Co-Chair
Xavier
Favre-Bulle

Co-Chair
Valeria Galindez

Arbitration Committee

The IBA Arbitration Committee focuses on laws, practice and procedures relating to the arbitration of transnational disputes. Through its conferences, publications and projects, the Committee seeks to share information about international arbitration, promote its use and improve its effectiveness.

About the Committee

The IBA Arbitration Committee focuses on laws, practice and procedures relating to the arbitration of transnational disputes. Through its conferences, publications and projects, the Committee seeks to share information about international arbitration, promote its use and improve its effectiveness.

Become a member of the Committee to benefit from networking opportunities, the opportunity to read and write IBA publications and discounts on conferences and webinars. You can also get involved with the work of the Committee, which is detailed further below.

Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences

Rules and guidelines


The IBA publishes a number of documents providing guidance for practitioners in different areas. In arbitration, these consist of:

On 17 December 2020, the International Bar Association adopted the revised IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, which supersede those of 1999 and 2010. In the absence of contrary indication, the revised rules will apply to all arbitrations in which the parties agree to apply the IBA Rules after 17 December 2020, whether as part of new arbitration agreements or in determining the rules of procedure in a pending or future arbitration.

The Rules have been translated into a number of languages.

Click below to select a language to download the Rules (2020):     

 

Commentary on the Rules (2020): Click below to select a language to download     

 

 

On 29 May 2010, the International Bar Association adopted the revised IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence in International Arbitration, which superseded those of 1999. This version of the rules was superseded in 2020. These rules apply to all arbitrations in which the parties agree to apply the IBA Rules after 29 May 2010 and before 17 December 2020, whether as part of new arbitration agreements or in determining the rules of procedure in a pending or future arbitration.

Click below to select a language to download the Rules (2010):     

 

The Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest represent the most comprehensive work to date defining the framework by which the impartiality of arbitration in the international arena can be most effectively assured. The publication sets out a series of seven general standards of independence and disclosure to govern the selection, appointment and continuing role of an arbitrator. The most recent version of the Guidelines was adopted by resolution of the IBA Council on Thursday 23 October 2014. This version updates and clarifies the original Guidelines, which were approved by the Council of the IBA on 22 May 2004. The Guidelines are intended for use around the world.

A clerical error was detected in paragraph 3.1.5 of the Orange List of the revised IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration. In paragraph 3.1.5, the expression “on a related issue” (which was part of that paragraph in the 2004 Guidelines and was mistakenly deleted during the review process) has been reestablished so that paragraph 3.1.5 now reads as follows:

“The arbitrator currently serves, or has served within the past three years, as arbitrator in another arbitration on a related issue involving one of the parties, or an affiliate of one of the parties”.

 

Select a language to download the Guidelines     

The IBA Arbitration Committee and its Task Force on Counsel Conduct have produced guidelines for party representation and counsel conduct in international arbitration.

The IBA Guidelines on Party Representation in International Arbitration are inspired by the principle that party representatives should act with integrity and honesty and should not engage in activities designed to produce unnecessary delay or expense, including tactics aimed at obstructing the arbitration proceedings.

Select a language to download the Guidelines     

The IBA Guidelines for Drafting International Arbitration Clauses were approved by the IBA Council in October 2010. The Guidelines were developed by a Task Force appointed by the Arbitration Committee and composed of Paul Friedland (chair), Doak Bishop, Karim Hafez, Adriano Jucà, Carole Malinvaud, Sundaresh Menon, Jean-Claude Najar, William (Rusty) Park, Anne-Véronique Schlaepfer, Eduardo Silva Romero, Stephen E Smith, Matthew Weiniger and Damien Nyer (Secretary).

Select a language to download the Guidelines     

From the Co-Chairs - Arbitration Committee bulletin October 2022

We hope that you enjoy reading these articles, and as always, we thank our contributors, our Newsletter Editors, and our Editorial Board members for their hard work in bringing this new issue of the Newsletter to our readers.

Released on Oct 21, 2022

From the Editors - Arbitration Committee bulletin October 2022

It is a pleasure to open year 2022 with a solid edition of the IBA International Arbitration Committee’s Newsletter, with articles covering a wide range of topics of interest to the arbitration community.

Released on Oct 21, 2022

Recognition and enforcement of international arbitral awards in Turkiye

It is undeniable that an arbitral award is nothing but a pyrrhic victory without a successful enforcement. This most certainly puts a premium on the jurisdiction(s) where an enforcement would be sought and urges the parties to be aware of the enforcement regime therein. The Turkish arbitration regime, as well as the regulations regarding the recognition and enforcement of awards, is parallel to the legal regimes of the prominent arbitration hubs as it is based on the Model Law

Released on Oct 21, 2022

The conduct of the parties in international arbitration: the current state of play

In recent times, arbitrators have been under the microscope but what about the conduct of parties in international arbitration? Generally, less has been published on this topic although there are repeated complaints in the international arbitration community about party conduct and whether there is a lacuna which requires increased regulation. In the authors’ opinion, the conduct of party representatives is being – and will continue to be – increasingly scrutinised in international commercial arbitration. With this in mind, this article provides insight into key international ethical rules and guidelines (including the sanctions available for misconduct), assesses the current state of play and outlines ideas to improve the state of play to ensure that party representatives are held accountable for their actions and to protect the fair and effective resolution of disputes. None of the opinions in the article refer to specific cases and none should be implied. The comments are only intended to be by way of general background and should not be construed otherwise.

Released on Oct 21, 2022

Projects and Reports

IBA Toolkit on Insolvency and Arbitration (March 2021)

The Arbitration Committee's Insolvency and Arbitration Group has produced the IBA Toolkit on Insolvency and Arbitration to provide guidance to parties, counsel and arbitrators in situations where a party to arbitration is also subject to insolvency proceedings.

View the toolkit National Rapporteurs
CCA-IBA Joint Task Force on Data Protection in International Arbitration (March 2020)

The ICCA-IBA Joint Task Force on Data Protection in International Arbitration is pleased to announce the release of the consultation draft of its Roadmap to Data Protection in International Arbitration for public comment.

Download draft Download annexes
Country-by-country guides to arbitration

The Arbitration Committee has prepared a guide to the law and practice of arbitration in more than 50 countries around the world. The material is intended as a high-level practical overview for practitioners and others seeking an introduction to arbitration in particular jurisdictions.

View the guides
Validity of arbitral awards - country reports

The IBA regularly conducts practical studies intended to provide assistance to users of international arbitration. This country-by-country study is no exception. It is intended to be a valuable tool for assisting arbitral tribunals to draft a valid and enforceable award under the New York Convention, based on the local requirements of the lex arbitri.

View the guides
The Common Heritage of the International Arbitration Community: An IBA Arb 40 Competition for the Most Meaningful Personal Stories (Sept 2022)

The recent restrictions on social gatherings that prevented the international arbitration community from interacting and sharing personal stories have highlighted the importance of not only finding alternative means to sustain exchanges of experiences, but also of preserving, and learning from, the collective legacy developed by the community to date.

View the page
Technology Resources for Arbitration Practitioners

The IBA Arb 40 Subcommittee has compiled a list of tech-based resources that can be used to augment or assist an international arbitration, with a view to making modern-day technology more accessible to arbitration practitioners. The IBA Arb40 Subcommittee has endeavoured to take a first step towards making modern day technology more accessible to arbitration practitioners.

Visit the page
Consistency, efficiency and transparency in investment treaty arbitration (Nov 2018)

This report examines the current state of investment treaty arbitration, and seeks to address criticisms identified by investor-state arbitration users. It is produced by the IBA Investment Treaty Arbitration Subcommittee. Based on the findings of a 2014/15 survey, the report proposes potential solutions to the problems discussed, with the goal of affirming the overall legitimacy of investment treaty arbitration.

View the reports
Annulment of arbitral awards by state court: Review of national case law with respect to the conduct of the arbitral process (Oct 2018)

There is a perception that, arbitral tribunals often allow a party to succeed in procedural applications that should be denied. This is sometimes referred to as ‘due process paranoia’, but it is far more fundamental. It is a question of who, in practice, is leading the process: arbitrators or the party that is trying to derail proceedings. This tabular-based report analyses 13 jurisdictions.

View the report

Subcommittees and other groups

The Arbitration Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.

  • Arbitration Committee Advisory Board
  • Asia Pacific Arbitration Group
  • ESG Subcommittee
  • IBA Arb40 Subcommittee
  • IBA Arbitration Guidelines and Rules Subcommittee
  • International Commercial Arbitration Case Law Subcommittee
  • Investment Arbitration Subcommittee
  • Recognition and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards Subcommittee

Videos and podcasts

Podcast: Due process paranoia in arbitration

Due process paranoia is a concern that arbitrators’ aggressive procedural decisions will result in unenforceable awards. The condition can lead to inactivity and increased costs, but is it justified? Arbitration Committee Co-Chair Philippe Pinsolle of Quinn Emanuel discusses the IBA report The Annulment of Arbitral Awards by State Court, and Emmanuel Jacomy dispels misconceptions about the setting aside of awards in China. Committee officer Angeline Welsh introduces the podcast and gives the perspective from England and Wales.

Listen to the podcast