Force majeure

Force majeure describes events outside a party’s control, unforeseeable or unavoidable, that prevent or seriously hinder performance, such as natural disasters, war, or official prohibitions. Swiss law has no single general force-majeure code rule, so consequences often depend on the contract and on doctrines such as impossibility, delay without fault, or risk allocation. A clause should define covered events, notice duties, mitigation, suspension, termination, and cost consequences. Mere economic hardship is usually insufficient unless the contract says otherwise.