General Terms and Conditions of Sale (GTCS)
of CleverFilter GmbH and CleverFilter Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH ("we"), both with registered offices at Valterweg 30, D-65817 Eppstein / Bremthal, registered in the Commercial Register B of the Local Court of Königstein im Taunus under HRB 8314 and HRB 8837, for use with entrepreneurs. These GTCS are based on German law, in case of doubt their German version shall prevail.§ 1 Scope, form
These GTCS apply to all our business relations with our customers ("Buyer"). The GCS only apply if the Buyer is an entrepreneur (§ 14 BGB), a legal entity under public law or a special fund under public law.
The GCS apply in particular to contracts for the sale and/or delivery of movable goods ("goods"), irrespective of whether we manufacture the goods ourselves or purchase them from suppliers (§§ 433, 651 BGB). Unless otherwise agreed, the GCS in the version valid at the time of the Buyer's order or in any case in the version last notified to him in text form shall also apply as a framework agreement for similar future contracts without our having to refer to them again in each individual case.
Our GTCS shall apply exclusively. Deviating, conflicting or supplementary General Terms and Conditions of the Buyer shall only become part of the contract if and to the extent that we have expressly consented to their application. This requirement of consent shall apply in any case, for example even if we carry out the delivery to the buyer without reservation in the knowledge of the buyer's GTC.
Individual agreements made with the Buyer in individual cases (including ancillary agreements, supplements and amendments) shall in any case take precedence over these GTCS. Subject to proof to the contrary, a written contract or our written confirmation shall be authoritative for the content of such agreements.
Legally relevant declarations and notifications of the buyer with regard to the contract (e.g. setting of deadlines, notification of defects, withdrawal or reduction) must be made in writing, i.e.in written or text form (e.g. letter, e-mail, fax). Legal formal requirements and further proof, in particular in the event of doubts about the legitimacy of the person making the declaration, shall remain unaffected.
References to the applicability of statutory provisions shall only have a clarifying significance. Even without such clarification, the statutory provisions shall therefore apply unless they are directly amended or expressly excluded in these GTC.
§ 2 Conclusion of contract
Our offers are subject to change and non-binding. This also applies if we have provided the buyer with catalogues, technical documentation (e.g. drawings, plans, calculations, calculations, references to DIN standards), other product descriptions or documents - also in electronic form - to which we reserve ownership and copyright.
The order of the goods by the buyer shall be deemed to be a binding offer of contract. Unless otherwise stated in the order, we shall be entitled to accept this contractual offer within 2 calendar weeks of its receipt by us.
Acceptance can be declared either in writing (e.g. by order confirmation) or by delivery of the goods to the buyer.
Please note that changes to your order after acceptance of your contractual offer by us can only be made on a goodwill basis and require our express consent. If we give our consent in an individual case, you shall bear all additional costs arising from the amendment. We reserve the right to make our consent to a change dependent on your assumption of the additional costs. We expressly point out that a modification of your order is excluded in any case if the goods ordered by you were manufactured according to your specifications or according to the specifications of your customers (e.g. application of labels deviating from the standard labelling requested by you or your customer on the goods ordered by you, special dimensions, special packaging units). The statutory rights of the buyer remain unaffected by this.
§ 3 Delivery period and delay in delivery
The delivery period shall be agreed individually or stated by us upon acceptance of the order. If this is not the case, the delivery period is approx. 3 weeks from the conclusion of the contract.
If we are unable to meet binding delivery deadlines for reasons for which we are not responsible (non-availability of the service), we shall inform the buyer of this immediately and at the same time inform him of the expected new delivery deadline. If the service is also not available within the new delivery period, we shall be entitled to withdraw from the contract in whole or in part; we shall immediately refund any consideration already paid by the buyer. A case of non-availability of the performance in this sense shall be deemed to be, in particular, the failure of our supplier to deliver on time if we have concluded a congruent hedging transaction, neither we nor our supplier are at fault or we are not obliged to procure in the individual case.
The occurrence of our delay in delivery shall be determined in accordance with the statutory provisions. In any case, however, a reminder by the buyer is required.
We are only entitled to make partial deliveries if
- the partial delivery is usable for the buyer within the scope of the contractual purpose,
- the delivery of the remaining ordered goods is ensured and
- the buyer does not incur significant additional expenses or costs as a result (unless we agree to bear these costs).
The rights of the Buyer pursuant to § 9 of these GTCS and our statutory rights, in particular in the event of an exclusion of the obligation to perform (e.g. due to impossibility or unreasonableness of performance and/or subsequent performance), shall remain unaffected.
§ 4 Delivery, transfer of risk, acceptance, default of acceptance
Delivery shall be made from our warehouse at Valterweg 30 in 65817 Eppstein / Bremthal, which is also the place of performance for the delivery and any subsequent performance. At the request and expense of the buyer, the goods will be shipped to another destination (sale by delivery to a place other than the place of performance). Unless otherwise agreed, we are entitled to determine the type of shipment (in particular transport company, shipping route, packaging) ourselves.
The risk of accidental loss and accidental deterioration of the goods shall pass to the buyer at the latest upon handover. In the case of sale by delivery to a place other than the place of performance, however, the risk of accidental loss and accidental deterioration of the goods as well as the risk of delay shall already pass upon delivery of the goods to the forwarding agent, the carrier or any other person or institution designated to carry out the shipment. If acceptance has been agreed, this shall be decisive for the transfer of risk. In all other respects, the statutory provisions of the law on contracts for work and services shall also apply mutatis mutandis to an agreed acceptance. Handover or acceptance shall be deemed to have taken place if the buyer is in default of acceptance.
If the buyer is in default of acceptance, if he fails to cooperate or if our delivery is delayed for other reasons for which the buyer is responsible, we shall be entitled to demand compensation for the resulting damage including additional expenses (e.g. storage costs). For this purpose, we are entitled to demand a lump-sum compensation in the amount of 0.5% of the net price for each full week of the delay in acceptance, but not more than a total of 5% of the delivery value or 10% in the case of final non-acceptance, beginning with the delivery deadline or - in the absence of a delivery deadline - with the notification that the goods are ready for shipment. The proof of higher damages and our statutory claims (in particular compensation for additional expenses, reasonable compensation, termination) remain unaffected; however, the lump-sum compensation is to be offset against further monetary claims. The buyer shall be entitled to prove that we have not incurred any damage at all or only significantly less damage than the aforementioned lump sum.
§ 5 Prices and terms of payment
Unless otherwise agreed in individual cases, our prices current at the time of conclusion of the contract shall apply, ex our warehouse at Valterweg 30 in 65817 Eppstein / Bremthal, plus statutory VAT. Any customs duties, fees, taxes and other public charges shall be borne by the buyer.
In the case of sale by delivery to a place other than the place of performance (§ 4 para. 1), the Buyer shall bear the transport costs ex warehouse and the costs of any transport insurance requested by the Buyer. If we do not invoice the transport costs actually incurred in the individual case, a transport cost flat rate (excluding transport insurance) of EUR 55.00 per Europool pallet (so-called "Euro pallet" or "exchange pallet", i.e. transport pallet in accordance with EN 13698-1) shall be deemed agreed.
The purchase price is due and payable within 14 days of invoicing and delivery or acceptance of the goods unless we agree otherwise in individual cases. However, we are entitled at any time, also within the framework of an ongoing business relationship, to make a delivery in whole or in part only against advance payment. We shall declare a corresponding reservation at the latest with the order confirmation.
Upon expiry of the aforementioned payment period, the buyer shall be in default. During the period of default, interest shall be charged on the purchase price at the statutory default interest rate applicable at the time. We reserve the right to assert further damage caused by default. Our claim to the commercial due date interest rate (§ 353 HGB) against merchants remains unaffected.
The buyer shall only be entitled to rights of set-off or retention insofar as his claim has been legally established or is undisputed. In the event of defects in the delivery, the Buyer's counter rights shall remain unaffected, in particular pursuant to § 7 para. 6 sentence 2 of these GTC.
If, after conclusion of the contract, it becomes apparent (e.g. by filing for insolvency proceedings) that our claim to the purchase price is jeopardised by the buyer's inability to pay, we shall be entitled to refuse performance in accordance with the statutory provisions and - if necessary after setting a deadline - to withdraw from the contract (§ 321 BGB). In the case of contracts for the manufacture of unjustifiable items (customised products), we may declare withdrawal immediately; the statutory regulations on the dispensability of setting a deadline remain unaffected.
§ 6 Retention of title
We retain title to the goods sold until full payment of all our present and future claims arising from the purchase contract and an ongoing business relationship (secured claims).
The goods subject to retention of title may neither be pledged to third parties nor assigned as security before full payment of the secured claims. The buyer must inform us immediately in writing if an application is made to open insolvency proceedings or if third parties (e.g. seizures) have access to the goods belonging to us.
In the event of conduct by the buyer in breach of contract, in particular in the event of non-payment of the purchase price due, we shall be entitled to withdraw from the contract in accordance with the statutory provisions or/and to demand surrender of the goods on the basis of the reservation of title. The demand for return does not at the same time include the declaration of withdrawal; we are rather entitled to demand only the return of the goods and to reserve the right of withdrawal. If the buyer does not pay the purchase price due, we may only assert these rights if we have previously set the buyer a reasonable deadline for payment without success or if setting such a deadline is dispensable according to the statutory provisions.
Until revoked in accordance with (c) below, the Buyer is authorised to resell and/or process the goods subject to retention of title in the ordinary course of business. In this case, the following provisions shall apply in addition: a) The retention of title shall extend to the products created by processing, mixing or combining our goods at their full value, whereby we shall be deemed to be the manufacturer. If, in the event of processing, mixing or combining with goods of third parties, their right of ownership remains, we shall acquire co-ownership in proportion to the invoice values of the processed, mixed or combined goods. In all other respects, the same shall apply to the resulting product as to the goods delivered under retention of title. b) The Buyer hereby assigns to us by way of security all claims against third parties arising from the resale of the goods or the product in total or in the amount of our co-ownership share, if any, in accordance with the preceding paragraph. We accept the assignment. The obligations of the buyer mentioned in paragraph 2 shall also apply with regard to the assigned claims. c) The buyer shall remain authorised to collect the claim in addition to us. We undertake not to collect the claim as long as the buyer fulfils his payment obligations towards us, there is no deficiency in his ability to pay and we do not assert the reservation of title by exercising a right in accordance with para. 3. If this is the case, however, we may demand that the buyer informs us of the assigned claims and their debtors, provides all information necessary for collection, hands over the relevant documents and informs the debtors (third parties) of the assignment. Furthermore, in this case we are entitled to revoke the buyer's authorisation to further sell and process the goods subject to retention of title.
§ 7 Claims for defects of the buyer
The statutory provisions shall apply to the purchaser's rights in the event of material defects and defects of title (including wrong delivery and short delivery as well as improper assembly or defective assembly instructions), unless otherwise stipulated below (in §§ 7 to 9). In all cases, the special statutory provisions shall remain unaffected in the case of final delivery of the goods to a consumer (supplier's recourse pursuant to §§ 478, 479 BGB).
The basis of our liability for defects is above all the agreement reached on the quality of the goods. All product descriptions which are the subject of the individual contract or which have been publicly announced by us (in particular in catalogues or on our Internet homepage) shall be deemed to be an agreement on the quality of the goods.
Insofar as the quality has not been agreed, it is to be assessed in accordance with the statutory regulation whether a defect exists or not (§ 434 Para. 1 S. 2 and 3 BGB). However, we do not accept any liability for public statements made by the manufacturer or other third parties (e.g. advertising statements).
The buyer's claims for defects presuppose that he has fulfilled his statutory obligations to inspect and give notice of defects (§§ 377, 381 HGB). If a defect becomes apparent upon delivery, inspection or at any later time, we must be notified thereof in writing without delay. In any case, obvious defects must be notified to us in writing within 2 weeks of delivery and defects which are not recognisable during the inspection must be notified to us within the same period of time after discovery. If the purchaser fails to carry out the proper inspection and/or give notice of defects, our liability for the defect not reported or not reported in time or not reported properly shall be excluded in accordance with the statutory provisions.
If the delivered item is defective, we may initially choose whether to provide subsequent performance by remedying the defect (rectification) or by delivering a defect-free item (replacement). Our right to refuse subsequent performance under the statutory conditions remains unaffected.
We are entitled to make the subsequent performance owed dependent on the buyer paying the purchase price due. However, the buyer shall be entitled to retain a reasonable part of the purchase price in relation to the defect.
The buyer shall give us the time and opportunity required for the subsequent performance owed, in particular to hand over the goods complained about for inspection purposes. In the event of a replacement delivery, the buyer shall return the defective item to us in accordance with the statutory provisions. Subsequent performance shall neither include the removal of the defective item nor its re-installation if we were not originally obliged to install it.
We shall bear the expenses necessary for the purpose of inspection and subsequent performance, in particular transport, travel, labour and material costs (not: removal and installation costs), if there is actually a defect. Otherwise, we may demand reimbursement from the buyer of the costs incurred as a result of the unjustified request for rectification of the defect (in particular inspection and transport costs), unless the lack of defectiveness was not recognisable to the buyer.
In urgent cases, e.g. if operational safety is endangered or to prevent disproportionate damage, the buyer has the right to remedy the defect himself and to demand reimbursement from us of the expenses objectively necessary for this purpose. We are to be notified immediately of such self-execution, if possible in advance. The right of self-execution does not exist if we would be entitled to refuse a corresponding subsequent performance in accordance with the statutory provisions.
If the subsequent performance has failed or if a reasonable deadline to be set by the buyer for the subsequent performance has expired unsuccessfully or is dispensable according to the statutory provisions, the buyer may withdraw from the purchase contract or reduce the purchase price. In the case of an insignificant defect, however, there shall be no right of withdrawal.
Claims of the buyer for damages or reimbursement of futile expenses also exist in the case of defects only in accordance with § 9 and are otherwise excluded.
§ 8 Industrial property rights
We warrant in accordance with this § 8 that the delivery item is free of industrial property rights or copyrights of third parties. We mutually undertake to notify the other contracting party in writing without undue delay if claims for infringement of such rights are asserted against a contracting party.
In the event that the delivery item infringes an industrial property right or copyright of a third party, we shall, at our discretion and at our expense, modify or replace the delivery item in such a way that the rights of third parties are no longer infringed, but the delivery item continues to fulfill the contractually agreed functions, or procure the right of use for the Buyer by concluding a license agreement. If we do not succeed in doing so within a reasonable period of time, the Buyer shall be entitled to rescind the contract or to reduce the purchase price appropriately. Any claims for damages on the part of the Buyer shall be subject to the limitations of § 9 of these GTC.
In the event of infringements of rights by products of other manufacturers supplied by us, we shall, at our discretion, assert our claims against the manufacturers and upstream suppliers for the account of the Buyer or assign them to the Buyer. In such cases, claims against us shall only exist in accordance with the provisions of this § 8 if the legal enforcement of the aforementioned claims against the manufacturers and upstream suppliers was unsuccessful or is futile, for example due to insolvency.
§ 9 Other liability
Insofar as nothing to the contrary arises from these GCS including the following provisions, we shall be liable in the event of a breach of contractual and non-contractual obligations in accordance with the statutory provisions.
We shall be liable for damages - irrespective of the legal grounds - within the framework of fault-based liability in the event of intent and gross negligence. In the case of simple negligence, we shall be liable, subject to a milder standard of liability in accordance with statutory provisions (e.g. for diligence in our own affairs), only a) for damages arising from injury to life, limb or health, b) for damages arising from the not inconsiderable breach of a material contractual obligation (obligation whose fulfillment is a prerequisite for the proper performance of the contract and on whose observance the contractual partner regularly relies and may rely); in this case, however, our liability shall be limited to compensation for the foreseeable, typically occurring damage.
The limitations of liability resulting from paragraph 2 shall also apply in the event of breaches of duty by or in favor of persons for whose fault we are responsible in accordance with statutory provisions. They shall not apply insofar as we have fraudulently concealed a defect or have assumed a guarantee for the quality of the goods as well as for claims of the Buyer under the Product Liability Act.
The Buyer may only withdraw from or terminate the contract due to a breach of duty that does not consist of a defect if we are responsible for the breach of duty. A free right of termination of the buyer (especially according to §§ 651, 649 BGB) is excluded. In all other respects, the statutory requirements and legal consequences shall apply.
§ 10 Limitation
Notwithstanding § 438 para. 1 no. 3 BGB, the general limitation period for claims arising from defects of quality and title shall be one year from delivery. If acceptance has been agreed, the limitation period shall commence upon acceptance.
However, if the goods are a building or an object which has been used for a building in accordance with its customary use and has caused its defectiveness (building material), the limitation period shall be 5 years from delivery in accordance with the statutory provision (§ 438 para. 1 no. 2 BGB). Other special statutory provisions on the limitation period (in particular § 438 para. 1 no. 1, para. 3, §§ 444, 479 BGB) shall also remain unaffected.
The above limitation periods of the law on sales shall also apply to contractual and non-contractual claims for damages of the Buyer based on a defect of the goods, unless the application of the regular statutory limitation period (§§ 195, 199 BGB) would lead to a shorter limitation period in individual cases. However, claims for damages by the Buyer pursuant to § 9 para. 2 sentence 1 and sentence 2 (a) as well as pursuant to the Product Liability Act shall become time-barred exclusively in accordance with the statutory limitation periods.
§ 11 Choice of law and place of jurisdiction
The law of the Federal Republic of Germany shall apply to these GCSD and the contractual relationship between us and the Buyer to the exclusion of international uniform law, in particular the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.
If the Buyer is a merchant within the meaning of the German Commercial Code, a legal entity under public law or a special fund under public law, the exclusive - including international - place of jurisdiction for all disputes arising directly or indirectly from the contractual relationship shall be our registered office in 65817 Eppstein / Bremthal. The same shall apply if the Buyer is an entrepreneur within the meaning of § 14 BGB (German Civil Code). However, we shall also be entitled in all cases to bring an action at the place of performance of the delivery obligation in accordance with these GCS or a prior individual agreement or at the general place of jurisdiction of the Buyer. Overriding statutory provisions, in particular on exclusive jurisdiction, shall remain unaffected.