工程和法律英语（18）FIDIC“现场进入权条款”的权利义务表达

文 / 李 健

Conditions of Contract for Construction， FIDIC， 1999 现场进入权条款（2.1 Right of Access to the Site）对 FIDIC 权利义务的表达如下。

2.1 Right of Access to the Site

The Employer 1 shall give the Contractor right of access to， and possession of， all parts of the Site within the time（ or times） stated in the Appendix to Tender. The right and possession may not be exclusive to the Contractor. If， under the Contract， the Employer is required to give（ tothe Contractor） possession of any foundation， structure， plant or means of access， the Employer 2 shall do so in the time and manner stated in theSpecification. However， the Employer may withhold any such right or possession until the Performance Security has been received.

If no such time is stated in the Appendix to Tender， the Employer 3 shall give the Contractor right of access to， and possession of， the Site within such times as may be required to enable the Contractor to proceed in accordance with the programme submitted under Sub-Clause 8.3［ Programme］.

If the Contractor suffers delay and/or incurs Cost as a result of a failure by the Employer to give any such right or possession within suchtime， the Contractor 4 shall give notice to the Engineer and 5 shall be entitled subject to Sub-Clause 20.1［ Contractor’s Claims］ to：

（a） an extension of time for any such， delay， if completion is or will be delayed， under Sub-Clause 8.4［ Extension of Time for Completion］， and

（b） payment of any such Cost plus reasonable profit， which 6 shall be included in the Contract Price.

After receiving this notice， the Engineer 7 shall proceed in accordance with Sub-Clause 3.5［ Determinations］ to agree or determinethese matters.

However， if and to the extent that the Employer’s failure was caused by any error or delay by the Contractor， including an error in， or delay in the submission of， any of the Contractor’s documents， the Contractor 8 shall not be entitled to such extension of time， Cost or profit.

首先，我们看到FIDIC文本中采用了shall，表明FIDIC并没有采用 ABC Rules。

其次，是否采用了AmericanRules则需要具体分析了。上述文字中，编号为1、2、3、4、7的shall，都是对作为法律关系主体的句子主语设置义务，符合AmericanRules关于shall限于对法律关系主体设置义务的规定。前述情境中，根据不同主体（也就是句子主语）可以相应翻译为：业主必须……，承包商必须……，工程师必须……。编号为 5 的 shall，即 ：the Contractor…… 5 shall be entitled subject to Sub-Clause20.1［Contractor’s Claims］to……，按照字面意思，应当翻译为：承包商必须按照条款20.1［承包商索赔］获得授权……。此处的shall的用法无法得到合理解释：一方面，从上下文看，这一句本来的意思是要表达承包商有权得到……；另一方面，从句子本身看，shall却对承包商设置了义务；两方面合在一起，便成了“承包商有义务得到……权利”。这是什么话？大家读起来或者听起来，一定感觉到非常别扭，且不合逻辑！本文认为，改为the Contractor……will be entitled subject to Sub-Clause 20.1［ Contractor’s Claims］ to……更准确，无歧义。编号为 6 的 shall，即 ：payment……，which 6 shall be included in the Contract Price，这里 shall的主语为 payment，不能成为法律关系的主体，使用shall，其意思便难以确定；作为一项“要求”，使用 must更合适。编号为 8 的 shall，即 ：the Contractor 8 shall not be entitled to such extension of time， Cost or profit. 与not 连用，在American Rules之下，替换成 must not或者 may not更合适 ；或者干脆改成 the Contractor will have no right to such extension of time， Cost or profit.承包商无权获得此类延长期、成本或利润。

再次，再来看看 may 的使用。The right and possession may not be exclusive to the Contractor..通常情况下，may not应当是“不得”的意思，那这句话就应当这样理解“此类进入和占用权不得为承包商独享”，也就是，The right and possession must not be exclusive to the Contractor.承包商无权要求独享。可是，不少中文文献将这一句翻译为“此类进入和占用权可不为承包商独享”，注意这里使用的是“可不”，也就是说，在适当条件下，承包商可以要求独享。此刻，回译应当是，The right and possession is permitted not to be exclusive to the Contractor.上文中另外两处may的使用无歧义。

最后，我们总结一下。FIDIC合同文本中有关权利义务的表达，既没有采用ABC Rules也没有采用American Rules；特别是其广泛使用的shall等存在多义性，虽然可以借助文本的体系解释技术进行一致性解释，但仍然无法做到清晰、准确、无歧义、前后一贯地表达权利义务。这也告诉我们，没有必要把FIDIC合同文本奉为不可更易的圭臬，我们完全可以在合同谈判中发挥我们的能动性。