Introduction

• Author: Jack Michael Graves
• Pages: 1-6

The Convention, as a Treaty and U.S. Federal Law

Commonly called the “CISG,” the United Nations Convention on Contracts

for the International Sale of Goods governs many business‑to‑business trans‑

actions in goods across national borders. The CISG was originally drafted

under the auspices of the United Nations Commission on International

Trade Law (UNCITRAL), which convened a working group specically

for this purpose. The working group (initially 14 members, including the

United States) completed its draft in 1978, after which a broader diplomatic

conference was convened to act on the draft. On April 11, 1980, the dip‑

lomatic conference approved the draft with little change in substance, and

this nal draft came into force as an international convention on January

1, 1988, based on ratication by the minimum required 10 states, includ‑

ing the United States of America. Thus, the CISG has been federal law in

the United States since January 1, 1988.

The CISG is U.S. federal law, as reected by Apr. 11, 1980, S. Treaty Doc.

No. 98–9 (1983), 19 I.L.M. 671, reprinted at 15 U.S.C. Appendix (entered

into force Jan. 1, 1988). As such, it fully preempts state contract law within

its stated scope—including a state’s adoption of Uniform Commercial Code

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INTRNTL Graves CISG Final Press Pass.indd 1 5/6/13 9:36 AM