INCOTERMS (International Commercial Terms) have been published by the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris since 1936. There have been several amendments and supplements introduced along the years (1953, 1967, 1976, 1980, 1990, 2000). The last version has come into effect on 1 January 2011.

Incoterms has been amended due to:

• replacing paper documents by their electronic version,
• introducing new responsibilities in order to protect cargo and delivery chains,
• making revisions to the US Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) in 2004,
• introducing the revised Institute Insurance Clauses in 2009,
• development of containerisation.

The INCOTERMS®2010 rules have been recognised by the UNICITRAL as the global standard for the interpretation of the international trade rules.

INCOTERMS®2010 facilitate concluding contracts and allow to avoid misunderstandings derived from different interpretation of the same issues. The INCOTERMS®2010 rules define the terms of mutual responsibilities between the seller and the buyer but they do not refer to contracts with carriage and forwarding agents. Good command of transport regulations is, however, indispensable for forwarding agents in order to organise transport, deal with the possible claims, evaluate customs clearance value of the cargo, etc. Moreover, INCOTERMS®2010 do not state contract violation consequences or specify special circumstances when the liability of the party involved might be released. These matters should be settled according to adequate clauses of the commercial contractor optionally by the reference to the proper regulations. INCOTERMS®2010 are applicable to international trade as well as to a domestic.