# Exoneration clause

Source: https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/clause-exoneratoire

# Exoneration clause

A clause that excludes or limits a party's liability for damage.

## Définition

An exoneration clause is a contractual provision by which a party excludes or limits its liability for damage, often as part of general terms and conditions. Such clauses are valid in principle but are tested against the standards of reasonableness and fairness (article 6:248 BW) and, in general terms, the unfair-terms regime of article 6:233 BW. A court can set the clause aside, particularly where the damage results from intent or gross negligence.

## Exemple

> A workshop's general terms exclude liability for damage to stored goods, but a court refuses to apply the clause where the damage was caused by gross negligence.

## Pourquoi c'est un risque pour l'entreprise

An exoneration clause can give a false sense of security: a court may refuse to apply it at the very moment you need it most, namely when the loss is large and caused by serious negligence. For the party accepting the clause, it may mean being left with unrecoverable losses that are not covered by insurance either, particularly for purely financial harm. Businesses that embed these clauses in general terms without proper disclosure risk them being declared void as unfair terms under article 6:233 BW.

## Comment le gérer

- Ensure your general terms are properly provided to the other party before or at the time of contract formation, to avoid the clause being void for lack of disclosure.
- Do not rely on an exoneration clause as a substitute for insurance: carry adequate cover for the scenarios the clause purports to exclude.
- When reviewing a counterparty's clause, check whether it covers intent and gross negligence: if it does, that protection is unlikely to be enforceable under Dutch law.
- Review exoneration clauses in your portfolio periodically: evolving case law on reasonableness and fairness can change enforceability without any change to the contract text.

### Comment Contracko aide

Contracko's AI review identifies exoneration clauses across your contract portfolio and flags the scope of each exclusion, including whether gross negligence or intent is covered. Storing signed contracts centrally means the version with the agreed exoneration wording is always retrievable for a dispute, rather than lost in an email archive.

## Références juridiques

- [BW 6:248 Dutch Civil Code: reasonableness and fairness Droit néerlandais](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005289)
- [BW 6:233 Dutch Civil Code: unfair general terms Droit néerlandais](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005289)

Sauf mention contraire, les références renvoient au droit néerlandais (Burgerlijk Wetboek, le Code civil néerlandais) ; les instruments de l'UE tels que le RGPD s'appliquent dans toute l'UE. Il s'agit d'informations générales, pas de conseils juridiques. D'autres juridictions traitent ces concepts différemment. Vérifiez le texte en vigueur et votre situation avec un avocat qualifié.

## Pertinent pour

[Services informatiques](https://contracko.com/fr/secteurs/services-informatiques)[Logistique et distribution](https://contracko.com/fr/secteurs/logistique)[Industrie manufacturière](https://contracko.com/fr/secteurs/fabrication)

## Clauses associées

- [Limitation of Liability Clause](https://contracko.com/fr/bibliotheque-de-clauses/limitation-de-responsabilite)
- [Indemnification Clause](https://contracko.com/fr/bibliotheque-de-clauses/clause-indemnisation)

## Termes associés

- [Liability limitation](https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/limitation-de-responsabilite)
- [Consequential damages](https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/dommages-indirects)
- [General terms and conditions](https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/conditions-generales)
- [Liability](https://contracko.com/fr/glossaire/responsabilite)

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## Foire aux questions

Questions courantes sur ce terme.

- **Q:** Can an exoneration clause cover intent and gross negligence?
  **A:** In the Netherlands, a court will typically refuse to apply an exoneration clause to damage caused by intent or gross negligence (bewuste roekeloosheid) on the grounds that doing so would be unacceptable under the standards of reasonableness and fairness.

- **Q:** What makes an exoneration clause void against a consumer?
  **A:** Under article 6:233 BW, an unreasonably onerous clause in general terms can be annulled by the consumer. The "grey list" of article 6:237 BW presumes certain clauses onerous unless the supplier can show otherwise, including broad liability exclusions.

- **Q:** Does an exoneration clause need to be brought to the attention of the other party?
  **A:** Yes. Under article 6:234 BW, general terms must be provided to the other party before or at contract formation. Failure to do so entitles the other party to annul the relevant clause, including any exoneration provision.

- **Q:** How does an exoneration clause interact with mandatory statutory liability?
  **A:** Exoneration clauses cannot override liability that is imposed by mandatory law. For example, product liability under the Product Liability Act (Productaansprakelijkheid) cannot be excluded by contract for personal injury and death.

- **Q:** Is an exoneration clause in a B2B contract subject to the same controls as in a consumer contract?
  **A:** The unfair-terms grey and black lists apply automatically only to consumer contracts. Between businesses, the clause is tested against the open standard of reasonableness and fairness under article 6:248 BW, which gives courts more discretion but less automatic protection for the receiving party.

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