由于国际商会至今没有对软条款问题进行界定，也没有对软条款下一个确切的定义，所以，世界上对软条款的定义和性质一直存在着很大的争议。有关信用证软条款的定义，不同的学者根据不同的理解和侧面给软条款下了不同的定义，本文所讨论的信用证软条款主要是指：不可撤销信用证中加列某些条款，赋予开证行或开证申请人单方面的主动权，使得信用证可随时应开证行或开证申请人单方面的行为而解除，导致开证行解除不可撤销信用证项下付款责任的条款。这种条款对出口商是很不利的，其能否实现主动权完全由开证申请人或开证行控制，受益人无论做何种努力都不可避免地被拒绝。但由于软条款的生效方式往往具有的隐蔽性，出口商往往不容易识别而疏于防范，因而落入货款两空的陷阱，所以人们常把这类条款俗称为“陷阱条款”或“软条款”。

As the International Chamber of Commerce has not been soft on the issue of the terms defined, nor did the soft under the terms of a precise definition, therefore, the world's soft on the terms of the definition and nature has always existed a lot of controversy. Letters of credit on soft terms of the definition, different scholars under different interpretations to the soft side and under the terms of a different definition, the paper discussed by the soft terms of the letter of credit is that: an irrevocable letter of credit in to add some provisions to empower Issuing a permit to an applicant or a unilateral initiative, making letters of credit cards may at any time should be opened to permit the applicant or a unilateral act of disarmament, will lead to lifting of issuing an irrevocable letter of credit payment obligations under the This clause is very negative for exporters, and its ability to achieve the initiative entirely by issuing a certificate to the applicant or control, whether the beneficiaries to do what efforts are inevitably be rejected. However, due to come into effect the provisions of the soft approach is often the hidden nature, exporters are often not easy to identify and neglect prevention, thus falling into the trap of the purchase price two empty, so people often such a clause commonly known as "traps terms" or "soft terms . "


参考文献：http://blog.sina.com.cn/calendula28