La promesse de porte-fort
Institution:
Aix-Marseille 3Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
The promise of the "porte-fort" stated by the article 1120 of the civil code, is the engagement towards the stipulant to obtain the consent of the third party. The contractant concludes a contract on behalf of a third without having the power of doing it in the first place. He himself promises that a third will take the engagement. The promise of the "porte-fort" appears in the accomplishement of legal facts and legal transactions. It is not submitted to any special form. While interpreting the promise, the judge has the power to give back to the contract its real judicial qualification without having to follow the qualifications suggested by the parties. The approval is the act whereby the third lets know that the wants to make the contract that had been concluded in this behalf by the contractant. The contractant is therefore freed. He garantees only the approval, but not the execution of the fact, and that is because he is not "caution". The third becames then directly engaged tomards the stipulant. The approval has a retroactive action since the day where the promise of the "porte-fort" has been made. The lack of approval binds the liability out of contract of the contractant towards the stipulant. The promise of the "porte-fort" is not considered a promise for others. The third is not bound if he did not give his consent. The promise of the "porte-fort" is not a derogation to the principle of the relatif effect of contracts stated by the article 1165 of the civil code. The promise of the "porte-fort" is different from other close notions such as business management, "l'enrichissement sans cause", representation, mandat, provision in favour of the third party, shipping contract of goods and collective labour agreement. It has its own characteristics that give it a proper judicial nature. It is a unique and independant notion. This uniqueness and independance are reflected in corporation law, "safety law", comparative law and lege ferenda
Abstract FR:
La promesse de porte-fort, enoncee dans l'article 1120 du code civil, est l'engagement du porte-fort envers le stipulant de procurer le consentement du tiers. Le porte-fort conclut un contrat pour le compte d'un tiers sans en avoir prealablement le pouvoir. Il promet soi-meme qu'un tiers s'engagera. La promesse de porte-fort se manifeste dans l'accomplissement des faits et des actes juridiques. Elle n'est soumise a aucune forme determinee. Le juge, en procedant a l'interpretation de ladite promesse, a le pouvoir de restituer a la convention sa veritable qualification juridique sans etre tenu d'adopter la qualification proposee par les parties. La ratification est l'acte par lequel le tiers declare vouloir s'approprier le contrat qui a ete conclu pour son compte par le porte-fort. Celui-ci est donc libere. Il ne garantit que la ratification et non pas l'execution du fait car il n'est pas caution. Le tiers se trouve alors engage directement envers le stipulant. La ratification produit retroactivement ses effets au jour ou a ete faite la promesse de porte-fort. La non ratification engage la responsabilite contractuelle du porte-fort envers le stipulant. La promesse de porte-fort n'est pas consideree comme une promesse pour autrui. Le tiers n'est pas oblige sans son consentement. Elle ne constitue donc pas une derogation au principe de l'effet relatif des conventions prevu par l'article 1165 du code civil. La promesse de porte-fort se distingue des autres institutions voisines a savoir la gestion d'affaires, l'enrichissement sans cause, la representation, le mandat, la stipulation pour autrui, le contrat de transport de marchandises et la convention collective. Elle jouit de caracteristiques propres qui lui assurent une nature juridique appropriee. Elle constitue une institution originale et autonome. Cette originalite et cette autonomie se refletent en droit des societes, en droit des suretes, en droit compare et au lege ferenda