In the age of trade liberalization, expansion of foreign economic activity conducted by Ukrainian economic entities, and remoteness of suppliers from buyers, there is an objective need to develop the institute of trade intermediaries. The relevance of this topic ensues from the essential role played by trade intermediary relations, and from their insufficient legal regulation and only fragmentary research in the economic law doctrine.

The purpose of this article is to formulate the author's definition of “legal relations of trade intermediary”, to classify such relations and ascertain their composition, including in the light of the doctrinal provisions previously covered in professional sources in respect of the legal relations of intermediary which are common as relating to those under study.

The article proves that trade intermediary is a mandatory element of the market. The author analyzes a viewpoint according to which the essence of trade intermediary is equated with the concept of trade activity. The author shows that in terms of economy trade activity may be regarded as intermediary, but in terms of law it may not be identified with intermediary. The author gives her own definition of “legal relations of trade intermediary” and formulates their features. Legal relations of trade intermediary are classified by the following criteria: structure, nature, and territory where they occur.

The article offers an analysis of the composition of legal relations of trade intermediary. Parties are a qualifying characteristic of trade intermediary relations as a type of intermediary relations. In legal relations of trade intermediary, the customer may be manufacturer, seller (supplier), buyer of goods which has granted (mostly on the basis of a trade intermediary contract) a trade intermediary the right to perform certain legal and (or) factual actions in the area of trade, although mainly in the intermediary’s own name but in the customer’s interests and at the latter’s expense, with the aim of establishing economic relations with third parties for the purpose of sale and (or) purchase of goods. A trade intermediary (the main actor in legal relations of trade intermediary) is an economic activity entity which conducts trade intermediary activity systematically and on a professional basis, according to general rules, on its own behalf but at the expense and in the interests of the customer, and receives a fee for such activity. The object of legal relations of trade intermediary may be defined as: a) trade intermediary service consumed in the process of trade intermediary activity; b) an intangible benefit and (or) a beneficial effect which ensues from the rendered trade intermediary service and for which sake the parties enter into legal relations of trade intermediary. The content of legal relations of trade intermediary is activity (acts) – the process of providing a trade intermediary service in which the counterparties are endowed with respective rights and obligations.

Bibliography

Authored books

1. Bieliavtsev M ta Shestopalova L, Infrastruktura tovarnoho rynku [Commodity Market Infrastructure] (Tsentr navchalnoi literatury 2005) (in Ukrainian).

2. Fedorov A, Torgovoe pravo [Trade Law] (1911) (in Russian).

3. Honcharov C ta Kushnir N, Tlumachnyi slovnyk ekonomista [An Economist’s Explanatory Dictionary] (Tsentr uchbovoi literatury 2009) (in Ukrainian).

4. Savoshchenko A, Infrastruktura tovarnoho rynku [Commodity Market Infrastructure] (KNEU 2004) (in Ukrainian).

5. Shershenevich G, Uchebnik torgovogo prava [Textbook of Trade Law] (Spartak 1994) (in Russian).

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Edited books

8. Mizhnarodna torhovelna diialnist [International Trade Activities] (Rokoch V red, VNZ “Universytet ekonomiky ta prava ‘KROK’” 2018) (in Ukrainian).

9. Rieznikova V, ‘Problemy pravovoho rehuliuvannia hospodarskoho poserednytstva’ [‘Issues Pertaining to Legal Regulation of Economic Intermediary’] v Aktualni problemy hospodarskoho prava (Osoblyva chastyna): pidruchnyk [Current Issues of Economic Law (Special Part): Textbook] (Shcherbyna V ta Rieznikova V red, Lira-K 2018) (in Ukrainian).

Journal articles

10. Dunska A, ‘Torhovi poserednyky v zovnishnoekonomichnii diialnosti: problemy vyznachennia ta klasyfikatsii’ [‘Trade Intermediaries in Foreign Economic Activity: Definition and Classification Issues’] (2012) 9 Ekonomichnyi visnyk NTUU “KPI” 89-95 (in Ukrainian).

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12. Rahmilovich V, ‘O hozjajstvennom prave i putjah razvitija hozjajstvennogo zakonodatel’stva’ [‘On Economic Law and the Ways to Develop Economic Legislation’] (1989) 10 Sovetskoe gosudarstvo i pravo (in Russian).

13. Rieznikova V, ‘Ekonomichna sutnist poserednytstva’ [‘Economic Essence of Intermediary’] [2009] 4(3) Visnyk Khmelnytskoho natsionalnoho universytetu (in Ukrainian). 14. Rieznikova V, ‘Obiekt poserednytskykh pravovidnosyn’ [‘Actors in Legal Relations of Mediation’] [2012] 1(41) Universytetski naukovi zapysky (in Ukrainian).

15. Rieznikova V, ‘Poniattia, osoblyvosti ta vydy poserednytskykh pravovidnosyn’ [‘Concept, Features and Types of Intermediary Legal Relationships’] [2013] 3(97) Visnyk Kyivskoho natsionalnoho universytetu imeni Tarasa Shevchenka (in Ukrainian).

16. Rieznikova V, ‘Subiekty poserednytskykh pravovidnosyn’ [‘Subjects of Intermediary Legal Relations’] [2011] 4(40) Universytetski naukovi zapysky (in Ukrainian).

17. Sohnovskij A, ‘Pravootnoshenija torgovogo posrednichestva mezhdu socialisticheskimi organizacijami’ [‘Legal Relations of Trade Intermediary between Socialist Organizations’] (1976) 5 Jurisprudence (in Russian).

18. Sulejmenov M, ‘Hozjajstvenno-posrednicheskie dogovory uslug’ [‘Economic Intermediary Service Contracts’] (1973) 3 Sovetskoe gosudarstvo i pravo (in Russian).

19. Trishkina N, ‘Osoblyvosti derzhavnoi pidtrymky torhovelnoho poserednytstva’ [‘Specific Features of Trade Intermediary Support by the State’] [2011] 33(1) Naukovyi visnyk Uzhhorodskoho universytetu. Seriia Ekonomika (in Ukrainian).

Thesis

20. Salnikova H, ‘Pravove rehuliuvannia poserednytstva u pidpryiemnytskii diialnosti’ [‘Legal Regulation of Intermediary in Business’’] (avtoref dys kand yuryd nauk, 2003) (in Ukrainian).

Dissertations

21. Moturenko S, ‘Pravovoe polozhenie tamozhennyh posrednikov’ [‘Legal Status of Customs Intermediaries’] (dys kand yuryd nauk, 2006) (in Russian).