The Singapore International Arbitration Centre or SIAC is one of the fastest growing arbitral institutions in the world with 452 new cases received in 2017. The parties to a contract may agree to refer their disputes to arbitration in accordance with the SIAC Arbitration Rules. By doing so, the parties agree that their disputes will be resolved by arbitration and […]
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Duty to Mitigate Damages in Investment Arbitration
Notion of the Duty to Mitigate Damages Along with contributory negligence, a duty to mitigate damages is considered as a “compensation-reducing”[1] factor. However, contrary to contributory negligence, the duty to mitigate damages arises only after the breach of an international obligation. It implies an obligation for an aggrieved party to “take steps to minimize his loss, on […]
International Arbitration in Singapore
Arbitration in Singapore has been developing in line with Singapore becoming a financial and legal hub and one of the major centres for international arbitration in Asia and in the world. Arbitration is governed by two separate legal regimes. Domestic arbitration is governed by Arbitration Act (Cap. 10) 2002 (“Arbitration Act”), while international arbitration is […]
Advance on Costs in ICC Arbitration
In ICC arbitration, usually upon receipt of the Answer on the Request for Arbitration or the expiry of the time limit for it[1], the Parties are required to pay an advance on costs. This payment is paramount “for the purpose of securing in advance the financial resources necessary for carrying out the arbitration procedure.”[2] The advance […]
International Arbitration in Angola
Angola, which has one of the largest economies in sub-Saharan Africa, has recently modernized its legislation and is opening up to international arbitration as part of a wider legal reform. Arbitration in Angola is governed by the Law No. 16/03 of 25 July 2003 also known as the “Voluntary Arbitration Law” or the “VAL”. The VAL […]
ICSID Arbitration Rules Draft Amendments Issued
It has been 12 years since the ICSID Arbitration Rules’ latest update. ICSID Arbitration Rules draft amendments were published earlier this month. One of the overall goals of the amendments is to increase efficiency. Another is to increase transparency, especially with respect to third-party funding. These amendments may constitute the most significant changes made to […]
Correction of Arbitral Awards in ICC Arbitration
To err is human, so the ICC Arbitration Rules provide for a special mechanism aiming to correct errors in arbitral awards. The correction of arbitral awards in ICC Arbitration is governed by Article 36 of the 2017 ICC Arbitration Rules, which reads: “Article 36: Correction and Interpretation of the Award; Remission of Awards 1) On its own […]
The 2018 Draft Netherlands Model BIT – The Beginning of a New Era?
The year 2018 may be an important milestone in international investment arbitration concerning the Netherlands due to the 2018 Draft Netherlands Model BIT (the ‘Draft’) . The Draft contains several completely new provisions, absent in the 2004 version, and provides a narrow vision of other provisions in comparison to their 2004 predecessors. We will discuss the […]
Choosing ICSID or UNCITRAL Arbitration for Investor-State Disputes
Should a foreign investor opt for ICSID arbitration or UNCITRAL arbitration when a choice exists? Foreign investors involved in a dispute with a host State of investment are often able to choose between initiating ICSID arbitration under the ICSID Convention or ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules in order to resolve their investment dispute. This […]
