documentation.doc

Unit five Import and export documentation In international trade, every shipment must be accompanied by a number of correct documents. If they are not the correct ones, the importer will have difficulties in taking delivery of the goods. In the case of documentary letter of credit, any discrepancies（不符合） between the documents presented and those specified in the credit may lead to refusal by the bank to make payment. In this section, we will have a close study of some important documents in international trade. Subject matters There are two major types of documents involved in international trade: Financial documents The most commonly used financial document is bill of exchange. Commercial documents The commercial documents include commercial invoice and bill of lading under CFR and FOB; In terms of CIF, together with the two mentioned, insurance policy must be included. In addition, packing list, weight memo, inspection certificate, certificate of origin may also be included. ●Commercial Invoice This document is the general description of the quality and quantity of the goods and the unit and total price. The contents of the invoice must be completed in strict accordance with the terms of the contract. It must be filled in correctly and truly. The invoice is issued by the seller. ●Bill of lading A bill of lading is a transport document which is issued and signed by the shipping company or his agent (the carrier,承运人) and given to the shipper（托运人） acknowledging that goods have been received for shipment to a particular destination. A B/L is a title (物权)document in the sense that the legal owner of the B/L is the legal owner of the goods. The carrier will only release the goods against the original B/L（凭正本提单放货）. In practice, a clean on board bill of lading（已装船清洁提单） is required to prove the seller has fulfilled his obligation of making delivery. “Clean” means the goods are received in apparent good order and condition”（表面良好）. When a carrier finds no defective（有瑕疵的）