A cooperation agreement is a contract between two or more people or companies that wish to carry out a new discreet project. A cooperation agreement is much more limited than a joint venture agreement or partnership agreement. In a joint venture, the parties can work on something more comprehensive – including new total business ventures or new services. In a partnership, the parties decide to cooperate indefinitely. A cooperation agreement, on the other hand, concerns only a small project, and it is usually a project related to advertising or cross-promotion. Project details are often included in the agreement in the form of a specification attached to the agreement or in a schedule for the agreement. The specification usually specifies the contribution and resources required by each party at the beginning of the project, and specifies what is expected of the parties throughout the duration. The more details are provided, the clearer the project parameters are and can save from renegotiations or clarifications of conditions at a later stage once the project has begun. However, this approach can work both ways – it can be beneficial if negotiations are difficult or the outcome is in your favour, but it can also be helpful to remain flexible to further discuss how certain parts of the project will work once the parties have a better idea of how the project is going; What could happen without one of them? If you have not entered into a written agreement, English contract law can still be applied to oral agreements, but there is less certainty about how your agreements will be interpreted, and ultimately, if there is a dispute, it may be more difficult to prove without a written agreement what the parties` intention was at the time the terms were agreed. Another point to consider is that if your project requires third-party financing or insurance, lenders, lenders, and insurers will likely want a legally binding agreement so that they can relate to something concrete in the provision of their services. Important provisions are the conditions relating to how the project is financed and the amounts that each party must pay for the duration of the agreement. It is very important to document what happens when more money is needed for the project, when a party is not paying, when it is forced to do so, and how and when each party can expect to recoup its investment.

If a party defaults on its payment obligations under the cooperation agreement, the other party or parties may be able to claim damages from a court for losses suffered by them as a result of the non-payment by the infringing party. If a party provides a lot of resources or makes a significant investment in the project, it can claim compensation for the losses it suffers in connection with certain aspects of the project. Indemnification is a contractual obligation that a party imposes on another party to compensate that party for any loss that that party has suffered or may suffer, and any loss suffered may be recovered from the indemnified party as a debt. Payment terms could also include practical provisions on billing agreements; Each Party shall seek to protect any information it provides to other Parties that contains confidential or commercially sensitive content, and therefore obligations not to disclose and protect such information should be included in the Agreement. The agreement must clearly state the extent to which the parties can use this type of information and set limits on the use of each party`s business information, customer data and contacts (this can be done only for the purpose of carrying out the project, but can be broader if the parties agree). The agreement should also clearly indicate whether the parties to the agreement can engage in activities that are competitive or similar to the project. One point to keep in mind is that all restrictive provisions must be carefully drafted to ensure that they comply with the requirements of EU and UK competition law. Our experienced commercial lawyers can advise, draft or revise your cooperation agreement to protect your interests. A project schedule can be created once the parties have agreed that a proposal can be formalized. Such a timetable will have no impact under the Cooperation Agreement (and will not be part of it) until it has been agreed and signed by all parties. The project schedule generally includes: Memoranda of Understanding are like contracts that define how two organizations will work together. Although letters of intent are technically legally binding, consider these documents as a tool to facilitate partnership and ensure a harmonious working relationship between two organizations.

However, given the legal nature of the documents, it is advisable to ask a legal representative to verify the language contained in the letter of intent before it is signed. Cooperation agreements are private commercial agreements between the parties, and there is no legal obligation to conclude them. Whether you want a legally binding cooperation agreement depends on the risks you take as part of the project and the time, money and resources you allocate to the project, not to mention what you hope to gain from the project. Entering into a written and legally binding business agreement is a way to ensure that the risks you take are managed and that you have a remedy (for example.B. you may be able to claim damages or specific performance under English law against the other party or parties) if the cooperation goes wrong. A cooperation agreement helps avoid uncertainty with your employee by clarifying the nature and scope of your relationship. Without a signed cooperation agreement, questions may be raised about the ownership and control of jointly created works, as well as the ability to dispose of the rights to the work. It`s also important to determine what happens if employees separate for some reason.

Here are the key terms that are typically included in a cooperation agreement: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a written agreement between two organizations that helps establish the ground rules for any partnership activity you wish to study. There are many reasons why the parties may want to enter into a cooperation agreement between themselves – mainly to formally document the business project they wish to collaborate on, to ensure that it is clear how responsibilities and obligations are to be shared, to determine who owns what, and to ensure that all parties know what to do if something goes wrong and that one party wants to start a dispute. or to cease to be part of the company. Depending on the exposure of the Parties to the Project and the resources of each Party, it may be decided in the Cooperation Agreement to include provisions that limit the liability that could result from the performance or non-compliance with the Parties` obligations under the Cooperation Agreement. This could include a cap on a party`s total liability (usually defined as a sum of money) related to the project or cooperation agreement, excluding liability for losses not suffered as a direct result of the event or claim, or excluding liability that a party may exclude to the extent permitted by law – there are certain liabilities (in the event of death or personal injury). caused by negligence or due to a violation of the statutory implied clauses in consumer contracts, e.g. B.), which cannot be excluded by law; This document should be used when two or more parties, whether individuals and/or companies, wish to work together on a separate project. .