One of the firm’s Mongolian lawyers was asked recently to assist a longstanding client to confirm the legality of a corporate guarantee in connection with one of this client’s commodities trading transactions. The corporate guarantee is common in varies business transactions in Mongolia.
This particular client had some questions about the corporate guarantee, based on the client’s experience using similar instruments in the UK. A corporate guarantee in Mongolia has some special features, so it is worth taking a look at what makes a Mongolian corporate guarantee unique, and what the main laws are governing this vital business tool.
Under a typical guarantee contract the Guarantor undertakes to guarantee to an Obligee to accept a specific obligation in case of the failure of the Obligor to fulfill that obligation. The Guarantor’s obligation is normally limited by the Obligor’s obligation to the Obligee under the guarantee contract, and the Guarantor will not be responsible for obligations of the Obligor relating to separate agreements concluded after the date the guarantee is issued.
The guarantee contract itself may specify future obligations that come due at a certain time in the future, or conditional obligations which only arise in the event of the occurrence of a certain defined situation.
The guarantee contract must be concluded in writing. This is a formal requirement which is stated in the law. It’s always better to specify a limit to the Guarantor’s potential liabilities in case of the failure of the Obligor to meet its own obligations.
If the guarantee contract is to be valid for a period over 5 years, or by its terms is valid for an indefinite period, Mongolian law requires the Guarantor to notify the Obligee and Obligor at least three months in advance of any termination of the guarantee contract by the Guarantor;
If the guarantee contract is terminated on any party’s initiative, the Guarantor is legally required to fulfill its obligations arising before the termination of the contract.
Our next post will review some specific obligations of the parties to the guarantee contract under Mongolian law.