Introduction

We would like to introduce the new database called

„The Uniform Sales Law (CISG) in eight languages“

1. The user can freely choose the extent of his use. It is up to him in which order he selects the languages. He may either work with only one language or with up to a maximum of eight languages.

2. The database consists of eight parts

» Part I comprises of this „Introduction“.

» Part II „Table“ presents the 101 articles as well as the Preamble and the Authentic text and witness clause

If the user has opened a text window, he can synoptically combine this with another in a different language.

» Part III is called: „CISG Index: Official Organisation and unofficial titles of articles“.

This display can also be put together synoptically. Access to the individual articles in Part II is possible from this point.

» Part IV is called „CISG-MaxIndex: Official Organisation and unofficial titles of articles in eight languages“.

» Part V „Feedback“ gives the possibility to provide feedback in either German or English.

» Part VI comprises „Links“ to the topics concerned.

» Part VII refers to the previously published literature.

» Part VIII is called „Imprint“.

3. The Uniform Sales Law must be interpreted and applied uniformly. That is why the authors of this database prefixed the unofficial titles in all eight languages. Furthermore, mistakes and in-accuracies in the official German translation have been corrected.

4. The Uniform Sales Law applies in 70 contracting States (as per 01.12.2007) and is found in at least 31 languages. The eight languages for this database were selected based on the “top ten” States as per the German foreign trade statistics for 2004. It is intended to expand the number of languages in accordance with the latest of these statistics and other criteria.

5. The authors would like to thank the following persons, listed in alphabetical order, for their sup-port in the preparation and formulation of the database and article titles as well as this introduction:

• Lian Dong, Wirtschaftsjurist (FH), LL.M., Reutlingen,
• Rafael Gajkowski, stud. iur (FH), Braunschweig,
• Isabelle Gressent de Coronel, Dipl. Betriebswirtin, Wolfsburg,
• Yunpeng Hong, Übersetzer, Deutsch-Chinesisches Zentrum Hannover e.V., Hannover,
• Mercedes Kandel-Escribano, Lic. en Derecho por la Universidad de Salamanca, Salzgitter,
• Angela Marzani, VW Financial Services AG, Braunschweig,
• Eckhard W. Mehring, Rechtsanwalt und Advocaat, mr, Van Till advocaten, Amsterdam, Münster,
• Alexander Müller, stud. iur (FH), Wolfenbüttel,
• Walter Rosenthal, Regierungsdirektor a.D., Braunfels,
• Irina Schmidt, stud. iur (FH), Wolfenbüttel,
• Isabelle Schmidt, International Attorney at Law, Admitted to the High Court of South Africa,
  Milton Keynes (UK)
• Ekaterina Scholz, stud. iur (FH), Wolfenbüttel,
• Larissa Virezoub, stud. iur (FH), Wolfenbüttel,
• Xiaomei Wang, Diplomübersetzerin, Germanistin, Braunschweig,
• Ji Yi, Übersetzerin, Deutsch-Chinesisches Zentrum Hannover e.V., Hannover,
• Xiaoqing Zheng, Dr. iur., Rechtsanwältin, Lovells, Bejing.

Braunschweig and Salzgitter, in August 2008