Article Preamble616 Cases These Principles set forth general rules for international commercial contracts.
They shall be applied when the parties have agreed that their contract be governed by them.
They may be applied when the parties have agreed that their contract be governed by general principles of law, the lex mercatoria or the like.
They may be applied when the parties have not chosen any law to govern their contract.
They may be used to interpret or supplement international uniform law instruments.
They may be used to interpret or supplement domestic law.
They may serve as a model for national and international legislators.

Number

Issue

# Cases

Material scope of application of Principles

1.1

International commercial contracts

1.1.1

Contracts v. unilateral acts

1.1.2

International v. domestic contracts

1.1.3

Commercial v. consumer transactions

Applicability of Principles

2.1

As rules of law governing the contract

2.1.1

Principles applicable if expressly chosen by the parties

2.1.1.1

In disputes before State court

2.1.1.2

In disputes before arbitral tribunal

2.1.2

Principles as expression of the "lex mercatoria" referred to in the contract

2.1.3

Principles as expression of "general principles of law" referred to in the contract

2.1.4

Principles as an expression of lex sportiva

2.1.5

Principles applied in the absence of any choice-of-law clause

2.1.5.1

Principles as "the rules of law [arbitrators]determine to be appropriate"

2.1.5.2

Principles as "relevant trade usages" to be taken into account in all cases by arbitrators

2.1.5.3

Principles as international trade custom

2.1.5.4

Principles as an expression of international law

2.1.6

Principles and arbitration ex aequo et bono

2.2

As terms incorporated into the contract

2.3

As means for interpreting and supplementing domestic law

2.3.1

Principles to confirm that solution provided by applicable domestic law is in conformity with international standards

129

2.3.2

Principles as means for interpreting and supplementing applicable domestic law

253

Country	Date	Court
Arbitral Award	00-00-0000	ICC International Court of Arbitration 12745
Arbitral Award	00-00-0000	ICC International Court of Arbitration 12112
Arbitral Award	00-00-0000	ICC International Court of Arbitration 18728
Arbitral Award	00-00-0000	ICC International Court of Arbitration 11869
Arbitral Award	00-00-0000	Ad hoc Arbitration (Place unknown)
Arbitral Award	00-00-1990	Schiedsgericht Berlin
Arbitral Award	00-00-1995	Ad hoc Arbitration, Auckland
Arbitral Award	25-04-1996	ICC International Court of Arbitration
Arbitral Award	00-06-1996	ICC International Court of Arbitration, Rome 5835
Arbitral Award	04-09-1996	ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris 8540
Arbitral Award	17-11-1996	Arbitration Court of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Arbitral Award	28-01-1998	Ad hoc Arbitration, Helsinki
Arbitral Award	00-04-1998	ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris 8223
Arbitral Award	00-08-1999	ICC International Court of Arbitration 9759
Arbitral Award	00-00-2000	ICC International Court of Arbitration 10021
Arbitral Award	00-10-2001	ICC International Court of Arbitration 9078
Arbitral Award	00-12-2001	ICC International Court of Arbitration 11295
Arbitral Award	00-12-2001	ICC International Court of Arbitration 9994
Arbitral Award	29-07-2002	Arbitration Centre of the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce
Arbitral Award	06-11-2002	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	00-00-2003	ICC International Court of Arbitration 11256
Arbitral Award	00-00-2004	ICC International Court of Arbitration 13152
Arbitral Award	00-00-2004	ICC International Court of Arbitration 12174
Arbitral Award	04-03-2004	Ad hoc Arbitration (Place unknown)
Arbitral Award	07-10-2004	ICC International Court of Arbitration, Mexico City 12949
Arbitral Award	00-00-2007	China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC)
Arbitral Award	25-01-2007	World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center (Geneva)
Arbitral Award	27-03-2007	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	09-04-2008	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	02-06-2009	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	17-12-2009	Deutsches Sportschiedsgericht
Arbitral Award	30-03-2010	Ad hoc Arbitration, The Hague
Arbitral Award	30-06-2010	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	04-10-2010	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	05-07-2011	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	16-03-2012	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	30-03-2012	Ad hoc arbitration
Arbitral Award	00-05-2012	ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris 15949
Arbitral Award	23-08-2012	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	00-00-2013	ICC International Court of Arbitration 17768
Arbitral Award	00-00-2013	ICC International Court of Arbitration ICC-FA-2020-005
Arbitral Award	01-07-2013	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	06-09-2013	Centro de Arbitraje y Conciliación Mercantil de la Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá
Arbitral Award	00-00-2014	ICC International Court of Arbitration 19272
Arbitral Award	06-08-2015	International Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Arbitral Award	12-05-2017	ICC International Court of Arbitration 20757
Arbitral Award	27-06-2019	Centro de Arbitraje y Conciliación Mercantil de la Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá
Cases: 47
Argentina	18-09-2001	Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Provincia de Mendoza, sala I(SCMendoza)(SalaI)
Argentina	28-02-2006	Cámara de Apelaciones en lo Civil y Comercial de La Matanza, sala II(CCivyComLaMatanza)(SalaII)
Argentina	14-03-2008	Cámara 6a de Apelaciones en lo Civil y Comercial de Córdoba
Argentina	13-03-2009	Court of Appeal of Buenos Aires
Argentina	13-03-2009	Court of Appeal of Buenos Aires
Argentina	28-06-2013	Cámara Nacional de Apelaciones en lo Comercial
Cases: 6
Australia	30-06-1997	Federal Court of Australia
Australia	16-07-1998	Supreme Court of New South Wales
Australia	01-10-1999	Supreme Court of New South Wales
Australia	23-04-2002	Supreme Court of Western Australia - Court of Appeal
Australia	12-02-2003	Federal Court of Australia
Australia	11-06-2004	Supreme Court of New South Wales - Court of Appeal
Australia	13-12-2007	High Court of Australia
Australia	03-07-2009	Supreme Court of New South Wales Court of Appeal
Australia	03-09-2009	Federal Court of Australia
Australia	30-10-2009	Federal Court of Australia
Australia	16-12-2009	Supreme Court of New South Wales - Court of Appeal
Australia	14-10-2010	Supreme Court of New South Wales - Court of Appeal
Australia	08-04-2015	Federal Court of Australia
Cases: 13
Brazil	07-12-2011	Tribunal de Contas da União
Brazil	04-04-2012	Tribunal de Justiça do Rio Grande do Sul
Brazil	02-10-2020	Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Paraná - 2ª Turma Recursal dos Juizados Especiais
Cases: 3
Canada	08-08-2016	Cour d'Appel du Québec (Montréal)
Canada	20-01-2018	Supreme Court of Canada
Cases: 2
Chile	19-11-2021	Corte Suprema de Justicia de Chile
Chile	12-01-2023	Corte Suprema de Justicia de Chile
Cases: 2
China	00-00-0000	Supreme People’s Court
China	27-08-2001	Guangzhou Baiyun District People’s Court
China	28-04-2005	Shaoguan Intermediate People’s Court
China	00-00-2008	Supreme People’s Court
China	00-00-2015	Chongqing Wanzhou District People’s Court
China	09-02-2017	Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court
China	00-00-2018	Shaoxing Intermediate People’s Court
Cases: 7
Colombia	30-08-2011	Corte Suprema de Justicia
Colombia	08-09-2011	Corte Suprema de Justicia
Colombia	21-02-2012	Corte Suprema de Justicia
Colombia	22-04-2022	Consejo de Estado
Cases: 4
Costa Rica	23-03-2006	Sala Primera de la Corte Suprema de Justicia, San José
Cases: 1
El Salvador	02-03-2012	Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia
Cases: 1
France	24-01-1996	Cour d'appel de Grenoble
France	05-03-1998	Cour d'appel de Paris (1er Ch.C.)
Cases: 2
Germany	15-12-2011	Landgericht Frankfurt
Cases: 1
Hungary	12-07-2021	Hungarian Supreme Court
Cases: 1
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)	29-07-2008	International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)	30-07-2010	International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
Cases: 2
Israel	00-00-2014	Jerusalem District Court
Cases: 1
Italy	28-07-2004	Tribunale Roma
Italy	19-04-2006	Tribunale Bergamo
Italy	06-02-2009	Tribunale Catania
Italy	22-03-2010	Tribunale Terni
Italy	06-12-2010	Tribunale Nola
Italy	02-02-2011	Tribunale Torino - Sez. lavoro
Italy	21-03-2011	Corte dei Conti - Sezione Giurisdizionale per la Regione Siciliana
Italy	05-01-2012	Tribunale di Varese (Sezione distaccata di Luino)
Italy	24-01-2012	Corte dei Conti - Sezione Giurisdizionale per la Regione Siciliana
Italy	27-06-2016	Tribunale di Brescia
Italy	20-10-2016	Tribunale di Pisa
Italy	14-02-2017	Tribunale di Milano
Italy	08-06-2017	T.A.R. Piemonte
Italy	15-09-2017	Tribunale di Bergamo
Italy	04-05-2020	T.A.R. Campania
Cases: 15
Lithuania	06-11-2006	Supreme Court of Lithuania
Lithuania	27-02-2013	Supreme Court of Lithuania
Lithuania	16-05-2013	Supreme Court of Lithuania
Lithuania	23-12-2013	Supreme Court of Lithuania
Cases: 4
Mexico	12-04-2022	Tercer Tribunal Colegiado en Materia Civil del Primer Circuito
Mexico	29-11-2023	Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (Primera Sala)
Cases: 2
Netherlands	22-09-1995	Hoge Raad
Netherlands	02-02-2001	Hoge Raad
Netherlands	21-09-2007	Hoge Raad
Netherlands	08-07-2011	Hoge Raad
Netherlands	30-04-2020	Rechtbank Amsterdam
Cases: 5
New Zealand	27-11-2000	Court of Appeal of New Zealand
New Zealand	03-10-2001	Court of Appeal of New Zealand
New Zealand	10-02-2010	Supreme Court of New Zealand
New Zealand	19-07-2011	Auckland High Court
Cases: 4
Norway	25-06-2008	Supreme Court of Norway
Norway	04-02-2014	Supreme Court of Norway
Cases: 2
Panama	27-11-2023	Supreme Court of Justice of Panama
Cases: 1
Paraguay	05-06-2013	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción
Paraguay	05-08-2013	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Sala 6
Paraguay	05-08-2013	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Sala 6
Paraguay	24-10-2014	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción
Paraguay	24-11-2015	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Sexta Sala
Paraguay	09-05-2016	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción
Paraguay	19-05-2016	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Tercera Sala
Paraguay	31-05-2016	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción
Paraguay	06-10-2016	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Sexta Sala
Paraguay	17-10-2016	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción
Paraguay	21-10-2016	Corte Suprema de Justicia
Paraguay	27-03-2017	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Sexta Sala
Paraguay	04-07-2017	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Sexta Sala
Paraguay	02-08-2017	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Tercera Sala
Paraguay	06-07-2018	Corte Suprema de Paraguay – Sala Civil y Comercial
Paraguay	06-07-2018	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Quinta Sala
Paraguay	03-12-2019	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial de Asunción, Sexta Sala
Paraguay	19-10-2020	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial – Segunda Sala, Circunscripción Judicial de Itapúa
Paraguay	10-11-2020	Corte Suprema de Justicia – Sala Civil y Comercial
Paraguay	16-04-2021	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial – Terciera Sala
Paraguay	14-12-2021	Corte Suprema de Justicia – Sala Civil y Comercial
Paraguay	22-03-2022	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial – Primera Sala
Paraguay	12-04-2022	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil y Comercial – Primera Sala
Paraguay	12-10-2023	Tribunal de Apelación en lo Civil, Comercial y Laboral – Sexta Sala
Cases: 24
Poland	06-11-2003	Supreme Court of Poland
Poland	19-11-2010	Supreme Court of Poland
Poland	24-06-2014	Supreme Court of Poland
Cases: 3
Portugal	04-01-2010	Tribunal da Relação do Porto (Court of Appeal of Porto)
Portugal	21-10-2010	Supremo Tribunal de Justiça
Cases: 2
Russian Federation	30-11-2007	Arbitrazh Court of Primorsky territory
Russian Federation	14-03-2008	Supreme Commercial Court of Russian Federation
Russian Federation	08-07-2008	Arbitrazh Court of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District – Yugra
Russian Federation	21-05-2009	Arbitrazh Court of the Krasnoyarsk region
Russian Federation	05-06-2009	Thirteenth circuit arbitrazh court of appeal
Russian Federation	24-08-2009	Second circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	15-09-2009	Second circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	16-09-2009	Second circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	22-12-2009	Second circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	29-01-2010	Second circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	22-11-2010	Fourth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	10-12-2010	Federal Arbitrazh Court of the Volgo-Vyatsky District
Russian Federation	06-09-2011	Arbitrazh Court of the Saha Republic (Yakutia)
Russian Federation	28-12-2011	Supreme Commercial Court of Russian Federation
Russian Federation	03-05-2012	Supreme Commercial Court of Russian Federation
Russian Federation	05-06-2012	Sixth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	31-08-2012	Second circuit Arbtrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	25-12-2012	Arbitrazh Court of Khabarovsk area
Russian Federation	08-04-2013	Fourth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	12-07-2013	Fourth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	29-07-2013	Arbitrazh court of Kostroma region
Russian Federation	12-09-2013	Arbitrazh Court of Trans-Baikal Territory
Russian Federation	20-11-2013	Fourth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	02-12-2013	Arbitrazh Court of Sakhalin Region
Russian Federation	12-12-2013	Arbitrazh Court of Novosibirsk region
Russian Federation	23-12-2013	Fourth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	27-12-2013	Arbitrazh Court of Trans-Baikal Territory
Russian Federation	21-01-2014	Fifteenth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	31-01-2014	Fourth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	05-02-2014	Fifteenth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	14-02-2014	Fourth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	11-03-2014	Fourth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	08-04-2014	Supreme Commercial Court of Russian Federation
Russian Federation	23-05-2014	Arbitrazh court of Kostroma region
Russian Federation	26-05-2014	Arbitrazh Court of Sakhalin region
Russian Federation	26-01-2016	Ninth circuit Arbitrazh Court of Appeal
Russian Federation	18-10-2017	Sverdlovsk District Court
Russian Federation	10-09-2019	Supreme Court of the Russian Federation
Russian Federation	16-10-2020	Arbitrazh Court of Komi Republic
Russian Federation	01-11-2021	Fifth Arbitrazh Appellate Court
Russian Federation	30-06-2023	Seventeenth Arbitrazh Appellate Court
Russian Federation	05-07-2023	Eighteenth Arbitrazh Appellate Court
Russian Federation	27-03-2024	First Arbitrazh Appellate Court
Russian Federation	06-12-2024	Ninth Arbitrazh Appellate Court
Russian Federation	28-05-2025	Arbitrazh Court of Samara Region
Cases: 45
Singapore	02-04-2020	Supreme Court of Singapore
Cases: 1
Spain	04-07-2006	Tribunal Supremo (Sala de lo Civil)
Spain	09-07-2007	Tribunal Supremo (Sala de lo Civil)
Spain	23-07-2007	Tribunal Supremo (Sala de lo Civil)
Spain	13-09-2007	Audiencia Provincial de Lleida (Cataluna)
Spain	12-11-2007	Audiencia Provincial de Madrid
Spain	26-11-2007	Audiencia Provincial de Tarragona
Spain	21-12-2007	Tribunal Supremo
Spain	27-05-2008	Audiencia Provincial de Madrid
Spain	03-12-2008	Tribunal Supremo (sala de lo Civil, Sección 1ª)
Spain	19-01-2009	Audiencia Provincial de Cádiz (Sección 2ª)
Spain	06-03-2009	Audiencia Provincial de Valencia (Sección 7ª)
Spain	17-02-2010	Tribunal Supremo
Spain	02-05-2011	Tribunal Supremo
Spain	12-12-2011	Tribunal Supremo
Spain	07-03-2012	Audiencia Provincial de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Spain	08-05-2012	Tribunal Supremo
Spain	18-02-2013	Audiencia Provincial de Coruña (Sección 4)
Spain	30-06-2014	Tribunal Supremo
Spain	24-02-2015	Tribunal Supremo
Spain	15-06-2015	Tribunal Supremo
Spain	29-04-2024	Audiencia Provincial de Barcelona
Cases: 21
Sweden	23-12-2013	Högsta Domstolen (Supreme Court)
Cases: 1
Switzerland	16-12-2009	Bundesgericht
Cases: 1
Ukraine	04-03-2008	High Commercial Court of Ukraine
Ukraine	12-12-2008	Kyiv District Administrative Court
Ukraine	23-03-2009	Kharkiv Regional Commercial Court
Ukraine	07-10-2009	Kyiv Regional Commercial Court
Ukraine	30-11-2009	Cherkasy Regional Commercial Court
Ukraine	02-02-2010	Kyiv Commercial Court of Appeal
Ukraine	22-03-2010	Poltava Regional Commercial Court
Ukraine	21-06-2010	Dnipropetrovsk Regional Administrative Court
Ukraine	24-11-2010	High Commercial Court of Ukraine
Ukraine	30-11-2010	High Commercial Court of Ukraine
Ukraine	10-04-2012	Zaporizkyi Regional Administrative Court
Ukraine	25-04-2012	Rivne Regional Commercial Court
Ukraine	24-05-2012	Kyiv Commercial Court of Appeal
Ukraine	29-05-2012	Kyiv Commercial Court
Ukraine	08-06-2012	Volyn Regional Commercial Court
Ukraine	22-04-2013	High Administrative Court of Ukraine
Cases: 16
United Kingdom	17-02-2006	Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
United Kingdom	18-12-2006	Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
United Kingdom	22-05-2007	High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division, Commercial Court
United Kingdom	12-03-2008	Court of Appeal (Civil Division)
United Kingdom	01-07-2009	House of Lords
United Kingdom	30-11-2012	Sheriffdom of Tayside Central and Fife
United Kingdom	16-05-2018	Supreme Court
United Kingdom	20-01-2020	Court of Appeal
United Kingdom	27-10-2021	Supreme Court
United Kingdom	30-03-2022	High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division (Commercial Court)
United Kingdom	12-04-2022	High Court of Justice, Chancery Division
Cases: 11
Uruguay	22-10-2014	Tribunal Apelaciones Civil 1st
Cases: 1
USA	08-02-2005	Administrative Determination; Overseas Private Investment Corp.
Cases: 1