While the terms of sale in international business often sound similar to those commonly used in domestic contracts, they often have different meanings. Confusion over these terms can result in a lost sale or a financial loss on a sale. Thus, it is essential that you understand what terms you are agreeing to before you finalize a contract.
虽然在国际商务中所使用的销售条件和国内合同中通常所用的销售条件听起来很相似，但是它们的含义往往不同。混淆这些条件可能会丧失销售机会或者导致销售出现经济损失。因此，在敲定合同之前，理解你所用意的条件是至关重要的。
Incoterms 2000
By the 1920s, commercial traders developed a set of trade terms to describe their rights and liabilities with regard to the sale and transport of goods. These trade terms consisted of short abbreviations for lengthy contract provisions. Unfortunately, there was no uniform interpretation of them in all countries, and therefore misunderstandings often arose in cross-border transactions.
To improve this aspect of international trade, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris developed INCOTERMS (International Commercial TERMS), a set of uniform rules or the interpretation of international commercial terms defining the costs, risks, and obligations of buyers and sellers in international transactions. First published in 1936, these rules have been periodically revised to account for changing modes of transport and document delivery. The current version is Incoterms 2000.
《国际贸易术语解释通则2000》
20世纪20年代，商人们开发了一套用于说明他们在货物销售和运输中权利和义务的贸易术语。这些贸易术语由代表冗长合同条款的简短缩写构成。不幸的是，这些术语在不同的国家没有同意的解释，因此，在跨国境贸易中，常常出现误解。
为了对国际贸易的这一领域进行改进，设在巴黎的国际商会（ICC）开发了一套用于解释确定国交仪中买卖双方费用、风险和责任的统一规则——国际贸易术语解释通则。该通则初版于1936，定期进行修订以反映运输和单据交付方式的变化。现行的版本为《国际贸易术语解释通则2000》。
Use of Incoterms
Incoterms are not implied into contracts for the sale of goods. If you desire to use Incoterms, you must specifically include them in your contract. Further, your contract should expressly refer to the rules of interpretation as defined in the latest revision of Incoterms, for example, Incoterms 2000, and you should ensure the proper application of the terms by additional contract provisions. Also, Incoterms are not “laws”. In case of a dispute, courts and arbitrators will look at: 1) the sales contract, 2) who has possession of the goods, and 3) what payment, if any, has been made. See International Contracts, also by World Trade Press.
《国际贸易术语解释通则》的使用
国际贸易术语解释通则并非暗含在货物销售合同中。如果想采用国际贸易术语解释通则，必须特地将其写进合同中。而且合同应该明确援引国际贸易术语解释通则的最新修订本，如《国际贸易术语解释通则2000》中确定的解释规则。此外，还应该通过附加的合同条款确保这些术语的正确应用。而且，国际贸易术语解释通则不是“法律”。当出现纠纷时，法院和仲裁机构将考察：（1）销售合同；（2）谁拥有货物；（3）如果有的话，进行了哪些支付。参见世界贸易出版社出版的《国际贸易》一书。
Illustrated Guide to Incoterms
This guide was designed to give a graphic representation of the buyer’s and seller’s risks and costs under each Incoterm. The material on each facing page gives a summary of seller and buyer responsibilities.
