The Legal, Real and Converged Interest in Declaratory Relief
The Legal, Real and Converged Interest in Declaratory Relief

Author: Beata Gessel-Kalinowska vel Kalisz

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2019-05-16

Total Pages: 536

ISBN-13: 9403512458

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Worldwide, in both litigation and arbitration, the term ‘declaration’ refers to both what is sought by the parties and what is granted by the judicial authority. In the latter case, it can be construed as a remedy known as ‘declaratory relief’, where the plaintiff seeks an authoritative judicial statement of the legal relationship. Although of enormous significance in dispute resolution, declaratory relief has not been analysed in detail until this deeply informed study. The book’s main focus is on declaratory relief relating to disputes resolved within the framework of international commercial arbitration and litigation. Focusing on the notion of ‘legal interest’ – which the author views as a serious limitation of access to justice – the book sets out to redefine the term in order to respond to the needs of modern legal dealing. Issues and topics such as the following are thoroughly considered: the concept of legal interest as a prerequisite to granting a declaration; circumstances under which relief based on a declaratory judgment may be granted; determination of a plaintiff’s ‘legal interest’ in having a legal relationship established by a judicial ruling; powers of the court or tribunal in various jurisdictions, emphasizing the contrast between ‘legal interest’ in Germanic law and ‘real interest’ in English law; combining a declaration with a coercive measure; role of the arbitration agreement and applicable arbitration law; and how arbitration can neutralize the strict notion of legal interest (‘converged interest’). Case law, including numerous previously unpublished arbitration awards, is fully taken into account. The final chapter elaborates a new interpretation of the declaratory relief concept, encompassing civil substantive and procedural law enriched by theory of justice, comparative analysis and statistical analysis. Apart from the foregoing analysis by the Author, the publication is supplemented with an annex, which presents expert reports by local practitioners on the relevant legal characteristics in Germanic civil law jurisdictions (Austria, Germany, Poland and Switzerland). Given that recent legal scholarship has been increasingly insistent that judicial practice should evolve towards broader use of declarations, particularly where interpretation of contractual stipulations is necessary, this book holds a crucial place in current theory and practice in both litigation and arbitration contexts. With its challenging redefinition of the legal interest concept, it promises to play an important role in formulation of relief in dispute resolution, particularly in international commercial arbitration. Lawyers and arbitrators will benefit from awareness of how other tribunals decide and how awards can be formulated, and arbitration institutions as well as academics in the field will welcome this deeply informative analysis.

Environmental Interests in Investment Arbitration
Environmental Interests in Investment Arbitration

Author: Flavia Marisi

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2020-01-24

Total Pages: 302

ISBN-13: 9403517301

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Environmental Interests in Investment Arbitration Challenges and Directions Flavia Marisi Economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection stand at the core of sustainable development, which aims to deliver long-term growth for current and future generations. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) can play a key role in sustainable development. Host states’ benefits descending from FDI inflows include tax revenues, technology transfer, specialised training of local human resources, network with satellite activities, better availability of quality products and customer-centric services. These downstream effects jointly stimulate economic growth and social inclusion. This thoroughly researched book explores the relationship between environmental protection – the third component of sustainable development – and FDI. In practice, the intersection between environmental protection and foreign investment not only has generated remarkable success stories such as cross-sectoral green investment but has also in some instances led to severe cases of environmental degradation. Certain foreign investments resulted in open-pit mines leaking harmful substances into the soil, excessive deforestation, improper treatment of water, pollution of groundwater and contamination of mud pits following oil exploitation, leaving the host state with significant environmental damage. Some other cases have witnessed the host state withdrawing or infringing its own environmental policies, which could, in principle, lead to a decrease in the value of the foreign investment as a result of natural resources deterioration. In recent years, an increasing number of investment arbitration cases have seen a clash between the states’ commitments towards their citizens, which include the duty to protect the environment, their health and well-being, and the commitment towards foreign investors to protect their investments. In this book, the author focuses on investor-state cases in which environmental protection measures have been contested and discusses substantive mechanisms in treaty drafting, rules of Customary International Law, and interpretation doctrines, which are aimed at taking environmental concerns into consideration. The topics covered include the following: statistical analysis of investor-state cases where environmental protection measures have been contested; the role of environmental principles in investor-state arbitration; treaty mechanisms addressing environmental concerns; legal tools available under Customary International Law to address environmental interests; the application of the doctrines of proportionality, police powers, and margin of appreciation; and environmental counterclaims as an instrument to claim compensation for environmental damage. The author provides a detailed framework on the normative architecture, offers an extensive analysis of the relevant case law, and proposes concrete solutions to the identified clashes, aimed at refining the balance between environmental and investment protection. With its in-depth analysis and careful documentation, this book aptly captures the inherent fragmentation of international law and undoubtedly represents an invaluable resource for both international law practitioners and scholars. The solution-oriented approach adopted in the book will be welcomed by legal counsel, law firms, investment treaty negotiators, and decision makers at the different stages of investment lawmaking and practice, as well as by international institutions and academics.

Moral Damages under International Investment Law
Moral Damages under International Investment Law

Author: Dogan Gultutan

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2021-12-02

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 9403540435

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International Arbitration Law Library# 62 The much-debated fragmentation of international law, most clearly manifest in the stand-alone nature of the investor-state dispute settlement regime, has produced the unfortunate side effect of an intense focus on material damages at the expense of moral damages. This timely groundbreaking book seeks to remedy the unfairness and injustice that flows from this difference in treatment by offering a thorough review of the underlying rules and principles of international law relating to moral damages claims, with a view to considering the appropriateness and possibility of convergence of the various sub-disciplines or branches of international law (e.g., international investment law and international human rights law) to preserve and protect the coherence, uniformity and stability of the international legal order. The analysis covers such central issues as the following: who should be entitled to seek moral damages; the legal test to determining moral damages claims, in respect of both substantive and evidential issues; applicability and scope of the theory of corrective justice in moral damages claims; the victim status of natural persons, corporations, and investors’ employees in investor-state disputes; quantification of moral damages; what the precise nature of the compensation ought to be; and role of the theory of law and economics in the context of moral damages claims. Decisions of international human rights courts are examined to assess, by way of comparison, the appropriateness of the stance taken by international investment tribunals. This is the first in-depth treatment of the important question of whether and under which circumstances international investment tribunals should have jurisdiction to award moral damages, as well as the remedies available and the quantification exercise guiding compensation. The analysis will prove invaluable to practitioners and academics eager to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the rules and principles applicable to moral damages claims under international investment law.

The Right of States to Regulate in International Investment Law
The Right of States to Regulate in International Investment Law

Author: Yulia Levashova

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2019-07-18

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13: 9403510153

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Due to the ongoing recent expansion of public interest issues worldwide, the state’s right to regulate has been recaptured as a prominent concept in international investment law. The fair and equitable treatment (FET) standard provision in the text of an international investment agreement (IIA) has become a detailed clause clarifying the specific obligations of a state towards an investor under the FET standard. However, striking the right balance between the interests of host states and investors in these new treaty formulations has proved to be challenging. This book greatly clarifies the field by offering the in-depth analysis of the application of the state’s right to regulate in relation to FET standard provisions in IIAs and to decisions by arbitral tribunals in FET cases. Recognising that the role of tribunals is to balance the state’s public interests and the interests of the investor when interpreting and applying the FET standard, the author pursues such seminal issues and topics as the following: the legitimacy of the objective of the state’s measure; obligations and responsibilities of investors towards a host state; the nature and impact of a change to a national regulatory framework; special economic and sociopolitical circumstances in a host state; and due diligence and risk assessment as a condition for the protection of an investor’s legitimate expectations. Multiple IIAs concluded by the OECD Member States, as well by Russia and China between the developing countries, and the prominent investment law cases on the FET standard are examined in detail. The analysis pays particular attention to how investment jurisprudence in FET cases has been reflected in such new IIAs as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the European Union (EU) and Canada (CETA), the EU-Vietnam FTA and the EU-Singapore FTA. These case studies demonstrate the evolution of the IIAs’ FET standard provisions and how they balance the application of the FET standard and the state’s right to regulate. Suggestions are provided for drafting formulations of the FET standard that can contribute to achieving such a balance. In the clear light it sheds on the legal conditions under which states may regulate in the public interest and its contribution to the reforms that are currently taking place in the field of international investment law, this book constitutes an exemplary framework to evaluate investment decisions on the FET standard and the right to regulate. It is sure to prove extremely useful for practitioners who work on investment cases, policymakers involved in negotiating and drafting of IIAs, policy advisors of governmental and non-governmental organisations and academics in international investment law.

Theory, Law and Practice of Maritime Arbitration
Theory, Law and Practice of Maritime Arbitration

Author: Eva Litina

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2020-12-10

Total Pages: 172

ISBN-13: 9403530316

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Theory, Law and Practice of Maritime Arbitration The Case of International Contracts for the Carriage of Goods by Sea Eva Litina It is estimated that over 80% of global trade by volume is carried by sea, making maritime transport a cornerstone of the global economy. Most disputes in the shipping industry are settled by distinctive, private arbitral proceedings that are best understood by a close examination of the standard form contracts that are used in practice and of the case law arising therefrom. Extrapolating insightfully from these sources, the author of this book examines in depth the phenomenon of maritime arbitration with a specific focus on contracts for the carriage of goods by sea. She offers the first comprehensive and comparative analysis of arbitral practice in the three jurisdictions where the most frequently selected maritime arbitral seats are located: London, New York, and Singapore. An analysis of the applicable rules and relevant case law in each jurisdiction provides the basis from which a comparative assessment of maritime arbitral seats is achieved. The book addresses the following key aspects of maritime arbitration: maritime arbitration’s definition, origins, theoretical underpinnings, socioeconomic context, and significance; the maritime-specific reasons for wide use of ad hoc versus institutional arbitration; the international instruments governing arbitration in contracts for the carriage of goods by sea; the shipping industry’s pursuit of self-regulation via standard form contracts; the arbitration agreement contained in standard form charterparties and bills of lading; maritime arbitration’s unique approach to judicial review, confidentiality, and arbitrator impartiality; the specific dispute resolution objectives that compel a comparative assessment of maritime arbitral seats; and the future of maritime arbitration in light of international political, financial, and technological developments. In addition to the three main maritime arbitral seats, the analysis touches on maritime arbitration in other relevant jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong, Greece, Japan, and Korea, thus affording a comparison of the process in common and civil law jurisdictions. The book concludes by considering the potential impact of the current international political landscape, and suggesting future perspectives and research in international maritime arbitration. An important addition to scholarship in this field of law, the book’s thorough assessment of the merits of the competing maritime arbitral seats—and its specific focus on maritime disputes—will prove of significant importance to arbitrators, law firms, in-house counsel of shipping companies, international organizations, and arbitration institutions and associations. Practitioners will discover all tools necessary to examine any case before the main maritime arbitral seats with full awareness of each applicable legal regime and its distinguishing features.

Arbitration Beyond Borders
Arbitration Beyond Borders

Author: Michael Reisman

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2023-04-25

Total Pages: 730

ISBN-13: 9403523816

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The influential vision and work of the late Guillermo Aguilar Álvarez, one of the world’s leading arbitral innovators, have left the principles and practice of international arbitration with a rich legacy of insight and achievement. In this one-of-a-kind book, thirty-two prominent arbitrators and scholars consider the vital issues that concerned him and to which he often gave a new clarity. Each chapter addresses a cutting-edge issue of contemporary international arbitration, including the following: ethical standards for party representatives in international arbitration responsibilities of international arbitrators in the conduct of proceedings alternatives to investment arbitration corruption and “red flags” in international arbitration abuse of rights in restructuring to access investment protection foreign investment disputes under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement 2020 the illegality defense in investor-State arbitration arbitration and insolvency status of annulled awards in investment arbitration the arbitration ‘backlash’ The collection addresses, in depth, some of the most pressing technical and political considerations facing international arbitration today. Its focus will enable arbitrators and all whose work involves them in the arbitral process, as well as academics in the field, to equip themselves to address critical issues as they arise during the conduct of any international commercial or investment arbitration.

Multiple Contracts and Coordination in International Construction Projects
Multiple Contracts and Coordination in International Construction Projects

Author: Jürg Künzle

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2020-07-16

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 9403519940

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International Arbitration Law Library, Volume Number 57 Collaboration between multiple parties from different countries is one of the main challenges of almost every international undertaking, and this is especially true in the case of large and complex construction projects, such as airport terminals, interchange subway stations, distribution centers, industrial processing and manufacturing facilities or hydropower plants. This comprehensive analysis of key legal issues arising from interdependencies between multiple contracts methodically lays out, from a Swiss law perspective, the way in which coordination of works in construction projects could or should occur. It also examines the legal consequences of coordination failure and various related aspects of dispute resolution. Topics covered include the following: interfaces and interdependencies across the system boundaries of multiple contracts coordination responsibilities derived from the principle of good faith and from a contextual interpretation of interdependence-related FIDIC Red Book provisions; delegation scenarios; liability for breach of contract and legal remedies in case of delay, disruption, defects, destruction and performance impossibility; direct claims against third parties; taking of evidence under substantively intertwined contracts; and coordination of interrelated arbitration proceedings. The detailed analysis draws on numerous specific real-life examples as well as illustrative Swiss and Unites States case law. An appendix offers very useful practice pointers. Although considering Swiss law, which is a frequent choice for the law governing international construction contracts, the analysis deals with an array of conceptual aspects of multiple contracts and coordination, thereby addressing a great number of issues beyond the limits of national law. With its practical examples, the book is sure to be welcomed by those seeking to avoid or resolve disputes to which project coordination may give rise. It will prove of particular value to practitioners negotiating international construction contracts, arbitrators, in-house counsel representing owners and contractors involved in international construction projects, members of dispute review boards and project managers.

Dealing with Bribery and Corruption in International Commercial Arbitration
Dealing with Bribery and Corruption in International Commercial Arbitration

Author: Emmanuel Obiora Igbokwe

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2023-01-10

Total Pages: 455

ISBN-13: 9403520868

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International Arbitration Law Library, Volume 65 International commercial arbitration is by no means free from bribery and corruption. Although a plethora of legal scholarship clearly affirms this contention, a thorough study on the particularly important question of the authority and duty of international commercial arbitrators to investigate a suspicion or indication of bribery or corruption sua sponte ¬– that is, on their own initiative – has been surprisingly lacking. This important book fills this gap, inter alia, by locating sua sponte authority in the position of arbitral tribunals in establishing the facts of a case and ascertaining and applying the applicable normative standards. In addition to providing a comprehensive examination of how the issue of bribery and corruption is dealt with in contemporary international commercial arbitration, the book also highlights the role of arbitrators in global efforts to combat transnational commercial bribery and corruption. Among others, the following critical issues are thoroughly investigated: arbitrability of issues of public interests; intermediary contracts; role of arbitrators in the fact-finding process; party autonomy versus overriding mandatory rules; iura novit curia in international commercial arbitration in the context of bribery and corruption; notion of transnational (or ‘truly international’) public policy; arbitrators’ duty to act as guardians of international commerce; investigative tools available to arbitrators; dealing with manifestly recalcitrant parties; possible consequences of violating the obligation to sua sponte investigate; and the view from developing countries. The analysis leans primarily on Swiss law, as Switzerland is one of the most important jurisdictions in international commercial arbitration; Switzerland has also been involved in some of the most famous and controversial arbitration cases wherein bribery and corruption became an issue. However, the study also includes a comparative analysis of the relevant laws, jurisprudence, and doctrine of other major arbitration venues, particularly England, France, and Germany. Not only in the light it sheds on how and whether international commercial arbitrators have hitherto justified the trust States have placed in them regarding the protection of the public interests but also in the practical solutions it offers arbitrators faced with issues of bribery and corruption, this deeply researched book equips arbitration practitioners and arbitration institutions with a hitherto lacking in-depth analysis on the question of sua sponte investigation. It also provides invaluable insights on how this issue might affect the future, legitimacy and expansion of this dispute settlement mechanism. Outside the field of arbitration, the book also provides jurists, legal scholars, in-house counsel for companies doing transnational business and public officials with highly enlightening perspectives on the interaction between international commercial arbitration and public interests.

Complex Arbitrations
Complex Arbitrations

Author: Bernard Hanotiau

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2020-07-10

Total Pages: 662

ISBN-13: 9403512628

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Complex Arbitrations: Multi-party, Multi-contract and Multi-issue A Comparative Study Second Edition Bernard Hanotiau Arbitrations involving more than two parties and complex multi-contractual issues are becoming more and more prevalent every year in every major jurisdiction worldwide. This fully updated, extensively revised edition of a far-seeing 2006 book that has been greatly valued and widely used remains the only comprehensive analysis of all the issues arising from multi-party–multi-contract arbitrations, including those involving States and groups of companies. The numerous factors and problems analysed in depth include the following: theories on the basis of which various courts and tribunals determine who are parties to the arbitration clause and whether a non-signatory may be part of the proceedings; to what extent one can bring to a single arbitration proceeding the various parties who have participated in a single economic transaction through several contracts; reasoning to follow when it comes to deciding whether another company of the group can be joined to the arbitration; whether a party to a complex contractual structure can intervene voluntarily in the proceedings; under what conditions arbitrations may be consolidated; to what extent res judicata applies when a second arbitration is initiated between the same parties on different legal grounds; how and to what extent one can overcome the inconveniences that arise from having several parallel proceedings; and enforcement of multi-party–multi-contract awards. Features of particular value to the practitioner include in-depth analysis of ad hoc and institutional awards rendered under the auspices of numerous arbitral institutions; analysis of relevant national case law based on hundreds of court decisions from all over the world; and appendices specifying multi-party–multi-contract arbitration clauses, provisions of international conventions and relevant national legislative and institutional rules. The first edition has been used all over the world, frequently referred to by courts and tribunals when one of its topics is addressed. The second edition, with its increased volume of arbitral awards and cases from many more jurisdictions, its new scenarios, its updates on new legislation and rules, and its newly researched jurisprudence will help lawyers and corporate counsel solve the increasingly complex procedural issues confronting them in dealing with multi-party–multi-contract disputes. Law professors and students of dispute resolution have here a powerfully authoritative consideration of one of the most salient aspects of current international practice.

Economic Analysis of the Arbitrator’s Function
Economic Analysis of the Arbitrator’s Function

Author: Bruno Guandalini

Publisher: Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published: 2020-06-16

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13: 9403522704

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Economic Analysis of the Arbitrator’s Function Bruno Guandalini Arbitration has become an important market, where arbitrators are rational economic agents maximizing their utility. Although this is self-evident, it is rarely discussed. This penetrating book is the first to comprehensively analyze the market for arbitrators and arbitrators’ economic role within it. In great depth, the author tackles such salient issues as the following: effect of perceived inefficiencies and high costs on arbitration legitimacy; alleged commercialization of the arbitrator’s function; possible ethical problem raised by financial remuneration for rendering justice; what motivates a person to arbitrate; market for arbitrators’ functioning and failures, providing a better understanding of how actors could behave in such a specific market; structural and artificial entry barriers; effect of an arbitrator’s strategic behavior on the arbitrator’s function; limitations on an arbitrator’s rationality; and preventing and correcting these limitations. Numerous references to customs and procedures in major arbitral jurisdictions and to international laws and conventions affecting the efficiency of the arbitrator’s function are included. Pursuing a non-prescriptive analysis, the author draws on the discipline of law and economics, rational choice theory, behavioral economics, and psychological work on bounded rationality. Understanding the arbitrator’s function as a legal institution that is influenced by the market, this pioneer in developing and systematizing the study of the market for arbitrators and how it works will prove of inestimable value to all stakeholders in the arbitration market. Arbitrators, policymakers, regulators, and academics will be enabled to open the way to a more efficient market for arbitrators and betterment in arbitration worldwide.