“Delivered Duty Unpaid” means that the seller delivers the goods to the buyer, not cleared for import, and not unloaded from any arriving means of transport at the named place of destination. The seller has to bear the costs and risks involved in bringing the goods thereto, other than, where applicable,83 any “duty” (which

term includes the responsibility for and the risks of the carrying out of customs formalities, and the payment of formalities, customs duties, taxes and other charges) for import in the country of destination. Such “duty” has to be borne by the buyer as well as any costs and risks caused by his failure to clear the goods for import in time.

However, if the parties wish the seller to carry out customs formalities and bear the costs and risks resulting therefrom as well as some of the costs payable upon import of the goods, this should be made clear by adding explicit wording to this effect in the contract of sale.84

This term may be used irrespective of the mode of transport but when delivery is to take place in the port of destination on board the vessel or on the quay (wharf), the DES or DEQ terms should be used.

A The seller’s obligations

A1 Provision of the goods in conformity with the contract

The seller must provide the goods and the commercial invoice, or its equivalent electronic message, in conformity with the contract of sale and any other evidence of conformity which may be required by the contract.

A2 Licences, authorizations and formalities

The seller must obtain at his own risk and expense any export licence and other official authorization or other documents and carry out, where applicable,85 all customs formalities necessary for the export of the goods and for their transit through any country.

A3 Contracts of carriage and insurance

(a) Contract of carriage

The seller must contract at his own expense for the carriage of the goods to the named place of destination. If a specific point is not agreed or is not determined by practice, the seller may select the point at the named place of destination which best suits his purpose.

(b) Contract of insurance

No obligation.

A4 Delivery

The seller must place the goods at the disposal of the buyer, or at that of another person named by the buyer, on any arriving means of transport not unloaded, at the named place of destination on the date or within the period agreed for delivery.

A5 Transfer of risks

The seller must, subject to the provisions of B5, bear all risks of loss of or damage to the goods until such time as they have been delivered in accordance with A4.

A6 Division of costs

The seller must, subject to the provisions of B6, pay

in addition to costs resulting from A3 (a), all costs relating to the goods until such time as they have been delivered in accordance with A4;
where applicable,90 the costs of customs formalities necessary for export as well as all duties, taxes and other charges payable upon export and for their transit through any country prior to delivery in accordance with A4.

A7 Notice to the buyer

The seller must give the buyer sufficient notice of the dispatch of the goods as well as any other notice required in order to allow the buyer to take measures which are normally necessary to enable him to take delivery of the goods.

A8 Proof of delivery, transport document or equivalent electronic message

The seller must provide the buyer at the seller’s expense the delivery order and/or the usual transport document (for example a negotiable bill of lading, a non-negotiable sea waybill, an inland waterway document, an air waybill, a railway consignment note, a road consignment note, or a multimodal transport document)
which the buyer may require to take delivery of the goods in accordance with A4/B4. Where the seller and the buyer have agreed to communicate electronically,
the document referred to in the preceding paragraph may be replaced by an equivalent electronic data interchange (EDI) message.

A9 Checking—packaging—marking

The seller must pay the costs of those checking operations (such as checking quality, measuring, weighing, counting) which are necessary for the purpose of delivering the goods in accordance with A4. The seller must provide at his own expense packaging (unless it is usual for the particular trade to deliver the goods of the contract
description unpacked) which is required for the delivery of the goods. Packaging is to be marked appropriately.

A10 Other obligations

The seller must render the buyer at the latter’s request, risk and expense, every assistance in obtaining any documents or equivalent electronic messages (other than those mentioned in A8) issued or transmitted in the country of dispatch and/or of origin which the buyer may require for the import of the goods. The seller must provide the buyer, upon request, with the necessary information for procuring insurance.

B The buyer’s obligations

B1 Payment of the price

The buyer must pay the price as provided in the contract of sale.

B2 Licences, authorizations and formalities

The buyer must obtain at his own risk and expense any import licence or other official authorization or other documents and carry out, where applicable,86 all customs formalities necessary for the import of the goods.

B3 Contracts of carriage and insurance

(a) Contract of carriage

No obligation

(b) Contract of insurance

No obligation

B4 Taking delivery

The buyer must take delivery of the goods when they have been delivered in accordance with A4.

B5 Transfer of risks

The buyer must bear all risks of loss of or damage to the goods from the time they have been delivered in accordance with A4. The buyer must, should he fail to fulfil his obligations in accordance with B2, bear all additional risks of loss of or damage to the goods incurred thereby. The buyer must, should he fail to give notice in accordance with B7, bear all risks of loss of or damage to the goods from the agreed date or the expiry date of the agreed period for delivery provided, however, that the goods have been duly appropriated to the contract, that is to say, clearly set aside or otherwise identified as the contract goods.

B6 Division of costs

The buyer must pay

all costs relating to the goods from the time they have been delivered in accordance with A4;
all additional costs incurred if he fails to fulfil his obligations in accordance with B2, or to give notice in accordance with B7, provided, however, that the goods have been duly appropriated to the contract, that is to say, clearly set aside or otherwise identified as the contract goods;
where applicable,91 the costs of customs formalities as well as all duties, taxes and other charges payable upon import of the goods.

B7 Notice to the seller

The buyer must, whenever he is entitled to determine the time within an agreed period and/or the point of taking delivery at the named place, give the seller sufficient notice thereof.

B8 Proof of delivery, transport document or equivalent electronic message

The buyer must accept the appropriate delivery order or transport document in accordance with A8.

B9 Inspection of goods

The buyer must pay the costs of any pre-shipment inspection except when such inspection is mandated by the authorities of the country of export.

B10 Other obligations

The buyer must pay all costs and charges incurred in obtaining the documents or equivalent electronic messages mentioned in A10 and reimburse those incurred by the seller in rendering his assistance in accordance therewith.