A Comparative Study of International Commercial Institutional Arbitration in Europe and in the United States of America

  • Peter Benjamin
Chapter

Abstract

In December 1958, the secretariat of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe issued a “Handbook of national and international institutions active in the field of international commercial arbitration”1) (hereinafter referred to as “the Handbook”) wherein are summarised the arbitral rules or statutes of one hundred and twenty-seven different arbitral institutions, national (whether general2) or specialised3), international4) and bi-national5)). On the basis of the material contained in the Handbook as well as on the basis of a preliminary comparative survey undertaken by ECE in 1957 on the material then available6), it is hoped in the following pages to underline the main differences and similarities that exist in the various rules and statutes with a view to considering to what extent standardisation is possible, a question which is being actively examined by an ad hoc Working Group on Arbitration of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in its endeavour to draw up arbitration rules for use in international trade.

Keywords

Foreign Trade Trade Association Arbitral Tribunal United Nations Economic Commission Arbitral Award 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Etude Comparee de l’Arbitrage Commercial International Comme Institution en Europe et aux Etats-Unis d’Amerique

Résumé

En décembre 1958 le secrétariat de la Commission Economique des Nations Unies pour l’Europe a édité un Répertoire des institutions nationales et internationales exerçant une activité dans le domaine de l’arbitrage commercial international1 (ci-après nommé “le Répertoire”) où sont résumés les règles ou règlements d’arbitrage de cent vingt sept institutions arbitrales nationales (que ce soit générales2) ou spécialisées3) internationales4) et bi-nationales5)). Sur la base des éléments contenus dans le Répertoire comme sur la base d’une étude préliminaire comparée entreprise en 1957 par l’E.C.E. avec les éléments alors disponibles6), nous espérons dans les pages suivantes souligner les difféences principales et les ressemblances qui existent entre les différents règles et règlements, dans le but d’examiner jusqu’à quel point une standardisation est possible: question activement étudiée actuellement par un Groupe de Travail ad hoc sur l’Arbitrage de la Commission Economique pour l’Europe des Nations Unies dans le cadre de son effort pour établir des règles d’arbitrage utilisables dans le commerce international.

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Notes

  1. 1).
    TRADE/WPl/15/Rev. 1, Volumes I—V.Google Scholar
  2. 2).
    Austria — Arbitration Courts of the Austrian Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Belgium — Brussels Chamber of Commerce; Bulgaria — Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce; Czechoslovakia — Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce of Czechoslovakia; Eastern Germany — Arbitration Court attached to the Chamber of Foreign Trade; Federal Republic of Germany — Arbitral Tribunal of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Arbitration Court of the Bremen Chamber of Commerce, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt-on-Main and Stuttgart Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Permanent Arbitral Chamber attached to the German Arbitration Commission; Finland — Arbitration Committee of the Central Chamber of Commerce (Helsinki); France — Marseilles Chamber of Arbitration, Paris Chamber of Arbitration, Strasbourg Chamber of Arbitration; Hungary — Arbitration Court of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce; Italy — Trieste Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture; Netherlands — Amsterdam and Rotterdam Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Netherlands Arbitration Institute; Norway — Court of Arbitration of the Oslo Exchange; Poland — Court of Arbitration of the Polish Chamber of Foreign Trade; Rumania — Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Rumanian Chamber of Commerce; Spain — The Consulado of the Valencia Exchange; Sweden — Arbitral Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, Arbitral Tribunal of the Goteborg Chamber of Commerce; Switzerland — Arbitral Tribunal of the Zürich Chamber of Commerce; USSR — Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the USSR Chamber of Commerce; United Kingdom — Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Manufacturers, London Court of Arbitration, Tribunal of Arbitration of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce; United States of America — American Arbitration Association; Yugoslavia — Court of Foreign Trade Arbitration of the Yugoslav Federal Chamber for Foreign Trade.Google Scholar
  3. 3).
    Austria — Vienna Agricultural Products Exchange, Vienna Exchange; Belgium — Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Coffee Trade, Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Grain and Seeds Trade, Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Leather and Hides Trade, Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Oil and the Animal and Vegetable Fats Trade, Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Rubber Trade, Antwerp Conciliation and Arbitration Chamber for the Chemical, Mineral and Pharmaceutical Products Trade, Antwerp Conciliation and Arbitration Chamber for the Frozen Meat Trade, Arbitral Chamber of the Federation of the Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Scrap Trade, Arbitral Chamber of the Rag Industry Association in Belgium; Denmark — Arbitral Commission of the Steel and Metals Trade Association (Copenhagen), Arbitration Commission of the Butter Trade, Arbitration Committee of the Flour Trade, Arbitration Committee of the Grocery Trade (Copenhagen), Arbitration Court of the Coffee Trade, Copenhagen Adjudication and Arbitration Committee for the Grain and Fodder Trade, Copenhagen Adjudication and Arbitration Committee for the Seed Trade; Federal Republic of Germany — Arbitral Tribunal of the Association of Grain Dealers at the Hamburg Exchange, Arbitral Tribunal of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, Arbitral Tribunal of the Fibre and Hair Trade Association, Arbitration Board of the Bremen Grain and Fodder Exchange, Arbitration Board of the Frankfurt-on-Main Grain and Produce Exchange, Arbitration Court attached to the Bremen Chamber of Commerce for Disputes relating to Cargoes, Arbitration Court of the Bremen Coffee Trade Association, Arbitration Court of the Hamburg German Vegetables Oils Fats and Oleaginous Materials Wholesale Trade Association “Grofor”, Arbitration Court of the Hamburg Sugar Trade Association, Association of German Timber Importers (Germania contract) (Bremen), Association of German Timber Importers (Hammonia contract) (Hamburg); France — Le Havre Arbitral Chamber for Cotton, Maritime Arbitration Chamber; Italy — Arbitral Chamber of the “Associazione Cotoniera Italiana” (Milan), Arbitral Chamber of the “Associazione Granaria” (Milan), Arbitral Chamber for the Foreign Raw Hides Trade (Genoa), Arbitral Chamber for the Grain and Seed Trade Association (Genoa); Netherlands — Amsterdam and Rotterdam Association for the Coffee Trade, Association of Netherlands Exporters of Grain, Seed and Pulse (Rotterdam), Netherlands Association for the Oils, Fats and Oilseeds Trade (Rotterdam), Netherlands Dried Fruit Trade Association, Netherlands Hide and Leather Exchange Association (The Hague), Rotterdam Committee of Grain Dealers, Rotterdam Committee of Grain Dealers (Arbitration Rules for German-Netherlands Contracts); Norway — Arbitration Court of the Norwegian Papermakers’ Association and the Norwegian Overseas Exporters’ Association; Poland — Arbitration Chamber of the Gdynia Cotton Association; Sweden — Swedish Arbitration Commission for the Grain and Fodder Trade, Swedish Institute of Technical and Industrial Arbitration; Switzerland — Arbitral Tribunal of the Berne Cereal and Agricultural Products Exchange, Zurich Cereals Exchange; USSR — Maritime Arbitration Commission of USSR Chamber of Commerce; United Kingdom — Bradford Chamber of Commerce, British Chemical and Dyestuffs Traders’ Association Ltd., British Cotton Waste Association Ltd., British Wool Federation, Cocoa Association of London Ltd., Coffee Trade Federation, General Produce Brokers Association of London, Hide and Skin Shippers and Agents Association (Incorporated) of London, Imported Meat Trade Association Incorporated, Incorporated Oil-Seed Association, Liverpool Corn Trade Association Limited, Liverpool Cotton Association Ltd., Liverpool Provision Trade Association Ltd., Lloyd’s Standard Form of Arbitration Agreement in cases of Collision, Lloyd’s Standard Form of Salvage Agreement, London Cattle Food Trade Association (Incorporated), London Copra Association, London Corn Trade Association, London Fur Trade Association, London Hemp Association, London Jute Association, London Metal Exchange, London Oil and Tallow Trades Association, London Provision Exchange Limited, London Shellac Trade Association, London Sisal Association, London Wool Terminal Market Association, Manchester Cotton Association Ltd., Manila Hemp Association of London, National Dried Fruit Trade Association, Refined Sugar Association, Rubber Trade Association of London, Seed, Oil Cake and General Produce Association, Sugar Association of London; United States of America — American Spice Trade Association, Association of Food Distributors Inc., Burlap and Jute Association, Cocoa Merchants’ Association of America Inc., Commodity Exchange Inc., Rubber Manufacturers Association Inc.Google Scholar
  4. 4).
    Bureau International de la Récupération, European Union for the Wholesale Potato Trade, Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission, International Chamber of Commerce, International Federation of the Seed Trade, Scandinavian Arbitration Board for Hides and Skins.Google Scholar
  5. 5).
    Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for Crop Products at Strasbourg/Mannheim, Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for the Fruit and Southern Fruit and Vegetable Trade at Strasbourg/Cologne.Google Scholar
  6. 6).
    TRADE/WP1/22.Google Scholar
  7. 7).
    See Benjamin, Aperçu des institutions arbitrales de l’Europe de l’Est, Revue de l’arbitrage, 1957, No. 4, p. 114.Google Scholar
  8. 7a).
    See Benjamin, Aperçu des institutions arbitrales de l’Europe de l’Est, Revue de l’arbitrage, 1958, No. 1, p. 2.Google Scholar
  9. 8).
    The Arbitration Court of the Hamburg Sugar Trade Association and the Refined Sugar Trade Association.Google Scholar
  10. 9).
    For a discussion see Robert, Traité de l’arbitrage, No. 81.Google Scholar
  11. 10).
    Inter alia, the Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Grain and Seed Trade and the Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Leather and Hide Trade.Google Scholar
  12. 11).
    Inter alia, the Netherlands Arbitration Institute and the Arbitration Court of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  13. 12).
    e.g. the American Arbitration Association and the International Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  14. 13).
    See the Rules of the London Corn Trade Association Limited and those of the London Metal Exchange.Google Scholar
  15. 14).
    See the respective rules or statutes of the American Spice Trade Association, the Arbitration Board of the Bremen Grain and Fodder Exchange, the Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce of Czechoslovakia, the Arbitration Court of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, the Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for Crop Products at Strasbourg/Mannheim, the Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for the Fruit and Southern Fruit and Vegetable Trade at Strasbourg/Cologne, the Marseilles Chamber of Arbitration, the Permanent Arbitral Chamber attached to the German Arbitration Commission, and the Swedish Institute of Technical and Industrial Arbitration.Google Scholar
  16. 15).
    See the respective rules or statutes of the Arbitration Board of the Frankfurt-on-Main Grain and Produce Exchange, the Arbitral Tribunal of the Association of Grain Dealers at the Hamburg Exchange, the Arbitral Tribunal of the Berne Cereal and Agricultural Products Exchange, the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Rumanian Chamber of Commerce, the Rotterdam Committee of Grain Dealers, the Strasbourg Chamber of Arbitration, and the Vienna Exchange.Google Scholar
  17. 16).
    The Arbitral Tribunal of the Association of Grain Traders at the Hamburg Exchange, the Arbitration Board of the Bremen Grain and Fodder Exchange, and the Arbitration Board of the Frankfurt-on-Main Grain and Produce Exchange.Google Scholar
  18. 17).
    The respective rules and statutes of the Arbitral Chamber of the “Associazione Granaria” of Milan and the Scandinavian Arbitration Board for Hides and Skins.Google Scholar
  19. 18).
    The American Arbitration Association, the Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission, the American Spice Trade Association, and the Burlap and Jute Association.Google Scholar
  20. 19).
    See the rules of the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Rumanian Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  21. 20).
    The Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce of Czechoslovakia, the Burlap and Jute Association (U.S.A.), the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the USSR Chamber of Commerce, and the International Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  22. 21).
    The Arbitration Court of the Bremen Coffee Trade Association, the Arbitral Tribunal of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, and the London Court of Arbitration.Google Scholar
  23. 22).
    Special provisions relating to counterclaims will however be found under the rules of the Netherlands Arbitration Institute.Google Scholar
  24. Traduction: On trouvera cependant des dispositions spéciales relatives aux demandes reconventionnelles dans les règles de l’Institut Néerlandais d’Arbitrage.Google Scholar
  25. 23).
    The Tribunal of Arbitration of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Arbitration Court of the Bremen Coffee Trade Association, the Arbitration Court of the Norwegian Papermakers’ Association and the Norwegian Overseas Exporters’ Association, the Arbitral Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the Court of Arbitration of the Oslo Exchange, the London Copra Association, the London Corn Trade Association, the London Court of Arbitration, the National Dried Fruit Trade Association (U.K.), the Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (U.S.A.), the Sugar Association of London, the Swedish Arbitration Commission for the Grain and Fodder Trade, the Swedish Institute of Technical and Industrial Arbitration and the Tribunal of Arbitration of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  26. 24).
    The Arbitration Court of the Bremen Chamber of Commerce, the Arbitration Court of the Bremen Coffee Trade Association, the Düsseldorf, Frankfurt-on-Main and Stuttgart Chambers of Commerce, and the Permanent Arbitral Chamber attached to the German Arbitration Commission.Google Scholar
  27. 25).
    The Amsterdam and Rotterdam Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, the British Wool Federation, the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Rumanian Chamber of Commerce, Lloyds, the London Shellac Trade Association, and the Rubber Trade Association of London.Google Scholar
  28. 26).
    The Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce of Czechoslovakia, and the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  29. 27).
    The Arbitration Chamber of the Gdynia Cotton Association, the Arbitration Committee of the Central Chamber of Commerce (Helsinki), the Court of Arbitration of the Polish Chamber of Foreign Trade, the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Rumanian Chamber of Commerce, the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the U.S.S.R. Chamber of Commerce, the Maritime Arbitration Commission of the U.S.S.R. Chamber of Commerce, and the Permanent Arbitral Chamber attached to the German Arbitration Commission.Google Scholar
  30. 28).
    The Arbitration Committee of the Central Chamber of Commerce (Helsinki), the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, and the Court of Arbitration of the Polish Chamber of Foreign Trade.Google Scholar
  31. 29).
    The American Arbitration Association, the Arbitration Courts of the Austrian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Arbitration Court attached to the Chamber of Foreign Trade (Eastern Germany), the Court of Arbitration of the Polish Chamber of Foreign Trade, the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, the Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission, and the Vienna Agricultural Products Exchange.Google Scholar
  32. 30).
    Lloyd’s Standard form of arbitration agreement in cases of collision.Google Scholar
  33. 31).
    The Arbitral Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the London Court of Arbitration, the Court of Arbitration of the Oslo Exchange, the Marseilles Chamber of Arbitration, the Permanent Arbitral Chamber attached to the German Arbitration Commission, and the Arbitration Tribunal of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  34. 32).
    See the Arbitration Act, 1950, sec. 21.Google Scholar
  35. 33).
    See Czarnikow v. Roth, Schmidt and Co.[1922], 2 K.B.478, (CA.).Google Scholar
  36. 34).
    The Arbitration Board of the Frankfurt-on-Main Grain and Produce Exchange, the Arbitral Tribunal of the Fibre and Hair Trade Association (Fed. Rep. of Germany), the Düsseldorf, Frankfurt-on-Main and Stuttgart Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for the Fruit, and Southern Fruit and Vegetable Trade at Strasbourg/Cologne, and the Permanent Arbitral Chamber attached to the German Arbitration Commission.Google Scholar
  37. 35).
    The Arbitral Tribunal of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, and the Gdynia Cotton Association.Google Scholar
  38. 36) See Benjamin, The work of the ECE in the field of international commercial arbitration, I. & C.L.Q., 1958, p. 22 at p. 27.Google Scholar
  39. 37).
    The London Copra Association, Lloyd’s standard form of agreement in cases of collision and the Refined Sugar Association.Google Scholar
  40. 38).
    Inter alia, the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, the Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce of Czechoslovakia, and the Foreign Trade Arbitration Commission of the USSR Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  41. 39) On this question see Kopelmanas, Quelques problèmes récents de Varbitrage commercial international, Revue trimestrielle de droit commercial 1958, p. 879 at p. 882.Google Scholar
  42. 40).
    The American Arbitration Association, the Arbitration Court of the Hamburg German Vegetable Oils, Fats and Oleaginous Materials Wholesale Trade Association “Grofor”, the Arbitration Court of the Hamburg Sugar Trade Association, the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, the British Cotton Waste Association Ltd., the Burlap and Jute Association (U.S.A.), the Commodity Exchange Inc. (U.S.A.), the Inter-American Commercial Arbitration Commission, the International Chamber of Commerce, the London Court of Arbitration, the London Shellac Trade Association, the Netherlands Arbitration Institute, the Rotterdam Committee of Grain Dealers, the Scandinavian Arbitration Board for Hides and Skins, the Swedish Institute of Technical and Industrial Arbitration, and the Tribunal of Arbitration of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar
  43. 41).
    The Arbitration Court of the Chamber of Commerce of Czechoslovakia, the Arbitration Court attached to the Chamber of Foreign Trade (Eastern Germany).Google Scholar
  44. 42).
    The Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for Crop Products (Strasbourg/Mannheim), the Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for the Fruit and Southern Fruit and Vegetable Trade (Strasbourg/Cologne), and the European Union for the Wholesale Potato Trade.Google Scholar
  45. 43).
    The Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Grain and Seed Trade, the Brussels Chamber of Commerce, and the Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for the Fruit and Southern Fruit and Vegetable Trade (Strasbourg/Cologne).Google Scholar
  46. 44).
    See however the rules of the European Union for the Wholesale Potato Trade, where provision is made for the delivery of a draft award, which becomes final after a certain time at the request of the parties, provided that this practice is allowed where the arbitration takes place.Google Scholar
  47. Traduction: Cf. cependant les règles de l’Union Européenne du Commerce du Gros des Pommes de Terre, où une disposition prévoit le prononcé d’un projet de sentence qui devient définitif après un certain temps à la demande des parties, pourvu que là où a lieu l’arbitrage, cette pratique soit autorisée.Google Scholar
  48. 45).
    The Arbitration Board of the Bremen Grain and Fodder Exchange, the Arbitration Board of the Frankfurt-on-Main Grain and Produce Exchange, the Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for Crop Products (Strasbourg/Mannheim), the Franco-German Arbitration Chamber for the Fruit and Southern Fruit and Vegetable Trade (Strasbourg/Cologne), the Marseilles Chamber of Arbitration, and the Strasbourg Chamber of Arbitration.Google Scholar
  49. 46).
    In this context it is interesting to note the provisions to be found in the statutes of the Permanent Arbitral Chamber attached to the German Arbitration Commission whereby if either party objects to the application of German law an ad hoc commission determines what law should be applied.Google Scholar
  50. Traduction: Dans ce contexte, il est intéressant de noter les stipulations que l’on trouve dans les statuts du Tribunal Arbitral Permanent près la Commission Allemande d’Arbitrage, selon lesquelles, si une des parties fait objection à l’application du droit allemand, une commission ad hoc fixe le droit qui doit être appliqué.Google Scholar
  51. 47).
    The Amsterdam and Rotterdam Association for the Coffee Trade, the Antwerp Arbitration and Conciliation Chamber for the Grain and Seed Trade, the Arbitral Tribunal of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, the Arbitral Chamber of the Federation of the Ferrous and non-Ferrous Scrap Trade (Belgium), and the Arbitral Chamber of the Rag Industry Association in Belgium.Google Scholar
  52. 48).
    The Bureau International de la Récupération, the International Association of the Seed Trade, and the Düsseldorf, Frankfurt-on-Main, and Stuttgart Chambers of Commerce.Google Scholar
  53. 49).
    The Arbitration Court attached to the Bremen Chamber of Commerce for disputes relating to Cargoes, the Arbitration Court of the Bremen Coffee Trade Association, the Arbitration Court of the Norwegian Papermakers’ Association and the Norwegian Overseas Exporters’ Association, the Association of Netherlands Exporters of Grain, Seed and Pulse (Rotterdam), and the Foreign Trade Arb itration Commission of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Martinus Nijboff, The Hague, Netherlands 1960

Authors and Affiliations

  • Peter Benjamin
    • 1
  1. 1.GenevaSwitzerland

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