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The Debate on Profound Changes of Circumstances and Interpretation of the Gold Clauses in International Transport Treaties
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 May 2009
Extract
International transport treaties generally contain liability limitation clauses which limit the liability of carriers for passenger injuries and cargo damage to fixed amounts of a specified unit of account. Such unit of account serves as the basis for converting the amounts due into the national currency of the forum which is awarding judgment. Traditionally gold served as the original unit of account in these treaties.
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References
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32. NJ 1972, p. 733. Emphasis added. (Translation as given by Asser loc.cit.).
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34. “Questo ultimo metodo è stato prescelto dalla Corte Supreme olandese con la sua decisione 14 aprile 1972 nel Hornlinie c. Société Nationale de Petroles d'Aquitaine per il Rilievo che esso garantisce una maggiore uniformità. Ritengo di dover aderire all'ordinamento della Corte Supreme olandese per il motivo principale che non-può ammettersi che il legislatore olandese abbia previsto una conversione in base a criteri diversi da quelli stabiliti dalla legge in vigore.”, p. 21; NB the choice of law rules applied by the arbitrator rendered the Dutch Commercial law to be the substantive law applicable to the case, ibid. p. 8–9.
35. 535 F.Supp. 833 (S.D.N.Y. 1982).
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46. Idem.
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49. Idem.
50. NJ 1981 no. 604; also Rb. Amsterdam, 12–5–1978, 23 S & S 1979, no. 59.
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52. Ibid., p. 4, 11–12, 12. Quotations are from the original type-written text of the judgment.
53. Supra, note 48.
54. Idem.
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60. Ibid., consideration 10.
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62. Ibid., consideration 13.
63. Ibid., p. 1976.
64. Ibid., p. 1977.
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67. Ibid., p. 4.
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70. Ibid., p. 143, cf. 141.
71. The Legal Aspects of Money, 4th edn. (1982) pp. 154–155.
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97. Ibid., p. 830.
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112. Ibid.
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114. NJ 1981 no. 605, p. 1990.
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119. Ibid., p. 346.
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128. Art. 31 Vienna Convention on the law of Treaties.
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138. Interpretation of Peace Treaties with Bulgaria, Hungaria and Romania, ICJ Rep. (1950) p. 229.
139. Ibid., p. 229.
140. C.A.B. Staff Memorandum of 20 May 1981.
141. Supra, n. 31.
142. Supra, n. 70, 71 and 86, and accompanying texts; see also the Saga decision, supra n. 40.
143. Advocate General Haak, NJ 1981 no. 605, p. 1989; Compare further on the “Non-Revision” rule, US Nationals in Morocco Case”, ICJ Rep. (1952) pp. 169, and 199.
144. Interpretation of Article 3, Paragraph 2, of the Treaty of Lausanne (Frontier Between Iraq and Turkey), PCIJ Series B, no. 12, p. 25.
145. Submitted in the case concerning Homlinie, loc.cit., supra n. 31.
146. Idem.
147. Supra, n. 145.
148. Boehringer Mannheim Diagnostics v. Pan Am., etc., 531, F. Supp. 344 (1981), p. 352.
149. C.A.B. Staff Memorandum of 20 May 1981.
150. Idem.
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155. Loc.cit., p. 14.
156. ICJ Rep. 1950, p. 128.
157. Ibid., pp. 136–137.
158. Ibid., p. 133.