MT700 Field 39A and UCP 600 Articles

Introduction

Field 39A of the MT700 expresses the Percentage Credit Amount Tolerance — the permitted over and under variation from the credit amount. The field's format is set by SWIFT, but its operative effect is defined by UCP 600. This guide maps 39A to the UCP 600 article that governs amount tolerance, so that drafters can place each 39A entry on a firm rule basis.

Failure Modes

1. Misreading Article 30 as unlimited tolerance. Article 30 tolerates only within the stated percentage; an open-ended reading contradicts the field's 2n/2n limit.
2. 39A without 32B reference. Article 30 tolerance is of the credit amount (32B); without 32B the percentage has no base.
3. Conflicting 39A and 39B under Article 30. Both fields bound the drawable amount; values that cannot coexist breach the article.
4. Malformed percentage. The 2n/2n format is breached by non-numeric or mis-ordered entries, even where Article 30 intent is clear.
5. Assuming Article 14(b) applies alongside 39A. Where 39A states tolerance, the Article 14(b) default is displaced.

Resolution

1. Anchor 39A on Article 30: state the percentage of the 32B amount that drawings may vary.
2. Confirm 32B is present so the percentage has a base.
3. Reconcile 39A with 39B so the maximum drawable amount respects both the percentage and the ceiling.
4. Apply the 2n/2n format exactly — two digits over, slash, two digits under.
5. Where 39A is stated, do not also rely on the Article 14(b) default tolerance.
6. Where the credit forbids tolerance, omit 39A rather than state 00/00 ambiguously.
7. Correct tolerance conflicts via MT707, citing Article 30 in the advice.
8. Keep an Article 30 mapping note in the credit worksheet.

Conclusion

Field 39A is the SWIFT expression of UCP 600 Article 30's amount-tolerance rule. Reading the field through Article 30 — with 32B as its base and 39B as its ceiling — yields a tolerance clause that is both format-valid and substantively sound.

FAQ

1. Which UCP article governs 39A? Article 30 (Tolerance in credit amount, quantity, unit prices).
2. What is the 39A format? 2n/2n — two digits for positive tolerance and two for negative, separated by a slash.
3. Does 39A need 32B? Yes. Article 30 tolerance is of the credit amount in 32B.
4. How does 39B relate to 39A? Both bound the drawable amount; the maximum must respect the lower of the percentage-extended amount and the 39B ceiling.
5. Does Article 14(b) still apply when 39A is present? No. An explicit 39A displaces the Article 14(b) default.

Source Notes

Context only. SWIFT MT700 field 39A specification (SWIFT SR2018 Category 7): format 2n/2n, Optional, definition (Percentage Credit Amount Tolerance), MT700 Usage Rules (MT 701) and network rules C2/C3/C4. UCP 600 relationship: Article 30 (Tolerance in credit amount, quantity, unit prices). UCP 600 text in provided dossier; citations only, no long passages.