The Applicability and Prospects of CISG on Smart Contracts

Abstract

The trend in the era of digital globalization has led to innovative attempts in the field of international trade, for example, in the form of smart contracts. Smart contracts aim to digitally automate the execution of legal contracts and improve the ease of trade. However, its formation conditions, validity and risk control, are yet to be regulated by law. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), as a uniform substantive law regulating the commercial relations of States in international commercial activities, is valuable in responding to the emerging legal issues arising from the products of technological developments. This study discusses the specific criteria for the formation of smart contracts under the CISG Convention from the perspective of international law and in relation to the specific legal elements. Following this, it analyses the loopholes and challenges of smart contracts in practice from the perspective of contractual freedom and disintermediation, and proposes some improvements in preserving the immutability of the contract and reducing the risk of third party platforms. Finally, the prospects for the application of smart contracts as an aid in international commercial contracts are discussed.