AlternativeDisputeResolution

Sembrano,MeighanE.
3B
ASummaryoftheUNCITRALArbitrationRules
InordertogetabetterunderstandingofthehighlightsoftheUnitedNations
CommissiononInternationalTradeLaw(UNCITRAL)ArbitrationRules,itisbesttogo
aboutitbySection.
SectionIIntroductoryRules
UnderArticle3itsaysthattheclaimantshallcommunicatetotherespondenta
noticeofarbitration.Arbitralproceedingsshallbedeemedtocommenceonthedateon
whichtherespondentreceivesthenoticeofarbitration.
Astorepresentationandassistance,itisstatedinArticle5thateachpartymaybe
representedorassistedbypersonschosenbyit.Thenamesandaddressesofsuchpersons
mustbecommunicatedtoallpartiesandtothearbitraltribunal.
InArticle6,itstatesthatunlessthepartieshavealreadyagreedonthechoiceof
anappointingauthority,apartymayatanytimeproposethenameornamesofoneor
moreinstitutionsorpersons,oneofwhomwouldserveasappointingauthority.
SectionIICompositionoftheArbitralTribunal
Ifthepartieshaveagreedthatasolearbitratoristobeappointedandifwithin30
daysafterreceiptbyallotherpartiesofaproposalfortheappointmentofasolearbitrator
thepartieshavenotreachedagreementthereon,asolearbitratorshall,attherequestofa
party,beappointedbytheappointingauthority.(Article8)Howeverincaseswherethere
are3arbitrators,eachpartyshallappointonearbitrator.Thetwoarbitratorsthus
appointedshallchoosethethirdarbitratorwhowillactasthepresidingarbitratorofthe
arbitraltribunal.(Article9)
HoweverinArticle10,ifthereisafailuretoconstitutethearbitraltribunal,the
appointingauthoritymay,attherequestofeitheroftheparties,revoketheappointments
alreadymadeandhenceconstituteanarbitraltribunal.
InArticle11itsaidthatitisthedutyofapersonapproachedinconnectionwith
hisorherpossibleappointmentasanarbitrator,heorsheshalldiscloseany
circumstanceslikelytogiverisetojustifiabledoubtsastohisorherimpartialityor
independence.

SectionIIIArbitralProceedings
InArticle17itstatesthatthearbitraltribunalmayconductthearbitrationinsuch
mannerasitconsidersappropriate,providedthatthepartiesaretreatedwithequalityand
thatatanappropriatestageoftheproceedingseachpartyisgivenareasonable
opportunityofpresentingitscase.Thearbitraltribunal,inexercisingitsdiscretion,shall
conducttheproceedingssoastoavoidunnecessarydelayandexpenseandtoprovidea
fairandefficientprocessforresolvingthepartiesdispute.
Astotheplaceofarbitration,Article18saysthatifthepartieshavenot
previouslyagreedontheplaceofarbitration,theplaceofarbitrationshallbedetermined
bythearbitraltribunalhavingregardtothecircumstancesofthecase.
Theclaimantshallcommunicateitsstatementofclaiminwritingtothe
respondentandtoeachofthearbitratorswithinaperiodoftimetobedeterminedbythe
arbitraltribunal.Thestatementofclaimshallincludethefollowingparticulars:
.

(a)Thenamesandcontactdetailsoftheparties;

(b)Astatementofthefactssupportingtheclaim;

(c)Thepointsatissue;

(d)Therelieforremedysought;

(e)Thelegalgroundsorargumentssupportingtheclaim.(Article20)
Thestatementofdefenceshallreplytotheparticulars(b)to(e)ofthestatement
ofclaim(art.20,para.2).Thestatementofdefenceshould,asfaraspossible,be
accompaniedbyalldocumentsandotherevidencerelieduponbytherespondent,or
containreferencestothem.(Article21)
Thearbitraltribunalmay,attherequestofaparty,grantinterimmeasures.
(Article21)
Article28mentionsarelativelyadvancedmeansofcommunication:Thearbitral
tribunalmaydirectthatwitnesses,includingexpertwitnesses,beexaminedthrough
meansoftelecommunicationthatdonotrequiretheirphysicalpresenceatthehearing
(suchasvideoconference).
Article30discussesDefault.Ifaparty,dulynotifiedundertheseRules,failsto
appearatahearing,withoutshowingsufficientcauseforsuchfailure,thearbitraltribunal
mayproceedwiththearbitration.
AwaiveroftherighttoobjectismadepossibleunderArticle32.Afailurebyanyparty
toobjectpromptlytoanynoncompliancewiththeseRulesorwithanyrequirementof
thearbitrationagreementshallbedeemedtobeawaiveroftherightofsuchpartyto

makesuchanobjection,unlesssuchpartycanshowthat,underthecircumstances,its
failuretoobjectwasjustified.

SectionIVTheAward
Whenthereismorethanonearbitrator,anyawardorotherdecisionofthearbitral
tribunalshallbemadebyamajorityofthearbitrators.(Article33)
Article36discussessettlementorothergroundsfortermination.Thefirstis,
when,inthecaseofquestionsofprocedure,whenthereisnomajorityorwhenthe
arbitraltribunalsoauthorizes,thepresidingarbitratormaydecidealone,subjectto
revision,ifany,bythearbitraltribunal.AnotherInstancewouldbe,beforetheawardis
made,thepartiesagreeonasettlementofthedispute,thecontinuationofthearbitral
proceedingsbecomesunnecessaryorimpossible.
Thefeesandexpensesofthearbitratorsshallbereasonableinamount,takinginto
accounttheamountindispute,thecomplexityofthesubjectmatter,thetimespentbythe
arbitratorsandanyotherrelevantcircumstancesofthecase.(Article41)

AstotheallocationofcostsunderArticle42,thecostsofthearbitrationshallin
principlebebornebytheunsuccessfulpartyorparties.