The CISG sets rules for contracts for the international sale of goods.
CISG stands for the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. It was adopted in Vienna on 11 April 1980 and entered into force on 1 January 1988. The convention aims to create predictable rules for cross-border sales, including contract formation, obligations of buyers and sellers, delivery, conformity of goods, remedies, and damages.
The CISG can apply when businesses in different contracting states make a qualifying international sale, subject to its rules and any valid exclusions. It generally concerns commercial goods, not consumer purchases, services, or many specialized categories.
CISG is often confused with Incoterms, which allocate delivery responsibilities, costs, and risk, and with the TRIPS Agreement, which concerns intellectual property. The Hague-Visby Rules primarily address certain international carriage contracts by sea.