Non-Signatories in International Commercial Arbitration: Contesting the Myth of Consent

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-84
Author(s):  
Slavomír Halla
Keyword(s):  
Case Law ◽  
Good Faith ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Commercial Arbitration ◽  
International Commercial Arbitration ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Professional Audience

Abstract Consent, the final frontier. International commercial arbitration is a dis­pute resolution mechanism embedded in consent of the parties involved. Presentation of such a mutual understanding is done through an arbitration agreement. However, the aim of this paper is to analyse whether its contractual, indeed consensual, nature is the only element which the courts use to identify the subjects who may compel or must be compelled to arbitrate disputes, or whether they employ other considerations as well. The paper will focus on extension doctrines which might be less known even to a professional audience: piercing of the corporate veil, estoppel & group of companies. A review of selected case law leads to a conclusion that consent-finding analysis is defi­nitely a starting point of any analysis. However, at the same time courts and arbitrators do indeed use tools of contract interpretation and the ones based on equity or good faith considerations to establish, and exceptionally force, the implication of consent far beyond what is obvious.

REFUSAL TO RECOGNIZE AND GRANT PERMISSION TO ENFORCE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION AWARDS DUE TO IMPROPER NOTIFICATION ABOUT ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anayit Khoperiya ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Supreme Court ◽  
Hague Convention ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Legal Assistance ◽  
Commercial Arbitration ◽  
International Commercial Arbitration ◽  
Negative Case ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
The Hague ◽  
The Hague Convention

The article analyses the refusal to recognize and grant permission to enforce awards of international commercial arbitration because of improper notification about the arbitration. The study concerns the new case law of the Supreme Court in cases of recognition and granting permission to enforce the awards of international commercial arbitration in cases where the party against whom the decision is made denies that it has been notified of the arbitration or appointment of an arbitrator. Particular attention was paid to the analysis of the decisions of the Supreme Court in cases No. 824/26/19 of November 28, 2019 and No. 824/69/19 of February 13, 2020 on the application of Jurginsky Mashzavod LLC on the enforcing of the decision of the Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation on debt collection from PJSC Pokrovske Mine Management. These decisions were assessed as a negative case law that does not contribute to the development of arbitration in Ukraine. It was concluded that in cases No. 824/26/19 and No. 824/69/19 the Supreme Court formulated two extremely negative opinions for the development of international commercial arbitration: 1) the need to inform the different jurisdictions parties of the arbitration proceedings, where in these jurisdictions the Hague Convention is binding, in form of provision of international legal assistance, which would harm the pace of arbitration proceedings; 2) the necessity to notify the parties by arbitration via mail with a postal description of the enclosed documents. The provisions of the Hague Convention regarding the requirement of arbitration notifications of the parties on the implementation of arbitration proceedings using the procedure of international legal assistance were analysed. It was established that the provisions of this convention cannot be interpreted as establishing an obligation for arbitration tribunals to notify the parties of the arbitration proceedings, which are situated in states-parties to this convention, through the procedure of international legal assistance only. The practice of the Supreme Court in other cases on the recognition and granting permission to enforce of international commercial arbitration decisions, where the party against which the decision was made denies that it has been notified about the arbitration or appointment of an arbitrator, was positively assessed. This practice is pro-arbitration. It was emphasized the importance of forming pro-arbitration practice of the Supreme Court, which ensures the image of Ukraine as a friendly jurisdiction for arbitration and for investment accordingly.

The Procedural Rules Governing the Production of Documentary Evidence in International Arbitration – As Applied in Practice

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-90
Author(s):  
Nathan O'Malley
Keyword(s):  
Judicial Review ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Documentary Evidence ◽  
International Arbitration ◽  
Commercial Arbitration ◽  
International Commercial Arbitration ◽  
The World ◽  
The Common ◽  
Over Time

AbstractThis article considers the provisions of the IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration pertaining to documentary evidence, Articles 2, 3, and 9. The IBA Rules have emerged over time as a compromise set of standards appropriate for international arbitration and are widely used by tribunals throughout the world. This piece provides examples of arbitral case law in respect of the application of the Rules to issues concerning the taking and admission of documentary evidence. Moreover, the article also addresses issues regarding the role of the IBA Rules in the judicial review of arbitral awards, and their use in investor-state arbitration as opposed to international commercial arbitration. The goal of this article is to provide a thorough, case based commentary on the common approach used by tribunals in this area of procedure.

THE UNCITRAL MODEL LAW ON INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION: INTERPRETATION, GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND ARBITRABILITY

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-84
Author(s):  
Pilar Perales Viscasillas
Keyword(s):  
Case Law ◽  
Legal Systems ◽  
Gap Filling ◽  
Commercial Arbitration ◽  
International Commercial Arbitration ◽  
Filling System ◽  
Model Law ◽  
International Character

This article explores the possible modification of the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration (MAL) to include the topic of arbitrability. This is an area in which the domestic legal systems differ, particularly in relation to the arbitrability of intra-corporate disputes. The article also deals with new art 2A, introduced into the Model Law in 2006, which deals with the interpretation and gap-filling system under the Model Law. The interpretation of MAL in accordance with its international character is a very important step towards uniformity and therefore the different tools required for a uniform interpretation are analysed. These include case law and scholarly writings; the meaning and importance of achieving both a uniform and an international interpretation of MAL are also considered. The article also analyses the whole text of MAL in order to arrive at the general principles on which the Model Law is based; when problems have to be solved, these principles should guide issues of interpretation that arise under this law.

The Impartiality and Independence of Arbitrators in International Commercial Arbitration

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stavroula Angoura
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Arbitral Tribunal ◽  
International Arbitration ◽  
Commercial Arbitration ◽  
International Commercial Arbitration

Since arbitrator’s impartiality and independence constitutes the bedrock of international arbitration, more and more recent arbitral awards have been annulled or vacated on the grounds of lack of arbitrator’s impartiality. This work investigates whether a common international public policy core exists with regard to the concepts of impartiality and independence of arbitrators in international commercial arbitration. The book addresses the different constellations of arbitrator bias as considered by the courts of various jurisdictions, especially France, England, Switzerland, Greece and Germany. By introducing the ‘justifiable doubts’ to an arbitrator’s impartiality criterion and analyzing the above-mentioned national case law, the book categorizes instances that constitute lack of impartiality with reference to and interpretation of the IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration 2014. The work examines and systematizes how arbitrator impartiality can be contested at different stages of procedure: upon constitution of the arbitral tribunal, during arbitration proceedings, as well as after the rendering of the award at annulment, recognition or enforcement stage, while providing answers to the following questions: what must an arbitrator disclose; should an arbitrator investigate a possible fact or circumstance that may affect her impartiality, and to what extent; what is the relevance of the fact affecting arbitrator impartiality being obvious, well-known or easily accessible by the parties; under which preconditions could a party waive its right to contest lack of impartiality-implicitly or expressly. This study focuses specifically on the institution of waiver and analyses how it prevents a party from contesting arbitrator impartiality at the next procedural stage, should it fail to follow the specific procedures and preconditions - an issue that is unexamined in the literature to date.

scholarly journals Regarding the possibility of postponing or deferring the execution of the decision of the international commercial arbitration court: legal regulation and case law

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-94
Author(s):  
Susanna Suleimanova
Keyword(s):  
Case Law ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
Court Decisions ◽  
Commercial Arbitration ◽  
International Commercial Arbitration ◽  
The Law ◽  
Civil Cases ◽  
Court Of First Instance ◽  
The Postponement ◽  
Court Practice

The article deals with problematic issues related to the postponement or postponement of the execution of the decision of the International Commercial Arbitration Court. The analysis of the norms contained in Chapter 3 "Recognition and granting permission to enforce the decision of international commercial arbitration" of Chapter 9 of the CPC of Ukraine shows that the legislator imperatively regulates the powers of the court when considering applications for recognition and granting permission to enforce international commercial arbitration. However, in this chapter there is no rule that would allow the court to decide on the postponement or installment of the execution of the decision of international commercial arbitration in the case of granting permission to execute it. However, Article 435 of the CPC of Ukraine, which is placed in Section 6 of the CPC of Ukraine "Procedural issues related to the execution of court decisions in civil cases and decisions of other bodies (officials)", the rules of which are applied at the stage of execution of court decisions in civil cases and decisions of other bodies (officials), establishes the possibility of deciding on the postponement or installment of execution, but the powers in this regard are vested only in the court that considered the case as a court of first instance. The norm identical in content is enshrined in Article 33 of the Law of Ukraine "On Enforcement Proceedings". In this regard, in practice, the question arises: can the court that considered the application for recognition and permission to enforce the decision of international commercial arbitration, be considered a court that considered the case as a court of first instance, and, accordingly, decide on adjournment or deferral of execution of the decision of the international commercial arbitration court? Keywords: postponement of execution of the decision, international commercial arbitration, court practice.

scholarly journals Interpretation of the «Public Policy» Category in Recent Judicial Practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 30-42
Author(s):  
Ivan KOSTIASHKIN ◽  
Olena CHERNIAK
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Case Law ◽  
The State ◽  
Commercial Arbitration ◽  
International Commercial Arbitration ◽  
The Public ◽  
Judicial Practice ◽  
Recognition And Enforcement ◽  
Principles Of Justice ◽  
Definition Of

The article studies the concept of «public policy», presents doctrinal definitions of public policy, as well as definitions used in judicial practice, in particular in the decisions of the Supreme Court. It is established that the Ukrainian legislation does not contain a definition of «public policy», but from the analysis of case law it can be concluded that the public policy of any country includes the fundamental principles and principles of justice, morality, state system, political system and economic security, which the state wishes to protect, which means «public policy» is a broad and abstract concept. At the same time, such a position of the legislator, given the case law cited in the article, is justified and reasoned. It is analyzed that the Civil Code of Ukraine lists the grounds on which the transaction can be considered as violating public policy, at the same time, the analysis of case law shows that the category of public policy does not apply to any legal relationship in the state, but only on the essential foundations of law and order. The article also analyzes that the recognition or enforcement of the decisions of an international commercial arbitral tribunal may be denied if the court finds that the recognition and enforcement of this arbitral award is contrary to public policy of Ukraine, as an example listed court cases in which the enforcement of arbitral awards was refused due to a violation of public policy. In view of the above, it is proved in the article that the definition and understanding of the category of public policy is important in recognizing and bringing to the enforcement of international commercial arbitration courts decisions, as well as recognition of transactions as such that violates the public policy, which leads to insignificance of such transactions. It is summarized that today in Ukraine there is no normative definition of the concept of «public policy», and from the analysis of judicial practice we can conclude that judges interpret the concept of «public policy» quite broadly and abstractly. However, given that quite often cases of recognition of a transaction as contrary to public policy (invalid transaction), as well as the recognition and enforcement of international commercial arbitration and foreign courts judgments are «technical» cases brought in order to avoid the liability of a party against whom the decision was made, such an interpretation of the concept of «public policy» gives judges the opportunity to fully investigate, whether transactions or decisions in force violates public policy or the fundamental principles of justice and fairness of the state, without a statutory restriction on the concept of «public policy».

International Commercial Arbitration

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Greenberg ◽  
Christopher Kee ◽  
J. Romesh Weeramantry
Keyword(s):  
Commercial Arbitration ◽  
International Commercial Arbitration

The Constitutional Principle of Accountability: A Study of Contemporary South African Case Law

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuks Okpaluba
Keyword(s):  
Judicial Review ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Case Law ◽  
The State ◽  
Constitutional Principle ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Law ◽  
Constitutional Right ◽  
The Many

‘Accountability’ is one of the democratic values entrenched in the Constitution of South Africa, 1996. It is a value recognised throughout the Constitution and imposed upon the law-making organs of state, the Executive, the Judiciary and all public functionaries. This constitutional imperative is given pride of place among the other founding values: equality before the law, the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution. This study therefore sets out to investigate how the courts have grappled with the interpretation and application of the principle of accountability, the starting point being the relationship between accountability and judicial review. Therefore, in the exercise of its judicial review power, a court may enquire whether the failure of a public functionary to comply with a constitutional duty of accountability renders the decision made illegal, irrational or unreasonable. One of the many facets of the principle of accountability upon which this article dwells is to ascertain how the courts have deployed that expression in making the state and its agencies liable for the delictual wrongs committed against an individual in vindication of a breach of the individual’s constitutional right in the course of performing a public duty. Here, accountability and breach of public duty; the liability of the state for detaining illegal immigrants contrary to the prescripts of the law; the vicarious liability of the state for the criminal acts of the police and other law-enforcement officers (as in police rape cases and misuse of official firearms by police officers), and the liability of the state for delictual conduct in the context of public procurement are discussed. Having carefully analysed the available case law, this article concludes that no public functionary can brush aside the duty of accountability wherever it is imposed without being in breach of a vital constitutional mandate. Further, it is the constitutional duty of the courts, when called upon, to declare such act or conduct an infringement of the Constitution.

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