Limits & Defences
CMR Convention
Liability of the Carrier
Article 17
1. The carrier shall be liable for the total or partial loss of the goods and for damage thereto occurring between the time when he takes over the goods and the time of delivery, as well as for any delay in delivery.
2. The carrier shall however be relieved of liability if the loss, damage or delay was caused by the wrongful act or neglect of the claimant, by the instructions of the claimant given otherwise than as the result of a wrongful act or neglect on the part of the carrier, by inherent vice of the goods or through circumstances which the carrier could not avoid and the consequences of which he was unable to prevent.
3. The carrier shall not be relieved of liability by reason of the defective condition of the vehicle used by him in order to perform the carriage, or by reason of the wrongful act or neglect of the person from whom he may have hired the vehicle or of the agents or servants of the latter.
4. Subject to article 18, paragraphs 2 to 5, the carrier shall be relieved of liability when the loss or damage arises from the special risks inherent in one or more of the following circumstances:
(a) use of open unsheeted vehicles, when their use has been expressly agreed and specified in the consignment note;
(b) the lack of, or defective condition of packing in the case of goods which, by their nature, are liable to wastage or to be damaged when not packed or when not properly packed;
(c) handling, loading, stowage or unloading of the goods by the sender, the consignee or persons acting on behalf of the sender or the consignee;
(d) the nature of certain kinds of goods which particularly exposes them to total or partial loss or to damage, especially through breakage, rust, decay, desiccation, leakage, normal wastage, or the action of moth or vermin;
(e) insufficiency or inadequacy of marks or numbers on the packages;
(f) the carriage of livestock.
5. Where under this article the carrier is not under any liability in respect of some of the factors causing the loss, damage or delay, he shall only be liable to the extent that those factors for which he is liable under this article have contributed to the loss, damage or delay.
Article 18
1. The burden of proving that loss, damage or delay was due to one of the causes specified in article 17, paragraph 2, shall rest upon the carrier.
2. When the carrier establishes that in the circumstances of the case, the loss or damage could be attributed to one or more of the special risks referred to in article 17, paragraph 4, it shall be presumed that it was so caused. The claimant shall however be entitled to prove that the loss or damage was not, in fact, attributable either wholly or partly to one of these risks.
3. This presumption shall not apply in the circumstances set out in article 17, paragraph 4 (a), if there has been an abnormal shortage, or a loss of any package.
4. If the carriage is performed in vehicles specially equipped to protect the goods from the effects of heat, cold, variations in temperature or the humidity of the air, the carrier shall not be entitled to claim the benefit of article 17, paragraph 4 (d), unless he proves that all steps incumbent on him in the circumstances with respect to the choice, maintenance and use of such equipment were taken and that he complied with any special instructions issued to him.
5. The carrier shall not be entitled to claim the benefit of article 17, paragraph 4 (f), unless he proves that all steps normally incumbent on him in the circumstances were taken and that he complied with any special instructions issued to him.
Article 19
Delay in delivery shall be said to occur when the goods have not been delivered within the agreed time-limit or when, failing an agreed time-limit, the actual duration of the carriage having regard to the circumstances of the case, and in particular, in the case of partial loads, the time required for making up a complete load in the normal way, exceeds the time it would be reasonable to allow a diligent carrier.
Article 20
1. The fact that goods have not been delivered within thirty days following the expiry of the agreed time-limit, or if there is no agreed time-limit, within sixty days from the time when the carrier took over the goods, shall be conclusive evidence of the loss of the goods, and the person entitled to make a claim may thereupon treat them as lost.
2. The person so entitled may, on receipt of compensation for the missing goods, request in writing that he shall be notified immediately should the goods be recovered in the course of the year following the payment of compensation. He shall be given a written acknowledgement of such request.
3. Within the thirty days following receipt of such notification, the person entitled as aforesaid may require the goods to be delivered to him against payment of the charges shown to be due on the consignment note and also against refund of the compensation he received less any charges included therein but without prejudice to any claims to compensation for delay in delivery under article 23 and, where applicable, article 26.
4. In the absence of the request mentioned in paragraph 2 or of any instructions given within the period of thirty days specified in paragraph 3, or if the goods are not recovered until more than one year after the payment of compensation, the carrier shall be entitled to deal with them in accordance with the law of the place where the goods are situated.
Article 21
Should the goods have been delivered to the consignee without collection of the “cash on delivery” charge which should have been collected by the carrier under the terms of the contract of carriage, the carrier shall be liable to the sender for compensation not exceeding the amount of such charge without prejudice to his right of action against the consignee.
Article 22
1. When the sender hands goods of a dangerous nature to the carrier, he shall inform the carrier of the exact nature of the danger and indicate, if necessary, the precautions to be taken. If this information has not been entered in the consignment note, the burden of proving, by some other means, that the carrier knew the exact nature of the danger constituted by the carriage of the said goods shall rest upon the sender or the consignee.
2. Goods of a dangerous nature which, in the circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, the carrier did not know were dangerous, may, at any time or place, be unloaded, destroyed or rendered harmless by the carrier without compensation; further, the sender shall be liable for all expenses, loss or damage arising out of their handing over for carriage or of their carriage.
Article 23
1. When, under the provisions of this Convention, a carrier is liable for compensation in respect of total or partial loss of goods, such compensation shall be calculated by reference to the value of the goods at the place and time at which they were accepted for carriage.
2. The value of the goods shall be fixed according to the commodity exchange price or, if there is no such price, according to the current market price or, if there is no commodity exchange price or current market price, by reference to the normal value of goods of the same kind and quality.
3. Compensation shall not, however, exceed 25 francs per kilogram of gross weight short. “Franc” means the gold franc weighing 10/31 of a gramme and being of millesimal fineness 900.*
4. In addition, the carriage charges, Customs duties and other charges incurred in respect of the carriage of the goods shall be refunded in full in case of total loss and in proportion to the loss sustained in case of partial loss, but no further damages shall be payable.
5. In the case of delay, if the claimant proves that damage has resulted therefrom the carrier shall pay compensation for such damage not exceeding the carriage charges.
6. Higher compensation may only be claimed where the value of the goods or a special interest in delivery has been declared in accordance with articles 24 and 26.[7.8.9.]†
Article 24
The sender may, against payment of a surcharge to be agreed upon, declare in the consignment note a value for the goods exceeding the limit laid down in article 23, paragraph 3, and in that case the amount of the declared value shall be substituted for that limit.
Article 25
1. In case of damage, the carrier shall be liable for the amount by which the goods have diminished in value, calculated by reference to the value of the goods fixed in accordance with article 23, paragraphs 1, 2 and 4.
2. The compensation may not, however, exceed:
(a) if the whole consignment has been damaged, the amount payable in the case of total loss;
(b) if part only of the consignment has been damaged, the amount payable in the case of loss of the part affected.
Article 26
1. The sender may, against payment of a surcharge to be agreed upon, fix the amount of a special interest in delivery in the case of loss or damage or of the agreed time-limit being exceeded, by entering such amount in the consignment note.
2. If a declaration of a special interest in delivery has been made, compensation for the additional loss or damage proved may be claimed, up to the total amount of the interest declared, independently of the compensation provided for in articles 23, 24 and 25.
Article 27
1. The claimant shall be entitled to claim interest on compensation payable. Such interest, calculated at five per centum per annum, shall accrue from the date on which the claim was sent in writing to the carrier or, if no such claim has been made, from the date on which legal proceedings were instituted.
2. When the amounts on which the calculation of the compensation is based are not expressed in the currency of the country in which payment is claimed, conversion shall be at the rate of exchange applicable on the day and at the place of payment of compensation.
Article 28
1. In cases where, under the law applicable, loss, damage or delay arising out of carriage under this Convention gives rise to an extra-contractual claim, the carrier may avail himself of the provisions of this Convention which exclude his liability or which fix or limit the compensation due.
2. In cases where the extra-contractual liability for loss, damage or delay of one of the persons for whom the carrier is responsible under the terms of article 3 is in issue, such person may also avail himself of the provisions of this Convention which exclude the liability of the carrier or which fix or limit the compensation due.
Article 29
1. The carrier shall not be entitled to avail himself of the provisions of this chapter which exclude or limit his liability or which shift the burden of proof if the damage was caused by his wilful misconduct or by such default on his part as, in accordance with the law of the court or tribunal seised of the case, is considered as equivalent to wilful misconduct.
2. The same provision shall apply if the wilful misconduct or default is committed by the agents or servants of the carrier or by any other persons of whose services he makes use for the performance of the carriage when such agents, servants or other persons are acting within the scope of their employment. Furthermore, in such a case such agents, servants or other persons shall not be entitled to avail themselves, with regard to their personal liability, of the provisions of this chapter referred to in paragraph 1.
…..
PROTOCOL
TO THE CONVENTION ON THE CONTRACT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CARRIAGE OF GOODS BY ROAD (CMR) DONE AT GENEVA ON THE 5th DAY OF JULY, 1978
THE PARTIES TO THE PRESENT PROTOCOL, BEING PARTIES to the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR), done at Geneva on 19 May 1956, HAVE AGREED as follows:
Article 1
For the purpose of the present Protocol “Convention” means the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR).
Article 2
Article 23 of the Convention is amended as follows:
(1) Paragraph 3 is replaced by the following text:
“3. Compensation shall not, however, exceed 8.33 units of account per kilogram of gross weight short.”
(2) At the end of this article the following paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 are added:
“7. The unit of account mentioned in this Convention is the Special Drawing Right as defined by the International Monetary Fund. The amount mentioned in paragraph 3 of this article shall be converted into the national currency of the State of the Court seised of the case on the basis of the value of that currency on the date of the judgment or the date agreed upon by the Parties. The value of the national currency, in terms of the Special Drawing Right, of a State which is a member of the International Monetary Fund, shall be calculated in accordance with the method of valuation applied by the International Monetary Fund in effect at the date in question for its operations and transactions. The value of the national currency, in terms of the Special Drawing Right, of a State which is not a member of the International Monetary Fund, shall be calculated in a manner determined by that State.
8. Nevertheless, a State which is not a member of the International Monetary Fund and whose law does not permit the application of the provisions of paragraph 7 of this article may, at the time of ratification of or accession to the Protocol to the CMR or at any time thereafter, declare that the limit of liability provided for in paragraph 3 of this article to be applied in its territory shall be 25 monetary units. The monetary unit referred to in this paragraph corresponds to 10/31 gramme of gold of millesimal fineness nine hundred. The conversion of the amount specified in this paragraph into the national currency shall be made according to the law of the State concerned.
9. The calculation mentioned in the last sentence of paragraph 7 of this article and the conversion mentioned in paragraph 8 of this article shall be made in such a manner as to express in the national currency of the State as far as possible the same real value for the amount in paragraph 3 of this article as is expressed there in units of account. States shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the United Nations the manner of calculation pursuant to paragraph 7 of this article or the result of the conversion in paragraph 8 of this article as the case may be, when depositing an instrument referred to in article 3 of the Protocol to the CMR and whenever there is a change in either.”
FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 3
1. This Protocol shall be open for signature by States which are signatories to, or have acceded to the Convention and are either members of the Economic Commission for Europe or have been admitted to that Commission in a consultative capacity under paragraph 8 of that Commission’s terms of reference.
2. This Protocol shall remain open for accession by any of the States referred to in paragraph 1 of this article which are Parties to the Convention.
3. Such States as may participate in certain activities of the Economic Commission for Europe in accordance with paragraph 11 of that Commission’s terms of reference which have acceded to the Convention may become Contracting Parties to this Protocol by acceding thereto after its entry into force.
4. This Protocol shall be open for signature at Geneva from 1 September 1978 to 31 August 1979 inclusive. Thereafter, it shall be open for accession.
5. This Protocol shall be subject to ratification after the State concerned has ratified or acceded to the Convention.
6. Ratification or accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
7. Any instrument of ratification or accession deposited after the entry into force of an amendment to the present Protocol with respect to all Contracting Parties or after the completion of all measures required for the entry into force of the amendment with respect to all Contracting Parties shall be deemed to apply to the Protocol as modified by the amendment.
Article 4
1. This Protocol shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after five of the States referred to in article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Protocol, have deposited their instruments of ratification or accession.
2. For any State ratifying or acceding to it after five States have deposited their instruments of ratification or accession, this Protocol shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after the said State has deposited its instrument of ratification or accession.
Article 5 to 12
1. Any Contracting Party may denounce this Protocol by so notifying the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
2. Denunciation shall take effect twelve months after the date of receipt by the Secretary-General of the notification of denunciation.
3. Any Contracting Party which ceases to be Party to the Convention shall on the same date cease to be Party to this Protocol.
Article 6
If, after the entry into force of this Protocol, the number of Contracting Parties is reduced, as a result of denunciations, to less than five, this Protocol shall cease to be in force from the date on which the last of such denunciations takes effect. It shall also cease to be in force from the date on which the Convention ceases to be in force.
Article 7
1. Any State may, at the time of depositing its instrument of ratification or accession or at any time thereafter, declare by a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations that this Protocol shall extend to all or any of the territories for whose international relations it is responsible and in respect of which it has made a declaration in accordance with article 46 of the Convention. This Protocol shall extend to the territory or territories named in the notification as from the ninetieth day after its receipt by the Secretary-General or, if on that day the Protocol has not yet entered into force, as from the time of its entry into force.
2. Any State which has made a declaration under the preceding paragraph extending this Protocol to any territory for whose international relations it is responsible may denounce the Protocol separately in respect of that territory in accordance with the provisions of article 5 above.
Article 8
Any dispute between two or more Contracting Parties relating to the interpretation or application of this Protocol which the Parties are unable to settle by negotiation or other means may, at the request of any one of the Contracting Parties concerned, be referred for settlement to the International Court of Justice.
Article 9
1. Each Contracting Party may, at the time of signing, ratifying, or acceding to this Protocol, declare by a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations that it does not consider itself bound by article 8 of this Protocol. Other Contracting Parties shall not be bound by article 8 of this Protocol in respect of any Contracting Party which has entered such a reservation.
2. The declaration referred to in paragraph 1 of this article may be withdrawn at any time by a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
3. No other reservation to this Protocol shall be permitted.
Article 10
1. After this Protocol has been in force for three years, any Contracting Party may, by notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, request that a conference be convened for the purpose of reviewing this Protocol. The Secretary-General shall notify all Contracting Parties of the request and a review conference shall be convened by the Secretary-General if, within a period of four months following the date of notification by the Secretary-General not less than one-fourth of the Contracting Parties notify him of their concurrence with the request.
2. If a conference is convened in accordance with the preceding paragraph, the Secretary-General shall notify all the Contracting Parties and invite them to submit within a period of three months such proposals as they may wish the conference to consider. The Secretary-General shall circulate to all Contracting Parties the provisional agenda for the conference together with the texts of such proposals at least three months before the date on which the conference is to meet.
3. The Secretary-General shall invite to any conference convened in accordance with this article all States referred to in article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2 and States which have become Contracting Parties under article 3, paragraph 3 of this Protocol.
Article 11
In addition to the notifications provided for in article 10, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall notify the States referred to in article 3, paragraphs 1 and 2, of this Protocol and the States which have become Contracting Parties under article 3, paragraph 3, of this Protocol, of:
(a) ratifications and accessions under article 3;
(b) the dates of entry into force of this Protocol in accordance with article 4;
(c) communications received under article 2, paragraph (2);
(d) denunciations under article 5;
(e) the termination of this Protocol in accordance with article 6;
(f) notifications received in accordance with article 7;
(g) declarations and notifications received in accordance with article 9, paragraphs 1 and 2.
Article 12
After 31 August 1979, the original of this Protocol shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall transmit certified true copies to each of the States mentioned in article 3, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Protocol.
DONE at Geneva, this fifth day of July one thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight, in a single copy in the English and French languages, each text being equally authentic.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol in the name of
(Here follow signatures on behalf of certain States.)
*The definitions set out in this article are, so far as material, as follows:—
“Motor vehicle” means any self-propelled vehicle normally used for the transport of persons or goods upon a road, other than vehicles running on rails or connected to electric conductors.
“Articulated vehicle” means any motor vehicle with a trailer having no front axle and so attached that part of the trailer is superimposed upon the motor vehicle and a substantial part of the weight of the trailer and of its load is borne by the motor vehicle. Such a trailer shall be called a “semi-trailer”.
“Trailer” means any vehicle designed to be drawn by a motor vehicle.
*The following paragraph was substituted for paragraph 3 of Article 23 by the 1978 Protocol to CMR (see page 28 following):
“3. Compensation shall not, however, exceed 8.33 units of account per kilogram of gross weight short.”.
Additional paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 were inserted in Article 23 by the 1978 Protocol to CMR (see pages 28-29 following).