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Workshop Swiss Rules of International Arbitration Expedited Procedure , Emergency Relief, Awards and Costs Prague , 5 October 2012 Dr. Philipp Habegger LL.M., Walder Wyss AG Member of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution. 1. Expedited Procedure (I)
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Workshop Swiss Rules of International Arbitration ExpeditedProcedure, Emergency Relief, Awards andCosts Prague, 5 October 2012 Dr. Philipp HabeggerLL.M., Walder Wyss AG Member ofthe Arbitration Court ofthe Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution
1. ExpeditedProcedure (I) Applicable if: • Parties so agree (Art. 42(1)) • Aggregate of claim, counterclaim (or any set-off defence) does not exceed CHF 1 Mio. [and Court does not decide otherwise taking into account all relevant circumstances] (Art. 42(2))
1. ExpeditedProcedure (II) Very popular due to cost efficiency and speed: • 33% of all cases in 2011, 45% in 2010, 30% in 2009 • Award to be made within six months from the date of transmission of file to arbitral tribunal [usually a sole arbitrator under the regime of Art. 42(2); cf. Art. 42(2)(b) and (c)]
2. Emergency Relief (I) Art. 43: availability of interim measures that cannot wait until the arbitral tribunal has been constituted: • Available even before Notice of Arbitration is filed (Art. 43(1)) • Parallel competence with state courts (Art. 43(1) in conjunction with Art. 26(5))
2. Emergency Relief (II) • General transitional rule of Art. 1(3)applies: applicable to proceedings in which Notice of Arbitration is submitted on or after 1 June 2012, unless the parties have agreed otherwise -> jurisdictional issue to be decided by the emergency arbitrator(>< ICC Rules)
2. Emergency Relief (III) Application for emergency relief to include: • Particulars of Arts. 3(3)(b) to (e); • Advisable: when referring to arbitration agreement address jurisdiction and applicability of Art. 43; • Statement of interim measure(s) sought and reasons therefor, in particular the reason for the purported urgency;
2. Emergency Relief (IV) Application for emergency relief to include: • Comments on language, seat of arbitration (even if agreed between parties >< Art. 3(3)(g) only if not previously agreed); • Comments on applicable law (>< Art. 3(3)(g) not needed); • Confirmation of payment of Registration Fee of CHF 4,500 and Deposit of CHF 20,000 (Appendix B Section 1.6).
2. Emergency Relief (V) • If Notice of Arbitration not yet pending -> to be filed at latest within 10 days after filing of application (Art. 43(3)) -> otherwise termination of proceedings (any decision on application already rendered ceases to be binding; Art. 43(10))
2. Emergency Relief (VI) Art. 43(2): Court to appoint sole emergency arbitrator “as soon as possible after receipt of the Application”, unless: • Manifestly no agreement to arbitrate under Swiss Rules (= Art. 3(12); test to be stricter (?)); or • More appropriate to proceed with constitution of tribunal and refer application to it (cf. Art. 2(3) for acceleration of constitution).
2. Emergency Relief (VII) Art. 43(4): Arts. 9 to 12 apply to challenge of emergency arbitrator, but time-limits reduced from fifteen to three days. If challenge successful: decision stands (>< ICC) -> may be modified by tribunal or replacement emergency arbitrator Art. 43(5): Absent agreement by the parties, Court to fix seat of emergency relief proceedings without prejudice to later determination of seat of arbitration (Art. 16).
2. Emergency Relief (VIII) Art. 43(6): wide discretion for conduct of proceedings. • Proceedings should reflect inherent urgency; • Each party to be granted “reasonable opportunity to be heard on the Application”; • Neither formal in person hearing, nor full exchange of submissions necessarily required;
2. Emergency Relief (IX) • Decision to be rendered within fifteen days from the date file was transmitted to emergency arbitrator (Art. 43(7); file will only be transmitted once Registration Fee and Deposit are paid, Appendix B Section 1.6). Extensions for rendering of decision may be agreed by the parties or granted by the Court.
2. Emergency Relief (X) Art. 43(8) and (9): Decision has same effects as a decision pursuant to Art. 26, i.e., • Decision on application may be in form of an award (>< ICC); • Emergency arbitrator may issue preliminary orders (>< ICC and others); • Decision, if necessary, should rule on emergency arbitrator’s jurisdiction;
2. Emergency Relief (XI) Art. 43(8) and (9): Decision has same effects as a decision pursuant to Art. 26, i.e., • Reasons may be stated in summary form (Art. 42(1)(e) by analogy); • Decision is binding on parties (Art. 15(7)), but not on subsequent tribunal, which may modify, suspend or terminate it (Art. 43(8));
2. Emergency Relief (XII) • Decision to determine fees, costs and expenses of emergency arbitrator subject to approval by the Court (Art. 43(9)), but not other cost items -> other cost items will be determined later by arbitral tribunal. If later no tribunal constituted -> separate cost award by emergency arbitrator (>< ICC) -> enforceability.
3. Awards (I): FewChanges • Former Art. 32(2): dutyofpartiestocomplywithaward-> nowArt. 15(7) • Art. 35(1), 36(1), 37(1): Clarification: requestsforcorrection, interpretationor additional awardtobeaddressedtoSecretariat. • Art. 35(2), 37(2): extensionsof time forinterpretationor additional awardtobegrantedby Court (only)
3. Awards (II): whatdid not change • Art. 31(1): ifnomajority, presidentmaymakeawardalone • Art. 32(1): tribunalmaymake final, interim, interlocutory, or partial awardsandmayawardcosts in awardsthatare not final. • Art. 32(1): obligationtostatereasons, unlesspartiesagreethatnoreasonsaretobegiven
4. Determination ofCosts (I) • Art. 38: „thearbitraltribunalshalldeterminethecostsofarbitration in itsaward“ -> „The awardshallcontain a determinationofthecostsofthearbitration“. • Art. 32(1), 40(3), 40(5): Costdeterminationsmaybemade in final award, awardbyconsent, terminationorder, interimor partial awards. Also in decisions on correctionorinterpretationofawardsor additional awards. • Art. 38(a): Determination ofarbitrator’sfeesandexpensesbyarbitraltribunal (Art. 38(b+c)).
4. Determination ofCosts (II) • Appendix B Section5: ifarbitratorfeessubjectto VAT orotherfiscalcharge, partieshave a dutytopay such taxesorcharges • Art. 41(1): maytribunalrequestdeposit in theamountof VAT likelytobecomepayable?
4. Determination ofCosts (III) • Art. 38(a), 38(b): new [expresslystates]: feesofsecretaryoftribunal falls underArt. 38(a) -> ifaddedtofeesofarbitrators still tobewithinrangeofscaleofAppendix B Section 6-> expressionofprinciplethat total offeesshall not behigherifsecretaryassiststhetribunal. • Costsofsecretarymay not bequalifiedas„costofotherassistancerequiredbythearbitraltribunal“accordingtoArt. 38(c)!
4. Determination ofCosts (IV) • Art. 39(1): bothfeesand (new) expensesofarbitrators must bereasonable • Art. 39(2): feesaretobedetermined in accordancewithAppendix B. The scaleforfeesand administrative costshasremainedunchangedcomparedtothe Swiss Rules 2004.
5. CostControl (I) • Swiss Rules 2004: mereconsultationofthe Chambers bythetribunalregardingcosts (onlyamendmentto Art. 40 UNCITRAL 1976). Costsonlysubjecttoapprovalifamounts in scaleexceeded • Art. 41(3) and41(4) UNCITRAL 2010providerighttopartiestohavefeeproposalandcostdeterminationbytribunalchecked, approved, and – ifneedbe – adjustedby‚appointingauthority‘ -> increasedcostcontrol in ad-hoc proceedings
5. CostControl (II) • Art. 40(4): new: Not onlyawards, but aswellterminationordersanddecisionsrecorrection, interpretationand additional awards must besubmittedto Court regardingthecostdecision • New: in all instances (not onlyifamounts in scaleofApppendix B exceeded) submittedforapproval (not mereconsultation) withcompetenceof Court toadjust
5. CostControl (III) • Art. 40(4): „Any such approvaloradjustmentbythe Swiss Chambers‘ Court shallbebinding upon thearbitraltribunal“ • Court approvesoradjusts; and fixes administrative costs(Appendix B Section2.2, Art. 38(f)). No administrative costsifamount in disputebelow CHF 2 Mio. • Nocostcontrolregarding: • Costsitems in Art. 38(d) to38(e) (e.g. witnessand legal costs) • CostsforEmergency Arbitrator(priorapproval/adjustmentpursuanttoArt. 43(9)) -> noreviewde novo • Allocationofcostsbetweentheparties
5. CostControl (IV) • Art. 40(4): approvaloradjustmentbinding on arbitraltribunal • Issueof Federal Supreme Court decision 136 III 597, 602 cons. 5.2 not resolved! I.e., not binding on andenforceableagainstparties. • Still responsibilityoftribunalstotimelyrequestdepositspursuanttoArt. 41(1) andto check thattheyarepaid
5. CostControl (V) • Appendix B Section 4 (‘Guidelines fortheaccountingofexpenses’)available on www.swissarbitration.org. • Core issues: • Per diemallowancesfordaysspentawayfromplaceofbusiness • Thresholdamountsforadvances on feesandexpenses • Noadvances on feesandexpenses in ExpeditedProceedingsand Emergency Relief proceedings • Strikingbalancebetweenadequatecontrolandefficiency/‘leanadministration‘/avoidingdelay in issuingawards
6. DepositofCosts (I) • Art. 41(4): new:time-limit forpaymentofdepositsreducedto 15 days-> tribunalsmaysuspend/terminateproceedingssooner • Art. 41(1) and41(3): dutytoconsult Court fordeposits (approvalifamounts in Appendix B Section 6exceeded)
6. DepositofCosts (II) • Art. 42(1)(a) andApp. B Section1.4 /1.5 [Art. 5(5)]: ProvisionalDepositof CHF 5‘000 in ExpeditedProcedures. Transfer offilesubjecttopayment. Payment considered partial paymentofdepositfixedbytribunal(Art. 41(1)). • To cover initial efforts of sole arbitrator, such as: • Preparation of provisional timetable in consultation with parties (Art. 15(3)); • Issuing of initial procedural directions (Art. 15(1)); • determination of language(s) of proceedings (Art. 17(1): “promptly after its appointment”)
6. DepositofCosts (III) • Art. 43(1)(c) and(2): depositfor Emergency Arbitratorin theamountofmaximumfees (CHF 20‘000) • Appendix B Section 4.2: advances on feesforarbitratorsif substantial steps/mile-stones in proceedingsareachieved. Subjecttoapprovalby Court -> Guidelines on Expenses
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION ! Dr. Philipp Habegger LL.M. philipp.habegger@walderwyss.com