Officiële Toelichting

For the purposes of this Section, a future right is a right that will or might come into existence in the future (as opposed to a present right to a performance due in the future). Examples of future rights are rights that a bank may have against a customer who might be granted a credit line in the future, or that a company may have against another company on the basis of a contract which might be concluded in the future. The assignment of such future rights can be highly significant economically.

According to this Article a future right can be assigned on condition that it can be determined as the right to which the assignment relates when it comes into existence. The reason for this is the need to avoid the difficulties that might be caused by a transfer of future rights that are described in vague and too broad general terms.

This Article also provides that the assignment of future rights is effective with retroactivity between the assignor and the assignee. When the right comes into existence, the transfer is considered to have taken place at the time of the assignment agreement.

As regards third parties, it will be recalled that their rights may in some instances be governed by mandatory rules of the otherwise applicable law (e.g. the law of bankruptcy). However, third party rights are partly covered by other provisions of this Section, including the consequences of notices specified in Articles 9.1.10 and 9.1.11.