文/李 健

本文討論建設(shè)工程合同領(lǐng)域常有爭論的兩個術(shù)語——“缺陷責(zé)任期”和“缺陷通知期Defects Notification Period”。這兩個詞在實質(zhì)意義上也是對當(dāng)事人權(quán)利義務(wù)關(guān)系產(chǎn)生重要影響的時間概念。

例1——缺陷責(zé)任期：是指承包人按照合同約定承擔(dān)缺陷修復(fù)義務(wù)，且發(fā)包人預(yù)留質(zhì)量保證金（已繳納履約保證金的除外）的期限，自工程實際竣工日期起計算（1.1.4.4）。保修期：是指承包人按照合同約定對工程承擔(dān)保修責(zé)任的期限，從工程竣工驗收合格之日起計算（1.1.4.5）。（中國《建設(shè)工程施工合同（示范文本）》（GF——2017——0201））

試譯：“Defects Liability Period”means the period during which the Contractor shall perform the obligation to remedy defects according to the Contract and the Employer may retain the Retention Money for the construction quality （except where the money as Performance Security has been submitted）， calculated from the date on which the Works or Section is actually completed （1.1.4.4）. “Warranty Period” means the period during which the Contractor shall perform the obligation to maintain the Works or Section， calculated from the date on which the Works or Section is checked and accepted （1.1.4.5）.

例 2——“Defects Notification Period” means the period for notifying defects in the Works or a Section （as the case may be） under the Sub-Clause 11.1 ［Completion of Outstanding Work and Remedying Defects］ ， as stated in the Appendix to Tender （with any extension under Sub-Clause 11.3 ［Extension of Defects Notification Period］）， calculated from the date on which the Works or Section is completed as certified under Sub-Clause 10.1［Taking Over of the Works or Sections］ .（1.1.3.7， Contract for Construction， FIDIC， 1999）

試譯：“缺陷通知期”是指投標(biāo)書附錄中載明的，從根據(jù)第10.1款［工程或區(qū)段工程的接收］確認(rèn)的工程或區(qū)段工程（視情況而定）竣工日期算起，至根據(jù)第11.1款［掃尾工作的完成和缺陷的修補(bǔ)］通知工程或區(qū)段工程中存在缺陷的期限（包括第11.3款［缺陷通知期的延長］下的任何延長）。

點評

1.看了兩例，我們注意到，“Defects Notification Period缺陷通知期”與“缺陷責(zé)任期Defects Liability Period”，兩者表述或意思很相近。中文文獻(xiàn)多認(rèn)為兩者不同，譬如來源不同、起算點不同、期限長短不同等，或者認(rèn)為前者是從業(yè)主角度說的，后者是從承包商角度說的。有專門解釋FIDIC文本的英文文獻(xiàn)認(rèn)為，大陸法系的法律從業(yè)人員（civil law practitioners）常常誤解例2中的Defects Notification Period，指出Defects Notification Period的設(shè)置的原因是…at common law the only remedy for breach of contract is damages，…if a defect occurs either before or after the issue of the Taking-Over Certificate a common law judge is usually not empowered to grant specific performance，即在英美普通法系中，違約的唯一救濟(jì)手段是損害賠償，在工程接受證書簽發(fā)前后一定期限內(nèi)工程出現(xiàn)缺陷，法官無權(quán)給承包商作出“特征履行”的判決。對于建設(shè)工程來說，這是不合適的。Thus common law construction contracts normally provide for an additional period of time during which the Contractor is obliged to remedy defects. 這樣，普通法系建設(shè)工程合同通常規(guī)定一個“額外”期限，在這個期限內(nèi)承包商有義務(wù)修補(bǔ)工程缺陷，合同義務(wù)繼續(xù)存在，…the Contractor is still under the obligation to carry out any work which becomes instructed by the Engineer or Employer， to the extent that a defect occurs which is or is not attributable to the Contractor，即只要出現(xiàn)缺陷，承包商都有義務(wù)去完成工程師或業(yè)主指示的任何工作，即使缺陷由非承包商原因引起（此時引起的結(jié)算問題可按有關(guān)變更程序辦理）。

2.有兩點值得我們關(guān)注：第一，“Defects Notification Period”是“違約的唯一救濟(jì)手段是損害賠償”普通法原則的“衡平”手段；第二，“Defects Notification Period”有必要單獨定義的原因在于用來區(qū)別legal defects liability法定“缺陷責(zé)任期”。我們注意到，合同自由原則已成為合同法的普遍原則，在工程東道國法定義務(wù)限度內(nèi)，合同救濟(jì)手段也可以約定——中國的示范文本就取這個態(tài)度（見例1）；中國《建筑法》確立的建筑工程質(zhì)量保修制度，The State shall establish the system of the warranty of quality for construction projects（Article 62.1，Construction Law of the PRC）——其實質(zhì)是法定的質(zhì)量保證義務(wù)（當(dāng)然包含維修義務(wù)）。

3.我認(rèn)為，Defects Notification Period與“約定的agreed”“缺陷責(zé)任期Defects Liability Period”，完全“可以”認(rèn)為是一回事；基于合同自由和權(quán)利義務(wù)對等原則，中文文獻(xiàn)中所列舉的不同點都可以溶解在當(dāng)事人的自由“約定”中；而所謂legal defects liability period法定“缺陷責(zé)任期”，在中國，就是warranty of quality，例1中將“保修期”譯成Warranty Period，就是根據(jù)實質(zhì)意思所做的翻譯，而沒有照字面譯成“Maintenance Period”——它似乎是Defects Liability Period以前的稱呼。