated bank. Nominated bank means the bank with which the credit is available or any bank in the case of a credit available with any bank. Presentation means either the delivery of documents under a credit to the issuing bank or nominated bank or the documents so delivered. Presenter means a beneficiary, bank or other party that makes a presentation.

ARTICLE 3 INTERPRETATIONS

For the purpose of these rules: Where applicable, words in the singular include the plural and in the plural include the singular. A credit is irrevocable even if there is no indication to that effect. A document may be signed by handwriting, facsimile signature, perforated signature, stamp, symbol or any other mechanical or electronic method of authentication. A requirement for a document to be legalized, visaed, certified or similar will be satisfied by any signature, mark, stamp or label on the document which appears to satisfy that requirement.

ARTICLE 3 INTERPRETATIONS
Branches of a bank in different countries are considered to be separate banks. Terms such as "first class", "well known", "qualified", "independent", "official", "competent" or "local" used to describe the issuer of a document allow any issuer except the beneficiary to issue that document. Unless required to be used in a document, words such as "prompt", "immediately" or "as soon as possible" will be disregarded

ARTICLE 3 INTERPRETATIONS

The expression "on or about" or similar will be interpreted as a stipulation that an event is to occur during a period of five calendar days before until five calendar days after the specified date, both start and end dates included. The words "to", "until", "till", from and between when used to determine a period of shipment include the date or dates mentioned, and the words before and "after" exclude the date mentioned. The words from and "after" when used to determine a maturity date exclude the date mentioned. .

ARTICLE 3 INTERPRETATIONS
The terms "first half" and "second half" of a month shall be construed respectively as the 1st to the 15th and the 16th to the last day of the month, all dates inclusive. The terms "beginning", "middle" and "end" of a month shall be construed respectively as the 1st to the 10th, the 11th to the 20th and the 21st to the last day of the month, all dates inclusive.

ARTICLE 4 CREDITS V. CONTRACTS

a. A credit by its nature is a separate transaction from the sale or other contract on which it may be based. Banks are in no way concerned with or bound by such contract, even if any reference whatsoever to it is included in the credit. Consequently, the undertaking of a bank to honour, to negotiate or to fulfil any other obligation under the credit is not subject to claims or defences by the applicant resulting from its relationships with the issuing bank or the beneficiary. A beneficiary can in no case avail itself of the contractual relationships existing between banks or between the applicant and the issuing bank

ARTICLE 4 CREDITS V. CONTRACTS

b. An issuing bank should discourage any attempt by the applicant to include, as an integral part of the credit, copies of the underlying contract, proforma invoice and the like.

ARTICLE 5 DOCUMENTS V. GOODS, SERVICES OR PERFORMANCE

Banks deal with documents and not with goods, services or performance to which the documents may relate.

ARTICLE 6 AVAILABILITY, EXPIRY DATE AND PLACE FOR PRESENTATION

a. A credit must state the bank with which it is available or whether it is available with any bank. A credit available with a nominated bank is also available with the issuing bank. b. A credit must state whether it is available by sight payment, deferred payment, acceptance or negotiation. c. A credit must not be issued available by a draft drawn on the applicant.

ARTICLE 6

d. i. A credit must state an expiry date for presentation. An expiry date stated for honour or negotiation will be deemed to be an expiry date for presentation. ii. The place of the bank with which the credit is available is the place for presentation. The place for presentation under a credit available with any bank is that of any bank. A place for presentation other than that of the issuing bank is in addition to the place of the issuing bank. e. Except as provided in sub-article 29 (a), a presentation by or on behalf of the beneficiary must be made on or before the expiry date.

ARTICLE 7 ISSUING BANK UNDERTAKING

a.Provided that the stipulated documents are presented to the nominated bank or to the issuing bank and that they constitute a complying presentation, the issuing bank must honour if the credit is available by: i. sight payment, deferred payment or acceptance with the issuing bank; ii. sight payment with a nominated bank and that nominated bank does not pay; iii. deferred payment with a nominated bank and that nominated bank does not incur its deferred payment undertaking or, having incurred its deferred payment undertaking, does not pay at maturity; iv. acceptance with a nominated bank and that nominated bank does not accept a draft drawn on it or, having accepted a draft drawn on it, does not pay at maturity; v. negotiation with a nominated bank and that nominated bank does not negotiate.

ARTICLE 7 ISSUING BANK UNDERTAKING

b. An issuing bank is irrevocably bound to honour as of the time it issues the credit. c. An issuing bank undertakes to reimburse a nominated bank that has honoured or negotiated a complying presentation and forwarded the documents to the issuing bank. Reimbursement for the amount of a complying presentation under a credit available by acceptance or deferred payment is due at maturity, whether or not the nominated bank prepaid or purchased before maturity. An issuing bank's undertaking to reimburse a nominated bank is independent of the issuing banks undertaking to the beneficiary.

ARTICLE 8 CONFIRMING BANK UNDERTAKING

A.Provided that the stipulated documents are presented to the confirming bank or to any other nominated bank and that they constitute a complying presentation, the confirming bank must: i.honour, if the credit is available by a. sight payment, deferred payment or acceptance with the confirming bank; b. sight payment with another nominated bank and that nominated bank does not pay; c. deferred payment with another nominated bank and that nominated bank does not incur its deferred payment undertaking or, having incurred its deferred payment undertaking, does not pay at maturity; d. acceptance with another nominated bank and that nominated bank does not accept a draft drawn on it or, having accepted a draft drawn on it, does not pay at maturity; e. negotiation with another nominated bank and that nominated bank does not negotiate.

ARTICLE 8 CONFIRMING BANK UNDERTAKING

ii. negotiate, without recourse, if the credit is available by negotiation with the confirming bank. b. A confirming bank is irrevocably bound to honour or negotiate as of the time it adds its confirmation to the credit. c. A confirming bank undertakes to reimburse another nominated bank that has honoured or negotiated a complying presentation and forwarded the documents to the confirming bank. Reimbursement for the amount of a complying presentation under a credit available by acceptance or deferred payment is due at maturity, whether or not another nominated bank prepaid or purchased before maturity. A confirming bank's undertaking to reimburse another nominated bank is independent of the confirming banks undertaking to the beneficiary. d. If a bank is authorized or requested by the issuing bank to confirm a credit but is not prepared to do so, it must inform the issuing bank without delay and may advise the credit without confirmation.

ARTICLE 9 ADVISING OF CREDITS AND AMENDMENTS

a. A credit and any amendment may be advised to a beneficiary through an advising bank. An advising bank that is not a confirming bank advises the credit and any amendment without any undertaking to honour or negotiate. b. By advising the credit or amendment, the advising bank signifies that it has satisfied itself as to the apparent authenticity of the credit or amendment and that the advice accurately reflects the terms and conditions of the credit or amendment received.

ARTICLE 9 ADVISING OF CREDITS AND AMENDMENTS

c. An advising bank may utilize the services of another bank (second advising bank) to advise the credit and any amendment to the beneficiary. By advising the credit or amendment, the second advising bank signifies that it has satisfied itself as to the apparent authenticity of the advice it has received and that the advice accurately reflects the terms and conditions of the credit or amendment received. d. A bank utilizing the services of an advising bank or second advising bank to advise a credit must use the same bank to advise any amendment thereto.

ARTICLE 9 ADVISING OF CREDITS AND AMENDMENTS

e. If a bank is requested to advise a credit or amendment but elects not to do so, it must so inform, without delay, the bank from which the credit, amendment or advice has been received. f. If a bank is requested to advise a credit or amendment but cannot satisfy itself as to the apparent authenticity of the credit, the amendment or the advice, it must so inform, without delay, the bank from which the instructions appear to have been received. If the advising bank or second advising bank elects nonetheless to advise the credit or amendment, it must inform the beneficiary or second advising bank that it has not been able to satisfy itself as to the apparent authenticity of the credit, the amendment or the advice.

ARTICLE 10 AMENDMENTS

a. Except as otherwise provided by article 38, a credit can neither be amended nor cancelled without the agreement of the issuing bank, the confirming bank, if any, and the beneficiary. b. An issuing bank is irrevocably bound by an amendment as of the time it issues the amendment. A confirming bank may extend its confirmation to an amendment and will be irrevocably bound as of the time it advises the amendment. A confirming bank may, however, choose to advise an amendment without extending its confirmation and, if so, it must inform the issuing bank without delay and inform the beneficiary in its advice.

c. The terms and conditions of the original credit (or a credit incorporating previously accepted amendments) will remain in force for the beneficiary until the beneficiary communicates its acceptance of the amendment to the bank that advised such amendment. The beneficiary should give notification of acceptance or rejection of an amendment. If the beneficiary fails to give such notification, a presentation that complies with the credit and to any not yet accepted amendment will be deemed to be notification of acceptance by the beneficiary of such amendment. As of that moment the credit will be amended.

d. A bank that advises an amendment should inform the bank from which it received the amendment of any notification of acceptance or rejection. e. Partial acceptance of an amendment is not allowed and will be deemed to be notification of rejection of the amendment. f. A provision in an amendment to the effect that the amendment shall enter into force unless rejected by the beneficiary within a certain time shall be disregarded.

ARTICLE 11 TELETRANSMITTED AND PREADVISED CREDITS AND AMENDMENTS

a. An authenticated teletransmission of a credit or amendment will be deemed to be the operative credit or amendment, and any subsequent mail confirmation shall be disregarded. If a teletransmission states "full details to follow" (or words of similar effect), or states that the mail confirmation is to be the operative credit or amendment, then the teletransmission will not be deemed to be the operative credit or amendment. The issuing bank must then issue the operative credit or amendment without delay in terms not inconsistent with the teletransmission.

ARTICLE 11 TELETRANSMITTED AND PREADVISED CREDITS AND AMENDMENTS

b. A preliminary advice of the issuance of a credit or amendment (pre-advice) shall only be sent if the issuing bank is prepared to issue the operative credit or amendment. An issuing bank that sends a pre-advice is irrevocably committed to issue the operative credit or amendment, without delay, in terms not inconsistent with the pre-advice.

ARTICLE 12 NOMINATION

a. Unless a nominated bank is the confirming bank, an authorization to honor or negotiate does not impose any obligation on that nominated bank to honor or negotiate, except when expressly agreed to by that nominated bank and so communicated to the beneficiary. b. By nominating a bank to accept a draft or incur a deferred payment undertaking, an issuing bank authorizes that nominated bank to prepay or purchase a draft accepted or a deferred payment undertaking incurred by that nominated bank. c. Receipt or examination and forwarding of documents by a nominated bank that is not a confirming bank does not make that nominated bank liable to honor or negotiate, nor does it constitute honor or negotiation.

ARTICLE 13 BANK-TO-BANK REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

a. If a credit states that reimbursement is to be obtained by a nominated bank ("claiming bank") claiming on another party ("reimbursing bank"), the credit must state if the reimbursement is subject to the ICC rules for bank-to-bank reimbursements in effect on the date of issuance of the credit. b. If a credit does not state that reimbursement is subject to the ICC rules for bank-to-bank reimbursements, the following apply:

ARTICLE 13 BANK-TO-BANK REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

i. An issuing bank must provide a reimbursing bank with a reimbursement authorization that conforms with the availability stated in the credit. The reimbursement authorization should not be subject to an expiry date. ii. A claiming bank shall not be required to supply a reimbursing bank with a certificate of compliance with the terms and conditions of the credit. iii. An issuing bank will be responsible for any loss of interest, together with any expenses incurred, if reimbursement is not provided on first demand by a reimbursing bank in accordance with the terms and conditions of the credit.

ARTICLE 13 BANK-TO-BANK REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

iv. A reimbursing bank's charges are for the account of the issuing bank. However, if the charges are for the account of the beneficiary, it is the responsibility of an issuing bank to so indicate in the credit and in the reimbursement authorization. If a reimbursing bank's charges are for the account of the beneficiary, they shall be deducted from the amount due to a claiming bank when reimbursement is made. If no reimbursement is made, the reimbursing bank's charges remain the obligation of the issuing bank. c. An issuing bank is not relieved of any of its obligations to provide reimbursement if reimbursement is not made by a reimbursing bank on first demand.