In
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...
, a recital (from , "to read out") consists of an account or repetition of the details of some act, proceeding or fact. Particularly, in law, that part of a legal document—such as a
lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ...
, which contains a statement of certain facts—contains the purpose for which the deed is made.
In
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
law, a recital is a text that sets out reasons for the provisions of an enactment, while avoiding normative language and political argumentation. A recital may also appear at the end of a document, as some 173 do in the
General Data Protection Regulation
The General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679), abbreviated GDPR, is a European Union regulation on information privacy in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). The GDPR is an important component of ...
.
Recitals have been demonstrated to play a limited role in the
interpretation of Union legislation in the courts in the case of ambiguity in a particular provision within the legislation.
In English, by convention, most recitals start with the word ''
Whereas''.
A recital can, and should, be taken into account when interpreting the meaning of a contractual agreement.
"Standstill agreements: lessons in drafting from (1) Exsus Travel Limited (2) Coronation Limited v (1) Baker Tilly (2) Baker Tilly Audit LLP [2016] EWHC 2818 (Ch)"
accessed 27 December 2016
See also
* Preamble
A preamble () is an introductory and expressionary statement in a document that explains the document's purpose and underlying philosophy. When applied to the opening paragraphs of a statute, it may recite historical facts pertinent to the su ...
References
Criminal procedure
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es:Considerandos