ForewordBy Rajat Gupta, ICC ChairmanThe global economy has given business broader access than ever before to markets all over the world. Goods are sold in more countries，in large quantities, and in greater variety. But as the volume and complexity of global sales increase, so do possibilities for misunderstandings and costly disputes when sale contracts are not adequately drafted.The Incoterms® rules, the ICC rules on the use of domestic and international trade terms, facilitate the conduct of global trade. Reference to an Incoterms 2025 rule in a sale contract clearly defines the parties' respective obligations and reduces the risk of legal complications.Since the creation of the Incoterms rules by ICC in 1936, this globally accepted contractual standard has been regularly updated to keep pace with the development of international trade. The Incoterms 2025 rules take account of the continued spread of customs-free zones, the increased use of electronic communications in business transactions, heightened concern about security in the movement of goods and consolidates in transport practices. Incoterms2025 updates and consolidates the 'delivered' rules, reducing the total number of rules from 13 to 11, and offers a simpler and clearer presentation of all the rules. Incoterms 2025 is also the first version of the Incoterms rules to make all references to buyers and sellers gender-neutral.The broad expertise of ICC's Commission on Commercial Law and Practice, whose membership is drawn from all parts of the world and all trade sectors, ensures that the Incoterms 2025 rules respond to business needs everywhere defines the parties' respective obligations and reduces the risk of legal complications.ICC would lik...
