what is acting on its nomination? i think it includes -
1. must examine a presentation in 5 days
2. When determines that a presentation does not comply, it may refuse to honor or negotiate.
3. when decides to refuse to honor or negotiate, it
must give a single notice to that effect to the presenter.
4. after providing notice required by sub article 16 (c) (III) (a) or (b), return the documents to the presenter at any time.
now article 12a
Unless a nominated bank is the confirming bank, an authorization to honor or negotiate does not impose any obligation on that nominated bank to honor or negotiate, except when expressly agreed to by that nominated bank and so communicated to the beneficiary
that means if the nominated bank communicate its express agreement, it is oblige to honor or negotiate.
honor or negotiation by definition can occur only for a complying presentation and to determine the compliance, examination is must. if the nominated bank finds the document discrepant, it will at least return the document to the presenter at some point of time since its agreement was for honor or negotiation which is by definition for complying presentation only. thus the nominated bank which has communicated its agreement to honor is performing all the jobs of "acting on its nomination" so far except "refusing the document". going back to point three, if the nominated bank is to return the document, it must refuse first and thus must comply point 3. without meeting point three, point for 4 is not possible. if the nominated bank examines a document and finds discrepancies but remain silence then what is the point of examining it? to me such silence only means acceptance. this is total ridiculous that the acting nominated bank must give a notice but if it doesnt, nothing will happen. the silence period could have been very important for the beneficiary.
so i think, when the nominated bank expressly agree to honor or negotiate and communicated so to the beneficiary, it must comply 16 c and f.
dear cristian, your logic on under taking to pay without recourse with quite ok. but no where in UCP it is written that nominated bank will negotiate or honor without recourse. it says, nominated bank is not oblige to honor or negotiate. these two are not the same.
the only reference can be found in article 8 which says,"negotiate without recourse". this though give a sense that negotiation can be with recourse, but it also means honor is always without recourse.
regd
shahriar