Belgium

Belgium, BIT, Court of Appeal, Enforcement, Final Award, Poland, Public Policy, Set aside an arbitral award

(Crowell & Moring) and (A&O Shearman)/ /Leave a comment

The Brussels first instance court attracted significant attention in 2022 by deciding to set aside an UNCITRAL award regarding a claim brought against the Republic of Poland under the US-Poland bilateral investment treaty (“US-Poland BIT”).  This was the first time we had seen a Belgian court set aside an investment treaty award.  The first instance…

Belgium

, (Hanotiau & van den Berg)/ /Leave a comment

In a decision rendered on 7 April 2023 in the Thibelo case, the Belgian Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation/Hof van Cassatie) ruled that disputes about the termination of exclusive distribution agreements can be settled through arbitration, even where such an agreement is governed by foreign substantive law, regardless of whether such foreign law offers similar protection…

Arbitral Secretaries, Belgium

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In its decision of 24 April 2023, the Belgian Supreme Court upheld the Brussels Court’s judgment of 17 June 2021 (discussed here), thereby confirming that arbitral secretaries can assist in drafting arbitral awards, provided that the arbitral tribunal is still calling the shots. This post explains how this recent decision (discussed here) reflects the doctrine’s…

Annulment, Arbitral Secretary, Belgium

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In a decision of 24 April 2023, the Belgian supreme civil court (“cour de cassation”) dismissed the petition against a judgment of the Brussels court of first instance (“tribunal de première instance”; hereafter the “lower court”) that addressed the question to what extent arbitrators can delegate tasks to arbitral secretaries. The supreme court decision analyzed…

Annulment, Belgium, Denial of justice

(Crowell & Moring) and (A&O Shearman)/ /1 Comment

On 18 February 2022, the Brussels court of first instance set aside an UNCITRAL award regarding a claim brought against the Republic of Poland under the US-Poland bilateral investment treaty (US-Poland BIT).  This is the first time we see a Belgian court set aside an investment treaty award.  The court decided that the arbitral tribunal…

Arbitration, Belgium, Commercial Court of Paris, Commercial Courts, commercial litigation, France, Netherlands, Netherlands Commercial Court

(Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP) and (Linklaters LLP)/ /2 Comments

Over the last few years, the arbitration community’s attention was drawn to the establishment of English-speaking international commercial courts in various jurisdictions around Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Some said these courts would become a competitor of arbitration, providing an alternative forum to the international business community. Others were sceptical that the mere promise…

Belgium, CJEU, ECT Modernisation, Energy Charter Treaty, Intra-EU ISDS, Investment Arbitration

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On 3 December 2020, Belgium announced the submission of a request to the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) for an opinion on whether the intra-European application of the arbitration provisions of the future modernised Energy Charter Treaty (“ECT”) are compatible with the EU Treaties. Belgium indicated that the purpose of its request…

Arbitration, Belgium, CEPANI, Dispute Settlement, Expert evidence, Experts, UNCITRAL, UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules

(Hanotiau & van den Berg) and (The Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation )/ /Leave a comment

Located in the heart of Brussels, Europe’s capital and home to international organisations such as NATO, CEPANI, the Belgian Centre for Arbitration and Mediation, was founded on 25 September 1969. At that time, Belgium had just acceded to the Geneva Convention and was exploring ways to update its obsolete legal arbitration framework. Much has changed…

Arbitration, Arbitrators, Belgium, UNCITRAL Model Law

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Background The Dutch-speaking division of the Brussels Enterprise Court has been understaffed in recent years. On 5 February 2019, the Court’s president issued a press release (here) revealing rather troublesome news that, imminently, the Court will comprise only six full time judges and hearings will be delayed by some two years. The Brussels Enterprise Court is…

Arbitration, Arbitration Awards, Arbitration Proceedings, Belgium, CAS arbitration, International arbitration

(Hanotiau & van den Berg) and (Hanotiau & van den Berg, Brussels)/ /Leave a comment

The authors write this contribution strictly in their own name. Most arbitration laws require parties to identify in their arbitration agreement the “defined legal relationship” for which they wish to submit disputes to arbitration. Nonetheless, this requirement has given rise to little case law in practice. In a judgment of 29 August 2018 (“Judgment”), however,…

Arbitration, Belgium, International Business Court

(Linklaters)/ /1 Comment

Background In October 2017, in the wake of Brexit, Belgium was one of the first European jurisdictions to announce its intention to set up a specialised English-speaking court with jurisdiction over international commercial disputes, the Brussels International Business Court (“BIBC”). The stated aim of this new court is to position Brussels as a new hub…

Arbitration, Belgium, Document Exchange, International arbitration, Technology, Uncategorized

(Hanotiau & van den Berg)/ /Leave a comment

With the focus of the arbitral community being taken over by the recent discourse surrounding an important branch of international arbitration, i.e., investor state dispute settlement, after the 6 March 2018 Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-284/16, Slowakische Republik v Achmea BV, there may be a risk today,…

Belgium, CETA, CJEU, ECJ, European Law, European Union, Germany, Intra-EU BITs, The Netherlands, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, Ukraine, Vietnam

(NL-Investmentconsulting)/ /3 Comments

The recent developments concerning the signature of the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the EU have illustrated the paralysis and inability of the EU and its Member States to deliver economic prosperity and create jobs – which used to be one of the very reasons for establishing the EU and giving it…

Belgium, International arbitration, UNCITRAL Model Law

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During past months, the Belgian arbitration community has been very active in promoting its country and Brussels in particular, as a major international arbitration centre. 2013 and 2014 are indeed vintage years for Belgian arbitration. First, the Cepani, the major Belgian arbitration institution, modernised its arbitration rules. The new rules entered into force as from…

Arbitration Agreements, Arbitration clause, Belgium, Jurisdiction, Law governing the arbitration agreement

(DMDB Law)/ /1 Comment

A judgment of the European Court of 17 October 2013 (C-184/12) honors gold plated provisions when considered mandatory. Member state courts are allowed to consider their national gold-plating (the practice of implementing rules tougher than the minimum required by the EU) as being of overriding mandatory character. Arbitration clause In 2005, Unamar, a Belgian commercial…

Arbitration Institutions and Rules, Belgium, Multiple parties

(DMDB Law)/ /5 Comments

With regard to multicontract arbitration, the CEPANI Arbitration Rules (“the Rules”) contain a specific provision (Article 10). Article 10(1) allows the parties to pursue claims arising out of different contracts or in connection with more than one contract in one single arbitration. This can occur for example when parties decide to conclude different contracts with…

Arbitration, Arbitration Act, Arbitration Proceedings, Belgium

(Matray, Matray & Hallet)/ /1 Comment

On 16 May 2013, Belgium’s House of Representatives adopted the bill no. 53-2743 that is meant to replace the Sixth Part of the Belgian Code of Civil Procedure (Code judiciaire/Gerechtelijk Wetboek) and thoroughly modernize the Belgian arbitration law. The travaux préparatoires leading to this new law may be consulted here (in French and Dutch). The…