Chart of Responsibility

INCOTERMS 2000

When negotiating an international sales contract, both parties need to pay as much attention to the terms of sale as to the sales price. To make it as clear as possible, an international set of trade terms (INCOTERMS) has been adopted by most countries that defines exactly the responsibilities and risks of both the buyer and seller including while the merchandise is in transit.

The following chart summarizes the responsibilities of both the buyer and seller for each of the current 13 INCOTERMS. In addition, a definition for each term is included at the bottom of the page.

For a more complete description of each of the INCOTERMS, The IBT Guide to INCOTERMS 2000 book published by International Business Training fully and clearly defines each of the new INCOTERMS that became effective January 1, 2000, and includes a number of case studies that demonstrate the use of the different terms in real-life situations.

* There are actually two FCA terms: FCA Seller's Premises where the seller is responsible only for loading the goods and not responsible for inland freight; and FCA Named Place (International Carrier) where the seller is responsible for inland freight.