News

ICC Releases Technical Advisory Briefing No. 1

02/02/2022

For many years, the ICC Banking Commission has issued official opinions, DOCDEX decisions, and decisions and guidance papers on a range of topics. These have provided invaluable information and direction to documentary credit practitioners globally.

Due to the need to obtain agreement of ICC National Committees to any proposed text, this can be a long drawn out process.

To hasten the delivery of guidance on topical matters, and at an educational level, the ICC Banking Commission has commenced the process of issuing what will be known as ‘Briefing Notes’ that are designed, and stated to be, for educational purposes only. These briefing notes are developed by the Technical Advisory team with input from a core group made up of representatives from ICC National Committees.

The first of the briefing notes is on the subject of ‘non-documentary conditions under the UCP 600’ and can be downloaded here

The next three in the series have already been determined and are ‘without delay’, ‘reducing discrepancy rates’ and ‘lost documents’.

All further briefing notes will be made available on this website as they are released. The next one is scheduled for March 2022.

Members will be able to locate all the briefing notes in a dedicated section under the topic ‘ICC Banking Commission Documents’.


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Latest Question

Our client will open a letter of credit for the import of goods (spare parts). Payment terms will be 90 days after bill of lading date provided that our customer will check the goods whether they are in good order and condition prior to proceeding with the payment, either for the full amount/part of the amount/or not to proceed with payment at all if the goods are not found to be in good order and condition. Please let us have your opinion on the below 2 questions, and on the wording of the clauses which will be added under Additional Conditions of the L/C in order to secure our customer concerning the payment of the L/C: Question 1: The confirming letter which will be presented by the applicant to us (Issuing Bank), whether it should be requested under the DOCUMENTS REQUIRED Field 46A of the credit OR whether it should be considered as a special term that concerns only the payment and should be requested under Additional Conditions of the credit as follows: PAYMENT WILL ONLY BE EFFECTED AT MATURITY (90 DAYS AFTER BILL OF LADING DATE) SUBJECT TO FULFILMENT OF POINTS 1 AND 2 BELOW: 1. UPON PRESENTATION OF COMPLIANT DOCUMENTS AT OUR COUNTERS AND DELIVERY TO APPLICANTS TO CLEAR GOODS FROM CUSTOMS; 2. UPON PRESENTATION BY ΤΗΕ APPLICANT (DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUING BANK) OF A WRITTEN LETTER CONFIRMING, EITHER: (A) THAT THE GOODS RECEIVED ARE IN GOOD ORDER AND CONDITION AND THE ISSUING BANK SHALL PROCEED WITH PAYMENT OF THE FULL INVOICE VALUE AS PRESENTED OR (B) THAT ONLY PART OF THE GOODS RECEIVED ARE IN GOOD ORDER AND CONDITION AND CLEARLY STATING THE AMOUNT TO BE PAID UNDER THE LETTER OF CREDIT, IN FULL SETTLEMENT OF THE LETTER OF CREDIT (WITHOUT FURTHER BENEFICIARY'S CONSENT) AND IRRESPECTIVE OF THE INITIAL VALUE OF THE INVOICE PRESENTED. THE PAYMENT SHALL BE CONSIDERED CONCLUSIVE ON BOTH PARTIES (APPLICANT AND BENEFICIARY) AND ISSUING AND NOMINATED BANK OR (C) GOODS RECEIVED ARE NOT IN GOOD ORDER AND CONDITION AND CLEARLY STATING THAT APPLICANT REJECTS PAYMENT OF ANY AMOUNT UNDER THE LETTER OF CREDIT, WITHOUT THE NEED OF BENEFICIARY'S CONSENT AND IRRESPECTIVE OF THE INITIAL VALUE OF THE INVOICE PRESENTED. THE DOCUMENTS SHALL BE CONSIDERED CONCLUSIVE ON BOTH PARTIES (APPLICANT AND BENEFICIARY) AND ISSUING AND NOMINATED BANK. THE WRITTEN LETTER MAY BE PRESENTED AFTER THE EXPIRY DATE OF THE LETTER OF CREDIT BUT NOT LATER THAN 85 DAYS FROM BILL OF LADING DATE. Question 2: Please clarify whether the above document should be presented within the validity of the L/C (i.e., Shipment date + Presentation Period) or whether it can be presented after the expiry of the L/C (e.g., 85 days after the bill of lading date).