一、引言首要条款(Paramount clause,Clause paramount)是提单诸多背面条款中较重要的条款之一。它不仅像其他条款一样,关系到提单各当事方的权利和义务,而且还会涉及有关法律适用的一系列复杂问题。另外,提单背面条款中常常会出现首要条款、法律适用条款、地区条款两者或三者并存的情况,使首要条款的性质、效力等基本问题变得更加错综复杂。因而,在司法实践中出现了对首要条款定性不一、 I. Introduction The Paramount clause (Clause paramount) is one of the more important clauses in the back of many bills of lading. Not only does it, like the other provisions, relate to the rights and obligations of the parties to the bill of lading, but it also involves a complex series of questions about the application of the law. In addition, the back of the bill of lading provisions will often appear in the first clause, the law applicable to the terms of the two or three regional conditions coexist, the essential clause of the nature, effectiveness and other basic issues become more complex. Therefore, in the judicial practice appeared the first clause is qualitatively different,