General Terms and Conditions

Article 1 — Scope of application

These GTC apply to all offers, orders and service provisions made by KARL SPEDITION. Any use of our services implies full and unconditional acceptance of these GTC. No derogation may arise from the customer's general purchasing conditions, unless prior written agreement from KARL SPEDITION.

Article 2 — Services

KARL SPEDITION offers the following services:

• Organisation and management of international air freight (express, standard, charter)
• Organisation and management of sea freight (FCL, LCL, tramping)
• Multimodal and combined transport
• Import and export customs clearance
• Cargo insurance
• Warehousing and distribution
• Logistics consulting

KARL SPEDITION acts as a freight forwarder within the meaning of Article 3 of the Austrian law of 25 August 1891 on contracts of carriage and the WKO Transport General Conditions for transit operations.

Article 3 — Quotations and orders

Any quotation is valid for 5 working days from its date of issue, unless otherwise stated. The quotation is prepared on the basis of information provided by the customer. Any modification (weight, dimensions, nature of goods, destination) may result in a price revision.

An order is firm and final upon receipt by KARL SPEDITION of the written shipping order (email, web portal or EDI). The customer guarantees the accuracy of the information provided.

Article 4 — Customer obligations

The customer undertakes to:

• Provide accurate and complete information on the nature, weight, dimensions and value of the goods
• Declare any hazardous goods (ADR, IATA-DGR, IMDG) and provide the required documents
• Ensure the goods comply with the regulations of the countries of origin, transit and destination
• Deliver goods packaged in accordance with transport standards
• Meet deadlines for submission of customs documents

Article 5 — Rates and payment

Rates are expressed in euros (EUR) excluding Austrian VAT (20%), unless otherwise indicated. The following may be added: fuel surcharges (BAF/YQ), security surcharges, port or airport handling fees.

Payment terms: 30 days from invoice date, unless specifically agreed otherwise. Any late payment shall automatically give rise to late payment interest at the ECB rate + 8 points, together with a flat-rate penalty of 10% of the invoiced amount (minimum €40) in accordance with the law of 2 August 2002 on combating late payment.

KARL SPEDITION reserves a right of retention over all goods in its possession until full payment of all amounts due.

Article 6 — Liability and limitations

The liability of KARL SPEDITION as a freight forwarder is governed by:

• Air freight: Montreal Convention (1999) — limit of 22 SDR/kg
• Sea freight: Hague-Visby Rules — limit of 2 SDR/kg or 666.67 SDR/package
• Customs clearance: Direct damages only, capped at 3 × the value of the commission received

KARL SPEDITION is exempt from all liability in the event of:

• Force majeure (strike, natural disaster, terrorist act, pandemic)
• Inherent defect of the goods
• Fault or negligence of the customer or a third party
• Delay attributable to customs or health inspections

Article 7 — Insurance

Unless an ad valorem insurance policy is expressly taken out, goods travel at the shipper's risk, within the limits set out in Article 6. KARL SPEDITION offers all-risks cover on request. The customer is required to declare the actual value of the goods.

Article 8 — Claims

Any claim for apparent damage must be made by written reservations to the carrier upon delivery. For non-apparent damage, the claim must be sent to KARL SPEDITION within 7 days of delivery. No claim shall be admissible after this period.

Article 9 — Personal data

Data collected under these GTC is processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Article 10 — Applicable law and dispute resolution

These GTC are governed by Austrian law. In the event of a dispute, the parties undertake to seek an amicable resolution. Failing this, the Landesgericht Feldkirch shall have exclusive jurisdiction, subject to the application of international transport conventions.

The parties may also refer the matter to the Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (CEPANI) in accordance with its Arbitration Rules.