Sources of International Commercial

Arbitration
International Commercial Arbitration
 Syllabus

▪ Sources of international commercial arbitration

▪ Relationships between sources

2
Klára Drličková
 Sources - overview

▪ International conventions
▪ National regulations
▪ Arbitration agreement
▪ Arbitration rules
▪ International arbitration practice

3
Klára Drličková
 International conventions - history

▪ 1923 – Court of Arbitration of ICC

▪ 1923, 1927 – Geneva Conventions
▪ 1923 Geneva Protocol on Arbitration Clauses
▪ 1927 Geneva Convention on the Execution of Foreign Awards
▪ 1953 – ICC Draft Convention
▪ 1955 – ECOSOC Draft Convention
▪ 1958 – New York Convention

4
Klára Drličková
 New York Convention

▪ Cornerstone of international commercial arbitration

▪ 159 Contracting States
▪ Form and enforcement of arbitration agreements
▪ Recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards

5
Klára Drličková
 Other conventions

▪ European Convention on International Commercial Arbitration

▪ Cold war period – east-west trade
▪ Limited success
▪ Bilateral agreements (legal aid)
▪ Recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards

6
Klára Drličková
 National regulations

▪ National acts/laws
▪ Separate acts x part of civil procedure codes x part of private
international law acts
▪ Seat of arbitration is decisive for application
▪ Mandatory x default rules
▪ Breach of mandatory rules -> annulment of arbitral awards

7
Klára Drličková
 UNCITRAL Model Law (UML)

▪ UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration

(1985, 2006)
▪ Suggested pattern for law-makers -> domestic legislation
▪ Aprox. 74 states

8
Klára Drličková
 Examples of national laws

▪ Chapter 12 of Swiss Private International Law Act

▪ Book 10 of German Code of Civil Procedure (UML adopted)
▪ Book IV of French Code of Civil Procedure
▪ 1996 Arbitration Act (England and Wales)
▪ Chapter IV of Austrian Code of Civil Procedure (UML adopted)
▪ 1996 Swedish Arbitration Act

9
Klára Drličková
 Arbitration rules

▪ Rules of arbitral institutions

▪ E.g. 2017 ICC Rules, 2014 LCIA Rules, 2018 Vienna Rules, 2017 SCC
Rules
▪ Must be chosen by the parties (reference in arbitration agreement)
▪ 2013 UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules
▪ Ad hoc arbitrations
▪ Agreement of the parties on their application

10
Klára Drličková
 International arbitration practice

▪ Practices developed in international commercial arbitration

▪ Codifed
▪ IBA Rules – on taking of evidence, on conflict of interests
▪ UNCITRAL Notes on Organising Arbitral Proceedings

11
Klára Drličková
 Practical case

▪ Company A (seller) from the Czech Republic and Company B (buyer) from
Slovakia concluded a sales contract. They also included into the contract the
following arbitration clause:
„All disputes or claims arising out of or in connection with this contract including
disputes relating to its validity, breach, termination or nullity shall be finally
settled under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Arbitral Centre of the
Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Vienna (Vienna Rules) by one
arbitrator appointed in accordance with the said Rules.“
▪ What will be the regulatory framework of arbitration based on this
clause?

12
Klára Drličková
 Regulatory framework

▪ International conventions – New York Convention

▪ Mandatory rules of Austrian Arbitration Law
▪ Arbitration clause
▪ Vienna Rules
▪ International arbitration practice
▪ Default rules of Austrian Arbitration Law

13
Klára Drličková
 Sources for presentation

▪ Moses, M.L. The Principles and Practice of International Commercial

Arbitration. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017. Chapter
1.
▪ Lew, J.D.M., Mistelis, L. A., Kröll, S.M. Comparative International
Commercial Arbitration. The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2003, Chapter
2.
▪ Blackaby, N., Partasides, C., Redfern, A., Hunter, M. Redfern and Hunter on
International Arbitration. 6th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015,
Chapter 1.

14 International Commercial Arbitration/Klára Drličková