预约合同的认定及其违约责任研究

Research on the Identification of Pre-Contracts and Their Liability for Breach

摘要: 预约合同是一种独立的合同，是当事人订立合同的重要方式，在实践中被广泛采用。根据《民法典》和《民法典合同编通则解释》对预约合同的相关规定，预约合同具有合意性、约束性、确定性和期限性四个基本特征，根据基本特征可进一步区分预约合同和意向书以及本约合同。至于预约合同违约责任之适用难题，应当认为预约合同的违约责任形式不包括继续履行，而确定赔偿数额时需将非违约方对缔约机会的可期待性纳入考量范围，并以本约合同的缔约过失责任和违约责任为其上下限进行具体确定。

Abstract: A pre-contract is an independent type of contract and a pivotal mechanism for parties to form contractual relationships, widely utilized in practical transactions. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China and the Judicial Interpretation of the General Provisions of the Contract Book of the Civil Code, pre-contracts are characterized by four core attributes: consensuality, binding effect, determinacy, and temporality. These attributes serve as the foundational criteria for distinguishing pre-contracts from letters of intent and formal contracts (main contracts). Regarding the challenges in applying liability for breach of pre-contracts, it is argued that specific performance should be excluded from the forms of such liability. When ascertaining the amount of damages, the non-breaching party’s reasonable expectation of the opportunity to conclude the main contract must be incorporated into the assessment framework. Specifically, the upper and lower bounds for damages should be defined by reference to the liability for contractual negligence and liability for breach of the main contract, respectively.