Allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen Für Inspektions- Und Analytikleistungen
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1.
General
(a) Unless otherwise agreed in writing
or except where they are at variance with (i) the regulations governing services performed on behalf
of governments, government bodies or any other public entity or (ii) the mandatory provisions of local
law, all offers or services and all resulting contractual relationship(s) between any of the affiliated companies of SGS SA or any of their agents (each a “Company”) and Client (the “Contractual
Relationship(s)”) shall be governed by these general conditions of service (hereinafter the “General
Conditions”).
(b)
The Company may perform services for persons or entities (private, public or governmental) issuing
instructions (hereinafter, the “Client”).
(c) Unless
the Company receives prior written instructions to the contrary from Client, no other party is entitled
to give instructions, particularly on the scope of the services or the delivery of reports or certificates
resulting therefrom (the “Reports of Findings”). Client hereby irrevocably authorises the Company to
deliver Reports of Findings to a third party where so instructed by Client or, at its discretion, where
it implicitly follows from circumstances, trade custom, usage or practice.
2.
Provision of Services
(a)
The Company will provide services using reasonable care and skill and in accordance with Client's
specific instructions as confirmed by the Company or, in the absence of such instructions:
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| (i) | the terms of any standard order form or standard specification sheet of the Company; and/or | ||
| (ii) | any relevant trade custom, usage or practice; and/or | ||
| (iii) | such methods as the Company shall consider appropriate on technical, operational and/or financial grounds. |
(b)
Information stated in Reports of Findings is derived from the results of inspection or testing
procedures carried out in accordance with the instructions of Client, and/or our assessment of such
results on the basis of any technical standards, trade custom or practice, or other circumstances which
should in our professional opinion be taken into account.
(c)
Reports of Findings issued further to the testing of samples contain the Company’s opinion
on those samples only and do not express any opinion upon the lot from which the samples were drawn..
(d)
Should Client request that the Company witness any third party intervention, Client agrees
that the Company’s sole responsibility is to be present at the time of the third party’s intervention
and to forward the results, or confirm the occurrence, of the intervention. Client agrees that the Company
is not responsible for the condition or calibration of apparatus, instruments and measuring devices
used, the analysis methods applied, the qualifications, actions or omissions of third party personnel
or the analysis results.
(e) Reports of Findings
issued by the Company will reflect the facts as recorded by it at the time of its intervention only
and within the limits of the instructions received or, in the absence of such instructions, within the
limits of the alternative parameters applied as provided for in clause 2(a). The Company is under no obligation to refer to, or report upon, any facts or circumstances which are
outside the specific instructions received or alternative parameters applied..
(f)
The Company may delegate the performance of all or part of the services to an agent or subcontractor
and Client authorises Company to disclose all information necessary for such performance to the agent
or subcontractor.
(g)
Should Company receive documents reflecting engagements contracted between Client and third
parties or third party documents, such as copies of sale contracts, letters of credit, bills of lading,
etc., they are considered to be for information only, and do not extend or restrict the scope of the
services or the obligations accepted by the Company.
(h)
Client acknowledges that the Company, by providing the services, neither takes the place
of Client or any third party, nor releases them from any of their obligations, nor otherwise assumes,
abridges, abrogates or undertakes to discharge any duty of Client to any third party or that of any
third party to Client.
(i)
All samples shall be retained for a maximum of 3 months or such other shorter time period
as the nature of the sample permits and then returned to Client or otherwise disposed of at the Company’s
discretion after which time Company shall cease to have any responsibility for such samples. Storage
of samples for more than 3 months shall incur a storage charge payable by Client. Client will be billed
a handling and freight fee if samples are returned. Special disposal charges will be billed to Client if incurred.
3. Obligations of Client
The
Client will:
(a)
(a) ensure that sufficient information, instructions and documents are given in due time (and, in any event
not later than 48 hours prior to the desired intervention) to enable the required services to be performed;
(b)
procure all necessary access for the Company's representatives to the premises where the
services are to be performed and take all necessary steps to eliminate or remedy any obstacles to, or
interruptions in, the performance of the services;
(c)
Supply, if required, any special equipment and personnel necessary for the performance
of the services;
(d)
ensure that all necessary measures are taken for safety and security of working conditions,
sites and installations during the performance of services and will not rely, in this respect, on the
Company's advice whether required or not;
(e)
inform Company in advance of any known hazards or dangers, actual or potential, associated
with any order or samples or testing including, for example, presence or risk of radiation, toxic or
noxious or explosive elements or materials, environmental pollution or poisons;
(f)
Fully exercise all its rights and discharge all its liabilities under any relevant sales
or other contract with a third party and at law.
4. Fees
and Payment
(a) Fees not established between the Company and Client at the
time the order is placed or a contract is negotiated shall be at the Company’s standard rates (which
are subject to change) and all applicable taxes shall be payable by Client.
(b)
Unless a shorter period is established in the invoice, Client will promptly pay not later
than 30 days from the relevant invoice date or within such other period as may be established by the
Company in the invoice (the “Due Date”) all fees due to the Company failing which interest will become
due at a rate of 1.5% per month (or such other rate as may be established in the invoice) from the Due
Date up to and including the date payment is actually received.
(c)
Client shall not be entitled to retain or defer payment of any sums due to the Company on
account of any dispute, counter claim or set off which it may allege against the Company.
(d)
Company may elect to bring action for the collection of unpaid fees in any court having
competent jurisdiction.
(e) Client shall pay
all of the Company's collection costs, including attorney's fees and related costs.
(f)
In the event any unforeseen problems or expenses arise in the course of carrying out the
services the Company shall endeavour to inform Client and shall be entitled to charge additional fees
to cover extra time and cost necessarily incurred to complete the services.
(g)
If the Company is unable to perform all or part of the services for any cause whatsoever
outside the Company’s control including failure by Client to comply with any of its obligations provided
for in clause 3 above the Company shall nevertheless be entitled to payment of:
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| (i) | the amount of all non-refundable expenses incurred by the Company; and | ||
| (ii) | a proportion of the agreed fee equal to the proportion of the services actually carried out. |
The Company shall be entitled to immediately and without liability either suspend or terminate provision of the services in the event of:
(a) failure by the Client to comply with any of its obligations hereunder and such failure is not remedied within 10 days that notice of such failure has been notified to Client; or
(b) any suspension of payment, arrangement with creditors, bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or cessation of business by Client.
6. Liability and Indemnification
(a) Limitation of Liability:
(1) The Company is neither an insurer nor a guarantor and disclaims all liability in such capacity. Clients seeking a guarantee against loss or damage should obtain appropriate insurance.
(2) Reports of Findings are issued on the basis of information, documents and/or samples provided by, or on behalf of, Client and solely for the benefit of Client who is responsible for acting as it sees fit on the basis of such Reports of Findings. Neither the Company nor any of its officers, employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable to Client nor any third party for any actions taken or not taken on the basis of such Reports of Findings nor for any incorrect results arising from unclear, erroneous, incomplete, misleading or false information provided to the Company.
(3) The Company shall not be liable for any delayed, partial or total non-performance of the services arising directly or indirectly from any event outside the Company’s control including failure by Client to comply with any of its obligations hereunder.
(4) The Company shall not be liable for any delayed, partial or total non-performance of the services arising directly or indirectly from any event outside the Company’s control including failure by Client to comply with any of its obligations hereunder.
(5) The Company shall have no liability for any indirect or consequential loss including without limitation loss of profits, loss of business, loss of opportunity, loss of goodwill and cost of product recall. It shall further have no liability for any loss, damage or expenses arising from the claims of any third party (including, without limitation, product liability claims) that may be incurred by the Client.
(6) In the event of any claim, Client must give written notice to the Company within 30 days of discovery of the facts alleged to justify such claim and, in any case, the Company shall be discharged from all liability for all claims for loss, damage or expense unless suit is brought within one year from:
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| (i) | the date of performance by the Company of the service which gives rise to the claim; or | ||
| (ii) | the date when the service should have been completed in the event of any alleged non-performance. |
(b) Indemnification:
Client shall guarantee, hold harmless and indemnify the Company and its officers, employees, agents or subcontractors against all claims (actual or threatened) by any third party for loss, damage or expense of whatsoever nature including all legal expenses and related costs and howsoever arising relating to the performance, purported performance or non-performance, of any services..
7. Miscellaneous
(a) If any one or more provisions of these General Conditions are found to be illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
(b) During the course of providing the services and for a period of one year thereafter Client shall not directly or indirectly entice, encourage or make any offer to Company’s employees to leave their employment with the Company.
(c) Use of the Company’s corporate name or registered marks for advertising purposes is not permitted without the Company’s prior written authorisation.
8. Governing Law, Jurisdiction and Dispute Resolution
Unless specifically agreed otherwise, all disputes arising out or in connection with Contractual Relationship(s) hereunder shall be governed by the substantive laws of Switzerland exclusive of any rules with respect to conflicts of laws and be finally settled under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce by one or more arbitrators appointed in accordance with the said rules. The arbitration shall take place in Paris (France) and be conducted in the English language.
