The article analyzes current challenges and perspectives for developing contractual regulation of the economic activity in the field of transport, as well as identifies the directions for improving the relevant legislation. It is emphasized that due to the globalization context of international trade and rapid development of the digital economy, the formation of “seamless multimodal mobility” is one of the strategic priorities for the development of Ukraine’s transport sector. In current circumstances complicated by global economic crisis, geopolitical conflicts and pandemic, caused by the spread of COVID-19, a trend towards increasing the contractual freedom in economic transport activities has led to establishing new types of transport contracts.

The purpose of the article is to highlight current trends in developing contractual regulation of the economic activity in the field of transport at the national and global dimensions.

 It is noted that currently the contract is the prevailing tool for organizing commercial relations, as well as the legal form for settling specific individual relations of economic entities, along with legislation. It is emphasized that the restrictions for self-settling of economic activity in the field of transport may be applied due to the needs for protecting the rights of customers (consumers) of transport services, public and state security, environment.

It is argued that commercial transport relations complicated by a foreign element can be settled by means of lex electronica, lex mercatoria, lex maritime, etc., which enable participants to choose the applicable law; as well as using model agreements (contracts) and transport documents developed by relevant international organizations (FIATA, UNECE, BIMCO, GAFTA, FOSFA, etc.).

Due to adoption of the Law of Ukraine “On Multimodal Transportation” the system of transport commercial contracts has been supplemented by a new contract – the contract of multimodal cargo transportation.

The comparative analysis of two types of contracts – transport forwarding and multimodal cargo transportation ones – has been carried out. It is concluded that multimodal cargo transportation contract is not only a type of cargo transportation contract; it is an independent, multifunctional type of commercial transport contract.

The proposals to update the clauses of the Economic Code of Ukraine have been made, in particular 1) to add the frame contract on organizing the multimodal cargo transportation to the range of long-term cargo transportation contracts (Part 4 of Article 307); 2) to add the document of multimodal cargo transportation to the range of transport documents that confirm the terms and conclusion of the carriage of goods’ contract, by (Part 2 of Article 307).

Bibliography

Authored books

1. Derkach E, Kontseptualni zasady hospodarsko-pravovoho rehuliuvannia transportnoi diialnosti (Tvory 2021) (In Ukrainian).

Edited books

 2. Belianevych O, ‘Pro tsili dohovirnoho prava v epokhu tsyfrovoi ekonomiky: vstup do problemy’ v Vinnyk O (red), Tsyfrova ekonomika ta elektronnyi biznes: okremi problemy pravovoho rehuliuvannia: zbirnyk naukovykh prats (NDI pryvatnoho prava i pidpryiemnytstva imeni akademika F H Burchaka NAPrN Ukrainy 2019) (in Ukrainian).

Journal articles

3. Matvieiev P, Klepikova O, Kornuta L, Abbaszade M, & Kuznetsov S, ‘Public and private economic and legal interests in the field of international transport in the latest edition of Incoterms [2021] 10 (46) Amazonia Investiga 217–224. https://doi.org/10.34069/ AI/2021.46.10.22 (in English).

Conference papers

4. Prytyka Yu, ‘Onlain-arbitrazh: poniattia, oznaky ta perspektyvy vprovadzhennia v Ukraini’ v Niu-Iorkska konventsiia pro vyznannia ta vykonannia inozemnykh arbitrazhnykh rishen: 60-richna istoriia uspikhu: zb. dop. i statei do V Mizhnar.arbitrazhnykh chytan pam’iati akad I H Pobirchenka (MKAS ta MAK pry TPP Ukrainy, 2019) (in Ukrainian).

Theses

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