王轩军

长期合同与普通交易合同有什么区别呢？ 根据国际商事合同通则2016第1.11条定义3及注释3，“长期合同”是指在一定期间内履行，并且通常不同程度上涉及交易复杂性以及当事人之间持续关系的合同。基于这个定义，长期合同与普通交易合同有三个区别：

第一、长期合同都有期间，普通交易合同没有期间；

第二、长期合同比普通交易合同复杂。因此，长期合同往往比普通交易合同会多出某些条款，如在合同期间因价格等因素很可能变化，长期合同往往会有价格调整等合同变动条款；

第三、长期合同与普通交易合同相比，在当事人之间存在持续不断的关系，而普通交易合同往往是一次性的关系。

需要说明的是，最关键的区别是第一个，即是否有合同期间，而后两个区别通常是存在的，但并不是必须的有的区别，这取决于具体情况。

根据具体情况，长期合同的例子有涉及以下情形的合同：商业代理、经销、外包、特许经营、租赁（例如设备租赁）、框架协议、投资或特许权协议、运营及维护协议、建筑／民用工程合同、工业合作、契约式合营等。

通则第1.11条定义3及注释3的英文原文如下：

ARTICLE 1.11

(Definitions)

– “long-term contract” refers to a

contract which is to be performed over a period of time and which normally involves, to a varying degree, complexity of the transaction and an ongoing relationship between the parties;

COMMENT

3. Long-term contracts

The Principles, both in the black-letter provisions and the comments, refer to “long-term contracts” as distinguished from ordinary exchange contracts such as sales contracts to be performed at one time. Three elements typically distinguish long-term contracts from ordinary exchange contracts: duration of the contract, an ongoing relationship between the parties, and complexity of the transaction. For the purpose of the Principles, the essential element is the duration of the contract, while the latter two elements are normally present to varying degrees, but are not required. The extent to which, if at all, one or the other of the latter elements must also be present for the application of a provision or the relevance of a comment referring to long-term contracts depends on the rationale for that provision or comment. For instance, Comment 2 on Article 5.1.3 presupposes an ongoing relationship between the parties and a transaction involving performance of a complex nature.

Depending on the context, examples of long-term contracts may include contracts involving commercial agency, distributorship, outsourcing, franchising, leases (e.g. equipment leases), framework agreements, investment or concession agreements, contracts for professional services, operation and maintenance agreements, supply agreements (e.g. raw materials), construction/civil works contracts, industrial cooperation, contractual joint-ventures, etc.

Provisions and comments of the Principles that explicitly refer to long-term contracts are the Preamble, Comment 2; Article 1.11 and Comment 3; Article 2.1.14, Comments 1, 3, and 4; Article 2.1.15, Comment 3; Article 4.3, Comments 3 and 4; Article 4.8, Comments 1, 2 and 3; Article 5.1.3, Comment 2; Article 5.1.4, Comment 3; Article 5.1.8 and Comment 2; Article 6.2.2, Comment 5; Article 7.1.7, Comment 5; Article 7.3.5, Comment 4; Article 7.3.6, Comment 1; Article 7.3.7 and Comment 1.

Several other provisions and comments are also particularly relevant in the context of long-term contracts. See Articles 1.7; 1.8; 2.1.1, Comment 2; 2.1.2, Comments 1 and 2; 2.1.6; 2.1.13 to 2.1.18; 3.3.1; 3.3.2; 5.1.2; 5.1.7, Comment 3; 5.1.8; 5.3.1, Comment 5; 5.3.4; 6.1.1; 6.1.4; 6.1.5; 6.1.11; 6.1.14 to 6.1.17; 6.2.1 to 6.2.3; 7.1.3 to 7.1.7; 7.3.5.